What Did You Accomplish Today?

Sometimes I think that is an unfair question, especially since living in West Africa.

I have many days that were like this morning. By the end of the morning I have to look at not the big thing that I had to do but wasn't able to do, but at the little things. So, this morning, I bought bread in a town 28 kilometers away, had a great time with Tijan and Alhagie driving out there and back. Oh, and I got a name and phone number.

So by now you are all wondering... what was it that I was to accomplish today?

Well, just like in America, we have to register our vehicles every year. Only in The Gambia, every one registers their vehicles at the same time. January. This job is usually done by the business manager or someone on the south bank (in the Banjul area). BUT this year, we found out there is a new requirement. Vehicles must be inspected... prior to registration. So, Barney called me up and asked me to get the vehicles inspected out here. He heard it could get done in Barra. Last week, our regional administrator (along with his wife and another couple) came out for a few days. I went to Barra to pick them up. While there I looked into having that vehicle inspected. I needed a paper that was coming with Max and the visitors. So, after I met up with them I went back into the police station. (Literally not even 10 minutes later.) The man had left and no one knew where he went or when he would be back. So, that meant the inspection would have to wait for another day. I did finally manage to get that job done. Our administrator left on Wednesday and on Thursday I was set to send the two vehilces with me driving the third back to Barra. Tijan had a great idea. He went to the Police here in town. Could they inspect our vehicles? No, but if we gave them some fuel, they would come out here and check our vehicles. Praise God! For less than the gas to get to and from Barra with three vehicles... all our vehicles were inspected. (You may want to hear about that.... it is a funny story, but you will have to ask.)
I called Barney and told him the inspections were done. I asked what he wanted me to do with the discs. Well, the vehicles still needed to be registered and he wasn't planning on coming out this week. Would I go to the Police in Barra and register the cars?
Okay, he told me what the price was and I planned to go today. I also planned to take Alhagie and Tijan with me. They could learn the ropes with me and then next year, all we would have to do is send one of them. : ) So, the men and I headed out. It was a nice drive. We got to Barra and discovered that the one man that does the vehicle registration was not at work because of a death in the family. He wouldn't be in until the end of the week. I was told I could got to Banjul or Farifini (about 2 hours away), it was all the same. Believe me I didn't even think of doing that. I gave the men that came along with me money to buy their breakfast, bought some bread, and returned to the car. I had the brilliant idea to return to the Police, ask for the guy's name (the one who registers vehicles) and get some phone numbers. I did accomplish that fairly easily. By the time I got home the morning was gone.
I accomplished something. I have bread for me and Joanne, I had good conversations with Tijan and Alhagie, and when I returned the Nissan to Joanne, I met a Peace Corp young man who stopped in at her office to say hi. I returned home to find my gas out on the fridge and replaced that. All in all, a pretty typical morning.