Togo 2
I hope to blog as
things that might interest you arise. It will hopefully be fairly often and not
all that long J I also
write things, as I go, as posting the blog is not always guaranteed so I prefer
to type in Word, that way it is safe. This means that days may not exactly
match up at the time this is read.
Writing this marks
my first week aboard Africa Mercy. I am exhausted following working the last
three days and knowing that the weekend shift lies ahead! I am most pleased
with my posting in the galley. I have just switched teams to balance out the
numbers and I decided rather to finish my days with the old team and then begin
with the new one.
I have been asked about my daily schedule. It obviously changes
somewhat depending on the day. If I am working I am required to attend a
devotional meeting on Wednesday and Thursday. The first is for all stewards and
the second for those in the dining room and galley. The respective 'bosses' run
these. My boss is a man named Ken. He used to run a five star restaurant in
American and was in a band. He has some interesting stories such as casually
meeting Anthony Keidis, the Red Hot Chili Peppers singer. This history
obviously sets the stage for a musical kitchen!
On Monday there is a meeting of the whole crew which is for
information and such. That happens in the 'international lounge'.
After the 8 am meeting, we go to the galley where we are briefed
on the lunch and dinner plan. We will have a mid morning break and then one for
lunch and another mid afternoon. There are day staff that help plot a lot. They
are from Togo and are paid a wage.
Then after the hour-long dinner break we clean very many dishes,
scrub the floors and bleach the tables.
Then we pray and throw the borrowed, bleached shirts and aprons in
the wash and I’ll go shower. It is air conned but it obviously gets really hot.
Especially while scrubbing floors.
After that there may be or an information meeting. If not people
will hang around in mid ships where the shop, Starbucks, wifi and games are. I
might read there or play cards. The Internet is in high use and not as fast as
it is with the cable in the room. It will be about 8 o’clock thanks to early
dinner :)
On the weekend, however, there is no lunch and cooked breakfast on
Sunday, which we cook in the galley. No lunch means it will be less busy than a
weekday. The crew will pack a lunch at breakfast or go off for the day and eat
at a restaurant.
Meal times are really cool because for about an hour we sit and
chat even after finishing the meal. Its casual, people come and go but I have
an hour off so there is not really anything else I need or want to do, so it is
nice to relax and chat. This is when I meet most people. Having to wear name
cards, which are also used when purchasing anything aboard or leaving the ship,
helps with names.
That is pretty much that :)
If you have any questions, please ask. I know being aboard is not
really what I had imagined, in a good way and I don't know if I have given you
enough information to understand how things work.
I am very happy and comfortable aboard :)
Now for news…
Today (Friday) was hectic.
We invited 300 dignitaries to come aboard for the purpose of forming
relationships with the MS. More and more are MS realising the importance of
forming relationships with people in power in these countries, as am I
realising what a HUGE undertaking it is to run a ship such as this one to
coordinate its movements between countries. The first people who began the MS
in the 1970s (I think) were so brave and must have learnt so much as they went
ahead. Anyhow, I made some nigiri (smoked salmon on rice) and the chef and I
made salmon and Philadelphia cheese California rolls which didn’t turn out too
well. Of course having sushi rice may have helped! Also we had to de-vein 30kg
of shrimp… 1 kg took me half and hour and I was probably the fastest… worst is
that I didn’t even think that they tasted too great. In the galley we always
listen to music. It increases moral heaps and it is good to hear different
music, such as some old artists from my friend who seems to distrust modern
music, despite only being thirty.
I mentioned my
application for dental sterilisation. I would like to be as involved as
possible and help as much as I am able to. Also, I seek references for my
return and uni applications. I gather that the job will involve the
sterilisation of dental equipment used in surgeries performed on the West
African patients. I have a fair amount of time off so why not.
I have met so many
kind and friendly people aboard. It is really so good to meet young people from
all around. Mostly they are from Scandinavia, North America and Holland. Of
course I enjoy conversing in Afrikaans with the Dutch although I do not
understand them as well as they do me. This evening we went out for dinner. We
caught taxis that went at least double the distance necessary to find the
Lebanese restaurant. In the end we settled for Indian that was excellent. Not
too cheap though, I was proud to say that Eastern Food Bazaar can offer the
same for about a quarter of the price. The bill for all of us came to 65000
CFA. About R1100 for the eleven of us. I was chuffed to get off the ship and
have a meal! I decided to eat my curry, naan and rice with my hands. The Dutch
girl opposite was so surprised and kept watching me shovel food using my
fingers as best I could remember Jason Lee’s brief demonstration following his
return from India.
I stay in a 6-berth
cabin with a Ghanaian, 2 yanks and 2 brits. They are all really nice guys. I
was so embarrassed to hear that I had reprimanded my bunkmate the other night
for ‘making a noise’ when he came in. I didn’t even wake. How I hate sleep
talking! Otherwise I have everything well set up. My Internet cable spans 10m
to my bedside and the SA flag cushion cover from dad is on my wall J It is so nice to be able to sleep very late
due to the absence of natural light!
There are
gatherings on Sunday and Thursday evenings, and Monday mornings. Not all are
compulsory and they are not all spiritual. For example, on Thursdays we learn
about Togolese culture. This is quite helpful and informative. Meeting with and
hearing stories of cross-cultural interactions I discover that South Africans,
in my opinion, are generally not easily offended and easygoing.
There is even an
Olympic sized swimming pool in Lome. Just along the boulevard at a hotel. I
expect to buy a few day passes (discounted for MS crew!).
The food aboard is
not too shabby. I gather it is rather fattening which is another reason I enjoy
the galley- I see what goes into everything. All produce is bleached first then
rinsed. The fresh food is actually some of the best! Oranges from morocco are
my favourite.
I hope to run twice
a week, even if on the 200m pier. I ran at 7 pm the other night just before a
meeting. I forgot to take into account the cool off time needed, even with this
super air-conditioning (which is rumoured to pack up before we dry-dock in
Tenerife) (It was in fact fitted in Durban two years ago- no relation to the fact
it is packing up!) I was hot after my cool shower and time in my
below-room-temperature room.
in the pictures... docked parallel to Africa Mercy, clearly no arms deal here!
my very sweaty shirt, the image atop the ship ( deck 8), the California rolls on either side of smoked salmon nigiri, and my and JJs corner of cubby-hole of the six berth!
I am sorry if this
is longwinded. Some people asked about some of the above-mentioned topics. I
will become more concise as I practice my blogging.
Love ben x
