This weekend the farm hosted, in addition to the regular crew, Elijah and Jessica. I had met Elijah before- he's the kind of guy that gets two thumbs up. Jessica is a new friend, and she gets three thumbs up. She's practically the best.
She's studied counselling. For a while she worked for an NGO that taught self defence and sex ed to girls in the slums, as well as provided rape counselling. I feel like if I reiterated some of the stories she told me, I'd be using them for shock value because some were so horrible that I don't think a blog entry can do them service in a summary. Most centred around a criminal justice system that allows victims to drop charges (which inevitably leads to bribing or blackmailing victims), the problems with no access to safe and legal abortion, and very very young prostitutes. Teaching self defence and advocating for rape victims are also pretty rocking things to do. The men from the slums started threatening her organisating. I guess that's a pretty clear indication of a job well done. One them four of them, all women, were walking alone and six men surrounded them, them physically attacked them. But Jessica and the 3 others put their self defence training to work and escaped unharmed. In fact, she said they beat the men up pretty badly. She told this story so nonchalantly. I also now have a refreshed appreciation for Canada's rape shield law. Look it up and thank Kim Campbell.
Overall, Jessica is one of the coolest, most hardworking feminists I've ever met. Unfortunately, that NGO folded due to mis-managed funds, but she still does self esteem counselling for girls. It's super sad that the program no longer exists, and she feels that if she just had somebody to come teach her how to train others, that she could continue the program on her own. We've traded emails, because I feel like I must must must know somebody that could visit her for just a few weeks and teach self defence. Jessica is now working with Elijah on an AIDS project, where she counsels people before they get their results. Her ultimate goal is to open her own children's home.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Taken by one of my students
Taken by one of my students
I think she needs to work on her aim a bit. This is Jemima (left) and Anastacia.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Parents' Day
A few days ago the principal called all the teachers into her office to discuss plans for parents' day.
"On Friday, we had agreed to serve bread and soda to the parents. But now I am thinking we should cook pillau, chapati, stew, and salad instead."
I seemed to be the only one to find this to be a rather significant change in the plans, as everyone else was like, yeah, hey, why not? Then the sentiment was that we shouldn't ask other people for cooking help, because then they'd expect us to help with ties more numerous functions, so we should cook all the food ourselves. And that's how I came to find myself leaning over a giant pot of rice cooking over a fire, pleading it not to burn.
Earlier today I wrote a kind of bitter (and therefore hilarious) post about cooking with all the women. Sometimes I get tired of feeling like a novelty, and sometimes when people stop talking English and switch to mother tongue, I feel like they are talking about me. The furtive glances don't ease my suspicions, ladies. But the rest of the day was really good, so I'm now able to see in a more positive light that even though maybe I wasn't feeling the most included earlier today, it's probably only fair that they get a rise out of discussing me, since I go around taking pictures of perfectly normal piles of raw meat and for a good ten minutes tried to include the word billybillyhoho in every sentence. It is the Swahili word for a bell pepper. Billybillyhoho. I can't stop.
Anyway, the rest of the day was fun. The girls were all eager for ties parents to meet/see me. We had some good bonding time in which I learned that everybody thinks all muzungos eat snakes and slugs, and that a few girls believed so strongly that Canada is in Europe that they kind of didn't believe me. That's fair, since some North Americans still think Africa is a country. Also, I still don't have them convinced that I don't apply some sort of something to my hair to make it so soft. Soft is their word; my word is still nasty.
Also, there were two hours worth of speeches. The chairman was there and gave a rousing lecture to the parents about paying their fees, and and even more rousing one to the girls about reaching higher. He totally stole my thunder, right down to the Henry Ford bit. He also added a good bit about staying away from drugs and boys. Mom, you certainly would have enjoyed it. It was like, you can never trust boys! Wait until you are finished university! Boys are the worst! He employed some pretty hilarious euphemisms, too. I'm really just suprised rock and roll escaped his speech unscathed.
I'm back at the farm for the long weekend. In case you couldn't tell what the earlier picture was, it was a few fire pits and pots of rice.
"On Friday, we had agreed to serve bread and soda to the parents. But now I am thinking we should cook pillau, chapati, stew, and salad instead."
I seemed to be the only one to find this to be a rather significant change in the plans, as everyone else was like, yeah, hey, why not? Then the sentiment was that we shouldn't ask other people for cooking help, because then they'd expect us to help with ties more numerous functions, so we should cook all the food ourselves. And that's how I came to find myself leaning over a giant pot of rice cooking over a fire, pleading it not to burn.
Earlier today I wrote a kind of bitter (and therefore hilarious) post about cooking with all the women. Sometimes I get tired of feeling like a novelty, and sometimes when people stop talking English and switch to mother tongue, I feel like they are talking about me. The furtive glances don't ease my suspicions, ladies. But the rest of the day was really good, so I'm now able to see in a more positive light that even though maybe I wasn't feeling the most included earlier today, it's probably only fair that they get a rise out of discussing me, since I go around taking pictures of perfectly normal piles of raw meat and for a good ten minutes tried to include the word billybillyhoho in every sentence. It is the Swahili word for a bell pepper. Billybillyhoho. I can't stop.
Anyway, the rest of the day was fun. The girls were all eager for ties parents to meet/see me. We had some good bonding time in which I learned that everybody thinks all muzungos eat snakes and slugs, and that a few girls believed so strongly that Canada is in Europe that they kind of didn't believe me. That's fair, since some North Americans still think Africa is a country. Also, I still don't have them convinced that I don't apply some sort of something to my hair to make it so soft. Soft is their word; my word is still nasty.
Also, there were two hours worth of speeches. The chairman was there and gave a rousing lecture to the parents about paying their fees, and and even more rousing one to the girls about reaching higher. He totally stole my thunder, right down to the Henry Ford bit. He also added a good bit about staying away from drugs and boys. Mom, you certainly would have enjoyed it. It was like, you can never trust boys! Wait until you are finished university! Boys are the worst! He employed some pretty hilarious euphemisms, too. I'm really just suprised rock and roll escaped his speech unscathed.
I'm back at the farm for the long weekend. In case you couldn't tell what the earlier picture was, it was a few fire pits and pots of rice.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Continuous Assessment Tests
Today and yesterday there were no classes, since the students were writing their May CATs. These big tests come at the end of May and June, then a final big exam at the end of July. I was kind of nervous about the results- what if I made it too hard? What if I gave way too much time? What if it turns out they haven't been understanding my accent?
The bar was set pretty low for me. I was told hardly anybody passes math, and that nobody ever studies for physics. I've done marking both my tests, and for my grada nine math, the average was 61% with a range of 22 to 92, and physics had an average of 46% with a range of 11 to 99.
I'm pretty pleased with math. The mode was a mid-seventy, with 13 fails in a class of 32. There were a bunch of girls who got like 20% because they left a whole lot blank.
Physics is another story. I guess on the bright side their class average last term was in the 30s, so at least we're heading up... but there were really only a few good marks, and then 21 fails in a class of 36. Marking the tests was really sad. I mean, to get a mark like 5/36 you have to not only not study, you have to not pay any attention in class either. And though logically I should look at previous terms and see that it's nothing personal, I can't help but have sort of hurt feelings, you know? Like, girls, guess why I flew here and gave up a whole summer and will now be hugely in debt? I'll give you a clue, it's not to watch you learn nothing.
Tomorrow is parent's day and Monday is a Kenyan national holiday, so they won't get their tests back until Tuesday. I'm not sure what I'm going to say. I feel like this is the part in the movie where the coach walks into the change room and gives a life changing speech about winning the state title. Unfortunately no movies come to mind where a teacher gets students to realise that balancing forces is the best, so I guess I'm on my own. (All the movies about inspirational teachers seem to be about English teachers, where s/he gets a bunch of inner city/spoiled private school kids to find passion for making speeches/18th century poets). (Although I am now imagining a montage sequence set to the music from Chariots of Fire where the girls are drawing ray diagrams and timing how fast things fall. Maybe at the beginning of the montage they're confused and trying to use the right hand rule with their left hand, and then near the end they're all RHR-ing it like pros. Montage sequences tend to include make overs, so maybe we could see their thetas and espillons grow neater. Please can this movie be produced?)
I sort of want to be like, "whoever told you that you're not smart was wrong. Whoever told you that a 40 is an okay grade underestimated your ability." I'm a tad afraid of venturing into trite territory, but maybe a bit of Henry Ford (whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right) could help in doing the trick? I just want to be like, this isn't your best. Because imagine if everybody else was failing too; wouldn't you feel pretty okay with a 45%?
I've also realised that one person for one summer isn't enough. I'm giving lots of thought to creating a program of some sort to get more people out here. The school terms line up perfectly with Waterloo's co-op program, or maybe I could think about getting people who are taking a year off between high school and uni? I kind of feel that there's a real element of girl power here. I'm so glad that I'm at an all girls school. I don't know, I'm kind of overwhelmed just thinking about the tasks that would be involved in creating a program. I still have a year left of my degree, and there's no way I'd be able to afford taking another summer off next year. Then when thinking about recruiting people, it's an immediate liability headache. I don't know where to begin, but it definitely needs to happen.
The bar was set pretty low for me. I was told hardly anybody passes math, and that nobody ever studies for physics. I've done marking both my tests, and for my grada nine math, the average was 61% with a range of 22 to 92, and physics had an average of 46% with a range of 11 to 99.
I'm pretty pleased with math. The mode was a mid-seventy, with 13 fails in a class of 32. There were a bunch of girls who got like 20% because they left a whole lot blank.
Physics is another story. I guess on the bright side their class average last term was in the 30s, so at least we're heading up... but there were really only a few good marks, and then 21 fails in a class of 36. Marking the tests was really sad. I mean, to get a mark like 5/36 you have to not only not study, you have to not pay any attention in class either. And though logically I should look at previous terms and see that it's nothing personal, I can't help but have sort of hurt feelings, you know? Like, girls, guess why I flew here and gave up a whole summer and will now be hugely in debt? I'll give you a clue, it's not to watch you learn nothing.
Tomorrow is parent's day and Monday is a Kenyan national holiday, so they won't get their tests back until Tuesday. I'm not sure what I'm going to say. I feel like this is the part in the movie where the coach walks into the change room and gives a life changing speech about winning the state title. Unfortunately no movies come to mind where a teacher gets students to realise that balancing forces is the best, so I guess I'm on my own. (All the movies about inspirational teachers seem to be about English teachers, where s/he gets a bunch of inner city/spoiled private school kids to find passion for making speeches/18th century poets). (Although I am now imagining a montage sequence set to the music from Chariots of Fire where the girls are drawing ray diagrams and timing how fast things fall. Maybe at the beginning of the montage they're confused and trying to use the right hand rule with their left hand, and then near the end they're all RHR-ing it like pros. Montage sequences tend to include make overs, so maybe we could see their thetas and espillons grow neater. Please can this movie be produced?)
I sort of want to be like, "whoever told you that you're not smart was wrong. Whoever told you that a 40 is an okay grade underestimated your ability." I'm a tad afraid of venturing into trite territory, but maybe a bit of Henry Ford (whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right) could help in doing the trick? I just want to be like, this isn't your best. Because imagine if everybody else was failing too; wouldn't you feel pretty okay with a 45%?
I've also realised that one person for one summer isn't enough. I'm giving lots of thought to creating a program of some sort to get more people out here. The school terms line up perfectly with Waterloo's co-op program, or maybe I could think about getting people who are taking a year off between high school and uni? I kind of feel that there's a real element of girl power here. I'm so glad that I'm at an all girls school. I don't know, I'm kind of overwhelmed just thinking about the tasks that would be involved in creating a program. I still have a year left of my degree, and there's no way I'd be able to afford taking another summer off next year. Then when thinking about recruiting people, it's an immediate liability headache. I don't know where to begin, but it definitely needs to happen.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
What i eat
The market is an hour walk away, so I only get groceries once per week, on the way back from my weeken at the farm. We don't have a fridge, so the week is planned according to what goes bad first.
Breakfast: tea with white bread from Monday to when the bread runs out. A new addition is peanut butter, brought for me from Nairobi last weekend. However, it was stupid expensive. Five dollars for 340g! So I don't know if I'll be replenishing my cupboard when it runs out. Thursday and Friday see oatmeal (with cinnamon and raisins, all from Nairobi but not expensive) or sweet potatoes. Matron boils them for us, and in the morning we just pick off the ants and enjoy.
Lunch is just reheated dinner, sometimes with a banana or avocado.
Dinner is a carb with a vegetable and every few days, with beans as well. Carb choices: rice (white or brown), ugali (it's sort of just water and corn flour I think, but rather tasty), or spaghetti noodles. Vegetables are: kale (it goes bad quickly, so we have it Monday to Wednesday) or cabbage. Both vegetables are cooked by frying with onion and tomato. I've had kale in Canada only once, and it was in a soup, so I can't compare. But the cabbage is way way more delicious. I will definitely cook it all the time when I return.
Other than that, I don't really eat snacks. Sometimes some peanuts or an orange. Also the occasional Clif bar that I packed from home. I feel like I'm eating a pretty balanced diet, maybe with the exception of a source of calcium. But that's just a good reason to eat ice cream galore when I return, right? I'm taking a vitamin c everyday, since I do that even when at home, but I guess I maybe should have brought some calcium pills as well. No big, though. And for once in my life, I'm getting iron out the wazoo, since kale is similar in nutrients to spinache. Maybe I'll take a picture of dinner so you can see it for yourself.
Breakfast: tea with white bread from Monday to when the bread runs out. A new addition is peanut butter, brought for me from Nairobi last weekend. However, it was stupid expensive. Five dollars for 340g! So I don't know if I'll be replenishing my cupboard when it runs out. Thursday and Friday see oatmeal (with cinnamon and raisins, all from Nairobi but not expensive) or sweet potatoes. Matron boils them for us, and in the morning we just pick off the ants and enjoy.
Lunch is just reheated dinner, sometimes with a banana or avocado.
Dinner is a carb with a vegetable and every few days, with beans as well. Carb choices: rice (white or brown), ugali (it's sort of just water and corn flour I think, but rather tasty), or spaghetti noodles. Vegetables are: kale (it goes bad quickly, so we have it Monday to Wednesday) or cabbage. Both vegetables are cooked by frying with onion and tomato. I've had kale in Canada only once, and it was in a soup, so I can't compare. But the cabbage is way way more delicious. I will definitely cook it all the time when I return.
Other than that, I don't really eat snacks. Sometimes some peanuts or an orange. Also the occasional Clif bar that I packed from home. I feel like I'm eating a pretty balanced diet, maybe with the exception of a source of calcium. But that's just a good reason to eat ice cream galore when I return, right? I'm taking a vitamin c everyday, since I do that even when at home, but I guess I maybe should have brought some calcium pills as well. No big, though. And for once in my life, I'm getting iron out the wazoo, since kale is similar in nutrients to spinache. Maybe I'll take a picture of dinner so you can see it for yourself.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Computers are ace
Starting today computers are built in (well, appended) to the schedule. This means that I have all 32 (form one/ grade nine) or 38 (form two/grade ten) students at once, and only two computers. They are divided into groups of around three. Each class is forty minutes long, but that's really only twenty minutes of computer time since we need to carry the computers to the church (where class takes place, since its the only place with power) and set them up.
Basically, at two classes per grade per week, each group of three gets one class of computer time every three weeks. And while that's totally fine, I don't really know what to do with the rest of them during the classes when it's not their turn. Currently they just sit in the pews behind and watch, though I made a strict rule that if you come to the front and interfere with the girls whose turn it is, then your group goes last. Two girls came forward to the computers, so I had to put their groups last, and now I think maybe that's kind of a harsh punishment, but I think it's important that I not go back on my own rule.
I've decided that there will be three units, and each group gets on the computer once per unit. The first unit will be the mouse, saving files, opening files, opening and exiting programs, and typing lower case vs upper case letters. This unit will entirely take place on MS Paint, because it'll make them want to practice mouse control. The second unit will be Word, because that's probably the most useful program to learn. The third will be just using Microsoft, like folders and stuff. I guess the third unit can be embellished a little.
Every so often I accidentally drop some slang, like when we were going to the field for gym and some people were being slow, I shouted, 'chop chop!' They loved it so much, and I overhear them saying it all the time. It's so hard to explain proper slang usage! I told them it's not really the most polite thing to say, and that it's maybe a bit outdated.
Today when we were done returning the computers to their proper location, I said, "ace." Then I had to explain ace. I picked the term up in an episode of JakeandAmir.com when Jake was making up terms to see if Amir would believe him. J&A fans, remember? Gully? Anyway, so ace is slang that is used semi-ironically, like as an inside joke with an internet tv show. (Ace and Jocelyn, astronaut accountants from space, am I right?) It's obscure. But I explained it to them as meaning a mixture of good/thanks/I am pleased with what you have just said or done, and that only the youth use it. I felt a little silly explaining. Anyway, somebody let Jake and Amir know that ace has officially spread to Kenya.
Ps- if any Jake and Amir fans have nothing else to do, can you link the episode I mean in the comments?
Basically, at two classes per grade per week, each group of three gets one class of computer time every three weeks. And while that's totally fine, I don't really know what to do with the rest of them during the classes when it's not their turn. Currently they just sit in the pews behind and watch, though I made a strict rule that if you come to the front and interfere with the girls whose turn it is, then your group goes last. Two girls came forward to the computers, so I had to put their groups last, and now I think maybe that's kind of a harsh punishment, but I think it's important that I not go back on my own rule.
I've decided that there will be three units, and each group gets on the computer once per unit. The first unit will be the mouse, saving files, opening files, opening and exiting programs, and typing lower case vs upper case letters. This unit will entirely take place on MS Paint, because it'll make them want to practice mouse control. The second unit will be Word, because that's probably the most useful program to learn. The third will be just using Microsoft, like folders and stuff. I guess the third unit can be embellished a little.
Every so often I accidentally drop some slang, like when we were going to the field for gym and some people were being slow, I shouted, 'chop chop!' They loved it so much, and I overhear them saying it all the time. It's so hard to explain proper slang usage! I told them it's not really the most polite thing to say, and that it's maybe a bit outdated.
Today when we were done returning the computers to their proper location, I said, "ace." Then I had to explain ace. I picked the term up in an episode of JakeandAmir.com when Jake was making up terms to see if Amir would believe him. J&A fans, remember? Gully? Anyway, so ace is slang that is used semi-ironically, like as an inside joke with an internet tv show. (Ace and Jocelyn, astronaut accountants from space, am I right?) It's obscure. But I explained it to them as meaning a mixture of good/thanks/I am pleased with what you have just said or done, and that only the youth use it. I felt a little silly explaining. Anyway, somebody let Jake and Amir know that ace has officially spread to Kenya.
Ps- if any Jake and Amir fans have nothing else to do, can you link the episode I mean in the comments?
Monday, May 25, 2009
Things I miss very much, part 1
- Jack, Robbie, June, Stever, Sassy, my mom and my dad
- and all you other people that would take too long to list
- apples
- red peppers
- a proper qwerty keyboard
- dill pickle chips
- spicy red pepper hummus
- food with cheese
- hot showers (I would choose food with cheese over a hot shower)
- summer time in Canada
- no bugs in my bedroom
- washing machines
- cereal (or, more to the point, skim milk.)
- and all you other people that would take too long to list
- apples
- red peppers
- a proper qwerty keyboard
- dill pickle chips
- spicy red pepper hummus
- food with cheese
- hot showers (I would choose food with cheese over a hot shower)
- summer time in Canada
- no bugs in my bedroom
- washing machines
- cereal (or, more to the point, skim milk.)
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Meat
In elementary school I had a friend who was a vegetarian (her last name, Burger, was a hilarious textbook example misnomer). She had chosen the herbivore life after one day, age eight, she accompanied her mom to a butchery and saw too much dead flesh to ever eat an animal again. Well, I now understand where she's coming from.
The picture below is of a road that I call death row. Its the line for the chopping block. You'll in one day and see ten cows, them go the next day and see nine. They moo so mournfully that it's impossible not to be sad for them. Add that sentiment with the one I feel when I'm at the butchery, where you see the meat being chopped off the ribs... and I'm afraid I just have to be vegetarian. I've never eaten ribs or chicken wings, not because I don't like the taste, but because the bones remind me that I'm eating something that once had organs and a heart beat. I'm much more of a chicken nugget or hot dog girl, really.
I expect this vegetarian streak to end any day. It's not a moral protest in any way, just that eating meat would make me feel viscous. If somebody served a dish with meat cooked into it, I'd eat it not to be rude, I guess. And I certainly salivate for pepperoni or a Jamaican beef patty. Oh, an Octoberfest sausage with honey mustard? Sign me up. Anything that I can forget came from an animal. But until then, it's no meat for me.
The picture below is of a road that I call death row. Its the line for the chopping block. You'll in one day and see ten cows, them go the next day and see nine. They moo so mournfully that it's impossible not to be sad for them. Add that sentiment with the one I feel when I'm at the butchery, where you see the meat being chopped off the ribs... and I'm afraid I just have to be vegetarian. I've never eaten ribs or chicken wings, not because I don't like the taste, but because the bones remind me that I'm eating something that once had organs and a heart beat. I'm much more of a chicken nugget or hot dog girl, really.
I expect this vegetarian streak to end any day. It's not a moral protest in any way, just that eating meat would make me feel viscous. If somebody served a dish with meat cooked into it, I'd eat it not to be rude, I guess. And I certainly salivate for pepperoni or a Jamaican beef patty. Oh, an Octoberfest sausage with honey mustard? Sign me up. Anything that I can forget came from an animal. But until then, it's no meat for me.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Winnie and James
My roommate's name is Winnie. She has quickly proven herself to be the best.
A few nights ago we were eating dinner when who should appear but Spider. We took turns trying to work up the courage to go kill it. I was unable on account of my imagination telling me that this spider was so big that if I stepped on it, it wouldn't die but would instead crawl up my leg and lay eggs in my ear canal. Winnie eventually found the courage to step on it, but it darted away! So quickly! Winnie suggested that maybe it heard us planning, and I agreed and suggested we conduct all further arachnicide plans in Swahili. Then Winnie got the broom and squashed the spider with the top of the handle.
And that's how our broom became the chief murder weapon. So far we've killed seven- three were my triumphs. In fact, the killing is so regular that we don't even cry out for back up, but just go for the broom and get the job done. Every time I think it's the last one, but then I spot that big one in my closet. However, this morning I woke up to find a huge one on the wall near my face. I killed it, and I haven't seen the closet one since, so maybe we really have got them all now.
So the score is humans: 7, spiders: 2. While my legs are covered in mosquito bites, there are two different bites that I've decided must have been made by a spider. Instead of one needle insertion point, like a mosquito bite, these have two little dots. Most certainly spider fangs, am I right or am I right? One sort of started to pus, and there were a few blisters around the area filled with yellow liquid. Since grossing people out is a better medicine than laughter, I showed it to Winnie. After school she went and got James to look at it. Isn't Winnie great?
Who is James, you ask? Well he you asked yesterday, I would have said he's the guy that feeds the chickens. However, today I learned that he is also the head doctor at the hospital. Everybody loves a Renaissance man! He applied something called antiseptic liquid to gauze and rubbed it on my spider bites and then on all the mosquito bites that I had itched to the point of bleeding/scabbing. He then said my legs were pathetic, a comment I have decided to chart up to strange translation, just like Winnie uses the phrase 'it's okay' to mean yes, and I interpret it to mean no. (Would you like some more tea? It's okay.) Then James gave me a tube called skin ointment and told me to rub it on itchy skin. I guess it's an anti-histamine. I've been using After Bite, which is ammonia based and therefore works to disinfect the bite, but have nothing to treat the itch. What a nice guy James is!
Then he gave us mosquito nets. Apparently the hospital gives them out for free but I feel kind of weird benefitting from that. Maybe I'll just make a donation to the hospital when I leave. I don't really know the proper way to thank people in Kenya, beyond verbally. It's hard not knowing the norms. Winnie will probably tell me if I ask her.
James has three daughters at the local primary school. They all have names beginning with M (I swear 90% of Kenyan names start with M) but I can only ever remember them oldest girl's name. When the primary kids trail me, Pied Piper style, I always give his kids a bit of extra attention. They're so funny.
Anyway, I applied the skin ointment, but it's still itchy. The mosquito net can't be hung until tomorrow because it needs to air out of its packaging for a day first. I've been using a DEET based repellent that seems ineffective. Darn you, Shopper's Drug Mart brand! I guess then tonight will be the last supper for my insect friends.
A few nights ago we were eating dinner when who should appear but Spider. We took turns trying to work up the courage to go kill it. I was unable on account of my imagination telling me that this spider was so big that if I stepped on it, it wouldn't die but would instead crawl up my leg and lay eggs in my ear canal. Winnie eventually found the courage to step on it, but it darted away! So quickly! Winnie suggested that maybe it heard us planning, and I agreed and suggested we conduct all further arachnicide plans in Swahili. Then Winnie got the broom and squashed the spider with the top of the handle.
And that's how our broom became the chief murder weapon. So far we've killed seven- three were my triumphs. In fact, the killing is so regular that we don't even cry out for back up, but just go for the broom and get the job done. Every time I think it's the last one, but then I spot that big one in my closet. However, this morning I woke up to find a huge one on the wall near my face. I killed it, and I haven't seen the closet one since, so maybe we really have got them all now.
So the score is humans: 7, spiders: 2. While my legs are covered in mosquito bites, there are two different bites that I've decided must have been made by a spider. Instead of one needle insertion point, like a mosquito bite, these have two little dots. Most certainly spider fangs, am I right or am I right? One sort of started to pus, and there were a few blisters around the area filled with yellow liquid. Since grossing people out is a better medicine than laughter, I showed it to Winnie. After school she went and got James to look at it. Isn't Winnie great?
Who is James, you ask? Well he you asked yesterday, I would have said he's the guy that feeds the chickens. However, today I learned that he is also the head doctor at the hospital. Everybody loves a Renaissance man! He applied something called antiseptic liquid to gauze and rubbed it on my spider bites and then on all the mosquito bites that I had itched to the point of bleeding/scabbing. He then said my legs were pathetic, a comment I have decided to chart up to strange translation, just like Winnie uses the phrase 'it's okay' to mean yes, and I interpret it to mean no. (Would you like some more tea? It's okay.) Then James gave me a tube called skin ointment and told me to rub it on itchy skin. I guess it's an anti-histamine. I've been using After Bite, which is ammonia based and therefore works to disinfect the bite, but have nothing to treat the itch. What a nice guy James is!
Then he gave us mosquito nets. Apparently the hospital gives them out for free but I feel kind of weird benefitting from that. Maybe I'll just make a donation to the hospital when I leave. I don't really know the proper way to thank people in Kenya, beyond verbally. It's hard not knowing the norms. Winnie will probably tell me if I ask her.
James has three daughters at the local primary school. They all have names beginning with M (I swear 90% of Kenyan names start with M) but I can only ever remember them oldest girl's name. When the primary kids trail me, Pied Piper style, I always give his kids a bit of extra attention. They're so funny.
Anyway, I applied the skin ointment, but it's still itchy. The mosquito net can't be hung until tomorrow because it needs to air out of its packaging for a day first. I've been using a DEET based repellent that seems ineffective. Darn you, Shopper's Drug Mart brand! I guess then tonight will be the last supper for my insect friends.
The grade tens are hilarious. The other teachers have told me they misbehave more often than the grade nines, and don't usually perform all that well on tests.
The school is only two years old, so there grade tens will always be the oldest. That's got to affect something, right? Anyway, I can't say I prefer one class over the other. They both have their separate charms. Today I took the tens for p.e and played Steal the Bacon (thanks, Lacey!). They think almost everything is hilarious. They chose team names Lions and Cheetahs- which are the exact team names the grade nines chose. Whenever they fought over rules they'd say, teacha, teacha!
On the way back to class they were all, 'teacha, teacha, I will carry the ball' and 'teacha, teacha, what was that game called?' The grade tens always sneak touches of my hair. Today they decided to finally talk shop. 'Teacha, teacha, how do you get your hair so smooth?' I answered that it's just like that. 'Teacha, teacha, be honest, what do you buy?' I said I don't buy anything, it is just like that when it dries out after a shower.
I feel like I should interject here by saying I currently am shampooing about twice a week (mainly because there is no hot water, so my showers are rarely longer than 30 seconds) and that I usually use a bit o' something to tame the wild frizz but that I brought no such something to Africa. In short, my hair is nasty. The girls finally either believed me or gave up their quest for the truth, and just started patting my head and saying, 'teacha, teacha, it's so beautiful.' Having 34 tenth graders tell you your hair is beautiful makes for a pretty good day.
The school is only two years old, so there grade tens will always be the oldest. That's got to affect something, right? Anyway, I can't say I prefer one class over the other. They both have their separate charms. Today I took the tens for p.e and played Steal the Bacon (thanks, Lacey!). They think almost everything is hilarious. They chose team names Lions and Cheetahs- which are the exact team names the grade nines chose. Whenever they fought over rules they'd say, teacha, teacha!
On the way back to class they were all, 'teacha, teacha, I will carry the ball' and 'teacha, teacha, what was that game called?' The grade tens always sneak touches of my hair. Today they decided to finally talk shop. 'Teacha, teacha, how do you get your hair so smooth?' I answered that it's just like that. 'Teacha, teacha, be honest, what do you buy?' I said I don't buy anything, it is just like that when it dries out after a shower.
I feel like I should interject here by saying I currently am shampooing about twice a week (mainly because there is no hot water, so my showers are rarely longer than 30 seconds) and that I usually use a bit o' something to tame the wild frizz but that I brought no such something to Africa. In short, my hair is nasty. The girls finally either believed me or gave up their quest for the truth, and just started patting my head and saying, 'teacha, teacha, it's so beautiful.' Having 34 tenth graders tell you your hair is beautiful makes for a pretty good day.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Tea time
Every day at eleven o'clock, matron (I don't know the woman's name; everybody calls her matron) brings a giant thermos of tea and some white bread to the staff room.
It is the best part of every day. Lunch isn't until one thirty, and breakfast is at seven, so I eat like five pieces of bread. Sometimes the bread is stale at the crusts which makes it all the better for dipping. Even if I don't have anything else delicious all day, that's okay. As long as I've got that eleven o'clock tea and bread. Thanks, matron.
It is the best part of every day. Lunch isn't until one thirty, and breakfast is at seven, so I eat like five pieces of bread. Sometimes the bread is stale at the crusts which makes it all the better for dipping. Even if I don't have anything else delicious all day, that's okay. As long as I've got that eleven o'clock tea and bread. Thanks, matron.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Teaching is hard
On Monday I made a girl cry.
It was one of my favourite grade nines. We were taking up some square root homework on the board and I asked her to write up her answer. It was a kind of tricky question, and I had saved it with her in mind because she's really on the ball. The don't have calculators, so they need to look square roots up in a table. She got the hard part of the question correct, but made an error reading from the table. When I made the correction, she looked confused, so I asked if she understood. She kind of just looked out the window, so I thought she didn't hear and I asked again. Them the nodded and I saw the tears so I quickly moved on.
On Tuesday I got angry with a girl and recieved an eye roll.
I noticed part way through class that she had no books out and wasn't copying. I asked her to get paper out and start copying, and that I would wait to erase until she had caught up. Yes, it was a jerk move to single her out. But come on, right? After class I was erasing the boards and I dismissed the students. The started to leave, but I asked this girl to stay. I gave her a talk about 'why are you here? don't you come to school to learn?' which was really cliche in topic and execution, but I feel that cliches are handy sometimes. She rolled her eyes and started to leave, and so I even had to pull a 'excuse me, we're not finished talking.' All-in-all, i'm fairly sure she hates me, and I am okay with that.
Today I gave my grade tens a sternly worded lecture on academic honesty.
Monday through Wednesday from 4 to 5:30 they have some thing called group discussions, rotating through each subject so that they only have each subject every few weeks. Today was physics. We're doing moments and forces in equilibrium and they really aren't getting it. The text book emphasizes theory over worked examples. Last term they did forces and they were supposed to have learned the equation for torque/moments, but after a few days of puzzled faces, I looked through their notes and discovered only one example and no homework questions. So I backed up and taught moments properly, but they still really weren't getting it, so I made their discussion question kind of easy. I timed myself to see how long it took me to do it: two minutes, and only because the numbers made for some tricky math, and I'm laying off the calculator because that seems only fair. So I figured they would have plenty of time given an hour and a half. I left them with the question and then went to give computer lessons to some teachers. When I came back with ten minutes left, most groups were still hard at work. I gave them the ten minute call, a three minute call, a one minute call, them said pencils down. THEY DID NOT PUT PENCILS DOWN. This is my pet peeve beyond all pet peeves, because its clearly cheating but some people seem to have convinced themselves its not cheating. Dangerous. I said, loudly and firmly, 'pencils down right now' and then I went around collecting the booklets. And one girl would not give it! I told her that if she wrote anything else on the page, her whole group would get zero. She still wouldn't give it! She wasn't writing- she was giving pouty lips and puppy dog eyes. As if, lady. I took the book from her and then gave a rather long speech about dropping your pencil like its hot when I call time. The thing is that I think they still don't really understand me, so I'm not sure my point got across. But they better the heck have learned that you do not try puppy dog eyes on Lisa Farlow. (note to Jack and Rob: it's okay when you do it.)
i'm telling you, teaching is hard. On a not at all related note, I just heard a very loud moo and looked out my window to be practically nose to nose with a baby calf. Gross/cute!
It was one of my favourite grade nines. We were taking up some square root homework on the board and I asked her to write up her answer. It was a kind of tricky question, and I had saved it with her in mind because she's really on the ball. The don't have calculators, so they need to look square roots up in a table. She got the hard part of the question correct, but made an error reading from the table. When I made the correction, she looked confused, so I asked if she understood. She kind of just looked out the window, so I thought she didn't hear and I asked again. Them the nodded and I saw the tears so I quickly moved on.
On Tuesday I got angry with a girl and recieved an eye roll.
I noticed part way through class that she had no books out and wasn't copying. I asked her to get paper out and start copying, and that I would wait to erase until she had caught up. Yes, it was a jerk move to single her out. But come on, right? After class I was erasing the boards and I dismissed the students. The started to leave, but I asked this girl to stay. I gave her a talk about 'why are you here? don't you come to school to learn?' which was really cliche in topic and execution, but I feel that cliches are handy sometimes. She rolled her eyes and started to leave, and so I even had to pull a 'excuse me, we're not finished talking.' All-in-all, i'm fairly sure she hates me, and I am okay with that.
Today I gave my grade tens a sternly worded lecture on academic honesty.
Monday through Wednesday from 4 to 5:30 they have some thing called group discussions, rotating through each subject so that they only have each subject every few weeks. Today was physics. We're doing moments and forces in equilibrium and they really aren't getting it. The text book emphasizes theory over worked examples. Last term they did forces and they were supposed to have learned the equation for torque/moments, but after a few days of puzzled faces, I looked through their notes and discovered only one example and no homework questions. So I backed up and taught moments properly, but they still really weren't getting it, so I made their discussion question kind of easy. I timed myself to see how long it took me to do it: two minutes, and only because the numbers made for some tricky math, and I'm laying off the calculator because that seems only fair. So I figured they would have plenty of time given an hour and a half. I left them with the question and then went to give computer lessons to some teachers. When I came back with ten minutes left, most groups were still hard at work. I gave them the ten minute call, a three minute call, a one minute call, them said pencils down. THEY DID NOT PUT PENCILS DOWN. This is my pet peeve beyond all pet peeves, because its clearly cheating but some people seem to have convinced themselves its not cheating. Dangerous. I said, loudly and firmly, 'pencils down right now' and then I went around collecting the booklets. And one girl would not give it! I told her that if she wrote anything else on the page, her whole group would get zero. She still wouldn't give it! She wasn't writing- she was giving pouty lips and puppy dog eyes. As if, lady. I took the book from her and then gave a rather long speech about dropping your pencil like its hot when I call time. The thing is that I think they still don't really understand me, so I'm not sure my point got across. But they better the heck have learned that you do not try puppy dog eyes on Lisa Farlow. (note to Jack and Rob: it's okay when you do it.)
i'm telling you, teaching is hard. On a not at all related note, I just heard a very loud moo and looked out my window to be practically nose to nose with a baby calf. Gross/cute!
On Monday I made a girl cry.
It was one of my favourite grade nines. We were taking up some square root homework on the board and I asked her to write up her answer. It was a kind of tricky question, and I had saved it with her in mind because she's really on the ball. The don't have calculators, so they need to look square roots up in a table. She got the hard part of the question correct, but made an error reading from the table. When I made the correction, she looked confused, so I asked if she understood. She kind of just looked out the window, so I thought she didn't hear and I asked again. Them the nodded and I saw the tears so I quickly moved on.
On Tuesday I got angry with a girl and recieved an eye roll.
I noticed part way through class that she had no books out and wasn't copying. I asked her to get paper out and start copying, and that I would wait to erase until she had caught up. Yes, it was a jerk move to single her out. But come on, right? After class I was erasing the boards and I dismissed the students. The started to leave, but I asked this girl to stay. I gave her a talk about 'why are you here? don't you come to school to learn?' which was really cliche in topic and execution, but I feel that cliches are handy sometimes. She rolled her eyes and started to leave, and so I even had to pull a 'excuse me, we're not finished talking.' All-in-all, i'm fairly sure she hates me, and I am okay with that.
Today I gave my grade tens a sternly worded lecture on academic honesty.
Monday through Wednesday from 4 to 5:30 they have some thing called group discussions, rotating through each subject so that they only have each subject every few weeks. Today was physics. We're doing moments and forces in equilibrium and they really aren't getting it. The text book emphasizes theory over worked examples. Last term they did forces and they were supposed to have learned the equation for torque/moments, but after a few days of puzzled faces, I looked through their notes and discovered only one example and no homework questions. So I backed up and taught moments properly, but they still really weren't getting it, so I made their discussion question kind of easy. I timed myself to see how long it took me to do it: two minutes, and only because the numbers made for some tricky math, and I'm laying off the calculator because that seems only fair. So I figured they would have plenty of time given an hour and a half. I left them with the question and then went to give computer lessons to some teachers. When I came back with ten minutes left, most groups were still hard at work. I gave them the ten minute call, a three minute call, a one minute call, them said pencils down. THEY DID NOT PUT PENCILS DOWN. This is my pet peeve beyond all pet peeves, because its clearly cheating but some people seem to have convinced themselves its not cheating. Dangerous. I said, loudly and firmly, 'pencils down right now' and then I went around collecting the booklets. And one girl would not give it! I told her that if she wrote anything else on the page, her whole group would get zero. She still wouldn't give it! She wasn't writing- she was giving pouty lips and puppy dog eyes. As if, lady. I took the book from her and then gave a rather long speech about dropping your pencil like its hot when I call time. The thing is that I think they still don't really understand me, so I'm not sure my point got across. But they better the heck have learned that you do not try puppy dog eyes on Lisa Farlow. (note to Jack and Rob: it's okay when you do it.)
i'm telling you, teaching is hard. On a not at all related note, I just heard a very loud moo and looked out my window to be practically nose to nose with a baby calf. Gross/cute!
It was one of my favourite grade nines. We were taking up some square root homework on the board and I asked her to write up her answer. It was a kind of tricky question, and I had saved it with her in mind because she's really on the ball. The don't have calculators, so they need to look square roots up in a table. She got the hard part of the question correct, but made an error reading from the table. When I made the correction, she looked confused, so I asked if she understood. She kind of just looked out the window, so I thought she didn't hear and I asked again. Them the nodded and I saw the tears so I quickly moved on.
On Tuesday I got angry with a girl and recieved an eye roll.
I noticed part way through class that she had no books out and wasn't copying. I asked her to get paper out and start copying, and that I would wait to erase until she had caught up. Yes, it was a jerk move to single her out. But come on, right? After class I was erasing the boards and I dismissed the students. The started to leave, but I asked this girl to stay. I gave her a talk about 'why are you here? don't you come to school to learn?' which was really cliche in topic and execution, but I feel that cliches are handy sometimes. She rolled her eyes and started to leave, and so I even had to pull a 'excuse me, we're not finished talking.' All-in-all, i'm fairly sure she hates me, and I am okay with that.
Today I gave my grade tens a sternly worded lecture on academic honesty.
Monday through Wednesday from 4 to 5:30 they have some thing called group discussions, rotating through each subject so that they only have each subject every few weeks. Today was physics. We're doing moments and forces in equilibrium and they really aren't getting it. The text book emphasizes theory over worked examples. Last term they did forces and they were supposed to have learned the equation for torque/moments, but after a few days of puzzled faces, I looked through their notes and discovered only one example and no homework questions. So I backed up and taught moments properly, but they still really weren't getting it, so I made their discussion question kind of easy. I timed myself to see how long it took me to do it: two minutes, and only because the numbers made for some tricky math, and I'm laying off the calculator because that seems only fair. So I figured they would have plenty of time given an hour and a half. I left them with the question and then went to give computer lessons to some teachers. When I came back with ten minutes left, most groups were still hard at work. I gave them the ten minute call, a three minute call, a one minute call, them said pencils down. THEY DID NOT PUT PENCILS DOWN. This is my pet peeve beyond all pet peeves, because its clearly cheating but some people seem to have convinced themselves its not cheating. Dangerous. I said, loudly and firmly, 'pencils down right now' and then I went around collecting the booklets. And one girl would not give it! I told her that if she wrote anything else on the page, her whole group would get zero. She still wouldn't give it! She wasn't writing- she was giving pouty lips and puppy dog eyes. As if, lady. I took the book from her and then gave a rather long speech about dropping your pencil like its hot when I call time. The thing is that I think they still don't really understand me, so I'm not sure my point got across. But they better the heck have learned that you do not try puppy dog eyes on Lisa Farlow. (note to Jack and Rob: it's okay when you do it.)
i'm telling you, teaching is hard. On a not at all related note, I just heard a very loud moo and looked out my window to be practically nose to nose with a baby calf. Gross/cute!
On Monday I made a girl cry.
It was one of my favourite grade nines. We were taking up some square root homework on the board and I asked her to write up her answer. It was a kind of tricky question, and I had saved it with her in mind because she's really on the ball. The don't have calculators, so they need to look square roots up in a table. She got the hard part of the question correct, but made an error reading from the table. When I made the correction, she looked confused, so I asked if she understood. She kind of just looked out the window, so I thought she didn't hear and I asked again. Them the nodded and I saw the tears so I quickly moved on.
On Tuesday I got angry with a girl and recieved an eye roll.
I noticed part way through class that she had no books out and wasn't copying. I asked her to get paper out and start copying, and that I would wait to erase until she had caught up. Yes, it was a jerk move to single her out. But come on, right? After class I was erasing the boards and I dismissed the students. The started to leave, but I asked this girl to stay. I gave her a talk about 'why are you here? don't you come to school to learn?' which was really cliche in topic and execution, but I feel that cliches are handy sometimes. She rolled her eyes and started to leave, and so I even had to pull a 'excuse me, we're not finished talking.' All-in-all, i'm fairly sure she hates me, and I am okay with that.
Today I gave my grade tens a sternly worded lecture on academic honesty.
Monday through Wednesday from 4 to 5:30 they have some thing called group discussions, rotating through each subject so that they only have each subject every few weeks. Today was physics. We're doing moments and forces in equilibrium and they really aren't getting it. The text book emphasizes theory over worked examples. Last term they did forces and they were supposed to have learned the equation for torque/moments, but after a few days of puzzled faces, I looked through their notes and discovered only one example and no homework questions. So I backed up and taught moments properly, but they still really weren't getting it, so I made their discussion question kind of easy. I timed myself to see how long it took me to do it: two minutes, and only because the numbers made for some tricky math, and I'm laying off the calculator because that seems only fair. So I figured they would have plenty of time given an hour and a half. I left them with the question and then went to give computer lessons to some teachers. When I came back with ten minutes left, most groups were still hard at work. I gave them the ten minute call, a three minute call, a one minute call, them said pencils down. THEY DID NOT PUT PENCILS DOWN. This is my pet peeve beyond all pet peeves, because its clearly cheating but some people seem to have convinced themselves its not cheating. Dangerous. I said, loudly and firmly, 'pencils down right now' and then I went around collecting the booklets. And one girl would not give it! I told her that if she wrote anything else on the page, her whole group would get zero. She still wouldn't give it! She wasn't writing- she was giving pouty lips and puppy dog eyes. As if, lady. I took the book from her and then gave a rather long speech about dropping your pencil like its hot when I call time. The thing is that I think they still don't really understand me, so I'm not sure my point got across. But they better the heck have learned that you do not try puppy dog eyes on Lisa Farlow. (note to Jack and Rob: it's okay when you do it.)
i'm telling you, teaching is hard. On a not at all related note, I just heard a very loud moo and looked out my window to be practically nose to nose with a baby calf. Gross/cute!
It was one of my favourite grade nines. We were taking up some square root homework on the board and I asked her to write up her answer. It was a kind of tricky question, and I had saved it with her in mind because she's really on the ball. The don't have calculators, so they need to look square roots up in a table. She got the hard part of the question correct, but made an error reading from the table. When I made the correction, she looked confused, so I asked if she understood. She kind of just looked out the window, so I thought she didn't hear and I asked again. Them the nodded and I saw the tears so I quickly moved on.
On Tuesday I got angry with a girl and recieved an eye roll.
I noticed part way through class that she had no books out and wasn't copying. I asked her to get paper out and start copying, and that I would wait to erase until she had caught up. Yes, it was a jerk move to single her out. But come on, right? After class I was erasing the boards and I dismissed the students. The started to leave, but I asked this girl to stay. I gave her a talk about 'why are you here? don't you come to school to learn?' which was really cliche in topic and execution, but I feel that cliches are handy sometimes. She rolled her eyes and started to leave, and so I even had to pull a 'excuse me, we're not finished talking.' All-in-all, i'm fairly sure she hates me, and I am okay with that.
Today I gave my grade tens a sternly worded lecture on academic honesty.
Monday through Wednesday from 4 to 5:30 they have some thing called group discussions, rotating through each subject so that they only have each subject every few weeks. Today was physics. We're doing moments and forces in equilibrium and they really aren't getting it. The text book emphasizes theory over worked examples. Last term they did forces and they were supposed to have learned the equation for torque/moments, but after a few days of puzzled faces, I looked through their notes and discovered only one example and no homework questions. So I backed up and taught moments properly, but they still really weren't getting it, so I made their discussion question kind of easy. I timed myself to see how long it took me to do it: two minutes, and only because the numbers made for some tricky math, and I'm laying off the calculator because that seems only fair. So I figured they would have plenty of time given an hour and a half. I left them with the question and then went to give computer lessons to some teachers. When I came back with ten minutes left, most groups were still hard at work. I gave them the ten minute call, a three minute call, a one minute call, them said pencils down. THEY DID NOT PUT PENCILS DOWN. This is my pet peeve beyond all pet peeves, because its clearly cheating but some people seem to have convinced themselves its not cheating. Dangerous. I said, loudly and firmly, 'pencils down right now' and then I went around collecting the booklets. And one girl would not give it! I told her that if she wrote anything else on the page, her whole group would get zero. She still wouldn't give it! She wasn't writing- she was giving pouty lips and puppy dog eyes. As if, lady. I took the book from her and then gave a rather long speech about dropping your pencil like its hot when I call time. The thing is that I think they still don't really understand me, so I'm not sure my point got across. But they better the heck have learned that you do not try puppy dog eyes on Lisa Farlow. (note to Jack and Rob: it's okay when you do it.)
i'm telling you, teaching is hard. On a not at all related note, I just heard a very loud moo and looked out my window to be practically nose to nose with a baby calf. Gross/cute!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Spiders and mirrors
Look, all I want is to find the little hand mirror that I brought. I can't remember the last time I used it but there is an itchy bump on my face and I want to make sure it looks like a mosquito bite before I apply After Bite, you know?
I can't find it anywhere. I only have limited possessions through which to look. I have four shelves. Top is for books and misc items like a bag of granola bars and my ipod. Second shelf is for water, medicine, and hygiene items, third shelf is for clothes, and bottom shelf is for empty luggage and plastic bags.
It was after pulling out my suitcase on this bottom shelf that I discovered the biggest spider of my life. It is so large that its scuttling is audible. No lie, its body has a diameter of at least an inch and its thick legs more than quadruple its circumference. First to do the math on leg length is a winner. I don't know where it went so I can't even kill it. So great, now I have an itchy face, no mirror, and yet another contributor to my insomnia problem.
I can't find it anywhere. I only have limited possessions through which to look. I have four shelves. Top is for books and misc items like a bag of granola bars and my ipod. Second shelf is for water, medicine, and hygiene items, third shelf is for clothes, and bottom shelf is for empty luggage and plastic bags.
It was after pulling out my suitcase on this bottom shelf that I discovered the biggest spider of my life. It is so large that its scuttling is audible. No lie, its body has a diameter of at least an inch and its thick legs more than quadruple its circumference. First to do the math on leg length is a winner. I don't know where it went so I can't even kill it. So great, now I have an itchy face, no mirror, and yet another contributor to my insomnia problem.
Monday, May 18, 2009
The computers
The new computers have arrived! Everybody is beside themselves with excitement. A few teachers and some admin from the orphanage have, upon hearing that i'll be the teacher, slyly pulled me aside and asked for lessons. Sure!
There are two computers and they are kept in the orphanage because there is no power in the school. I went to in set them up today. Oh man, they are so slow they're running xp, which I think is the problem; they were built for windows 95. When I set them up I had Janet with me, the secretary who accompanied me to the market last week. She had never used a computer before. I was telling her things about drop down menus and copy-paste shortcuts when I realised she was just enjoying the interaction between her hand on the mouse and the the cursor movement on the screen. I've never really thought about how one would go about teaching computers from scratch. I can't remember a time when there wasn't a computer in my classroom and at home. Sure, they were the ones with green text on a black screen that ran off dos, or the kind with a ball built into the keyboard in the pre-mouse days. I'm trying to think of what a good first lesson would be to somebody who has never even seen a computer.
I guess we can talk about the functions of the monitor, keyboard, cpu, mouse, etc. I think a day of playing with ms paint would be good for getting the hang of the mouse. The next day we can talk about different types of files, saving and opening documents, and how folders work. Word could be a few weeks worth of lessons. Today is the first lesson and its with the older girls. I guess we'll see how it goes!
There are two computers and they are kept in the orphanage because there is no power in the school. I went to in set them up today. Oh man, they are so slow they're running xp, which I think is the problem; they were built for windows 95. When I set them up I had Janet with me, the secretary who accompanied me to the market last week. She had never used a computer before. I was telling her things about drop down menus and copy-paste shortcuts when I realised she was just enjoying the interaction between her hand on the mouse and the the cursor movement on the screen. I've never really thought about how one would go about teaching computers from scratch. I can't remember a time when there wasn't a computer in my classroom and at home. Sure, they were the ones with green text on a black screen that ran off dos, or the kind with a ball built into the keyboard in the pre-mouse days. I'm trying to think of what a good first lesson would be to somebody who has never even seen a computer.
I guess we can talk about the functions of the monitor, keyboard, cpu, mouse, etc. I think a day of playing with ms paint would be good for getting the hang of the mouse. The next day we can talk about different types of files, saving and opening documents, and how folders work. Word could be a few weeks worth of lessons. Today is the first lesson and its with the older girls. I guess we'll see how it goes!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Matatus
The main form of public transportation in Kenya is the matatu, a van with four rows of seats. I have travelled by matatu thrice and each time was quite the experience.
The first time was while in Nairobi. Kay and I were going to head downtown for the day. This was on my first day in Kenya. In Nairobi, they have certain routes and stops. The goal is to always have a full matatu, to maximize profit, so the money collector would lean out the window at each stop and try to convince people to come on. There was traffic, so the matatu went off the official route. This is illegal though, so whenever a police officer appeared, we'd quickly turn on to a side street to avoid being spotted. I felt like an outlaw. It was fun.
I couldn't see out the front window because a giant screen with giant speakers was in the way. From the screen came a music video channel called Black Supremacy and from the speakers came bass-heavy rap and reggae. LOUD rap and reggae. If you had asked me that day if I found the vehicle crowded, I would have answered in the affirmative without hesitation. But now, looking back, that ride seems casual and relaxed. Because now I know better. Now I have been on a rural matatu.
Janet is the school secretary. She kindly offered to accompany me to the market last Thursday. The market is about an hour away but let's be real here, I think next time I will walk.
Nearby the school are some shops, like a few fruit stands and a butchery. This is where the matatu picks people up to drive them to the market. We got seats in the third row. Let me describe the rows.
Row 0: the driver and a passenger bench.
Row 1: a three seater bench accessible from the sliding door.
Row 2: a two and a half seater also by the door with room to side shimmy to further rows.
Row 3: one seat on the left by the door, and a two seater bench on the other side with an aisle to get further back.
Row 4: another three seater. Also, I feel it would be remiss not to mention that there were pictures of Ashanti all over the outside.
Alright, now that the scene is sufficiently set, let me tell you about how many people fit in. There were 2/3/3/3/3 people in the respective rows. I asked Janet why we hadn't left, and she said we were waiting to fill up. What? This wasn't considered full? Oh, how naive I once was. More people came. Bundles were tied to the roof. We were now 3/4/3/3/4. Then a wooden plank came out to bridge the aisle gap in row three. Then a woman and a baby joinen row two. And then the fee collector- for I had forgotten that he needs a seat too- jumped in. That's 21 people you guys.
Then we SPED through bumpy roads. We careened around hair pins with sharp drop-offs on one side of the road. Also, music was still blasting at unbelievable levels. I felt pretty certain that death map imminent. However we arrived alive.
My third matatu encounter was the same day, on the way home from the market. It was old hat. We had snagged the front seats so I took a movie that I will upload when I return. You'll think I must have been moving my hands but I promise, that's just how bumpy it was. Out of curiousity, I looked at the spedometer. It was broken. Oh, matatus.
The first time was while in Nairobi. Kay and I were going to head downtown for the day. This was on my first day in Kenya. In Nairobi, they have certain routes and stops. The goal is to always have a full matatu, to maximize profit, so the money collector would lean out the window at each stop and try to convince people to come on. There was traffic, so the matatu went off the official route. This is illegal though, so whenever a police officer appeared, we'd quickly turn on to a side street to avoid being spotted. I felt like an outlaw. It was fun.
I couldn't see out the front window because a giant screen with giant speakers was in the way. From the screen came a music video channel called Black Supremacy and from the speakers came bass-heavy rap and reggae. LOUD rap and reggae. If you had asked me that day if I found the vehicle crowded, I would have answered in the affirmative without hesitation. But now, looking back, that ride seems casual and relaxed. Because now I know better. Now I have been on a rural matatu.
Janet is the school secretary. She kindly offered to accompany me to the market last Thursday. The market is about an hour away but let's be real here, I think next time I will walk.
Nearby the school are some shops, like a few fruit stands and a butchery. This is where the matatu picks people up to drive them to the market. We got seats in the third row. Let me describe the rows.
Row 0: the driver and a passenger bench.
Row 1: a three seater bench accessible from the sliding door.
Row 2: a two and a half seater also by the door with room to side shimmy to further rows.
Row 3: one seat on the left by the door, and a two seater bench on the other side with an aisle to get further back.
Row 4: another three seater. Also, I feel it would be remiss not to mention that there were pictures of Ashanti all over the outside.
Alright, now that the scene is sufficiently set, let me tell you about how many people fit in. There were 2/3/3/3/3 people in the respective rows. I asked Janet why we hadn't left, and she said we were waiting to fill up. What? This wasn't considered full? Oh, how naive I once was. More people came. Bundles were tied to the roof. We were now 3/4/3/3/4. Then a wooden plank came out to bridge the aisle gap in row three. Then a woman and a baby joinen row two. And then the fee collector- for I had forgotten that he needs a seat too- jumped in. That's 21 people you guys.
Then we SPED through bumpy roads. We careened around hair pins with sharp drop-offs on one side of the road. Also, music was still blasting at unbelievable levels. I felt pretty certain that death map imminent. However we arrived alive.
My third matatu encounter was the same day, on the way home from the market. It was old hat. We had snagged the front seats so I took a movie that I will upload when I return. You'll think I must have been moving my hands but I promise, that's just how bumpy it was. Out of curiousity, I looked at the spedometer. It was broken. Oh, matatus.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Other things about the funeral
There was food for the thousands, but only a few hundred bowls and spoons, so when people finshed, their dishes were washed and re-used. When I say washed, I mean rinsed with water using fingers. The girls washed mine for me and did a pretty good job. Still, I was pretty nervous. But I'm fine.
People cut the line SO MUCH. You have to stand with your toes touching the heels of the person in front of you. Every time somebody budded me, I would turn to Winnie, my friend/a teacher, and she would shrug and say that it's the African way. Have you ever seen the first episode of 30 rock? Where liz lemon buys all the hot dogs from the stand to teach the cutters a lesson? That's how I feel about line cutting. I don't yet know enough Swahili to start dishing sass, though.
People cheered when the vice president and prime minister arrived. Like stood on their chairs and whistled.
People cut the line SO MUCH. You have to stand with your toes touching the heels of the person in front of you. Every time somebody budded me, I would turn to Winnie, my friend/a teacher, and she would shrug and say that it's the African way. Have you ever seen the first episode of 30 rock? Where liz lemon buys all the hot dogs from the stand to teach the cutters a lesson? That's how I feel about line cutting. I don't yet know enough Swahili to start dishing sass, though.
People cheered when the vice president and prime minister arrived. Like stood on their chairs and whistled.
The funeral
Yesterday I went to a funeral service about a ten minute walk from my house. Most of the students in my school were singing, so classes were cancelled and all students and teachers went to the service.
The funeral was for the mother of a minister in the government. The minister is I guess the Kenyan Hillary Clinton- she was the first female to bid for presidency but was unsuccessful. There were thousands of people in attendance including many ministers, the prime minister, and the vice president! I was too far back to see them, but I saw their helicopters. Right now in Kenya there is a president and a prime minister. Usually there is just a pres, but everybody I've talked to agrees that he cheated. After the results of the last election were announced, people were so angry that there were lots of murders. Apparently there were just random acts of violence, like a bunch of people were burned to death in a church. Note: I'm just repeating what others have told me. Internet via phone makes it too hard for me to do my own research and fact checking. So to quell the violence, it was decided that Raila, who I think got the second most votes, would be the pm. People around here love the vice pres, because he is Kamba, the tribe of this location.
So we got to the funeral around ten thirty and had lunch around one. There were even cokes! There was singing the whole time, but the actual ceremony started around two. I left around four, to head back to the farm for the weekend.
So now I've been to a Kenyan funeral. There was even another muzungo there!
The funeral was for the mother of a minister in the government. The minister is I guess the Kenyan Hillary Clinton- she was the first female to bid for presidency but was unsuccessful. There were thousands of people in attendance including many ministers, the prime minister, and the vice president! I was too far back to see them, but I saw their helicopters. Right now in Kenya there is a president and a prime minister. Usually there is just a pres, but everybody I've talked to agrees that he cheated. After the results of the last election were announced, people were so angry that there were lots of murders. Apparently there were just random acts of violence, like a bunch of people were burned to death in a church. Note: I'm just repeating what others have told me. Internet via phone makes it too hard for me to do my own research and fact checking. So to quell the violence, it was decided that Raila, who I think got the second most votes, would be the pm. People around here love the vice pres, because he is Kamba, the tribe of this location.
So we got to the funeral around ten thirty and had lunch around one. There were even cokes! There was singing the whole time, but the actual ceremony started around two. I left around four, to head back to the farm for the weekend.
So now I've been to a Kenyan funeral. There was even another muzungo there!
Friday, May 15, 2009
New house mate
The principal keeps worrying that I am lonely living alone. For the first few nights, she had two students stay over which is just kind of awk since I'm their teacher, so I told them they could sleep back in their dorms. Then I had two very nice nights alone.
I really appreciate some good alone time. Just relax, go to the bathroom with the door open, eat what and when I want, etc. It's hard to be always 'on', you know? It's nice just to lie on my bed doing nothing for forty minutes and not have anybody comment on that.
However, now the principal has arranged (or, in her words, finally convinced) one of the young teachers here to move away from her parents and come share my house. I couldn't appreciate the effort and sentiment more, but it's obvious to me that both of us might be happier with the previous situation. There's only one set of keys, for example. I like to eat dinner around seven, she prefers nine. We have only one lamp between us, so last night we sat in the sitting room but I don't know how many more canada-and-kenya-sure-are-different! conversations there are. If I had just come and was told I'd share a house, that'd be find. But the fact that people are going out of their way, increasing the unpleasantness of their own situation, makes me want to politely mention that I am very not lonely when living alone. Plus no situation could be safer: I have a lock on my bedroom door and on my front door, I live within the hospital compound which is locked at night, and there is a watchman and lots of dogs.
I don't know what to do. Even if I were neutral towards living with somebody, I don't like intruding, or making her go out of her way. I like her VERY much, but... I don't know. Should I say something? Do I just sound like a baby now? Probably, but advise me anyway.
I really appreciate some good alone time. Just relax, go to the bathroom with the door open, eat what and when I want, etc. It's hard to be always 'on', you know? It's nice just to lie on my bed doing nothing for forty minutes and not have anybody comment on that.
However, now the principal has arranged (or, in her words, finally convinced) one of the young teachers here to move away from her parents and come share my house. I couldn't appreciate the effort and sentiment more, but it's obvious to me that both of us might be happier with the previous situation. There's only one set of keys, for example. I like to eat dinner around seven, she prefers nine. We have only one lamp between us, so last night we sat in the sitting room but I don't know how many more canada-and-kenya-sure-are-different! conversations there are. If I had just come and was told I'd share a house, that'd be find. But the fact that people are going out of their way, increasing the unpleasantness of their own situation, makes me want to politely mention that I am very not lonely when living alone. Plus no situation could be safer: I have a lock on my bedroom door and on my front door, I live within the hospital compound which is locked at night, and there is a watchman and lots of dogs.
I don't know what to do. Even if I were neutral towards living with somebody, I don't like intruding, or making her go out of her way. I like her VERY much, but... I don't know. Should I say something? Do I just sound like a baby now? Probably, but advise me anyway.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Want a post card?
Because I'll send you one. But then you have to send me mail, too, sucker. Email me your address and I'll reply with mine. Uh, friends, freaders, and fam only. If you don't know what a freader is then you're probably not one.
(ps to Greg, Rob, and Jake- can I send you one collectively since you live together?)
(ps to Greg, Rob, and Jake- can I send you one collectively since you live together?)
The English teacher
Today I met the English teacher. Her English was the best of any Kenyan I have met so far. She is continually taking classes in English and right now is taking a Canadian literature course! She is just so excited to have me around. Her assiminent for the week is to learn more about Canadian culture and history so she can understand the context of her readings, and she was so excited when I said I would help her. She told me to encourage the girls to try new words and pronunciation. Actually, she told me to teach correct pronunciation, which is an interesting sentiment- that my pronunciation would be considered absolute. I guess I sound nearly American, and majority rules? How about the pronunciation of their English name? All the students are called by their English names at school. There's Sharon, which I say as SHARE-in. They say SHAW-rone except will a rolled r-ish sound, and who am I to correct somebody on their own name? There are a whole bunch of other names that they say differently from the north american way, mostly names with r like Mercy. Anyway I think I really love the English teacher. As she left, she said, "Let's make this place an English paradise!"
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Malarone
I know a alot of people are anti malaria pill, but i'm kind of medicine fan. Since my student insurance covered the expensive good kind, (500 dollars, but for me only 21) I decided to take Malarone.
They say my area doesn't have malaria because it is too cold for mosquitos, but I've gotten a few bites despite wearing bug spray. Nothing a bit o' afterbite can't fix, but I'm just saying.
Today while I ate dinner and took my daily pill, I decided to read the little paper inside the pill box, because I'm breezing through the books I brought ant therefore am trying to ration them. There are about twenty side effects listed. Most I remember the doctor saying, but two suprised me. Insomnia and lack of appetite. I've been having lots of trouble falling asleep, which I blamed on the fact that dinner time here is at nine o'clock, and maybe some lingering jet lag. Also, I am starting to be called the smallest stomache in Kenya. I'm never hungry, and I eat less than the kids.
I'm kind of considering to stop taking them. The thing is, I'm almost done my first pack and it's going to feel like an achievement, you know? Like an advent calendar where you open one every day, but instead of Christmas, it's hometime. I think I will keep taking it, but also keep an eye on the symptoms.
They say my area doesn't have malaria because it is too cold for mosquitos, but I've gotten a few bites despite wearing bug spray. Nothing a bit o' afterbite can't fix, but I'm just saying.
Today while I ate dinner and took my daily pill, I decided to read the little paper inside the pill box, because I'm breezing through the books I brought ant therefore am trying to ration them. There are about twenty side effects listed. Most I remember the doctor saying, but two suprised me. Insomnia and lack of appetite. I've been having lots of trouble falling asleep, which I blamed on the fact that dinner time here is at nine o'clock, and maybe some lingering jet lag. Also, I am starting to be called the smallest stomache in Kenya. I'm never hungry, and I eat less than the kids.
I'm kind of considering to stop taking them. The thing is, I'm almost done my first pack and it's going to feel like an achievement, you know? Like an advent calendar where you open one every day, but instead of Christmas, it's hometime. I think I will keep taking it, but also keep an eye on the symptoms.
New gym teacher
Also, I am the new phys ed teacher. Can anybody help me remember some good games? We have two balls but not really and flat field space. So far I am thinking some stretching, maybe a day of push ups/lunges/sit ups, and maybe capture the flag. The period is only forty minutes long.
Muzungo
Let me tell you something. It is very hard to teach physics with no demonstration equipment and a language barrier. And I ask you, how can one properly demonstrate centre of gravity with out a can of pop? You know, you find out how much you need to drink so that it can balance on its edge? Pop comes in bottles here. Alas.
I have found that they seen to understand better if I write it down rather than speak it. I do both, while trying to speak slowly and avoid contractions.
Here is something the girls love: I say good bye at the end of the class and in unison they chime, "see you!" and then collapse into giggles. Their over favourite thing is when I use swahili words. Sawa means do you understand? They love it.
Yesterday I was walking past the primary school at lunch time and a kid spotted me and shouted muzungo, and all the other kids came running over. They lined the fence and stared at me. I waved and they all waved back. Once I had passed they all started laughing. Its good natured, though. The principal told me that many here have never seen a muzungo, so they are just so happy to look at me (her words). A muzungo is a white person. Even a adults stop talking and stare. They also seem to love to brush up on english greetings, so unlike the primary kids, instead of just staring, they shout out ALLO! When I wave, they wave back, sometimes with two hands.
Starting today I am cooking for myself. I now own a giant knife with a snake skin handle. Its pretty fierce. The vegetables here are kale, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, other leafy greens that nobody knows the english word for that must be boiled, and onions. There is also rice, corn, pasta, eggs, and beans. Fruits in season include bananas and oranges. I have a little gas tank that I cook with.
Also, soon I have to do laundry. I wonder where the washing machines are?
I have found that they seen to understand better if I write it down rather than speak it. I do both, while trying to speak slowly and avoid contractions.
Here is something the girls love: I say good bye at the end of the class and in unison they chime, "see you!" and then collapse into giggles. Their over favourite thing is when I use swahili words. Sawa means do you understand? They love it.
Yesterday I was walking past the primary school at lunch time and a kid spotted me and shouted muzungo, and all the other kids came running over. They lined the fence and stared at me. I waved and they all waved back. Once I had passed they all started laughing. Its good natured, though. The principal told me that many here have never seen a muzungo, so they are just so happy to look at me (her words). A muzungo is a white person. Even a adults stop talking and stare. They also seem to love to brush up on english greetings, so unlike the primary kids, instead of just staring, they shout out ALLO! When I wave, they wave back, sometimes with two hands.
Starting today I am cooking for myself. I now own a giant knife with a snake skin handle. Its pretty fierce. The vegetables here are kale, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, other leafy greens that nobody knows the english word for that must be boiled, and onions. There is also rice, corn, pasta, eggs, and beans. Fruits in season include bananas and oranges. I have a little gas tank that I cook with.
Also, soon I have to do laundry. I wonder where the washing machines are?
Monday, May 11, 2009
First day teaching
So I am teaching grade nine math and grade ten physics. The students don't use calculators. One of the topics I have to cover is square roots. I thought, okay, with no calculator, we'll just do 81 and 16 and stuff. But no, we will use tables. I have never heard of that, so i'll have to learn it myself first.
The girls are the very best. I was told that they all dislike math but it sure didn't seem like it. As I did examples, they did the math out loud with me, you know, saying "eight times seven is six carry five." and when I would ask who wants to try an example on the board, hands shot up. Even if a girl was incorrect, she was eager to try again the next time. Even when I ask questions like 'okay?' they all say yes. It's kind of fun.
There is morning assembly. One girl leads some singing and another says a prayer. Then each teacher says something. The exchange is like this:
teacher: good morning
girls: good morning
teacher: good morning once again
girls: good morning
and then the teacher says her thing. I feel like my summer is going to be less about the trials of kenya, and more about being a teacher. I feel almost used to kenya living. Except the latrine. Its hard, you guys.
Some things: every body is always asking me if i am cold. I'll be wearing a tshirt and thinking about re-applying sunscreen and they will be wearing long sleeves. All the babies year winter hats. Also everybody thinks I don't eat very much. I'll be served these massive portions even when i ask for just a little. During the weekend two of my students delivered food from the matron and i thought it was a lot for just the three of us. Then it turned out they had eaten already- this army portion was all for me! I eat as much as i can, but i honestly do not believe that any human my size could do half, even if they hadn't eaten for days. I hope that what i return isn't wasted. You know how your mom would always make you finish your dinner, citing starving kids in africa? Well now those starving kids might be within walking distance.
So far i have not gotten sick, just a little bit sun burned.
The girls are the very best. I was told that they all dislike math but it sure didn't seem like it. As I did examples, they did the math out loud with me, you know, saying "eight times seven is six carry five." and when I would ask who wants to try an example on the board, hands shot up. Even if a girl was incorrect, she was eager to try again the next time. Even when I ask questions like 'okay?' they all say yes. It's kind of fun.
There is morning assembly. One girl leads some singing and another says a prayer. Then each teacher says something. The exchange is like this:
teacher: good morning
girls: good morning
teacher: good morning once again
girls: good morning
and then the teacher says her thing. I feel like my summer is going to be less about the trials of kenya, and more about being a teacher. I feel almost used to kenya living. Except the latrine. Its hard, you guys.
Some things: every body is always asking me if i am cold. I'll be wearing a tshirt and thinking about re-applying sunscreen and they will be wearing long sleeves. All the babies year winter hats. Also everybody thinks I don't eat very much. I'll be served these massive portions even when i ask for just a little. During the weekend two of my students delivered food from the matron and i thought it was a lot for just the three of us. Then it turned out they had eaten already- this army portion was all for me! I eat as much as i can, but i honestly do not believe that any human my size could do half, even if they hadn't eaten for days. I hope that what i return isn't wasted. You know how your mom would always make you finish your dinner, citing starving kids in africa? Well now those starving kids might be within walking distance.
So far i have not gotten sick, just a little bit sun burned.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Quick favour.
Also, does anybody feel like volunteering for the task of emailing me weekly news briefs? Just a few basics like how Michelle obama's arms be doing, or new additions to the brangelina fam. You know, the essentials. *
------
*except actually the real essentials. Ah-thanks.
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*except actually the real essentials. Ah-thanks.
New home again
I'm having trouble sleeping again tonight. So i though i'd hit the blog.
You may notice i have figured out how to start a new paragraph. Practically rocket science over here.
So i guess a quick catch-up. I left monday, arrived tuesday, spent wednesday in downtown nairobi, spent thursday just resting at the nairobi apartment, spent friday travelling out to mbooni, spent saturday morning meeting and playing with some kids who are part of a food security project, and then saturday afternoon was spent moving to the school.
I will certainly in into more detail on the things that happened earlier this week, but lets first talk about the school. I'll be teaching at an all girls secondary school in mbooni. About half the girls are boarders, and I am living on campus, too. I now live in a little house with two bedrooms, a sitting room, a "latrine", a kitchen, and, most impressively, a shower. The extra bedroom is for another young teacher who apparently will move in tomorrow. The latrine is the squat kind. All these rooms are connected by an outdoors (roofless) room/corrider that has a padlocked gate. My bedroom door locks and there is a watch man so i feel pretty safe. I an super excited to wash my hair tomorrow; I have only shampooed once this week, but i take solace in the fact that grease makes it less frizzy. Yes, this girl is attractive.
Tomorrow I have to go to a five hour long church service. At first I thought they were joking. Nope. Does that not seen slightly lenghty?
Oh, also I have a chicken coop outside my door with baby chicks! And there was a act running around and I mentioned that I love cats (editors note: I love dogs more) and the principal was like, oh then we'll get you one. Hooray! Jack, should I name it sebastian?
Okay, I am going to try to sleep again. Leave comments!
You may notice i have figured out how to start a new paragraph. Practically rocket science over here.
So i guess a quick catch-up. I left monday, arrived tuesday, spent wednesday in downtown nairobi, spent thursday just resting at the nairobi apartment, spent friday travelling out to mbooni, spent saturday morning meeting and playing with some kids who are part of a food security project, and then saturday afternoon was spent moving to the school.
I will certainly in into more detail on the things that happened earlier this week, but lets first talk about the school. I'll be teaching at an all girls secondary school in mbooni. About half the girls are boarders, and I am living on campus, too. I now live in a little house with two bedrooms, a sitting room, a "latrine", a kitchen, and, most impressively, a shower. The extra bedroom is for another young teacher who apparently will move in tomorrow. The latrine is the squat kind. All these rooms are connected by an outdoors (roofless) room/corrider that has a padlocked gate. My bedroom door locks and there is a watch man so i feel pretty safe. I an super excited to wash my hair tomorrow; I have only shampooed once this week, but i take solace in the fact that grease makes it less frizzy. Yes, this girl is attractive.
Tomorrow I have to go to a five hour long church service. At first I thought they were joking. Nope. Does that not seen slightly lenghty?
Oh, also I have a chicken coop outside my door with baby chicks! And there was a act running around and I mentioned that I love cats (editors note: I love dogs more) and the principal was like, oh then we'll get you one. Hooray! Jack, should I name it sebastian?
Okay, I am going to try to sleep again. Leave comments!
So i packed the wrong charger. Rather, i packed the charger i intended, but it is incompatible with my laptop. I didn't know which power adapter i would need, and one of them could only be used with two-pronged plugs. So i brought the charger for my other lappy. The are both dell and it physically fits so i wrongly assumed it would work. Alas, i have no more laptop. I therefore can't even charge my ipod! I have a bit of battery left but i am saving it for uploading pictures. So from where by i blogging? A cell phone i bought for 7500 shillings or about 125 dollars. It was a built in browser that isn't even bad, and though it doesn't have a qwerty keypad, it does have good predictive text. I must say i by growing almost done of it. The only problem is that i don't know how to start a new line of text, so sorry for the large block of text
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Leaving Tomorrow!
Flight 1
Toronto to Amsterdam,
Departing Monday, May 4 at 17:45, Arriving Tuesday, May 5 at 07:00
Then, I thought I had a 1.5 hour stop over, but apparently that's incorrect. It's 3hours and 15 minutes. But that's okay because I heard Amsterdam has got a really nice airport.
Flight 2
Amsterdam to Nairobi
Departing at 10:15 and Arriving 19:05
I think with time changes that I've got 18 hours or so from Toronto to Nairobi. I hope the food they serve is delicious! Also, KLM serves ice cream on intercontinental flights. The best!
Toronto to Amsterdam,
Departing Monday, May 4 at 17:45, Arriving Tuesday, May 5 at 07:00
Then, I thought I had a 1.5 hour stop over, but apparently that's incorrect. It's 3hours and 15 minutes. But that's okay because I heard Amsterdam has got a really nice airport.
Flight 2
Amsterdam to Nairobi
Departing at 10:15 and Arriving 19:05
I think with time changes that I've got 18 hours or so from Toronto to Nairobi. I hope the food they serve is delicious! Also, KLM serves ice cream on intercontinental flights. The best!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Packing List Part 3: Hygiene
This was a difficult part of the packing list because I don't want to bring too much of anything, but I don't want to bring not enough. So for the past month, I've been monitoring how much of each hygiene product I use, and now I'm packing that amount multiplied by three.
Liquid Items:
(Packing List Part 1: Medicine)
(Packing List Part 2: Comfort Items)
Liquid Items:
- 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner (one full regular sized bottle)
- deodorant (1 new one plus 1 half used)
- facewash (I still have not decided how much is an appropriate amount. Will I be washing my face more or less often?)
- Purell (jumbo bottle plus one travel sized container)
- toothpaste (1 new one plus 1 half used)
- quick dry towel
- tampons (I'm over estimating and bringing like 70, but imagine running out?)
- Blistex (the one with SPF 15)
- tooth brush (and a fresh one)
- pre-wrap
- a few headbands
- lots of hair elastics
- tweezers
- nail clippers
- Q-tips
(Packing List Part 1: Medicine)
(Packing List Part 2: Comfort Items)
Friday, May 1, 2009
Packing List Part 2: Comfort Items
Criteria for comfort food: is delicious and/or nutritious, is light weight.
- Crystal Light (3 months of only water is difficult)
- Instant Oatmeal (the high fibre, high protein variety)
- a few packets of hot chocolate (it gets cold at night!)
- Clif Bars (protein and fibre fiesta, basically)
- lots of gum
- complete novels of Jane Austen (all 7 in one volume!)
- the book The Power of One
- the book Great Expectations
- a notebook
- a book of logic puzzles
- a calculator (is any item more comforting?) (plus I'm teaching math. so)
- iPod filled with all of my favourite songs plus some great podcasts
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