the joys of working in africa

[richard8000milesaway]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010...ef=global-home

[richard8000milesaway]

also..... http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010...ef=global-home

[RDEagan]

Soccer has GOT to be the most violent sport in the world. And that's just the fans! What is WRONG with people???

Ryan

[cmakin]

In my experience out in that part of the world, the countries seem to be run by high school students with guns.

[richard8000milesaway]

of course it's not all negative: my recent South Atlantic crossing from Pto. Deseado (argentina) to Luanda, Angola, (with a few days in Rio de Janeiro to keep the crew happy) had max recorded winds of 15 knots during the whole voyage!!!!
always fine weather with this massive high pressure (St Helena High) stationary smack dab in the middle: just don't creep too far south or you'll get your BUTT KICKED !

[trekleader]

Not Africa, but soccer/gunfire related. I was at a soccer game in Cap Haitien, Haiti, once. The only 'blanc' (Kreyol for 'white guy/foreigner') in the stadium. The local team lost, and gunfire erupted...

Crack...Crackcrackcrackcrackcrack the crowd goes beserk, cops gut their guns and take the field.

Just a bizarre scene to witness first hand. I was sitting there, not sure what to do, people were running for the exits, yelling and screaming. I couldn't stop thinking 'Is this really happening?' No one hurt, but what a trip.

A Haitian guy I knew told me, because of their poverty et cetera, it's something positive, and that they can really feel hope for.

Fun to watch, too. Anyone paying attention to the upcoming World Cup? I wonder how it will go in South Africa.

[richard8000milesaway]

I was at the stadium last year in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea (EG), when the national team of EG played the famous national team of Nigeria, THE SUPER EAGLES.
wow. 20,000 fans. african riot police. water canons. miltary tanks. chaos. tropical temperatures. mayhem. cheering. drums beating. crazy fans. excellent football.
when EG scored against the better team in the first 2 minutes of play the place erupted. insane. the people all around me were hugging (even hugging me, a white stranger). weeping with joy. stomping their feet. the crowds outside the stadium who couldn't get inside were a mass of humanity as they surged this way and that, eventually taking down a huge chain linked fence.
chaos!
joy!!!!!!!!!

[injunear]

of course it's not all negative: my recent South Atlantic crossing from Pto. Deseado (argentina) to Luanda, Angola, (with a few days in Rio de Janeiro to keep the crew happy) had max recorded winds of 15 knots during the whole voyage!!!!
always fine weather with this massive high pressure (St Helena High) stationary smack dab in the middle: just don't creep too far south or you'll get your BUTT KICKED !

Ah yes, the garden spots.....Lobito, Soyo, Banana, Melambo. You should have seen Luanda before independence.

[richard8000milesaway]

would like to have seen luanda before independence. I lived in a fancy apartment there (next to Norweigan Ambassador's residence) this past summer when I was working as Seacor's Marine Superintendent - juggling their 22 vessel fleet.
actually, I enjoyed the city & region a lot. made many ex-pat friends. taught myself some portuguese. tough place to do business though.

[stevefoster]

In my experience out in that part of the world, the countries seem to be run by high school students with guns.

Yes, I recall what looked like teenagers as guards at the airports carrying AK-47s when I was there. Most of them were not even uniformed and they all had their fingers on the triggers. One thing I was very careful of: I never, ever, looked any of them in the eye...............

[seadawg]

at the dock in Luanda..had occasion to "check" one of "guards" we had on board..his weapon was a well worn "shot out loose" AK that raddled when I shook it and no ammo..was grateful that he was without ammo!!

[Steamer]

Yes, I recall what looked like teenagers as guards at the airports carrying AK-47s when I was there. Most of them were not even uniformed and they all had their fingers on the triggers. One thing I was very careful of: I never, ever, looked any of them in the eye...............

Man, does that ever sound familiar. I worked with a handful of folks out of Pointe Noire in the "People's Republic of Congo" when the place was the staging area for the Cubans fighting a couple of miles down the road in Angola. What an incredible place to be at the time. Used to catch a charter flight back to the world from Brazzaville and it was exactly like you described but most of the conscripts were actually friendly until an NCO warned them that we (or they) were to be shot if we (they) looked at them (us) or spoke.

And we were working for the governent, such as it was ... we were invited to be there. Can't imagine what it would have been like if they didn't treat us as guests.

[stevefoster]

at the dock in Luanda..had occasion to "check" one of "guards" we had on board..his weapon was a well worn "shot out loose" AK that raddled when I shook it and no ammo..was grateful that he was without ammo!!

One of the funniest things I ever saw was when I was on an ammunition ship anchored out in Vung Tau waiting for a gunboat escort to go up the Saigon River. I was on gangway watch at night and our night guards were four Philippinos.
They were there to protect us from divers attaching mines to the ship's hull at night.
As one of the guards strolled by my watch station I noticed that the rifle he was carrying looked awfully familiar so I asked him if I could see it.
I couldn't believe my eyes.......what this guard was carrying was a copy of the rifle I used to plink with when from the time I was 12 years old.
He was carrying a single shot Benjamin .22 caliber pump pellet gun......

[trekleader]

He was carrying a single shot Benjamin .22 caliber pump pellet gun......

Well, you know, gotta be careful... he could put an eye out...

[Icelveber]

Ïåðåãîâîðû èäóò óæå íåñêîëüêî ìåñÿöåâ, íî ðàáîòà íàä íîâûì ñåðâèñîì ïåðåøëà â àâðàëüíûé ðåæèì, êàê òîëüêî ñòàëî èçâåñòíî, ÷òî íà ýòîé íåäåëå êîðïîðàöèÿ Apple ñîáèðàåòñÿ ïðåäñòàâèòü íåêèå âàæíûå èçìåíåíèÿ â ñâîåé òåëåâèçèîííîé ñëóæáå. Èçãîòîâëåí ïðîòîòèï òîïëèâíîãî ýëåìåíòà, ðàáîòàþùåãî íà ìî÷å - Íàóêà è òåõíèêà - Ýíåðãåòèêà - Òîïëèâíûå ýëåìåíòû - Êîìïüþëåíòà Øîòëàíäñêèå ó÷¸íûå ïðîäîëæàþò óäèâëÿòü. Èçîáðåòåíèå, çàÿâêà íà êîòîðîå îôîðìëåíà 21 àâãóñòà 2008 ãîäà, îïèñûâàåò ñëó÷àè èñïîëüçîâàíèÿ âñòðîåííîé êàìåðû äëÿ âûïîëíåíèÿ íåêîòîðûõ ôóíêöèé â òå ìîìåíòû, êîãäà îíà íå ïðèìåíÿåòñÿ äëÿ ôîòîñúåìêè. Êîìïàíèÿ Alcatel-Lucent ïëàíèðóåò çàâåðøèòü ðàáîòû ê 2012 ãîäó.

[cmakin]

Yeah, that is how I feel about West Africa, too. I think that I may actually be quoted in the previous post.