I was fortunate enough to be put in the small boats class on the first day interpreting. Before I knew it, the class of Gabonese sailors and I had donned our life vests and were headed out to sea with the US navy!
First things first, though, as we needed to climb down a dangling rope ladder (to the right in the picture) to get into the boat we'd be learning to drive. I did my best to put on a face that said "this is
sooooo old hat" and climbed down with feigned ease right behind the US instructor. Nobody laughed at me so I let myself believe I had pulled it off like a pro.
The instructors pulled the boats out from the dock while the Gabonese students and I prepared mentally for our first lesson. Although I've been told many African people are quite smiley, I can tell you that this is decidedly not the case with the Gabonese. Their constant poker faces throughout the week made many of the instructors wonder if they were enjoying themselves at all. The Americans quickly taught the Gabonese how to
high five and what it meant (which I interpreted as best I could as "cinq dans l'air") so that as each sailor left his position driving the boat he could at least high five the instructor, proving in some small way that he was indeed having fun.
The instructors were all very outgoing and lively, appearing to be genuinely enjoying their job. This is Jason Dean on the right here in the picture below, a nice fella who said "
New Hampshire?! Jeeeeeeesh, that's a place you just
never hear about" when I told him where I had grown up. Must say I feel quite the same about Missouri (of all the places to be from!), which he pronounces Mizurrah, of course. After many long talks, though, Jason was able to convince me that his state is one that just may be worth my visiting one day. Who knew?
And here is Christal, the kick-butt female boat-maneuvering instructor. Her presence incited numerous questions among the Gabonese sailors for me to interpret for her, including "How old are you?" "Are you married?" "Do you have kids?" and "Why did you join the military?". I won't give you the answers here as it may embarrass her, but I must say she was awfully patient, giving honest answers to everything, albeit with a hint of a blush once in a while.
After a while out at sea we pulled up next to one of the security boats for a chat. Christal told me when not teaching these classes she often works shifts on one of these boats.
This guy was my favorite student. He was a "ship rider" from Cameroon and had this exact smile pasted on his face the whole week. I guess he felt as lucky as I did to be learning to drive a small military boat! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!
We spent the whole day out at sea (save a break for some mystery meat back on board the ship), with the whole class encouraging me to try out all the moves too. We've since learned that the ship and crew will be back in March, and I can't wait to do this all over again!
First things first, though, as we needed to climb down a dangling rope ladder (to the right in the picture) to get into the boat we'd be learning to drive. I did my best to put on a face that said "this is sooooo old hat" and climbed down with feigned ease right behind the US instructor. Nobody laughed at me so I let myself believe I had pulled it off like a pro.
The instructors pulled the boats out from the dock while the Gabonese students and I prepared mentally for our first lesson. Although I've been told many African people are quite smiley, I can tell you that this is decidedly not the case with the Gabonese. Their constant poker faces throughout the week made many of the instructors wonder if they were enjoying themselves at all. The Americans quickly taught the Gabonese how to high five and what it meant (which I interpreted as best I could as "cinq dans l'air") so that as each sailor left his position driving the boat he could at least high five the instructor, proving in some small way that he was indeed having fun.
The instructors were all very outgoing and lively, appearing to be genuinely enjoying their job. This is Jason Dean on the right here in the picture below, a nice fella who said "New Hampshire?! Jeeeeeeesh, that's a place you just never hear about" when I told him where I had grown up. Must say I feel quite the same about Missouri (of all the places to be from!), which he pronounces Mizurrah, of course. After many long talks, though, Jason was able to convince me that his state is one that just may be worth my visiting one day. Who knew?
And here is Christal, the kick-butt female boat-maneuvering instructor. Her presence incited numerous questions among the Gabonese sailors for me to interpret for her, including "How old are you?" "Are you married?" "Do you have kids?" and "Why did you join the military?". I won't give you the answers here as it may embarrass her, but I must say she was awfully patient, giving honest answers to everything, albeit with a hint of a blush once in a while.
After a while out at sea we pulled up next to one of the security boats for a chat. Christal told me when not teaching these classes she often works shifts on one of these boats.
This guy was my favorite student. He was a "ship rider" from Cameroon and had this exact smile pasted on his face the whole week. I guess he felt as lucky as I did to be learning to drive a small military boat! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!
We spent the whole day out at sea (save a break for some mystery meat back on board the ship), with the whole class encouraging me to try out all the moves too. We've since learned that the ship and crew will be back in March, and I can't wait to do this all over again!
