Day 28 - Almost a Month Abroad

It's kind of hard to believe that I have been living here for just shy of a month now...it feels like time is going fast, but slow at the same time because I miss everyone from home.  It's a good miss though because I think to truly appreciate the people in your life, you have to miss them sometimes.  And I don't mean in a way where you haven't talked in a day or two, or where you could take a little drive to go and see them...I mean  a real separation.  I've thought about it before, as I'm sure others have too, but I think it is one of those concepts that in order to really grasp, you have to experience it for yourself....sorry to get all deep there...but when my internet isn't working...which is one of the only amenities I have here and I am the only one awake...my mind wanders!  Needless to say, I already can't wait to be reunited with all of my family and friends!

Anyways...today has been filled with a few firsts for me. An example would be that I got to play with Adama's daughter, Sarahmata, for a little! Adama is our guard...I'm not sure if I ever mentioned his actual name...but his wife and daughter just came to Bioko about a week ago and this morning as Adama was helping David with something, we had this little game where I kept handing her the fork and she kept throwing it...so dang cute though! I think all the little kids here are just adorable, but especially her.

I also had my first experience of how screens are put in windows in EG...they cut a big rectangle of this mesh cloth and then nail it around the windows...I mean I guess that is one way it can be done...at least we have them, but my legs are already getting knawed on...so I think I am just going to hope that we don't lose power and have the air conditioner.

But my biggest first of the day was when we went to get some dinner after class.  David, Sarah and I went to this fish restaurant...I wasn't prepared to get an entire fish though...head, tail, bones..everything! After getting the knack for getting the meat without the tiny bones, it was really delicious!! We also got fried plantains with it...yum!!  Walking back through Malabo after dinner I also noticed that there are several gyms you can join here in town...I thought that was so cool! They are tiny, but I just wasn't expecting that.  I figured if people here "worked out" it was more by playing soccer or basketball or other sports, or at the gyms in the hotels.  I guess I shouldn't just assume!

Some other little things that happened today were that we went to the Martinez Bulk with David in the morning to stock up on water since it is cheaper.  On the way back we stopped at this grocery store called Supermercado Rial because they usually sell some American brands...I was a little disappointed because I wanted to find some peanut butter, but they didn't have any.  They did have a lot of other things though...one item that I really wasn't expecting was Lean Cuisine microwave meals.

We also had our first Environment and Society class earlier tonight.  Our professor for this class also works for Marathon, but he is American and used to teach at the University of South Carolina.  He is a very interesting man and very knowledgable, but he travels a lot to London, so our class schedule is kind of weird...aka we have class on Saturdays from 1-5...ugh! But either way, I am excited to learn more about this side of science since I have always taken more anatomy and physiology geared classes!

OH! And another thing that I forgot to mention yesterday...we had a movie night last night! Nick, one of the workers at Moka who flew back to New York today, came over and he had some movies on his computer.  So we watched the new James Bond movie...man what a stressful movie...I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.  It was very good though...you all should watch it if you haven't yet!

Tomorrow we have our first Spanish quiz, so I must study!

Hasta luego,
Lindsey