AFRICAN ADVENTURE DAY 2: MONDAY 28TH NOVEMBER 19.49 GMT (22.49 Kenya time)
Day 2 started with Breakfast at 7.30am and just a plate of fruit for me!
8am we met Mary from the British Council in Kenya who took us to meet her colleagues in the British Council offices just down the road from our Hotel. Lots of London 2012 posters and banners on display!!
After a meeting with British Council staff to finalise the programme it was a short walk across to The Upper Hill School to meet the delegates on the training. The Upper Hills school is a Government funded school that happens to be a boarding school in the business district of Nairobi (which does have boarders – whom are on school holidays at the moment, however staff are in marking exams!!)
At 10am we started to meet the 25 course delegates who were more than welcoming. At 11am we started the course (having had to adapt our plan straight away as our equipment was “STILL” in customs.
Our day covered, “getting to know you and what you’d like from the training sessions” which I led, followed by how to organise leagues, festivals and competitions. We then covered a session on the Cardiff City Supporters Trust followed by a football match!
The football match was amazing! We played on a VERY VERY wet, boggy and marshland rugby pitch (with no cones or equipment available to mark out a playing area) and no bibs available to determine the teams. It was soon sorted out that those in black and blue shirts would play those in bright colours. A lady delegate on the course - who happens to be a referee - took to the field, donning a lovely pink skirt. She managed the game very well – even if she did call me off side a number of times!
The match was hilarious, especially as people hadn’t brought practical kit or clothing so were playing in their trousers and shoes! It was like playing on a skating rink, so slippy and slidy. It really was just what was needed after a heavy day in the classroom! The mud wouldn’t even come off with a good scrub in the shower!
It’s been a good day, the delegates on the course are very welcoming and engaging and it really does feel like I have known them for more than a day already! I am looking forward to tomorrow.
It’s now 11pm so I am off to bed ready for my 7am breakfast and our meeting with one of the Ministry departments tomorrow at 8am.
