February 27th, 2009

This morning Dylan and I woke up and met in the hallway at 7 am. We are determined to wake up for every sunrise while we come into port even if we won’t always see something. Although this morning we did for the first time we got up to watch us pull into port on a clear day with the sun rising over the mountains. Mauritius is one ofthe most beautiful places I have ever seen. It is exactly what I though a small, secluded, very tropical and green island! After breakfast I went to get ready for my day. I was going to be able to get off the ship before most because I was going on a SAS service visit trip. Since both Erica and I had FDP’s we were going to meet up with the rest of the girls later. 

 

At 9 o’clock we were able to disembark and start on our way. There was a group of about 17 of us and our group leader was the nurse on the ship Joan. There were a few familiar faces in my group which was nice. We had two tour guides Dominique and Corine, both born and raised in Mauritius. First we were headed to a senior citizen home. I wasn’t sure what to expect but was excited and ready for the day. When we arrived the facility was very nice and green plants surrounded the area just like the rest of the island! 

I had heard from other people that on the service visits you won’t feel like you did much service but that you will just get a tour of the facility so I was slightly prepared for that aspect. 

 

We started walking through and after about a minute I noticed on my right a large building that was surrounded by a gate with barbed wire. Inside the gate was about 20 men, a few in wheel chairs and some mumbling/yelling things through the fence at us. It was difficult to not feel nervous but I knew I wasn’t in any danger. Our guide told us that these were the mentally and extremely physically disabled men. He then opened the gate and told us we could go in. I went in and a few of the men who seemed coherent enough to realize anything shook our hands and gave us a warm smile. Others gestured asking for cigarettes and some just stared. It was a hard site to see as I have not really been around this many mentally disabled people anywhere. We only stayed in for about a minute and then we left shut the gate and locked it behind us. It was really hard for me to swallow the fact that these men were locked up and surrounded by a gate with barbed wire. I am hoping and assuming three is a reason for it that I can’t comprehend but I was still having a difficult time being okay with it. We continued touring the facility and went into one of the women’s areas. The women were also very welcoming but didn’t speak much English so it was hard to communicate besides a hand shake and smile. Most people speak French in Mauritius or a type of French Creole. 

 

As we kept on walking I had conversations with the tour guides and even later a doctor who works there; to learn more about the facility. The one we were visiting is the largest in Mauritius and there are about 150 patients or “inmates”as the doctor referred to them as. This too I had a hard time swallowing but continued talking with her to learn as much as I could about the work they were doing. There are about I believe 30 homes like this in all of Mauritius. The patients have to apply to be placed in a home and most are abandoned by their families. The elderly are a large issue in Mauritius because the younger generations are not staying in Mauritius and are going abroad so there is nobody left to take care of the elderly. I even asked our guide Corine who is only just turned 22 if she planned to stay in Mauritius or move out of the country. She seemed hesitant to answer and said she wasn’t sure yet but I got the impression she did want to leave the country. I got the impression people leave because it is so small and there are larger opportunities for them elsewhere but not because they are extremely unhappy with the country. 

 

Next we left this facility and moved on to visit a Catholic Church and the tomb of Father Laval. This stop to me was odd because yes I went inside the tomb but our tour guides didn’t have must to tell us about it. They only told us we could go inside but didn’t tell us who he was or what his story was. The only information I now have is from the Field Program book. It was nice to see these things though because now I also have something to write about for my sacred sites journal

 

After that quick stop we went on to Cite la Cure neighborhood where we visited with kids from the DLD Teen Hope Project. From my understanding this project is to help students who don’t pass a major exam to move them on in their schooling. The kids range in age from 9-16 at the school we visited. School is not a priority for most of the children in Mauritius and they ended up flunking the exam and continuing their education in programs like this. One little girl Sophie even refused to go to normal school and insisted on going to the Teen Hope Project. A majority of the kids at this program are all from poor and underprivileged homes with likely many family issues. 

 

When we arrived at the school the kids were all doing school and a few of them got up to set up chairs along the room for us to sit around them. After not being able to interact with the seniors at the home earlier I was ready to play, draw do whatever I could with these kids. We sat around the kids and they all seemed quite shy but a few would look up from their work and smile every so often. When we were all finally seated one of our tour guides Dominique gave us a brief introduction about the school, kids, and what the project was attempting to do. Dominique has a great story herself in that she lives in the very community this school project is in. Even though she could likely move out into a nicer town she enjoys helping, and motivating those within her own community and to help them realize they can all achieve things but with the help of one another. 

 

After her short talk we were told we could interact with the children. I went straight to the arts and crafts room. A little girl Sophie sitting making a bracelet caught my eye. I assumed this was Sophie the youngest girl in the school. With the little French I could speak I introduced myself and then asked her, her name and age. Her smile was contagious and as I sat watching her make a bracelet we would just look at each other and giggle every now and then. One of her teachers told her to let me help make the bracelet I was hesitant but Sophie said it was okay but didn’t look pleased. I put on a few beads and then let Sophie finish up the rest of the bracelets. 

 

Next to that table was a table of girls weaving baskets that I went and sat with. I then looked back over to Sophie who had removed the few beads I put on her bracelet I laughed and she looked embarrassed but I said it was okay. I started talking to the girls sitting at the table making baskets. They were mostly older so they spoke some English, that is one of the goals of the school is to teach the children English. They were all about 16 and they too let me help make the baskets but I didn’t mess this up like I did Sophie’s bracelet. Through translation with the teacher and conversations with the girls who I was making the basket with, I learned her name was Stefani. She was 16 and worked at one of the resorts on the island called The Victoria. I don’t know what it was about her or me but we seemed to hit it off even though we didn’t talk too much. We had brief sentences exchanged but that was it. For some reason we seemed to have a connection and were like instant friends. 

 

Soon we were called into the other room as some of the students were going to perform a song for us and the rest of the school. While everyone was heading into the other room, I made a small donation and bought a basket that some of the students had made. It was really pretty and I thought it was cool I also learned how to make one. Before heading in the other room I also got Stefani’s address so we can write letters and send pictures to one another. I also got the address of the school to keep in touch. Stefani was very sweet and we took a picture together that I could send her. I told her I would try to write her in French and she said she would try and write me in English that way we could both practice. After that exchange, one of the teachers who had been helping translate for me asked me to write a quick note in their visitor’s handbook. I was very flattered because I didn’t see them ask too many others to write in the book. After that it was time for the entertainment in the other room. Stefani took a seat and I stood in the door way. The children were all so nice and kept offering me seats but I insisted they sit. I knew I might be up to dance along with them soon anyways. 

 

One of the girls who I had been sitting making baskets with made her way to the front of the room with a group of girls behind her. They started singing a song I believe it was by Rhianna. She was a really good singer and it was cute to hear them sing an American song. Stefani kept looking at me and laughing at me as I danced and sang along in the corner. After that song was over they pulled out a few drums and started to perform a Seggae song (known in Mauritius). Stefani and another girl soon pulled me up and I was dancing along with all the students and other SAS kids on the trip. We danced took pictures, videos, and hung out for I would say about another 30 minutes or so. When it was time to leave nobody wanted to and we all insisted on one more song. Dominique even performed that one. She was a very nice lady and kept calling me “dimples”. After leaving the school and saying my goodbye to Stefani and the rest of the kids we were on our way back to the ship. As I looked outside the bus window it was crazy to see one of the greenest and beautiful landscapes I have ever seen and amongst is were slums and shacks that people lived in. (They were similar to the townships I saw in South Africa). As we drove out of the town and back to the ship Dominique told us her brief life story and how/why she stays involved in the schooling in her community. Dominique grew up in the town we were driving through with an a alcoholic father who beat her mother and neither of them were interested in her going to school. Although she said school was a safe haven that took her out of the house and she knew she wouldn’t be hurt there and that schooling could change her life. She is a true story that it did just that. She was a real inspiration to show how much she gives back and cares for her community. 

 

We finally made it back to the ship where I ran inside to change into my bathing suit and meet up with Erica to find the rest of the girls at the beach. As I was getting ready to head back out and enjoy my last few hours on the gorgeous island of Mauritius there was a knock on my door. Alexis from safari wanted to see what I was doing, so we both went to Erica’s room to see what the plan was. The three of us decided to eat lunch on the ship to save a little money and then hop in a taxi to meet the rest of the girls. I was really excited Alexis was coming along. So the three of us negotiated for a taxi and took about a 30 minute drive to where we thought the girls were. After about an another 30 minutes of walking in the wrong direction, a little texting, and a walk along the beach resorts we finally found the girls. This part of Mauritius was completely different from what I had seen this morning. The part we were walking through now reminded me more of Hawaii or something it was much more touristy. 

 

I was excited to jump into the blue water!!! The water was so blue and clear the contrast along all the other greenery was beautiful. We spent the rest of the day in the ocean playing and enjoying the sun. At around 5 we headed back to the ship to not get dock time and truth be told we were all really excited for the BBQ. When we got back to the ship we all headed straight up to deck 7 to enjoy dinner outside with the green Mauritius Mountains behind us. We enjoyed a long dinner chatting and talking with everyone as people got on the ship to hear everyone’s brief stories about their day. 

 

Tonight was also the opening ceremonies for the “Sea Olympics”. We were all a little tired after spending the day in the sun but I knew this would be something I wouldn’t want to miss. So Dylan and I watched a movie in her room to stay awake and then go to the opening ceremonies together. The Sea Olympics is a day of events and competitions, each floor of the ship is divided into different sections and they are referred to as different seas. Dylan and I both live in the Red Sea so our color naturally was red. So we put on our red shirts and headed to the union. Many of the other halls seemed to have a ton of people dressed up with face paint, and they were all already chanting and screaming. We had maybe about 10 people and we all look a little awkward. But slowly more red sea people started to stream in and we got a larger crowd going. Our mascot was the Red Bull and one of our sea captains Doug taped two of them to his head like horns and he was our mascot. Our LLC Brad also bought 10 red bull for our sea which was super nice of him because that is about 30 bucks or so on the ship. (Oh did I mention Brad is in charge of ‘Sea”and sends us daily emails with reminders of things we should be aware of or pay antention to. Well to make a long story short we made a deal if Brad didn’t send an email everyday we were at sea he would buy us a grilled cheese from the grill- Needless to say the other day he forgot and Dylan and I get a free grilled cheese!!! !!!!!!!!Trust me it is that exciting…)

 

Anyways the Union was packed with kids decked out in the colors to represent their seas with their mascots and chants. It reminded of Greek Week!!! The noise level was so loud and it was really fun to sit and get to know kids from my hall or “sea”. The Opening Ceremonies were great and started out with a group of students playing the drums and then each sea presenting their flag and mascot followed by a cheer. These were all being judged and would add into the point for the competitions tomorrow. After all the mayhem of opening ceremonies was over with there was an announcement that “Slum dog Millionaire” was going to be showing in the Union. I had heard so much about it I just had to watch but after about 20 minutes of not being able to read the subtitles I went to my room and feel asleep. I am not worried because I know it will be on loop in my room for the next few days until we get to India. 

 

Anyways, tomorrow is the SEA OLYMPICS!!! And just so you know I will be participating in the Orange Pass, where you pass an orange under your chin using no hands as part of a relay. Oh and synchronize swimming!!!! ( I will write more tomorrow about all of the lovely events and what place my sea comes in..)