Lions and Tigers and Bears! Oh My!

            Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Dorothy realized very quickly during her journey following the yellow brick road that other creatures exist outside of her Kansas home besides her beloved Toto. I had a very similar experience during my move to Africa. I grew up surrounded by birds, rabbits, squirrels, dogs, cats, and cows. But it wasn’t until I followed my yellow brick road to Luanda that I realized I was no longer sharing my yard with those same animals, and instead was sharing my world with some very different creatures. Or rather, they were sharing their world with me.

            After settling in to my new home, I decided to go to work with Adam one day to check out the factory. As we turned onto the road that runs in front of the factory, I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were pigs and piglets running around on the street feasting on the trash that people had thrown out. Adam, having lived in Luanda for five years, wasn’t nearly as fascinated by this as I was and considered it to be just a normal part of his day. And yes, I realize that we have pigs in Kansas, but how many times have you driven down 2^nd street in Atchison and had to slow down to let pigs cross the road? Almost every morning that I go to the factory with Adam, the little pigs are there to greet me. I guess those little piggies may never make it to the market.

            On another occasion, we were driving down the road when I spotted a couple of goats climbing a mountain composed of dirt and trash. And once again, I do realize that we have goats in the States but they don’t usually roam freely and instead are kept on farms. Apparently Africans have a little more faith in their goats than we do in the States because they allow them to stroll from one dirt pile to the next, no strings attached.

            The Mariginal and Ilha have also afforded me some very unique experiences. Adam and I enjoy walking along the Mariginal in the evenings. During our first stroll, I noticed that the water was extremely calm with the exception of a few large waves that seemed to come out of nowhere. It wasn’t until I stopped and took a closer look that I realized those waves weren’t waves at all. They were actually entire schools of fish jumping out of the water at the same time as if they were practicing their synchronized swimming routine. It was an absolutely incredible sight to see, but it wasn’t the only incredible thing that we would get to witness that night. We watched as those same schools of fish became dinner for many of the coastal birds. The birds hovered over the schools of fish before diving straight down and often coming up with their prey secured tightly in their beaks. Dinner is served.

            And as if the schools of fish and birds weren’t shocking enough, we have had several other run-ins with Earth’s beautiful creatures. Adam and I often spend afternoons soaking up the sun's rays and cooling off in the deep blue sea. We usually share the beach with people who enjoy family outings on the Ilha. And what’s a family day at the beach without the family dog? One afternoon I was watching as a local Angolan walked his dog on the beach in front of us. I couldn’t help but notice the dog’s incredible vertical when it jumped up next to its owner. I pulled my shades down and took a closer look. The man wasn’t walking his dog on the beach, but instead was walking his pet monkey. Only in Africa. 

            The journey down my yellow brick road has certainly led me to some very unique experiences. I may miss the rabbits and squirrels back home in Kansas, but I love the new animals that I am becoming more familiar with in my new environment. Pigs and goats and monkeys, oh my!