We finally got to the hotel at around 3:10 this morning. It was actually interesting though seeing the city at night. There was hardly any traffic, but there were still quite a bit of people out and about. Saturday, like at home, is a big bar night, but since there are many people without cars, it was a different dynamic. In the city, there were street lights, but in the outskirts, it was very dark. I am glad that I was not driving (for many reasons really) because I wouldn’t see pedestrians and bicycles until they were right close to us. Joseph, my new friend and driver, had a trained eye for those things, I guess.
When we pulled up, you would have no idea we were at a hotel. The entire premise is surrounded by a wall with a beefy metal gate. The guards, after being woken up, checked our car and my baggage before letting us enter. Security is heightened after the bombings.
The hotel is very nice. There are all of the amenities that you would find in a nice hotel in the States. There is a gym, swimming pool, various restaurants, etc. The gym is actually very nice! I was quite impressed.
My room is nice. It is funny to see the decor here and how much different it is than how we would decorate at home. They don’t seem to mind “clashing” colors. It is about seperate nice things all mixed together.
There is A/C and hot water. In fact, I have my own personal water heater. Unfortunately, I have to choose between hot water and water pressure, but it is no hassle.
I have a balcony, and I am right by the breakfast room. I have a minifridge and a small TV.
When I first walked into my room, I noticed this curtain that wraps around the bed. It reminded me of some of the romantic getaways you see on TV, but as it turns out, that is my mosquite net. Speaking of mosquitos, I haven’t really noticed any. It is probably because you can smell the Off! on me from miles away! I even sprayed a little on my bed just in case they get hungry at night.
Today, Asher and I decided to take it easy for a few reasons. One, we kept Joseph out very late and he had to speak at 6AM this morning. Two, we wanted to get aclimated and settled in. Three, we just wanted to!
We poked around the hotel a little and did some prep work for our meetings tomorrow. Then, we went walking around a little around the town to see what was around us. We found an ATM, grocery store, and internet cafe. This is where it set in that we were in a third world country. There were people everywhere, cars all over, and “Boda Boda” motorcycle taxis buzzing around. Many of the shops were very small. To some extent it reminds me of Trader Village. The grocery was interesting to walk around. There were many things that made me curious, like bags of minos, unrefrigerated. And anyone know what Cow Ghee is? It was with the peanut butter, honey, and jams.
There were meat vendors on the street. The meat was hanging in large chucks out in the open. You could even see parts of the cow with the innerds. I respectfully declines when the vendors asked if I wanted some. I’m sure I don’t need to explain.
There were quite a few kids running around without parents. I don’t know if this was because “rules” were more relaxed here or if these kids were orphans. One thing is for sure… there are some cuties around here!
I think it is very good that I have gotten here before the majority of the team to get over my culture shock. I guess to some extent you aren’t as saddened by the situation because the people don’t seem sad at all. It reminds me how spoiled I am, and yet these people still walk around with a smile. I can really learn from these people. With all that I have been given in life, I should get cramps from smiling so much!!
The food here at the hotel is pretty good. It will take some getting used to. Today I tried:
- Matoki (a banana looking thing)
- Sweet Potato (tastes similar but looks like regular white potatoes)
- Pumpkin Soup
- Fried Fish… bones and everything. It was really good.
- Roasted Beef (delish!)
- Some green veggie… not so crazy about it
- Pineapple and Watermelon… YUMMY
- Rice (its a little different I think)
The sodas here are sold in glass bottles. They have the same brands, like Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, and Fanta, but they have different flavors too. I am not a big soda drinker, but Asher has had a few different varieties.
I am excited for what this trip has in store for me. I am trying to sit back, observe, and LEARN.
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