Friday's Business...

This evening, I am pre-writing a post for my blog while having intentionally locked myself into my bedroom…

After a day of school visits (every time I think I have visited every school in the area, another one is around the corner), John, Paul, and I were invited to The Greenhouse, which is a beautiful home belonging to a British man named Simon. Following tea at The Greenhouse, we took a bumpy car trip to Lake Elementeita, which is in Masai region of the Rift Valley. We arrived just as the sun set and had a chance to walk around the lake to look at the flamingos and pelicans. Hundreds of these birds flock to this saltwater lake for food each day, and many Kenyans come to enjoy the birds and the hot springs just off the lake. The doctor at the travel clinic sufficiently scared me away from taking a dip in any type of water here due to some horrible worm bacteria, so I enjoyed the hot springs from afar, but Paul, John, and Sammy enjoyed getting their feet wet in them!

African Sunset

Back to why I am locked in my bedroom. Remember the beautiful fruits and vegetables I mentioned buying at the market? Well, when I returned this evening, I was fortunate to have two friends walk into my cottage with me. I immediately noticed a small garbage can was tipped over on the floor near the door to the kitchen. After picking it up, Simon opened the kitchen door to check on things and told me that it looked as if I had visitors. Hmmm. I was hoping it was someone who had come to start up my stove and refrigerator, but from the tone of his voice, I knew better.

I inched towards the door (still a bit nervous about mice since the mouse we found in the last cottage I stayed in here), and peeked in. The floor was covered in dry pasta that had been stored on a top shelf in the cabinets. My mind went to mice right away, until I looked to the right and saw two half-eaten tomatoes on the counter and a large avocado with the pit exposed. That could not be the job of any mouse I had ever heard of! In addition, my other large avocado sat, half-eaten, ON TOP OF the refrigerator. 

Hmm...?

Originally, there were 8 tomatoes in that basket!

When I saw the avocado up on top of the refrigerator, I knew...

Monkeys!!! The carrots and onions weren’t touched (apparently, monkeys aren’t into eating their veggies?), and they must have run off with my mango and a loaf of bread, because I didn’t see evidence of them anywhere!

Into the bathroom I went, only to find a bag of medicine torn open and laying in the middle of the floor and open tissue packets strewn around as well. After checking the entire cottage, Simon and Eric left me, and I took my necessities for the evening and bolted up the stairs. I’m not really afraid of monkeys; I just don’t want another surprise this late in the evening! Cleanup will occur in the morning. I wonder how those sneaky monkeys were able to get in, and how did they open the door handles?!? I have to laugh as I type this though… I am, after all, in Africa! Monkey business is just part of life here!

Mornings and Evenings

I can’t remember the last time I slept as well as I sleep here. Someone suggested the altitude, but I’m not sure. The work certainly isn’t near the pace of what the typical school day at work brings. Perhaps it is the cold night air and the three duvets I sleep under to stay warm?

The evening falls upon us pretty quickly here. The locals will say that sunrise to sunset is between 6 am and 6 pm. In reality, it’s close, but not exact. The evenings get dark pretty fast, and if I don’t leave the Malewa Trust office by 6:15, it is too dark to walk home. I learned this the hard way last week when I stayed until 7ish and then got a bit nervous as I walked the country roads in the dark. (Just days earlier, I had such a liberating feeling… there I was, walking the country road under a setting sun, in KENYA!) I decided to run home- about 40 minutes downhill couldn’t be that bad!- but the roads are horrible, and I hit a rock, then flew, Superman-style, down the dirt and rock road on my stomach and arms. I managed to cut up both hands, with most of the damage done to my right elbow. A nice deep cut and some bruising to the elbow was a good reminder to stay safe and leave for home earlier in the evenings. (I'll spare you all the photographs of this!)

The Ardingly students brought a telescope here so we’ve had the opportunity to look up at the moon through that. I enjoy the night sky from outside my cottage- the stars hang so low and I’ve watched the new moon develop into a big full moon since my arrival.

There’s no need for an alarm clock in the mornings, as there are many, many bird sounds in the morning to wake me. I’m not a bird-lover (definitely stemming from the two times I have unexpectedly “caught” their droppings), but I wish that I could identify all of the calls I hear each day. Each morning, there is a bird that sings and pecks at my bathroom window to say hello. The birds really do fill the air with music all throughout the morning and early afternoon hours.

Sanchat and Saida Orphanages

For those of you who are a bit sappy and sentimental like me, this post might tug your heartstrings…

I have visited two orphanages in Gilgil during my time here- Saida and Sanchat. My first visits were with John and Paul on a day when we finished our BWM meetings early. The directors weren’t expecting us, but were happy to show us their facilities and to talk about their missions and their children. Both were quite similar.

The orphaned children are described as either abandoned or neglected. Some were abandoned just after birth for various reasons, including physical differences or disabilities. Others lost their families or are unable to be cared for by their families. The orphanages provide housing, food, schooling, clothing, and a safe and secure “family” for the children. They also work to provide feeding programs for children and families in need. Each of the organizations has about 65 children and approximately 7 staff members. The youngest children were 3 months old and the oldest were nineteen years. I’m not certain what Kenya’s adoption laws are, but it doesn’t seem that these children will be leaving the orphanages until their late teens, when they can care for themselves. Both organizations also have handmade goods created by their older or adult family members who need to learn to support themselves. We watched women silk screening reusable shopping bags for a grocery store at Sanchat and there were some cloths and jewelry in the store and Saida.

Buying a Bag of Kindness at Sanchat Orphanage

I returned to Saida orphanage with the Ardingly students, who had collected large bags of donations in England to bring to the students. When we arrived, they greeted us with a song, and the director, Madame Jane, invited us to join them and then to open our arms and hearts to the kids, to give them the hugs, love, and attention that they so desperately need. That part was easy, as the kids came right up to us, asking our names, holding our hands, etc. The youngest ones naturally wanted to be held and carried. We heard a few of their stories, opened the bags of goodies, and played with all of their new (secondhand) toys. We read books in their meager library, and then participated in some face painting fun!

Sweet Joseph painted his own face- and tried to paint his nails and lips too!

I spent most of the day with an 11-year-old named Hannah. She and her older sister, Monica, were both at the orphanage, and both were so polite, well-spoken, and sweet. Monica taught me a rock game that I was terrible at playing, and I taught her the good old-fashioned game of Hopscotch. She beat me at that too! 

Madame Jane and I spoke for a while about the donors and sponsors of Saida. She began the organization many years ago with three other women. Their work is extraordinary- the children are loved, educated (with many going to good secondary schools, which is a great success for any Kenyan in the area), and their “home” is supportive, clean, and organized. This is definitely an organization that I will continue to support. Madame Jane and I are going to be working on a project together to share more information about Saida, as the organization is limited by its lack of technology resources. On Saturday, I head back to take photographs of all of the children, to learn more of their stories, and to help create a video for the Saida Children’s Fund.  

African Food

My sister asked me the other day if I was “starving” over here in Kenya. Goodness no! Fortunately, Malewa Bush Ventures has a wonderful staff and Christine has invited me to several meals with her and Granny. In fact, yesterday I had a rendition of Macaroni & Cheese- homemade, of course, with tomatoes on top! It was served with a side of some very bizarre large bean-like food with hard black seeds similar to wood inside…Granny and I decided we could live on without every trying them again. Most of the white Kenyans in the area are of British descent, so breakfast is tea, coffee, toast, and fruit, with an egg if I request it. I’ve had dinners of cottage pie, soup, vegetables, and freshly baked breads. Lunch, however, has been “on the road” and at African restaurants for the most part. They serve a lot of cooked cabbage here, and I’ve had cabbage with rice, cabbage with ugali (a traditional African maize mixture that is pretty bland), cabbage with french fries, cabbage with any type of starch- you name it! Kenyans apparently love their meat, and I have to close my eyes and look away when I see some of it, served on the bone in large portions. They also love to use salt- my dad would be happy here!

Some type of beef, vegetables and cabbage, and chipati (the bread-like pieces)

Rice and Spinach (maybe some kale mixed in there)

Chicken and Chips- there are advertisements for this meal everywhere!

Cabbage and Ugali (a maize dish that is very common and inexpensive)

Samosa filled with veggies and meat

Potatoes and Beans

More Chipati

Beef, Rice,Vegetables, and Bananas

Similar to my travels in Ecuador and Peru, fruits and vegetables are abundant and inexpensive. I went to the market on Wednesday and bought 2 large avocados, 1 large mango, 8 tomatoes, 8 onions, and a bag of carrots for about $1.10. I bought some staples like bread, rice, pasta, vegetable oil, soup mix, etc. at the store for less than $10.00. Pretty amazing! The fruits and vegetables aren’t nearly as colorful in Ecuador and Peru, but considering Africa has fairly dry land throughout, they are pretty good. The large delicious avocados are by far my favorite!

One of the wonderful things about Kenyans is that they are very hospitable people. If you pass their home on a trip, they will always invite you in for tea or something to eat. I like my tea with water, nothing more, but they usually serve something very sweet and milky. I always drink a bit to be polite and show gratitude for their hospitality.

I’m not much of a fan of soda/pop either, but I’ve had a few since my arrival, as the water often still tastes a bit “off” to me (more about water in another post, as that is a long subject!). Most seem to like their Coca Cola, served in a glass bottle with a straw, and apparently Tusker is their adult beverage of choice.

All in all, I try to stick to foods that look and sound safe to eat. Hot foods, non-dairy products unless I have them prepared at Bush Ventures by Christine’s staff, and bottled water or bottled soda at restaurants. My own water bottle is with me each day too!

Mzungu!

This might be one of my favorite photographs yet! Usually, when we arrive at a school, I hear some of the school children yelling, “Mzungu!” to the others, which means “white person” in Swahili. The students start coming out of their classrooms, off the playfields, etc. to be close to me, to shake my hand, or to greet me. Even in the high school, they want to shake my hand and touch my skin and hair. One or two often call out in a high-pitched voice, “How are you?” I think they are trying to speak with an American accent, but it just sounds funny!

When we arrived at Ngumo School yesterday to test their water, I didn’t create the regular commotion. (Perhaps I was already “old news” on my second visit to the school?!?) I was standing on the side of a building looking at their water collection tank and the piping that brings the water to taps (faucets) for student use. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw some of the younger students looking at me and starting to gather about 30 feet away from me- a wildlife attraction in Kenya, I suppose! I tried not to be any more of a distraction by keeping my back turned toward them, but after another five minutes, I could feel them getting closer. I turned around fully and there was a group of about ten kids who had closed in on me. My camera was in my pocket, so I snapped this quick shot. I love their smiles with missing teeth, their mix-and-match school uniforms, the shy boy holding half his shirt up, and the boy in the background who is running to see me. “Mzungu!”