Day 9

Started my 3rd (and final) class today. Another eight students. As with the rest of the classes these guys are eager to learn, willing to learn, very friendly, pleasant to associate with, and with a few years of hands on training and formal training they will make good technicians. I am very frustrated with myself because I cannot get the training through to them.

I have the students fill out evaluation after each class they all state the training is great they have learned much about the trucks. They want more of the same, but by my American standards the training has been a failure. I do have a few exceptions and have indicated to Pan African that they would make good site trainers in the future.

Guy (Komatsu rep.) will be leaving tomorrow after 3 months. I've known him only a week but we have become good friends. He has talked about his family in private and got quite emotional. He needs to get out of here and back to civilization for a rest. He will be off for a month and then to Russia. He said he was going to recommend that I come along.
I did find out that south of the equator, the water does go down the drain clockwise. I can take that off of my "bucket list" of things I wanted to know.

Every day when we go to work, at the front gate, 30 or 40 men are outside. I asked "Why"? I was told they are waiting for a job at the mine, which is not hiring they are fully staffed. I asked ”Don't they know that”? I was told yes they hope for the best.

Getting to and from the camp to the site is a real pain. I get up at 4:00 AM clean up, eat at 5:00 AM ride to the gate (5 of us to a car) walk thru security and get searched. Then, get back into the car, ride about 15km to the job site get out walk thru another security, get searched and back into the car. Then drive to the site have tool box safety meeting around 7:00 AM catch the mine bus (which may or may not be on time) drive to security gate get out of the bus go thru security searched back on the bus drive about 5 km to office for class room training. The miners have lunch at 12:30 PM at the office. I get a ride back to the site with the guy who brings the lunches and return to the site, get out walk through security, get searched bake in the car driven to site office, and have lunch (hams and beans or rice). After getting there I wait for my students to show up at 1:30 PM. They are all ways late due no bus drivers. I then train on the trucks till 5:00 PM., then leave the site to the gate get out go through security searched, drive back to the camp go through security searched back in the car go to my tent. I then get to take my work boots off that are killing my feet, go to the bar for a coke have dinner at 7:00 PM. Afterward I go to my tent write a few e-mails until around midnight when it cools down enough to sleep. I then wake at 4:00 AM and start over again. Great life! Guy did this for 3 months! I am thankful that I am experiencing this adventure, but 3 months would be too long.

I look forward to getting back to civilization. I think I could take this off my "bucket list” also. I will write again tomorrow. Love you all and I am OK.