For those of you who don't know swahili~'Rafiki' means 'Friend'! So instead of calling our new house the volunteer house, I decided the "Rafiki House" was much more fitting & a fun name. This is where the 'friends' of Karim Orphanage will stay when they come and visit. In spite of the horrible weather we are having here, rain every day and down pours at night, the workers showed up the day after I got here and have shown up every day since. The road is so
bad the have to walk and getting the materials here was almost impossible but they made it happen for Mama Linda. I must be a tough boss! or they just love me! It is a good thing I am here to inspect everything, everyday because they like to cut corners or just do it their way and not my way. After all, I am an "Mzungu" swahili for white person and what the heck do I know. They also know, I do not like to be called 'mzungu'! Every worker around here calls me "Mama"! Yes , Mama; No Mama; OK Mama; Good morning Mama; See you tomorrow Mama! I quite like it. Anyway, I was checking out the progress the other day and noticed the washroom looked a bit small and not the size I had it on the drawings. So I got out my tape measure, from Canadian Tire, and started measuring. All 12 workers immediately stopped working and watched me. Do I dare 
tell them that this bathroom is half the size I wanted it? That it only has room for a single sink and a toilet? where is the shower? I dont want to get anyone of them angry because I could end up at the bottom of the water well I am standing beside. So, I looked at the contractor, Asheelli, and called him " Fundi njo, tafadahli." Swahili for "Contractor come here please". Took a deep breath and pointed out the problem. He said "hakuna matata, Mama" ! No problem, Mama! "I will fix". Well, that was pretty easy, I didn't get thrown down the hole, no yelling & screaming and now we will have a shower. I thanked him, took a few pictures and went on my way. As I was walking away, I was wondering if they were all shaking their heads or fists at me saying "Stupid Mzungu Mama"!
TIA (This Is Africa)
bad the have to walk and getting the materials here was almost impossible but they made it happen for Mama Linda. I must be a tough boss! or they just love me! It is a good thing I am here to inspect everything, everyday because they like to cut corners or just do it their way and not my way. After all, I am an "Mzungu" swahili for white person and what the heck do I know. They also know, I do not like to be called 'mzungu'! Every worker around here calls me "Mama"! Yes , Mama; No Mama; OK Mama; Good morning Mama; See you tomorrow Mama! I quite like it. Anyway, I was checking out the progress the other day and noticed the washroom looked a bit small and not the size I had it on the drawings. So I got out my tape measure, from Canadian Tire, and started measuring. All 12 workers immediately stopped working and watched me. Do I dare 
tell them that this bathroom is half the size I wanted it? That it only has room for a single sink and a toilet? where is the shower? I dont want to get anyone of them angry because I could end up at the bottom of the water well I am standing beside. So, I looked at the contractor, Asheelli, and called him " Fundi njo, tafadahli." Swahili for "Contractor come here please". Took a deep breath and pointed out the problem. He said "hakuna matata, Mama" ! No problem, Mama! "I will fix". Well, that was pretty easy, I didn't get thrown down the hole, no yelling & screaming and now we will have a shower. I thanked him, took a few pictures and went on my way. As I was walking away, I was wondering if they were all shaking their heads or fists at me saying "Stupid Mzungu Mama"!Mama Linda
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