So what do you do with 18 young people stranded in Sierra Leone because Brussels Airlines decided to cancel their flight home? Be brave and take them to another market… so we did! Of course we never really expected to depart at 10:30, by now we are all well accustomed to Salonean time, and so pupils drifted around 11 am to meet…which was still a good 15 minutes before our van arrived! Then we ventured one more time into Freetown city centre. We were making comparatively good time, until we got stopped by the police, again! It turns out that one of our vans, hired from out of town, had not got the “right” licence to drive in town, and they did not like his photocopied driving licence… but nothing that a 20 Leones note, 30 minutes of argument, and a call to the chief of police, who happens to play in the brass band at Ballanta, could not solve!
Victoria Market is a vibrant and buzzing open market, with stalls along the streets leading to the old play park built in honour of Queen Victoria- the entrance is grand with 2 lions flanking the once impressive gate. Our pupils fell naturally, a bit too naturally maybe, into haggling mode and showed off proudly the numerous bracelets and jewellery they bought for next to nothing… some of the boys were more adventurous and bought lovely African trousers… you may not recognise your own child! Whilst our pupils were busy buying, teachers were busy milling around and chatting with a few of the food vendors, showing off photos of their own child ( Mr Coward) when chatting with a young mother and her little girl, Fatima, who was quite happily walking around and smiling at us.
Then, we treated pupils to a lovely, if hot, stroll on the beach to the Golf club, our final destination for our evening meal- the tide was coming in, and it was a game of dodge the water…at which, clearly, some of us are better than others! It was a lovely walk with the sun setting behind us, and for an hour it really felt like a holiday.
Our meal at the golf club was again delicious, and we topped up the evening with an ice cream at the renowned Gigibonda, an Italian- Sierra Leonean partnership, before strolling back along the road.
We got stopped by the police, asking us if we were alright, where we were going…as clearly 22 “whities” on the shore is not a common occurrence.
As the day draws to a close, I am filled with some sadness at not being able to travel all together tomorrow, but pleased to have been able to share with these young people the joy and warmth of Sierra Leone, hoping that this love they have developed for its people will stay with them forever. Once you have experienced it, it is hard to forget Salone as they call it here.
Tomorrow, we lose half the group! I feel a little like this Teddy… abandoned and left behind! Wishing them all a safe journey home and onwards!
JDA
