I feel like these updates are getting much more irregular. I remember in the first few months I was a very regularly weekly blogger, and now I make by and give excuses. My latest excuse is that there was a power outage this past week in the line which my room in the visitor wing of the boys dorm is on, so from Tuesday to Friday I not only had no internet, but no power or water as well. The line to the dining hall was irregular, but thankfully had power each evening so the children could study for their exams, and the girls dorm was out Tuesday until Thursday. Honestly, the boys dorm might still be out, but I have run away to Nairobi for the weekend. I needed to pick up my mail, and if I have to pay as much as I do... I might as well make it worthwhile.
Life at Hope continues on... We had midterms this week and most of my students performed nicely although there are a few who really struggle with school generally which is hard to see. I am sure they have learning disabilities, but we don't really have the capacity to meet those, or probably a proper awareness. Still, even when a student performs poorly, the teachers are often quite encouraging. The week before midterms we had practice exams and they were harder than our midterms(my students did not perform so well) and the teachers encouraged the students and even me:)
One low point of the week was catching one of my students, a girl who is one of my better friends, cheating on her science exam. While she tried to deny it, she did have the science text book open on the bench beside her. I reported her to her class and subject teacher and then ran away. Otherwise, I think my students were good and didn't 'steal' as they call cheating here.
I am still enjoying teaching, feeling more competent as time goes by. On the thought of school, the new secondary building is almost finished. The roof has been going on before our eyes this week despite the horrendous winds that we have been having. I can't imagine putting the sheet roofing on in those fierce gales. Still, it should be finished in March for sure which will be incredible. It is big enough I think some of the primary classes will be moved in there as well.
Also thinking of school, we have a school break for two weeks come March 14, which is a little puzzling. All of Kenya has school holidays over April, so why are we breaking in March? Everyone needs a break on the staff end, and probably the kids too, but I hope none of the teachers have children away at boarding schools or they won't even see them... Still, whatever the Madam says is law, so we are breaking in March. Personally, I haven't a clue what I will do on my break, but I have two weeks to think of something.
Meanwhile, I have run away to Nairobi, coming in yesterday to get my mail from MCC and then deciding to make a weekend of it. I needed the break. Today I have just been walking around downtown for hours because I can. Everyone asks if I have plans, and I am like no... I don't want plans, I want to wander... be anonymous... Life confined to a 13 acre compound for several weeks at a go has its challenges, so I am walking for all the days I can't go anywhere.
I am staying at my country reps house although they are out of town, so last night and this morning I just enjoyed reading outside because it was actually warm enough to be outside, and eating food like cheese and tomato sandwiches and mangoes... Then this morning I came downtown, caught up on my email in the cyber cafe, walked around, found the Railway Museum and visited there, wandered longer, had fries and a milkshake for lunch(I always eat junk food when I come in... because I can...) walked through the parks and around some more and then decided to hide from the heat and update my blog... Altogether a lovely relaxing day.
The Railway Museum was a fun place to go although I was the only one there. The man at the desk said the museum is quite popular with school groups, but being a Saturday, it was quite empty. Empty but interesting, and I learned some parts of Kenyan history I did not know. For example, in Kenya you find a lot of Indian people, and these families mostly came here to build the railways at the turn of the last century. The British colonists first tried to get the Africans to work, but they were quite hostile to the idea of a railroad through their land, so instead the British transported workers from India, India already having built a railway so these included people with some expertise. Then, after the railway was finished, the Indians stayed, being quite succesful in business. For example, they owned most of the supermarkets and continue to own several of the major ones.
The railway project in itself was highly ambitious and very expensive. The British parliament dubbed it the 'lunatic line' because of how much it ended up costing, and in addition to monetary cost, it was quite dangerous, claiming nearly 2500 lives of the people building it. Also, there was one part, where there was quite a bit of trouble to do with man eating lions...
The museum inside had all these old old photographs, of the railways but also of places like Nairobi and Mombassa. These cities have grown ALOT in the last 100 years. Then outside were a lot of old train cars that you could climb in. I was sorry to have not brought my camera, and was very glad I decided to go.
Meanwhile, wandering Nairobi has been lovely. This was the first place I was in Kenya, spending my first two weeks here, and it is where I always come for a break, so walking the now familiar streets gave good opportunity to reflect on the past six months. It is also great for people watching as most of the people out on a Saturday afternoon are out for leisure, and look quite smart, smart being the word people in Kenya use for when you look good.
I will head back to Hope tomorrow afternoon, so have some time left to wander and relax and, always important, stock up on books from the Mennonite Guest House library.
Meanwhile, the rains have not returned, and talk of drought continues even in the highlands while Northern Kenya and regions of Ethiopia and Somalia are facing very dire conditions and starvation. Pray for that region. Pray for rain. Even in the highlands I think people are feeling it if they do not have generous financial backing as we do... The shamba does not grow, and the grass is much too dry for the cattle to be satisfied. They say the rains should come in March or April, so hopefully soon...
In other news, I received an email with my return ticket this week. I leave Kenya on July 19, have reentry retreat in PA, and then fly home to Seattle on my birthday, July 26. Seeing my family will be a pretty lovely birthday, but it feels weird to have a document saying I am leaving, even if I still have five months time... When asked recently how it was going, the best answer I can give is life here is good and hard, but I am glad I am here...
Finally, I still love getting emails...
No comments:
Post a Comment