(no subject)
Tonight is my last in Zimbabwe. Yes, its come to an end at last, and looking back it feels like a lot more than four weeks. I suppose no matter how long I stay away, there are too many memories here for me not to feel at home. Every street I drive down has a little image or conversation attactched to it, so its easy for me to feel like I've been here for years. Strange how it makes me sad to leave now. I've been griping and feeling sorry for myself for most of the time because it somehow felt wrong or stressful, but looking back on it I actually quite enjoyed it. If anything, this week has been the best. Perhaps I just needed more time to settle in.
Anyway, the last couple of days have been rather good. Yesterday in the day I went to see my mad cousin Fifi. She's the singing, rapping and all round entertaining one that everyone heartily dissapproves of. So naturally I think she's great. Oh also, apparently on my birthday when we were having a spliff people all assumed that there was something romantic going on, so now I learned yesterday that rumours have been flying, which I found highly amusing. Apparently Sage phoned up her sister and told her to restrain her daughter. The fact that I have a girlfriend means nothing to these people, men here are renound for their unfaithfulness. I've decided to let them gossip. It will give my reputation a bit of an edge. People think I'm a bit of a goody goody anyway.
Back to yesterday, Fifi took me and Thulani to the Rasta shop in town ( yeah she's on of those too, scandalous!), and she bought Jess some earings, which was nice. She has a record deal and does a lot of singing, so I got to meet all the "hot" reggae artists of the moment all hanging around in the shop. The all had names like Sister Flame and Brown Sugar and naturally had dreads and scruffy clothes. I felt strangely at home there. I think my family might be a bit too clean cut for me. Thulani looked a bit ill at ease and commented that none of them were very smart looking.
After that little adventure, I went to see my sister Ruva, who was staying with my Aunti Rumbi. She's even more talkative than she was before, crazily so actually. I think she would have happily talked at me all night if I'd have let her, but I was tired and I couldn't really deal with all the loud kids, what with my devilishly naughty cousin Mimi crashing around the place. It was nice to see her anyway, if for such a short time.
Then today, I met up with all my girl cousins too say goodbye and spend the last of my dollars. We all had a great time and I got to meet the various love interests( ex boyfriends, sort of boyfriends,etc). They all seem to have very complicated love lives which I got to hear about in detail, with Ropa being particularly vocal. We absconded with the car to Rumbi's house to say a quick goodbye, luckily making it through a police road block, and there was a brief, but typically loud family gathering as everyone hugged and screamed at each other. It was good to say goodbye on a high like that.
And thats it really. The last of my livejournals for quite a while. On the plus side, I'll probably be seeing most of you soon. I've missed all of you a lot, so its great to feel like everyone will be near again tomorrow. I'll be in Liverpool and Manchester next week, and then its back to Swansea and Ben's house again. See you all soon.
Anyway, the last couple of days have been rather good. Yesterday in the day I went to see my mad cousin Fifi. She's the singing, rapping and all round entertaining one that everyone heartily dissapproves of. So naturally I think she's great. Oh also, apparently on my birthday when we were having a spliff people all assumed that there was something romantic going on, so now I learned yesterday that rumours have been flying, which I found highly amusing. Apparently Sage phoned up her sister and told her to restrain her daughter. The fact that I have a girlfriend means nothing to these people, men here are renound for their unfaithfulness. I've decided to let them gossip. It will give my reputation a bit of an edge. People think I'm a bit of a goody goody anyway.
Back to yesterday, Fifi took me and Thulani to the Rasta shop in town ( yeah she's on of those too, scandalous!), and she bought Jess some earings, which was nice. She has a record deal and does a lot of singing, so I got to meet all the "hot" reggae artists of the moment all hanging around in the shop. The all had names like Sister Flame and Brown Sugar and naturally had dreads and scruffy clothes. I felt strangely at home there. I think my family might be a bit too clean cut for me. Thulani looked a bit ill at ease and commented that none of them were very smart looking.
After that little adventure, I went to see my sister Ruva, who was staying with my Aunti Rumbi. She's even more talkative than she was before, crazily so actually. I think she would have happily talked at me all night if I'd have let her, but I was tired and I couldn't really deal with all the loud kids, what with my devilishly naughty cousin Mimi crashing around the place. It was nice to see her anyway, if for such a short time.
Then today, I met up with all my girl cousins too say goodbye and spend the last of my dollars. We all had a great time and I got to meet the various love interests( ex boyfriends, sort of boyfriends,etc). They all seem to have very complicated love lives which I got to hear about in detail, with Ropa being particularly vocal. We absconded with the car to Rumbi's house to say a quick goodbye, luckily making it through a police road block, and there was a brief, but typically loud family gathering as everyone hugged and screamed at each other. It was good to say goodbye on a high like that.
And thats it really. The last of my livejournals for quite a while. On the plus side, I'll probably be seeing most of you soon. I've missed all of you a lot, so its great to feel like everyone will be near again tomorrow. I'll be in Liverpool and Manchester next week, and then its back to Swansea and Ben's house again. See you all soon.