The Cast

Okay, as promised, here is some of the lowdown on who's who in my zoo since I have arrived almost 6 weeks ago. 6 weeks? Oh. My. Gosh.

Mac, Mr. Mac, Malcolm, General Manager, Crazy English Man

A 31 yr old who found himself here after being lost and slightly confused as to all that life holds while living in a cold and dreary English town. His sister is good friends with Raf and Cisca (the owners, remember?) so an arrangement was made for him to do a divemaster internship here. A series of events led to him taking over the GM position 18 months ago and the DM internship fell to the wayside. A smoking, drinking, charismatic (when he wants to be) and admittedly moody boy who is living a solitary life running the show when the owners are away, and most often even when they are here. Mac has the lovely reputation of "shagging anything with a heartbeat" and was given a stern warning "not to shag the English teacher for at least 4 - 5 months" before I arrived. Despite me insisting to Raf that I do have my own brain and maybe, just maybe the ability to resist any level of charm, Raf seems to believe that all women who enter this compound eventually fall prey to this dear boy. Mac and I have an understanding... this will not happen. I've seen him charm the pants (literally) off of people and I've seen him at his moody worst; the only relationship that has or will develop is me playing wingman to his future endeavours. I know to never speak to him in the morning unless he speaks to me first, and it's usually after he's had a coffee or two. I know that my chattiness annoys the hell out of him but secretly, he'd be worried that something was wrong if all of a sudden it stopped. I've seen him work his magic with new guests and old, males and females, as he shares stories, some tasteful, some not, but always endearing. He is very good at his job.

I worry a bit as he continues to appear stressed quite often, but he talks of being MUCH more relaxed than he has ever been. Attempting to deal with money issues, when there is never any money, getting staff to complete jobs that they often have no interest in completing, and sorting out the politics of running a white business in an African country must be exhausting. All the while, I think he feels rather lonely. In his defense, he is on his own here. If he "connects" with a long term guest, a diving student, or a random traveller, it's no different than the soap operas that would happen at home in the bars. It's just that here, there is no privacy, absolutely no privacy, so Mac's escapades are open, public domain. He knows this and has a great sense of humour about it. And we continue to have our understanding that darling, that line for us, will never be crossed. Despite all outward appearances, apparently should the situation call for it, he could quite capably beat someone to within an inch of their life. A good ally and a great next door neighbour to have should I find another shadow monster in my room anytime in the future.

Maxine & Bertha, Max & B, Instructor and DiveMaster Trainee

Max and B are the lovely and very young engaged lesbian South African couple who kindly let me take over their room when I was too afraid to return to mine that first gruesome week of January. Since I've moved up into the "staff quarters", our duplex shares a wall. This wall, as all walls here with the thatched rooves, are open a good 2 feet from the tops of the walls to the overhanging thatched bits. We can shout back and forth to each other if there's ever a concern about who is where or who needs what or who is next for the shower as we three girls and Mac all share an outside bathroom. Running water but yeah, pretty ick. It's like camping, but long term. There is no comfort here, my dears. Anyway!

Max has been an instructor for quite some time and without doubt one of the most skilled and mature 21 year olds I have ever seen. Guest after guest comments on how good she is in and out of the water and all are shocked to hear she is only 21. She is naturally relaxed and laid back both on land and under the sea; no matter what situation is thrown at her, she seems to handle it without missing a beat. A very impressive girl indeed.

Her fiancee... financee? fiance? how does it work here? I'll have to ask them tomorrow, I'm not sure who's who on this one. Okay, yeah, anyway... B is 22 yrs old and doing her divemaster training course. B is a very shy girl who talks openly with me but shared during one of my first days here that she doesn't like to talk and doesn't think that will ever change. It appears that she has made some pretty significant life changes by coming to join Max here on the island and socializing is not one of her comfort zones at this point. In addition to being painfully shy at times, she is struggling with numerous health issues. I'm not sure of all of the details for all of her conditions but the DM course and the work load have been both physically and mentally challenging for her. Several times she has had some emotional breakdowns and been close to just closing up shop, but for now she soldiers on. Sadly, I don't think there has been a day that I have been here where she hasn't been suffering with some kind of medical or emotional concern. It's tough on a healthy body, when I remember the demands of my DMT course, so an unwell one, yikes. Not good. In addtion to the medical concerns, there is a significant personality conflict with the other instructor who is here, and that adds to the stress of the situation. The relationship between Max and B appears rocky at times, but I think considering the weight of living, working, and learning together 24 / 7, they are doing better than most. I feel badly that I have little else to offer her other than a listening ear and encouraging words from time to time but she and Max seem to have the support system thing worked out pretty darn good. Max and the other instructor are sharing the teaching for the DMT course. That leads me to...


Brendan, biker dude, cool guy, dive instructor, Kiwi

Brendan arrived on the island a week and a bit after I did. He has been in Africa for quite some time, initially travelling by bicycle and then by motorbike. He has stopped here to work as a dive instructor in efforts to make money to further fund his African travels. I'm not sure how long he plans to stay, maybe another month? Again, I'll have to ask tomorrow. I just realized that I'm the only one down here, all by myself, everyone else has returned to their rooms. Ummm... I'm outta here! No dark, scary encounters for me, thank you very much! I'll do some more writing in my room.

Okay, I'm back. Sorry about that.

So Brendan. Hmmm... I think he's still trying to find his place here. He arrived as an instuctor, but Maxine has been the resident instructor for some time and one of his students is Max's fiancee, B. I can't help but think that it makes for a somewhat difficult situation. That and the fact that he turned 30 mere days after his arrival. GULP! The big 3-0! He did his instructor training very near where I did my DM course, so it was nice to be able to share some stories about common dive sites and dive folk that we had met along the way. Brendan is a teacher back in NZ and seems very passionate about teaching the wonders of science to all the teenagers he can find. His travels appear to be about experiencing the real deal, not the tourist package, and he struggles with anything main stream. Case in point... when Brendan arrived here, he was in need of some pretty serious medical attention. He had some good sized gaping wounds from an earlier motorbike accident that were simply not healing and he had unknowingly offered refuge to some kind of worm that was slowly winding a path up and through the top of his foot. Makes me gag just thinking about it. Barefoot, barefoot, barefoot - he wants African barefoot tough skin on his feet. Hey dumbass... you're not African. He and I had this conversation, by the way. Anyway, R & C were kind enough to surprise him with a genuine pair of knock off imitation Croc sandals to try to help the healing process along as he didn't own flipflops and his only pair of shoes are heavy black skater shoes. Not ideal for beach life. On principal alone, despite gaping sores and worm tracks in his foot, he could not bring himself to wear the Crocs. THAT is Brendan. (btw... I promptly went out and bought my own pair of genuine knock off imitation Crocs and I freaking love them!) So yeah, he's the motorbike riding, sleep on the side of the road, see it for what it really is, guitar playing, a little bit moody but not nearly as much as when he was raging with infections, guy's guy who likes to take it easy man. He can be superbly entertaining in his story telling abilities or deeply reflective when the moment is upon him. In addition to the personality conflicts with one student, there is a romantic on again off again history with his other student...


Rachel, dancing queen, DiveMaster Trainee

Rachel arrived here a week after I did, a few days before Brendan, and is completing her DM course alongside B. She's French, working in Ireland, of Indian descent, and is currently rounding out the end of her year around the world trip here at Swahili Divers. Rachel is a very affectionate, animated, flirty, energetic 32 yr old girl who insists that she is cynical when it comes to love but is more about love than most. She and Brendan had a strange kind of brief romantic interlude somewhere on Zanzibar before they both arrived here. I don't think that they had arranged to both come here to be together, but it was a topic of conversation between the two of them and yes, there has been some drama once they both realized that this place was to be home for a number of weeks. First it was the initially awkward, okay we kinda made out in Zanzibar and now we're here, are we a couple?, let's try it out and see how it feels, oh it's kinda awkward teaching / learning from a kinda relationship partner, let's back off and not talk to each other but maybe secretly pine for each other but treat each badly because communication skills are not top priority and who wants to really bring it up ... oh... good... GAWD!!! As an outsider, to watch this, it was simply painful. And the funny thing was, both thought nobody really noticed. Really guys? REALLY??? So this went back and forth for some time, Rachel chatted with me about various concerns, thoughts, and situations, and bottom line is, they have talked, they have cleared the air, and although both of them don't know whether or not they are in a relationship, a friendship, or are simply enjoying the occassional cuddle session, they have rekindled their kindness towards each other and that is the most important thing. Rachel is full of life as she chats away in the most flirtatious of ways to any and everyone, sexuality oozing from every pore. I'm quite envious of her self-confidence and have told her this many times. She's a sensitive girl who tries hard to pretend that she's not and I worry a little about her potential for a broken heart. A very fun girl who acknowledges how naive she can be, surprisingly so sometimes, but thoroughly seems to be enjoying her life. Thoroughly.

Some of the best moments so far have been the four of us girls out on the kayaks or goofing around in the pool, scuba gear or not, just chatting and laughing and blowing off steam. When all four of us seem to catch each other in the same frame of mind, it is SUCH good fun.

And finally there is Anya.

Anya just arrived day before yesterday. A 19 yr old American girl who came under the strangest of circumstances. A friend of Raf's, a retired US military guy who now heads the UN security advisory in Dar es Salaam met this girl in a bar one night and contacted Mac saying that she was going through some "issues" and needed to get away. An arrangement was made that she was to come here and help out around the hotel for 6 - 8 weeks while she sorted her life out. Ummm... wtf? At 19, she needs to sort her life out? Okay. We all have our suspicions but they will be kept as such until more info can be provided. She is American, literally did the rock star hand gesture when she said she was from Boston, MA, and appears a little uncomfortable being here, but who wasn't uncomfortable at 19?! Seriously. I've yet to have had a chance to really chat with her to get the rest of the story, but that is definitely on my to do list. A bit of a strange mix to the already ragtag bunch of us, but come on now, it just seems to fit, doesn't it?

And that makes 7. Magical number really. With the exception of Brendan and Anya, my counselling skills have remained sharp, I've been told. Everyone is funny as they preface their chats with "I'm not complaining but..." and then they release whatever is the most recent bee in their bonnet. What I keep trying to tell them is who cares if you're complaining?! Complain away! We're on a tiny little island within a tiny little dive resort in the middle of freaking NOWHERE - everyone has the right to complain. I can just imagine what they have to say about me! Annoying old bat.


Bahahahaha! A teeny tiny super cute frog just landed with a solid, squishy splat on the desk across my room. I just went over to check if he's okay but I have no idea where he could have fallen from! He must have been in my roof. Unreal. Thank goodness for mosquito nets - I can only imagine what would land on my forehead or in my mouth should that barrier be suddenly gone. I'm watching this little guy peer over the edge of the desk at the floor a million miles below as he contemplates the drop off and if it's really worth it. Ahhhh... I love it.

So that's my zoo and I need to go to bed. Tomorrow I will update you on a few of our more memorable guests. Good-NESS I am one dumb, sheltered, boring girl. It's quite sad how little I've actually done now that my life has been put into perspective over here. But yes, the self-deprecating comments can be saved until tomorrow. I continue to trust in my universe, no matter where I may go. Sleep well all. xoxo