There are many ups and down to living on a ship (especially one as special as the Africa Mercy) but one thing that I have unwillingly adjusted to is the '2 minute shower rule'. Now to some of you, you might be saying that 2 minutes sounds like more than enought time for a good shower, but for me, it means giving up one of my favorite things in the morning. In the past, I was usually good for at least 10 minutes under the water, more if I just need some time to wake up.
Before we left the Canary Islands in May, the Captain made the announcement that we would begin to conserve fresh water because we were not sure of the supply here in Liberia. This meant one load of wash per week per person (not too bad), paying attention to how much water we were using for teeth brushing, hand washing, etc and finally the 2 minute (or less) shower. Some people out there might be wondering how a woman can get through everything in 2 minutes and let me say that it has been a challenge. You turn on the water for about 20 seconds to get wet, turn off, shampoo hair and soap up body, rinse for 40 seconds, conditioner in hair, soap and more parts that need it, wash face and then rinse it all off in another minute. Shaving is something that I have not really figured out in the 2 minutes - usually that is a sink thing where I hopfully am not using as much water. I have never taken so many showers were I counted the seconds that I had the water running :) If I don't count, I have found myself just standing under the water because it feels so good - especially last Thursday when the air conditioning was down for a couple days and we finally got a taste of what Africa is really like. The Captain claims that his record is 40 seconds and someone at one of the NGOs here claimed that they were down to 30. He thinks we should be working on breaking this record, but I don't think I am going to worry about it.
16 September 2007
01 September 2007
Out of the Mouths of Babes
I was trying to figure out what to write and had something happen on Thursday that made me think I would write a couple stories about the kids here. --- With Marcel and I dating, many of them see us together at dinner or when we spend time in the evenings, but are not really sure what to make of the time we spend together. I did not realize how confusing the idea of 'dating' was to the little three and four year olds until I had one child approach me one day at lunch.
"Miss Elizabeth, where is your brother?"
"My brother? Well, he lives very far away in Ohio, in America. He lives with my mom - actually I have two brothers. Do you have brothers?"
"I have Lucy, she's my sister."
At that point, the conversation changed and the subject was dropped - the conversation continued later at dinner.
"Miss Elizabeth, where is your dad?"
"My dad, well Emily -- why do you want to know?" -- Was not sure what to say that did not go into a conversation about death, seeing as my dad died about 4 years ago. I was really confused for a minute, then it clicked.
"Emily, do you mean Marcel?"
"Yeah."
"Emily, Marcel is my friend, we are good friends."
She was good with that answer, and I just started laughing. I heard another story later from a mom that her son was watching myself and Marcel walking on the dock on evening when he said that he thought Marcel was a good dad. She tried to tell him that we were 'dating', but was not exactly sure how to explain it.
On Thursday, I had a fun conversation with the grade 1 and 2 students I was picking up for Gym class.
"Miss Elizabeth, do like Marcel?"
"Yes, I like him, why do you ask?"
"Well, I see you together all the time and . . ."
"We are dating, he
is my boyrfriend."
"Ohhh." (You know those ohs, that imply so much more)
At this point another student pipes up with "I like she loves him!"
I did not really have to reply to that one because before I could, one of the other boys turns and in a really serious tone says
"You can't say that to a teacher!"
The rest of the conversation on the way to a field near the ship was about boyfriends and although not embrassing, was interesting with seven and eight year old girls.
The whole thing just makes me laugh. Being in a dating relationship is not something I try to hide from them and I would rather they asked questions and tried to understand. Life is so different here on the ship - even the kids know your 'private life.' :)
"Miss Elizabeth, where is your brother?"
"My brother? Well, he lives very far away in Ohio, in America. He lives with my mom - actually I have two brothers. Do you have brothers?"
"I have Lucy, she's my sister."
At that point, the conversation changed and the subject was dropped - the conversation continued later at dinner.
"Miss Elizabeth, where is your dad?"
"My dad, well Emily -- why do you want to know?" -- Was not sure what to say that did not go into a conversation about death, seeing as my dad died about 4 years ago. I was really confused for a minute, then it clicked.
"Emily, do you mean Marcel?"
"Yeah."
"Emily, Marcel is my friend, we are good friends."
She was good with that answer, and I just started laughing. I heard another story later from a mom that her son was watching myself and Marcel walking on the dock on evening when he said that he thought Marcel was a good dad. She tried to tell him that we were 'dating', but was not exactly sure how to explain it.
On Thursday, I had a fun conversation with the grade 1 and 2 students I was picking up for Gym class.
"Miss Elizabeth, do like Marcel?"
"Yes, I like him, why do you ask?"
"Well, I see you together all the time and . . ."
"We are dating, he
is my boyrfriend.""Ohhh." (You know those ohs, that imply so much more)
At this point another student pipes up with "I like she loves him!"
I did not really have to reply to that one because before I could, one of the other boys turns and in a really serious tone says
"You can't say that to a teacher!"
The rest of the conversation on the way to a field near the ship was about boyfriends and although not embrassing, was interesting with seven and eight year old girls.
The whole thing just makes me laugh. Being in a dating relationship is not something I try to hide from them and I would rather they asked questions and tried to understand. Life is so different here on the ship - even the kids know your 'private life.' :)
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