irenafili

Cairnes

2007-03-08T15:49:00.001-08:00

Hey

Back in Oz (Australia). It's really weird changing summer-winter-summer. Right now I can't get it. I'm in my shorts sweating (It’s very very humid) when couple of days ago I was freezing in a worm jacket hehe

I just stayed in a youth hostel for 2 days, because I had a bit of planning and sorting things out to do, but heading a bit north tomorrow.

Yesterday I met Thomas he he that was funny. I'm waiting in a line in a supermarket and a guy in front of me is talking to Japanese girls standing in front of him. He had condoms in his shopping bag. I thought: »O my god, I wouldn't touch him«. Whatever. He turns back and comments something like poor me having to hold my shopping bag… In 3 sentences I found out he was snowboard instructor in Japan for 10 years, that his dad was Croat and that he lives just net to my youth hostel hehe. Funny, too many coincidences …. he took me a bit around the town and on a lemonade in a bar with the most beautiful view on the boats and ocean and rain forest …He really made my day (but I still wouldn’t touch him .. ;) upss)

Everyone is trying to sell me all possible trips you can think off. Crazy. I'll do it my way again, at least I'll try. I just booked a bus for tomorrow and am going somewhere north. I could do the same in an organized tour …. Remember me ..why? Uf…this Australia is as it looks very easy to travel…so it attracts people that like to be guided around (somehow doesn’t sound like me). I feel like when you go around the world for the first time, Australia is the easiest one to start with … There are things you just need to see and do (like Macu pichu in Peru), but on the other hand you just can't wait to be on your own and explore, the country and the people. Hm It might be a bit difficult to find this authentic but will just have to try harder, no? And with the fact I love sun and ocean I should be all right, no? Having a car would be great!! And a couple of friends in it .. Anyone?? Come on, get over here!!!!

Merry christmas

2006-12-23T04:52:00.000-08:00

I wish all of you just the most beutiful days that are to come. Do something special ;)
Irena
Greetings from Japan

Griffin

2006-12-23T04:28:00.000-08:00

After Sydney I went to Griffin. I needed the money; the money to go to Japan ;) Yes I know some of you don't know yet. Actually I got an offer to go to Japan in the last days of work in Perisher (Australian ski resort). It was a big dilemma, if I really want to go back to snow in the middle of summer (Australian summer), see less of Australia or should I just experience Australia as much as possible and maybe jump to New Zealand. Finally I thought that in a short future I probably wouldn’t go sightseeing Japan, and it would be really a pity to miss out the chance to see Japanese culture and their diversity in so many aspects. On the other hand I got myself an excuse to come back to Australia one day. Whenever you’re travelling, you always have to leave something for next time and I would really like to come back here and do a proper New Zealand - Australia tour.

Aha, decision made, now I needed to earn money (In Australia) to go and earn money (In Japan). Hrr I hate that!!! Why can't I at least once earn and than just spend money on unnecessary things, like hips of chocolate for example? Mmmm well those were my thoughts gardening in Griffin. Asking myself what am I doing here?!!!!

Yes it was hard work, but I met some really nice people plus had a great time in a youth hostel where I stayed plus payed off all my debts from my youth ;) …. When I was a child my mother had to struggle with me if she wanted me to help her do the chipping in the garden …. now I recon I did enough of it for all my life ;) so in total it wasn't that bad.

I did different kinds of work. All I did was very boring with annoying flies all around and it was very very hot (up to 37 degrees Celsius) …. from sunrise to sunset.

Pic. 1: Sunrise (I was already on the field at that time!!!!!!)

Pic. 2: Sunset

First 14 days I did grape pruning. This means that we either walked around 12 km per day (not much to prune) or we had to bend down to each grape tree and that way did around 2 km of squads, depends what sort of grape it was.

Pic. 3: Pruning (sl. - obrezovanje drevja) in Vineyard – endless rows of grapes

After that I did 3 days of onion seeds picking, one day of walnut tree pruning, 5 days of gherkins chipping, 4 days of salad planting and chipping and ended the adventure with sweet chili pruning and water melons planting.

Pic. 4: My work mates pruning walnut trees – ha ha don't they look like snails ha ha

Pic. 5: 8-10 hours of chipping omamamia

Pic. 6: Salad field – I've never seen so much salad!!!!

Pic. 7: Sweet chilli field

Pic. 8: Planting device - ha ha will explain you how it works when we meet

In this month and a half of farming life I sow 2 freshly dead very poisoned snakes brbrbrbrbr

They said snake will hear you and go away. If you don’t step on her, you’ll be all right. Mhm. Once I was making a phone call from pay phone I got one (smaller – baby snake) crawling on my foot brrrr and I knew that if there is a small one, her mother must be close. You can imagine how fast I hang up the phone and run back to the house.

Pic. 9: Black snake – killed with a gun

Pic. 10: Broun snake – very poisonous one – killed with this hoe (sl. Motika)

Yes Australia does have an amazing animal world. Once I saw a kangaroo in the vineyard (that was funny), possum had his house just on the top of our youth hostel and stick insect found his home in our bathroom. Not to mention cockatoo and hips of parrots everywhere. And this is just what I sow walking around.

Pic. 11: Possum

Pic. 12: Stick insect

Here is a photo taken in Sydney

Pic. 13: Cockatoo

The majority of back packers are German. Only 20 countries can get working-holidays visa for Australia so German political situation is just the perfect incentive for young German to come to Australia. They can earn more money and travel around this wonderful country. When I first arrived to Youth hostel in Griffin, they were so happy to hear I am from Slovenia, at least one they could speak English to. They were great company. We really got along very well together.

Pic. 14: Our youth hostel, real Australian made house

Pic. 15: Once we went out (I was too tired to go more than once) ;)

Pic. 16: Pancakes for everyone

Pic. 17: Boys watching cartoons ;)

Pic. 18: Boys doing the laundary ;)

Slovenians

2006-11-14T17:26:00.000-08:00

After Ana left and went back to Slovenia, I went to live with a Slovenian family for a week. I met them in Perisher when I instructed kids, Sam, Madeline and Alex.

Pic 1: Slovenians

It was very funny. I saw their last name and asked where they are from. They said well kind of from Slovenia ;) I was I bit shocked I admit. Slovenia? Among 200 instructors, how can I get the Slovenians? Funny.

I was their instructor for a week, than got real Slovenian sausages and cevapcici (there is Slovenian butcher in Sydney). MMMM. Well they were actually all born in Australia, including their dad, but Slovenian blood counts right?

Pic 2: Football fans? Of course!! And very good a it!!

I was very happy to stay with them for a week, speak Slovenian learn how to cook Chinese Chicken sticks and mljask, eat Australian desert Pavlova. Delicious!!! I’ll make it for you when we meet. I remembered Bosko now, I am sure he would eat a whole plate just by himself ;)

It was great to feel a bit of Sloveno-Australian family way of life. Thank you!!!

Sydney

2006-11-08T23:26:00.000-08:00

Pic 1: Sydney

Coming back to Sydney and sightseeing mmmm nice… Some shots are from before Fiji, but it doesn't really matter right?

Well what is the first think you have in mind when someone says Sydney? I believe it is Opera house, no; or is it Harbour Bridge?

Pic 2: Opera house and Harbour Bridge

Pic 3: Opera house

Pic 4: Opera house

Pic 5: Harbour Bridge

There are 2 main Sydney beaches, Bondi Beach and Manly Beach, both very nice, one more family kind (Manly Beach) and other more party kind (Bondi Beach)

Pic 6: Manly Beach

Pic 7: Bondi Beach

Pic 8: Mmmmm summer

Pic 9: Mmmmm summer

Few National Parks…

Pic 10: Gap Bluff - Sydney Harbour National Park

Pic 11: Gap Bluff - Sydney Harbour National Park

Pic 12: Gap Bluff - Sydney Harbour National Park

Pic 13: Nielsen Park - Sydney Harbour National Park

Pic 14: Nielsen Park - Sydney Harbour National Park

Didgeridoo …. Sounds Australian? Mhm, Aboriginal art.

Pic 15: Didgeridoo

Pic 16: Didgeridoos

And a few more..

Pic 17: Oceanarium

Pic 18: We caught Nemo!!!

Pic 19: At the end of a day….

Australia – Fiji –Australia (part two)

2006-11-05T21:05:00.000-08:00

Only half of the population of Fiji islands is Fijians. The rest are manly Indian which came to

Fiji

to work on sugar farms and some Chinees.

On the market we found special fork designed to soak out brains from someone’s body. Mhm. Hundreds of year ago there were cannibals on Fiji island. Buuuuuu freaky.

Fijian traditional drink is kava. Sounds familiar? Well it for sure doesn’t taste familiar, it taste like soil mixed together with water. Drinking it makes your mouth a bit paralysed, similar to chewing coca leaves in Bolivia (jut that coca leaves have stronger effect or maybe I should drink more of this un-tasty kava).

“Kava ceremony” normal takes place every night. Locals gather together, and men are the one preparing it. Women can also drink it. They put crushed kava (kava is kind of a root) into a cloth or sock and pour water on it. They mix it with hands in a special bowl with four legs. Before you drink it, you say “bula” which in this case means cheers but the expression is used also for saying hello, thank you, yes please ... It is most commonly used Fijian word. After saying “bula” you clap your hands 3 times, drink it and repeat the clapping with hands after you finish drinking it. People around you clap their hands together with you.

Pic 1: Kava ceremony

When you visit local village you must wear “sulu” to show respect (long cloth; look what I’m wearing on picture 3 Australia – Fiji – Australia (part one)). Except children, everyone wears it. It is not uncommon also for men to wear a skirt. Actually when a man wants to look nice and tidy he wears a skirt.

Pic 2: Tidy clothes

After getting to know a bit of real Fiji we said we finally needed the beach we were dreaming about since we left snow. In my mind was fabulous beach, lying on sand, getting sun tent, doing nothing. We were close, but not there yet.

We went to Mango bay resort. It’s very nice resort which except from the beach looks like great pictures from the magazine. Palm trees, small cottages (dorms or just made for 2 person just next to the beach), restaurant next to the pool, mini chairs in the pool so that you can have your cocktail in the pool, free sport activities… all for quite reasonable price (dorms (15 €), but much higher prices for small cottages for two).

Pic 3: Mango by resort

Hm … we stayed there for 2 nights. Weather wasn’t very nice, beach wasn’t as perfect as in magazine and I felt a bit like so called “prisoner tourist”. I mean it was nice to stay there for 2 days, but would be very bored to stay there for 3 weeks. It was like in hotel, breakfast at 9am, long way to the city if you needed to buy something … and after 2 days I still didn’t live to see my dreams; nice “sunny “beach, lying on sand, getting sun tent.

Since we got to Fiji I wanted to see that beach from film Blue Lagoon. It was supposed to be filmed on Vatulele, an Island close to Mango Bay. Prices: renting a cottage for 1 night in a Vatulele resort costs around 740€, flight there and back (from main Fiji Island to Vatulele Island) costs around 400€. MMM Now what? What if we would go by local boat and stay a night with locals, since we’re used to it? There must be a local boat going there. First offer we got was 200€, which still sounded a bit too much locals could afford. When we made it clear we want to go “with” locals (not having our own local boat) we finally got a boat for 12€. Happy as we were to finally make it, it turned out to be “the” most and scary experience of my life. I think I can’t call sky diving or bungee jumping or hitch hiking by myself in Peru “adrenalin” any more. You would probably put me across your knees and punch me like a child if you would know how this looked like. The boat was around 3m long and only 1m was covered with roof. Wind speed was around 30 nuts and there were supposed to be plenty of sharks in the water. After 5 minutes we grabbed each others hands, catching our breath and screaming every few minutes as the wave hit the boat lift it out of the water and smashed it back down. Local women kept on saying “vinaka vinaka” meaning “thank you”. Thank you god you didn’t sink us. Dreadful. The captain just smiled at our scary faces and kept on going. Waves kept on falling into the boat and on the captain. We were all soaked. Ana started asking locals on the boat: “Do you have children?” “Are you married?” Meaning you do need to get there, right? We spend one and a half hours on the boat (they first said one hour and the additional half an hour was not very welcomed, but what could we do, the weather just wasn’t good). As we were finally getting closer to Vatulele, the wind calmed down and last 10 minutes on the boat were calm.

Well as you can see, we made it and the captain later on told us, he can make it even if wind speed is 70 nuts or even more.

Was it worthy? Check out the photos, but I would definitely not go on the boat like this again (but I had to, to get back to main Fiji Ireland).

Pic 4: Our boat

Pic 5: Beautiful

Pic 6: Beautiful

It was the sunniest day we had on Fiji islands. We also did some snorkelling for around half an hour. Beach was breath taking. We’ve actually seen the glamour rich people experience (Rich people don’t go to main Fiji Island, but to small islands around it).

Vatulele is supposed to be he only place on earth with red prawns. You know … prawns… normally turning red when you put them in boiling water… Well on Vatulele they are red without having to cook them (which you anyway shouldn’t else your boat will sink).

Pic 7: Red prawns

Pic 8: Dinner

Pic 9: Paper making

We turned back to the main Fiji island with a bit less of wind (we as well had baby on board this time), but it was still freaky with the waves suddenly coming from the side this time. Our 10 days adventure was getting close to an end.

We turned back to Australia. J As coming home. In a way very nice, but on the other hand: “Where are all nice people with smile on their faces all the time?” We stayed a week in a youth hostel in Sydney, sightseeing lovely Sydney again.

Australia – Fiji –Australia (part one)

2006-11-02T02:42:00.000-08:00

Well it’s good if you don’t have time to sit in front of the computer isn’t it? I got stuck in repeating “tomorrow”

Time to pay off all the luxury I had before has arrived. Here I am in Griffith, Irena Fili, with economic degree doing wine pruning ;) Yeeeee!!!!!

My every day companions are flies. There are hips of them and they come together with 35 degrees temperature. MMMMMM As Tamara said it’s good for your spirit and your body (Fizicno delo krepi telo in duha).

Pic1: Flies

Turning back ….I left Jindabyne and snowy mountains (I made a mistake in one of the previous posts saying I’m in Blue Mountains) on the 16th of September. It was high time to leave, snow was getting more and more slushy and after bad season we had (it was supposed to be the worst season ever recorded in Perisher) it didn’t have sense staying any longer. I was supposed to travel with Jasmina, one of the instructors, but she suddenly changed her mind and went straight back home. Well I didn’t have any particular plans so I just went to Fiji. J I went together with Ana (also one of the instructors).

Fijiiii OOO I always wanted to go there. Do you remember the film Blue lagoon? It was filmed in Fiji and when I saw the movie I thought that one day I really have to go there. And that day has arrived. Wonderful experience, not wonderful weather (10 days of rain), but still awesome!!!

Pic2: Ana and me with frangiapani in our hair

You can find this beautiful flower in every garden. They are like some kind of national symbol. Locals (specially the one working with tourists) always have them in their hair.

Pic3: Frangiapani

We spent most of the time with locals. As we arrived to Fiji they wanted to send us to this or that trip, Fiji experience or Irelands …. just somewhere they could charge us, but instead we sat on a local bus and went somewhere south. Who knew where we are going to end up….

We spend the third night on Fiji with a local family. Really very generous people who would offer you their own bed, share food with you, always with a smile on their faces is something “third world” has in common. After absorbing things during the day we sat down on the floor (Typical Fijian house has a big living room with only mattress on the floor) and talked. Even the old grandmother came out and joined us. One guy took a guitar in his hand and magical night began. This people have something we don’t. Ana once asked them “Are you ever angry or upset?” It looked like they don’t know what that mean and their facial expression said something like “not really”. Good to learn..

Pic4: Our host

Fijian eat food with their hands. Most common part of every meal is Casava (it’s a root).

Pic5: Eating with hands

To be continued…

2006-08-03T05:11:00.000-07:00

One of the amazing mornings …

Ski slope….

A few more….

2006-08-03T02:42:00.000-07:00

Ojojojoj yes, promise, I'll try to write more often. Tea I'm staying in Jindabyne, little town in State New South Wales. It is aproximatly 20 km away from the ski resourt called Perisher Blue wich is in Blue mountains. And I wanna know more about Portugal E-mail, please? ;)

MMMM photos this time. First one is wombat. Remember in one of the previous posts I was telling you how you see them for the first time lying by the road dead on their backs with forelegs and hind legs lifted up to the air?

Well still alive they look like this, isn't he cute?

And these are emus…

Awesome

2006-07-31T05:13:00.000-07:00

Heeey, long time no see hm? Yes I’m still alive, just felt into rutine. ….waking up at 7 am, breakfast, 20 min drive by car, 15 min drive by ski tube, jump into uniform, 6 hours teaching kids how to ski, back to tube, back to car, shower, dinner, preparing lunch for the following day, doing the laundary or cleaning or going for a beer (wich is not very often!!!!!) and time to go to bed. Up till now I had one day off. OOOO lovely rutine. Hrrrrrr. The thing is weather condition is not really awesome as Australians say. Awesome awesome awesome and “no worries” “no worries” for every second word they use. Apparently this is the worst season in 15 years time and we got it. But, still an optimist. The old guys here (few of the instructors are already grandparents) say we might have a dump in august like in 1993 when they barely had a few centimetres of snow and they got 3 meters in august. People are kind and after a week or two of just private lessons with adults I asked for children for two reasons; first of all you have 6 h per day guaranteed and second they are funny, polite and with lots of energy. Here children have to ski and ski and ski and they learn during the way. Standing in front of the group and giving lectures is as important as it is in Slovenia. I find that awesome because they really get if faster than if you’re talking and talking and they don’t even listen. Of course they don’t they’re too young to listen ;)

Well, don’t know what you want to know…. Tell me ;)

Semi final PT-France

2006-07-07T02:09:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am, 5 o'clock in the morning watching semi final Portugal France. It all went smooth from Frankfurt on. In Singapore they were driving me around the airport with mini car since my plane ticket got so complicated it needed extra work (I was flying with Adria first, than Lufthansa than Air Senegal than British Airways and I should only fly with Adria and Austrian airlines). My neighbour from Tolmin who lives in Sydney since 1974, picked me up at the airport and transferred me to the bus station (many thanks to my aunt who arranged that) and after six hours drive I was finally here and only 2 h after my skis were here as well (they got lost during the way but missed me too much ;)

And new page in my life has begun, starting with time difference. Why I am watching football at 5 o’clock in the morning? I just can’t sleep. ;) Time difference is huge, 8 hours and I decided for the easy way dealing with it. First day after coming here I went to bed in the early afternoon than stayed awake till 2 am, got up at 6, worked till 4 pm went to bed at 9 pm, got up at 5 am ;). I don’t know what’s happening but it looks like my night sleep is for my body’s point of view an afternoon sleep. It’s really funny waking up at 5, completely rest especially because I like to sleep long. It’s unbelievable but birds wake up later than me. Well Australian animal world is amazing anyway. On the way to work witch by car lasts 20 min (plus 20 min by ski tube) we meet 5-10 dead wombats. This are around 30 kg weight (they can supposedly get to 200 kg) animals, you normally see for the first time lying by the road dead on their backs with forelegs and hind legs lifted up to the air (imagine in what position your dog would go when would like you to scratch him, well in this position wombats go when they die because they are hit by car). Funny animals. There are of course lots of kangaroos jumping around, colourful birds (witch like to sleep long) and if you’re lucky emus (“Avstralski noj” wich you can supposedly find in Ljubljana zoological gardens). There are for sure more amazing animals around, but I guess I won’t see them in the next 3 months as long as I’ll stay in this ski resort. Time to go to work, I’ll post that in the afternoon and write some more about skiing itself next time.

Need a shower

2006-06-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

29t June, 15.00

Last weekend I was home Tamara a friend of mine said: »This is just the beginning, you should take a photo of yourself now to see the difference after a week or two«. I was smashed down, ruined, my diploma ahead of me, my sister just came home for holidays after spending a year in London (and left home again) and big packing a day after diploma… Crazy week … or better … crazy month. Well as always everything worked out just fine and here I am sitting at Vienna airport for round 6 hours now ;)

When I finally said ooo now I'm on the plane and I can just take it easy and relax ha ha »no go«. After taking off from Brnik Airport we also flew back to Brnik due to bad weather in Vienna …. and took off again and land again (this time in Vienna), but my plane to Sydney was already gone. Vouala, now Frankfurt than Singapore and than hopefully Australia with around 14 h delays. Not so bad after poor 2 h of sleep (due to my diploma and goodbye “meeting” yesterday) bad turbulence on flight Brnik-Vienna (and me feeling a bit sick because of the drinks I had last night aw aw aw… ) and when the flight itself takes around 20h …. I need a shower!!!!!!! But “penso pozitivo” here I am sitting in a restaurant being served a nice meal Adria kindly offered me in exchange for probems made by the delay and my aunt arranged someone to pick me up at 5!!!! O’clock in the morning when I am by the latest news supposed to land in Sydney. So? Great!

30th June, 15.30

Aha that was a day ago and I’m still in Europe. The longest flight ever possible. Got to Frankfurt, got to the plane for Singapore, waited grounded in the plane for 2 h and afterwards “We are very sorry” ha ha ha, why no one is flying with me, it’s such a fun!!! Because of technical problems (Problem with plane doors) they sent us to Cheraton 5 stars hotel just next to Frankfurt airport and I got the room on 9th floor, so called VIP rooms (9^th floor (you press tower rooms button in the elevator) has its own receptions, fitness room, breakfast room,…). I don’t know, but it seems like someone is playing “Your wish is my command” game with me. I wanted a shower and I got it. They said they’ll ring to wake us up (at first they assumed we will fly at midday) and when I went to bed at 3 o’clock in the morning I just thought that would be really nice to sleep long. And? They didn’t call because we are by latest news flying at 22.30 and I woke up at almost one o’clock in the afternoon. I needed a bit of peace after a mess last week and got a real spoiling. ;) My room with view to Frankfurt airport is air conditioned of course, has extremely cosy bed, television (saying good morning Miss Fili, you have one message from Singapore airlines…when I switch it on), mini coffee bar and chocolates next to the bed (plus payable minbar), hotel slippers, hotel T-shirt and so on…

Avstralia here we come

2006-06-23T02:41:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to see if it still works. My plane to Australia is on 29th of June.
Take care, Irena

Slikca

2005-12-02T07:17:00.000-08:00

No po pol leta sem malo pogledala na svoj neobiskani blog in se celo naucila kako objaviti slikce ....Glih malo za vzorc ;)

Gambia no problem

2005-07-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

I’m back in Bissau and Gambia was great! Last time I wrote you form Signicure, Senegal. I went there hitchhiking with Rebecca. Great adventure! Can you imagine two white ladies hitchhiking trucks and sitting on the back together with sucks of rise? Well I can, but they obviously couldn’t so they would stop also just out of curiosity. I stayed in Rebecca’s house for a night and than I continued on my own to Gambia. Public transport is incredible, as I expected. Arriving to the station there were 5 people immediately being waiting for me and persuading me to go with them. They are filling in their cars made for 7 passengers and as soon as they manage to find them, the car is ready to go. In Senegal the transport is a little bit more organized than in Guinea Bissau meaning if you come first, you can have the seat in-front, if you come second you can have a seat at the window in the second row and so on. In Guinea Bissau, there is no seat order. I bought my visa for Gambia at the border (I knew I could, 300D). The car stopped at Salety (Signicure – Salety, Fcfa 2.500), from where I took another one to Brikama (Salety – Brikama, 40D), from Brikama to Serakunda (10D), from Serakunda to the capital, Banjul (6D). I actually wanted to go to the seaside, maybe to Tanji, but I changed my plans immediately after 10 people surrounded me in Brikama, persuading me to go with their taxi (I couldn’t even check it out if there is a bus going there and what the real price is), so I just said Banjul, to the first mini bus that passes by. There was a boy, which followed me all the way, from the minute I got out of the car, until I entered the minibus. He would of course want to have my address and my telephone number, because he considered himself as a friend of mine and I should give him money, because he helped me and so on. The same story continued all around Gambia (From this point of view Guinea Bissau is much better). They started a conversation with hi, how are you, where do you come from, what is your name, where do you live and so on, which is quite nice if you imagine how we (the Europeans) pass each other on the street without even saying hi. If I responded I couldn’t get rid of them for a looong time. If I just said Ok, thank you and continue walking without answering to the following questions they said “O Gambia no problem” “I just want to be nice” and so on. Yes, Gambia no problem. I guess here is one of the rare places on earth where Catholics and Muslims marry each other and they are big friends with each other. Everything is no problem, reggae music on the radio, Jamaica style of dress, joints and so on. I stayed in Banjul for a day (single room 350D) then continued to Bakau, which is very close to Banjul, just at the seaside. I didn’t swim in the ocean, no one would, the beach is not very nice as they advertise it in tourist agencies all over Europe, but you have to know now is low season. Than I found out my camera finally got to Portugal and I could pick it up in 4 days time if I wanted to have at least some memories, so I decided to shorten a trip and go back to Bissau. (Of course I didn’t get it, because I asked Helena, who should take it to the airport of Lisbon, to be there at 9, but unfortunately the check-in was already done by that time (the plane took off at 9.45), so she was unsuccessful and I am without camera :-(
But to continue, I left Bakau just before it started to rain. Until now, I must say I was quite lucky with the weather. The rainy season should have already begun mid may, but it only started now. When it rains it rains very heavily and the nature just afterwards it stops is amazing! Even if the drive is quite long I enjoyed it a lot. I waited for the car to fill in for around 2h in Brikama and got all wet and dirty. Bleeeck. There is a market just besides “bus station” and I cold have a walk in between the little streets covered with water. Ladies were still selling things, no matter if the water was reaching the products. Hygiene on top low. I wanted to buy some peanuts (they are very cheap here) but the owner was just not there, he went praying (Muslims pray 5 times per day …. I was once in Bakau woken up at 5 o’clock in the morning by their loud calling voice). But this is already normal for this world; I just pointed it out because I want to say Africa is safe. I haven’t heard anyone being robbed here. In Bissau some foreigner remarked they are too lazy to rob ;)

Senegal

2005-06-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

I made it, I'm in Senegal, great! It is a nice country, nicer than Guine Bissau I would say, just that they speak French here and don't really spek French. Well I'm only going to be here for a day, because I made a deal for tranzition visa with the custom officers, so I'll be in Gambia by tomorrow. Now I regret going home in 10 days :)

Do you want to laugh?

2005-06-26T14:21:00.000-07:00

The political situation here is now calm. They revealed the official results of the elections, which are the same as the unofficial ones and a political party (well their candidate Kumba Iala, ex-president) that held the protest yesterday didn’t win. Actually the whole situation is very funny. Kumba Iala had to resign from his presidential position because he was no good but around two months ago he just entered presidential palace claiming he is the official president. People have different opinion about the situation. Some claim he is just being a good guy, but they don’t let him, because of political reasons (then he would held the control) other say he’s always just making problems. I can’t judge, but imagine this situation; yesterday while supporters of Kumba Iala political party held protests, few of them were arrested by the police and while a police was taking them to jail people who were not protesting came and beat the guys(not the police). So police was taking poor guys to prison, but at the same time they were beaten by the people observing the situation, like they (the observers) would want to punish them for making problems. ;)

Do you know how those two guys died yesterday? Police was shooting into the air, but the bullets fall back down and killed that guys. Weird.
Ok, enough of politics. As I said I wanted to go to Senegal, but because I agreed to go with one photographer that lives in Signicure and she was taking photos of the protest (that were unexpected), I was obliged to stay another day. We are leaving tomorrow morning, but ha ha, it only came to my mind today I might need visa for Senegal. I went to check it out on net and unfortunately it’s true, I do need it. Shit! ;) We’ll I bought my way back to Peru when I was on a border with Bolivia, so it might work the same way now. If not, I’ll just have to come back to Bissau and make a visa here. Well it’s Sunday anyway and I don’t have any more important thing to so I’ll just go for one day trip to the border of Senegal.

Trip postponed

2005-06-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

This country is incredible! I was never so terrified as I was today. People here don't really accept the results of the elections (there should be a second round) so the protests arose around 12 o'clock today, just when I was at post office. I tried to escape, with the first taxi that passed by, but anyway we had to go through the croud that was protesting. One (some people say two) people are dead and 15 of them badly wounded. I'm alive ;) OOOOO My trip is postponed (incredible what can happen in two hours)
Miss you all!!!!
Irena

Gambia & Sengal

2005-06-24T04:29:00.000-07:00

Dear friends! I am leaving Bissau and going to Senegal and Gambia. I’ll go to Signicure (have no idea how to spell that place, all I can say is it’s in Senegal) with one American girl that came to Bissau to take photos of the elections that were taken here last Sunday (she’s a photographer). She lives in Signicue so I’ll stay in her house for a day and then continue my way around Senegal and Gambia. Of course I won’t take my computer with me, but I’ll find a way to let you know I’m still alive from time to time. I plan to come back to Bissau around 5th of July and I’ll give you some details about the trip then. I also booked a plane to come back to civilization on the 8th of July, so everyone that want to meet me in Lisbon, 8th of July is the date. So hurry up buying a ticket and see you in Lisbon! Else? Wish me luck!

P.S.My camera still didn’t arrive to Portugal so I’ll just buy “one-time use” one. If in case you see my sister please tell her to go check her e-mails

Do I like it?

2005-06-16T03:53:00.000-07:00

One month is gone. I have seen the country from different aspects of view; how locals see it, how well-off family sees it, how employees see it and finally how foreigners see it.

How do I see it?

A bit “disappointed” figuring out that saying “He works like a black guy” is not really true, but at the same time being aware I can’t blame them. How can I if the don’t know alternative way, they can’t work as if they had. But if they had only moved a bit faster, if they had worked only a bit more, if they had saved that cent they earn instead of wasting it immediately…

And so the story continues. Those who do have a job will remain being dishonest (to be able to earn extra money) what is not going to help them in a long term, those who have nothing will continue selling little things on the market in order to earn money for a bit of rice they will eat for their lunch.

Giving them money is not going to help; we all know this because they would have just spent it to buy sweets or the first thing that passes by.

Do I like it?

Yes, I am happy I had a chance to see how these people live, to see unusual things, to be part of Guinean family. I am happy to see my ideas are being implemented in a firm I work for, even if small drop in the ocean, like implementing savings in Micro credit firm might make someone a better day. Yes, I adore eating mango 5 times per day and yes children of Africa are adorable when they all came and hug you when you come back from work.

No, people’s passivity, laziness and complaining are things that make me crazy. Imagine forcing someone to work or giving them extra work … This makes me a boss they wouldn’t like (and I don’t want that). I don’t like to live in such a dirty town, full of rubbish and to live in a town, where believe me or not you really don’t have much to do (remember electricity is a bonus). I don’t like people responding to my questions with “yes” all the time and agreeing all the time, when next day they come with a totally different idea mine was; they could have said it a day before they don’t think so. Yes, yes, I know, cultural differences, but they still make me angry ;)

Electricity

2005-06-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

Electricity I made some investigations and found out where electricity problem is. They don’t have any kind of electricity facilities. They don’t use the water-power (hydro-electricity), they don’t have enough wind to build wind hunters as they have it in Spain, not that I mention nuclear-electricity … Capital Bissau, uses one big generator (similar to the one we for example use in case of emergency (when electricity goes) out in a bank in Slovenia), so you can imagine we only have so called “Electricity from the city” once per 3 weeks. Those who have money buy their own generators, or even put sun cells on the roof (but this is already very rear), those who have no, use candles. Now try to imagine; people walking around the city in dark (of course there is no public electricity), brightened only by cars passing by ;) Very funny! One very weird thing is people try to sell things on the market also late at night. They use candles, so when you pass by a market during the night, you can see tiny little candles brightening up the dark; nice!

Safari trip

2005-06-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I went to Buba, small town on a south of Guinea Bissau. I went there as a driver ;) of Monika, Peruvian girl that works here for one Spanish organization. It was great! Driving a cross county car for around 6 hours, on these incredible roads, with palm trees all around, passing “Tabankas” (villages), with both windows opened,… juhu, fantastic! I guess as soon as I get a chance and escape from the capital I start enjoying “Africa”. We slept in Buba and in the morning went to see rice fields, because EU is plans to donate some money on this area. Buba is quite a distant place, so you can imagine Tabancas we went to see were a real cross country drive! To be honest, it wasn’t a real safari trip (but a closer version), because we didn’t see any elephant, zebra, tiger or any other kind of “African animal” because they simply are no; they all escaped to the east Africa.

My new job

2005-06-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

After the second day I must confess I am probably a “difficult case” for my boss. While quitting my first job I had to face the reality which is that people don’t hire volunteers in order to do voluntary work where it’s really needed, but rather to take advantages of the “no need to pay” workforce. People that really need help don’t even know how to ask for it. The result of my conclusion was I became very careful, strict, and the second day of my new work I doubted everything my boss said, just to give him hard time if in case he is just using “no need to pay workforce”. I guess I am putting the rules now. If I won’t like it or I will see no progress I will simply leave. I’ve seen enough and I guess I found what I’ve been looking for; a confirmation that my ideas do have sense, that people do need help and that certain organizations provide resources for them and that they need Economists for that, so jobs for Economists that are not really “economists” in that meaning of the word do exist.

We're getting somewhere

2005-06-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

I must say I had quite a nice day today. Looking back the reason why is funny. Since we’re going to have elections for the president of the state on the 19th of June here, people are already taking advantages of it. For three days now we’re without water. Why? The responsible ones didn’t get their salary for a long time, so they just use pre-election fights. The house where I live has some extra supplies of water, but after 3 days it ran out, so we went to vodnjak, witch is around 500m away from the house. It was great! Finally I was really helping them. I was carrying around 20l of water on my head, surrounded by 15 young girls with jugs of water on their heads too ;) You should have seen that!

Do you remember what games we played when we were “younger”? Remember the game only two people are playing it with rope on the hand? Well actually one holds the rope, the other one stitches it, than the first one stitches it… I don’t know the name of that game in none of the languages, neither in Slovenian, but the point is they know exactly how to play it, like I do. It’s amazing how people on the other part of the world know exactly the same game. They were asking me why I know this game and I was wondering why they know the game. Do you know?

PEOPLE

2005-06-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

It’s time to say some more words about people. This would be my personal opinion, so you might hear different stories from other people visiting Africa, but as I said I find them very unenthusiastic, a bit lazy, but with special feeling for a people. They would accept someone to live in their house, give them food without demanding anything in return. And as they want to take advantage of foreigners and people they don’t know, they are in this respect very honest. I mean people don’t take advantages of someone that kindly offers what he has, but do take advantages with other things. Besides this, as a friend of mine said, they are waiting for white people to do things and do complain how poor they are without really doing things that would improve their position. Of course everything again depend on who are you dealing with. Once my student said he wants to go to Slovenia. I said he is welcomed to visit me in my house, whenever he decides to come. Of course, he said he doesn’t have money to go there (for him it would be normal that I would kindly offer him to buy him a flight ticket). They quite often complain to me how busy they are, but if they only had move a bit faster, they would succeed to do much more things. “Wait just a second” mains wait and wait and wait. When they meet each other, they say hi, how are you (kuma), respond ok (esta bem) and than they just look around. This is what I meant with “unenthusiastic”. Or for example ;) I asked them what they are doing during their free time, during Sunday or…. Well, believe it or not, they are not doing anything. Things like reading books, playing football, going for a walk, visiting friends don’t really exist. They sit out-front and comment football, making each other stylish haircuts and that is about it. The majority of people earn money with selling all kinds of things on the street, from water in plastic, fishes, bread, bananas, mangos, palm oil, anything you can imagine. There is enormous amount of food markets all over the place. People carry things on their heads and not in bags. Some people work in all kinds of stores, most of them of them for clothes stores; other people work in different kind of organizations. I haven’t seen anyone begging for money jet what is in a way “normal” because only locals and a few foreigners, who came to work here, actually live here. This country is not tourist destination (haven’t seen anyone jet). Local women more or less wear their typical dresses, long skirts with typical top. Men in general wear long trousers and a t-shirt. If you know what the temperature is here, wearing long trousers (also jeans) is quite amazing, but on the other hand because of mosquitoes quite reasonable. Relationship between men and women is unfortunately still an issue. Lots of women are unemployed and treated as less worthy. There is a woman, called Filipa in our house. In a last war she lost a leg and her husband told her to leave, because she will not be able to do things around the house. “No one wants to marry woman with only one leg” she said. Now she lives with us, with her niece, Celestine, my hostess. One guy noticed something else. They don’t have houses with two or more floors; everything is built horizontally and not vertically, as their relations are. Quite reasonably, few people are educated and the question of higher importance of someone is not a jet a real issue.

I QUITE

2005-06-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

I resigned from the school I worked for. Since only friends of mine read these pages I’ll give you some more details. I wanted to come here first of all because of a wish I had for a long time; voluntary work in Africa. Secondly to learn some more Portuguese and to get some experiences that would widen possible area of my future job. I paid quite a lot of money for the flight ticket and everything that comes with it to come here and help people that don’t have anything. School is profitable, meaning students have to pay for their classes, like normal language school. Teachers are being paid, whereas I am a voluntary worker. In my opinion I at least deserve to be paid for the food Celestine kindly gives me (if not for letting me stay in her house). They said they would pay, but they constantly avoided that topic. After lying to me for two weeks, finally saying they already paid which was not true I decided to quite the job. I found a new job; actually Marike a girl I met on a plane helped me to find it. I will work with microfinance, meaning giving credits to people that can’t even afford to go to a bank and get a loan. It sounds interesting, but as I started today we didn’t do much. It all works in their slow way. Let’s see what the time shows.

THE COUNTRYSIDE

2005-06-06T05:44:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I went Celestine, my hostess to the countryside. She was a god father to two girls from the villages around Bissau and as we took them home, I had a chance to see how people there live. This actually meant “Africa” for me, at least as I knew it from TV; people with big stomachs, living in harmony with pigs, dogs, chickens…., houses without the doors and windows, “special” kind of houses for cows and so on.

I had a felling like “vaw, I’m really here”. When I get my photo here, I’m goanna attach some photos…. They live in some kind of communities; relatives together build houses in a shape of a square. They share the same “garden”. When we got there, they brought a table outside, put a nice napkin, roast chicken, a cake (very similar to Peruvian one; only biscuit and cream on top of it) and 3 bottles of Fanta (0,33cl) on the table and the party began. People started coming from all over the place. I heard some sounds of African music, and admired every single thing around me. After 15 minutes we left. I can’t say if I liked it or not, of course things were new for me and were interesting just because of this, but as I observed people, they were very calm, unenthusiastic, living for a day. If I compare them with people from Latin America, I found them (Latin Americans) more “alive”, if you know what I mean.

SHORT NOTICE

2005-05-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

HI EVERYONE
TODAY I AM WRITTING IN BIG LATTERS BECAUSE SHIFT DOESNºT WORK.
IºD JUST LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT I CANºT PUBLISH FOTOS UNTIL I GET MY FOTO HERE. HI HI YES I FORGOT IT AT HOME, ON MY DESK.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW SOMETHING, FEEL FREE TO ASK, YOU JUST HAVE TO SIGN IN.

OOO YES, TEMPERATURES... FROM 31 AT NIGHT UP TO 40-45 DURING DAY TIME

.... SORRY THIS KEYPAD SUCKS.... WILL WRITE YOU MORE ANOTHER TIME

BYE IRENA

2 WORLDS

2005-05-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

2 WORLDS

I have lived with the locals for a week, meaning I didn’t meet a single foreigner for a whole week; I live with Guinean family and I work with Guinean people. I am getting used to it, not that it would be difficult, but different and language is still the problem. While making a choice coming or not to Guinea Bissau, a very strong point was Portuguese official language. As I learned some Portuguese in Portugal I wanted to learn some more here. Aha, a bit wrong. Locals speak their languages, special Ciriol and Balanta and as I found out later, level of Portuguese they speak is sometimes even lower than mine.

There is another world here, a world of foreigners. I went to visit Marieke, girl (or better madam) I met on the plane while coming here. She lives here with her very nice family. We went of a football match in “Campo Sweco” where more or less only foreigners meet and some of them also live (prices for renting a house here are above 3000$ while in the city prices are above 2000$). I must say I really liked that day. Not that local people would do any harm, but still it is so nice to meet people more or less in the same position as you are. They work for all kinds of non government institutions or language schools.

PERCEIVING PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY

As I told you in my previous post, I have had difficulties understanding colleges at work. At first because of their contestant “yes” (so they give you a feeling they understand, but they actually don’t) and secondly because the level of language (mine or theirs). As I found out they feel embarrassed not knowing things so they just simply say “yes”.

What about my perceiving of things? ;) Family I live with is very religious. They go to church every Sunday, Celestine is a teacher of catechism, they pray every day and so on. I am familiar with all these because I also had to go to church when I was I child. At first when they invited me to go to a church I kindly accepted, because I was curious how it looks like here, if it’s different or less boring than in Slovenia, but this Sunday I really didn’t felt like going. I already felt a cramp in my stomach, because I know how it is like in Slovenia with a very religious family. If you say you don’t want to go to church they get offended and start gossiping around how bed Christian you are. I really don’t want to have problems like these here, at least until they get more used to me. At the end I decided not to go. I was waiting what is going to happen. Nothing! If you want to go to church you go, if you don’t want to, you simply don’t go and no harm done. Uf, what a relief.

FINALLY I MANAGED

2005-05-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

Hi!
I found syber with one computer that supports USB keey and after an hour i am sending you few days ago written things.....

Wednesday, 25^th may

FINISHING PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED STORY

Again there was nobody waiting for me at the airport (as in Lisbon last year), but this time I just waited saying to myself “I’m in Africa” and things were solved out. This friend of Marta, who works on the airport helped me with the luggage (imagine you have to wait 2 h to get your luggage, on a crowdie airport on around 30 degrees Celsius, when you can only smell people’s sweat around you) and kindly called the guys that should pick me up. Tnx.

To sum up my departure from Slovenia on, I must say there were just the right people at the right place at the right time around me. “Ignacio” who arranged this job for me, “Begs” who kindly borrowed me the net (to prevent mosquitoes to bite me) in the last minute before I left and told me some very useful information, Peter and Damjan, who took me to the airport and borrowed me money for extra luggage (paying in cash is not an option, only cards and I already withdraw all my money cause they don’t even know cash machine here), “Laurence” who made my flight from Venice to London very pleasant specially with the conversation we had about what I am above to do (I needed that!!!!), Pedro, the guy who I met outside the airport of Porto, who helped me with my luggage (I couldn’t have make it on my own), Helena, who kindly accepted me to live in Lisbon in the same flat as I lived last year (really great!!!), Marieke, who I met on the plane to Guinea Bissau and that guy on the airport. Thank you all!!!!!

MY HOME

I finally found a way to plug in my computer in the house where I live. I can only do it during the day, because electricity works using sun cells on the roof. ;)

Yes, life here is much different than in Europe. As I said I l live in a house, together with around 20 orphans, witch my hostess Celestin kindly accepted to her house. As I mentioned Celestin, who is the “woman” in the house, Katerina, her daughter, Albino, her husband, Filipa, her ount and an old man (don’t know his name), also live here. Great family! Amazing is, that a monkey, a dog and a few chickens also live with us. ;)

The children are very nice and hardworking. They get up very early in the morning. Some of them go to school; the others are cleaning the house, preparing food for lunch, feeding the animals… Celestin works as a nurse, while Albino works as a doctor in a hospital.

I eat three times per day, mainly rice, witch I was not in favour of in Slovenia, but do like it here. Why? Because there are all kinds of unusual stuff I can not even pronounce, so rice became my favourite dish. Of course I like experimenting new stuff, but some of them I really can’t.

MY WORK

I work in “Damas English language school”. I somehow made a deal to work only in the afternoon. I’ll try to describe the situation in this school.

There is only one classroom, but three groups of people are being taught at the same time. We have three blackboards, three teachers and around 30 pupils at the same time in one classroom. Even though my knowledge of English is not perfect I do speak very well comparing to them. When I try to talk with the teachers I nearly can understand what they are saying. The pupils are being taught by “American language course”. That means they start with book 1 and after a few years they finish with book 34. Teachers ended up with book 20, when they started the profession of being a teacher. I must say I do like to teach, specially because I learn more and more Portuguese while explaining them some things, because pupils are very nice and because everything is very new for me, but still wouldn’t like to be a teacher when I finish my school. ;)

THE COUNTRY

Guinea Bissau has lots of ethnic groups, and consequently lots of languages. The official language is Portuguese, but not all of them can speak it. More or less everyone speaks Ciriol, witch is very similar to Portuguese. Apart from that two, different ethnic groups speak: Balanta, Fula, Manfaco, Mancanha, Pepeia, MAndiga, Djacanca and Fulupes. My goal is to speak all of them ;) Joke. That would be impossible. Also locals can’t speak all above named languages.

The country itself is very small, a bit bigger than Slovenia, and has around 1.200.000 habitants. It has lots of palm trees, unusual things growing from the earth; witch is a work of termites, some kinds of animals. The streets are full of hols, dirty and rarely covered with asphalt. They do have cars, but they are in extremely bad condition. Ok, I’ll pronounce myself as brave; I drove a car here ;) Yes, this was really an extreme dose of adrenalin! The market is stinky, but full of incredible things that are being sold. Will tell you more in next few days, when I’ll have a chance for sightseeing.

POLITICAL SITUATION

Kumba Iala, was a president of the state from 2001 until people of Guinea Bissau removed him in 2003. Guinea Bissau has had a temporary president since than. The thing is Kumba Iala wants to be a president again, so he called himself a president and went to presidential palace. His argument was that a county can’t have a temporary president for more than a year. People disagree with his move. There were many conflicts with the army, a car has been burnet, and people are going to the streets expressing their disagreement. Elections for the president are coming on the 19^th of June. There are many candidates, some sources say around 20. The situation here is quite worrying, especially because of the situation in witch the country is right now; poor people, bad infrastructure, extremely bad economic position.

RELIGION

Muslims and Catholics live together in the same city. No harm done.

AMAZIG THINGS

Once I went with my college to see his family. There was his mother and his sister with her just being borne twins. They were born 2 months too early. In Slovenia they would have kept them in an incubator, here, they are lying in a basket on the floor, being covered only with a net against mosquitoes.
Monkey tied up like a dog in Slovenia; outside on the garden
Masterpiece work of termites. I’ll show you what I mean when I will have a chance to take photo of them.
Can you imagine a lazy chicken crawling on the floor to escape the sun?

Not my fault

2005-05-26T13:48:00.000-07:00

Ola!
I wrote 2 pages long letter in the house where I live using electricity on sun cells. I am tying to post it, but it is not as easy at it seems. In non of the syber cafees they would alow me to plug in my computer and I only have USB keey to transfer the datas from my laptop to the computer in syber cafee. All the computers they have are too old and don't support USB keey. Gt it? Besides this I am too lazy to write again everyting I already did. So my only chance is, to walk around the town and each syber serch for a computer that would support USB keey.
Hope you're all fine and enyojing your non complicated life :)
Take care!
Irena

hello mama afrika

2005-05-22T12:08:00.000-07:00

So, finally, hm? It took me a while to find cyber cafe here. So, as you can see, they have cybers as well as other things I wouldn't expect.
But let me start at the begining. My flight was ok, I met a holland girl, wich lives with her family in Bissao and she told me some very useful things about Guinea Bissao and Bissao itself, tnx Marike. When we landed I got out of the plane I felt like crying, I am here, my god I am here. I went into the building of the airport and there was Marta, a girl I knew from Porugal. She took care of everything, even though I only wrote her e-mail I was comming. She knows a guy that works... o my time is over....to be continued
Irena

Africa

2005-05-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

Hello!
I created this page because I am going to Africa soon. When you go abroad people normally ask the same question, about wether, people, general things. So this page should answer these questions, it shold make my time a bit easier, not having to answer the same question five times.

I will of course be delighted to reply to your e-mails as well, they just won't contain general things.

Take care,
Irena