Daily Commute

Sometimes the most interesting part of my day is the time I spend walking back and forth between my house and the clinic. During the 20ish minutes it takes to get from one place to another, I pass a number of people- security guards, policemen, construction workers, school children, people selling goods on the side of the road, and others who, like me, are on their daily commute. Many will greet me with a friendly "bonjour" as they pass by. Some see me and call out, "la blanche!" which means, "white girl!" (Even though it sometimes bothers me to be called out simply because I look different, I know that they mean well so I try not to be offended.) And then there are the rare times when people ask me for things- some spare change, my phone number, if I will teach them English... Yes, my daily walks are definitely one of the most unpredictable parts of my day, and also probably one of my biggest cultural experiences.

As people greet me, they sometimes start a conversation. If they ask me anything beyond the basics--what is my name, where do I work, where do I live, where I am going--the conversation often ends with me apologizing and explaining, "Je ne comprends pas" (I don't understand). To be honest, I don't always appreciate these moments, especially if it is the end of the day and I am tired and just want to get home and eat dinner and speak English (or not speak at all). But sometimes I do have a good conversation with someone, like with the two teenaged girls I met who live down the road and who simply wanted to get to know me and tell me about themselves, or the small child I sometimes pass in the morning who waves at me and chants excitedly when he sees me coming, or clinic staff members who are also walking home at the end of the workday. These conversations help me to feel a little more connected to this place that still feels very foreign in many ways.

My daily commute can be tiring, unpredictable, and even confusing, but it can also be a much-needed reminder to stop, take a look around, and appreciate the sights and the people that I might otherwise miss.