Pictures From Djibouti, Africa

“Good to go on the stripes, Sargent Willie!!

Spending time with infants really charges my batteries.”

“the question is...how meny of those kids are actually his? LMAO :D”

“Sooooooo, you sayin' it's Poppa Willie??”

“Good god people, I have only been here for six months! It takes at least nine just to bake one of them things!”

“Very nice pictures. Thanks for sharing!”

“Awesome! What a rewarding assignment. I always enjoy your pics”

“I am glad that you guys like them. I wish that the American media cared that military people do more than just kill....

The media sucks. Sometimes, I wonder whose side they are on...”

“Nice pics. Really!”

“"I am glad that you guys like them. I wish that the American media cared that military people do more than just kill...."

And to the people here who complain about the military doing humanitarian work saying, "...their job is to kill and destroy, yada, yada...", as if your work is a waste of money, I say, "ask Blind Willie".”

“good job. You are a great ambassador for your country. :)

volunteer and humanitarian work is always something I've been drawn to...maybe it is the reality call that there are bigger problems than the ones I've got. Everything gets put into perspective when you are put in a position to help others and make a difference. If you ponder such things, any one of us could have been born under completely different circumstances...
I feel that I am in a situation where I am able to give back, so I do. Pay it forward, ya know. :)

(sorry for the soap box...I'm getting psyched for my next volunteer adventure)
>:D”

“What kind of adventure is this.....

I May swicth from Marine Corps to Peace Corps when I leave here.”

“Willie, my man, you have experienced first hand that children need men in their lives.

To see those little guys with a fistful of your shirt says it all.”

“Right on man....

I have a photo some where of one playing with my Dog tags.... It's a good one.

I have to shower and get dressed...

Later...

Blind Willie”

“Yes, the dog tag shot!

Luck be with you......good night”

“Wrong time of day dude... It is early morning here, About 0730.

Got up at 50, ran, ate, stopped by my office, showered, do a little work and then go to the orphanage for breakfast, all that before 1000 AM. Not bad.”

“see the ecuador explorer thread...I'm playing doctor there for 2 weeks in August.

It is very cool that you got the assignment that you did. I've thought about peace corps, but they won't let me take my pup and I can never give him up. :)

Great pics!”

“Semper Fi brother.”

“wow, i didn't look at this thread for the longest time b/c i didn't recognize the name of the person who started it i guess!

how did you get to be such a nice person, Blind Willie?? :-) and do you have a girlfriend? b/c if not all you'll need to do is show these pics around...men w/babies are an instant aphrodesiac! LOL.”

“Hehehe....

*KEWL*”

“damn it willie I want you!;)”

“1. I don't know how I got to be nice, I think that it was just a good familly and some great friends back home.

2. I am single *blush*

3. I will post more later....


To All:
also... Check this whole thread for more pictures if you would like to see more from here....”

“Yo lyra, I'm hip!!

When my boys were babies I would get hit on by lots of grannies whilst grocery shopping.

It would go something like this:

Granny Goodwitch:
"Awwwww, what's her name?"

Me:
"Uh......Henry."”

“HAHA! MarkO you are a nut. but for real, especially taking care of babies that aren't even his!! you gotta carry those pics everywhere you go, Blind Willie. LOL! and for the record i wasn't asking for myself, i already have a love-monkey.
:-D”

“sure sounded like lyra has an intrest in you willie ol buddy lol”

“The dude must have karma up the whahzoo.

Good work if ya can get it!

Those are some pretty children.”

“Calm down SC.... We haven't even started the foreplay....

Crazy lady....(LMMFAO)”

“My favorite is ALI. He's the fat one. He pooped all over me one day (long story). I didn't know when some Djiboutian woman sitting in the floor started yelling at me.

I thought I was hurting the little guy, then I smelled it... BLEH!

It smooshed out the side of his diaper.

Everyone had a good laugh at my expense, but it was fun.

Now, when I walk in the door, Ali is waiting on me, and he screams like mad when I leave...”

“I have been on a vacation of sorts. It has been great. Unlike in these pictures, I am now very tanned! These are from my Friends boat that we took to Musha and Maskali Islands in the Gulf of Tadjourah. The diving is unbeleiveable. Thousands of tropical fish, manta rays, corals, starfish, eels and so much more. It was great!

I have learned to fish Djiboutian Reef style. Rods and reels will not do the job here. We use hand lines and snorkeling gear. You have to actually find the fish (mostly grouper)and then drop bait to him and pull him out of the reef. This can be difficult when they are large (10-20lbs).

This picture is on my first day, with me are Magala (Ethiopian-French) and Omar. They are some great guys...



Omar



Magala and yours truly enjoying beverages on the front of the ship...



His ring, Hand poured and carved in Kenya..



I will be leaving here on the 20th of August. Hope to see some of you TTers when I get back, I am ready for some GREEN, COOL Mountains and clear, COLD creeks!!!!

Later Friends,

~TJB”

“And yes, those are fish hanging on my shorts. Strawberry Grouper: Mmmmm, Tasty!”

“No one likes my pictures this time....

bad...”

“I like em!

Reminded me of my time in Subic Bay, P.I. We couldn't leave the base, snorkeling on island recreation area kept me sane.”

“looks relaxing : )
You look different without the blonde mullet and purple eyeshadow. LOL!”

“no little kids or cute animals on your pics, that's why. naaaa, guys drinking beer are okay too. Cool pics.”

“sorry Blind Willie...you're cute, but Helinka's new trail dog is wayyyyyyy cuter. :p

cool pics as always - hold on to them tightly. It will be so surreal when you get back home and then you'll cherish every photo and memory of the friends you've now made.

peace,
G”

“Cools pics everyone.”

“There should be a Blind Willie TT Trip, non?”

“When I get back.... Hell yes.

It will be neat to meet all of you guys and gals that I have semi met on here.

I promise not to wear the blonde wig...

Shower time...”

“Can't wait to hike with you. About time there's someone in this area.

All fun aside...I know you're excited to come back, but heck...it looked to me like you had a fun time over there helping. It must feel strange to come back in OUR real world. Hektic...stress, too many cars...etc..

I know there is the same in africa, but it's different I imagine. [never been there, so what do i know]”

“Gemini, what do you know????

(hee hee hee!!!)”

“Gem is right... I love what I am doing here (for the first time in the Military).

I love the travel, I love the people.

It is possible that I may get extended. That is what I want. It will be perfect timing for me to start the AT in spring with the $ in my pocket.

It is a cantina night. sorry if there are typos!

I really can't wait to meet some of you TTers though. I think that it will be a blast.

(I can carry lots of weight=BEER)

Later peeps. I gotta go to sleep, I have a recreational hiking trip tomorrow in one of the hottest places in the world.

~Tim”

“Mohamed works for me here in Djibouti. These are some pictures from his wedding last year that he give me permission to share. He is Ethiopian, but lives here to find work.

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I thought that they were cool. There is a big mix of cultural differences here too. Mohamed and his wife are Muslim, but much of their families are Christian. I like going to his home. There is part of each religon in the familly house. It is a very welcoming place and the people there are eager just to meet people from America and have them be interested in thier way of life.

I hope that you like the photos, Later guys...
~Tim

last edited: 9/03/05 11:17:44 AM”

“Very cool! I just love the henna patterns on her hands and arms!”

“What a surprise in this forum. Thanks for sharing one of the highlights of why we hike and travel in simpler ways... ideally... to get to know the local culture and people.

Trek Lightly
http://www.mytrekkingpoles.com”