We spent the weekend out and about. Saturday and night we were at HELP, where Dayna and I worked to facilitate the learning of appropriate technologies. It was basically a day at work for me, but I was also just starting to feel sick. I slept in the main house on the couch instead of the mud huts mostly because I didn't want to make all the other boys sick, but also because I knew I would wake up a sick mess, which I did. I was up with the sun and walked over to the other bungalow where I found a girl who had woken up cold and wandered up to the house to find warmth and comfort. I talked with her for a bit before drifting back into a sleep on the other couch. I woke up as Rodney came in with breakfast supplies and spent the morning serving some breakfast in bed and the rest from the kiosk. The Africans came to teach some traditional living ideas, and were amazed at my work with the soapstone carving. I have carved two expressive heads and an abstract butterfly necklace to give to Che, who told me his friends used to give each other butterflies on the street to remind them that a beautiful change would pull them out.
Leaving HELP, we headed to Moose Jaw for a tour of the tunnels that housed chinese immigrants during the years of head tax and the exclusion act--here are the people who built the railroad being punished for their racial and cultural differences. The other tour was of the same tunnels but through the eyes of bootleggers running liquor for Al Capone, who had a hideout and operation in Moose Jaw during the prohibition times. They were great tours, with drama and intrigue, but the rest of the town was pretty lame, or at least what we saw of it in our hour of free time. I bought some pumpkin pie fudge to nibble. We departed at five fifteen and headed to Regina where we had reservations at the Ethiopian restaurant there. Fabulous food and great service with stories and literature of their country--adding flame to the sparks that guide me to Africa soon.
I am quickly saying good bye to the Prairies, but know that I have a home here at HELP International. Rodney is very keen on getting me back here to work in the future. I am keen to be working for a rewarding operation like this. My article I wrote on tree mulching should be getting published in the 'Katima-Flash' paper that circulates this region, and I'm sending it to a Youth Action Network paper too. I'll be packing up soon to head back to my home province for another ten week trimester. How different will it be, and how will it remove me from where I am now? I'll let you know.
LOVE - Tristan
before || after
