Sunday, 14 March 2010

• I will start this particular blog entry with a general observation; Kenya is a strange country.  A very strange and fascinating country.  And not only with regards to chickens, although this particular aspect makes me chuckle.  For instance, in what other country would you see about 30 live chickens strapped to the roof of a matatu (the ever-entertaining, semi-life-threatening, popular mode of public transportation)?  Where else in the world do people carry their chickens home from the market in a plastic bag with the head and tail sticking out through a couple of holes?  I ask you!
  
  Matatu rides alone have provided me with a veritable treasure trove of entertainment and stories, from drunks to marriage proposals to all manner of animals.  I have heard that people bring their goats on board.  I wonder if people pay a fee for their goats?  I mean, it’s not like they fit comfortably on your lap like chickens…
  
  Also, I just have to mention that Kenyans tack the phrase “Isn’t it?” onto the end of everything they say, regardless of the rules of grammar or logic.  For example, “You understand me, isn’t it?” or “My name is Mary and I’m saved, isn’t it?” (yes, people introduce themselves this way).  I have heard those words misused to many times that I almost keeled over in shock when I someone used them correctly: “It’s hot today, isn’t it?” 
  
  So, let’s see… what has been happening?  On the school front, things have been pretty busy.  On Thursday and Friday, I took three students from each form (12 in all) to a life skills peer workshop.  The point of the workshop was to educate some of the leader-type students in life skills and counseling so that they can help their peers deal with the various challenges facing Kenyan youth (HIV infection, early pregnancy, drugs, etc.).  The workshop was run by a group called Life Skills Promoters, a Christian charitable group dedicated to saving Kenyan youth from themselves.  They are really great people; however, as I am a relatively liberal gal from North-East Ohio, I tend to disagree with them on certain things.  For example, the teach that if you drink alcohol, you will die.  End.  Fin.  Bas.  Etc.  Being unable to lie to my own students on such issues, I restrained myself with difficulty from mentioning that, as a mature adult, taking alcohol from time to time is quite OK. 
  
  Sometimes, however, I am unable to keep my opinions to myself because doing so tugs at my conscience.  Just a few weeks previously, I attended a conference for life skills teachers and school counselors that was run by the same group.  On this occasion, the facilitators spoke about homosexuality as a problem to be solved and something that’s able to be cured.  They talk about homosexuals as sinners, as abnormal.  Even the smartest students at my school say that if a friend came out to them, they wouldn’t stay friends with them.  Appalling.  So, shaking with nerves, I put up my hand and defended gays and gay rights in a room full of conservative Kenyans.  Since coming to Kenya, I’ve realized that there are some things I believe in so strongly – like equality and human rights for all people – that I cannot keep quiet.  And I don’t want to.  If people don’t stand up for women’s rights from time to time, even if it’s just little old me, how will things ever change?
  
  Apart from the life skills arena, school is going fine.  My form 2’s are lazy and love to copy each other because they just don’t care; honestly, they drive me bonkers.  My form 1’s however, are awesome.  I’m their class teacher so I know them pretty well, and I’m proud of them!  They work had and even ask me for homework at the end of class.  It does amaze me that Kenyan students ever learn anything; they are sent away for weeks at a time to find school fees, and the turnover rate of teachers is incredible.  They are always coming and going, finding better, higher paying jobs.  Sadly, three of my closest teacher friends have found such a job and have up and gone.  Blah.  Although I am happy for them for finding a good job, I now feel as though I’m starting from square one in the social department at my site.  Also, they’ve left me with no one for company but a lady teacher who talks to herself constantly.    
  
  Life outside of school is also going well!  I have become accustomed to the creatures that reside in my house, and have even named one of the larger spiders that hangs out in my sitting room (his name is Ralph).  Also, I am beginning to adjust to – maybe even to enjoy? – life on my own.  My house is getting to be pretty nice, although it is an ongoing project.  I have even started to branch out a little in the cooking department (key phrase “a little”).  I shall no provide you with a simple recipe of my own invention!
  
  Margaret’s Magical Tuna Noodles (I just made that up now…)
  
  Ingredients:
  A couple handfuls of curly pasta
  1 can of white chunk tuna sent to you, with love, from America
  1 onion
  Ample amounts of Blue Band (a margarine-like substance)
  Salt
  Pepper
  
  Cook pasta, add Blue Band, set aside.  Chop onions and sauté until brown-ish.  Return pasta to pot and add chunks of tuna.  Warm it all up and add salt, pepper, and more Blue Band.  Seriously delicious, in any country!  ☺
  
  The past couple weekends have also been very fun.  Two weekends ago, I visited the Kakamega National Forest.  Two pals and myself went camping at a nice (and empty) site in the middle of the rainforest.  They each had two-person tents.  We had a great time.  We hiked a lot, saw the most magnificent trees and wildlife (including monkeys and very bold baboons who just wondered onto our campsite to chill), cooked canned beans and corn over a fire, drank red wine from the bottle, and listened to music.  Lovely. 
  
  Last weekend, I traveled to Bomet in the Rift Valley Province for a reunion with my gal pals.  It was fa-ree-zing!!  I never expected to have to bundle up in Africa.  But Whitney welcomed us to her nice little shack that lets the cold outside air in through all kinds of cracks, but it has electricity and she's decorated it very well.  We had a great time.  On Friday night, Whitney made us dinner while Jenny and I watched “Friends” on her computer underneath 13 blankets.  Saturday, we picked up Christine in town after a long walk in the gorgeous countryside, picked up lunch and went to see a nearby waterfall.  Sadly, the skies opened up and we were forced to find shelter.  The monsoon turned out to be a blessing in disguise; we were rescued by a young engineer/missionary-type.  He invited us to his house (sure, we didn’t know him well, but he was nice and promised us a fire!).  His house was a palace.  So we spent the afternoon admiring the electricity and runner water, eating Skittles and marshmallows, and talking to our new friend and his roommate.  It was quite nice.  We decided we had wore out our welcome when Whitney’s puppy peed on the nice missionary’s clothes.  So we went back to the house, got warm, and made guacamole and chapati for dinner.  Jenny and I left early Sunday morning in order to meet up with some other PCV’s for lunch in Kisumu.  Twas a great weekend.
  
  Hmm, what else?  I was evaluated by my supervisor dude from Nairobi on Wednesday.  He sat in on one of my classes, talked about me with the deputy principal, and came to check out my house.  He seemed really happy with my teaching and said I had a very nice and organized house (I guess he didn’t take a close enough look at my floors… phew!).  He also told me that, while I look younger than 22 ½, I act older.  Always nice to hear, considering I look like a high school student.  So all in all it went very well; it is encouraging to hear that he thinks I’m doing well here so far. 
  
  On a day to day basis, I’d say that I’m pretty happy and content.  I had a feeling that eventually I would feel this way, even though it was hard to imagine it in the beginning.  Life here is simple,  school is challenging, and the country continues to amaze me.  And honestly, how could anyone who wakes up every day to a glorious sunrise, and who brushes their teeth at night under an unbelievably starry sky, be unhappy?
  
  As usual, thanks for reading!
  Margaret
  
  

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