Destination Guinea - Part 2
Part 2: “Hey, Mister!”
Being a child lover (parent, grandparent, and great-grandparent), I
was amused by the throng of eager-faced small boys that encircled us
as my USAID contact and I crossed the airport lobby. “Hey, mister!
Hey, mister!” filled the air. Each vied for my attention, his focus
on the luggage my new friend and I toted.
My contact/escort wasn’t as charmed. “Don’t give them money!” he
shouted over his shoulder as he hurried me across the parking lot
toward our rugged, white Land Cruiser. Within seconds of our hasty
boarding, the thirty-something driver locked the doors. Sheesh!
I thought. They’re just kids!
Or so I thought, until the little cherubs began incessantly pounding
on the vehicle windows. Luggage-carrying was only one business
venture for these tiny entrepreneurs, it seemed, as they
miraculously produced carvings, photos, silk cloth, postcards, and
other tourist treasures for our scrutiny. The driver, whose name I
learned was Ekwueme, explained that these “hoodlum” kids greeted
every incoming flight, persistently cajoling and (if that failed)
demanding that visitors buy their wares and services.
A native Guinean, Ekwueme’s spare, tall frame was garbed in khaki
pants and dark green shirt—nothing unusual. He stopped short of
being typical, however, when I spied the Boston Red Sox cap atop his
head! Because his French-tinged English was sufficiently fluent for
conversation, I couldn’t help but ask why he wore pants and a
long-sleeved shirt in the blistering heat of the sun-filled day.
“Mosquitoes” was his one-word explanation. Oh, yeah. Mosquitoes.
Malaria. Duh.... Not in
The drive to my hotel, the Camayenne, was more what I’d expected.
Tall, barefooted women in bright, colorful clothing sauntered along
dirt side roads as they balanced baskets on their heads. Young boys
led goats or carried live chickens or firewood bundles on their
shoulders. Older women sat at market stalls selling melons, bananas,
pineapples, and kola nuts. The passenger-packed vehicles (many
bearing government emblems) were mostly older Peugeots or Renault
mini-buses and station wagons.
The seeming peace of the scene disappeared, however, when side roads
met the highway. Although less traveled than highways of my
acquaintance, this particular highway had a unique hazard: side road
drivers who were oblivious of stop signs and oncoming traffic!
Needless to say, I was happy to arrive in one piece at the canopied
of this modern ten-story hotel. Another step in my mission!
by Everil Quist, International Agri-business Consultant
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Mister!
Everil Quist - President & CEO of QuistSpeaks, LLC
"Enjoy this story about the noble peoples of third world countries. I've truly enjoyed working with them and have many heartwarming and entertaining stories to tell.
I enjoy sharing my adventures with my audiences, where I feel I am truly 'Creating Positive Change'."
“Everil Quist delivers with knowledge, humor and compassion. His trials and tribulations during his stints in Former Soviet Union countries impart the difficulties and perseverance these dynamic people have to overcome—difficulties we seldom experience here in
-Virginia Dessart, N2 Area Governor, District 35, Toastmasters International