Bahai Beach 70

Bahai Beach 70

A smile a day keeps the doctor away

June 17, 2007

Weeks of grumpiness seem to have disappeared overnight. I guess I am truly enjoying my final weeks here. Drawing in as much as possible the scents, the colors, the people and the environment as whole.

Parfait an UNHCR staff member has the fastest shoulders of the Northern hemisphere. It means he can shake faster than a supernova. Before he gets into the shoulder mode he starts of with a chicken dance routine, scratching the earth with his toes, rolling his eyes and wobbling his head as if struck by an epileptic attack. As today a priest visited town for the first time in months the national staff from the Staff were elated. A sheep was slaughtered and a special celebration for the arrival of their spiritual guide was organized where the choir sang and others danced.

Not all ngo staff was as lucky as I was today. Two friends I looked up were either plastifying the new ration cards or in meeting. While waiting for an audience for one of the queens I bumped into Parfait. This one-man cabaret show was telling about the time he was interviewed for a job with two of Chad’s most well known comedians. The assignments were simple and two fold. One minute of laughing in front of a camera and one minute of crying. As Parfait relieved his act deep belly laughter was heard all around. At first apparently he had been shy but while seeing the face of the comedian we roared out in laughter and ended up rolling of his chair. Round one: won.

Round he started to demonstrate how we cried. I happily joined in and 15 seconds later wails and sobs were heard and tens of people came to see what was happening. As we crashed to ground in deep sorrow he ripped my shirt leaving me half nude. It was all the more reason for me to burst out laughing.

As we moved on through the village we stumbled into a local bar where we met the local secretary of the district with his finance man. A fine discussion opened up about the responsibilities of the different players in Bahai. Topics passing along the evening; the legal status of the refugees and the capacity of the government to help them and provide security for the refugees and humanitarian aid workers.

A small girl who was sitting in the house was terrorized by my beard and light skin. As the parents insisted she would give me a piece of cake she turned away and hid under the skirts of her mother.

The local ants have found a good pastime as well at night. The game is to sting Ashis as much as possible. Yet I cannot move into my room as I am used to sleep outdoors. I do wonder how I will handle it in the Netherlands and Canada/USA. Perhaps I will take my hammock and search for two trees where ever I want to sleep

Despite the invasion of the ants (living in the cracks of my porch) I am sure over the next 2 weeks I will keep on smiling making sure the doctor can go away.

Namaskar

Ashis