Fast Learners

I walked through the narrow alley, a spot of pink at the end catching my eye. I smiled. My friend already sat on a mat under the mango tree, working on her crochet project. Her pink headscarf standing out against everything around her. She looked up and smiled as I greeted her.

"Wow, this looks great!" I exclaimed as I examined her circle. I had only started teaching her and her sister-in-law how to crochet a few days before. Both women had picked it up fast.

She glowed at my praise and asked me what the next steps were to create a hat. I pulled out my Kimwani notebook as the sister-in-law joined us. I looked at my new phrases and told them the pattern.

The day before, I had gone to Mama Z's house. She had taught me the Kimwani vocabulary needed to teach crochet. We laughed together as she attempted to start a crochet circle and I stumbled over the Kimwani words of telling her how to do it.

The idea of teaching women to crochet started growing in my mind a few weeks ago. I left most of my yarn in Pemba, thinking I wouldn't be in Nampula too long. Now, I'm realizing I might be here longer. I asked a few of my new Mwani friends where I could find yarn. They weren't sure, but were interested in learning to crochet. Mama Z asked me several times if I had succeeded in finding yarn. Finally, last week, my colleague gave me two boxes of old yarn, allowing me to start teaching these women how to crochet.

I'm enjoying bonding with these women in this unique way. Yesterday, as we all crocheted, I listened to the flow of Kimwani conversation around me, strengthening my listening skills. Who knows what types of conversations I might be able to have with these women as our friendships deepens.