I have heard it said on multiple occasions that it is best to travel while you are young- especially when it involves going to logistically challenging places like- well, Africa.
And I have also heard it said that in order to maintain a toubab’s sanity, you need to get out of Africa every three months. Or maybe Senegal. Or maybe you just think that I’m rotten for uttering such a pampered and short-sighted perspective.
Whether or not you think I am a wuss for subscribing to both of the above beliefs- I definitely am guilty of requiring periodic travel as well as refuge.
Before I go on though, I’ve gotta give a shout-out to my brother. It is with his help that my camera continues to snap photos. After grilling some eats last week, I left my trusty blog enhancer by the grill before heading inside to drink watch the hockey game and listen to the calming backdrop of a thunderstorm. Ahh I love the sound of the rain…
Fast-forward to the next morning where I spend 30 minutes alternating between the same three “it’s gotta be here” locations before I realize where I left my camera. Merde.
I go outside and immediately spy my dripping camera. It’s got that, “Yep, you a-hole, you left me outside” look to it. I’m mad at myself as I bring it indoors and start calculating the costs of another camera. I show my bro – who just happens to be visiting – my latest genius move. He wordlessly picks up my handiwork, locates some tiny tools, and immediately starts taking it apart. I can’t help but notice that this is the exact situation that I would experience as a kid, back when I would bring whatever I had ruined over to my dad while he was working in his shop. Dad would always take the mangled item and quietly do his magic to put it back together again. As I watched John that day, I smiled in knowing that this gene has been passed on to one of us.
California brown basmati rice and little brothers. My panacea for water-logged electronics.
Anyway, I think I just gave away the ending of the story (that and the fact that I am still posting photographs). He disassembled my camera and then told me to find some rice for immersion once this thing dried. I followed his instructions to the best of my ability, and presto! my camera still works! I am now completely prepared for hurricane season blog entries…
So thanks again to my brother, and with that I will resume my latest photo slide show…
So travel- yes, I do a lot of it. I am not sure that I will ever be able to sit still for too long, but I will say that my last trip had me combining research, multinational collaboration and some time in a place of complete logistical ease.
No, really! Check it out:
Me and members of the Cape Verdean Coast Guard. We’re hammering out exercise planning on U.S. soil. And I’m not even in Brockton!
I don’t think I can tell the story in this forum, but this Navy Captain and I now share a unique bond that validates my integration into Senegalese confidence. I guarantee that General Olmsted would be proud.
The work component of this trip provided a great deal of insight into how we as Americans interact with our African partners. What I saw, assisted with, and heard was a highly worthwhile experience that was rivaled only by my hors conference time that proved so rejuvenating. Remember that I started this entry off by noting the need to get out of Africa every three months…
A co-worker asked if I wanted to go have dinner with some friends of his. Not knowing what to expect, I took him up on the offer to not eat in another restaurant. I chose wisely.
The friends in question live here, on the inner coastal waterway of the Chesapeake. Are you kidding?! This place is gorgeous, and reminds me of my family’s camp up in
East Grand Lake (it’s been too long since I have been back).
When asked what we wanted for supper, the option to reach into the water and fish out some crabs was presented. Um, yes let’s do that. Even if it is a little early in the season.
The crabs are dumped onto the dock and I am given tongs with which to play “catch the fleeing crab”. Soon enough they were headed for their high-temperatured, yet delicious demise.
I forgot to mention that we came here after our trail run, so beer was definitely an important component to this evening. Especially once we started picking the crabs for supper.
No, I’m not drunk- but I am ridiculously happy to be back in a place that feels so normal, so chill. A little respite is good for the soul.
By the time that the crab, steaks and other good eats are all grilled up, it is getting dark. Still, there is no rush to a great evening.
We eat supper on the dock, even as it got progressively darker and a rain shower passed overhead. Yes, I did have my camera outside as all of this took place.
This is the last shot I took before I became involved in my food and it got decidedly black outside.
That’s really all there is to it. You know how the best experiences are often ones that you don’t see coming? This was one of those days. In fact, the entire trip was incredibly fruitful in more ways than I would have expected. I certainly appreciate my time in Senegal, but I also really appreciate (and require) the periodic venues for
MWR and family time. Cold bottles of wheat beer certainly won’t be turned away either.
