Acrobatics

One day I was walking home taking my usual route and as I turned the corner of one dirt road on to another dirt road, I saw a group of boys standing around in small sandy dried out ditch.  Now while this in of itself is not particularly extraordinary, I noticed that they were motioning for me to watch...so I did.  I then saw one of them that was standing some distance from the others start running towards the group.  I didn't make too much of the concrete slab set up slanted on some bricks that the group was standing around until the boy running jumped off the concrete slab and did a spectacular flip in the air.  Just as I was beginning to recover from the amazement of seeing such acrobatics on my way back from town, another boy took off running for the slab, jumped off, and did an equally spectacular flip.  Now, if I were the responsible adult that I should be (I'm not), I probably should have told them that, while they have great skill and should further develop their talents, the concrete/brick construction was not particularly safe and maybe they shouldn't be doing flips off it anymore.  Although, being the way that I actually am (not a responsible adult), instead of telling them they should stop, I'm pretty sure I said something like, "COOL!" and "Do it again!".  Of course, they did it again, and again I was pretty impressed.  I think I gave them some high fives and left them as the wreckless boys they were before I met them and me still the irresponsible adult I will probably always be.

Amayi

Translated it means "Mothers" or "Moms".  It is also used as a title for any woman similar to Miss or Mrs.  The equivalent for guys is Abambo.  It means "Fathers" and is used in the same way.  Amayi here at Bakhita refers to the group of women who clean the school and cook in the Dining Hall.  They are very highly regarded by me...okay probably by everyone, but I don't think I should speak for the entire group...oh, what the hell.  They are highly regarded by everyone.  For a long time they made me very uncomfortable because they are super respectful and probably a little timid around foreigners.  Anytime I passed by one of them sweeping she would stop, do a curtsy kind of thing, and greet me with her head down.  Other times if I was about to pass one walking down a corridor, she would veer way off into the grass as I passed.  This got a little annoying as I don't see myself as being that intimidating or deserving of that kind of respect so I began making an effort to ease the tension.  The only way I know how to make myself more approachable is to make myself more ridiculous.  I began to return the curtsy and greeting they were giving me (not usually performed by men) which they thought was hilarious, and any time one of them veered out of my path, I veered out right in front of her.  A couple of times one would hide behind a pillar as I passed, and I would either walk around the other side and surprise her or hide on the opposite side and slowly peak around the corner.  They are no longer as intimidated and they are comfortable enough sometimes to tease me in Chichewa as I pass.  Occasionally I understand, but other times I just laugh along with them.  I know a little Chichewa to jab back with so it is a healthy give and take.  Of course most of my jabs are usually accusing them of drinking to much Chibuku (local beer) which they don't.  Amayi Pakati is my favourite.  She is everywhere doing just about anything and always laughs.  Amayi James is the wife of James the watchman.  Her name is actually Ivy, but James was working here before her and it was awhile before we actually found out what her name was so we just called her Amayi James.  Amayi Stilevia (I think this might the Malawian Silvia) works in the kitchen and was dubbed Amayi Kitchen by Gabi.  She found out about it and thinks it is funny so we still call her that sometimes.  Amayi Mary is always smiling and very active in the church so I see her a lot outside the school.  I think her daughter has started Form 1 this year, but I haven't confirmed it yet.  The other two are Amayi Mbewe and Amayi Chuma.  I don't know much about them and used to frequently confuse them.

Flies

The flies in Africa are brutal.  I wouldn't say that there are any more of them here but they are relentless.  If one is around it will continually buzz around your head and then occasionally dive bomb you in the eye or decide to land somewhere on your face like your lip.  Then it won't fly away unless you physically brush it off with your hand.  There is one fly that escorts me to the computer room in the school.  As soon as I leave the house, he starts buzzing around my head until I get there and then he is buzzing around my head all the way back.  At first, I thought it was different flies each time but then he introduced himself and now we talk from time to time.  He says that he just likes the company.  I was riding in the back of a truck with a few locals going somewhere I can't recall at the moment and there was a mom holding a her son.  He was young, but certainly not a baby.  He was healthy looking, probably old enough to walk, and if something made him uncomfortable he was definitely old enough to take some action to remedy the situation.  During the trip, he had two flies just hanging out on the corner of his eye, and he made no effort to do anything about it.   I watched for a little bit and the flies didn't even move when he blinked.   I guess if you grow up here its just something you can get used to.  I, on the other hand, couldn't stand it for to long and had to brush them away.