A Day in the Life

Hello friends!
So, perhaps it is time for me to give you an idea of what a day in the life of Sara is currently like. Here it is: I wake up at 7 or there abouts, no later than 7:15, sometimes as early as 6 depending on what's going on. I get up, throw on some already rather filthy clothes and go to the kitchen. I make myself a bowl of oatmeal aka "porridge" and basically just watch as they make breakfast to order. Sidenote, the eggs here are bizarre. Because they feed the chickens flaked dry fish (yum) the egg yolks are milky colored and barely distinguishable from the white. On the odd occasion you can even get a faint taste of fish. I was lucky enough to sample one of those special eggs. Eggs aren't so appealing here anymore, hence the porridge. Anyway, after hanging out for an hour or two I go back to my banda for some relaxing time. Perhaps a nap or a quick visit to the lionfish tidepool. Lunch prep starts at about 10:30 or 11 depending on how many people are in. This is when I chop thingsand peel things and occasionally make batter or fry things. Alot of things. Sometimes it takes me nearly an hour to peel or chop all the vegetables they've given me. There is alot of daydreaming (no lost fingers yet) and some good natured teasing (only half of which I actually understand). I also make TONS of plate garnishes. TONS. This is a particular skill I have apparently. Joshua, just above me on the pecking order, and I frequently debate which one of us is going to make them. Especially when there are like 30 people in so there are 30 little cucumber and tomato garnishes to fashion. Usually I cave, and then end up enjoying it anyway. Also sometimes I make the tea time snack (which will be served at 4). Finally, Lunch is served at 1, and then I eat out in the dining room with Lara and Dave the lodge managers. If I'm luck we eat by 1:30, but sometimes it's much later. We do usually have a three course meal though so... Usually stuffed to the brim I go back to my banda for fun and games and digestion. Sometimes I go for a swim or a walk down the beach in search of treasures. Frequently I nap. right before i head to dinner prep, I close the blessed and essential mosquito"really large cockroach and other creepy crawly" netting, backing out of my canopy as I spray highly toxic and noxious bug killing spray liberally throughout the netted space. safe for another night (yes Mom, I am still taking my anti-malaria stuff). Then at 5 back to the kitchen for dinner prep. Same as lunch except sometimes I make the dessert! Dinner is served at 8, but usually I don't eat until 8:30, almost always in the dining room unless it's too crowded. Then I leave the dining room between 9 and 10, and the electricity goes off at 10:30, so there's time for a quick shower and bottled water teeth brushing, maybe a bit of a dvd or some reading, before I go to sleep and start over again. It has its ups and downs like anything I suppose, it can be very frustrating not speaking fluently but I am at least able to communicate in kitchen terms for the most part. I get really sore from standing in the kitchen and I've had a couple burns, apparently they don't believe in hot pads here and the sizzling vats of oil are always problematic... but over all, all is well! It's just a bizarre situation because I'm not really an employee, but I'm definitely not a guest, so there's a very delicate balance to maintain. I also miss home and all of you lovely people! Luckily the managers are great and I'm able to at least sort of be friends with the people I'm working with. So all in all, a really awesome experience, and I am definitely learning a lot, if not about cooking then definitely about life. I leave you with a humorous anecdote. I have finally realized that half of the time my communication problems lie in my accent and so I have resorted to using swahili accented english. So picture this, let's say I am trying to say to Joshua, who understands limited English, "Today we're making an American cake?", which comes out "Today cakey AmaRIKA?" Everything sounds so different so unless there is a compromise of accents, usually on my part, it sometimes takes forever to figure out what anyone is saying. Luckily I can now say things like the above in Kiswahili! ;)

Sending you all my love and hopefully I'll hear more from you soon! New plan, Ruaha in 2 weeks...how long have I been saying that?

Love,
"Se-la"