Why I love the nannies at the park!

I wanted to write an ode to the nannies at the Gezira club. They are mostly either Ethiopian or Eritrean, or Filipina, or Sudanese or even Nigerian. But whatever their nationality, they all watch out for Maya. And I love them all, Tiberh included.

I was off for two days during the week this week in exchange for having worked this weekend. And I took Maya to the park both mornings.

Maya is used to playing in the area of the toddler playground where all the nannies congregate. She knows all the nannies and their toddler charges, and they know her. So as soon as we get into the park, Maya starts running toward the special "nanny" area shouting "Denanesh, denanesh." (That's How are You in Amharic).

They all talk to her, and welcome me into their circle as well. The other day when I got to the park, one of them took Maya and her own toddler and put them both into swings and started singing an Amharic lullaby to them, which Maya repeated back to her. She also went through all the animal names and animal sounds with Maya. Then we all went to the slide and the kids all played on the slide for a few moments.

Maya knows all of them by name. And they all pay attention to her -- even at the expense of their own kids. Maya has encountered some mean kids on the playground from time to time. But the nannies make sure that all of their kids are nice to her. They share their toys and snacks with her (asking me first, of course). When they make a mudpie for one of their kids, they make one for Maya too.

The nannies also just treat Maya like a normal kid. That's in big contrast to many Egyptian moms on the playground, who ooh and aah over Maya like she's some exotic species and just stare at her for extended periods as a curiosity. The nannies are much more genuine. They also never question my status as her mother except for polite inquiries. They don't think it's strange that Maya's learning Amharic. They think it's terrific and they participate. They compliment Maya on things other than her phsyical looks -- for example on her verbal skills or athleticism.

And all that is in spite of the fact that the nannies at the club are often harassed by the male security staff, who seem to get a power trip of demanding that the nannies wear special "nanny" jackets that identify them as nannies.