On Friday, December 1st, we had a Pikkujoulu (little christmas) party in Shangani housing project. We invited our friends along to join in the fun. The party was organised by the 3,5 Finns that are now with SDA, I include myself as the half Finn. The day was spent getting ingredients for the evening. We had divided the tasks up between ourselves to make the job easier. After a trip to the local market to buy the food and other items we where ready to begin.
In the afternoon the girls along with Mama Champion prepared the Pilau for the main dish of the day along with salad, popcorn and annukka's chocolate cake which she had prepared in the morning. Some of the guests took along a dish also for the dessert which we also enjoyed. As arranged before hand all of us had to take along one gift wrapped present not worth more than 1000TSh.
While the girls where making Pilau I was preparing the music for the evening, getting the seating arrangements ready and of course making sure the Sauna last hot. The party was due to start at 5 but of course it never does here, but surprisingly Kanda and Gervas (a.k.a Michael – as he drives so fast) where the first ones to arrive and helped with the arrangements.
After some time the rest of the guests arrived in total we had 15 which included two new students from Holland who had just arrived in Mtwara. With the music playing and the sodas cooling in the fridge everyone found a seat to relax and chat. After some time the girls where the first ones to brave the Sauna and away they went while the men sat taking about men things! The girls returned after some time cooling down on the benches whilst drinking. Time passed and it was ready for the men to enter the sauna and give it some seroius löylyy!Being the honorary Finn for the evening I took it upon myself to show them what Finnish people are like in saunas in finland when they know a foreigner is present... not a pretty site, as we had two sauna virgins with us. When we couldn't take the heat anymore a dip in the pool was needed although it hardly helped as it was quite warm. Anyway it gave us an excuse to make funny splashes in the pool another trip to the sauna followed by a dip in the pool marked the end of the sauna for everyone. All refreshed and ready for food.
The pilau was delicious as was the chocolate cake. We had so much food made that not all was eaten in the end. It was then time for Santa to come and give all the presents with the guests had taken with them. Somehow it was decided between the 3 Finns that I would be the Santa for the night, and that was that. Although Santa looked more like Osama Bin Laden with a Turpin on my head, red fabric for my coat and using Annukka's hair extensions as my bear, you couldn't tell what I was trying to be! Fortunately the ho ho hoes gave it away ; )
When everybodies name was called they came to put there hand in santa's sack and take a present for themselves, fortunately nobody got their own present. When all the presents where given out Santa left us to return back to Finland. All the presents where then opened once we all gathered back together again and everyone, I think, was pleasantly please with their gifts.
After some more dessert snacks and sodas it was time to bring the party to an end.
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