Goats and …. contractions?

Well, I thought this week would be crazy busy (and it might yet be) but I had a little downtime in the midst of packing and language study so thought I would share about my minibus experience today.  Oh, the things you see in Africa! I went to get on the bus and right behind me a man gets on and puts a goat in the floorboard – still alive with his legs tied up.  Now, this isn’t necessarily abnormal, but it’s not an everyday experience either.  You are always in for an exciting ride when you have a goat along for the trip.

However, the exciting part was that right behind the goat on this already full minibus comes what at first appeared to be simply a very pregnant lady. When I looked again, I realized that not only was she pregnant, but she was also in labor. Besides the fact that a woman in labor was climbing into a minibus with the typical 18-20 people already on it, the strange part was that she not only had to climb over the goat laying in the middle of the floor, but no one moved over or offered her their seat – most people hardly looked concerned.  I was trying not to look totally shocked at the whole scenario and just hoping that she didn’t give birth right there on the minibus. She got off at the next stop and began walking up to wherever she was heading – the clinic I hope.  As I looked back, I saw that she had to stop and hold onto the people with her as she had her next contraction.  Goodness!

A bus ride with a goat and a woman in labor!  Yet again, one of those things you don’t see everyday in America!