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.