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From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Sat Jun 04 2011 - 07:25:18 EDT
Editor's Query: Tell us about a time when you weren't as smart as you
thought you were
Saturday, June 4, 12:28 AM
It was only April, but it was already hot along Eritrea's coast in 1992. I
had hired a driver to take me up the coast for my first Eritrean swim.
At the beach, I saw a number of people milling about at the edge of the
surf. Walking to the water, I felt sorry for the locals, for obviously none
could swim. Perhaps more exposure to Western civilization would also
eventually mean swimming lessons, I thought.
I plunged into the surf and stroked 40 or 50 meters from shore. After 20
minutes or so, I righted myself and looked shoreward. The beach population
had expanded to a crowd. Nearly everyone seemed to be looking in my
direction. Some waved. I waved back. Some laughed and motioned energetically
at me. I rolled over and soaked up the sun before freestyling back to shore.
Some men ran out of the crowd to shake my hand, yammering all the while.
What friendly people, I thought. They actually seemed to like this Westerner
who didn't understand their language.
Smiling, I walked back to my car. The driver shook my hand vigorously.
"Good, very good!" he exclaimed. I told him many Westerners swam better than
I, and soon many Eritreans would, too. He seemed puzzled, so I said it again
but more slowly and carefully.
He turned around and looked hard at me. A small smile crept across his face.
"No, Mister, it is this. We think shark eat you. We think we see."
David Bratt-Pfotenhauer,
Montgomery Village
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