Friendships

Tuesday 8:20 am

Happy Valentine's Day!

Carol and I were thinking last night about how much more difficult this experience would be if a) we didn't have/know one another and b) we didn't get along.

Because really, to stay in the Chimp Chateau all the time, and have no one to talk to, and nowhere to go for respite...

In comparison with every other community I've lived in, this one is the most separationist. The expats and the locals do NOT mingle at all -- not just outside the office, but really, IN it. In Entebbe, I love hanging out with Lilly or Richard -- but here, at 4:30, when the work day is over, people say their goodbyes and don't look back.

So, if you don't have an expat in your pocket, it's sort of a lonely existence. And I'm really happy to have Carol. As pocket expats go, she's ace.

That being said, she's leaving. Probably in about a week, but, after I go back to the Chateau tonight, the next time I come to her house to stay, it'll be the last time. What's worse is that because she has no idea where she's ever going next, we have no idea when we'll ever see each other again.

It feels like Annie (woofa) all over again, and it's frustrating. At least with Annie I know I'm seeing her in Uganda in May, but when you take the time to get to know someone, and you spend lots of quality time with them, one-on-one, and you feel that Friend-Bond -- Carol and I have been enjoying movies every night together since November!

*sigh*

Also, it means that for my last 10+ days here, I'll not really have anyone to talk to. The Other Ben and Stuart are going into the field, Brad is leaving this Thursday, Delphine is already gone. It's just going to be very strange. Maybe I can wrangle my way into staying at the DFGFI house or with the new coordinator, Rita. Either way, I need somewhere to stay for my days at the office!!

I haven't heard back from my olive branch to Liz either, so I can't tell her what to expect or what to bring, or find out when she's coming. Either way, I'm gettin' out of here before elections! I realized yesterday that, despite my love of the routine and the chimpanzees of it all, I've really had enough of Goma itself.

My Chimps, My Children

Chimp Mother
Originally uploaded by amalthya.

For the uninformed, soon-to-be informed, I officially have no more photos that are pending a Flickr upload. This is a huge accomplishment for me, since, well, it takes forever to upload the shots.

So, I've now got the following completely finished and ready for viewing:

Africa Week Thirty
This photoset includes shots of the General from breakfast and me, dorkifying a chimpanzee

Africa Week Twenty Nine
This photoset includes me with Etaito (pictured here) as well as more cute chimpanzee shots and photos from the Hotel Karibu

Africa Week Twenty Eight
Sure there's strawberries and Rwanda, but there's also my new shelf, my crafts, and what my room at the Chateau Chimpanzee looks like.

Screenshots
I'm a total dork, but I see funny things on my screen sometimes.

The tagging is really the bitch of it all, but I should be done by the time you all wake up.

Best Made-Up Word of the Day:

digi-ninjitsu: making digital magic when you might not have all the tools available to use.