Everybody comes to Bombolulu

28-30th Nov

After work on Friday I headed straight out to do shopping. I was tired and grumpy. Got into the wrong Matatu and was asked to "get down". Everyone else in the Matatu started laughing like a pack of hyenas. I was vexed. Got in the right Matatu and had to argue all the way over price. "Hapana, Kumi bob" (No it's not, it's 10 bob"), i repeated until he eventually gave up. By the time I got to Nakumatt I was spitting bullets!

I sat and had a sprite in the restaurant and steadied myself. An array of expletives were running through my head. I let them pass and then started shopping. Tomorrow I would have guests. VSO Coast meeting in Bombolulu.

Diana arrived around 8:45 and Hannah and her boyfriend, fresh from the airport, soon after. Had some coffee and bacon sandwiches. Cocky (the Coast volunteer chairwoman) arrived around half nine and we headed up to get settled into the board room for the meeting. One by one the volunteers arrived. Chris from voi, Anique from Mtwapa, Geri from Malindi, and all the other Mombasa based volunteers. The newest volunteer Abdu was introduced to all and then the meeting began (with a silent prayer).

We had a quick round table to catch up on how everyone was doing. Biggest challenge (spreading myself to thin) and biggest success (Traidcraft visit last weeK) since the last meeting. We complained about VSO a bit but generally everybody is doing well. After that we reviewed the minutes from the last meeting in July. Lively discussion and good humor permeated the boardroom.

There is a VSO fridge doing the rounds and we eventually decided that Hannah would be next to take ownership. The girl is craving breakfast cereal but can't keep milk in her house. The "Fridge policy" was read, a comprehensive guide to rules and responsibilities to owning the fridge. Good laugh.

I had been asked by the VSO International staff that visited to promote the new Online VSO community site. We all agreed to get registered and to have a look. Currently most volunteers use Facebook to keep in touch.

At 1pm we broke for lunch. There was a wedding going on in the restaurant so we had dinner el fresco beside the massai hut. Mataha (potato with green veg) and beef stew, at staff rates, thanks to Stephen, the Bombolulu procurement manager. Paul was going to give us a guided tour, no charge, but first the Bombolulu dancers performed and then got all the volunteers up dancing. See pictures below. Mighty craic. (Yes, that's me getting involved!).






After a tour of all the tribal huts, given by Paul (in wheelchair, Katana standing), and a stop at the shop we went back to the boardroom to talk about Global Education. The main focus is responsible tourism i.e. stop exploitation of children as sex workers. An intense discussion let to agreement that the target audience and key message needed to be solidified. We aim to work towards a large rally next September.

When the meeting ended we all headed back to my place to chill out and have a few beers. The craic was great and some stayed for an hour, some all evening. We sat out the back of the house and traded stories and laughs, a totally comfortable laziness settling around us. I demonstrated my doorbell (toot-toot-toot OPEN THE DOOR!) and we organised lodgings for the evening. Chris, Hannah and Dan at mine. Abi at Emma's. Then off out with us to a Chinese restaurant and then Tembo.

I had been there once before but we arrived earlier this time so the number of sex workers there was very apparent, and lots of older white guys with good looking young black women. As the place filled it was less noticeable. We had a few beers; some danced, some talked. I nattered away to Emma, Abi, then Cocky for most of the evening but tiredness set in around 1:30am and we headed for home. Matatu and short walk then, comatose till 10:30am the following day.

Sunday went into Mombasa and Abi and Dan headed back to Likoni. Hung around Mombasa for a while and had a walk around and lunch. Chris headed back to Voi. On the Matatu home a local girl tried very unsubtle-ly to "pick me up". I was polite but dismissing. "Come sit with me". Pretty girl. Thanks, but no thanks.

I met Guma and his Mum on the walk to the house and Guma decided to walk back with me. Crossing the football pitch we were joined by a couple of Guma's friends and one of the kids next door (Chris, 2 Naomi's, Harold and a little one called Chrysanthemum I think). We all sat on the porch, drank juice and told each other our names and ages. Once the juice was gone I sent them all home. It was time to cook dinner and wash clothes.

M.

Cultural Learning
Dec 1st was World Aids awareness day. Over 1 million people are infected wih HIV/AIDS in Kenyan (population is around 35 million).



Relaxing in a traditional Swahili house (Cocky got a chance to play my Swahili wife)














Picture of Bombolulu Gardens