Work Week 3

1-3/05/2011

Last Friday was sadly our last day working in the Olonana Kitchen. We topped the day off by spending perhaps an hour taking photos of everyone. This initially began as a well-behaved affair with each person smiling amiably at the camera but it very rapidly went out of control (much to our amusement); knives were drawn, props were used and poses got steadily more ridiculous! But in many ways these photos probably speak more truth about the characters in the kitchen; they are a great bunch. But 'hakuna matata', we're still here for 2 more months so we'll see plenty of them despite their lamentations that they would never see us again!
Caitlin and I have also been seperated for this week in terms of our work departments with me trying my hand at laundry (a job I was quite dubious about) and Caitlin showing off her natural skills in house-keeping. Already on my first day I was confronted by innumerable pairs of women's underwear that I was told I had to iron, needless to say it wasn't the most positive aspect of the day for me... However I did have the opportunity to meet new co-workers and just like the kitchen staff they were very friendly. After the first day I was invited to come and kick a football about with other people from the neighbouring Masai village. I tried as best I could to display some credible skills but sadly my injured ankle posed a significant hindrance (I regularly fell and mis-hit the ball to the other team, much to my embarassment) and I relegated myself to acting as goalkeeper which turned out to be a useless position since the football they were playing became a contest to see who could keep hold of the ball the longest without giving-up possesion - goals didn't count. The pitch couldn't really be regarded as a pitch - more like the only area of grass that isn't populated by loose rocks... their cattle also had a free rein of the 'pitch' and there were frequent hillarious occasions where a cross or pass was gloriously intercepted by a cow's head. It was a certainly a novel experience... where else would you play football with a commanding view of the Masai plains with the inclusion of random streaking cows. We even had spectators! The children of the village came out in their multitudes and avidly watched the 'grown-ups' play some footie. Many of them wanted to test their English on me and I happily obliged. Hopefully my ankle will improve enough to join in properly but nonetheless I had a great time and I certainly take up any future invitations to play.