I am now beginning my final week here - the week that is always the most difficult. Some courses have finished up already and I will begin exams tomorrow. Others will not finish until Thursday. This week will be a week of tidying up loose ends and packing the bag before the long flight home.
Even those attending the lectures in the Lay Institute must do exams: they are important because, on completion of their course, they can apply to attend the Catholic University (USMA) and do a degree. The INFAP (Lay Institute) and the course provided there will be accepted as their matriculation exam.
Yesterday I went to visit a sick priest in the town of Chitré - about a three and a half hour drive. It was a very long day but, thankfully, he is recovering from a serious bout of Crone's disease which caused him to lose a huge amount of blood, which nearly killed him.
The journey nearly killed me!!! I counted seven near misses that were caused by our driver, during any of which we could have been killed: and that is not counting the near misses that were caused by others. Driving here is deadly dangerous. I had been beginning to think that perphaps, after all, I should start driving here, but after yesterday's experience - there is absolutely no way!!!
We skirted articulated lorries; we bounced all over the road due to huge potholes; we almost rammed several cars who decided, for on apparent reason to either stop or turn without any indication; we at one stage raced another car to fit through a cap between two concrete barriers blocking the road - at one stage we were neck and neck: I don't know who made it through the gap first because I couldn't look any more. All I do know is that I was never so glad to see the seminary as when we pulled up outside it last night after what had been a fourteen hour journey.
No comments:
Post a Comment