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Sunday, May 31, 2009

Fireside chat ...

It is really true, at the moment, on this
Saturday night I am situated inside the
cooking hut that you see in the picture. There
is a fire going and a cup of coffee by my
side on the table.
In the sky is a half moon and it is lighting up the
surroundings and despite that it is a village
in the bush of northern Namibia, it has an
exotic ambiance to it.
I am alone in the hut because the people that
I am staying with at the moment are off for a
week. But it is really nice to sit alone and feel
the the night.
It also brought thoughts of again, the exoticness
of the here and now. I have come to take these
Saturday nights as a time to reflect. It is funny
but ever since I began this Peace Corps journey,
it is this week night that just seems to have the
effect of ... what would I be doing on a Saturday
back home in the States?
Even though the places I've been in haven't been
the classical description of exotic, but as far as
real life goes, they are. From the campo (bush equivalent),
of El Salvador with the AA group fighting for sobriety.
Or the girls drumming and singing and dancing in the
night in Senegal, to the Roma dancers of the town
in Romania. It has all seemed surreal in the way,
of being the 'different' person, the only one of your kind.
Living and becoming befriended by people who are
struggling through life and each with their own unique
story through the own eyes of mind and culture ...
well ... maybe it's in the eyes of the beholder but ...
my opinion is, that it is exotic. A world where not too
many have been to, or will ever go. Full of the stresses
and rewards from being the 'different' person but
with the privilege of being allowed to enter a little
ways into the inner circles of these societies and
cultures.
I guess it is in the criteria of what is exotic. If it is
Paris or Rome or those incredible places, then
it isn't in this cooking hut by oneself on this beautiful
Saturday night. It isn't anything like that. It is the
exoticness of real life people ... the actual majority of
the people in the world. Many without an education
but with spirits that are just beyond all those things.
Then the others in which life has taken it's toll after
years of struggling without ever having the luck of
grabbing on to the brass ring.
But for me to be with these people and share their
struggles, know their names, laugh with them and
yes at times, curse at them in my mind, is the exoticness
of it all.
So, don't cry for me Argentina for being alone on this
Saturday night. It is my weekly time of reflection and
appreciation for where I am, through the good or bad.
I guess this isn't your fireside chat as we are used to.
It is just the state of the personal union at this time.
The fire is dying down and there is still a coffee to finish.
I think it is time to look out from this hut and gaze up at
the Southern Cross and as an ex-volunteer Pat who
was there would say. Just think we are doing this in
Senegal.
It is amazing to me to think that I am writing this article
under a beautiful night sky, in a cooking hut in a village
70 km from anywhere ... all this in the bush of Namibia.
Ok, one last time ... I think that's pretty darned exotic.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

The little engine that could

This is a follow up of the May 9th article
'Power to the people' . I was able to go inside
the big gray metal building to see the source
of what powers the village.
As you can see in the picture it is an old diesel
engine with the generating system in the back
on the left (in front of person). Behind him on
the left out of sight are two transformers that
take the power from the generating system
and then distributes it to the village.
It is an old diesel and there were two up to
2004 and like I mentioned in the original article,
it went for repairs and never to be seen again.
It leaks some oil and water from the radiator
but they keep filling it up and it just keeps purring
along.
I was told that this village is about the only village
for miles and miles in either direction that has any
kind of of electrical power. So, despite the limited
time per day that the generator is on, we are better
off that the others.
One of the bigger problems is that with limited power
comes limited access to information. There is a solar
powered receiving station for radio but I guess there
is a problem and they hooked it up to the generator.
So the radio is relaying to the village when the
generator is working. But what we really need is
access to a couple of the Namibian TV channels
which broadcast the news like CNN and BBC
among a couple other excellent national stations.
Maybe when the power from the new power lines
arrive sometime at the end of the year, we will be able
to get a TV relay system.
I do have to say that that diesel is really the little engine
that could. Comparing it's size to it's output, it is a
real monster. It does power a lot of things when it
is on. I was amazed when I saw it, I thought that for
what it did it was something a story high or so.
The old boy just needs to keep going along for another
6 to 8 months then it'll be able to rest it's weary bones.

Friday, May 29, 2009

The mixture is

What I hope will vault me into dry season
home garden fame here in the village. The
garden I began a few weeks back is coming
along but, kind of slowly.
So, first here is the excuse. The location where
the garden is, had corn planted when I arrived for
the site visit sometime about 4 lifetimes ago or
really about 2 and half months back. I noticed
that the corn really looked kind of sad and half
grown. I think that the soil is in the tired stage
of it's gardening usability.
The thinking was to put some beans and peas
in the hope that they would help replenish the
what I think is, depleted soil. But also I am trying
to demonstrate a vegetable garden with a low
water consumption.
The are about 30 plants all toll and with placing
water directly into the plastic rings around the
stems it takes about 5 liters or 1.32 gallons
every second day.
Like I've mentioned the plants are going along
ok and a little too slow for my liking and I am
thinking that it is a crime , seeing as I am trying
to feature the merits of a low consumption garden.
So, here enters the 'mixture' (in photo). Many
of you already know about it but as of the many
people I've asked here, no one has seen it
before. The 'mixture' is dried cow dung and water.
I've watered the garden with a 1/5 solution.
One-fifth being that of the 'mixture' with the rest
just plain old water.
It is supposed to work as liquid fertilizer and I,
with it, will be putting my reputation on the line.
Maybe I am just wishing but I believe that the
plants perked up a bit after last week's application.
Tomorrow will be the day to apply another dose.
I am thinking that a weekly watering could help
save the day.
If the 'mixture' can save the day, then I will post
a picture of what I am eagerly wishing to harvest,
beans and peas bigger than our heads.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Basket makers but ...

Those are a bunch of really nice looking baskets but
... they weren't made in the village. They were made
in another one about 30 miles away.
These are somewhat of a unique styled basket made
from what I believe to be a part of the palm tree. They
harvest the material then they color it using organic
sources from which they use to dye the basket weaving
material.
For the darker color which is somewhat of a shade of black
they use an old coca-cola can that's been weathered a lot.
It also has to be some type of a metal that when the
weaving material is is emersed it turns it into the color
they desire.
These baskets are noted to be somewhat of a San (Khwe)
design.
I have to say that the picture doesn't do them justice, they
are really nice.
It was fun being present when the women came literally
running out of the bush with their hand crafted baskets.
It was also fun watching the bartering process and how
animated it got at times.
Personally I was glad that this time I wasn't in the middle
of it.
For the women it is a source of income and if they don't
sell they don't get paid. So, it is understandable the
emotions could get a little animated.
Only now I am thinking if the village that I'm living in has the
capability or the interest to make something similar.
Looks like that will be tomorrow's quest, do some asking
and see what is or is not possible.
I'll start asking first thing in the morning while working in
the women support group's garden. Looking for another
two birds with one stone moment.

Monday, May 25, 2009

A lucky day

Today was a really lucky day here in Buffalo.
As I am writing this, I am listening to several
hippopotamuses making grunting sounds in the river.
It is the ultimate moment before darkness arrives
and the park's nocturnal animal world springs
to life.
During the day it was lucky occurrences of
animal sightings. We sat near a large path close
to the Kavango river and was treated by the
appearances of Kudu (in photo),water bucks,
bush bucks, wart hog family, water buffalo, puff
adder and impala.
We also took a walk and saw recent elephant
tracks and leopard droppings.
Last evening we saw hippos in the river and
heard them walking right outside the guest hut.
In another month as the dry season matures the
river will recede and there will be elephants
migrating in from the bush and become more one
of the regulars. The water buffalo will cross and
the predators will come out, lions and hyenas
and maybe others.
Hopefully I will be able to return at that
time and see the river and it's wildlife during
the '09' dry season.
But as of now it has been a great day and it
was non-stop sightings.
They were along the ridge across the way and
crossing the fire break on the left and the
hippos in the river on the right.
Definitely a very lucky day.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Order in the court

That is where yesterday's meeting with the village's youth was. It also is a functioning courtroom in which trials are held. It is an every so often thing, how often? Don't know yet but I will look into it. The room is inside the building (picture in yesterday's entry) and also serves as a host for small meetings. The meeting went very well but it was the beginning only. Another humble start to what I am hoping will be a gradual growing of a solid youth program. They spoke of sports, theatre, choir and volunteering for community home based care. I would be not telling the truth if I wrote that things went exactly perfect. There wasn't lines of kids knocking the doors down but it was a small but quality group. We're starting from zero so it's challenging us, the leaders/organizers as well. I went by the women's support group garden this morning and it is in the standing room only category already. Hopefully we can start scrounging some materials to expand it next week. I have to say that I'm pretty happy with goings on here on the activity/project side. But that can all come crashing down in a New York minute. Going to be shuffling off to Buffalo tomorrow morning (really). There is a fellow volunteer (nearest one) at a village called Buffalo and I am planning on visiting. Best part is that this is where the game animals are. I was told of hippos eating right outside the hut and lions passing through the compounds during the night. With luck I am hoping to be able to be blogging about sightings from my own two peepers. Time to pack a bag. Don't want to be late for the Buffalo shuffle.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

This is where today's meeting is

Going to be held at 2 in the afternoon. It will be a meeting with some of the youth in the village. There is an office for youth development in that building. I think that this will be the first meeting of it's type in the village. I know that the girls and boys soccer teams and a youth theatre group should attend. If it is the kids first meeting it could be either chaotic or absolutely no life a all. Will fill you in. Girls soccer team is a little like a ship without a rudder at the moment. The coach is kind of occupied at this time. A side goal in this team is to work and support younger community members to become the next generation of leaders. This takes time and the finding of the right people. I thought the coach would be that type, but now? It is just how this stuff goes and why it usually takes a year to smoothen out the rough edges. On the other hand, the women's support group garden is already to the point of having to make it bigger. It took 3 days only. I guess the entrepeneur spirit lives. So that is the problem there, but a good problem. But the privitization movement is in full force. An ex Peace Corps volunteer colleage of mine from the Romanian days emailed me about not taking the socialist road with the garden. So, I must now change the privitization tag to something more like, hoping for an evolution into a Co-op world of harmony. If that happens then the trust is back. So thanks John for helping me to look at it a little more clearly. Also that 'co-op' has some of the old Romanian ring to it. I wonder if it will fly here in Namibia.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

They were dancing

In the street, well almost. They were really dancing in the garden, in the women's support group garden. They were hesitant to return for this dry season's gardening cycle. They had a good reason not to because of the disappearing funds from last year's garden. That was a problem. How to rebuild their trust? The only idea was to privatize, yep, privatize. What happened was they would sell, put the money together collectively and who knows where it went. The actual reason or purpose for the garden is to provide a healthy diet to help boost their immune systems. The only way I could think of to get this going again was to eliminate the collective side of it. The idea now it is their private plots in which they can control it as they see fit. From the work to the consumption to the selling. It is their call. It also eliminates money doing a disappearing act. Because there isn't any laying around. I am thinking that it's goal is for the betterment of each woman in the group, first and foremost. If the individual is strong, so will the group be. The reality is that the concept of building in a group way, will not work here at the moment for lack of trust and rightfully so. But in the back of my mind in time we may be able to slowly build some confidence back. Either way it is good. The group is functioning again. You can see how they reacted to the privitazation idea. They started dancing and singing, so I am guessing they liked the idea. It looks like a new beginning. We just have to make sure it doesn't end the same as last year. The typical challenge for a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Life line to bloggersphere

That little solar charger is what's keeping me connected to the outside world. Besides the cell phone that is. With the generator situation and limited amount of plugs, this little charger is finding itself more usefull than was first anticipated. It actually stores energy so as to be there as a backup if need be. In the picture it is converting the Namibian sunshine to energy. It is 11:30 on a blue Monday and so far, the person in charge of the computers has mentioned that they will make a plan to manage them. The girls' football team will scrimage tomorrow. The theatre group will have a meeting on Thursday (first one in over a year). And the women's support group will be finally getting together this afternoon at 2. This is one hell of a blue Monday morning if intentions were the measure of success. Each one at this point has it's challenge. The computer management has never been done in this community. So there will be some growing pains. Girls' team, is to try and get soccer balls. The theatre and support groups existed but stopped because of management problems. The garden group due to last year's disappearing fund. Trust must be rebuilt (have an idea on that). The theatre group kind of petered out. Don't know why but hopefully Thursday's meeting will give the info on that situation. I like that these activities are happening early in my tour. I've found that it could take up to a year to get the mangement of a group going in the right direction. I'm lucky that at least they are willing to try or either start or restart. Hopefully in these cases the road to hell won't be paved by good intentions. With the solar charger I'll be able to get to keep blogging the updates on these activities.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Dinosaur sighting

The village is in the Bwabwata National Game Reserve so the sight of animals would be expected. But what about the dinosaurs you can view in the picture. Those are considered dinosaurs in the computer technology world. They were given by a hunter about three or four years back. They stayed in their boxes until last week when someone asked me to look them over. There were five all toll given to a village based organization. Only those two are functioning because over the years a few rats made them their 'cribs' and chewed up the cables inside. Probably in their effort to remodel, but, it made two of computers beyond repair. There were three at first but in less than two hours someone (who didn't know a thing) deleted some system files. So, back in the box it went. The computers are running Windows 2000 Professional, have no cd drives, no recovery disk or even one diskette to be able to repair what they did. That third computer took me two full days of ripping out cables, hard drives and memory and replacing in what I considered to be a mix and match orgy. Despite their turn of the century origins, they ran great. Well now two are in that category. I guess two out of three should make me happy. But after the years of doing this type of work/activity, I can honestly say I am numb to those types of things not going exactly the best it could have. A humourous thing is after asking me to get them running, no one knows how they should be managed. Oh well, it gives me something to write about. I am wondering how much longer the two remaining village dinosaurs will survive. Time will answer that, I'm sure.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Pulling for progress

So in the picture there is this tractor with a few guys on it. What are doing? That's what I asked when I arrived at the scene. It actually was a no brainer due to the fact that the tractor was working on an unused soccer field. The question shifted to, why were they doing it. The reason was that now that there are girls playing soccer, there was a conflict in scheduling last Sunday morning for field time. So the team's coach talked to the tractor driver and a few hours later I was taking this picture. I have to say up to now that the girl's soccer team project is showing potential. One of the biggest problems with being so isolated is the lack things for the youth to do. So what the majority of them do is go to the 'shebeens' ( a bar ) and drink. One of the goals of this project was to offer to the young girls an activity that would be something other than the bars. Alcohol consumption is a big factor in the spreading of the HIV virus. People let their guards down and aren't apt to protect themselves as readily. Many of the girls on the team were shebeen goers. I've asked a few people if these girls are frequenting the bars as often as usual. The answer I got was, no. They weren't there as much or at all on the days they played. Of course it is early and we're struggling to keep equiped with soccer balls. But so far it has shown that it could work and bring the result we are looking towards. So as the tractor was pulling the attachment to clean the field, I felt that there is some progress. I'll say that this is one of the good days.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

You can sit by the pool

But you can't have a swim unless you'd like to look like the toxic avenger. In the picture is one of the villages three in ground swimming pools. Yup, three of them and that is the best one. There is also two small (what looks like to have been) hot tub looking things. All in an advanced state of disrepair. What can be said, mismanagement, no management, maybe? It could go back to the original San (bushmen's) former lifestyle and culture. They didn't have swimming pools in the places they resided and it wasn't a part of their lives. The village was an ex military base and a ready made place of habitation. Also a fixed location as opposed to a moving around mode they were accustomed to. I am thinking here lies the problem with managing the village, no experienced people. Which I argue is more of a small city due to it's population of about 4,500. I am seeing various stages of deterioration without a consciousness of the fact that repairing is part of the process. Every village or city needs a few capable managers. This is the challenge in this village. Hopefully, someone will step up and rebuild the village to a semblance of it's former self. Kind of a 'Flight of the Phoenix' re-construction magic moment. Heck, we got a mile runway just waiting to be used. If only some community members could get the plane wreck ready to fly again. I think for now I'll stick with the soccer teams. Starting a swim team at this time could prove to be fatal. There is definitely things to do here. Two years doesn't look like enough time. Hell, even two lifetimes don't seem like it would be sufficient.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Women's support group garden

Minus the support, that is. In the picture are some plots of tomatoes that we had to plant. They were ready for transplanting but the group wasn't ready to come together. As I've mentioned in a prior blog entry, they have a good reason for not jumping into the project. The reason was that all of last year's garden money disappeared. The person responsible is still in charge, so there's about a snowball's chance in Haides that it will function with the status quo. In the meantime I go out there daily to water and plant a few more plots with the magician who made the group's money disappear. This is a classical group failure for the classical reason. Probably the only solution is to replace the head honcho but I'm thinking, when. There's been no movement towards action. It is in the wait and see mode. As for me, either way, with or without the group, I'm going to support the consumption of what hopefully will be a great year for tomatoes.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

This is dedicated to

The volunteers that were in Senegal with me during the day (2003 to 2005). What you are looking at (in photo) is what we looked at all too many times in our villages. Yes, yes, yes, peanuts for the 'maffe gerte' (did I spell that right?) or peanut sauce. It was kind of funny how the other night I took a bite into the porridge and was stopped in my masticating tracks. It was a shock of familiar flavor and I was actually stumped as to what it was. It was another attack of nostalgia. It was Southern Senegal, it was like being with the Pulaars again. It was all your familar muggs coming into my noggin in a nano second's duration of a collage. It was great to see us as we were, forever young in the 'Fouladou'. I then re-focused and asked, is this peanut sauce? Got the answer in the affirmative and I commenced to tell people in this in Namibia about the good old peanut sauce eating days of Senegal. So this was a definite 'Back to Africa' moment. During my time with you guys I probably complained at least a few times about the overdose of peanut sauce that was ingested over the two and a half years. What I have to say now is that it is a case of not knowing what I had till it's gone. Got to say that it is better the second time around. So it looks like peanut sauce tonight. I don't know if it's possible to dedicate eating a plate of food in someone's honor, but I will. So, here's looking at you 'Fouladou' crew.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Power to the people

The building in the picture houses the generator for the village. There were two of them but one broke, went away for repairs, never to be seen from again. The result is that the power is rationed out to the community. There are two schedules, Monday through Friday from 5 till 9. Then 12 noon to 2 in the afternoon. The final leg of our daily rationing is 5 to 9 in the evening. On the weekends it is 8 a.m. till 2 p.m. then a resumption from 5 to 9 again in the evening. It's ok if you have electricity in the house, I do not. My biggest dilemna in this is trying to keep the hand held electronics charged. I have to carry a plastic shopping bag with the re-chargers in around fulltime. The reason being is that I never know when there is an available outlet around when the generator is on. I also have an hybrid solar charger than has been a godsend as of now. But there is never enough time to ever charge anything to it's full capacity. It is one gadget plugged in ten minutes here then anothes 5 minutes there. The solar charger for half an hour here and there. The reason is that it would get up and walk if left unattended. But a good point is that the electricity is free. That's until the end of the year. Then we're supposed to be hooked up to the grid. What I am interested in hearing is what the people will be saying about having to pay. Going from the out house to the big house is easy. It's the other direction that people have trouble dealing with. So from free to pay, well I am sure someone will mutter a few complaint words. So that is how it is and will be as it concerns our electrical power supply. I'd write more but the generator started and I need to search for a plug to charge up this phone.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Technology smecknology

When it comes to the art of washing clothes. What you see in the picture is all we need. In fact it could be simplified down to just one plastic bowl for the people of the minimalist persuasion. What you see is all that we use, period. Two pans with water, one bar of soap, something to sit on (for us older folk) which is a plastic milk crate under the clothes. Just add soap to the water, then add the reason for it all (dirty clothes) into the cleaning brew, then swish, swirl, rub and nead and eventually voila, clean clothes. Also with lugging water and srubbing away it again helps to reduce the need to go to the gym. Also total cost to get oufitted? Reddish bowl was $ 2.40 USD. Black bowl was $ 1.00 USD. Bar of soap $ .50 USD. For under 3 dollars I'm a rocking and rolling to another two years of the only machine cycle this system has, hand wash. So yeah, yeah, yeah with technology smecknology.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

What was I talking about

It was a classic case of 'build it and they will come' or 'it's always darkest before the dawn', plain and simple. In less than 24 hours we went from 5 players to thinking about starting a girl's league with 4 teams. This morning we had 25 girls and supposedly they are only half. So they had a game and it was great. They can sure run and the field is as sandy as a beach. That even raised the intensity of their training. It might give them an advantage over other teams who play on better quality fields. In the picture they are sitting in the shade after the game. The score was 1 to 1 and they all played their hearts out. So the humble beginnings statement I made in yesterday's blog entry makes me think, what was I talking about. Hopefully it continues to grow and doesn't back slide. I don't want to have to make a blog entry titled 'what was I talking about talking about'.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Humble beginnings

In the picture is what hopefully will be the beginning of our girl's soccer team. Yeah, there are 5 players and a normal soccer team has 11. So the math says we're short 6. That's ok, for it's something totally new and in a little time we should be fully staffed. Tomorrow morning at 8 will be their first official practice with their coach. I've seen them fool around kicking the ball and it is apparent that they've never really played. Again ok, that's what starting something that's never been done before is about, learning new things. The goal is more than just a sports team. It is to address gender equality, give them a healthy outlet and create a group that may be able to get together to collaborate in other activities. It definitely is a humble beginning that we hope will develop into something we can brag about in the end.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Wiffs of nostalgia

For more than eight of the last nine years I have been living the life of the minority of one. I've been the gringo, toubob (white person), straine (foreigner) and now the makua (again, white person). The one and only in each village. This means leaving a way of life I can navigate by remote control, to enter a new one with a myriad of challenges for the unknowing. Also left behind are memories of a prior life but also there is the promise of fabricating new ones. But at times and at random there have been these triggers that have brought back wiffs of nostalgia of what seems to me to be, a former surreal existence. What is in the picture has been one of these such triggers. That platform sneaker brings me back to my hey day during the disco era of the 70's. I've cringed as I passed it several times daily. It was in the middle of a trash pile along the main path I use to and from the house. I didn't believe anything like that existed anymore. What I did this afternoon was take it, stand it upright and take a picture of it for this blog entry. The couple of people watching me must have thought, well, who knows what they thought of the white guy taking a picture of a platform shoe from a garbage pile. The funny thing was that the next time I passed the spot where I last left the shoe. It had moved from the side to the middle of the sandy path. Plus as I returned along the same path a few hours later it was 'poof', gone. I am wondering if by giving this, which is to me a trigger, the importance of taking it's picture that I gave it some mysterious value. In turn, in someone's mind it became a must have. Either way, thank goodness it's gone. Imagine two years of multiple daily remembrances of the disco days.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Cross Cultural exchange

Part of the Peace Corps mandate is an exchange of cultures. Those of the USA with the people of the country we're living in, and visa versa, they with us. The exchange is just a normal part of daily life when different peoples live together. Everyone acts in their own unique ways influenced by their respective cultures. It is demonstrated in our actions and speech as we journey through our day. What you see in the picture was an exercise in cultural exchange. It is not from my USA culture to Namibian culture but from Senegalese to Namibian. I learned this gesture during my time living in a rural village of the Pulaar people in the southern region of Senegal. The four San girls in the photo were kind enough to pose showing their newly learned Pulaar gesture. The gesture is similar to that of what could be best described as the arm movement in the dance called 'the funky chicken'. The meaning of the gesture is - I refuse. There is also a goal to teaching that gesture. The goal is to tie that gesture into a message later on that says - Refuse unprotected sex and teenage pregnancy. So it isn't a mindless exchange only, it is laying some ground work. Kind of a two birds with one stone strategy.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Dried up watering hole

Seeing as we are situated in the Bwabwata Game Reserve a dried up watering hole could mean an anticipated gathering of animals when the rains come again. It will fill but it won't be all too exotic. This watering hole is for the village's cattle. I came upon today as I was doing a little venturing out exploring after lunch. It isn't located very far away from the village itself. A few people have told me that the UNITA rebels from Angola were around here around 10 or so years ago. There were also land mines placed as a result. So as I was just walking along through the bush, it entered in my mind that I didn't know to what extent they had placed or cleaned them up. I decided to stay on what looked like a path, head back and ask what was the land mine situation. The answer I got was that they cleaned them up around the village. It has been a while and people have been traveling the bush on a regular basis so it should be ok. But the not knowing at first did add to the degree of adventure.