8th August Sue is coming with me to Silverstone to help the children with their English this morning.As class space is limited, we are all in the same room teaching English and French together, we all have good fun and the lesson merges into “franglais”.Natalie and Siw have been snorkelling.Last week I told them that the sand on the beach isn’t actually sand but recycled coral, ie. parrot fish droppings.They didn’t believe me but their guide was happy to confirm this.Looks like golden sand but things are not always what they seem.It’s still the best beach in the world to me. The weather is still atrocious but Siw and I decide to brave Hemingways anyway, even if we do have to sit in the bar for our tea, cakes and sandwiches.It’s all rather civilised.
9th August
Sun’s shining and I’m at Silverstone.Janet and I are discussing the newsletter which we are working on together.Mr Alain is teaching French and has asked the class to go home and check who is a “miss” and who is a “madam” to distinguish between “madame” and “mademoiselle”, would I love to witness the reaction to that question.This afternoon we’re visitng Malindi with Siw and Natalie.For us it will be the first time we visit the town purely for pleasure.After making the obligatory trip to the bank for cash, we find a fantastic little shop that sells wonderful kikoys, shirts, rings etc.After spending a very pleasant hour and quite a few shillings we decide to visit the Vasco da Gama monument along the beach.We hadn’t realised that it’s one of Kenya’s national monuments.It was erected in Lisbon stone in 1498 to mark the navigator’s visit to this arab town.Da Gama was sent by Prince Henry the Navigator to round the Cape and establish a sea route to India.Having received a very frosty welcome in Mozambique and Mombasa, they were finally warmly received in Malindi by a friendly Sultan.The Portuguese were even provided with a pilot to Calcutta, thus accomplishing the voyage to India.
We walk over a coral cave to get to the monument.Due to erosion the coral has blow holes when the tide comes in, it’s very pretty.That’s enough culture for one afternoon, just found a lovely café come art gallery overlooking the beach, wonderful.As we drink our coffee, a football match is taking place just opposite.
vasco da gama point,malindi
vasco da gama monument,malindi
siw and natakie in front of vasco da gama monument,malindi
football game at malindi
10th August
Sue, Siw and Natalie are coming to school, I’m sure they will behave themselves otherwise only one option - detention.The children are delighted to see them and provide an impromptu concert, singing at the tops of their voices.After getting to know the children, they plant their palm print in the wall of fame of the new classroom.
Finally, it’s verb time: ệtre and avoir; what’s French for “I am”? In the mood for another bit of afternoon culture? Ok, we’re going to Gedi ruins.This abandoned town was once an Islamic port, established in the 8th century.At the time it was situated by the sea, but the sea has since receded so it’s around 8 km away.This could explain why it was mysteriously abandoned in the 17th or 18th century.Gedi’s an eerily beautiful place, now in ruins and quite overgrown, your imagination can run riot around here.
natalie at silverstone academy
listen up class
siw at silverstone academy
class at silverstone academy
eerie gede ruins
arch at gede ruins
myself at gede ruins
mausoleum at gede ruins
This evening we have to take Siw and Natalie to Kuku Choma.It’s the little chicken shack in Watamu, Kenya’s answer to Kentucky Fried.There’s no electricity today so most of the shops and cafes are lit up with paraffin lamps.It’s quite romantic in here in a rustic kind of a way.We order samosas, I’d say the best, barbecued chicken (of course), beef kebabs and chapattis.Wow, this is so good and eating with your fingers gives it that extra flavour.
11th August
Spent the morning working on the newsletter for Silverstone.That’s done now so meet the girlies for lunch followed by an afternoon at the Creek.They are going exploring with their guide, Hassan whilst Agy and I pay a visit to Nuru. I’m going to tell you Nuru’s story because it’s quite typical of the life young girls can expect here, particularly in poorer areas.I think I mentioned before that we had sponsored Nuru to go to secondary school and, in spite of many obstacles, she worked hard and managed to achieve her leaving certificate.This entitled her to continue her education at college.When we arrived in April, we heard that Nuru was married and expecting a baby.Again, this is the normal sequence of events here.She is just 18 years old.Her life would now seem to be mapped out for her, living in a tiny village with her husband and in-laws.However, about a week ago we received a letter from Nuru, asking us not to give up on her education and to pay her a visit.So here we are. We have just met her husband Ian and his family.He seems a very nice lad and Agy has seen him around, he recognises him as one of the hard-working local fishermen.
ian and nuru
We sit down and begin to discuss Nuru’s options. When we met her last year she told us that she would like to become a nurse.She still wants to but to do so would be obliged to attend a college many miles away, leaving her baby behind. Obviously this is not the ideal solution.Fortunately Caro from ASSETS is with us and as a young Kenyan woman is well aware of the challenges.She also has some valuable advice for Nuru.We are going to explore a few possibilities, one of which would be to check out courses for laboratory technicians in Mombasa. This course is only a year long, not too far from home and would virtually guarantee her a job at the end of it.Another advantage is that Nuru would have the chance of continuing to study nursing further down the line.We ask the couple to investigate this and promise to return in a couple of weeks, probably after the baby has been born.
Meanwhile Siw and Natalie are off exploring the creek so we return, bringing Ian with us, to see how they are getting along. Before we arrive at the boardwalk we can hear loud singing coming from the birdhide so we know where they are. As we arrive the tide is up and the local lads are in a party mood. We have a great time, singing and dancing whilst flamingos fly above us, it really doesn’t get much better than this (sure I’ve said that about a hundred times over the last few months).
coconut tapper
dabaso rock
natalie
collecting coconut sap for palmwine
drinking palm wine
ah! grasshopper
siw
12th August
Very early start.We’re going bird watching with Jonathan around TurtleBay.I hope the girls won’t get bored, think I’ve coerced them into this one.Oh well, here we go.Actually, it’s really interesting.Jonathan has turned the visit into more of a nature/village walk.We’re learning a lot about the local culture and how palm wine is more than just a drink to the local people.One example is that when a couple are about to be married, discussions about the dowry cannot take place unless palm wine is on offer.We see pots placed in coconut trees to catch the wine, then a young man in a tree collecting it.He is known as a tapper (he’s in the middle picture below but not easy to spot).Finally, we meet a few villagers enjoying the finished product.Bear in mind that it’s only about 7.30 in the morning.
On our travels we come across a massive grasshopper and pass the local landmark of Dabaso rock.This rock is believed to be inhabited by spirits so the local people tend to leave it alone, making it a haven for birds.Dinner at the Blue Turtle tonight – just ordered lobster and really looking forward to it.
