I'm back on a plane – a plane is a plane is a plane. And the image I can't get out of my mind is of the school. I'm so glad I was here for 3 weeks and was able to see the school in action and really teach – it absolutely made the experience for me. Leaving, I was really torn – in many ways, caterpillars being a big one, I was ready to go – on the other hand, I felt like I was leaving too soon – just starting to scratch the surface with my teaching and getting to know the kids.
Part of why I wanted to have this experience was to see how I'd do – and would I want to go back for longer another time. So, how did I find it? Could I stay for longer?
- It was incredibly different (e.g. the slums, the kids in old western clothes, being crammed in a matatu) and yet there was enough the same (the supermarkets, the fruit and veg, the wifi), that I found it very manageable. I'd thought I'd be surprised by the degree of difference and also by the degree of similarity and I was right.
- I was starting to get tired of the structure of living in the house (e.g. cooking for a group – a few 'make it yourself' simple nights would be great, the same lights out time etc.) and I never slept really, really well while there – I think due to the crowded shared accommodations – I would definitely need to be able to sleep soundly to stay longer. There was also a strange, but understandable, dynamic in the house – two distinct communities, the volunteers and the staff, with a not fully equitable distribution of household chores, that was starting to grate.
- I would have liked to become more integrated in the school - have a chance to work with the kids on a longer term basis and really get to know them and see them learn and develop. Both of those take time. But I can't imagine how impossibly hard it would be to leave them then.
- The hardest aspect of staying longer would be socially – the network is small and I think potentially becomes replaced with the internet and Facebook – I would really miss my family, friends, the regular aspects of life – dinners, coffees, yoga classes etc.
Net, net, could I do it? I could. Do I want to? I'm not sure - possibly. One of the gifts of the experience was that I am continuing to build my confidence and comfort traveling anywhere – which only increases the number of places I want to see. My preference is definitely to do it with someone, ideally male :-) but I can do it. I can stay in $6 a night accommodation – and also appreciate the $60 a night nice hotel with pool every once and a while :-) (Ed. Note – I'm in India and was just looking at a map … do you know how close I am right now to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nepal??? and my curiosity is there ... any takers?)
Another lesson I'm learning – just how much trust and openness go hand in hand – in Africa, I found openness easier than trust – in part because trust also seemed linked to safety – and yet, I can work hard to ensure I'm never stolen from - even when the probability is so minimal - but is that really how I want to live my life? And I know when you give trust, you can be surprised by what you get back in return – a very high ROI nines times out of 10 and those odds are ok with me. Now how do I put it into practice more in the moment?
I'm watching The Soloist on the plane to Amsterdam – a beautiful story of helping 1 among 90,000 and the impact that can have. You may not be able to solve the problem, but you can help and – the lesson of the film – touching and helping one person, becomes much more about what you learn about yourself. As the credits run, and Beethoven plays, I have tears running down my face as I type this. It is worth it to help one person – to put one smile on someone's face – the gift back to myself is priceless. For all my lack of trust and openness at times, I have such love to give – and in the past I haven't expressed it nearly as much as I've wanted to. I've lived without truly giving and sharing love on a daily basis and that is no way to live at all. I believe that is my ultimate lesson learned from the children and my time in Kenya.
And now I must go blow my nose as I'm starting to get a few strange looks on the plane :-)
To end on a lighter note, I've also been remembering some of my favorite 'Madam' moments ...
- we were making paper crowns with the kids which required tape construction to finish them off – I was the only one with tape, so all I kept hearing was “ask Madam Susan” and then “Madam”, “Madam” - at points I was swarmed with all these faces wanting to be next ... my attempt at order - “you #1, you #2, you #3” inevitably fell quickly back into disarray.
- when I would bring out my camera, again chaos ... “Madam, me” ... “Madam, me”
- in the classroom, there were a number of different “Madam”s with different intents and intonations ... the very formal and in unison start to the day “good morning Madam, how are you?”, the plaintiff “Madam, I don't understand” or the more incredulous “Madam” - heavy emphasis on the last syllable – “all 8 questions???” and my favorite, the faster, attention grabbing, prouder “Madam” when they were finished and wanted their work marked.
I've been called “Ma'am” in the southern US and now again “Madam” in India – both make me feel far to formal and removed, detached - I'll say this, I'll take a Kenyan child's “Madam” any day of the week ... and add on a “How Are You?” and I can't help but smile :-)
Bottom line – it was a lot harder than I thought it would be.
In the morning I was on my own as Anna had been to Tumaini the night before. It was also Anna's birthday and so first thing I asked the kids what they sang on someones birthday ... here I was thinking there might be some local tradition we could surprise Anna with, but no, they proceeded to sing good old Happy Birthday – though they had an extra verse ... “How Old Are You Now” etc. etc. - nothing like the direct Kenyan culture! Then English – another round of the word game they enjoyed. Afterward, I observed CRE (Community Religious Education I believe) - it was a good class - the topic was friends and what are the qualities that make a good friend – it was an excellent list: kind, honest, helpful, respectful, humble, show love, joyful and patient – and made me grateful for the many good friends in my life. Late morning was Kiswahili and then phys ed – which gave Kieran, Claire and I time to go over to Precious to collect our certificates – all the kids were sitting in the hall waiting for us and Jane gave a lovely speech – which included getting all of our information and telling us in detail how we could send money and what even just a little bit of money could do to help them – one dollar bought 10 notebooks if I remember correctly. Jane has a good heart and I give her full credit for using all her powers of persuasion to get more resources for these kids.
We were back at Olives in time for lunch and some volleyball with the girls before finishing the day with math – which of course, I enjoyed – until I realized I'd asked them to do revision work for a chapter they hadn't yet covered ... they were good sports about it and so we did it together and by the end, they were kind of getting it - I think ... Then it was time to celebrate Anna's birthday – the version of Happy Birthday was even louder and more rousing than this morning once they realized she had brought them cakes. Then I brought out my camera and we got a couple of 'class photos' before total pandemonium of cakes and pictures took over.
At the end of class, I tried to tell them that I believed in them and what they could become – and that I wanted them to study and achieve their dreams. My heart was in my throat by the end. I gave them my address and who knows – I hope somehow to keep in touch. Steven, the founder, thanked us – again, emotion in my throat. As we were walking away, all I could think was that I was glad I was wearing sunglasses. One final walk back through the village and that was it, this most amazing, incredible experience was over. I was really going to miss the school and the kids.
Home to pack – of the 6 volunteers, 4 were leaving which felt odd. Kieran was the first to go and then as the rest of us weren't leaving until Saturday we headed out for dinner to celebrate Anna's birthday. Another local restaurant set in a garden with an outside bar area. The menu was once again straight forward – chicken, goat or pork for the carnivores and then a selection of potatoes (chipped, mashed, roasted) and a tomato and onion salad for the veggies – for me, veggies, 2 sprite and the taxi was 430 shillings or $6. One last sleep in the top bunk, one last quick cold shower and I was off in my 4am taxi for my 5.30am flight. Everything went smoothly – and I loved how different my experience was at the Nairobi airport changing terminals versus when I arrived - a totally different level of comfort. And then the cold air of the plane and relief from the caterpillars – mundane I know, but I can't tell you what a relief it was in the moment ... what can I say, I'm a real wimp with this stuff ...
For what ever reason (likely a better nights sleep thanks to the antihistamines and the beer the night before ...), I felt much more energy heading into school this morning. We realized we had been avoiding Science and so the first part of the morning was dedicated to revising nutrition using their book. This was something they had already covered and yet when we asked them questions, we were surprised by how much they needed to refer back to their previous notes – it didn't seem like they had learned it. It reinforced what Tess had said at the beginning – challenging us to find ways to teach that were interactive – the current approach to teaching versus the traditional – which unfortunately, was what they were used to and what we were doing as we talked, wrote it on the chalk board and they then copied it down – again.
We made it through a little more of the afternoon – and I was starting to see how I could last a full day. I have gained such an appreciation for teachers through this experience - particularly their energy and patience ... I found that I don't put up with a lot of nonsense ... It is one of the most important professions and in our current way of recognizing worth as a society, incredibly undervalued.
As I'm coming to the end of my three weeks, I've been reflecting more about the school and and also my impact as a teacher. As a teacher, there were two groups of kids that I spent the most one on one time with – either the ones that were really good who I needed to ensure were kept challenged, often by doing exercises beyond where the rest of the group was, and then those that struggled and whose tendency was to give up but with more explanation could understand. What I found interesting was that the two groups were split by gender – the boys the former and the girls the latter. So the question is, if you can only spend time with one group, which one do you focus on / invest in … help ensure that the ones that understood moved forward (e.g. to high school) or encourage the ones that might not move forward to try and be able to. There are pros and cons both sides – in the end, the group that pulled me were the girls. If I had to choose, I wanted to help them 'get it' – because it wasn't a question of ability but rather time, attention, focus and as they got it, confidence in themselves – and that, my friends, is priceless.
Regarding the school, at times I've been a tough critic – whether it is the generous concept of Kenyan time or the unrealistic schedule or the traditional teaching style that seemed to predominate – were the kids learning as well and as much as they could? Yet I also knew that some kids from the school had gone on to high school and were consistently doing very well – a strong testament to the quality of education they were getting. It was a very good reminder of my tendency to expect everything at a very high standard now and to want to take the tough action to get there as fast as possible – versus not just allowing for but truly understanding the local culture and norms, leveraging them and having the patience to allow things to develop more organically and ultimately, in a more sustainable constructive way. The great thing is that Steven and Michael are looking to improve and genuinely open to feedback – and they need to adapt and figure things out on their own – that is the aspect of 'help/partner' versus 'doing/aid' that is tougher as the helper but critical for the local ownership and ultimate success of the endeavor. The good news is that they have a strong partner in Tess who really does understand this. (One example is her idea of training the school's teachers in the more interactive teaching style – the same training she gives the volunteers. Knowing her, I'm sure it will go forward and knowing the teachers, I'm sure they'll be open to the new ideas.)
Bottom line, the commitment that Steven, Michael, Jane and the other teachers have for the children is amazing - they are giving these kids an opportunity that they wouldn't have otherwise. And combine that with the volunteers coming through, with fresh energy and new ideas, the possibilities for the school and the kids really are unlimited. And I love how much the kids want to learn – they want to be at school – even a teachers innocent mistake of saying, we'll cover this tomorrow and tomorrow is Saturday, gets them excited – they would be there if they could. They truly appreciate the education – and fully recognize the link between what they learn and what it means for their future.
There is a website where GVI is raising money for the school (the money goes through the GVI Charitable Foundation). I am not one to normally publicize this type of thing, but this is an exception of the heart for me. If you choose to, I believe you can direct your $ and from what I saw, the top three funding priorities are sponsoring children to high school, providing school supplies (there were fewer dusters than there were blackboards for example) and paying the teachers and providing them with training.
It's Wednesday, we still have the rash and I'm walking to school feeling tired – surprisingly tired – and really wishing I wasn't going in. I would happily be anywhere else at the moment. I'd like to think that if I didn't have the rash I'd enjoy going to school but the reality is I find the teaching tiring – even with two of us in the room, you just need to be constantly 'on'. I always think of myself as having good endurance and the ability to persevere through things and I find myself wondering if this is it, I've reached my limit.
We managed to get through the morning – Math and then English – we spiced up English today and didn't touch the text book, instead we put the kids in teams and had them come up with words from the letters of a large word ... 'caterpillar' ... everyone had fun and it was great to see them working together in teams. There was a really nice energy in the room at the end of the morning and we were even singing and dancing at the end as they showed us one of their songs.
Our schedule was such that again, we had the afternoon off – or rather the schedule called for classes that we didn't teach. Now we could have stayed and done stuff with the kids in case the teachers didn't show (which had been what had happened the previous day), but I must admit, our approach was that if we had taught all morning, including a couple of non English, Math or Science slots, then we figured the afternoon was the local teachers and we were ok to go. Not the most mature of attitudes I will admit and rationalized in part by telling ourselves that we were there to help and not do – I think we, or at least I, was feeling a little taken advantage of by the local teachers e.g. we were there and so we could teach for the day. It was also definitely compounded by how tired I felt. I also realized just how strong my need for clarity is – more so than structure – e.g. if you're going to have a very detailed precise schedule then stick to it or else have a schedule that is clear in its flexibility / has more room to breath. I'm also not always proud of my reaction when I get frustrated – too often it can be passive aggressive versus being able to express my frustrations in a clear and constructive way ... they say awareness is the first step :-)
We stayed for lunch – we hadn't stayed yesterday and that had been wrong, it was important that we ate with them as it was their hospitality for us and their warmness and welcoming nature was such that the last thing we wanted to do was offend. My energy had recovered sufficiently that I was feeling guilty when we left, but I left anyway – for selfish reasons. It was our last afternoon where we could go into Mombasa and I had seen a wooden bowl at one of the shops Barbara and I had visited that I wanted to get. I'd also done such a good job describing it that Kieran decided he wanted one too. So after an initial stop at the spice/tea/coffee shop in the fruit and veg market, we found our way back to Old Town and the store with the bowl – where the owners, a father and son, remembered me. I bought my bowl and then as we were getting ready to leave, they pulled me aside ... Kieran and one of the other volunteers had also bought some things and so they said I could take my pick of the necklaces as a thank you for bringing them the business. I was really touched – it really is about relationships – I have a picture of the three of us that is one of my favorites.
The next day we had conclusive proof that the caterpillars had been causing the mysterious rashes that had earlier afflicted some of the other volunteers – both Anna and I woke with lovely, incredibly itchy, red dots all up and down our arms and on our necks and two other volunteers who'd already suffered were attacked again ... lovely. For me, this was compounded by my trip to the hospital they day before – all good but my cold from last week had migrated to a sinus infection and so I'd gone in for some antibiotics. I'd been impressed with the hospital – it was on the other side of Bombolulu village in a Muslim area and the facilities and staff were good and efficient - I was out in 30 minutes all for 200 shillings ($3) to see the doctor and 1,500 ($22) for 7 days of antibiotics the size of horse pills plus antihistamines. I became extra grateful for the antihistamines given the caterpillars ...
At school that morning, we discovered we had not been the only ones affected by the caterpillars – our classroom had been especially hard hit as the tree with the caterpillars was just outside and the wind blew directly in the window. Luckily we were able to move the class to another room at least temporarily – however, neither we nor the kids could stop scratching ... we conjugated a few new verbs – to itch and to scratch ... and then moved on to cover some English and math. My realization for the day was just renewed appreciation for the school supplies we take for granted at home – we had 6 rulers and 3 protractors for our class 13. It worked but boy those were valuable commodities – they all wanted one at the beginning of class and we needed to ensure we got them back again at the end.
We had learned that the intent of the schedule was that we cover the English, Math and Science classes and then the rest such as Social Studies and Kiswahili were covered by the local teachers. So when we realized that our classes were over by lunch, 4 of us most impacted by the caterpillars, decided that we would head over to the Reef Hotel where Barbara was still stuck (she'd hurt her back and was trying to get home but having challenges getting on a flight out of Mombasa). We spent a lovely afternoon hanging out with her, catching her up on the experience of teaching in the school term and enjoying the pool – I've never been so happy to be submerged under water up to my chin – for at least a little while there was relief from the itching. I'm a wimp I know :-)
Editors note – I'm in India editing this and my aversion of caterpillars is remarkably alive ... had to exit a big hairy one from the yoga hall the other day and then today, saw a little tiny one hanging very near me at breakfast, that looked far to similar to the African variety and I had to have someone remove it. While small bugs have never been a favorite, I'm not normally this bad, but the memory of the intense itching is still just too fresh to be repeated anytime soon!
It was the first day of the new school term and the first day in the new school – everyone was very excited! The day started with an opening assembly with everyone standing in a circle area outside. One of the teachers kicked things off and then handed it over to Steven's brother Michael, the Head Teacher and in his lovely quiet way, he talked about about the school's motto – do the right thing, at the right place, at the right time and in the right way – the respect he has of the kids was so clear. We then introduced ourselves and then everyone headed off to class.
Everyone was nervous about 'teaching school' as we all had very little idea what to expect - so the night before we decided to initially 'observe' in pairs and then take it from there. Anna and I had the Standard 5s, the oldest class – theoretically about 10 but our range was 10 to 13. There were 6 kids on Monday and by the end of the week there would be 13 with a few stragglers showing up and 3 new students joining thanks to the new school (including one of the girls I'd been teaching last week who was really bright – I was thrilled to see her in class).
The theory of observation was an interesting one as no teacher showed up ... so we found out where they were in the math text book and got them going on that. We were working with them one on one and I was helping an older girl who's tendency was to just ignore the questions – her basic skills weren't very good which impacted her ability to get some of the other concepts – but we persevered and she was understanding and able to repeat the examples – we celebrated at the end with a high five and I loved to see the pride and satisfaction on her face – it absolutely made my day. Later, one of the teachers came by to start us off on English – using the text, he had the class read the story, led a brief discussion and then they were to work on the questions in the book and we would help them and mark their work. They do like their 'ticks' – and if it is a red pen all the better – and from what Michael said, they are important – something the parents will look for when they go home at night. (Over the week they got used to my 'stationary kleptomania' and realized they needed to specifically ask for their pens back when I was done marking or it would disappear ... and they weren't going to let that happen, the pen was too valuable!)
We broke for lunch – rice and beans – simple and good. We ate in the small staff/book/supplies room with the teachers and had a chance to compare notes with the others about their morning and also look at the schedule. The schedule was detailed – 6 classes of 40 minutes starting at 8am, with a 30 minute recess in the morning, an hour and a half lunch and then 4 classes in the afternoon until 4.20pm. And given that the older kids had an extra period at 6.30am, it was a very long day for everyone. So far the morning hadn't gone exactly to schedule ... but this was Day 1 and we were all curious to see how things would evolve as the week progressed.
In the afternoon we observed one of the teachers cover social studies and it was very interesting to listen to – he covered some of the traditional tribal ways from earlier times and to my surprise, it did touch on circumcision, both male and female – happily, the message was that female circumcision was being discouraged by the Kenyan government - for health reasons ... The last period was flexible and so we had an open Q&A session – to help them get to know us better, we said they could ask us any questions they wanted – I was on the hot seat first ... How old was I? Was I married? Did I have any children? It was the census all over again ... only their reactions were more exaggerated than the census takers ... they nearly fell out of their seats in gales of laughter when they realized I was 42, not married and no children. However, I did get a few points when I said I'd been to university, had my own home and a car ... though I'm still not entirely sure they thought that was the better side of the equation to be on ... We also asked them what they wanted to become – I loved the answers – everything from airplane pilots, to doctors, nurses and teachers and even one girl who wanted to be a Member of parliament – I was absolutely thrilled by that!
It was the end of the day – we'd survived – and it was a very quiet evening as we were all tired from our first day.
Friday night we decided to go to the Reef Hotel - the hotel where we all first met, the jumping on and off point for arriving / departing volunteers. It is right on the ocean and has a lovely pool so we had a wonderful late afternoon swim, incredibly expensive buffet dinner and then watched an impressive acrobatics show. The view of the ocean was beautiful – especially of the night sky and the sun setting over the horizon off the coast. I was said to see the 3 volunteers go – it wouldn't be the same without them – and I was glad I was staying the extra week as I was looking forward to seeing the school in action
The next morning, the new group of 6 (we had gained a new volunteer) headed off to Malindi – the next biggest town after Mombasa about 2 hours up the coast. We hadn't had any luck finding a hotel in advance, so we just showed up. The matatu dropped us a ways out of the centre of town so we got into a couple of mini taxis – closer to motorized rickshaws - and asked them to take us to a “cheap” hotel. I confess, I did worry about the potential relative definition of cheap ... first time I've stayed in a room costing 400 shillings ($6) a night – but you know what, it was fine. I realized I can travel that cheaply – but with other people, I'm less sure about on my own :-)
Our first priority was finding lunch and after wandering a little we found a very 'local' restaurant – Kieran was now the only man and the owner would initially only talk to him – what did he want to eat was primary, what did we want was definitely secondary. A fried egg and some very greasy chips turned into quite the mzungu (white person) experience in terms of cost ... not my best meal. We were joking about the cultural norms when Kieran had the audacity to joke that he was with his 4 wives and his mother ... you know who the mother was ... needless to say, while factually possible, I wasn't impressed – we got it sorted out later, I'd prefer his second option of being the good looking for her age prostitute versus the mother ... :-)
Then a little more exploring – this is a very popular Italian vacation destination and so there were quite a few tourist shops to explore and also a tourist market with row upon row of stalls and with everyone wanting us to at least come into their shop and look around. It was dusk so we promised to return tomorrow – and I promised to publicize “mama's shop #4” in the first row run by a grandmother who wouldn't be there the next day as it was Sunday and she'd be in church. We also heard a new expression from the children – no longer was it 'how are you?' here it was 'ciao' - still my favorite greeting, just the way it rolls off the tongue. After our lunch experience, we found a nice restaurant for dinner – very comfortable, nice décor and very good food – relatively expensive for Kenya and a nice treat.
The next morning was shopping! After exploring the rest of town, we were back to the tourist market and got our negotiating hats on ... it is a sport, and we definitely had the home field advantage – I did my best to remember that the 30 shillings we're negotiating over are relatively speaking worth much more to them than me. I remembered the lesson I got from my Asian friends in Bali – bargaining is definitely expected and part of the culture / process, but the trick is to find the win win solution for both of you.
After spending our money, we found the beach – the coastline is incredible – there is a reef that runs all along the coast and it creates these incredibly flat beaches – especially when the tide is out which it was. There was also incredible surf – great fun - we were knocked as if we were in a washing machine. There wasn't a lot of sun bathing however as the wind was whipping along and taking the sand with it – you'd stand up and be exfoliated and dry in about 10 minutes max. From there we got the matatu home – another journey of jarring jolts as we sped over speed bumps – I had no idea the matatus could reach such speeds. I was also grateful for what I am sure is mzungu pricing – we may have paid more than the locals but at least we had our own seats ... the number of people that were crammed in some of the seats was crazy ... you'd watch 5 people, more if there were children, getting out of what was meant to be a row of seats for 3 ... It was nice to see the countryside and is definitely a different perspective than the city with small villages and fields of palm trees (very cute as they grow from a mini-me version to their full height from what I could tell).
We were back in time for dinner and to get ready for the next day ... the first day of the new term and teaching in the new school :-)
I've had another a couple of moments of realization this week – recognizing just how far I've come on my personal journey. I was skype texting with a friend and relaying my group experience here – and realized how different it would have been even a year or two ago ... I am so much more open and even loud – in a separate conversation, Barbara chuckled when I said that previously I would have been so quiet and reserved ... her direct quote I believe was “you, quiet?” Then I was walking to the store by myself at dusk and it was getting dark on the way back. I started out nervous but then realized I really was fine. Such a difference from 2 weeks ago when I walked along the road by the hotel having just flown in and really wondered what on earth I was doing here. I've come a long way :-)
While walking and reflecting, for the first time, I did wonder what my life would have been like if I had done this 20 years ago when I initially headed out to 'travel' the world. I didn't dwell on it for long at all – I believe in karma and that people's lives unfold as they are meant to – I have to. Undoubtedly my life would have been different – but honestly, doing something like this wasn't even on my radar then. And I do believe that somehow the second half of my life is going to be worth something different that it would have been if I'd never embarked on this journey. I am committed to ensuring that this life I'm somehow preparing for – not even sure what it is – will happen. It won't be easy and it will take more work but I can do it.
This experience has also reminded me just how much age is only a number. From a purely numerical perspective I can describe all the volunteers except Barbara with the 'kids' label and yet they are so much more than that. As I didn't want to be the 'mum', I hold back on organizing, instead look to contribute the same as the rest. And I'm learning a lot – those that have been here longer and know their way around as well as those as new as me – everyone has great ideas and the nice thing about working with kids is that we are all equal in our knowledge, regardless of age. And I loved to see the natural leaders emerge within the group. The 'kids' are all in their own unique ways, great people and while yes, they are in 20 ish year old bodies, it is their personalities, minds, hearts and souls that they'll take through life and that I got the chance to get to know for these few weeks. I'll be very curious to see where life takes them – they will do great things.
“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”
I just found this African proverb (at the end of Dead Aid) – some how it seems right for my life right now. I continue to be so grateful for the journey I am on and I hope in some way, this was an opportunity, first or second, for all of us to plant a tree.
I haven't ranted for a while but this one has been stewing with me ... in the spring, I learned that schools in Vancouver are funded by the property tax of the NEIGHBORHOODS in which they are based. So the schools in the wealthy area of town get more money than the schools in the poorer neighborhoods. And it is compounded by the fact that parents in the wealthier areas have more money for extras (e.g. field trips, programs etc.) than parents in the poorer areas. How is this possibly right? Children should be educated with the same resources to the same standard no matter where they live in a city, province or country. These kids are our, COLLECTIVE OUR, future and it can not be right to discriminate between them based on how well their parents do financially. I am not 100% sure it is true – largely because to me it seems so fundamentally wrong that I can't believe others, including teachers unions, would let it be this way without saying something - but if it is true, then I want to do something about it when I go home. And I am genuinely curious to understand the perspective of parents. As you can tell, this really winds me up – and it has only been reinforced more by my experience here, especially when I see such incredible disparity in everything, but especially education, between these two neighborhoods – one rich and one poor - that live beside each other.
There is not a direct link to my thoughts on Kenyan politics – if anything, I figured this way there is only one blog to either read or skip depending on your interest :-) I've had great conversations on the situation here with a number of people – from GVI staff who've been here 5+ years to Moha and others. I knew very little coming in and was curious to understand more, especially about the situation after the last election. What surprised me most was the strength of tribalism within the political system – and how the compromises coming out of that struggle for power have only created larger government bureaucracy (doubled the size and cost of government ministries) and lined the pockets of more people. My favorite compensation expression of 'there are no disinterested parties' seems to apply in spades here. There is money in the country – you see it in the parking lots of the wealthy supermarkets and apparently it is very visible in Nairobi – but with the corruption, the money is just so tightly centralized with a few. One story I heard was that there is a sugar shortage, with the supply constricted, the price rises, the packages sold become smaller – and yet, apparently there is sugar in containers in port, it is just not let in. Government ministers apparently make decisions that benefit their companies. Then, apparently, the individual tasked with leading the anti-corruption initiative within Kenya doesn't want to do it – if he doesn't believe it is possible, then what? And if a government is one tribe centric, then I do understand how the situation of the last election happens, of course the other tribes want their share. But for the country as a whole, it is disastrous and doesn't give confidence for the future.
Is there hope? I'm not sure. I don't know enough (as you can tell from all my “apparently”'s) to say for sure, but from the little I do know, a positive path forward is very hard to see. I believe the answer must be found from within Kenya – there is money in Kenya and the government needs to be held accountable by the people for how that money is spent – education vs. healthcare vs. debt payments vs. ministers salaries. I start to understand more why revolution and socialism have merit - when focused on benefiting the whole and not a subset of the population – not that I am losing my conservative tendencies but clearly capitalism in the form of corruption is not working here.
What role does the rest of the world have to play? Again, I'm not sure – the premise of Dead Aid (which I still haven't read yet) is that more aid is not the solution and from what I know I agree. If anything, our actions must not condone or facilitate corruption and need to reinforce accountability - and ideally, our actions should demonstrate a purity of intent versus simply satisfying our own political self interests – unfortunately, there never seems to be a shortage of 'interested parties'.
I also have to say, there are good things happening within Kenya – they are committed to getting strong internet and wifi into the country which can only help education, and global connection - and they are on hydro-electric power which is great from a conservation perspective (it does makes things a little more challenging during the dry season ... but the planned power cuts are very manageable).
I also believe there is a role for help but at the micro level – whether finance, education, health or conservation. What GVI is doing at Olives is a drop in the bucket – I think there were two other schools on the 10 minute walk between the house and Olives and I've no doubt they need help as well. But it is an excellent example of directed, grassroots support through partnership as opposed to 'aid' - and which is what they want as was reinforced by Steven, the director of the school.
I want to be optimistic and have hope and faith in the future of Kenya – the people I met were lovely, so warm and welcoming – but it is the kids for whom I have the greatest hope and fear – they so deserve a better future and unfortunately, from what I've seen, by 18, and I'm sure earlier, they have no illusions.
Ok – I'm off my soap box for at least a little while ... :-)
We were down in numbers today and so there was no luxury of two teachers in one classroom – I was on my own at Olives. I decided that I would try a more structured approach - the date went up on the board and the paper and pencils were handed out and we were off ... We started with math – I asked them all to do the same 4 questions to get a feel for where they were individually. It worked well – I had one boy in Standard 5 who was clearly good and so I got him a book and he set out doing questions on his own while I worked with the others. It also proves challenging to figure out who actually knows the answer and who is good at copying down or listening to someone else give the answer. We then spent time on the concept of carrying numbers in addition and subtraction but they eventually got bored with math and wanted English ... for which I was not prepared …
I started with rhyming words and opposites but they knew the easy ones and my brain wasn't coming up with the tougher ones so that didn't last long. I was feeling more than a little 'stuck' – and also getting tired and frustrated – kids were running in and out, it was hard to control – just chaos at times. Kenyan culture and language is very blunt – and one of the girls all of a sudden said 'I want more paper' in a very demanding voice. Inspiration struck ... we'll conjugate the verb 'to want'. Well that evolved into 'what did I want' (e.g. bananas, chocolate, pencils) which then evolved into their filling in the blank of did they want 'some bananas' or 'a banana' and the difference between singular and plural – and all of a sudden it was fun and was working.
So while theoretically I would like to be better prepared for English tomorrow, it was reassuring to see that from frustration, inspiration can strike – and sometimes it is good to just go with the flow! I'm coming to realize that the real key is just being honest with myself ... who am I kidding, I will never be a highly structured, fully prepared in advance teacher ... or traveler for that matter ... that is just not who I am. But it is finding a balance of being prepared enough, having enough tools in my kit, to balance and manage the energy of the kids, the room and most importantly the teacher!
I hit my limit teaching after only 1.5 hrs today - not helped by my lack of voice – my cold moved to my throat and is rapidly turning into laryngitis ... so we headed outside. I discovered that one of the girls had a softball so myself and 3 of the girls from class started playing catch - they were good, one in particular. We were doing pop flies, one handed catches, ground balls – it was very cool. I like using sports and have done it at both Precious and Olives – it's a great way to engage with the kids, have fun and feel like I'm teaching something – either how to turn to your side to get a ground ball (versus having it go through your legs) or catch a fly ball. There is lots of informal football around for the boys but I have a feeling much less sports for the girls – something I'd love to see the school do something with especially when I see how much some of them enjoy it and have natural abilities – but one thing at a time I imagine ...
We were coming to the end of two weeks and would be losing 3 of the volunteers on Friday – so we decided to have a party with a theme and everything ... we all found our most Tacky Tourist appropriate outfits and had a wicked punch, glasses with the tacky umbrella straws and games I haven't played in years ... musical chairs, freeze to the music, bump ... it was a good night as per the evidence on Facebook :-)
Today was all about teaching math. One of the other volunteers and I started at Precious working with the kids on addition and basic division. We used beans for division - which work great - but at a certain point, the energy starts to fade so using the cardboard flashcards, we introduced 'fast math' – the kids liked it – but again, only for so long. I've enjoyed starting to teach with someone else- just to be able to pass the class back and forth – it helps manage our, or at least my, energy and that of the class. I suppose a more structured lesson plan would also solve the problem ... but it's much more fun adhoc with someone else. I'm reminded again just how much the kids want to learn – they certainly stayed focused more than I expected.
We then took our show on the road – we taught math again at Olives in the afternoon. We had a chalk board this time and it was a smaller group, most about the same level, both of which really helped. It was a laugh. I'm learning about my teaching style – perhaps best described as a little haphazard ... my fellow teacher was much more structured and I see the advantages of that approach ... especially after I went out on a limb and tried competitive math ... maybe not such a good idea ... however, it did show us where they were individually :-) I had a great day teaching – and I've recalled my love of math – I really, really love it. I'd teach them quadratic equations if I could ... I always thought I'd make an excellent high school algebra teacher ... I will find a way to share my love of math with kids when I go home.
I do also catch myself wondering how I'm doing from other's perspectives – have I done as good a job as someone else – how do I compare ... nothing like a little competitive volunteering ... all wrapped up in my need for the approval of others. I realized again I need to think about what is the volunteer experience I want to have - and more importantly, what is the experience I want to provide to the kids and the people I'm working with. A good reminder to keep that front and center and reflect more going into a situation rather than only when I come out e.g. how am I more intentional of the impact I want to create – and for what reason.
The evening was quiet as we were all tired. I'm fighting a cold and have little energy. We had some laughs as I was introduced to the addictive world of Facebook games. I also decided that beer was a good medicinal sleep aid – not sure it helped with the word jumble but definitely helped me sleep.
Monday morning and we're back at school. Today I was at Olives and the morning was informal – some drawing with the kids as well as some small group or one-on-one reading and math with the kids. I was working with a girl about 8 or 9 – we started with math as she was doing some multiplication exercises from a book. What I got an amazing sense of accomplishment from – for both her and me – was when I showed her a way to do 'larger' multiplication and then she used the same method again to solve another problem. She had learned a new method – how cool! Then we moved on to reading – she was reading a 'Dora' book (it made me think of my niece as Dora is one of her favorites!) - she was very good at pronouncing the words so we spent time with the pictures working on her comprehension. My disappointment came when I learned she is not actually in the school. She is quick and bright and wants to learn (she stayed in the room to study when other kids went out to play) - with the expansion of Olives, hopefully she will be able to get a place. I really enjoy being able to work with the kids one on one – there is something so rewarding when you see them make a connection.
I'm also realizing how much of a 'pull' factor we are – whether it is kids wanting to hold our hands and walk with us on the way to and from school, (and I'm sure out of their way) to kids wanting to hold our hands in the games – and then the tussles for who gets to hold our hand – with some of the kids getting pretty pushy about it with the other kids – figuring out how best to manage this is interesting ... my instinct is to not reward the pushy behavior and at the same time I can't help but admire their forthrightness :-)
One of our tasks in the afternoon was to help tidy the school – sweeping dirt is a never ending battle and we also went after the cobwebs and then rearranged the desks so that by the end the rooms were looking much more in 'order'. The school floors are concrete but they are old and in a real state of disrepair – we've had a couple close calls where the desk/chair units loose their balance. So Tess, the GVI Project Manager, has persuaded a local cement company to donate lay and new cement for the floors. They were by on Friday to look at the school and the floors and gave their thumbs up - everyone was very excited. We're hoping it can be done in time for the new term but that may be optimistic. Olives is a labor of love for Tess - she found the school when she was volunteering on another GVI project and convinced GVI to set up the program. She has amazing energy and does a great job creating opportunities for the school with a very strong partnership with Steven and Michael.
Once the work was done, it was back to games – including volleyball, which continues to seem more about the adults playing than the kids – but then I realized that it was also about engaging other members of the community, especially important as the school gets established in it's new home.
A week in and we've definitely settled into a good routine at the house. We really are very spoilt with our accommodation. The house is big with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths etc. The living room consists of 1 chair, 3 long foam mattresses and cushions against the wall – the hangout space of the house where everyone reads, naps, eats etc. There is also a dining area but that is taken over 24x7 by the laptops ... thankfully there is wifi and so usually there are at least 4 or 5 laptops on the go, including mine. The internet seems to be the primary form of entertainment for the GVI staff – whether it is facebook, u-tube or downloads – that is their connection to the outside world. Between the internet and the resting / reading, the house is often surprisingly quiet given there are 14 of us living there.
The volunteers all sleep in one room – there are 4 sets of bunk beds and I was lucky to get a top bunk – felt like I was 10 again climbing in and out. We all have mosquito nets so it is a bit of a surreal picture. The bathrooms were good – can't say the water pressure in the showers was the strongest – but ok given it was cold water (cost of heating hot water meant it was only on a day a week maybe – which turned out to be fine given how hot and humid the weather was - I came to prefer the cold shower, even when the hot water was turned on.)
There are a few house rules – we all need to sign out when we leave and we have a daily rota for chores – both cleaning and cooking. The cleaning is straight forward. The cooking is very entertaining! Two people are assigned to lunch and dinner each day – they figure out what to make based on what is in the storeroom and what we've had recently. All meals invariably involve some kind of what I call 'slop' – a term of great affection for the 'throw it all in a pot together with some spices and voila, you have a meal' method of cooking that my Dad has perfected. I must even have picked up a thing or two from him ... though could have learned a little more! Some of my favorite house moments have been cooking with Kieran (a history and philosophy student) – let's just call it the blind leading the blind together with some fantastic historical/political/philosophical discussions and a lot of laughs! In terms of food – again, we're well taken care of. Lots of good fruit and veg and plenty of pasta, rice and beans. Essentially, our diet is vegetarian except for two nights of the week when we get either meet or cheese. The meat night is a big night – especially for the guys – and I confess my vegetarianism fell to the wayside with the need for protein ... and let's be truthful, I just like meat! I've decided the correct term for me is 'opportunistic' vegetarian :-)
In terms of access, we are a 10 minute walk from a small market, fruit & veg stand, japati stand and takeaway food spot – so the craving for a soft drink, chocolate, fruit or beer (also from the fruit and veg woman) are all easily met. We're then a 20 minute walk in either direction to main roads that will either take us into Mombasa or two large supermarkets/malls. So really – everything is very accessible and we all feel safe and comfortable walking around.
And speaking of walking, then there are our feet ... when I first arrived, one of my initial reactions looking at the volunteers already here, was wow – everyone really seems to have dirty feet. Well, after just a few days and one congo line later all I could say was that I was definitely beginning to fit into 'established volunteer' mode ... (editors note: I don't think my feet were really clean until about a week after I got back to London ...)
So a little more than a week in and I am feeling relaxed and comfortable – my only complaint is that I'm still not sleeping well (need my ipod) and I know I'll really be relaxed when I'm sleeping soundly. Makes all the difference for me.
Despite wanting to visit Africa for as long as I have, going on safari was never a strong pull – and yet, when I learned we would be taking the kids on an excursion to a local wildlife park, I was excited. Saturday morning 9 GVI volunteers/staff, 1 teacher and 10 excited kids from Standard 5 (ages 10 to 12) headed off to Haller Park. We all crammed into one matatu and were there within the hour. We had a tour guide who was excellent – he told us the story of how the land had been reclaimed from stripped quarry to nature preserve – if I remember correctly, they had bred special bugs that transformed into really, really good dirt from which everything else was able to grow and gave the animals their habitat. First we saw tortoises just wandering through the park and then crocodiles, fish, snakes, baby crocodiles, albino crocodiles (very cool) and a hippo – or at least the back of the hippo as he was well submerged in a pool of water! I also realized that Haller Park is the home of Owen & Mzee – the subjects of a book I'd bought my nephew years ago – the hippo Owen had been rescued after the tsunami and had befriended an old tortoise Mzee – however, I learned they had to be separated as Owen grew up and became an unintentional danger to Mzee. The absolute highlight of the day however, was feeding the giraffes – very, very cool! The kids loved it – though it took a while for everyone to warm up to putting our hands before their very, very large tongues. I found them very feminine animals – their eyes with these beautiful long eyelashes, they looked like they had mascara on. They are just pretty and so elegant. Definitely my favorite!
We were back by midday and the “young'ns”, both volunteers and staff, headed off for a weekend at the beach while Barbara and I stayed at the house with two of the GVI staff for a quieter weekend. Barbara and I decided to be adventurous and headed out on our own to explore the other supermarket and also a local restaurant for dinner. After an initial concern that we were on the right the matatu (“this is the wrong direction, let us out” ... “it's not, are you sure?”) we made it to the supermarket and then, thanks to a good map, the restaurant nearby. We had been warned that the choices were limited – chicken or pork – and that the food would take time ... which was true, as an hour later, it arrived – and was very good. We were definitely outsiders though – sitting in this outdoor area under a canopy, the only two women, let alone foreigners, amongst about 10 other tables filled with Kenyan men there to watch Arsenal vs. Man United ... somethings are the same no matter where you are in the world and men and sports is one of them! After partially negotiating the taxi, we made it home and I have to say, felt ridiculously proud of ourselves that we'd navigated this adventure. And I have to say, the conversation was great, the beer cold and I slept well that night.
Sunday was quiet – a little cleaning in the morning (I definitely have a dirt threshold I wasn't previously aware of ... and despite sweeping every day, the dirt and dust just seem to seep into everything), and then we then headed out to explore more of Mombasa and do a little shopping. We had another rough map to work with and we made it, city chaos and all. Found our way to the fabric street and then back to old town where we'd seen some souvenir shops. Barbara was in search of a mask to add to her collection and we went into every store ... all of whom were quite desperate for business (there weren't a lot of tourists at all). She found a great mask whereas I did my usual scope first, and then I'll be back to buy later ... We found our way back to the main street, back on the matatu and home – we were definitely getting the hang of it. All in all, a really good weekend.
The third organization that GVI partner with here is the Tumaini HIV/Aids Orphanage. The orphanage is very well set up; there is a boys and girls dorm, large kitchen and living / play / eating area. They also have an outside play area within the walls of the building and their own school rooms. There are about 40 kids between the ages of 2 and 10 plus 3 babies and they are very well looked after in terms of clothes, food, toys and most important for them, medical care. The staff are made up of 'mothers' who work 7 x 24 5 days a week and look after the kids. They also have volunteers from an other organization who come in during the day.
Relative to the schools, we spend the least amount of time here and the work is very different. We go in for 'sleep overs' to help relieve the 'mothers'. I went in with Barbara and one of the GVI staff. We arrived in time to visit with the kids a little and then help serve dinner – where I was amazed ... we would serve these tiny kids, these huge plates heaping with rice and beans, and the plates would come back licked clean. After the dishes, we read them stories and then helped get them ready for bed. After tea and chatting with some of the 'mothers', we were in bed by 10pm. We slept in the boys dorm and were there in case any of the kids were sick in the night and needed help. It was a quiet night for the kids – but what again amazed me was how these kids could have these huge racking coughs every couple of minutes and still be asleep.
The morning started at 6am with us and the kids up – them brushing their teeth, our changing beds if necessary and mopping the floors. Then it was helping them get bathed, vaselined up (they put it all over their body – not sure exactly why but I believe because of how dark their skin is and the dryness) and dressed – a large pile of clothes in the middle of the floor and the grabbing begins. As the kids played, we helped get breakfast ready, served and then cleaned up, while they started their lessons and then we were off. The hardest work I've done in a long time between 6 and 9am.
Reflecting on the visit, there were two things that stood out for me. One was related to their HIV/aids status – while we had training before we went and were careful while there, I realized that I had kept more physical distance with the kids than I would normally – I was surprised – despite the education and logical knowledge, the stigma of the disease and my emotional reaction were still very much there. Having said that, my memory of the orphanage is inextricably tied to Selma – a little 15 month old, so tiny and not feeling well with a fever – she just wanted the warmth of someone holding her and within 15 minutes of my arrival it was me when my hands were free – I had this little human heater attached and she wouldn't let go – she was just precious. Normally she is full of light and energy and I saw a little more of that in the morning as her temperature was down and she was feeling a bit better – I was relieved.
The other reflections were of the space and the fund raising – there was something almost claustrophobic about the building set up and I realized that it felt like the kids were trapped – yes, they had an outside play area but they still didn't have the freedom to just run around the village like the other kids did. But more space and freedom needs money and there is a cost to fund raising. The woman who runs the orphanage does an excellent job of networking and promoting the orphanage to raise money – including advertisement/signs on the main roads nearby. Unfortunately, that also means that tourists come by for tours – and the children automatically go into almost formation and sign songs. I had brought my camera out earlier in the morning and had expected a similar reaction to what I get at school where all the kids want their pictures taken – but this time, except for one bright spark of a little girl, the kids were unimpressed. I realized later it must be something they associate with visitors coming through and I really regretted getting it out.
It is a really tough situation – the priority is absolutely looking after these kids and ensuring they have what they need and that takes money – but at what cost? I'm sure the kids would pick a trip to the doctor as being worth singing a song and having their picture taken, somehow, it still doesn't sit comfortably with me ... as you can tell.
The last few days, when we've been at either Precious or Olives, it's been all about the games or crafts.
At Precious I learned the 'hokey pokey' (which in England for some reason is the 'hokey cokey' ...) as well as some of the local Kenyan games and songs which were really neat to see. However, we weren't always fully prepared and so we'd reach these points of 'so now what do we do'. At one such point, we introduced 'Simon' or rather 'Susan' says ... we didn't try the concept of being 'out' as it was tricky enough for them to understand not to do what 'Susan' didn't say to do ... but they were getting the hang of it by the end. It came in handy again at Olives when due to an extended equatorial thunderstorm, we were hiding out in one of the classrooms and trying to think of small space games ... after animal sounds and actions lost novelty, rounds of 'Susan says' or 'Kieran says' worked, including the discovery of the power of 'Susan says ssshhhhh', then 'Keiran says sshhhh', you get the idea ... then, the game of last resort, a circular clapping game where we repeat the same rhyme (about a frog jumping banks) until one by one, the circle gets smaller ... and ultimately, we can hear the rhyme in our sleep ... the good news is the rainstorms don't last long and soon enough we were back outside with the space to run around.
We had a few days with the kids which had been quite 'unplanned' shall we say, so we were encouraged to bring a little more 'structure' to bear. So, we decided to do a craft project – a favorite of the kids. This time it was masks and we spent the evening cutting small eye masks out of construction paper. When we arrived at Olives, there were only about 20 kids but word quickly spread and soon there must have been about 50 kids. It was absolute chaos – especially as the masks were a little more manually intensive than we thought in order to get them sturdy enough to wear ... 3 hours and much sparkles, confetti, glue and tape later and we had smiling kids everywhere in these wonderfully colorful, creatively decorated and drawn masterpieces.
The kids love cameras and they absolutely love to have their pictures taken and to then see the picture in the playback mode. There were also a few kids, and one in particular, Pascal, who love to take pictures. Today was the first day I got my camera out – and I gave it to Pascal ... when I took a look later that evening, I had 150 new pictures – and some incredible shots – especially closeups of their faces. One thing I noticed however, is when they have their picture taken, the kids will often pose without smiling - and then sometimes you see the sadness or lack of light in their eyes - brings reality back into perspective.
I'm also starting to make personal connections with some of the kids. There was one girl today, maybe about 8. She was very shy, I'd smile and try and engage her in conversation but she knew very little English (she wasn't part of the school) – soon I noticed that she'd always kind of be near me. About 3 hours later, we were playing catch with a ball made up of plastic bags and she was having a great time. And she could really throw! As we were leaving, she walked with me holding my hand until she headed off in her direction. She took a little bit of my heart with her.
Last night, some of the volunteers headed out for a drink ... but about 30 minutes later, they were back ... apparently Kenya was conducting a census (every 10 years) and so all the restaurants/bars were shut as people needed to be at home when the census takers might visit. We chuckled when they got back but didn't think much more about it ...
Then the next morning, we discovered the school was closed ... due to the census, it had been declared a national holiday and so again, people were staying home waiting to be counted ... apparently the holiday had been declared two weeks ago but not communicated widely ... until yesterday when the President in a press conference asked people to stay home ... I think this qualifies as a 'This is Africa' situation ...
Later that evening, we had a knock on the door - the census takers had arrived ... what did we say? I'm not sure anybody really knew ... but we got started answering their questions. First, they needed to determine who was the head of the household – so, in their minds, that was whoever was the oldest ... in our case, it was the other 'older' volunteer (Barbara) who wasn't about to sign up for that role ... We eventually got that sorted and then they went round the room getting all our personal data – age, marital/family status, parents alive, education level, employment status, use of computer, internet, how often etc. etc ... it was interesting, both what information they were collecting as well as learning a little more about each other! The biggest surprise for all of us was the age of Barbara, who I thought was likely in her late 40s / early 50s, who turned out to be 60 – an inspiration really. The rest of the volunteers where either university aged or mid 20s with the staff in their late 20s / early 30s – there were a few jokes from the census guys about why the women were not married or had children by 25 ... then they came to me ... not married or children at 42 ... I got this look of abject pity, but then at least he had the kindness to say I didn't look that old :-)
I still can't believe that I am registered in the 2009 Kenyan census ...
Today – the teaching begins, though we're starting slowly ... all 8 of us are going to Precious Vision School for the morning.
First thing after we arrive, we're given a tour of where they live – their slum (next to Bombolulu) – I am still just absorbing the slums – my reactions vary from 1) this very small child sitting in the dirt in just a shirt could be from a Fosterchild organization picture to 2) these are peoples homes, why are we walking through? to 3) wow, there is a girl in a pink party dress that was clearly donated by a family in the west for 'children in Africa' – and it is being worn – buttons missing and torn, but clean … at least at the start of the day ... :-) And yet the kids, from the very first have struck me as just kids – smiles on their faces, mischief in their eyes, looking to have fun and by and large ready to laugh and smile. The adults are harder to read – definitely some resignation and there has to be resentment and also almost amusement that we are here and some appreciation – but it's harder to see, which I completely understand.
Precious Vision is the other school that GVI is starting to partner with, initially by providing activities for the kids in the mornings during the school break. The school is run by Jane, a teacher of over 30 years, who focuses the school on children aged 3 to 6 as she believes that is the critical age for education. (This is backed up by recent articles I read on how one of the best investments developing countries can make is in the health and education of very young children – there is a direct relationship to improved economic and social development.) However, this school is run on a shoe string - if that ... very basic tables and chairs, not enough, no blackboards, very, very few books and supplies - just recycled computer she gets from a local office I'm assuming. In fact they are currently locked out of their building for not having paid the rent – though hopefully they are back in the end of this week (a recent volunteer gave GVI the money for 3 months rent (C$100 per month) which they will give direct to the landlord).
But enough preamble ... there are about 50 kids of a wide age range waiting to be entertained ... and we're off … we broke up into 4 stations – art, sports, reading and maths. In the corner of the yard with a little shade and a few benches, another volunteer and I did maths – I loved it! We were using numbers on cut up pieces of cardboard and fingers and toes to do basic addition and subtraction. Initially we were just trying to gauge their level and what they really knew versus what they had memorized. Our first group were older children and we were impressed – no problem with adding and subtracting, so on to multiplication we went ... though when I was trying to explain how to figure out 7 x 8 =56 I might have made it a touch too complicated ... simple, keep it simple ... :-)
Our next group was larger and younger – we were with addition and fingers and toes for a while. Then, we took math 'active' – we had the kids standing in circles and counting themselves, removing some of them, and counting again – how many boys, how many girls, how many girls with skirts, how many with pants ... that kept their attention for a while but by the end of the morning, the congo line that the sports group was doing just looked like too much fun so we had to join in!
I had a huge smile on my face at the end of the morning - it was a great way to get a little teaching in and start to understand what it will be like. And the kids were great – they really do want to learn. And I was tired when we got back ... and it was only just 12 o'clock. Another afternoon at Olives, a good dinner and to bed early.
This morning was our training – the TEFL basics – the one that stood out for me, was the concept of 'graded language' – meaning to keep your speech as simple, clear and concise as possible – as opposed to the usual British / English tendency to dress up every sentence in as many words as possible. This will be particularly good development for me ... :-)
Then we moved on to English grammar ... uh oh ... this is why my entire family chuckled when they heard I would be teaching English ... and as anyone reading this blog will also testify, grammar is definitely not my strong suit ... And I lost confidence fast ... what are counting and non counting nouns? Was I ever taught them? I don't think so. But if I was, clearly I didn't learn them ... However, my confidence picked up with our discussion on verbs, adverbs, nouns and adjectives – we were laughing hard as we realized how little we all remembered from school and even more so, that the one who had the most trouble, was the guy actually studying English ... Bottom line, English is a damn difficult language to learn ... and even teach ... how do you explain why the rule just doesn't apply in a particular case, we decided the TIE expression would come in handy ... This Is English ...
We also learned more about the organizations we'd be working with. The main school is the Olives Rehabilitation School (still not sure why the name ...). It was started by Steven in 2001, a local man who wanted to help his community and who couldn't turn away the children literally praying for an education. Primary education is free in Kenya, however, by the time you add the uniforms, books, supplies and lunch, it becomes relatively expensive – especially for the families in Bombolulu. The school evolved to where today, Steven, his brother Michael, wife Jane and 3 other volunteer teachers, teach just over 100 kids – completely for free. They get support from a few places (e.g. a local organization provides lunches) and in part due to their recent partnership with GVI they are able to move into the new school which will also allow them to increase the number of students. Here is the link for the program as well as the blog which explains far better than I.
We then headed off for our first afternoon with the kids. Because it is term break, it is very informal – the afternoons seem to be games, including volleyball for the adults which we're encouraged to play – brings back some high school memories but I have to say, playing with what seemed more like a soccer ball is tough on the arms ... The kids are excited to see new faces – especially the guys who quickly become human jungle gyms – seriously, at one time there had to have been 6 or 7 kids hanging off the arms, back and chest of one guy – who needs the gym?!? The kids love to be twirled around – which I discovered sets a dangerous precedent as before long there are a lot of kids wanting to be twirled and I'm more than a little dizzy. I hang back a little, just trying to take everything in.
After having visited a ridiculous number of incredibly ornate churches in my three weeks in Italy, today I was in one of the most simple. In fact, you can't really call it a church - it is the largest room of the old school, where they have Sunday school for the kids and then after a service for the adults.
We went to the Sunday school - there were 10 of us from the project and we filled up almost half of the room and the rest was all kids. (This is the same room where 30+ kids were taught regularly.) Joseph, one of the teachers from the school, led the service with what I can only describe as very passionate and joyful preaching as well as some spirited singing which the children also participated in. The children all introduced themselves and then the new volunteers introduced ourselves to them – I was Susan from Canada where it is very cold ... best I could come up with on the prevailing weather theme and continuing the Canadian stereotype ... It was a great opportunity to start to get to know the kids we'll be working with as well as the founders of the school (more on the school later).
In the afternoon, we went into Mombasa for a tour of 'Old Town' with Moha, a young Kenyan and former GVI volunteer, whose family have lived in Old Town for generations. It was fascinating – we started at the local market (their equivalent of Granville Island) with great looking fruits and vegetables and some incredible spices and coffees – apparently Kenyans don't produce many spices but consume them in everything! The Old Town is very maze like with narrow streets winding their way along – the good news is that it is on an island so hard to get to lost. What struck me most was just how Arab and Indian influenced the city is, Arab especially in terms of architecture. From what Moha said Mombasa is very different from the rest of Kenya, the rest being "more Kenyan / African". He was a great source of knowledge and very open about the Muslim faith and customs as well as the politics and corruption within the government. By the end we were very familiar with the TIA expression - This Is Africa ... and we were encouraging him to run for office!
After the tour, we wound our way back to the main street where we were able to find a place open for lunch – many places were closed as Ramadan had just started. The main road really is just pure chaos – traffic and people everywhere, with lots of street / sidewalk vendors. We jumped in a mutatos and 30 minutes and 20 shillings (about 25 cents) later we were back home where everyone quickly settled into what I expect is the common routine – hanging out in the shade of the living room reading and napping – hard to go wrong really ... I fit right in :-)
I met up with the 5 other new volunteers and the staff first thing this morning - all very straight forward, and yet a bit of a blur ... I was initially in observation mode ... money belt still firmly in place – and yet, I quickly started to relax. About an hour later, we were driving into our compound (gated with security guards) and then we were at the house (inside another tall gate). We had a full morning of orientation – documentation, program overview, tour of the house (really relative luxury), safety regulations etc. There are a total of 8 volunteers and 2 primary GVI staff (plus 2 others and a few partners who are also living/staying at the house). It seems like a really good group as we start to get to know each other – and I realized that I am being much more open than I would have been in the past – and it feels easy and good.
In the afternoon, we headed out to visit the main school we'd be working with and also to visit the supermarket and stock up on any necessary provisions. Five minutes from our door and we were in the slums – the pathway in is just dirt, garbage and goats, but then we got into the more “residential” area – cleaner, adults by the huts and kids everywhere. It's very quiet except for the kids with their constant refrain of “how are you?” - what am I meant to say? We quickly learn that the dialogue goes something like this: them: how are you?, us: fine thank you, how are you?, them: either fine or how are you again ... depending on what they actually understand or just what they've learned so far ... (This refrain will continue the entire time I'm here - they do not get bored of it at all ...)
We saw the 'old school' – basically 3 very small rooms and we're amazed – they have over 100 kids and I have no idea how they all fit in. We also went by the new school – a real school which had been sitting empty but which they've now rented (thanks in part to our donations through the GVI program) – the first term will be starting in two weeks – and I can't wait to see it in operation.
After a 10 minute walk through the slum, down the main path/road, we reached the main road into town and got into a minivan or 'mutato' as they're known – their transportation system – and incredibly efficient. The road is full of these minivans going to various destinations and people just jump in and out as they need to. Each one has a driver and a tout who shouts the destination, gets the passengers and collects the money ... and hangs out the side of the van ... I had to chuckle as I realized what I'd seen the night before and feel more than a little silly at my reaction ...
In about 15 minutes, we're at a very modern mall – ATMs, gelato, a pharmacy and a large modern supermarket ... I get a good wander in, everything seems there, including granola and raisins – a small thing perhaps but my 'normal' breakfast is very welcome after 4 months of travel. Then back in the mutato, walk through the slum and home ... such disparity, so close is again, more than a little surreal.
Back at the house, we're settling in and over a great dinner, start getting to know each other ... 6 of the 8 volunteers are university aged Brits, either beginning, middle or end of bachelors or graduate study. There is another 'older' woman as well – an American from Cleveland. Great conversation and lots of laughs – a good start. Then I have a 'wow, I'm actually here' moment when I realize I am feeling very comfortable, surprisingly comfortable. I am sure there will be different stages and emotions that I'll go through while here and I am open to them all.
I was off the flight from Mombasa, money belt securely in place ... I'm such a 'tourist' ... found my bag and yes, it did seem like it may have been opened along the way (as warned in guide book ...), however, everything seemed to be in place. I had a driver meeting me and I was very happy to see my name on a sign as I came out of the terminal ... out into the muggy heat of the day and then within 5 minutes of being in the taxi and barely getting outside the airport gates, the driver says 'my country is so corrupt' ... ok then, and we're off ...
Driving through Mombasa, my first impression was that I was glad I'd gone to Bali first – different yes, but some similarities ... from the chaos outside the arrivals area, to the traffic chaos and just the sheer humidity and climate. Then there were the differences - the dust and dirt, the number of people and my first glimpses of real poverty and more derelict looking schools than I could have imagined. Then, my taxi driver goes into the gas station and pulls up to the air supply – which I'm surprised by given I've noticed the gas gauge is on E ... - and then he leaves when told the air is not working ... will I get to my hotel?
I was glad to arrive at the hotel – all seemed fine – the front desk staff were welcoming, yet I still found myself trying to actively find my trust while simultaneously getting my negotiating hat back on. After a few hours of relaxation / jet lagged dozing in my air conditioned room with free wifi and more American TV than I've had since I left home (everything from an old hour of The View, to Americas Next Top Model to Al Jazeera, which I have to say sounds and looks a lot like the BBC World News), I headed out to explore. I thought I would go find the hotel where I am meeting the rest of the group tomorrow – see if it really was 5 minutes and I could walk or did I need a taxi.
It was more than a little surreal ... a long road with gated hotels off the side. Packed minivan shuttles careening by, guys practicing soccer in a field, others walking – or just small groups hanging out beside the road or under the tree, mostly men, very few woman. I definitely stand out. I am curious as to what they say when I pass and at the same time am ok not knowing ... As I walked, I was focused on how to be safe – almost every minivan has a guy leaning outside and it definitely gave me pause – yet, I also don't want to the tourist visibly demonstrating fear and clutching my bag as cars or people go by ... After finding the hotel and exploring a little, I got more relaxed on the way back.
For the first time on my travels I am actually feeling proud of myself – people have said before that I've been brave, but I haven't thought anything to date was really above/beyond. This feels different. I am trying to be courageous – and also remembering to just breath and be – I know it also always takes me a couple of days to settle in and this will be no different. Having said that, I'm really looking forward to joining my group tomorrow morning – I don't think I could do this on my own.
Since writing my last post, I've continued to mull me and decision making – such a key aspect of life really. I realize that it is often the big decisions which I make on my own, quickly and sometimes what must seem like rashly. The decision to volunteer in Kenya was one such decision – “website looks good, what the heck, I'll fill in the application and see what happens” to “oh, I've been accepted, excellent, what flights should I book” ... and once the flights are booked, well I'm off. I do trust my gut – that is the indicator that tells me if I'm making the right decision or not.
However, this decision making style does contribute to the whole lack of planning and research thing that has dominated my travels so far ... and while it has some pros, there are also some definite cons. What drove the point home was reading a travel book on Kenya while I waited for my flight to leave, and getting more of a sense of what awaited me ... off came the necklace and earrings that I thought were simple enough. I also realized just how little I know about where I was going ... this is a huge journey and it feels more than a little half-assed at the minute – especially for having been something that I've said I've wanted to do for the last two years. I just might try doing a little more forward planning in the future … then again ... any takers on the probability?
Because the trip was so last minute, I needed to get a visa on arrival. I'd been advised to not mention that I was volunteering or the organization ... “it was easier that way”. So when I was filling out the visa application form on the plane, I did as suggested ... and then there is the line that says 'I swear everything I've put is the truth' etc. etc. – I thought about it and signed and put the form away … and then 5 minutes later, realized I had a knot in my stomach ... the same one I always get when I'm contemplating something not fully on the up and up ... I just couldn't do it. All I could think about was what I would say it they really asked about why I was here – vacationing on my own, with one nights hotel booked and no guide book ... come on ... So out came the form again and I added a little more information and felt much better. The impact of my grandfather being a tax accountant and incredibly honest has clearly had a multi-generational effect. And so what happened? Well, it could have been because I was literally one of the last visas to be processed, but the woman simply asked if I was on vacation, to which I said yes, and barely glanced at my form before starting to complete my receipt for my visa fee. As usual, the concern of what could happen, was much worse than what actually happened ... but I didn't have a knot in my stomach waiting in the very very long line that I know I would have had, if I hadn't changed my form. That's just who I am ... sometimes, I can live with the knot and other times not.
I had flown direct to Nairobi and then had a connecting flight to Mombasa. While waiting, I sat with four woman, a Malaysian, Croatian, Japanese and Mexican, all off to a friends wedding in Mombasa. As you might imagine, they all worked for different agencies of the UN and had lived in Nairobi for 4 to 5 years and were about my age. I was very intrigued – and in our brief conversation felt like I saw through the crack of a window into their life and work there. I sensed, they were quite settled in their lives, reasonably fulfilled but not jumping up and down with excitement (they also all seemed to be in Finance supporting the agencies ...), they had traveled extensively and 3 out of 4 were single - which wasn't the best of advertisements for their life (yes, I know, definite pot calling kettle judgment there). My disillusionment with the UN didn't dramatically shift - it seemed very political e.g. the debate was whether or not the next leader of a particular organization was going to be African or not, based on the last couple of positions filled (it didn't seem like their HR was rocking any worlds ...). All in all, a very interesting first conversation to be having within my first couple of hours of arriving in Africa!
