16 August 2008 - 8:54 pm

16 August 2008
8:54 pm

Sitting in the Banjul Airport. I just checked in and watched my bag and drum go down the line. Now I understand why Seny asked me about seeing my bag. I had to check it in at the counter, but then I had to go to another room to confirm that it was mine and watch it go out around a corner on a conveyor belt. We don’t have that step in America.

We got here super early. Libon’s phone was an hour off we found out. Better early than late, but his is already a lot f waiting and unfortunately I’m not yet to Dakar.

I also have no seat assignment, but I suppose that won’t come into play for another hour.

Sitting, and even walking earlier, with Libon I found I didn’t have much to say. Today is a sad day as Isha and Seny repeated. Perhaps the quiet said more.
I suppose I could have passed the waiting time asking him about Sou Sou words, but while it crossed my mind and I would like to have it, it didn’t feel right. I didn’t feel like being academic. There was something comforting about waiting quietly but not alone.
We did speak, just not a lot.

I made sure he knew that I had given Amy the kids’ gifts and explained about the notebooks and Washington, DC book. He joked that maybe it was for him to learn and not the kids. And I gave him my remaining dalasis—probalby 500. what’s 25 bucks in a currency I can’t use at home. It’s better for him. Especially with the car and everything. He’s going to give me the shupping company (or whatever alternative to a post office it is) so I can send the pictures. I think also candy for the kids, coffee for him, and maybe something Bob Marley for Seny and eye drops and something nice for Isha.

She gave me a beautiful necklace as a departing gift.

*at this point my pen ran out of ink. (POST NOTE: that meant I had gone through my 2 pens from writing…)