Hello hello!

I will begin my blog as I have every other….another great few weeks in Yamba! Although, sadly, this time my last. It's weird to think that I won't be going back up the mountain on Sunday to resume my life of bucket showers, connect 4 tournaments and a constant flow of starchy meals! It has been a truly incredible experience and I'm very sad to leave the special little village in the mountains that has come to feel like home.

In Yamba, there's no such thing as a typical day and so Scotland, to me, will seem a bit boring in comparison. I know my previous blogs argue me se well but just to be sure I kept a diary of the random happenings and trivial events of my penultimate week (so that when I say 'I'm bored, I miss my Yamba life' you can nod in sympathy!)

There are no ordinary moments…

So Sunday (Nov 20th), I arrived back from Tanga and walked up Yamba Mountain holding hands with mad little Moses while carrying a bundle of leeks (that a kid demanded I take in exchange for my much heavier bag!)* On Monday, I gave a thank-you gift of two mangoes to a shy Maulusi to say thanks for his many many bean gifts (Maulusi is bean boy, see prev. blog!). On Tuesday, I was given an egg, safely/randomly stored in a plastic headtorch case from lovely little Stanli in STD 2. I also had a chapatti cooking lessons with Esturide and introduced heart-shaped chapattis to our meal times! On Wednesday, I was given another 'Thank-you teacher' egg, this time from no.1 kidnapee-Furansisi. And in my following instructions lesson with STD 5. I showed them how to make origami frogs, complete with googly eyes which we all had on our own faces by the end of the class On Thursday, we did after school netball practice which also happened to be when there was a crazy, torrential rainstorm and the girls insisted on playing so we were all totally soaked! And later, Martin, who is our very sweet nightwatchman kindly gave us weaved baskets as gifts. On Friday, I had an early morning pancake cooking session with Esturide (totally worth the extra early start to have pancakes for brekkie!). It did mean that I had a nap later though before doing some more jewellery type things with Mamma Ade and the gang. I also had a lovely long chat with mum and dad from my perch on signal rock. And at night, while brushing my teeth, I saw a shooting star. On Saturday, I peeled lunchtime potatoes with a machete type knife, I did some wrapping of clothing donations and taught Magda (who was helping to wrap), the word for jumpsuit (sio nzuri!) and visited 4 day old baby Andy who was delivered in the 4x4 halfway down the mountain on Tuesday! See, no ordinary moments. Scotland, you have 14 days to up the ante!

*I've carried some odd things on my walk up the mountain….little Esther's wet clothes, a watermelon, small children on my back…

Kwa-heri week

This last week had been a little odd as both I and the village people (I had to use that gag at some point!) have been aware thar my time in Yamba is almost over. I refused to acknowledge the fact until Wednesday and so when Esturide started singing a goodbye song at the weekend, I stuck my figners in my ears…la-la-la-la-la! However, it was unavoidably my goodbye or kwa-heri week The week started normally with school on Monday. It was however my last day of teaching so classes were mostly just games, colouring in and shouting 'in a while crocodile!'. We went to Milangano on Tuesday for a netball match, Yamba girls vs. Mili girls….it a very hot and hotly contested 30 minute game, and I'm delighted to say that Yamba came out on top, finishing 3-2. Emily and Kaths's goodbye party followed the game, which was somehow tear-free and actually very funny. Kath's secondary students performed a hilarious skit-in English too! On Wednesday, I began the arduous task of packing and quite miraculously, 2 hours later I was done with a whole day ahead of me dedicated to playing. Snap, pairs, dominoes, football, tag, general tickling and messing around made for a fun day! On Thursday, as it was Dec 1st we started the day with some Xmas tunes, before heading to my goodbye party. It was in the playground of Yamba school and it was really really lovely. There were lots of songs (with 'linsey' creatively incorporated), speeches, egg gifts and a bit of African bootie-shaking for good measure. Nothing I can say will really do it justice but the fact I was on the brink of tears many times should give you an idea. There were lots of lasts on Thursday…last bucket shower, last Yamba lunch/dinner, last batch of love beans, last afternoon playtime….but there was a long overdue first too. After 3 months playing peek-a-boo, learning to clap and weeing everywhere (no…not me!)…little kidnap-cutie Esther did a wee while sitting on my lap. Miraculously it doesn't make me want to kidnap her any less and I like to think it was her way of saying goodbye. It was said Esther who truly made me cry this morning (Friday) as I walked down the mountain to the car, then some of my STD 2 girls started my second round of tears by saying 'no bye!'…walking away with my bag on my back made it seem much more real than it has all week. But even as I sit here now, it just feels like a normal Tanga weekend...I can't believe it's really over!

I can't believe it's really over!

I feel so incredibly lucky to have spent 3 months in Yamba, surrounded by spectacular scenery and truly lovely people; it's such a happy place to live! From dancing with the housegirls, hearing 'hello' shouted across hillsides, playing netball in the rain, brushing my teeth under the stars to the countless hours spent chasing the children around, playing games with them and reading them stories…some of the simple little moments here tthat have never failed to make me smile. Teaching, although sometimes challenging, has been fantastic and I've learned a lot. I've grown quite attached to my mad little frogs in STD 2&5; their enthusiasm is infectious and I'm so proud of all their hardwork. I'll really miss seeing their smiling faces everyday! I'm glad to have been part of such a worthwhile project and to have experienced life in such a different and amazing place-thank-you Village Africa! I'm sad to have said goodbye but I have a feeling I'll go back to Yamba one day….until then, you'll all just have to put up with my stories of my truly unforgettable trip!

It's not quite over though…tomorrow afternoon, I'm going on a 'teeny tiny, take your bags on yourself' plane to Zanzibar. I'm looking forward to spending a couple of weeks exploring and enjoying the sun before I return to cold, Christmassy Scotland!

Looking forward to seeing you all very very soon,

All my love,

Linsey

xx