Guess what?! I’m being productive! You’re about to get caught up even farther into last month. One might even think that maybe… just maybe… they’ll get caught up completely soon. Don’t get those hopes too high there Icarus. I’ve got a life to lead here too; but I’m working on it.

In the case of an emergency remember to hover over the photos for extra captions (because I’m nerdy enough to take the time to add those in the titles). In the case of a REAL emergency (say head trauma or severe burns) dial 911. I mean really, what are you doing reading a blog? You’re bleeding!

March 7th 2011

Day 85

Denis has the difficult job of keeping people from taking their boxes without his first noting the fact. Why? Because it’s CONTAINER DAY! Which means that you, yes you, have received a package from the US that took 2 months to get to you. Why? Because it got shipped from Texas on a huge container full of supplies. It traveled the ocean on a painfully slow container ship. And then it had to pass through Sierra Leonean customs, which is like pushing a square peg through the proverbial round hole (sometimes I wonder if they actually practice this by forcing the square containers through some giant pipe).

Either way I’d shipped myself some stuff before leaving, and my mom did too! Turns out my mom is both a better packer than I am AND better at sending stuff I actually want. Socks? T-shirts? I need not these things! I crave chips and salsa! Which my mom actually managed to get to me IN ONE PIECE.

Can you tell how excited container day gets me? You know what’s coming next? BATTLESTAR GALACTICA THE BOARD GAME! *faints

Day 86

We went out and played ultimate frisbee. I forgot my phone. This creates a problem. Why? I have no photo of said event. Not the rocky field, the bloody accidents, or the crowds of onlookers wondering why these crazy white people are chasing a plastic disc. What do I get instead? This awesome photo of my non-tan line. I don’t have tan lines on my feet. This is dust. I’m not kidding. It’s a crazy world out there; crazy dirty.

Day 87

I feel bad because Liz got cut out of the frame. Moving on, this is the Department of Justice on our left (I like to refer to it as the Hall of Justice, sounds cooler) and the famous Cotton Tree in front. It’s a national landmark. It’s also the home to millions of bats. Maybe not millions, sorry for the Linderman Hyperbole, but close. We were out on the town exploring and eating street food. It went well.

Day 88

OK, so when you’re out in the market and you find American Flag shoes (complete with stars on the tongue) you’ve gotta get them right? RIGHT? The answer, of course, is yes. At least if you’re a patriotic citizen like some folks around here. They love America here though, no joke. Largely due to Obama, strangely, but hey: we’ll take it. There are American flags everywhere. Mostly in sticker form on cars. But there are air fresheners, clothes, even entire buildings painted in stars and stripes. It’s a good day to be an American (except they still like the Brits more for some reason).

Day 89

My second security gig: the Eye Clinic Screening. We do eye surgeries on the ship, but since we have to screen weekly (we see hundreds of patients per week) we have to hold the screenings elsewhere. We do them a little ways from the ship at the Kissy Eye Hospital. After the screening day at the stadium it was felt we should beef up security everywhere, so Sam and I got sent out that Monday. It went really well. Even though my radio literally fell apart the minute I tried to turn it on. Like, multiple pieces fell apart.

Day 90

My buddy Sam Slennett is the sales manager on the ship. He wants stuff to sell. There are a lot of people, mostly short-termers, who never get off long enough to really find any souvenirs to buy. There are also lazy people. So we went out and found some for them. We went to the Big Market about 50 minutes walk from the ship. They had tons of stuff ranging from ‘really cool’ to ‘why would anyone touch that let alone buy it?’

In the end we bought a wide variety to see what sold, and I’ll be proud to say my selections sold really well. At least the ones I’m willing to claim as my selections did. It made for a good day, and it was the first time anyone has propositioned me in Sierra Leone.

One of the textile dealers came up and asked if I was lonely here in Sierra Leone. At first I tried to pretend I thought she asked how long I was here. When that failed and she asked again “no no, are you LONELY [wink wink]?” I responded “No, I live with 400 people in a can. But if you can find me a place where I CAN be alone, I’d pay for that.”

Day 91

Bromance blossoms on the Africa Mercy. Cyle can barely resist the sweet charms of Justin as he whittles a tune from naught but air and inspiration.

And it had like a Spanish flamenco thing going on too, which started a bit of a dance off by the cafe.

Runners Up – So few this time

Filed under: 1 P/D, 1 Photo per Day by Jay