Parts of Africa

Hello from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

After a most heinous flight on the oldest airplane I have ever had the
displeasure of passengering on and a giant bounce of a landing I have
made it. I am scheduled to return on a modern airplane with South
African Airlines to go back to S.A. on Friday.

I had to surrender my passport on entry and have just thankfully
gotten it back. My bags are set to arrive this afternoon!

I am staying at someone's house here, her name is Kim and she is from
Connecticut. She is an exploration geologist. This place used to house
the ambasador to DRC from South Africa. It is huge with a ton of
bathrooms, high-speed internet, a pool, a working oven and a US size
fridge (these last two are highly uncommon in this entire country, or
so i have been told). The windows all have bars, rain drives through
them during the storms and pools, and the wall that surrounds this
place has curly cues of razor wire. The razor wire really complements
the armed gaurd who hangs out 24/7. Lights are always on around the
house. There is a house keeper, cook, gardner, and pool man. They are
not live in. There is no land line phone. I have been told there are
no land lines in Congo. i don't know if that is just in people's homes
or in general. There are some tall (2 or 3), say 10 story buildings i
saw from the plane. most people live in huts or brick housing that may
only be partially constructed. walls go up first, then a roof, if they
get enough money. people here do not have enough to eat. generally.

miners dig by hand, not everywhere, there is big machinery too. at
some mines they just dig holes straight into the ground. there is no
shoring and they often collapse, killing the person inside. i don't
think i'll get to visit a mine while i'm here, maybe in South Africa.
and no mom, i will not be going in the hole, i do not work in geotech
anymore.

Everyone speaks french. Power comes and goes. sometimes it's on,
sometimes it's not. I guess then there are not lights on around the
house always.

There is no walking around freely for me, except on the golf course.
There is a really lovely golf course around the corner. I am taking
private lessons every morning while i am here. this will cost the
equivalent of 20 or so USD. the instructor is really good, he looks
like he's floating when he swings. I think I look like a chicken.

I do not know what might happen to me if i were to go out on my own?
i might run into some people or police who might demand money. of
course this would be in french. my french vocab consists of si voo
play, bon soir, bon jour, ah doo twah, encore, viola, dificil, facil,
voo le voo cooshay avec moi, pardon, scuse emoi, soup du jour, steak
au puove, escargot...that's about it. and no, i do not think i can
spell in french. i might not actually get what's going on. unless
perhaps fire arms were involved. at the airport in Johannesburg
(Joburg for short) there is a place to go to check your weapon. i'm
not kidding, there's a big sign. maybe you have to leave it in S.A.,
maybe they take care of it on the plane for you? i'll ask. maybe they
mean machete?

in the mean time i am getting some sweet swings in. or whatever, i do
not know golf lingo. mostly the instructor says, voila, encore,
perfect (that does not happen mostly, but occaisionally). he mostly
speaks french, some english. he tells me how to correct my swing, or
shows me.

work is going well, but nobody wants to hear about the least
interesting part of this voyage. :)