Things have been busy here... Really busy... Ridiculously busy. I haven't seen my bed before 11 pm all week. When you get up at 4:45 (or if you're being lazy 5:45) this is not an appropriate time to go to bed.
Never the less, in the midst of the busyness, there are a few new observations I have made that make me smile...
In Mauritius, sometimes English translations aren't grammatically phrased in the most appropriate way. One example would be the signs that you see all over the island. These signs say, "Trespass". What the sign means is no trespassing, but to me, it seems that the owners of the property are encouraging to come and make yourself at home. I'm tempted to do that sometime...
Another funny thing was a juice container that I ran across the other day. Now, when read in total the wording made sense, but clearly their marketing department wasn't thinking when they put the label together. At the bottom of the label in proud, bold letters the container says, "NO COLOR AND NO FLAVOR" then on the next line is the single word "added". If they were really thinking they could have phrased this to make it less humorous to people like me who like to laugh at others unprecise use of the English language. I just sat and thought to myself... no color and no flavor, yummy! :-)
On occasion, I have the opportunity to tease my husband about these things. He speaks English very fluently, but sometimes he isn't as precise as he could be and this leaves room for me to poke fun. One example was when we were in America for our wedding. After meeting my friends and family he said, "I like it here, all of your people have pretty good values". I had to laugh at that... They only have "pretty good values".
As days go by I find that I am noticing fewer and fewer things that seem odd or out of place for me. I guess this is a good sign that I am making Mauritius my home.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Neighbors, hedgehogs and cream of chicken soup...
So, on Sunday, my husband and I decided to pay a little visit to the neighbors of ours living in our immediate block of flats. The building we live in has shops on the bottom floor and then if you drive around the back, there are 5 doors that each lead to 4 apartments or flats that sit on the first and second floor of the building. (For the Americans reading this, that would be the second and third floor.) In our block of four, we have a retired couple, a single retired lady and a family of 5.
We wanted to share a little treat with each neighbor and then invite them to a tea party on the 18th of April to be hosted at our house. We thought it would be nice to get everyone together and just be neighborly. :-)
Ultimately, we only got to the couple next door because the other two were out... But that one visit was entertaining enough... What can I tell you about the couple next door? Well, the wife of the couple is very nice. She is extroverted chain smoker and loves to talk. Her English is decent so I can always understand what she means even if she can't think of the word, and when she doesn't speak in English, she speaks in French rather than Creole, so I have an easier time understanding her... For the longest time I didn't know if her husband was her husband or her boyfriend. I usually only notice his car on weekends, so I didn't really know what the story was. He's more of a chain smoking "grumpy old man" and although he usually gives a greeting, he's not what you would call a warm person.
Anyway- Sunday, my hubby and I rang their doorbell and we were invited in. The couples grandchildren happened to be visiting them, so we got to meet them before they went back to watch t.v. As we sat our neighbor began to talk... We discovered that not only was she talkative, but she's also opinionated and a bit of a busy body. :-)
The conversation started with talking about the home that my husband and I are going to be building soon. The first thing she said was, "I want to tell you something. Don't build a house with stairs. Build it all on one floor." She went on to explain that now we are young and stairs are not a problem, but when we are 70 they will not seem like a good idea any longer. We then went on to explain that we are building a bedroom/bathroom suite downstairs and that both floors will have all of the required facilities for living. We are building it that way right now so that if some point we need to care for my husbands parents, they can move in with us. Then when we get older, if we wish, we can just live downstairs. To this she responded, "No, you cannot. Don't let your parents live with you. It is terrible." Then she told us of how she lived with her in-laws for a short time and she couldn't take it any longer. All the while this is being told in great French flair with all the dramatics you can imagine. You would have thought her time living with her in-laws was comparable to a concentration camp...
So, we had our advice about that. Then the topic of driving came up. I was instructed that I must start driving in Mauritius soon. She even gave me the number of a driving school to contact. We tried to explain that we are waiting to buy and automatic car for me and then I will begin to drive here, but she insisted that I needed to drive now, even if that meant learning to drive a manual transmission on what is to me, the opposite side of the road. (Now let me break here to explain that here, they drive on the left side of the road, and the steering wheel is on what we would consider the passengers side. This means that you have to shift gears with your left hand... Thus the complication with my driving currently.) We told her that we would consider it... :-)
Then she began to tell us about the neighbors that plagued her until my husband and I moved in. Evidently there was a man who lived where we do now who was loud and disruptive... In addition, the neighbor who used to live directly above her was a terror and now she's glad that the family of five lives there... Her biggest problem with the former tenant upstairs? She used to go to the toilet at night and flush it. Can you believe that??? My goodness... Call the prime minister.
After making our exit, my husband and I had to chuckle about our neighbor. She's a hoot. I just hope we don't tick her off, or we'll be in the stories she tells the next tenants.
Now on to the next part of my tale. On Sunday nights my husband and I have dinner at my in-laws house. His mom really likes to cook for us and it's a nice evening to relax and not have to worry about cooking or dishes. On our way home this past week, I noticed several men walking on the road with sticks and "torches" or flashlights. I finally asked my husband what was going on. "They are hunting hedgehogs", he replied. Right. Of course, why wouldn't they be hunting hedgehogs. As we continued the conversation, I learned that people catch the hedgehogs and then fatten them up to sell them for Easter. Evidently, that's what you have for Easter lunch here... Some nice hedgehog. I laughed and said that in America, we generally have ham. :-) He asked me if I wanted to try hedgehog this year, and I declined. I'm not quite ready for that...
Now, my final note for today's blog... Yesterday I was at the grocery store, and happened to walk down the soup aisle. I was looking for curry powder to use with vegetables so that I could make curried cauliflower for supper. Anywho, as I walked down the aisle, something caught my eye. When I looked again, I couldn't believe it was true. There, on the shelf, was a can of condensed cream of chicken soup. Naturally, I bought a can, even though I didn't need it for anything. I was just so excited to see it! Needless to say, that made my Monday.
Sometimes it's the little things...
Happy week everyone
We wanted to share a little treat with each neighbor and then invite them to a tea party on the 18th of April to be hosted at our house. We thought it would be nice to get everyone together and just be neighborly. :-)
Ultimately, we only got to the couple next door because the other two were out... But that one visit was entertaining enough... What can I tell you about the couple next door? Well, the wife of the couple is very nice. She is extroverted chain smoker and loves to talk. Her English is decent so I can always understand what she means even if she can't think of the word, and when she doesn't speak in English, she speaks in French rather than Creole, so I have an easier time understanding her... For the longest time I didn't know if her husband was her husband or her boyfriend. I usually only notice his car on weekends, so I didn't really know what the story was. He's more of a chain smoking "grumpy old man" and although he usually gives a greeting, he's not what you would call a warm person.
Anyway- Sunday, my hubby and I rang their doorbell and we were invited in. The couples grandchildren happened to be visiting them, so we got to meet them before they went back to watch t.v. As we sat our neighbor began to talk... We discovered that not only was she talkative, but she's also opinionated and a bit of a busy body. :-)
The conversation started with talking about the home that my husband and I are going to be building soon. The first thing she said was, "I want to tell you something. Don't build a house with stairs. Build it all on one floor." She went on to explain that now we are young and stairs are not a problem, but when we are 70 they will not seem like a good idea any longer. We then went on to explain that we are building a bedroom/bathroom suite downstairs and that both floors will have all of the required facilities for living. We are building it that way right now so that if some point we need to care for my husbands parents, they can move in with us. Then when we get older, if we wish, we can just live downstairs. To this she responded, "No, you cannot. Don't let your parents live with you. It is terrible." Then she told us of how she lived with her in-laws for a short time and she couldn't take it any longer. All the while this is being told in great French flair with all the dramatics you can imagine. You would have thought her time living with her in-laws was comparable to a concentration camp...
So, we had our advice about that. Then the topic of driving came up. I was instructed that I must start driving in Mauritius soon. She even gave me the number of a driving school to contact. We tried to explain that we are waiting to buy and automatic car for me and then I will begin to drive here, but she insisted that I needed to drive now, even if that meant learning to drive a manual transmission on what is to me, the opposite side of the road. (Now let me break here to explain that here, they drive on the left side of the road, and the steering wheel is on what we would consider the passengers side. This means that you have to shift gears with your left hand... Thus the complication with my driving currently.) We told her that we would consider it... :-)
Then she began to tell us about the neighbors that plagued her until my husband and I moved in. Evidently there was a man who lived where we do now who was loud and disruptive... In addition, the neighbor who used to live directly above her was a terror and now she's glad that the family of five lives there... Her biggest problem with the former tenant upstairs? She used to go to the toilet at night and flush it. Can you believe that??? My goodness... Call the prime minister.
After making our exit, my husband and I had to chuckle about our neighbor. She's a hoot. I just hope we don't tick her off, or we'll be in the stories she tells the next tenants.
Now on to the next part of my tale. On Sunday nights my husband and I have dinner at my in-laws house. His mom really likes to cook for us and it's a nice evening to relax and not have to worry about cooking or dishes. On our way home this past week, I noticed several men walking on the road with sticks and "torches" or flashlights. I finally asked my husband what was going on. "They are hunting hedgehogs", he replied. Right. Of course, why wouldn't they be hunting hedgehogs. As we continued the conversation, I learned that people catch the hedgehogs and then fatten them up to sell them for Easter. Evidently, that's what you have for Easter lunch here... Some nice hedgehog. I laughed and said that in America, we generally have ham. :-) He asked me if I wanted to try hedgehog this year, and I declined. I'm not quite ready for that...
Now, my final note for today's blog... Yesterday I was at the grocery store, and happened to walk down the soup aisle. I was looking for curry powder to use with vegetables so that I could make curried cauliflower for supper. Anywho, as I walked down the aisle, something caught my eye. When I looked again, I couldn't believe it was true. There, on the shelf, was a can of condensed cream of chicken soup. Naturally, I bought a can, even though I didn't need it for anything. I was just so excited to see it! Needless to say, that made my Monday.
Sometimes it's the little things...
Happy week everyone
Friday, March 19, 2010
Toleration...
Normally, my blogs are funny stories about things I have experienced living in different places, and I try to keep them light and keep my personal beliefs and worldview to a minimum, but today there's something on my mind. Allow me to share...
About a month ago, I wrote a blog commenting on the mix of religions and cultures that you find here in Mauritius. My comment at the time was that I was impressed at how everyone got along and respected one another, even if there wasn't agreement. Since then, my impression has been altered.
Monday evening, I was having dinner with a group of fellow Christians and heard some disturbing news. Over the weekend there had been a special series of meetings or concerts perhaps (I'm not technically sure which) featuring Johnny Lever. Johnny is a Bollywood star (movie star in India) who became a Christian and now uses his talents to share his experience with others.
During these meetings a group of individuals came and caused damage to some 65 cars of people in attendance. In addition, I believe 2 or 3 people were injured and had to be taken to the hospital.
Obviously, someone does not tolerate Christians...
On one hand this is disturbing and upsetting. On the other hand, it shouldn't come as a surprise and is encouraging. First, the disturbing hand. One can't help but feel badly for those who experienced a loss in this ordeal. Having a car is still a luxury for many Mauritians and to have it damaged can result in quite a loss. In addition, any time specific people are targeted for acts of violence it is disturbing.
But now to evaluate "the other hand"...
First, the Bible tells us that we should expect to have trials in tribulations, but it also tells us to take courage and to be encouraged by these things. John 16:33 says, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." In the preceeding chapter Jesus tells us (John 15:18-20), "If the world hates you, you konw that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, becuase of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my Word, they will keep yours also."
Second, this is an opportunity for the Christian community to come together and pray for those who are causing the trouble. I am praying that the Lord will be glorified through this and that it will cause people to be drawn to Him! As an example, my husband shared with me that there is a man in our church who used to belong to another religion. He was part of a devout organization associated with this religion and was sent to one of our churches meetings to cause disruption and disorder. Instead, that night, he gave his heart to Jesus and is now an active member of our church. What Satan means for evil, God can turn into good.
Third, this has gotten media attention and is bringing Christianity into "water cooler" conversation. It is providing Christians an opportunity to be recognized and share their faith because others are asking.
In the end, although this situation is unfortunate, it is also a blessing. To me it is a sign of things to come. I feel like the Lord is moving in the island and this incident is evidence that Satan is taking notice. Just like a nest of bees, vipors or other dangerous threats, it won't bother you, if you don't bother it. I say... Let's kick the vipers nest and shake things up. God is at work.
As I sit here and write this, I wonder... Why have we as Christians allowed ourselves to become so comfortable. Jesus tells us that the world will hate us. Do you feel hated? I have to say that sitting in the Bible belt of Missouri, I never felt more loved. I'm not saying this to make anyone feel guilty or make you feel like they need to be more removed from the world. I don't think that's what the Bible indicates either... But I wonder if we have allowed ourselves to be too comforable...
Just a thought for a random Friday afternoon.
About a month ago, I wrote a blog commenting on the mix of religions and cultures that you find here in Mauritius. My comment at the time was that I was impressed at how everyone got along and respected one another, even if there wasn't agreement. Since then, my impression has been altered.
Monday evening, I was having dinner with a group of fellow Christians and heard some disturbing news. Over the weekend there had been a special series of meetings or concerts perhaps (I'm not technically sure which) featuring Johnny Lever. Johnny is a Bollywood star (movie star in India) who became a Christian and now uses his talents to share his experience with others.
During these meetings a group of individuals came and caused damage to some 65 cars of people in attendance. In addition, I believe 2 or 3 people were injured and had to be taken to the hospital.
Obviously, someone does not tolerate Christians...
On one hand this is disturbing and upsetting. On the other hand, it shouldn't come as a surprise and is encouraging. First, the disturbing hand. One can't help but feel badly for those who experienced a loss in this ordeal. Having a car is still a luxury for many Mauritians and to have it damaged can result in quite a loss. In addition, any time specific people are targeted for acts of violence it is disturbing.
But now to evaluate "the other hand"...
First, the Bible tells us that we should expect to have trials in tribulations, but it also tells us to take courage and to be encouraged by these things. John 16:33 says, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." In the preceeding chapter Jesus tells us (John 15:18-20), "If the world hates you, you konw that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, becuase of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my Word, they will keep yours also."
Second, this is an opportunity for the Christian community to come together and pray for those who are causing the trouble. I am praying that the Lord will be glorified through this and that it will cause people to be drawn to Him! As an example, my husband shared with me that there is a man in our church who used to belong to another religion. He was part of a devout organization associated with this religion and was sent to one of our churches meetings to cause disruption and disorder. Instead, that night, he gave his heart to Jesus and is now an active member of our church. What Satan means for evil, God can turn into good.
Third, this has gotten media attention and is bringing Christianity into "water cooler" conversation. It is providing Christians an opportunity to be recognized and share their faith because others are asking.
In the end, although this situation is unfortunate, it is also a blessing. To me it is a sign of things to come. I feel like the Lord is moving in the island and this incident is evidence that Satan is taking notice. Just like a nest of bees, vipors or other dangerous threats, it won't bother you, if you don't bother it. I say... Let's kick the vipers nest and shake things up. God is at work.
As I sit here and write this, I wonder... Why have we as Christians allowed ourselves to become so comfortable. Jesus tells us that the world will hate us. Do you feel hated? I have to say that sitting in the Bible belt of Missouri, I never felt more loved. I'm not saying this to make anyone feel guilty or make you feel like they need to be more removed from the world. I don't think that's what the Bible indicates either... But I wonder if we have allowed ourselves to be too comforable...
Just a thought for a random Friday afternoon.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Two weeks
So, it's been two weeks since I have written anything new... Life has been busy and I have had limited connectivity.
Last week, I was in Birmingham, England for work. It was my first visit to Birmingham and I must admit that I like the town. There is a ton of shopping and a couple of my favorite restaurants. What more could a girl want? (I could have used a good hotel).
It was weird being back in England. On one hand it felt as though I was at home. I saw familiar stores and brands. Familiar items greeted me at the grocery store... On the other hand, Birmingham was a new place to me and I had to learn my way around... I had to remember that the people there spoke English and that they could understand me when I asked questions. :-)
Ironically, with all the familiarity that was waiting for me, I felt a little homesick for my island. Who would have ever thought? I certainly was surprised. I guess there is something in the unfamiliar that has become familiar to me... It's something I can't explain. Naturally, I understand that I was missing more than my home. I was also missing my companion. During my time away I realized how much I rely on my husband to help me navigate through the unfamiliar. Here in Mauritius what is unfamiliar to me is just "home" for him. I really appreciate that.
I don't have any interesting stories or experiences to share. Nothing really interesting happened... I worked, ate, and slept. The only notable things from this list are that I got to eat Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Wagamama.... Everything else was just so, so. I got blisters on my feet because there is a big difference between flip flops and high heels... I travelled for a total of 34 hours within a one week span.
That's about it... Hopefully this week will be more interesting.
Last week, I was in Birmingham, England for work. It was my first visit to Birmingham and I must admit that I like the town. There is a ton of shopping and a couple of my favorite restaurants. What more could a girl want? (I could have used a good hotel).
It was weird being back in England. On one hand it felt as though I was at home. I saw familiar stores and brands. Familiar items greeted me at the grocery store... On the other hand, Birmingham was a new place to me and I had to learn my way around... I had to remember that the people there spoke English and that they could understand me when I asked questions. :-)
Ironically, with all the familiarity that was waiting for me, I felt a little homesick for my island. Who would have ever thought? I certainly was surprised. I guess there is something in the unfamiliar that has become familiar to me... It's something I can't explain. Naturally, I understand that I was missing more than my home. I was also missing my companion. During my time away I realized how much I rely on my husband to help me navigate through the unfamiliar. Here in Mauritius what is unfamiliar to me is just "home" for him. I really appreciate that.
I don't have any interesting stories or experiences to share. Nothing really interesting happened... I worked, ate, and slept. The only notable things from this list are that I got to eat Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Wagamama.... Everything else was just so, so. I got blisters on my feet because there is a big difference between flip flops and high heels... I travelled for a total of 34 hours within a one week span.
That's about it... Hopefully this week will be more interesting.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Another weekend...
So... On Friday, I finally received the paperwork for my residency permit. For some reason I had to submit two passport size photos along with all of my paperwork. In return, I get a piece of paper saying that I can stay here. Oh wait, I forgot, it has a blue stamp that makes it official. I was expecting something a little more "official" than that... Along with that "official letter", I got another official document informing me that I have 14 days to register as an alien. This means that I have to go to the police station, give them 3 passport size pictures of myself and 12.10 Rupees. (About the equivalent of 37 cents) Once that is done, I'm able to live here. After 3 or 4 years (I can't remember) I can apply for citizenship as a citizens wife and live as a dual citizen both of America and Mauritius. So that's that.
On Saturday, Yvan and I went to Casela, nature reserve/animal park. It was one of the most put together tourist venues I have been to on the island. I was actually kind of impressed. In fact, I'd even like to go back sometime... One of the cool experiences was the mini safari. I actually got to pet zebras and an antelope. In addition, we got to see wallabies, and a chicken with socks on... at least that's how it looks. :-) We had a really great time on our little outing...
Last night, we were supposed to have dinner with the in-laws and some cousins. Everyone was told to arrive at my in-laws house at 18:00 (6 pm). My hubby and I arrived at 6:05 and thanks to island time, we were not late. In fact, the next guests arrived at 6:15. I think that this is still acceptable for islanders. Unfortunately, the last guests didn't arrive until 8:45. No joke. That's nearly 3 hours late! In the mean time, I was sweating to death and being offered as a human sacrifice to the mosquitoes. Finally, when everyone arrived, we left for the restaurant we were meant to eat at. Our original reservation was at 7, we arrived at 9. Luckily, they set a table for us and served us our meal...
We finally rolled home a little after 11 and headed straight for bed. When you get up at 4:45 am, you don't stay up late...
Once again, I find myself with a sigh and a smile recalling the events of another weekend. Perhaps eventually I will get used to island time. Perhaps some day the bugs will stop eating me like candy. But whether or not these things happen, one thing is for certain. I will be registered as an alien, and an alien I will be.
On Saturday, Yvan and I went to Casela, nature reserve/animal park. It was one of the most put together tourist venues I have been to on the island. I was actually kind of impressed. In fact, I'd even like to go back sometime... One of the cool experiences was the mini safari. I actually got to pet zebras and an antelope. In addition, we got to see wallabies, and a chicken with socks on... at least that's how it looks. :-) We had a really great time on our little outing...
Last night, we were supposed to have dinner with the in-laws and some cousins. Everyone was told to arrive at my in-laws house at 18:00 (6 pm). My hubby and I arrived at 6:05 and thanks to island time, we were not late. In fact, the next guests arrived at 6:15. I think that this is still acceptable for islanders. Unfortunately, the last guests didn't arrive until 8:45. No joke. That's nearly 3 hours late! In the mean time, I was sweating to death and being offered as a human sacrifice to the mosquitoes. Finally, when everyone arrived, we left for the restaurant we were meant to eat at. Our original reservation was at 7, we arrived at 9. Luckily, they set a table for us and served us our meal...
We finally rolled home a little after 11 and headed straight for bed. When you get up at 4:45 am, you don't stay up late...
Once again, I find myself with a sigh and a smile recalling the events of another weekend. Perhaps eventually I will get used to island time. Perhaps some day the bugs will stop eating me like candy. But whether or not these things happen, one thing is for certain. I will be registered as an alien, and an alien I will be.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Only in Mauritius...
This weekend I had several experiences that left me shaking my head and smiling. After all, what else can you do?
First, I joined my wonderful husband on a night out with his work colleagues. We went to a restaurant in the town of Flacq called, "Chez Manuel". Judging by the name, you would perhaps guess that this would be European cuisine... more specifically French, right? Not a chance. Only in Mauritius will you find a restaurant called Chez Manuel, where the cuisine is actually Chinese... Now, not only is this a Chinese restaurant with an odd name, it is also not completely traditional. It's kind of a Creole/Chinese. I must say it is quite tasty... Especially the house specialty, curried octopus. Yum!
My next experience was on Saturday at the town center. My husband and I were out looking for a much needed umbrella for myself as well as a water purifier to have in our home. While we were shopping we heard really loud popping sounds... My husband didn't react at all. I, however, was ready to take cover. Turns out, Chinese New Year celebrations were in continuation... Now, I am not naive enough to believe this is only in Mauritius, so I'll exclude this one, but there in the middle of city center, there was a group of young people performing with a Chinese Dragon. They were going from one Chinese business to the next doing the dragon dance along with the drums and cymbals. But don't forget the fireworks. They were lighting live fireworks both inside and outside the business to blow away the devils and bring prosperity and blessings for the new year. I wish I had my camera for this. It was really intriguing for me to watch. My husband wasn't as enthralled as I was, but this wasn't his first Chinese Dragon spotting. :-)
The next, and possibly most head shaking event took place on Sunday. Now, the following is downright Mauritian to it's core and it still brings a chuckle to me... My husband and I were invited to an engagement party to take place in Sunday afternoon. The invitation said the party would be from 1630-2100. (4:30 pm - 9:00 pm) The location was a beach house in the town of Flic and Flacq, not to be confused with just Flacq. They are on opposite coasts. Anyway... My husband called and asked about the dress code for this occasion. Being that the event was at a beach house, I would think, casual attire is okay. You maybe went down to the beach and had a swim before coming, etc. Not so. This was a "smart" party. Ladies in dresses, men in button up shirts and trousers. Okay, fair enough. So we get to this party at 5:00 and we are feeling a little bad for being late. But what were we thinking? This is Mauritius right? When we arrived we were told to stay in the cars with the air conditioners on because we were still waiting for the girls family to arrive. (And it was HOT) We obligingly stayed in the car until it became clear that nearly everyone had arrived. Everyone except the pastor and uncle of the young man to be engaged. Because he was performing the engagement, we had to wait for him... Finally, he arrived and the party was ready to start. We all went into the house (which was about 150 degrees) and witnessed the engagement of this young couple, and then quickly made our way outside to wait for dinner. We all took our places at our tables of choice and they began serving appetizers. So far, things were looking good. That is, until the rain. That's right. In the middle of the party, it started to rain. So, we all scrambled back to the house for cover. Never the less, the party must go on. So, the quick thinking caterer had his people carry the tables into the house and he left the chairs to sit in the rain. About 15 minutes later, the chair throwing began. I wish I had my camera for this too, it was quite entertaining. The waiters on the ground began throwing chairs up to the second floor balcony so that we could be seated upstairs and wait for dinner. The chair throwing was done with great skill and nobody got hurt. Excellent. Time passed by and so did trays of appetizers. Everything from little chicken bites to fish bites to hunks of beef cut up and served on a platter. There we sat, hot, wet and waiting. Now, don't get me wrong, we weren't really in bad spirits about this. It's Mauritius and this sort of thing is to be expected... Eventually, it stopped raining and my husband and I decided to take a walk to the car just to get some fresh air. When we came back the chair throwing began in reverse. This time, they were dropping chairs from upstairs back downstairs to reset the tables. I have to give it to the caterers and staff. They kept the ball rolling and everything went well considering the circumstances. In the end, we all did eat a nice dinner and I think everyone had a reasonably good time. But I couldn't help thinking to myself... Only in Mauritius. :-)
It seems that the longer I live here the more I become familiar with the quirky things that take place. I recognize that comfort isn't always at the top of the list. Sometimes this means sweating your butt off while wearing a dress and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. Sometimes this means walking in the rain all the way too and from the grocery store so that you can have bacon for your Valentine's breakfast. Sometimes this means getting to said grocery store only to find out that they are completely out of the ingredients you were hoping to buy. But all of these things just make you smile and shake your head... Feels like home.
First, I joined my wonderful husband on a night out with his work colleagues. We went to a restaurant in the town of Flacq called, "Chez Manuel". Judging by the name, you would perhaps guess that this would be European cuisine... more specifically French, right? Not a chance. Only in Mauritius will you find a restaurant called Chez Manuel, where the cuisine is actually Chinese... Now, not only is this a Chinese restaurant with an odd name, it is also not completely traditional. It's kind of a Creole/Chinese. I must say it is quite tasty... Especially the house specialty, curried octopus. Yum!
My next experience was on Saturday at the town center. My husband and I were out looking for a much needed umbrella for myself as well as a water purifier to have in our home. While we were shopping we heard really loud popping sounds... My husband didn't react at all. I, however, was ready to take cover. Turns out, Chinese New Year celebrations were in continuation... Now, I am not naive enough to believe this is only in Mauritius, so I'll exclude this one, but there in the middle of city center, there was a group of young people performing with a Chinese Dragon. They were going from one Chinese business to the next doing the dragon dance along with the drums and cymbals. But don't forget the fireworks. They were lighting live fireworks both inside and outside the business to blow away the devils and bring prosperity and blessings for the new year. I wish I had my camera for this. It was really intriguing for me to watch. My husband wasn't as enthralled as I was, but this wasn't his first Chinese Dragon spotting. :-)
The next, and possibly most head shaking event took place on Sunday. Now, the following is downright Mauritian to it's core and it still brings a chuckle to me... My husband and I were invited to an engagement party to take place in Sunday afternoon. The invitation said the party would be from 1630-2100. (4:30 pm - 9:00 pm) The location was a beach house in the town of Flic and Flacq, not to be confused with just Flacq. They are on opposite coasts. Anyway... My husband called and asked about the dress code for this occasion. Being that the event was at a beach house, I would think, casual attire is okay. You maybe went down to the beach and had a swim before coming, etc. Not so. This was a "smart" party. Ladies in dresses, men in button up shirts and trousers. Okay, fair enough. So we get to this party at 5:00 and we are feeling a little bad for being late. But what were we thinking? This is Mauritius right? When we arrived we were told to stay in the cars with the air conditioners on because we were still waiting for the girls family to arrive. (And it was HOT) We obligingly stayed in the car until it became clear that nearly everyone had arrived. Everyone except the pastor and uncle of the young man to be engaged. Because he was performing the engagement, we had to wait for him... Finally, he arrived and the party was ready to start. We all went into the house (which was about 150 degrees) and witnessed the engagement of this young couple, and then quickly made our way outside to wait for dinner. We all took our places at our tables of choice and they began serving appetizers. So far, things were looking good. That is, until the rain. That's right. In the middle of the party, it started to rain. So, we all scrambled back to the house for cover. Never the less, the party must go on. So, the quick thinking caterer had his people carry the tables into the house and he left the chairs to sit in the rain. About 15 minutes later, the chair throwing began. I wish I had my camera for this too, it was quite entertaining. The waiters on the ground began throwing chairs up to the second floor balcony so that we could be seated upstairs and wait for dinner. The chair throwing was done with great skill and nobody got hurt. Excellent. Time passed by and so did trays of appetizers. Everything from little chicken bites to fish bites to hunks of beef cut up and served on a platter. There we sat, hot, wet and waiting. Now, don't get me wrong, we weren't really in bad spirits about this. It's Mauritius and this sort of thing is to be expected... Eventually, it stopped raining and my husband and I decided to take a walk to the car just to get some fresh air. When we came back the chair throwing began in reverse. This time, they were dropping chairs from upstairs back downstairs to reset the tables. I have to give it to the caterers and staff. They kept the ball rolling and everything went well considering the circumstances. In the end, we all did eat a nice dinner and I think everyone had a reasonably good time. But I couldn't help thinking to myself... Only in Mauritius. :-)
It seems that the longer I live here the more I become familiar with the quirky things that take place. I recognize that comfort isn't always at the top of the list. Sometimes this means sweating your butt off while wearing a dress and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. Sometimes this means walking in the rain all the way too and from the grocery store so that you can have bacon for your Valentine's breakfast. Sometimes this means getting to said grocery store only to find out that they are completely out of the ingredients you were hoping to buy. But all of these things just make you smile and shake your head... Feels like home.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
A holiday weekend
This weekend two holidays were observed in Mauritius... Friday was a Hindu holiday honoring another one of their gods. Interstingly with this holiday, the Hindu people make a pilgrimage to Grand Bassin here in Mauritius. It is believed that this body of water is holy, like the water in the Ghanges river. So, they all make their pilgrimage to this place and collect water that they will pour out on their god when they return from their pilgrimage. Many of them travel in groups and some carry floats with representations of their gods. Some crash symbols or play music. Some they chant as they go. Many of them travel by foot and if you live here you will notice more police on the roads monitoring traffic, etc in order to keep people safe. Living where I do, I got to hear and see many of these pilgrims as they passed by.
Sunday marked the Chinese New Year, another official holiday here in Mauritius. I heard several neighbors shoot off their fireworks at midnight with hopes to rid their homes of evil spirits and bring them prosperity in the year.
I don't really have any great stories or experiences to share regarding these things, they are just more observations that I am making as I go along.
Sunday marked the Chinese New Year, another official holiday here in Mauritius. I heard several neighbors shoot off their fireworks at midnight with hopes to rid their homes of evil spirits and bring them prosperity in the year.
I don't really have any great stories or experiences to share regarding these things, they are just more observations that I am making as I go along.
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