- Friday:
Went to Wasini Island for a day trip. The island is just off Shimoni, about 2 hrs from Mombasa. I heard the snorkelling was out of this world so my volunteer coordinator hooked me up with this company that does boat trips where you go swimming with the dolphins, have a sweet seafood lunch on the dhow boat and go snorkelling. Well I got the food and the snorkelling but not a dolphin in sight. Not even a glimpse of a fin or dolphin blow-off bubbles. The boat boys said they were dolphin researchers and knew where they all hung out, maybe they were chilling down in Zanzibar? I know I would. They also said we could go walk on the actual island, but being Kenya with no real sense of how long an actual day lasts, we ran out of time and had to get back to the bus. Anyway, bought a $15 underwater camera, once I develop the pics they'll be straight on here. I met some young German girls who were in 'Basa for a week, one of them took photos of me trying to be an underwater mermaid, I'm sure its gonna look hideous. - Saturday
Don't usually work on Saturday, but promised one of the coaches that I would help with his classes. One of the mothers asked me how long I have been teaching swimming, and I told her 10 months, she was a bit shocked. She said most coaches here have been teaching for at least 5-10 years and they don't improve the kids as much as I do. I thought that was nice. I just try my hardest, remember all the things i've learnt from my mentor Tracey (in Brissy) and make the kids feel good about swimming. Even the kids who struggle, it's important to praise them for just trying.
Modeling my new african dress at Caroline's place before going out to the club..fun fun!
Met Lisa and Leonie, the German girls, at lunch as I had promised them we'd go out to the markets and find some funky african fabric to make into scarves and wraps. My gosh, I didn't realise how much fuss us 3 white ladies would cause. I got a little protective of my new friends, and had a few arguments with bus drivers and shop owners who demanded 3-4 times the price than usual. I bought some cool dresses and some kikoys, big cotton pieces that you use for a towel or beach wrap, or a scarf when it's a bit chilly. It was a fun day but very tired by the end of it. But no rest for Bethy! My friend Caroline (one of the school principals) met me in town to go to a club for some dancing. But when we went through and the security guard frisked me, I asked Caroline if all the clubs are like that. "Oh, this club got bombed earlier in the year so they like to be safe". Wow. From then on, any time I heard a car alarm or saw someone looking suspicious I got anxious. But just like lightening, its very rare for the same place to be struck twice, and therefore had a great time. African ladies really know how to shake their moneymakers! The Bella Vista Club was pretty cool, good music, lots of 90's classics. Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls people.
- Sunday
I learned a lot of new rules today. First, if someone asks to come with you to the supermarket and you say yes, sure you can come with me, you are obliged to pay for their bus ticket and offer to buy them something to eat. That took a little getting used to, but it is their custom and I have to respect that. It is a little awkard though when you don't know about this custom and two people are waiting for you to pay their bus ticket and buy them a snack. Also, I learned that when you are doing washing, you do not, I repeat DO NOT let your undies hang out to dry where people can see. Mrs Carey was quite embarassed about my undergarments and I had to take them down and put them on a special line behind the toilet block. I wasn't very embarassed though, they are nice lookin undies.
Lesson Two: White women are in demand as wives. I was invited to my new kenyan friend's place for dinner (refer to previous post, Peter is the little boy I met when jogging in a village). Very nice people. A bit too nice. They had future plans for me, and proceeded to explain how a marriage dowry works. Aparently I am worth 1 camel, 5 goats and a few crates of chickens and ducks. I'm still not sure if they were joking, but Tony's mother kept saying I would make a very nice daughter-in-law. These Kenyans don't wait around! The family is so lovely though. We had a traditional family dinner accompanied by watching dramatic spanish soap operas on their fuzzy little tv. It was a great night.
Keep safe you good people,
Beth
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