Some Video Footage

I'm finally going through some picture folders on my laptop. I just dumped most of it, and I haven't really sorted through yet. Having recently finished midterms, I decided to clean it up and a bit, and I found some real gems.

I have an upload limit on my vimeo account, but for now, watch these two videos:

In this first video, I was just walking back home after school. My school choir was practicing, so I taped a bit. Watch the priceless faces of the students sitting near the fence just staring at me:

My school choir practising from Lisa on Vimeo.

The next one is of the local primary school choir. They did very well in competitions, and practised really hard. I could overhear them everyday as I taught computer lessons in the church, the only place with electricity. Watch and fall in love:

Jolie, Jolie from Lisa on Vimeo.

Pictures!

I'm all home safe and sound, and I'll do a bit summary wrap up post eventually. I'm doing lots of other travelling in August so I'll get around to it when I'm finally back at home again.

Until then, you can check out some photos. My flickr set can be found here, and here are some favourites:

In the airport

Oh boy! I'm all checked in at my gate! I got here about 3.5 hours early, and of course when you're early everything goes well. It's only when you're running late that you miss your turn, or there is a long line at customs. I've traipsed the terminal but all they have are way over priced souvenir shops and duty free areas with cartons of cigarettes larger than the average coffin. They also have little restaurants. I checked one out to see if they had any mendazi and they did, well, they "did." If you count it if it was packaged in plastic with nutritional information on it. Ahem, the real deal is never more than a few hours old, and must come from a cafe full of old men sipping broth from a bowl. Please. You, airport, can keep your fake mendazi.


I'm kind of anxious about the souvenirs I packed. There are a lot of little wooden things. Things with handles. Things with tusks. I have this big, beautiful stone chess board that I'm most worried about. I know all about bending moments and torque! I packed it surrounded by clothes to cushion, and then books to prevent bending. I made little short cylinders out of newspaper because we did a crash lab last term, using paper cylinders as a bumper on a little car. It worked well then, and I'm hoping for similar impact absorption in my suitcase. Whoever said the things you learn in science classes you never use in real life has obviously never made it home with an intact chess board! I should probably not brag about my packing method until I get home with it in one piece.

Oh, also, somebody ring the wedding bells because I am officially certified as marriage ready. That's right, I made chapati by myself last night. And they were delicious. Kay told me that a good wife makes good chapati. This is a skill that will be boasted on many a future match.com profile, I'm sure. We also had cabbage and potatoes, my favourite meal. I ate so much. I'm bringing home some Royco so I can make it for whoever to try. Royco is this spice that is advertised heavily and only sold in Kenya. Their slogan is, "Royco, for the tastiest getheri ever" and whenever I see a billboard with this slogan, I say it aloud in the same voice as the lady from the radio. I'm sure it's annoying to all other passengers in the car. Royco should hire me. Oh, family, also I'm bringing home some chapati, too. It'll still be fresh.

Last night, after the aforementioned epicurean (I have no spell check, sorry) binge, I woke up around midnight feeling a little sick. Wouldn't it be so funny if after 3 months of fairly good health, I fell sick on the final day? Yes. Hilarious. And by funny I mean the worst ever. And by hilarious I mean woe to me. Luckily, I think it was just over excitement to come home. I got so many people such good presents that I can't wait to deliver! Also, showering! With hot water! I'll be home in about 21 hours and I'm so excited to be greeted at the airport. See you soon!

Kay did my hair for the flight home. THE FLIGHT HOME IN 15 HOURS!

Also, no big deal or anything, but today at the park a monkey chilled out on my shoulder for a few minutes. New career goal: organ grinder.

Witchcraft

I was going to give wrap-up blogging another shot on this, my penultimate full day, but then I remembered something else I wanted to write about. Conclusions can wait; let's talk about witchcraft.

After the farewell lunch at the school, the teachers hung around the table as the students were sent to continue studying. Somehow the following hot topic was brought up: should witches be killed? I thought we were only talking about witches as an easy example of how corporal punishment can sometimes be given to those who are not guilty. But after a minute of listening to the opinions of the other teachers, like, "if you don't kill them, they'll just keep bewitching people!" I couldn't help but interject with poorly suppressed incredulousness.

"Wait... you believe in witchcraft?"

Silence swept the table for a bit, and then one teacher said, "as christians, no, officially..." another pause, "but you see it all the time!"

In response to my skeptical countenance, they then all started chiming in with examples. Like somebody pointing at a tree and it falls down. Or a series of strange facial boils. That crazy guy that roams the streets of Kikima- he was hexed by a former girlfriend who he once beat up. Everybody heard her hex him! It's true!

Look, I try my best to respect the beliefs of others, and I think I usually success in being respectful, or at least quiet. But while I didn't reach Vernon Dursley levels of magic denial, I couldn't couldn't couldn't help but insist that there is no such thing as magic. As I tried to think of a non pretentious way to say, "post hoc ergo prompter hoc," they continued to barrage me with other examples. When I asked why there was on witchcraft in North America, they said it was because we successfully burned them all hundreds of years ago. And then one person brought up that there is an oracle in the book of Peter in the Bible. At 7 people against 1, with logic like that, I know it's time to throw in the towel. Because at that point you can either rip apart the science of Genisis to prove that much of the Bible is allegory, or just sigh and change the subject. The former makes no friends, so I went with the latter.

Note: the point of this post isn't to be like, ooh, Kenyans beleive in witchcraft! Because in my experience, most don't, and plus there are people in Canada probably who share similar beliefs, just expressed differently. Even I have lost many hours of sleep over what happened once at a slumber party in grade nine with an ouiji board. TERRIFYING! This most is really just sharing something that I found interesting.

Dedicated to the fans

After numerous requests from my legions of adoring fans (read: one request from my mother) to continue to post through the end of my trip, I decided to post this half hearted entry. I just don't have it in me to struggle with the phone's keypad. And when I use my laptop, it costs me about a dollar everytime I log in. I pay per megabyte, and my laptop browser uses much more than my phone. Typing on a phone might be taxing on my patience, but I am nothing if not frugal. (What? That's not really true.) I do not at all feel like blogging, so the fact that I am is a testament to how much I love the mumma.

Okay, what's been going on. I left the school yesterday. They had a farewell lunch, and some students gave some speeches. Then, as is the Kenyan custom, EVERYBODY also gave a speech. At the slightest ceremony I swear, every Kenyan feels the need to share a few words, it seems. But it was all nice, and they gave me a shirt from each of the two dorm houses. Except they are extra large which is like, ...oh? Note: I took a school picture with a tripod so I could be in it, and I am like a giraffe. It's hilarious. But come on, extra large?

I came back to the farm for the weekend, and today I said bye to all the food security program kids. They're so cute. Then I was given a few gifts- get this- for my family! A special something for my mom and I, to make us "be African Women" and then something for my dad and each of my siblings! That is called way thoughtful. Tomorrow we'll first go to church, where again I will probable be called again to give an impromptu speech, then head to Nairobi and hit up the monkey park. Monday has no plans, and then I leave really early on Tuesday morning. We're at 60 hours left, but I'm not really hour-counting...I kind of can't help but do the math everything I glance at a clock. Dinner is ready now though, so mom, I hope this is enough to satisfy your thirst!