Although there is no recycling program in Sierra Leone, they practice the ultimate in recycling - almost every container is reused somehow. In our garage, we have large containers that used to hold vegetable oil and are now currently filled with water. In preparation for the team from Albany, Oregon, we were concerned about the amount of water we'd need. So Bakarr told us about and purchased three large plastic "barrels" in which to store larger quantities of water. These barrels are used to import pigs' feet to Sierra Leone. We were fairly confident that a thorough cleaning would make these ideal containers for storing water. Uh, wrong!
Kathy was the first to take a "bucket shower" using water from one of the barrels. The water had a very unpleasant smell. I had the misfortune of using the "pig water" for a shower the next day, after the water had ample opportunity to "stew" in the barrel and soak up more of the distinguishing odor. Yuck! Yuck! Yucky! Think about pouring a scoop of stinky water over your head and using it to wash your hair and body... I'm grimacing now just recalling that "cleansing" shower.
Kathy and I were determined to come up with a use for the stinky "pig water" - it couldn't be used for bathing, laundry, dishes, or drinking. How about for flushing the toilets? We thought we had it but laughed about the smell of the water rivaling whatever was needing to be flushed...
We still have a barrel of the "pig water" left in the garage. Neither of us is brave enough to open it and use it. The last time we opened an empty barrel, we decided against having it filled with "clean" water (a relative description) because the smell from the empty barrel made us both gag. It really is that gross! (And we bathed in it!)
And since we're on the subject of bathing, since I've been in Sierra Leone, I have bathed:
- by candlelight
- in "pig water"
- from a bucket of warm water (ahhhh!)
Definitely not experiences common to my life in the US! But as our neighbor, Abdul, told Kathy the other day, "Welcome to Sierra Leone!"
5 comments:
Krisnee this is so funny. I read this to Janet who was without a computer and we were both laughing so hard. It is very hard to picture you taking a pig water shower and pray you don't ever have to again.
love your writing.
Ann
Krisnee,
You know they say pigs are some of the most intelligent animals alive ... maybe more than humans! Love you, KimmieJo
Krisnee,
What a riot! I pray you have taken your first and last 'pig water' bath and that no other bath story will ever top this one. :) Your bath experience makes me very thankful for my nice warm shower every morning.
Love you,
Bev
Krisnee-Really? Pig water? Maybe you could make it seem more "Barefoot Sage-ish" if you called it "Essence of Aqua Pura Porcine." Love you and miss you. Teri
Good strategy, Teri! I hadn't thought to make the smelly pig water seem exotic and desirable by changing the description. But as they (sort of) say... pig water by any other name would smell as rancid.
Love you back!
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