Walking Water

My mom woke me up at about 6 o'clock in the morning. I wined and told her that i'll get out of bed at 6:15. I think she beat the world record for saying no the fastest, but in a second I was ready to carry some water. I met john at Rose Garden Park at 6:30 am. He had gathered a few other kids (beside us) and were mostly all barefoot. We waited a little linger to see if we could gather a few more kids, and we gained Tor. We were off!! The grass was something to have nightmare about. It was burning cold and I was barefoot. Before I knew we were already on the pavement and were heading to Rocky Nook Park. The pavement had its ups and its downs. It was warm and soothed your feet's cold, but it felt like walking on a rock fall. As soon as I went on the bridge there was a sign of relief for the bridge was warm and soft. Next thing I know we are on the pavement again resuming are journey on hell. When I could see Rocky Nook Park, I was almost in tears. One step, two steps, three steps, IM THERE!!! There was second of celebration, then it was filling up from the well.

The well was not like any normal well, it was a drinking fountain. As we all filled our jugs (anything they had) up, we managed to get the whole school to fifteen minuets after we arrived. After everyone arrived and was filled up we got and a circle and massaged each others back and did thirty seconds of silence, AND WE WERE OFF! The beginning was kinda easy, but then I really felt the pain when we started the hill of terror. The hill went to our school so that was kinda depressing to think. I was 3/4 of the way when I could not think strait. Daniel (o so nicely) said he would carry my backpack for me. that was a really really nice thing to do!!!When we arrived at school,  I looked dead. I was aching when I ran down the hill and laid my water on the bench, I was off to the races to get to my class and finally be in peace with my neck and back!

My visit with Nyiel Malual Day 3

Today is the last day that I get to be in Bor and to be with Nyiel. This was one of the quickest visits iv'e had with anyone in a long time. We had barely stayed for even 48 hours. I went into the living room which was the size of an average closet and her family and she was gathered in there for a ceremonial goodbye. They were in a circle and there was lots of food in the middle of the circle. They told me it was there goodbye meal and that he could have as much as I could eat. I hadn't really got to nyiel that well but this last meal I got to know her better than I would of if I had just left. She was a shy person with dark blue eyes. I flew to the airport and that breakfast was a mere memory. I flew away in tears.

My visit with Nyiel Malual day 2

Today I woke up smelling a new world. I opened my window only to find a busy smelling city in Africa. There was a slight pose before I got out of bed, I was still sleepy, but that didn't stop me from seeing Nyiel. I took a taxi to the closest place he could to the main market. I had no exact location on her but all I new is that she owned a fish store in Bor. As the man gestured for me to get out of the taxi, I did so and went on to the new world. I walked down the street full of kids playing and business men walking, and then there was me. As i looked closer at this stand I saw a woman with children and she looked like Nyiel. I got closer, closer, closer. It was sadly a woman with children with the name becka. Right behind her was Nyiel. She was small and skinny yet a little buff. She left her stand to come greet me. She was holding a small doll. She said from me to have it and added that it would protect me from evil spirits. We went to her stand to pick up some fish. She had tons of different types of fish. There was evan a rare fish that you only can get from Cuba. Her fish was next to a tall building but at the same time had bad architecture but good details. Her fish reminded me of the fish tacos I Santa Barbara yet fresher. I was finishing up the fish when her neighbor came to greet us. She was an older lady with a younger husband. Her name was Franzana she was a really nice woman. We finished lunch with her and then Nyiel left her oldest son in charge so that me and her could explore the good parts of Bor. We went to the closest store so she could show me the type of clothes that normal people in Bor wear. There clothes weren't  as different as I thought. Most of the buildings were mostly for business and if it wasn't it was a run down hotel that would fall in an earthquake, but this one was different. It was tall and worn out. I got my first shirt from that store. It was getting late, like dinner time late. We went ate fast food (walking while eating quickly). She said I could stay in her place at night cause they had an extra bed. I said i'd meet them at the mini mart around the corner cause I had to get my luggage from the other hotel that I was in. As I met them and we went to there house she and her kids told me about how her and her husband met. It was a far taxi drive. There house had one neighbor and was made out of wood. We stopped by and got the mail. She was hoping for another loan from someone in the world, but it was just a notice about her kid getting in trouble for school. I walked in and it was smaller than I had origanally expected. I went in and had a snack of bread and went to bed.
http://www.chfinternational.org/files/images909/JOCAP-Community-Assistance-Program.jpg

My visit with Nyiel Malual day 1

This trip I had been packing for for days now and today is the day where I am finally going to meet with Nyiel Malual. I had donated 25 dollars to her and now i'm going to visit and see how the loan is working out for fish stand, and for her family. I have just flown from LA to Brussels and from there I took a flight to Botswana, and then took a train to Bor, and that is where I am at the moment. The train came in early and now the current time is 8 but it still feels like the Coastal Santa Barbara time. I called a taxi driver some time ago and he is just arriving now in a green yet tan van. I look at the driver and just see him and how he wears a a torn jacket with smugly colored boots and soggy blue jeans. He smells of salty water and burnt cabbage. He walked up to me and said in a gentle voice, McMullen. I nod and we head off to a hotel. He takes me to one of the nicer hotels in Bor. I pay the driver a lot less than I expected and I head off for my room. The place was just on the verge of staving alive and not going out of business. There was one man in front of me in line. He was from New York and looked aged from the sun. When I got my ticket I had realized that he had also donated through kiva and was also visiting the person that he had loaned. I got to my room and it was good to see a bed. The place reeked of fish and alcohol. I just made the best of it and tried to forget about the smell. I was preparing for my days with Nyiel.

MY visit with Nyiel Malual 3

In South Africa there money is called Zar's. One Zar is equal to .12766 american dollars. There is a currency exchange loss possible when trading in money. I will have to stock up on a lot of Zar's before I go on this trip.

MY visit with Nyiel Malual 2

Ten words that I would want to know in her language would be...

1 today

2 evening

3 hello

4 how

5 is

6 can

7 your welcome

8 no problem

9 thats great

10 sounds fun

MY visit with Nyiel Malual 1

I get to go to Bor, South Sudan. I am going to her fish stand located in the middle of the city. I will pay 500 dollars for a all around trip. I will go from LA to Brussels. From Brussels i will get a direct flight to Botswana. I take a train and arrive in Bor at 9 00 o'clock pm.

I will get my ticket off Ticket Master, and will get it on discount because of the easter discount.