- It is hard to distinguish the young boys from the girls, since all the young kids have their heads shaved. Names are not always a help either: we have one boy in our class whose name is Elisha. I do not know if there is an age, or a custom, at which time the girls start to grow their hair longer.
- The dala dala ride to most parts of town cost 300 shillings. The conversion rate for US dollars to shillings is currently at 1585 shillings per dollar. Dala dala rides are therefore a very inexpensive mode of transportation,; hence the need to pack as many bodies and baskets of produce into one dala dala.
- Walking is the main mode of transportation, followed by dala dala.
- In terms of the vehicles on the streets, I think that small motorcycles are the most numerous, followed by dala dala, then taxis, followed by private cars/jeeps, etc. There are also many bicycles on the streets. They all have the right of way over pedestrians; even the men pushing carts full of goods have the right of way over people walking.
- We have not seen one traffic light/signal since we arrived. Many intersections are crazy, and very dangerous. I have no idea how there are not more accidents on the roads. We have not seen one accident since we arrived, other than a bicycle that tipped over while trying to stop.
- Satellite dishes are most likely for television. There are few land line telephones, and it seems almost everyone has a cell phone. It is unlikely that anyone has internet access at home (well, maybe a few do), as this is a very, very poor country. Even seeing a television in a home is shocking, due to the depth of poverty that exists here.
More to come......time for a shower before folks return from their projects. I LONG for a good shower!!!!!
More to come......time for a shower before folks return from their projects. I LONG for a good shower!!!!!
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