Happy New Year 2015

On Wednesday evening just after five, Grant and I; Steve and Carolyn attended a function for the workshop staff. It was held at the pool bar, which although frequented by expats, it is mainly patronized by the locals. 

Top photo with the first workshop guests and the bar on the left; photo above is of the pool on the right - hence the name pool bar

Apart from being a New Years Eve celebration, Steve also announced the Employee of the Year (the man wearing a kofi/hat) 

Once the formalities were over, every employee came to our table to clink glasses with us. And then we had requests of everyone wanting to pose with us while another takes the photo; on cell phones, on Smartphones, on cameras and on Ipads

We took our leave and drove back to the Guest House. The expats were waiting for us to join them for an evening of karaoke and a Mongolian BBQ. 

The men were enjoying the new dart board 

Just like last week, Poena was manning the karaoke machine

Me and Carolyn

As this post is aired this morning, Carolyn is on her way to Mwanza. She'll spend five days there visiting friends with whom she taught with for four years. On Tuesday she flies out to Dar and then onto the UK. 

Carolyn arrived in Mwadui two weeks ago to visit her husband, Steve. She and I clicked immediately and as I posted about in several previous posts, were together almost every day of the past fortnight.  Carolyn, I'm going to miss you! 

Bibi and Babu

Because New Years Day is an ordinary working day on the mine, we decided to have New Year a little earlier than midnight CAT. One of the expats, Manie said his wife in India is celebrating New Year two and a half hours before East Africa so we pinned the time at 9.30pm. Steve explained to everyone that he'd be doing Big Ben Chimes to herald in 2015. After which Solomon would sing us a solo. And then we'd all stand in a circle and sing Auld Lang Syne. 

All good and well. Except that at exactly 9.30, Manie's phone rang; it was his wife. He put her on loudspeaker, wished her Happy New Year and then we all called Happy New Year! She wished us in return and added  felicitations in Hindi which only Manie and Dippen (the other Indian expat understood!) 

When Mrs Manie said goodbye Steve did the 12 chimes of midnight: Big Ben Style. Next he asked Solomon to give us a few songs. Solomon has a beautiful voice and can always be heard singing. He sang four Ancient and Modern Anglican Hymns.

O God our help in ages past

Guide me oh Thou Great Jehovah !

Finally it was time to sing Auld Lang Syn. I didn't photograph or video this part as I was having as much fun as the person next to me! 

Grant then asked everyone to pose for a group photo, after which those who wanted to go to bed could do so.

This photo was taken with the self-timer function on my camera. Therefore I managed to get to the group in front of Solomon

Dr Satish (the man in purple shirt in top group photo) took this photo. This time I was able to stand next to Grant

With Poena, the music man assisting, Jung took the mic and entertained us with several songs.

A great start to a Great New Year!