...and I don't mean flat tire! Let’s start with my car because it is the least exciting of the two... first of all I’m very thankful that I have access to a vehicle here... it would be the pits if I had to rely on a ride or public transport everywhere. One of Bobby’s friends is hiring it to me for a very reasonable rate. It is yellow (Do I really need to go on after that statement?)... and the make and model.... drum role... Daewoo Cielo. WHAT!?!?!? Okay, so I have actually HEARD of Daewoo before, but I just thought it was some sort of sick joke... I did have a good laugh when I saw it... Sometimes the handle falls off when you go to roll up the window and sometimes the driver’s side door doesn’t want to unlock while you’re in the car, so you have to roll the window down (if the handle doesn’t fall off) and unlock it with the key from the outside! ...but again, I’m very thankful for it none the less...My flat is unbelievable... it has two bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, huge living area, and a sweet veranda that overlooks the OCEAN!!! The living room has a wall lined with windows that also faces the ocean as well as my bedroom windows on two sides... needless to say, I wish I could bring it all back with me and have it overlook the Grand Haven Pier or some other beach on the shores of Lake Michigan, but still I know it would not do this sight justice! By the way, Jerry, the waves are nice...
Every morning the sunrise wakes me at about 6:30 am (though the sun comes up just past 4:30 am, I am able to fight it for a while)... You haven’t seen beauty until you’ve seen the sun rise over the Indian Ocean! I am able to spend about an hour or so reading and with God each morning... mom, did you ever think I would be a morning person?!?!
I also have a maid that comes in once a week that cleans for me and also does my laundry... her name is Caroline and we have a difficult time communicating because English is not her primary language. It took us about 10 minutes to determine which day of the week she would come and clean for me... I didn’t know this before I came, but the cost of having a maid is included in the rent payment for my flat! I also make my bed each morning which I know is a shocker to a lot of you...
I went and bought groceries the other day... that sure was an event... everything seems to look similar as far as labels and brands and such, though some are not the same, but being a person that is used to buying items in American Dollars, when I see things priced in Rand (which is about 6 times american dollars) I get a little disoriented... so that means if something sells for 5 dollars in the U.S. it will sell for 30 Rand in South Africa. So everything I’m looking at, I’m dividing by six, which can be difficult when you see something selling for R 8.59... I was walking up and down each aisle with that confused look on my face (for those of you who know me well surely know that look)... I was in the store getting the bare essentials (dumb and dumber) and it took me about an hour to pick up about 15 items... I am on a budget for everything I spend my money on, so I have to be very careful!
I’m sure I’ll start getting it after a while, but I’m also sure that I’ll have plenty more stories like this to share as well!!
4 comments:
Thanks for taking the time to do this Eric!! Very fun to see and read about. I know why you were given that car..to give you patience! Enjoy every moment!!
mallas has your daewoo cielo and your volkswagon passat vr6 glx wolfsberg edition
- tim
hmmmm...aren't you supposed to be working with the orphans over there??
Glad to hear everything is shaping up for you. I'm a little jealous of your apartment though, I was expected a tent or something from national geographic. Actually I wasn't, I just made that up. I hope all is going well for you.
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