Friday 14th Jan.
We are a couple of miles from the main road and will have to walk that before we get a taxi bike or taxi if we need to get around. Sani, a teacher at the college where we are staying has laid on the college bus for us to get some provisions. In the supermarket, men and women went to different kiosks to pay.
We have no electricity or water, apart from collecting it by bucket from a stand pipe. My phone does not work and battery life is ebbing away. We were able to get a dongle but need to find a longer term solution to our energy needs.
Sub-Saharan winds batter the college campus in the mornings. Rats, goats, guinea fowl and termite hills abound. There are some beautiful small finch birds and lots of lizards.
We bought pans and sheets but couldn't afford blankets just yet. We've acquired a gas burner for heating water for washing and drinking once it's been filtered. I live next door but one to my two colleague heads. The houses are spacious and sparsely furnished. We just about survived the choking city to get to bed by 10pm. Slept in clothes but with a sheet and makeshift pillow. I was much warmer last night!
Hi Julian
ReplyDeleteDelighted to hear you arrived safely. You certainly have had an eventful week!
You will certainly get fit, living so far from the main road. What sort of house / hut do you live in? What is the size of the village?
Hope you take care - especially with all that wild life around. Will show the children in class your blogs so they can ask you some questions next week.
Ann Marie
What a lot to cope with in a week but you have survived. Things can only get better as the song goes!Hope you manage to make your accomodation a bit more like home over the next few days. Our stars haven't been shining as brightly as yours as it is has been raining for days, we keep checking them though!
ReplyDeleteEvery car jimmy hears he thinks its you coming home! look after eachother and try to keep communicating in some way. H
Hi Julian
ReplyDeleteNo mention of teaching yet! It seems a bit overwhelming, but I'm sure you will grow accustomed to your surroundings. What are the temperatures like?
Anita
Hello Bruv sounds pretty basic and primitive out there, have you got a lidl's out there cause there are everywhere in the world!!! What's the goat curry taste like? What sort of food have you been eating, are there any strange sort of fruit or veg that we've not heard of?? Have you been out for your bike taxi ride yet and do you need jeff to come out and sort some pipe work out for you?!!!
ReplyDeleteKeeping in touch with Helen and children and willl pop over for martha's birthday on the 11st...take care and try to keep warm at nights. thinking of you jeff and pauline x
Hello Mr Clements.
ReplyDeleteI have been reading your blog for school ,we are doing a quiz.
Hope you are having a good time.
from Caitlin Chun
Hi Julian,
ReplyDeleteWOW! What an experience you're having...as Ann Marie says, you will definitely seeing some change to your fitness (read: waist measurement!) by the time you get back. I couldn't do it!
Keep posting, it makes for fascinating reading.
Take care xx Hannah xx
Hello Mr.C,
ReplyDeleteAre you having a great time?
How is it like there?
We are all waiting and thinking about you.
Love from the Buensuceso family!
Hi Jules what an adventure you have started looking forward to keeping up with you via the blog we will be on hand if the family need us take care. God bless Dale.
ReplyDeleteHello Mr Clements.
ReplyDeleteWe hope that you have a great time. We are looking forward to seeing your photos of all the animals, especially the lizzards!
Best wishes from the Janaway family.
Hi Julian,
ReplyDeleteShay phoned today and assured me that you'll soon settle down into your new lifestyle! (Told him to check this blog as he has a mention.) I can't begin to imagine what it is really like when I can just 'put the kettle on'(electricity and water we take for granted). So much to think about already. Love reading your entries so hope you manage more very soon. A message from Jacob 'if you're low on power you need to type faster'! Very useful advice but a worry that has come from a (hopefully) future physicist(UCAS application finally sent after many tears and they were mine!) We're on the same planet but in different worlds right now.
Sleep well if you can, goodnight from Yate!
Dee
Thank you for all your good wishes. Nearly everything I packed has been useful so far, so no disasterous consequences. Temperature measured today at 26 degrees c in the shade but there is often a breeze from the sahara which surprisingly cools things down. We are constantly amazed by the locals who (if they have them) wear coats and knitted hats because they feel this is extreme cold. We have turned up in linen shortsleeves and ask if we are coping with the cold. We think it is like a warm summer's day. Night time can be much colder though when the sky is clear.
ReplyDeleteWe have submitted a plan of action to the Science & Technical Board of Kano State and they seemed happy. We will work with 4 schools but at the moment only senior secondary pupils are back after the Christmas holidays because the Government has closed all schools till the end of January for people to register in the forthcoming April Presidential Elecetions. This was a presidential edict at short notice which has set us back a couple of weeks.
So glad to hear you are still in the land of the living! I was wondering when we would next hear from you. It seems such a long time but it has only been 10 days!Glad you are beginning to get things sorted. Sorry to hear the primary shools are not back, secondary is another ball game.Have you managed to buy any blankets? I don't think I would cope without my blanky!! Things are fine at home and Mrs Sewell has everything under control at school! We are all missing you, but really hope that you are enjoying the experience hard though it may be.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to hearing from you again soon.
Love Helen.
hi dad,
ReplyDeletehope you're okay, just in from panto. Went well tonight and guess what!? My art teacher Mrs Bowden who is a daughter-in-law of lin (eldest fairy) SHE CAME! she loves chipping sodbury and really enjoyed the performance IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTERALL! pity u can't see it... uncle graham is... grrrrrr.... ANYWAY THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR THE KATY PERRY TICKETS olly is coming with me (not sure why?) i can't wait thank you soooo much!!!! xxxxxx Dog really is missing you, he's caused so much chaos it was like ww2 all over again! joe's almost finished the ensuite (it looks soo good) i'm going to try out the shower now so i shall be typing l8er.
hope you're showing Africa how it's done
all my lovely love
Molly XxXxXxXx