Bob's gap years

06/01/2021

Bonjour mes Amis
Yes, you’ve guessed it. I took the first English lesson with the migrants who only speak French and don’t even know the days of the week in English. I have developed a world first for teaching when you don’t know what you are talking about! You may laugh, although I certainly wasn’t. I was concerned that if I said no to the Red Cross they would never ask me to do anything else. Well to all you doubters it went amazingly well. My limited French was far more useful than I had imagined but their Senegalese accent was more than I could understand. We achieved a lot despite their vocabulary being minimal. I did a lot of prep work, asked them to help each other until the next session and use the phrases with the RC staff, perhaps not such a good idea as I think the RC folk are fed up with being told what day of the week it is. Everyone seems pleased though. This is quite a challenge and I’m up for it. Yesterday I was back at the RC helping Maria (she is lovely) with food boxes. I was presented with a lovely (but rather small) box of chocolates as a thank you. A pity I had to eat them all in one day before they melted in the heat!
News back home is grim. I have cancelled my flights. I cannot get home with the boat if I can’t return here. I am making an application for temporary residence thanks to not being an EU resident and only having 90 days to stay. There are few services for yachts here and the only reliable marine electrician went to Wales for a family Christmas and can’t get back at present. Having a new wind generator fitted is a surprisingly complex job and I need one for the longer passages. I have, subject to restrictions, a crew for the Azores to Dartmouth at the end of April (1,400 miles, 10 days) I still have to get to the Azores and it is now incredibly difficult. No one is able to commit or even know if they will be able to travel. I want to leave La Gomera by the 14th Feb. Now looking for local help. The route, I hope, will be through the islands to Lanzarote then to Madeira (300 miles) then the Azores (700 miles). I still want to enjoy as much as poss having put so much effort over a long period into making it all happen. One possible alternative is direct to Madeira. Not so easy as more against the normal winds but doable.
I have not lost sight of today’s reality. So many people are struggling like never before.
I am fortunate being here. All bad things come to an end. Let’s hope that’s soon.
Cheers folks, take care of yourselves and each other.
Robaire

Picture at Cruz Roja offices having a managerial brainstorming session with Maria. My head hurts now.
Ps you may be pleased to know we have slashing rain here at the moment, high winds and the boats are rocking about.