Lai [pronounced Lie]

Last Thursday Sarah (Appel) and I went to Lie (I have no idea how to spell it I just know it is said Lie) to get some more meds from the public med place. Two of the nurses came with us because they weren’t working and wanted to visit their family there. It was a nice little drive, just 30 min on the road going away from Kelo and N’djamena. Then you get to the river right on the outside of the village and you can pay to take the truck across or you can get out and take a canoe and just carry the stuff back, it’s not far to the market and pharmacy. So in order to save 3,000 CFA we took the canoe. The village is nice; it’s bigger than our little back in the bush, Béré. The market was open and we got to look at a bunch of material to make curtains for the new rooms. Then we ate some beef noodle pasta stuff at a restaurant. (I tell you I am turning more and more into a carnivore every day! Not that I like beef) we loaded up on all our supplies and headed back, as we got cozy in our canoe to be paddled back they started negotiating again the price and wanting the money first. We said no and the two nurses started to negotiate and all that exciting stuff. Sarah and I were just sitting there and a kid swam by us. I thought to myself that that kid was lucky because it was hot out and he got to swim in the cool river. Well the negotiations weren’t getting any shorter we I suggested to Sarah that we just swim over like I had heard about them threatening to do before, she of coarse being the kindred spirit she is agreed whole heartedly. We informed the nurses of our plans and asked them to watch our stuff. And off we went. Now this river was really wide – perhaps a football field length and we knew there was a current but we also knew it was fairly shallow because on the way over our man walked a bunch and then poled the rest. We walked up stream so we could float more and we were off. It was hard at first because of our skirts but I just tucked mine into my shirt as if it was a bib and it was much easier. The swim never got to be too much. It turned out to be quite shallow and it was a nice swim. I loved every min of it because it was so unexpected of us. Poor Gilbert, one of the nurses, he was from Lie and he was mortified that we would be treated that way and that as guest the man had made such a big deal about the cost. He said we shouldn’t have had to pay, and then he kept talking about how if we got sick he would be really mad at all of them and if he ever worked at their hospital he would show them [show them what I am not sure]. Then there was Deghbie (not sure on the spelling but it is pronounced Dig-bee) who thought it was all amusing and wasn’t about to stop us and he just let us go, course it wasn’t his towns honor at stake either. Sarah and I made it to the other side with enough time to sit and dry off even before they started back over in the canoe. Silly African transportation. I am sure I had a few cultural faux pas with that, but it was sooo nice and liberating for me. All those of you who know me I am sure can attest to that :o)