Day in the Life

For my 1 month anniversary in Kenya, I thought it appropriate to write about what I actually do here. It has been quite the journey. I spent 2 weeks in Nairobi doing odd jobs, then I continued to float around for an entire week in Embu. This past week, I was able to live out a schedule (Alleluia!). My mornings are rather unexciting, but any time to interact with the students is wonderful. After exams/ break, I will get to teach form 3 PPI, which is apparently a class about life and faith...so a Bible study!! Also, when the students return from break, I will commence a program to teach leadership to the prefects.

6:00 wake up--usually to the sound of goats, birds, roosters and 280 girls getting ready for the day
6:30 daily Mass--even early in the morning, the girls are energetic singing the songs for Mass
7 breakfast--Alwina made jam with papaya, mango, passion fruit and horn fruit (and she kindly gave me a jar:)
7:30-11 work in the school--my jobs are administrative and repetitive, such as: stapling exams, filing, covering books. it gives me a chance to play little challenges with myself in efficiency (all that sociology of work research resurfaces)
11:30-1 production unit-- I help make school uniforms by sewing on buttons, ironing & cutting material
1 lunch with the sisters/ volunteers--we are uber diverse: 2 Germans, 1 Brit, 3 Kenyans, 1 Pole and me!
2-4:20 more work in the school
4:20 join the girls in their afterschool clubs, movements, debate or games (aka sports)
5:30 rosary with the girls
6 dinner/ rec--sometimes in the crazy dining hall. if a student 'convinces' me to sit with them, they'll escort me to their table with cheers. a bowl, spoon and stool appear from nowhere & they all chip in some of their food to share with me. hospitality at its finest :)
7-8 Madame Librarian--basically, I just sit in the library so the students can come in & study
8-9:30 introvert time

As I start to form relationships with the girls, I find myself wanting to watch them grow and mature. Overall, they are very welcoming, energetic and fun. I am still overwhelmed by how I'm treated like a celebrity, but I pray I may be able to form real relationships with them. Can't wait to see it all unfold!

During rec time, the girls all swarmed together to have their picture taken!

The north side portion of the school. It was so quiet during the exams!

Emmelda & I felt like prisoners this week since we worked on printing out thousands of exams!

The Start of Something Beautiful

Everything the light touches...

After a week in Embu, I have gotten to know the students here a bit better.  This boarding school has a typical structure to many in Kenya. The students wake up at 4am every morning, even the weekends. Their time is spent in class, studying, daily mass, daily rosary, cleaning, clubs and recreation. They wear their uniforms or school-issued work out clothes the whole day. Every student is registered with a number and everything they possess here is labeled, from their blouses to skirts to washing pails to their stool in the dining hall. The education system back home is so different, that I was shocked by the militaristic approach to school.

During a sunset hike over the foothills of Mt. Kenya.

I am astonished by the work ethic of these girls. Their day starts while the sun is still fast asleep and is packed to the brim. During their study sessions at night, the school is quiet. It's amazing!

Despite such a strenuous schedule, the students here are very welcoming and joyful*. Most of them are so excited to meet me, touch my hair and ask me questions. They have so many questions about America, myself and my perceptions of all things Kenyan.

Top 3 questions:
1) How is Trump? Dunno. Haven't talked to him recently.

The house for the sisters! The grounds here are so beautiful!

2) How do you like Kenya? The people are very friendly and welcoming!
3) What is your education system like? Very different. Basically opposite.

Overall, I recognize that the sisters are trying to run a different school here. Since the education standards for Kenya are so strict, they find it difficult to run a school based on the preventative system of Don Bosco. However, they still try to treat everyone with reason, religion and loving-kindness. I hope I am able to befriend the students and teachers. My goal here (and everywhere) is to shine the light of Christ for all to see!

 *pictures of the students to come. I try to get to know them personally before asking for a picture because...duh.

Moving On Up

I had originally been placed at the Provincial House in Nairobi, with the hopes that I would be the communications expert for their new Development Office.  Although, I technically have a degree in Communications, it is neither my expertise nor my passion, so I asked to move. Within a few days, a place was found for me in Embu, where the Salesian sisters run a secondary school (high school). I looked forward to going where my talents would be better utilized. Sr. Geraldine, the superior in Embu, has planned for me to help in their youth ministry!

view from my porch

Therefore, Within two days of arriving at the Provincial House, I knew I was leaving. However, there was a bed shortage at Embu, so I stayed in Nairobi for two weeks. In that time, I helped a sister from Togo learn English, helped a sister from the Congo with a group paper, played with the kids at the boarding house on the weekends, helped the Spanish volunteers with the development office and did a lot of dishes. Although I loved the sisters there, I felt restless; I was still in transition.

Two days ago, I got in the Land Rover to move to Embu, a 2.5 hour ride north of Nairobi. The school here has about 270 girls, ages 13-17. The community has 5 sisters and a German couple, volunteering until April. Out here, we are literally in the country. They have goats, cows, large gardens and so much beautiful vegetation.

These beautiful flowers are everywhere, in red, purple, and white!

My new apartment in Embu. 

Unfortunately, my time in Embu has been tainted by sickness, but I was feeling better today. So, when the German couple, Alwine & Rainer, asked me to join them for a walk, I eagerly accepted. Although the sisters live about a 20 minute drive from Embu, there are houses here and there and a couple shops around. We walked on dusty red dirt roads, zig-zagging to hit the shade. In the shade, the heat is bearable, but the sun beats down with such ferocity!

Way off in the distance is Mt. Kenya. 

I know you can't see it, but trust me :)

. 

We walked for about an hour to a Canan Garden Resort. On their recommendation, we ordered fresh mango juice (which was a bit cold!) and water. At this point, I was parched and chugged it all down.  I was so happy!

Then, we visited some of their friends who live in the country. We travelled down twisting, dusty roads before arriving. We met the couple, two of their kids, a great-grandmother (who was either 102 or 120..they couldn't decide), and a bunch of other relatives that live next to them. Sitting in the shade of a tree, we sipped on orange drink and talked about little things. They were very hospitable. As we sat there, their chickens and rooster walked around, clucking. Their yard opens up to a river (where there are monkeys!). It was a very pleasant time, since the conversation was friendly and the breeze was refreshing.

I am very thankful for my first 'real' adventure into Kenya!

On the Roller Coaster

I love roller coasters. The feeling of the drop in your stomach or the upside down swoop is thrilling to me. Whenever I'm on one, I make a conscious decision to trust the engineers and maintenance workers that built the ride. Maybe I shouldn't. But when I'm suspended in a metal car, I have found that trust makes the experience actually fun. The fact that I don't control the ride doesn't matter. If I can trust, I enjoy the ride.

Living abroad hasn't been anything like the international traveling I've done so far. I expected culture shock/ homesickness to hit after months, once the excitement of a new place had subsided. I have since grown in wisdom and understanding. My previous adventures abroad have always been with Americans. Although we were experiencing new cultures, it was always processed as a group. We were able to understand the new culture together.

Just two weeks here and I have hit the culture shock/ homesick wall. There are moments when I am convinced that this is exactly what I'm supposed to do. Then, there are times when I'm contemplating purchasing a return ticket to the States. These ups and downs are constantly fluctuating. Sometimes, in the same moment, I can experience the conflicting opposites.

My first week and a half on the roller coaster made me very frustrated. I thought it was a sign of weakness or being too sheltered.  The community here in Hurlingham is quite diverse, but nonetheless, I am the sole American. Much of my vocabulary, life experiences, accent and sense of humor are bona fide American. In the beginning, I spent most of my time with others in complete silence; I was busy observing and trying to understand the new culture I was in. 

Being on the coaster is natural in such a setting. The sisters are so welcoming, the children are so loving, but that doesn't deny the fact that this change requires adjustment. 

Through the advice of friends who are experiencing the same thing, I have decided to trust the engineer of this ride: God. I don't have to love the lows, but I don't have to be angry at myself for feeling low. If I trust in the adventure, I know the low always swings to a high. 

And when I get off this ride, I want to look back and say, "I trusted in the Engineer & I had a great time!"

*end of philosophical thoughts, now fun pictures :)

Our pet here in Hurlingham--apparently his name literally means 'cat' in one of the tribal languages.

Who knew that my bird call trick would be the hottest thing since eating sugar cane? 

These girls are helping each other perfect my party trick.

This picture fails to portray just how much I struggled to eat sugar cane. 

All the girls thought it was so funny...

oh and apparently, you're not supposed to swallow it. 

Monicah is one of the sweetest girls. Although she's rather shy and quiet, 

she is quite the diva for the camera (her 20 selfies on my camera attest to this).