If you don't eat your dinner, plastic bag man will get you...


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December 6th 2007
Published: December 7th 2007
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It's hard to believe our time in Kilifi is almost over - we fly to Johannesburg tomorrow. After eight months here, we've developed a lot of affection for the place and its people and, for a while, especially when we've returned from other east African travels, it's felt almost like home. But, the excitement of 2 weeks in South Africa and then back to our real home to see family and friends for Christmas has certainly made it easier to say goodbye. We have thousands of memories of Kilifi that we'll bore our grandchildren silly with one day, I'm sure!

Highlights of the last two weeks include...

- Taking my computer and a DVD of The Lion King in to Upendo for the kids to watch. While a lot of them have seen some TV in their time from standing outside cafes as they dawdle on the way home in the evenings, most of them have never sat down to watch a whole movie. Their attention spans weren't the best, but there was a lot of excitement about the movie and the bits that they understood of it. I was greeted at the gate the other day by Kea singing 'Hakuna Matata' and Brigid says that Sunday keeps asking where the 'comuta' (computer) is!

- My 27th birthday. Celebrations began at midnight Friday night when Brigid presented me with a card the kids had made for me, addressed beautifully to Katherine Dumbhead! We continued them the next day with a return visit to Wild Waters for some more watersliding shenanigans, and then cocktails at Mnarani Club. Thanks to everyone who sent birthday wishes - it was lovely to receive your thoughts from the other side of the world!

- Brigid's going away party at Upendo. The mamas and the kids put on a fantastic evening's entertainment. The kids sang 4 songs, one of which was a song about Brigid and love and remembering. During this one, the mamas all got up and danced and sang as well and dragged Brigid up to dance with them. I have a video of this one and I suspect it might bring a tear to the eyes of those family members so inclined!! There were three speeches given about Brigid - one by one of the teachers (which sounded hilariously like a school report), one by the Upendo boss Grace, and one by Margaret in which she described Brigid as being the light of the kids' lives over the last eight months (and, being less involved with the kids than Brigid is, I can certainly see that this is true). Brigid got to make a speech too, which she gave in swahili (with much less shaky hands than she thought) to the delight of the mamas, who shrieked with laughter and gave great rounds of applause at the end of each sentence. Brigid then got to plant a tree, which is something that they try to get all visitors to do. But, hers was different to most - she planted a banana tree as bananas are a favourite with the kids - whenever there are bananas around, the cries of 'nani anataka ndizi?' (who wants a banana?) are always very promptly followed by loud shrieks of 'mimi, mimi, mimi!' (me, me, me!). Finally, there was a cake to cut, dinner and sodas to be had and then the obligatory photo session. Hope you enjoy them.

- My farewell dinner with a few friends from the lab, in which we found out that one of the women at the lab scares her kids into eating their dinner by telling them that 'if you don't eat your dinner, plastic bag man (that's the Yeti to you) will get you'!! Ah, so cruel, but so funny....

Tonight we have Caroline and Nathan's engagement/farewell party (they're also leaving), then one last visit to Upendo tomorrow before flying out in the afternoon. For those of you who don't know, Conor is joining us in South Africa - was a surprise present from Joey and Stevie, which is very exciting!

During the last couple of weeks we've said many goodbyes and done a lot of things 'for the last time'. It'll be strange to leave Kilifi's hot, sticky, vibrant, dusty atmosphere, and funny to think of life without cries of 'Brig, Brig, Kat-er-in, Kat-er-in' from the kids, without monkeys running round the yard, without the high-pitched greetings and handshakes from those we know that we see around the place, without being sweaty every moment you step outside (and not sure if you'll be able to have a shower), without the cheer of the lab and the unreliability of the FACS machine, without the calls to prayer from the local mosques streaming out over the
The class watches the Lion KingThe class watches the Lion KingThe class watches the Lion King

Actually, I think most of them are watching the camera...
town and without the spectacular views that Kilifi offers, but I'm sure one day we'll be back.

For now though, it's KWAHERI KILIFI and see you all in two weeks!
Lots of love,
K x

PS I've barely mentioned the lab in my blogs as I figured the nitty gritty of malaria research wouldn't be of much interest to you all. Work has gone very well this year though - I've got a lot done and worked with some great people, which has been very rewarding. I've finally managed to take a couple of photos of the lab to put on here...
PPS Rod - you'll be happy to know that Brigid took Rosie and Bahati shopping yesterday for new shoes (they also got new handbags!), which they are delighted with. I've put a photo of them in their new gear on here. Thanks very much!


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Nani anataka ndizi?Nani anataka ndizi?
Nani anataka ndizi?

Elijah, Pendeza, Rosie and Brigid plant Brigid's banana tree
Mama Beatrice and BrigidMama Beatrice and Brigid
Mama Beatrice and Brigid

Sorry about the awkward angle, B! Your face doesn't really look like this...
Boys with sodas...Boys with sodas...
Boys with sodas...

...and Sunday has a big belly...


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