Sunday, December 23, 2007

Second Full Day Here

Here we are again, eating breakfast/lunch and using the internet. MacDella and the kids went to Church, but the driver drove me and Tammy to another hotel. We passed by the president's palace, the US Embassy, and the military barracks. Brian and Meghan (if you're reading this), I saw a UN AIDS building! We need to add a newspaper from Liberia to our project! I don't think we have one right now. They also have advertisements telling women what to do if they're raped. It would be interesting to see what the newspapers have to say about the campaigns and everything. Maybe I'll find some newspapers and bring them back for Dr. Pollock. :)

Yesterday after we ate at the hotel, we went to an orphanage. The children there loved the camera. A few of them stepped up as my tour guides and showed me around the outside of the orphanage. Then the man who ran the orphanage called them back and put them in two lines. MacDella, Tammy, and two of the girls who work with MacDella traced all of their feet on notebook paper. I was just taping them. It was the best way we knew to measure their feet. MacDella has shoes to give to the children for Christmas, and she needed to have their shoe size so we could match up shoes for each of them. Last night we spent a while going through all of the boxes MacDella has in her apartment and organizing all of the shoes.

On the way to the orphanage, we had to drive through the market. Traffic was horrible! There were so many people there. I was impressed with the women who could carry things on their heads. They can carry just about anything. It didn't seem to matter what size or shape. The women also tied their babies onto their backs with blankets. The babies looked so cute just sitting there and staring and everything.

On the way home from the orphanage, MacDella had the driver stop so she could buy coconuts from a guy on the side of the road. He and some other people had just gotten them and were cutting off the outsides right there. I thought she was just buying one for herself but then she offered them to us! I drank the juice. :) Actually, MacDella mentioned that she didn't have straws to drink the juice with, but guess who happened to have some straws in her bag? The girls who were working with us were laughing at me because I had everything you could think of in my bag..straws, tissues for when the juice was spilling all over us, and antibacterial wipes to wipe our hands. I get it all from my mom. Be prepared for everything!

I guess that's it for now. I don't think I'll be able to use the internet on Monday or Tuesday. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow for the party on Christmas. But I'll be back here again to update you on the happenings of our stay.

Oh, and let me put up a picture...I have a video that I'd love to put up, but it's too big and taking too long to upload. It was of the crazy streets at the market. But here's a picture I took when we were driving. All those people are on the back of a truck. Not safe! They could fall, especially since the roads are so bumpy. I read that the taxis and cars here are always over packed, and it's definitely true.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so proud of you and what you are doing. Can't wait to see the movies.

SQuigley said...

Wow! This is great. I hope you have as much fun as the kids you will be helping have. Look forward to the movies too.

Hey, maybe I'll go to the house and open your presents. :)

"Uncle" Quigley

Anonymous said...

Your trip so far sounds like it has been fun. How was your flight? I hope it was good. By the way, this is Katrina if you're wondering. You seem to be having a great time. I hope you are. The kids also sound like they're having a fun Christmas. Merry Christmas and keep up the good work.