guess what

She stands in front of me full of energy, her hair all wild damp blond curls. Her shorts are wet and dirty, she pulled them on quickly over her swimsuit. With one hand she holds out a bucket of crab she collected and in her other hand she carries a hastily bunched up lump of damp towel, T-shirt and flip-flops. 

She is all excitement and laughter and her tanned little body simply cannot keep still. She has been out all day on a boat with our neighbours, anchoring at a small outer island to grill the catch and mess about the mangroves. My neighbours have come to stand around her and smile and the oldest daughter hands me a bundle of small fish and in her shy voice and school room English reassures me that all had a good time.

And guess what, shouts my little Irish daughter delighted with herself, jumping up and down below the breadfruit trees surrounded by this friendly African family, I spoke Creole all day and everybody probably thought I was from here!