The Friday Rand-O List

I was thinking today that it might be fun to post a list of a few of the random thoughts/happenings that color my days here; and Friday seems like the right day to do it! So, no guarantees on the Friday Rand-O List appearing every week...but let's get this thing started:

1. AMEET-PIE IS COMING TO MOGO TODAY! The sheer awesomeness of this is only tempered by the fact that we'll be one member short of an all A-team reunion, since Andrew can't make it. We'll miss him greatly, but it does mean there will be more beer for us to drink!

2. In honor of Ameet's visit, I made apple-zucchini bread and chocolate-chunk peanut butter cookies last night. The apple-zucchini bread is kind of meh, due to some miscommunication about how hot the over needed to be, but the cookies? Solid.

3. I don't have my passport. Immigration dude took it from me yesterday and is *supposedly* giving it back today after (?)...our fee is processed (?) we wait some more (?). Yea, not quite sure. After three trips there...still no passport.

4. Latest food-from-home craving: Honey Nut Cheerios. I really can't say why....

5. Our promised, but as-of-yet-elusive mobile modems and Black Berrys made a cameo in our office yesterday. After two trips to the Zain (mobile phone company) store yesterday, sandwiched between a trip back to Sokoine accompanied by two Zain employees AND said modems/BBs, we returned back empty-handed. Something about needing to make the administration think we'd bought them so they'd actually issue the check for them.

6. I've been thinking I'd like to plant a mini-herb garden. Mom, Dad, Brooke, Nick...would one of you be kind enough to send me some basil seeds? I can't find them here.

7. Favorite Swahili phrase I learned this week: lala salama (sleep peacefully).

I will leave you with a sampling of a typical conversation between Onesmo (SACIDS co-worker) and myself:

Onesmo: Do you have [insert a request for some totally random thing or piece of information that I have never previously been told I needed, much less likely even know what it is]?

Me: No.

Onesmo: Why??

Me: (Pause) What do you want?

Onesmo: Hmmm?

Me: What is it you're asking me for?

Onesmo: What?

Me: Onesmo, I don't understand you.

Onesmo: Which one?

This more or less repeats itself until some sort of actual communication takes place or one of us gives up. It's amazing to witness.