PETA members look out, I'm now a proffesional turtle surfer! This tortoise lives at the training center and only has one eye. He spends his day running into people sitting on chairs to knowck them over, busting through screen doors to scare the girls and chasing everyone around... he can really move! And, he loves to mess with people.
So, on the way up to site 2 weeks ago we got into a pretty bad bus accident. After leaving Bamako early in the morning, the bus was heading north at the usual breakneck, horn blasting speed. About 30 minutes into the trip I was dozing in my seat dreading the 15 hour sweat box ride when the driving started honking incessentaly. Normally the bus driver hnoks to move cattle, goats, birds, pedestrians, other cars, small children, etc. This time he was really laying it on. The driver then slammed on his brakesm careened left and I was shaken from my nap rather violently. I pulled the curtain from the window in time to see a small white truck bounce off the front of our bus, skid off the road, and come to a grinding halt. There were a few men in the back of the truck and one was flung out onto the ground... luckily he was ok except for some pretty nasty cuts on his back and elbows. The front of the truck was crumpled in like tinfoil bu the driver was able to walk away from the accident. On the other side of the bus a man was pushing his moto, which you can see in the pic above. When he was the bus coming straight at him, he ditched the moto, which was dragged under the bus like a vacuum, and ran off the road as we barely missed him! The bus went off the road, blasted through a stand full of gasolinem broke through an open sewer covered by increments of concrete and missed plunging into a drainage ditch by a mere 8 inches. Looking at the scene of the accident, I couldn't believe that we hadn't flipped. Being on the bus, it felt like it was going over, but the driver handled the situation very well.
This is my house at site and the guys hanging out are some local villagers. As you can seem it's not much more than a pile of rocks glued together with mud, but nonthe less, it is the nicest house in the village because it is brand new and has a door and windows that close AND lock! Imagine that!
Hey Dad I got some of your Munsell Appraisal Service hats out to my Malian counterparts. The man on the rightm Ousman Kassambaram is my homologue and I will be working with him for the next two years. The guy on the left is Tijani Ongoiba and is kinda like the village go-to guy. He can fix everything.
Hey Dad I got some of your Munsell Appraisal Service hats out to my Malian counterparts. The man on the rightm Ousman Kassambaram is my homologue and I will be working with him for the next two years. The guy on the left is Tijani Ongoiba and is kinda like the village go-to guy. He can fix everything.This is me and my friend Ben right before going to swear-in dressed in our finest Malian outfits... kinda like a pajama party!
7 comments:
Nice PJ's Dave!
It's great to see where you are living and hear about your adventures!
Glad the bus accident wasn't as bad as it could have been. Yikes! The angels are keeping a close eye on you over there.
dave
this is Katherine and Alexis
I like when you were riding on the big turtle. we miss. we wish you could come and visit us soon.
we are having a halloween dinner with your mommy and daddy here tonight and your mommy showed us your blog.
We love you.
xoxoxoxo
Katherine and Alexis
Hey Dave it's Ross,
Looks like fun, and in a dangerous kind of way! Take chances, my friend. Learn! I want to help you, so I'll send you what I can, when I can, like New York Life coffee mugs. Red Sox ALCS game 1 tonite v. Cleveland!
heyy David,
Looks like u r having a lot of fun(in a confusing kind of way...lol)I am sitting here with grandma reading your hallirous blogs..must be embarrising to be seen naked:)
I miss u a lot (and so does grandma.) 2 years is to long...lol!! DONT DO ANYTHING STUPID...ha ha ha!
Keep up the hard work, and dont let that lady sleep in your arm pit again..she sounded very annoying(in a funny way.)
lots of love
~Victoria~
Hello David
Happy Birthday to Yooooooo! Belated but not forgotton.
Your Mom will be sending something from Papa and I in the next mailing.
BTW watch out and keep the turtle safe or you may be having turtle soup for lunch. Vicky and I read all of your posts and had a good laugh.
Love Grandma and Papa
Hi David James,
It is so great to read your blog! What an adventure! Thank heavens you escaped the bus accident unharmed, and everyone else too.
Happy belated birthday! We all wish you the best. Audrey is getting a kick out of reading your blog.
Lots of love,
Deb, Michael, Elena & Audrey
Nothing quite says "I'm from a developed country" like listening to an iPod while using a tortoise like a surfboard - or did it ride more like a flolab?
This is great to read - most people in your situation would be self-indulgent and wordy, but this flows in ways that would make Jay-Que Rowling weep rainbow tears.
Keep posting, I'll keep reading it in amazement.
What is your current address? I'm eager to send you a batch of my homemade kippered beefdoodles - much like the traditional snickerdoodle, but with all the protein and tangy zing of kippered beef.
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