Fifteen hours after we left the U.S., our plane landed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (my first layover on the journey).  As we got off the plane in Addis, I was shocked to discover that everyone was departing the plane aisle by aisle, row by row.  OMG, order in Africa! Well maybe in East Africa.

Because then I got in the boarding line for the Bamako, Mali flight.  You mean…WHAT LINE!?  Run for your life people, that’s what it felt like!  People were running and pushing and elbowing and screaming to get into the plane, I felt like their lives were being threatened.  I got stepped on, pushed, scratched and finally made it to my seat and plopped down.  As I took a breather and looked around me on the plane, I realized how comfortable I felt in such an uncomfortable world.  Although Ethiopia was exotic, I didn’t know who to talk to, what to say, how to act.  But here on the flight back to my hood, I could immediately join in all the rapport as well as elbow my own way into my seat.

The rest of the trip though good have gone a little better.  Two hours later I entered the airplane bathroom, took one step, slipped and fell.  In West Africa, people use plastic kettles filled with water in lieu of toilet paper to wipe your “you know what”.  As a result, the whole floor was soaked with water.  Eww is right.  Ouch is better.

Seven hours later, we landed in Bamako.  Customs was a breeze, my bags were the first out, and as I reveled in the smoothness of the experience I rushed outside waiting anxiously for my company driver to come pick me up…for 10 minutes, for 30 minutes, for 60 minutes, for 90 minutes…. At that point, I knew the tardiness of my pick up was probably not due to W.A.I.T (West Africa International Time).  I saw a teenage boy lurking around on a cellphone and bought him a card worth $5 in phone credit and asked to use his phone.  I called up my office and after apologies (due to miscommunication, this won’t be the last time!) a driver was on his way.

In the meantime, I was stung by a bumblebee.  By the time my driver appeared, my right arm was swollen and throbbing, I was incredibly dehydrated and I had a crowd of ten boys following me.

We made it to the hotel where I was pleased to find out had wi-fi, hence this blog!  I am off to bed because I begin work tomorrow at 8am!  Wish me better luck than today!

“T.I.A!  This is Africa!” Blood Diamond.