The following day (Saturday) we were told
that we were going to go to the market by ourselves to pick up items to make
our lunch. We decided to make a peanut butter vegetable stew so we made a list
and we left the house excited and nervous for the trip.
We made it on a taxi bus after waiting for
about 5 minutes. Then once at the market our ‘mission’ began. We bought
carrots, tomatoes, hot peppers, potatoes, onions, peanut butter, and okra. With
each vendor we began with “Combien, Combien”, the vendor would give us a price
and then we would bargain with them to try to bring down the price (Thankfully
we had asked Angela what a typical price would be so we were able to lower the
price to about what she suggested).
Once we had completed our purchases, we
went back to the street to get a taxi bus back. I was a bit nervous to get back
to the right area because it soon became apparent that our landmark ‘Hotel
Shanghai’ was not super well known (Everyone knows how to get to the main
market, but Hotel Shanghai is not known by all). After asking one taxi bus if
they knew Hotel Shanghai (they said no), we had a number of full taxi buses. I
was starting to get discouraged. Then the same taxi driver and assistant that
brought us to the market earlier in the day drove up beside us (and recognized
us). Their taxi bus was almost empty and let us in. I was so happy because they
also knew the approximate location that we were picked up. We were dropped off
and made it back to the Austin home.
Together, we worked to make fried okra and
peanut butter stew for lunch. Both were delicious and overall it was a great
experience and a lovely way to work together with my fellow SALTers. (Take a
look at the picture of the four of us with the fresh produce we just bought).
Tomorrow I head with Maddie on a 6-hour bus
ride to Moundou, Chad. I am excited to meet my host family and begin my work
helping out at CENTRAM as an English Language Instructor.
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