Okay so, along with taking up golf, playing Tennis is probably the biggest cliché of expat life.  I’ve bored you with various gym exploits (see links below) but since it was one of my New Year goals after 17 years in Africa and not participating, I’m happy to report that I’m loving tennis! It definitely helps to have teamed up with fellow rank beginners and investing in actual lessons.

Memories of tennis played during childhood are etched uncomfortably in my consciousness. Serving double fault after double fault (blush) and saying a heck of a lot of ‘sorry’ is about the sum of it. Tennis was up there in the ritual humiliation category, along with most team sports where cries of ‘butter fingers’ from our aging coach (who we cruelly whispered resembled a toad) were often hurled my way, and the agonies of lining up waiting to be picked for a team come crashing to the fore.

Now, each week I head to the courts wearing my daughter’s hat, husband’s tennis racket in hand and it’s actually a lot of fun.  The two tennis coaches (for 4 of us beginners) literally deserve Oscars for an award winning performance out there.

“Great serve! Great shot! Wow, that was definitely an ace Sister!”

Their encouragement makes us smile and we are occasionally fooled into thinking we are quite good, or at least improving rapidly. They tap the ball gently over the net at us at exactly the right angle to be able to return.  And when we play a match, they keep score (I keep forgetting to count) when we play with  them, they indulge us with x3 attempts at a serve and even let us win (playing an actual game is so nerve wracking).

The best part? Tennis is social. You can chat while you play tennis and giggle (definitely a no, no during aerobics) and of course the coffee afterwards is a highlight. We’ve discussed venturing into tennis skirts and whites, but for now are sticking with colours and gym kit leggings (let’s not run before we can walk).

Admittedly, our games look a lot different from the ones going on around us on separate courts, but we don’t mind. Such is my enthusiasm that I have even attempted playing at the weekend with my husband and the kids, which was also a lot of fun. We laugh a lot. (Except my 13 year old is quite good and despairs of my lack of technique – “get up to the net mummy!” she exasperates).

Thank you Nicolas and Nelson for being the best, most patient and long suffering coaches. Where else in the world would you get this great opportunity to play tennis once a week with professionals who are willing to help you learn without humiliation?

Links: Workout fashionably , Dance fitness even for middle aged, Emma the Expat Gym Bunny – Telegraph

Finally – am planning a linky/link up with Expatpartnersurvival.com And we are kicking off with general tales from Africa. We plan go live with the link-up for one week from 25th May on the expatpartnersurvival site. It will be my turn next time – so if you are interested in taking part (ie adding a link to one of your best posts, and placing the link photo in your post), then please drop me a line! It’s a great opportunity to boost traffic and get some synergy going  between us bloggers.

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