Yes, I am in Africa...
Living in Africa for 3 months, things can get accustomed to. Daily routines of work and going to bed early because of safety at night can make one forget that he is in another country. But then...every once and a while something happens that makes you think... "I'm not in the States anymore, am I?"
One such occurrence happened today. It started out as an ordinary day working in the hangar. I was in the midst of an induction inspection on a 206 when a plane pulls up that is based up-country. This plane was from Gatab, one of AIM's bases. Yet instead of pulling out the ordinary cargo of mail, or food, or missionaries...out comes 2 goats. I laugh as the dispatch guys pull these goats out of the plane and proceed to place them on a cart for transport into the hangar. One goat was in a bag, while the other was reluctantly being pulled by a rope.
Upon questioning the other mechanics, this was not an uncommon event. Often the people in the remote areas to which AIM flies want to show their gratitude to the pilot and AIM Air. The best way for them to do this is to give of what they have...in this case. goats. Yet the sight of goats being pulled through the hangar (making quite a mess along the way) was not the most interesting part of my experience.
Due to the fact that there are a lot of Kenyan guys working in the hangar, there were many ready hands to help with the next step in dealing with these goats. These goats were given to AIM Air...so AIM Air would enjoy them. The plan, as apparently is always the case, was to kill the goats and cook them for all employees at the hangar to enjoy. But why waste any time? Let's just kill the goats right here in the hangar, skin them, gut them, and get the meat ready for a meal tomorrow! That's exactly what took place right in the middle of the hangar floor...
One such occurrence happened today. It started out as an ordinary day working in the hangar. I was in the midst of an induction inspection on a 206 when a plane pulls up that is based up-country. This plane was from Gatab, one of AIM's bases. Yet instead of pulling out the ordinary cargo of mail, or food, or missionaries...out comes 2 goats. I laugh as the dispatch guys pull these goats out of the plane and proceed to place them on a cart for transport into the hangar. One goat was in a bag, while the other was reluctantly being pulled by a rope.
Upon questioning the other mechanics, this was not an uncommon event. Often the people in the remote areas to which AIM flies want to show their gratitude to the pilot and AIM Air. The best way for them to do this is to give of what they have...in this case. goats. Yet the sight of goats being pulled through the hangar (making quite a mess along the way) was not the most interesting part of my experience.
Due to the fact that there are a lot of Kenyan guys working in the hangar, there were many ready hands to help with the next step in dealing with these goats. These goats were given to AIM Air...so AIM Air would enjoy them. The plan, as apparently is always the case, was to kill the goats and cook them for all employees at the hangar to enjoy. But why waste any time? Let's just kill the goats right here in the hangar, skin them, gut them, and get the meat ready for a meal tomorrow! That's exactly what took place right in the middle of the hangar floor...
Yup...tie 'em up and get 'em ready to eat! There's nothing like these humorous moments to laugh and really realize: yes, I am in Africa!
(feel free to see more picture on my album...there's only one that's not for the weak stomach)
I look forward to the goat meal tomorrow!
(feel free to see more picture on my album...there's only one that's not for the weak stomach)
I look forward to the goat meal tomorrow!
posted by Brandon at
8:50 AM
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