January 29, 2022

I can’t believe it has been twenty years!

It is exactly twenty years to the day since I arrived on this island. The memories of that day came flooding back a few weeks ago, as I headed home after dropping off my youngest sister at Gatwick Airport. It reminded me of the first journey I had made when I arrived here. I’d looked out of the coach window, while holding my sleeping seven […]

October 5, 2020

Mwana waShelly.

‘Mwana waShelly’ when translated from Shona into English means ‘Shelly’s child.’ My ambuya (grandmother) for the most part called her grandchildren not by their names but by whose child they were. It was always ‘iwe mwana waSherri’, ‘uya kuno mwana waTarisai’ or ‘ndashaya zvekuita newe mwana waCharisi’. Mwana waShelly is a tribute to both my mum Shelly and my late ambuya Benigina. My great grandparents […]