Category: Getting around

Which way do I go? Which way do I go?

Nora McNamara

Lantern
My friend Coleen calls me Saint Nora of the Perpetually Lost because I have a terrible sense of direction.  I don’t know my right from my left.  That’s a sign of being very hemisphere balanced, though, using both sides of my brain equally, so it’s a good thing.

Except when I’m driving.  Or walking.  Or giving directions.

One of the questions on the language self assessment I use is something like "I can give and understand directions."  According to that part of the test, I’m still a novice English speaker.

I have colleagues that live about 1/4 mile from me.  When we’re all home they have me over for dinner once a week.  Since it’s dark by 7 pm all year round here, I always have to get home in the dark.  This is not a problem now that I have a nice big truck with nice big headlights, but sometimes I try to walk or ride my bike home.  It’s especially fun when there’s no moon.

The first time I walked home in the dark I wandered around for about 45 minutes, going in circles.  There were goats rustling around in the fields around me and the path that I was walking on, but it was dark so I was sure they were snakes.  So, I stomped really loudly to scare them off, and decided that I would never go out with just my mini flashlight again.  I should have brought my machete. 

I finally gave up trying to find my house, so I went into someone’s yard.  It was pretty dark, and they just had one kerosene lantern lit, so I shined my flashlight on my face and said something like "I’m lost.  I live by Espoir Plus – do you know where my house is?" 

People here are so wonderful-he walked me all the way home.  Ok, so twice he stopped and asked me if I knew where I was and could go alone, and each time I had to say that I didn’t.  Aaah, language and culture learning, just full of opportunities to laugh at yourself. 

Before you worry about me asking a stranger to take me home, remember that I have an enormous dog.  Also know that I live in a very small place – I’m sure it was immediately the talk of the town how the crazy foreign lady got lost just blocks from her house, and who helped her get home.  Everybody knowing what goes on with everybody else really makes for a lot of security, everyone watching out for one another.  It’s kind of nice, actually…

Feeling faint

Nora McNamara

Driving_last_weekIn my quest for permanent license plates, I’m doing a lot of driving up and down the country.  Here’s a view from the passenger side of my truck.  All this driving gives me a great chance to listen to music.  And run the A/C.  Yep, looking on the bright side here.

On today’s trip the song that struck me most was For the Moments I Feel Faint . It’s an oldie but goodie from Relient K.  After I got to the guest house in the capital and my friend Judy made me a ham sandwich and pointed me to the Dr Pepper, I felt less faint and very loved, but the song is still great-
I throw up my hands
"Oh, the impossibilities"
Frustrated and tired
Where do I go from here?
Now I’m searching for the confidence I’ve lost so willingly
Overcoming these obstacles is overcoming my fear

I also love this bit from The Little Engine Who Could.  And I don’t know how to turn these italics off.  Grr.


I think I can’t, I think I can’t
But I think you can, I think you can…
I gather my insufficiencies and
place them in your hands.

As I was singing along with the Little Fainting Engine, I started to think about why I absolutely love all the pop culture references in Relient K’s music.  I think it’s because I get them.  It’s my culture, it’s familiar, it’s funny, it’s home.  Unlike all of the cultural stuff that I don’t get every minute of every day here-the moments I feel faint, actually.

Three men playing drums in the back of my truck

Nora McNamara

Img_0707_smlSo, to try to save money, I had this covered wagon thing for my truck made by a friend’s welder instead of buying it at the Toyota dealership.  It was a lot cheaper.  Unfortunately, it is also lacking a good system to attach the tarp to the metal frame securely.  So, when I put my new-to-me fridge  in the back of the truck to haul it up to my house, the tarp vibrated against the fridge and everything else it could find. 

It sounded like three guys drumming in the back of the truck.  Loudly.  For two whole days of driving.  And me with my hands full steering so I couldn’t even work on clapping, singing and swaying  at the same time!  After the first day on the road I bought a bunch of plastic cord to see if tying the tarp down more would solve the problem.  I think it just added another instrument to my rhythm section, and looked ridiculous.  Good thing I had my nice loud Relient K to listen to-it just about made the trip bearable.

Relient K

Nora McNamara

21cnw8xzbql_aa115_This is one of the things that makes driving up and down the country over just lovely roads bearable.  Children of the 80s-do you know about Relient K?  You just have to love a group that has a song called "Sadie Hawkin’s Dance" and includes the line "at the Sadie Hawkin’s dance, in my khaki pants, there’s nothing better…do you like my sweater?"   You’ll be hearing more of my favorite lines from them, it’s great stuff, some of it slightly deeper than songs about high school, grin.

1000 kilometer checkup

Nora McNamara

Oil_changeToday my little car got its first check up.  I was a bit over the 1000 kilometers, but there was no way around it.  The mechanic didn’t seem too concerned, and the truck passed its first oil change with flying colors.  I was a little shocked at the price, though-25,715 francs!  : )  It’s still a bit shocking when converted into dollars-$50.  Oh well, it’s worth it to have a trustworthy mechanic look at it.

On the road again

Nora McNamara

Back to playing the "get the car paperwork" game this weekend-I’m hitting the road south today, will get to the capital Sunday to either get my permanent license plates or renew my temp plates.

Tonight I’ll be staying at a hotel, since driving the whole way in one day is too much.  Which of the following do you pack to be ready for a stay in a hotel?  Raid, candles, matches, battery operated fans, battery operated push lights…

I packed all of the above, plus an electric mosquito repellent thing (see mystery picture).  Last time I stayed there the power was out, so I was really happy for my fans, lights, and candles, and wished I had a can of Raid.  Thanks again to Kim-I’m still using the rechargeable batteries you sent when I first got here.  Gotta love that battery operated fan!!!