Friday 4 March 2011

The Kindness of Strangers

I'm very glad that from time to time I'm still pleasantly surprised by the absolute kindness of some Mauritian Strangers. I've been here over 6 months now and had a thought that maybe I should start documenting this stuff... Here is just one days worth of kindness that I've experienced in Mauritius.

Charlie and I spent a lovely Saturday together last weekend. Much of it shopping in Rose-Hill. We've recently discovered the 'Turidard' (I'm really not sure how to spell that!). The most gorgeous, comfy indian clothing. I managed to pick up some material in Port Louis which I have taken to the tailor to be fitted! I just popped by to see how he was getting on, it's looking wonderful! I'm so excited! Anyway, we happened to be in Rose-Hill searching for some material for Charlie. In one shop we met a lovely woman. Seeing Charlie was getting a little flustered (we couldn't find a turidard she liked) she invited us to sit down and took a can of pear juice and some nuts out of the side drawer of her desk, offering them to us. We sat with her, had a chat, met her son and 20 minutes later she was insisting we call her Mama Maurice. I think she felt sorry for the fact we're so young and living by ourselves without a mother to support us from close by - I miss you mum. Many Mauritians are completely bewildered when we tell them we're only 18!! Eek! How embarrasing! I've been having some trouble with learning Creole - a much bigger task than I had anticiapted. Mama Maurice was very understanding and kindly offered to teach me! She said, "You come and help me in the shop and I will teach you Creole!". Unfortunatly my spare time is limited. And I don't think I will be able to. But she's always going to be there for a chat! Charlie and I will visit again soon no doubt.

Eventually, we did find some material for Charlie in a shop close by. But we walked away from the shop not just with Charlie's material but with a "petit cadeau" - 3 free Saris!!! The shop assisant insisted that we take them! We would be doing him a favour, they were old and he couldn't sell them! Charlie and I hurried home afterwards and tried on our "petit cadeau". They are massive! Hanging of our waists! But very comfy! We had a ball of a time prancing around the house in our saris sagging behind us! Ha!

After we walked home. There is a small housing estate near to where we live. Often there are children playing in the yard. We always say hello, but have never stopped to speak to them. On this particular day Charlie and I had the time to have a wee chat with them - very sweet kids. Later that day they arrived at our doorsteps with a lime for each of us - which no doubt they picked from the tree at the end of the road shh! So we invited them in for a drink and then took them to the river at the back of the house where you can swim! They were loving it, plunging into the water and splashing about everywhere! They enjoyed themselves so much that they asked if they could come round again on Saturday. Charlie and I have decided we will go to the housing estate to visit them. I want to teach them how to play rounders! Should be lots of fun!

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