trippin'

I estimate that on an average day I manage to stumble or trip a little at least twice while walking down the road. I’ve concluded that this reoccurring event is due in part (30%) to my natural tendency toward somewhat clumsy behaviour. The poor condition of the roads and surfaces here are to blame for the remaining 70%. There are so many chunks of missing pavement, sandy sections, areas of loose gravel and raised portions here, there, and everywhere that my feet find it terribly hard to predict what surface will greet them next – resulting in my inevitable tripping. But what’s worse than a minor trip or stumble? The situation that I found myself in today – unexpectedly sitting on the pavement at the edge of the road. I managed to step right on an oil spill, slip and land hard on the ground. I was walking alone back toward home from the Junction and of course I was carrying 3-4 small bags of groceries and wearing a skirt! Luckily I only bruised the bananas and somehow tore my loaf of bread in half, but went down gracefully enough (with sounds of women gasping in the background) that I didn’t tear my skirt or give anyone a free show. I remained sitting in amazement for a few seconds, taking in the greatness that was my fall, while several men rushed to help me up and I heard about 15 people say ‘sorry’. I gotta hand it to the Liberians – even when you do something stupid like slip and fall they apologize as if on behalf of the oil spill or as compensation for my own issues! I walked the rest of the way home and couldn’t help but grin like a fool because it was the kind of situation that you just wish someone you know had witnessed so you can joke about it for a minimum of three days! It should be interesting to see if when I pass that spot tomorrow (as I walk past there at least twice daily) anyone comments on my incident.

In other news, I have a ‘fresh cold’. I’m not sure what this means exactly, it’s a phrase that is common here and I’m assuming it translates into having a regular cold because I feel like I have a cold and when I described my symptoms to Nelly she confirmed it was a fresh cold. It just started raining a bit too, I figure that will either cure me or make the sinus pressure behind the right side of my face even worse! We’ll see what the morning brings!