We left our hotel and looked for gas. Filling up the car with gas was a real challenge. There were very few gas stations, and the ones that we could find were usually out of gas. Some people actually sold gas on the streets in any type of plastic container they could find. Sometimes, this was what our driver purchased. Our driver told us that you never totally knew what you were getting but that it usually worked out all right. This seemed very strange for a country so rich in oil. It felt like a daily miracle for us to obtain the gas we needed in order to drive to the villages.

After finally finding gas, we drove for about two hours. Some of the highways were very nice; however, most of the roads we traveled on were dirt roads that had some huge holes and bumps. They could be described as some of the worst country roads I had ever experienced. It took us a long time to drive a relatively short distance.

The first village we visited was Lungun Dankande Village. The people were absolutely amazing! They greeted us with smiles and handshakes and were absolutely intrigued by us, especially me because I was the first white woman most of them had ever seen.

We meet with the famers who belonged to a cooperative and asked them questions about the crops and agricultural issues. After the initial meeting we talked a bit more and then left to prepare for our field visits the next day. The next day would prove to be one of the most fun and educational days of my life. Stay tuned for the rest of the story!!