I Hate Frisbee

I mentioned in the last post that we are hiring a gardener and to the great relief of all the embassy guards and workers, we have finally done it. People can now stop asking me every time they come "where is you gardener?... it is high time your hired a gardener". His name is Lamin (along with half the population of Gambian males) and he has already made a huge difference to our yard. Having a gardener is a very foreign concept to us, especially as he will double as a driver. We feel awkward having someone work for us, but I suppose hiring a gardener here is much different to in the States or Australia. The embassy encourage it as a contribution to the local economy and it is also helpful to have someone around the house if we're out. So with a new gardener my project this week has been to start a compost. We have so many fruit scraps that get wrapped up in plastic bags and it seems ridiculous to have so much biodegradable waste. I have never started a compost heap and it is going to be interesting in this humidity and with all the rain. I tried to explain the compost heap to Lamin but I think he thought I was crazy... anyway despite us both not knowing what to do we're attempting it anyway... I'll keep you posted on the exciting developments!

In other news, we have started playing ultimate frisbee, sorry I'll rephrase that, Zack has started playing. Thursday night, in attempt to meet more people, Zack convinced me to give it a go. Who even knew that frisbee was an actual game? Now this was a bad idea from the start, I never have and never will like team sport. Therefore it was unsurprising when, just like T-ball (dad remember that?) and kickball (Taylor can vouch for that one), it turned out that I was terrible at frisbee. Zack promised me in the car that I could just watch the first game but when we arrived I was coerced into playing so the teams were even. So we arrive at the MRC fields (British medical research centre) to some stony looks from the Brits, most of who don't even bother to introduce themselves when I smiled at them (well the Gambians were friendly) This is how it went:

10 seconds - me: "Zack I don't know what to do"
Zack: "It's just like soccer"
me: "right, well that would be helpful if I knew how to play soccer"
Zack: "just run around"

This is followed by 50 seconds of me looking awkward as I follow people I don't know around the field

60 seconds - me: "Zack throw me the frisbee"
Like everyone else on the field, Zack ignores me

This is followed by me looking even more awkward

80 seconds - random guy yelling: "Katie, keep on 'that girl who I was never introduced to'"
me: "oh I'm meant to be playing defense?"
exasperated look from random guy
Zack: "just run around"
me: "OK I'm done"

I stalk off the field, find a paper and spend the next hour reading. When the game finishes people don't even stick around to chat (so much for making friends) and it's all over. Oh and should probably mention that Zack is actually really good at the game so he managed to make some friends, I managed to get some cold stares... yes I am being a sook and a whiner but I did not like it and I'm not going back (Zack do you hear me?)OK so I know that you're all reading the blog so hear about life in Africa and not playing Frisbee at MRC but that (and hiring the gardener) have been the big news this week.

Last night we did have a lovely dinner with friends - before which we watched Ghana be beaten - to the great dismay of one of our guests who was rolling around on the floor in agony (as we watch in horror as that penalty shot bounced off the top of the goal). We feel very proud that we have been having people over for dinner, as it is part of Zack's job description, but I'm not sure if it count when we only invite the people we know the best here. I suppose we should branch out, maybe invite some cold mean frisbee playing people.

This weekend is a holiday as tomorrow is 4th of July and for those of you who don't know (because I never did) it is when Americans celebrate independence from the British. The embassy is holding a cocktail party at the nicest resort in town - Coco Ocean - Zack has to MC... this should be interesting...

I'll keep you posted!!!