Waiting for the electricity.
The wait for electricity continued, with many people gathering around. Today was different as everyone was welcoming to us as well. In fact, I was pulled into the local interactions—a sort of socialized aggression of pushing, kicking and other horseplay. At one point I was looking under the car and one of them proceeded to pour cold stream water down my back—something we had seen them do to each other. They really were treating me like a local.
A car pulled up, the popular guy jumped in and tried to convince me to get in with him. I was not sure what they were doing or where they were going, so I acted as if I didn’t understand. He finally gave up and drove off. I would have gone with them, but by this time I was pulled away from the group three times and offered a strange red crystal—some form of opium. I politely turned it down each time, but the offers were regular and repeated. The most likely thing the two of them were going to do off and away from the town was going to involve the opium. It was confirmed when they came back with big smiles and bloodshot eyes.
A car drove up and a tall girl in her 20’s approached me. She introduced herself in English and proceeded to explain that she was asked to come in to translate a few things. She first asked what the purpose of our trip was. I had been trying desperately to explain that we were driving on behalf of a children’s charity—something that despite my drawings, hand gestures and pointing was interpreted as a midget’s colony. She translated to the crowd about children, schools, and our purpose. Then she asked the big question. “Are you married?” I said yes, to which she said, “Ok”, turned and left us. She had nothing more to say and no more need for us. I tried to point out that Will and Joe were single, but there was no interest.
