third day's a charm

so today was fun! no one knew what was going on with picking me up and so i was still in line waiting for my breakfast when godday arrived. but no matter, my yogurt and apple are very important to me. it's funny, the apples here are tiny. and pretty hard and flavorless but it's fresh. i think technically i'm not even supposed to eat them because they have edible skin and i might get sick but that's dumb. so i eat them anyway. but we get to the office and then pick up joanna (the other american) and go to pick up her cook. apparently any local who works for a dod employee has to get clearance from the embassy. that's when i saw the cow. and then we were off to the embassy. and wow, the police were all over. so it makes sense, right, because it's 11 sep so of course, but they were all standing in the street along the 2-3 blocks in front of the embassy. and they had 2 cute little mini-tank things too. but get this; it's easier to get onto embassy grounds that to shop at walter reed! they didn't check id's or anything! except then i found out that the drive goes there 2-3x's/day (he's one of our "personal" dod drivers) and is practically like a celebrity around this place. so we go thru a bunch of heavy doors and then i talk to a marine who gices me a temporary badge so i can go up to the "classified" 4th floor. that's where they do rso training wich is like the resident security office or something. but since i'm only here for 3 wks the guy doesn't really give the normal training. but for anyone whose unreasonably worried about me being here he said that this is a very pro-america place and any crime against americans is just for money (as in "give me your wallet") and not really kidnapping and ransoms and torture for videos al queda style. i mean, i guess they get terrorist threats here, but apparently not from the nigerians. but apparently this is some big muslim holiday time so i have to stay away from the national mosk. fine, i didn't really need to go there anyway. and then we're ready to go. can i just say that the us embassy is the ugliest building in abuja! it's a damn box! no archetectural interest at all. but i will give them credit for all of the original artwork displayed inside; there was some on every wall! so back to drop off the cook and on to the office. and charles is missing. again. so i talk to a couple girls in the office about the spreadsheet and they say we will work on it because what dr singer wants is all wrong and won't be helpful at all. sure, whatever. doesn't matter to me, right? and i play around with that stuff a bit and read some more on aids and then joanna gives me something else to occupy my time. so i guess there are all of the public health evaluation bids for some of pepfar's money in fiscal year 08 and she was letting me read thru them and see what i thought and whether or not they met the criteria for a good use of all this money. interesting in a really nerdy, boring way. but still, a useful exercise. and then "do you like indian food?" ahh, there is a god! so gayathri and i walk a couple blocks to this amazing indian restaurant. and there were chickens everywhere! and baby ones too. and these really big lizards; look like you could make a decent sixed lunch out of them but i bet they're gamey. andyway, she's from shrilanka and went to college in the uk and then came to work here and we spent over an hour talking about nigeria from our own perspectives and then about our own homes and what we're doing here. it was fun! those are my favorite kinds of conversations. and we totally feasted! nan and cumin rice, lamb and chicken, chickpea dahl, spicy spinach and tofu, samosa and tea. it was amazing! and lucky for me, late enough that i can just snack for dinner (since lunch cost $20 but worth every naira!). and then back to the office where i did more pub health reading and then i got to feel and sound smart when gayathri asked me a medical question. yay! i love it when i sound like i know what i'm talking about and don't even have to think too hard! woo-hoo! and then i finally saw dr singer who told me to go home and go to the pool (am i that pale?) and chatted about the research proposals. and then the driver let me know that he'll be picking me up at 0600 tomorrow for jos. AHH, early! but it will be a few hour drive and then some training that i will just sit there for and then the drive back. maybe i'll even take my camera out for a shot or two. i just get so embarrassed about taking pictures; i don't know why! but i need to start snapping because my memory is crap and i won't remember things if i can't remind myself with pictures! oh, but before i came to my room i went back to the pastry shop for breakfast for tomorrow and to the drug store for a comb. a $7 comb, mind you. but i really need one because my hair is getting unruly. and now i'm in my unnaturally cold room sipping my free wine from last night. it's actually much better today. and then a little snack, some reading and off to bed. gotta get my rest for my big adventure (or car ride) tomorrow!