Hip Hop, Beaches, and Typhoid?

So I've been back in Malabo for a little while now, and I don't think I will ever get used to some aspects of this city. Like for instance every time our group goes out, we attract so much attention. We get called "blancos" and "chinos" because apparently every person who is not African is Chinese (there is a strangely large presence of Chinese people here).

Also, Gretchen got typhoid a little while ago, and was super sick for a few days. We took her to the clinic and she was throwing up all over. They never cleaned any of it up. She just sat in her own vomit the whole time. Healthcare is slightly different here.

There isn't really all that much to do in Malabo, and you're not allowed to go anywhere by yourself. We're also only taking three classes at UNGE. So pretty much we have to make our own things to do. We eat at local restaraunts all the time."Arroz con platanos" is my meal of choice. We also go to the French and Spanish cultural centers a lot. They have interesting events sometimes, like we have gone to a hip hop show and a two part play series.

On the weekends we have these little day field trips. Last weekend we went to Arena Blanca, which is the only "white" sand beach. It was kind of gross and trashy, but nice to get out of the city atleast. Then this past weekend we went hiking on this mountain by a little village called Richae. It was crazy because our guide was a hunter, and along the trail we kept seeing these duiker traps that he maintains. He said that he hunts to feed his family though, so atleast he doesn't contribute to the bushmeat trade. After the hike we went to a little black sand beach and it was so gorgeous and untouched! All pictures in this post are from there:

Best Beach Ever!

Not pictured: me and Liz