Shopping other than Groceries-

Well,Ken has been looking at Congo Connection and I guess the Mission Meeting pictures in the blog got you all going! Also Ken's posting on Facebook on Father's Day of the Congo Dads! Glad you are enjoying it all. I am not on CC but he is reading it constantly. Thanks to those of you who named everyone in the pictures.

Wednesday is go to town and "get the Groceries" and other MPH needs shopping day. Today our plans were to go first by a "reputable"- by Congo standards so the medicine is "real" - pharmacy. Road construction was going on- that means men in bright vests with pick axes and shovels are working and creating a dust storm. Meanwhile on the other side of the same street are the daily government street sweepers just a sweeping away. We needed to get Coarten for treatment if/when we get malaria here. It has a set number of pills to take when you get sick and tends to get rid of it faster. We are taking anti malaria meds but... We have also been advised to take some home when we go. "It will take the American doctors a few days to figure out what you have- especially if they order blood work and the lab has no clue what it is looking for in a tropical illness, then they will have to order the medicine- pharmacies don't keep it usually-and by then you will be VERY sick." So we will take some home. Also got some daily malaria preventative for Marcia to send up country with Jimmy Shafe next week.

Next it was off to the various groceries to get the list. This is our third time to go to the stores and tip the bag boys and the police. They recognized us this time and so all went well with big smiles and jockeying to take care of us. (Sort of the cowboy hat routine with cash). The tip?? It is fifty cents and you would think I'd given them $10! The little girl that has to weigh my produce just smiled when she saw us coming because we always speak to her and smile.

Between groceries we needed to go to an office place but it was closed. Holiday we asked? Chauffeur did not know. But the metal shutters were all down. So we went to another and it was open. Got a box of Blue BIC pens, 6 black and red ones, (These pens out here seem to have feet. They are always leaving!) and copy paper. All new for me but it all went great!!They have figured out that I want it told to me in US dollars! GEE, I wonder how they figured that out? My Texas accented French may be a clue. ;)

 Ate lunch at one of the groceries. I had a mushroom pizza-small-and hot tea and Ken had a club sandwich and Soda Water. He took off the lettuce and tomato- not only does he not like them but they may not be safe. Then we went back to get a basket and shop. Got a few things for us in the apartment. Ham, cheese, croissants, a chocolate one too- thought of you LeeAnn- Tuna fish, jelly, (will use the homemade p-nut butter here) and some Plantain chips. YUM! I got the cheese and Ken went to get the ham. Well,  you have to tell them by the pound or slice. I see him back there talking and talking. It is in Kilos and he is all confused. So he says,"Anyone here speak Tshiluba?" Bingo!! Then all went like clock work. One young lady helping him told him his Tshiluba was better than a lot of Congolese who try to speak it! He was beaming when he came back to join me.  We are having fun and folks are so helpful to these crazy old people. All address us as "Mama and Papa." We caught on to that a couple of boys were following us and listening to us.  So I tensed up a little. Didn't figure they wanted everything on the exact same aisles as we did. Then they took a picture on their phones of the tourists in their store. Us! ;)

Went out to the chauffeur and the car. On the way home our last stop was to be the fabric store. He informs us there are student riots against the Indian Merchants and Traders here in Kinshasa right by the fabric store. In India, some folks had done the Congolese Traders there wrong so it was retaliation time here in Kinshasa. So we called one of the police-we had tipped-back to the car and he advised against us as Anglos going right now. Meeting tonight with the two Embassies. (So, Callie I am still on the hunt for the cloth.)

Have any of you seen the movie "Best Little Marigold Hotel"? Sometimes I feel like I am running that! Amazing doing things in a Third World country. Living in Texas, we are use to things running sometimes on a different mind set about time. But the saying here is:"It is Congo." Getting guests to sign up for the meals they want other than the "free" breakfast is something. I was trying to do it for them but then the cooks asked me to let them do it and if they don't sign up it's a PBJ and then they will learn. So, I am staying out of that equation and see how it goes.

Some guest forget this is a Hostel and expect more than we can  possibly provide. At breakfast an American preacher handed me three pages and asked for 40 stapled, front and back  booklets by 9.( It was 7:30 when he asked.) I'm sure I looked incredulous. Finally got him to understand I only have a reem and a half of paper for business and there was no way. I suggested the church he was working with here might be able to help. The group that is staying here until Monday has been working on the other side of the airport. They have not been getting home until very late. There are two bridges that run in and out of the city-out and manual labor is not getting them fixed- of course with a shovel crew- very fast. So all traffic is snarled and they just invent or take over lanes. First night it took them four hours to make a 20 minute trip because of traffic. The next night a tanker  hours. The next night almost broke the camel's back. (All 6 of them were in the pastor's old car.)Sitting in traffic they ran out of gas, the battery went dead and they had a flat. No Triple A here! Felt so sorry for them. 
"It is Congo". One of our regular guests took four plus hours to get to the airport yesterday and just caught his flight. Luckily he lives here now and knows the languages and the ropes. Another would have missed the flight. Amazing!

My brother asked yesterday if we had gotten into a routine. Nope!! "It is Congo!" Not one single day- not one- has been the same. I deal with people all day and people are people no matter the language or socio economic standing. I mean I'm taking reservations, checking rooms and counting the numbers expected and getting the conference rooms all ready, etc. so that is the same. But then throw in guests wanting laundry and the guy wants to do one less room because of that, or a cook is out with malaria and the tale goes on. Luckily I have extra pairs of Patient Panties and memories of excuses from long ago and I just smile on the inside and deal with it. "We are not in Kansas anymore!" However, in a very weird sort of way it is fun! Guess it is my sick sense of humor at play

This next week will be wild. We will have three groups overlapping and less than one day to get the rooms turned on some. ( Wow! Don't I sound like a hotel manager!) Then this next week we
also  have three conferences 23,43, and 6 folks who will also join us for lunches. So I am going to sit back and watch this go since the cooks have that part all under control. (Thank goodness malaria is not contageous so all three cooks should not go down!) Don't know yet when Papa Andre will be back. ;)

Things we have seen that are funny as we see them with "American eyes.' Bill board here in Kinshasa for Ice cream called Cowbell. Guess it's the Congo version of Blue Bell Ice Cream.  ;) Just struck us funny. I am going to try to get a picture of the Water Company's display outside the company. It is a HUGE water spigot pouting water into a bowl held by a Congolese woman dressed in TIGHT native garb.(and she is cold!) Then there is the don't name your company this sign...Africanus - if it is to be read by foreigners!


Remember when I started this blogging I told you I would try to behave. But so far it isn't happening. Maybe it has gone over some of your heads! ;) But my weird sense of humor and I are having a ball out here. Today we taught Papa Pierre ( the GRAAVEEE" guy)" Beggars can't be choosers." He loved that one and it didn't loose anything in the translation!


Tonight a bunch of us Expats are going to a Porteguese club for supper. Six to ten of us. Should be fun. Lady next door, Nancy,  is driving. Ken opted out of driving on a Friday night in Kinshasa! HAHA!


.
































.