The next day I wanted to ask for a diving course. Erol said he didn't know if a diving school was open after the hurricane, but I said I'd just run there and I'd see. So I marched out. Many tourists are really not on the road here, so of course I stand out like a colorful - or better said - white dog. The diving school I actually wanted to go to was practically razed to the ground. The other one seemed intact. But then it turned out that they couldn't give me all the information as it was a holiday and the person in charge wasn't here. I went through all potential holidays I knew but couldn't think of any. He explained to me that it is May Day and that in Dominica it is always celebrated on the first Monday of May. The diving instructor wasn't there either and he couldn't promise me if I could do a course or not. So I gave him my mobile number so that he could let me know (fyi: The next day he explained to me that he can't offer me a course - after the hurricane even when it comes to diving everything had changed).
Since it was a holiday there was no bus either, so I could not have reached any other destinations from my guidebook for a hike or something. And so I had already resigned myself to walking alone through Roseau - which would not have been bad now either. But when I walked back along the beach, I met a Dominican in a diving suit. We got into conversation and after his questions I explained that I actually wanted to go diving and then snorkeling, but apparently there's nothing here and now I'm going home again. He explained to me that they would go out by boat to go catching fish and if I would like to snorkel during this time as they would be fishing right at the reef. Of course I was down for it. So I put my cell phone and money in a shed with his stuff.
And off we went. The guys jumped off the boat with a spear and in full diving gear and I followed with my snorkel. Then I watched them from above catching the fish and lobsters with a spear. After a while they were satisfied with their catch and it went back ashore. There, Beanz (that was the one who originally invited me) explained to me that these are the fish that we and I also will eat later from the BBQ. So I was invited to the holiday barbecue. He explained a lot about the fish and that at some point the Lion fish "escaped" from a laboratory in the US and is now a plague that eat other fish, so they like fishing it to reduce their population. However, it is also poisonous and then he showed me exactly what to cut away, that there is nothing more poisonous in it. Then there was a stonefish, he also mentioned that you have to be careful because it is poisonous. In retrospect I read that the stonefish is one of the most poisonous fish... Sometimes it is better not to know everything when you have the feeling that you can trust people. Meanwhile, the father of the neighboring children told me about his autistic daughter, the medical and psychological possibilities on the island and their hurricane story.
While Beanz kept cleaning fish, I joined the other guys - who were playing dominoes. I only know Domino as a children game. But here it is played for hours and hours by adults in the bars. And then the BBQ as ready and the grilled fish was certainly one of the best I've ever had. In the afternoon we were all sitting on the beach and in the hut, playing, talking and eating (later we had chicken from the grill - again so incredibly tasty). Then the night slowly came and the party slowly dissolved (after a piece of chocolate cake). I asked Beanz if I could walk home well from there safely or if I had to worry. At that moment, a buddy of him came by on a scooter. He borrowed it and brought me home. This reminded me of my time as a motorcycle taxi in Tanzania.
And then my second day on Dominica came to an end. Again I went to bed dead tired and incredibly happy. I've never experienced such hospitality in any country before. But the day was not over: Good news was still waiting for me. I had written to you that I had applied to one organisation for a volunteering position - and that evening I got the news that I had been accepted. It's about the reconstruction of a primary school in the north of the island. There's a volunteer house there, so I don't even have to worry about accommodation. The organisation is called 'All Hands and Hearts' and has focused on reconstruction projects after natural disasters and just started its project in Dominica in April. Since I am convinced by the way the organization works, I have set up a fundraising page and would be happy if you would like to support the project.
