Sliiiiightly Hung-Over

Salsa at Gikondo

Aw.

Very cool night last night.

The day was a bit pants. Second month now that only myself and Martine have turned up to Capacity Building. The problem stems from 1) there being hardly anyone left in the country and 2) those who are left are all based out of town and there's no transport fund for this working group. We're thinking of cancelling it until the really big intake in January, then trying again.

Still, Paula was also there. We devoted the session to counselling her on her current relationship predicament, and Martine went through the French translation of the constitution for the NGO I'm setting up with Rose. It has to be in French, English and Kinya, but the translations are always appalling so I wanted to make sure it's as right as it can be. It's a nightmare. We have to do the same for the website. Phil's partner Chloe is doing the French. Hopefully David from salsa will do the Kinya for me.

Martine and I went for a drink at Stella after that and I met a new volunteer called Shelina who is only here for four months. She's done the VSO rounds just about everywhere, including Mongolia, and is now based in Nairobi. She's just here to review our National Volunteering Programme, so working as management on a VSO salary - painful. Really nice lady. There are no motos in Kenya apparently! I thought it was a pan-African thing. I popped home to change after that and slipped into the funky halterneck Martine gave me.

Anyway, last Thursday I went to salsa again. It was a brilliant night: Pierre, Jo, Rose, David (the great dance partner) and a very, very cute guy called John who is a brand new colleague of Pierre's at the blood testing clinic. He's in the finance department (yes, an accountant!). Had an excellent night and learned tons of new steps, but I'm not great at cross body leads. Need to practice.

I thought that was my exercise over for the week, but then I learned that Friday nights at Pasadena are even better - cabaret!

Cathryn invited Martine and myself to New Cactus for a wonderful meal (went for the frogs' legs again), then Martine and I shared an amazing avocado, egg and ham salad with tilapia in mushroom sauce. Mmmmm. Cathryn's parents are flying home tomorrow, so it was a penultimate treat.

After that, they all headed off to bed (light weights ;)) and I hopped a moto to Pasadena to meet up with Jo, Pierre, Judy, her boyfriend Maxime, David and the dishy John.

The cabaret was bizarre but highly entertaining and I was in heaven squished between David and John who were giving me a full translation of the Swahili, Luganda and Kinyarwanda. There was a very skinny girl who was sort of belly-dancing whilst lip syncing to songs about teenage drinkers. At one point she lay on her back and did the worm across the floor by undulating her belly/back.

There were two tall Ugandan guys who whited-up (think Minstrels in reverse) and pretended to be muzungus with huge padded bellies and bums - they lip-synced an act about HIV/AIDS before one of them closed the night by sliding across the floor on his padded belly, collecting FRW 100 notes that people had thrown. It was very funny, especially to see how they portrayed muzungus. There's this caricature they have as well, I saw it at the Deaf theatre too, of a guy with a big belly and a hat. He looks just like you'd imagine one of the Bawon lwa to appear in his trickster form in West African Vodoun. I asked about this but David said it wasn't linked.

It was a really fascinating experience to see cultural comedy and what makes people laugh. Really good night.

Then David, John and I took a taxi to Cadillac. It's awful to say, but it was really nice being out with guys who could pay the taxi and buy me a drink now and then. You don't keep wondering how much a night out is going to cost you :o/

Anyway, Cadillac was excellent. I didn't stay long as I was already quite tired. David went home before me as he'd had rather a bit to drink. John was just soooo lovely, though. Really considerate guy - beautiful eyes. We arrived at midnight. It was still a bit quiet but, by the time I left at half-one, it was pumpin'.

One complete stranger paid me a lovely compliment. He told me 'you dance like an African' - which was really sweet. There were a few other muzungus there, some dancing well and others (probably tourists or visiting NGOers) doing the squaddy shuffle. It was nice being out of the group as it were, hanging with Rwandese friends. I'd never have understood the play if I hadn't been with them, and they usually dance better too ;)

John walked me to a moto when I was tired and we said goodnight. As we were pulling away, the moto driver picked up that I was happy (grinning like a Cheshire cat) and told me I looked beautiful! He didn't mean it in a letchy way, just really simple and sweet. People have been paying me random compliments all week, telling me I'm looking slim, that I can dance well, and that I'm pretty. I have no idea where it's all coming from - planetary maybe - but it's sure making me feel good!

Obviously, getting rid of a man is good for you ;) 

Ladies, don't delay! Ditch him today. It'll do wonders for your health ;)

Oh dear... or what if it's because I've met another one?

*gulp*