1/16th of a Roll of Toilet Paper

Apparently, the average human need only employ 1/16th of a roll of toilet paper per day. Actually, we’re lucky to have any at all. I just got back to my room to type this up (after meeting the students) to find one small bar of apple soap and my daily supply of T.P. Sure makes you careful about not wasting it.

So, I sent y’all the blog entry yesterday then we went to an outdoor eating hut to watch the locals drink of a Sunday afternoon. We walked through the HOT streets of Gambella and had to stop a couple of times. It is HOT…did I mention that? Actually, it is humid so it is quite fine. After the chilly evenings in Addis, this is quite welcome.

After that we came to the hotel for some fried Nile perch and potatoes. We met a Pact consultant named Eloise who is quite spectacular and funny. We showed her and our newly arrived cohort Zerihune (I know I botched that spelling) some of the student movies. Zerihune is a quite famous artist so he is working with the kids on original art until our computers arrive. Still no word on that front, and I’m fatigued by even thinking about writing about it, so, no computers yet.

We then headed over in a Medicins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) SUV to Chol’s house for the birthday party. Chol now works for the Girls’ Empowerment Project, and has a very nice mud and brick home. She had prepared a great meal of chicken, spaghetti, and sauce, as well as popcorn and cake. We drank Fanta and showed the many children how to make movies on the camera. They LOVED it and laughed for hours at seeing themselves dance and cavort.

There was thatched-roof hut village next to Chol’s home, and many of the neighborhood kids stared through the stick fence in wonderment. There were four of us white people at Chol’s party so it must have been a wonderful diversion for the neighborhood.

Chol’s daughter Juliet was turning seven, her son one, and she is, I believe, 26. There was much music and dancing, and even more sitting. Those of you who know me know how hard it is for me to sit. I’m doing it! I can sit for hours here, as it is culturally inappropriate to go all American on them and flit around like everything that happens has to happen NOW. I’ve calmed down considerably after these past several weeks.

Andy went out with friends last night and I put up my mosquito net and drifted off at 8pm, only to wake up with a start at 7:15am the next morning (today). I turned on the shower, nothing. Yesterday I had the faintest of cold trickles coming out…drip…drip…drip…but it was enough to wash my face and hair. Today I had to shave, so I used the bottled water. I was so excited to shave because Jody had cut my hair yesterday on the porch and I was looking normal again! She had never done it before, but she did a great job! She worked so hard that she started sweating like a marathon runner. We laughed as she dripped sweat off of her nose onto my head. I’m sure she’s still covered in Erik hair.

Our kids arrived at 7:30am this morning. As Andy and the hotel crew fashioned a screen out of a sheet and some string, I showed them how to take photos. They did great. I’m hoping you can see some of them on Shutterfly if I’m able to upload them.

We have about 14 boys and six girls. Many of the girls were profiled in the same document as Chol. One of the girls is paralyzed. A man carried her in. She has an amazing smile and attitude. I showed her the flip and she did a great job interviewing everyone who passed by her. I don’t remember how she became paralyzed, but I’m sure we’ll find out from her movie. She is very proud and doesn’t like to be carried. As odd as it sounds, it is uplifting to see her dragging herself along the dirt path, up the concrete steps, and into a chair at the desk. She can do it on her own! And, man, is she going to.

Andy introduced the project to the kids, and it became clear that we needed translation. So, everyone is taking turns speaking in one of the three languages represented in the room. Zerihune is a great help. We started showing some example movies, but the power went out, so we moved on. Then, the power came back on, but went out immediately. Eventually, Andy was able to get through them.

We introduced the idea of storyboarding to them. Andy explained that we want movies about their barriers to education and employement, but (more importantly) we want to focus on how they overcame them and also their dreams for the future. We’re setting them up as not only the storytellers, but also the mentors who will teach others how to use the computers we’re leaving at the Technical Vocational Training school, Openo.

I just looked at one of the storyboards. This boy is going to make a movie about how he had to fish as a boy and how hard it was to be carrying his fish home as he passed by other boys with books. He eventually went to school on his own, and is a testament to tenacity and perseverance. I think these will be some very moving films.

Jody showed them all the ONE Sara book we have (our other books are sharing company and space with the computers in customs). Many of the girls will make movies that incorporate Sara into the narrative.

I better head back and help Andy and Zerihune out. We just had tea and now I need to give the kids their lunch money so that they can eat before they walk home.

We’re off to the Pact offices in an hour to try and send this blog and upload some photos.

More tomorrow.

E

P.S. I’m also going to buy some toilet paper on the way home.