Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Jambo! (Hello!)
I've settled into life in Kenya now, so thought it was time to write again....
On my second day here, I attended a presentation on parenting with Paul who is the Director of Unity college in Nairobi. The presentation was to over 100 parents, to give them guidance on parenting, particularly since drink and drugs amongst the youth is a big problem here. I only had to take the microphone for a few minutes, but I was still nervous!
I then spent 10 days teaching at a small primary school in Matopeni. The school is in a poor area and helps orphans and children from poor families to get an education. The school itself is really basic - iron sheets as walls and a roof, no electricity, and a limited number of text books.
I absolutely loved teaching here! The kids were all really excited to have me at their school, and they were very enthusiastic - keen to learn, and even asked me for homework! I taught Maths and Science, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed teaching Maths in particular - I found it very rewarding. At lunch times I spent some of my time with the teachers in the "staff room" - another room made from sheets of iron - where we ate ugali (made from maize) and cabbage for lunch (very filling by the way!). The teachers were also all very friendly and welcoming, so I enjoyed spending time with them, and then spent the rest of my lunch breaks playing with the children. They all loved it when I joined in with their football game - I went in goal, and of course everyone wanted to score against me!! (and most of them did!)
The school is now closed for a month, but I plan to go back! So from here I then travelled to Kirinyaga for a few days and stayed with Edith's Mum. Kirinyaga is a rural area, so I got to experience rural life - no electricity, outside toilets, and even the kitchen was a small room outside the house too! (Check out the photo!). It also meant a lack of public transport and so a lot of walking! Although there were a few pushbike taxis (see the photo of me with the "taxi rider" who is wearing a very nice shirt indeed!)
Our reason for visiting Kirinyaga was to meet the boys from the football project. I trained with them on one evening, even though I was only wearing sandals, because I wanted to prove that girls can also play football (Hey San, you cheeky so and so!). Even though I'm now very unfit (walking is my only form of exercise), I managed to train with them for 2 hours - it was only my sheer competitiveness and stubborn nature that kept me going! By the end of training all of the boys were putting their thumbs up and shaking my hand, so I think I succeeded in convincing them! The next day I then watched them play in a football tournament, so it was good to get involved in their project.
I'm now back in Nairobi where I've started teaching IT at Unity College. This is a small college which is mainly for students from slightly wealthier families, but it also offers numerous bursaries to students from the poor areas and the slums, whose families can't always afford the tuition fees. This is great because it gives them the opportunity to get an education and also to socialise with students from different backgrounds.
I find it funny that I am teaching IT, but I thought I would find it rewarding to help students who are new to using computers. I am teaching/assisting lessons in Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint. I'm also taking a touch typing course after classes, so by the end of my volunteering I should have also further improved my own IT skills! I've also been asked to offer counselling sessions to the students as well, so it's another challenge I've been willing to undertake!
I'm also enjoying teaching here at Unity College, and will be based here for 3 months. Everyone has been very kind and welcoming, and the students are also very friendly and seem keen to learn. This makes my job much easier because I know I'm not cut out to be a teacher - I'd be eaten alive by the kids back home in the UK!
Apart from working I haven't been up to very much I'm afraid because I'm saving up my travelling until my safari at the end. I've made some friends here now that I've settled in, so I'm enjoying spending time with them, especially as everyone enjoys football and follows the English Premiership - although it's not much fun being an Arsenal fan at the moment, I am getting a lot of abuse!! On Friday night I was taken on a night out in Nairobi which was good fun, although I struggled to keep up seeing as we didn't get home until 6am!! Yesterday (Sunday) we went to Church and then I was taken to a house warming party where I got to meet nearly all of Edith's family. It was great fun - and I ate far too much!!
Speaking of food - the food here is lovely! I lost my appetite for a couple of weeks when I first arrived, but I'm OK now and I actually think that the over-sized portions are beginning to take their toll because I'm sure I've put ON weight!! I'm still suffering with indigestion though, so where possible I try to skip lunch if I know I'm having a feast for dinner!!
My tan still hasn't improved much either - I'm inside teaching all day, so I miss catching any rays. I've also been told that I've arrived just in time for the rainy season - it's due to rain throughout the wholeof April, and it's currently chucking it down and I've forgotten my waterproof jacket! So there's not much chance of my tan improving any time soon!
Other things to tell you about Kenya.... Kenyans are very generous and very friendly; whenever you're meeting up with someone you always shake hands. I've not shaken hands so many times before! I've also discovered that Kenyans are also bad time keepers, so everyone is always late (118 - you'd fit in very well! Hee hee). It's very traditional here to get your hair braided, which looks really cool but they've not managed to convince me to do it! I got fed up with my hair and so I shaved it off again instead!
I've not found another project that I really like in another country, so I've decided to extend my stay in Kenya until the end of July, which isn't as long as I'd planned because I'm running out of money! So it looks like I'll be returning home to the UK earlier than expected, although I haven't set a date yet.
I hope you've all had a good Easter, and ate an extra Easter egg for me!
Love, Rach xx
P.S. I haven't shaved my head again really - sorry Mum, I was just teasing you!!
Some Good Luck wishes....
Good Luck to Hazel who who will be running the London Marathon on April 22nd - don't forget to sponsor her if you haven't already! All the best matey! x
Good Luck in your exams 118, although you don't need luck because I know you'll be fine. I'll keep my fingers crossed it's a nice exam paper though, just incase!
- comments