This morning we had a security briefing from Mr Okim, the Security Advisor for Cross River State. He described Calabar as "an oasis in Nigeria". CRS has a very low crime rate (even lower than most US cities) and they have plans to lower it even further. We were assured that we can travel anywhere in the state and know that we would be safe. With that being said, you still need to be aware of your surrounding and not do anything you wouldn't do back home. On that note, we saw the security plan in action tonight while walking home from dinner. Police officers were conducting a road block and checking all cars.

Next, we had a talk from Dr Joseph Ana. He is the general health advisor for the Calabar Women and Children's Hospital. He gave us very practical advice for staying healthy and well while in Nigeria. Tomorrow we will register with the hospital so that if anything goes wrong they will provide medical treatment.

This afternoon we visited the local market. What an education!!! You will either be appalled by the sights and smells, or amazed by the entrepreneurial spirit of the people. Marian market is a sprawling labyrinth of open air food stands and shops (really just a small stall) selling everything from bath soap to suitcases, cookware to fabric. I am sure you could purchase anything you could every think of. We also took a stroll to the meat market. Animals are slaughtered and chopped up right at the market. The meat is then placed out in the open for customers to purchase for dinner that night.

In contrast, we also visited the local supermarket. I need to clarify supermarket here - unlike the huge warehouses that we shop at in the US, the Value market is the size of a typical convenience store. It has most of the basics but for a price. There is little to no fresh fruit and vegetables and most of the foods are dry goods or in cans. For those of us who crave western style foods, we will be able to buy the odd candy bar or packet of cookies.

Our stay so far has been characterized by what and where we eat. For lunch today, we ate at the Axari hotel where we had our briefings. Some brave souls decided to try some of the local cuisine. Jenni had garri and a traditional vegetable and goat meat soup. Lindsey and I had a chicken pepper soup - bits of very bony chicken in a very spicy broth. (I have since discovered that pepper in Nigeria is actually chili). Cynthia had suya, which is basically pieces of meat on skewers.

Dinner was at a Chinese restaurant called Happy Food. The decor was a pleasant surprise in Calabar. Greg, who lived in Hong Kong for a number of years, ordered a variety of dishes for us to share. The meal was delicious and we had many a laugh over dinner.

Reflecting on my trip so far, I would say there are a few things that I will not take for granted anymore.

1) the internet and high speed broadband - it can take hours to upload a few photographs to facebook

2) a decent shower with SOME water pressure - a shower is hit and miss. You either have hot or cold water and it is a trickle out of the shower head. Forget a bath - I don't think you could fill the bath in one night.

3) reliable electricity - you never know when the power is going to fail. It frequently goes down and then the hotel has to switch over to the generator. (I have been know to get caught taking a shower in the dark) A flashlight is essential. We even have cell phones with build-in flashlights!!

What am I most grateful for:

A team of wonderful human beings who share of themselves everyday
The generosity and hospitality of the Nigerian people

The chance to learn about a different culture and discover something new about myself

Tomorrow is the official kick-off....lots more to follow.

Last night we were treated to the wonderful Nigerian hospitality at the home of Ann Oden, a CDC representative in Calabar. A delicious buffet of Nigerian foods were prepared - I love plantains, moi-moi and the incredible fresh fish. In addition to the team and CDC staff, a number of our clients were invited to the party. We had a great time socializing and learning about the culture of the people we are working with. After a long and enjoyable evening, I finally arrived back at the hotel at 1:30 am. What it is to feel like a teenager again!!

Sunday I awoke to torrential rains....again. After a leisurely breakfast of coffee, oats, omelets and yes....potatoes...we had a few hours to relax before the van picked us up to take us to lunch. Today we had lunch at the Le Chateau hotel. The dinning room is no bigger than an eat-in kitchen and today lunch only took two hours!! For the most part, we are all very happy with the food selections.

After lunch a tour guide joined us and we headed out to see the sights of Calabar. Calabar was an important trading post in the 19th century and as a result there are many colonial buildings and influences along the river. We visited the Duke Town Church established by Presbyterian missionaries. Much of the inside is still the same today. Across the road was a wonderful example of a traditional Nigerian building. The homes are built of clay and thatch and have stood for over two hundred years.

Calabar is an interesting contrast of large, well secured homes and much smaller dilapidated cottages and thatched dwellings. There are very few modern shops and most trade is still done on the streets or in the markets. The roads in the more affluent areas are well maintained, but in the poorer areas, they are in desperate need of repair.

After visiting the older areas of Calabar, we took a trip to the Marina. It is a new tourist resort, but unfortunately there are not many tourists in the area. It is beautifully landscaped and has the potential to become a great place for the locals to visit. However, the entrance fee is possibly higher than what most locals can afford. The Marina has a Slave History museum, children's Carousel, night club, pub and wonderful walking path along the river.

Dinner was at Freddy's, a local restaurant down the road from our hotel. We decided to take a walk instead of waiting for the van. What an experience - dodging puddles, pot-holes, cars and motorcycles. The sights and sounds are a delight for the senses. Music blares from stores, vendors cooking food on the streets and people crowding around their favorite eating hole. Tonight was our first dinner as a team without chaperones. Conversation centered on our perceptions of each other cultures and what we perceived were the good and bad impressions of each country. After much laughter and friendly banter, we headed back to the hotel. There had just been another heavy downpour and once again, puddles everywhere. Much to the amusement of Hermann, I lost my flip-flop in the mud and had to dig it out. Needless to say, I was covered in mud up to my ankles. I now know why Nigerians wear sandals all the time!!

Tomorrow we will have our security and medical briefings and then register with the local hospital.

Hello from a very wet Calabar. After a long 27 hours of travel we all arrived safely and settled into the Venal Suites hotel in Calabar. Last night we all had dinner together and were final able to put the names and faces together. What a wondeful group of people. We have also been joined by Kevin Thompson (Program Manager for CSC) and a number of DCS representatives.

By 11pm last night, I was ready to fall down - it was time for bed. I was so tired that nothing could keep me away. Unfortunately, some of us were kept awake by the dance club and their very LOUD music. Thankfully this won't happen every night. After a long restful sleep, I was ready for the next day.

We all had breakfast together, spent some time chatting and then headed to the Bay Cafe for lunch. Negotiating the roads is an experience. Besides the potholes and mud everywhere, you have deep calverts, motot cyclists and pedestrians. It amazes me how everyone stays so well put together. We are learning to be very patient and go with the flow. There really is something call "AFRICA TIME". We arrived at our lunch venue just before 1 pm and finally got all the food by 2:30 pm. Lets say that if you weren't hungry when you got there, you were certainly ready for lunch at 2:30!!!

This afternoon we visited the Drill Rehab & Breeding Center. It is a two minute walk from our hotel. The Drill monkey is one of the most endangered primates in Africa. They also take in orphaned Chimpanzees. The newest one is 4 months old. I think we are going to pay the center a few visits while we are here - the baby chimp is too cute!

On our walk back we passed some of the local homes. In amongst the big houses, there are a few ruins, fortresses and ...my favorite....glass embedded in the cement to prevent people from climbing over the wall. We also saw a traditional Nigerian wedding and were invited to take a look. It is so great living in the residential area....you really get the true flavor or Nigeria.

We are off to Ann Oden's (CDC representative in Nigeria) home for dinner tonight. I am told that we will be meeting our partners and having a wonderful introduction to Nigerian hospitality.

The time has finally arrived!!! I am packed and ready to head to the airport. While I may have some butterflies in my stomach I am super excited to be going to Nigeria.

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Stay tuned....lots more to follow.