A Trip to the Suburbs

A parent at my school took the first grade teacher and I on a little tour of her old neighborhood where she grew up.  This area is a suburb of Calabar.  I took pictures out the car window while the car was moving.  I was trying my best to be discreet with my camera. On the way, we saw a few of these characters so she pulled over.

She instructed the character not to touch me.  I didn't want to know why.

 When we got back in the car they stood in front of the car and would not let us drive off until we paid them.

Laundry Day

 When people do not have a rack for drying their clothes you will see cloths drying on fences or bushes.  Every part of their laundry will be outside in the front of the house for everyone to see.  I have not seen anyone doing their wash so I do not know if they have a washing machine or not.  My guess is they do it by hand.  We are very spoiled at our compound having both a washer and dryer in each flat now.  There is an old building behind the flats where machines were once set-up to be shared by all the expats.  With all the power outages, we usually just wash every load on the express cycle and then hang our clothes on the rack.  If the power goes out during the load the door is locked and you cannot get your clothes out.

Many people sit outside because it is cooler than in their homes.

 This is a community well which is the water source for the homes in this neighborhood. 

The local school

This house did not fit the norm out here.  I wonder who lives here?

Our driver told us these were milk cows.

Most of the homes had curtains for doors and no glass on the windows.

Single Lane Bridge

 There was a bridge ahead but we turned around here.  I believe we saw this bridge on the boat trip.

I saw a couple turkeys along the side of the road.  Talk about organic!

Our driver's family and the first grade teacher.

The lady who drove us was wearing the jeans.  Her mother had the orange top.  The other ladies were sisters and the children were a niece and two nephews.  I saw her give her sister an envelop of money.  I believe it is traditional when one family member has more they share with their family.  She told us her mother had 15 children and her father had died in 1986.