Bienvenue a Abidjan!!
Ok so my plane ride was 20 hours long, and on each flight there were at least 5 screaming babies. It was not cool at all. I was really annoyed and I couldn’t sleep at all. I also got hit on by like 5 different men in the Ivoirian airport that hit on me and tried to get my number. Of course I said no, but it did help me out a little, because some policemen tried to charge people in front of me at customs for the stuff in their bags, but they just let me go right on by, saying I was a “very booteefool garl”. There was also this guy who helped me get my bags from the belt. But he also tried to rip me off by asking me for money to bypass the police. I actually did end up giving him some money but the AIESECers there to pick me up made him go away hahaha. I was so happy to see them. Franc, the VP of exchange, his friend Bekoom, the future VP of Communications, my host mom Elizabeth, and her “friend” Mr. Kwando, which I think is really her boyfriend, because he is at the house all the time.
My first night in Abidjan was insane. We rode in Elizabeth’s car to her house, but the streets were crazy. First of all there are no lanes on the road. The road could be for 3 cars or 4, depending on if there are any assholes driving or not. And another rule is that you shouldn’t let someone change lanes in front of you. I don’t know why but every time someone signaled in front of the person was driving me, they sped up really fast so that the person couldn’t get by ahead of them. It was so weird. Also, all the people without cars walk on the roads. But these roads are like our Highways with shops on either side. So cars are going like 50 miles an hour and don’t stop for people. It’s either you jump out of the way or say goodbye to planet earth.
As we were driving from the airport we had to drive right through the ghetto of ghettos and I really thought I was going to die. In America, I think of the ghetto as like, some crappy cars and houses and a few people walking around. But here, there were people who were all naked except for their underwear walking around, and at least 10 guards at every road with huge machine guns walking around. Everything was in ruins and it was heartbreaking. Then Eliz turns to me and says, “I hope you don’t think this is where I live.” So I felt a little more at ease. We finally reach this huge compound looking place, and the guards let us through the gates, and the inside is amazing. There are palm trees and bright houses everywhere. Everyone looks happy and there are at least 10 different playgrounds where children are running all over.
We reach one of the houses and Eliz beeps her horn. Before I knew it two boys push the doors of her garage open and we drive in. I was home. Franc pulled me out and told me we were going to eat. Of course he said it in English, because I should have said this before but Ivoirian French is crazy! I can’t understand a word of it. Everyone says you are confused for the first week or so, but they have like all different words. Hair brush is Pan not brosse, shoes are tasse not chausseurs, and there are loads of others. And even the words I do know, I can’t recognize because their French is mixed with other African dialects. Like “he said what?” is Il dit quoi? But they pronounce it “ondeekwan?” So I have to get used to all these things.
Elizabeth has a daughter named Roxanne, who is 4 years old and ADORABLE (T-pain I’m probs going to steal her from you.) and she loves my hair. She always wants to play with it all the time. And then she has a son named Christian Junior. But I didn’t understand that it was junior at first because they pronounce it “Juno”. It wasn’t until later I realized they were saying junior. She also another son but I don’t remember his name right now ☹. One of her friends’ sons also lives with us, I don’t know why, but I actually really like him, he’s cool. His name is Ahmad. And then, get this, they have two live in servant girls! Ema and Sabeen. It’s so intense, the boys boss them around all the time, telling them to get this and that. They make all the food, serve it, and clean up. It’s so insane. I actually share a room with them, but they are in bunk beds and I have my own bed. The house itself isn’t huge but its pretty spacious. They have a tv nicer than mine at home, and they have PS2 and 10 million games for it. I was like, omg now I can’t even impress these kids with my American technology.
All of it was so overwhelming that I was like, omg I can’t do this. That night I was so tired I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until late the next morning. I wouldn’t have even woken up then but Roxanne came into my room and told me to wake up because she wanted to play with my hair hahaha. It’s funny because she’s too young to understand I can’t understand what she’s saying, she keeps trying to talk to me, and then her brothers try and act it out for me. Truthfully, I was so disheartened last night because I didn’t know what anyone was saying and everything was new. But then it all changed when I went to the AIESEC hang out. They were all speaking so fast, and I was like blaahhhhh. But then they put AIESEC songs on and I was like I KNOW THIS SONG. So we all danced together and I taught them dances and they taught me some. And since then it was all blue skies. I start my job Monday so I will write again after that! Ok I have to go bye!!!
My first night in Abidjan was insane. We rode in Elizabeth’s car to her house, but the streets were crazy. First of all there are no lanes on the road. The road could be for 3 cars or 4, depending on if there are any assholes driving or not. And another rule is that you shouldn’t let someone change lanes in front of you. I don’t know why but every time someone signaled in front of the person was driving me, they sped up really fast so that the person couldn’t get by ahead of them. It was so weird. Also, all the people without cars walk on the roads. But these roads are like our Highways with shops on either side. So cars are going like 50 miles an hour and don’t stop for people. It’s either you jump out of the way or say goodbye to planet earth.
As we were driving from the airport we had to drive right through the ghetto of ghettos and I really thought I was going to die. In America, I think of the ghetto as like, some crappy cars and houses and a few people walking around. But here, there were people who were all naked except for their underwear walking around, and at least 10 guards at every road with huge machine guns walking around. Everything was in ruins and it was heartbreaking. Then Eliz turns to me and says, “I hope you don’t think this is where I live.” So I felt a little more at ease. We finally reach this huge compound looking place, and the guards let us through the gates, and the inside is amazing. There are palm trees and bright houses everywhere. Everyone looks happy and there are at least 10 different playgrounds where children are running all over.
We reach one of the houses and Eliz beeps her horn. Before I knew it two boys push the doors of her garage open and we drive in. I was home. Franc pulled me out and told me we were going to eat. Of course he said it in English, because I should have said this before but Ivoirian French is crazy! I can’t understand a word of it. Everyone says you are confused for the first week or so, but they have like all different words. Hair brush is Pan not brosse, shoes are tasse not chausseurs, and there are loads of others. And even the words I do know, I can’t recognize because their French is mixed with other African dialects. Like “he said what?” is Il dit quoi? But they pronounce it “ondeekwan?” So I have to get used to all these things.
Elizabeth has a daughter named Roxanne, who is 4 years old and ADORABLE (T-pain I’m probs going to steal her from you.) and she loves my hair. She always wants to play with it all the time. And then she has a son named Christian Junior. But I didn’t understand that it was junior at first because they pronounce it “Juno”. It wasn’t until later I realized they were saying junior. She also another son but I don’t remember his name right now ☹. One of her friends’ sons also lives with us, I don’t know why, but I actually really like him, he’s cool. His name is Ahmad. And then, get this, they have two live in servant girls! Ema and Sabeen. It’s so intense, the boys boss them around all the time, telling them to get this and that. They make all the food, serve it, and clean up. It’s so insane. I actually share a room with them, but they are in bunk beds and I have my own bed. The house itself isn’t huge but its pretty spacious. They have a tv nicer than mine at home, and they have PS2 and 10 million games for it. I was like, omg now I can’t even impress these kids with my American technology.
All of it was so overwhelming that I was like, omg I can’t do this. That night I was so tired I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until late the next morning. I wouldn’t have even woken up then but Roxanne came into my room and told me to wake up because she wanted to play with my hair hahaha. It’s funny because she’s too young to understand I can’t understand what she’s saying, she keeps trying to talk to me, and then her brothers try and act it out for me. Truthfully, I was so disheartened last night because I didn’t know what anyone was saying and everything was new. But then it all changed when I went to the AIESEC hang out. They were all speaking so fast, and I was like blaahhhhh. But then they put AIESEC songs on and I was like I KNOW THIS SONG. So we all danced together and I taught them dances and they taught me some. And since then it was all blue skies. I start my job Monday so I will write again after that! Ok I have to go bye!!!
posted by Meena Zia @ 12:35 PM
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