Animal Fun

The school is not just home to a stack of people but also to a large number of animals...chickens, goats, cats, dogs, cats, cows and sheep do their bit keeping the football field mowed,  provide milk, eggs, protection and whatever services goats and cats supply (I havn't figured it out yet!)
It isn't unusual for a chicken to cluck it's way into the classroom or a morning assembly to be interrupted by a goat that decides to scratch itself on the flagpole.Today I even had the pleasure of a cow wondering into the library, I found the idea of a cow in the library quite hilarious and was too busy laughing to shoo it out, a passing teacher heard the noise and came to my assistance- although he didn't seem to find it as funny as I did when I suggested maybe it wanted to watch a moovie.. perhaps puns get a little lost in translation :p

My most memorable moment with the animals so far was when I had just finished supervising a form 2 exam  (year 10 equivalent) I was crossing the school carrying the completed exams back to the staff room and failed to notice that the hen in front of me had a number of chicks surrounding it. Completely oblivious to the fact I was perceived as a threat  I march onwards only to stop short as the hen literally rears up (didn't know it was possible for a chicken!) and valiently protecting it's offspring begins it's attack- squawking, pecking and clawing; it completely lets loose on my legs! A moment of great hilarity for the 120 watching students who have just left their exam rooms and have a full view of the muzungu teacher clutching their exams, yelling in terror and fleeing from a chicken!! Perhaps not the best experience to help counter the conceptions of how soft white people are!

Snapshots of the local village

Our local market is around 1.5 kms away and we have been loving exploring it, the more we go there the more services we find. I am often surprised to hear amongst the cries of 'Muzungu! how are you?' the occasional 'Hi Tabby' or 'Madam Tabby!'mostly from people whom I have no idea who they are... even from very young children- the word spreads fast!
We buy lots of our fresh fruit and veggies at the market or else from children in the laneways- potatoes, tomatoes, onions, avocados and bananas are available just about anywhere. In order to prevent illness we have been advised to wash any fresh veggies in a bleach solution and then filtered water and so far it has been working well, of course anything that is peeled or freshly cooked is fine to just eat as is :)

The market place

The local chip shop

Havianas anyone?

Buckets, basins, mattresses- you need it, they've got it!

One of the hairdressers

And of course- Wembley Stadium! Who knew it!?

First Aid

As in any school there is a fairly large amount of first aid and students needing attending to. The difference here is that a large number of the students live here and this first aid could be required any time of the day or night. Annette (the adopted mother of many of the students who lives here), myself and Desleigh are responsible for first aid. Fortunately past teams of volunteers have left a good amount of medical supplies.

Mostly we just have minor cuts from 'falling down', headaches, sports injuries and skin rashes. More unusual conditions include one girl who had about 2cm of paper lodged deep inside her ear (I kept asking how it got there but she couldn't hear me!)  and one lad who sliced open his upper eyelid by running into a wire clothesline late at night. We have had a couple of cases of unwell girls that have been referred to the doctor and diagnosed as 'malaria' whether it actually is or not is another story as Kenyan doctors are very quick to jump to the malaria conclusion. 

The other day a student in my class asked me to go to her dorm after the lesson because her dorm mate couldn't walk and was in bed with a 'broken leg'. I raced there straight after class and fortunately it was only a sports strain that Desleigh was able to look after. Some things get a little lost in translation!

Three foot injuries in one night- and all girls from my football team!

Usually I have at least one or two students per day with some kind of issue. If it is a weekend with a big football game then it can be many more. I was super glad to have my sister (and tropical nurse!) Jemima come to visit for three days so I could get her to take over and offer a more expert opinion on many of the conditions as well as bringing more supplies!! One night as she was expertly cleaning out a wounded foot that was cut and filled with gravel one of the watching students turned to me 'she is doctor?' I explained that she was a nurse and the student resumed watching, then turned back to me 'No, not a nurse, I think she's a doctor!'

Kenyan Students Schedule

The desire to do well in school and appreciation of the blessing of education is something that comes across very strongly in all the students I teach!
They are acutely aware of the fact that many people can't afford to go to school, and comments are regularly made by the students about how they are so grateful for their sponsorship and they can't wait to finish school and be able to get jobs and help others who are less fortunate.
The daily schedule for students...
The wake up bell rings at 5:30, however many students seem to like to get up prior to this judging by the noises around the compound... They are keen to start their studies for the day.
By 6:15 most students have made their way to the classrooms to begin their self directed study.

Students arriving as the sun rises over the school

At 7:00 they have the first lesson for the day which is a 'remedial' so any teacher can choose to teach a class to make up work or else they continue their self directed work.
7:45-8:15 all students gather for assembly, class group meetings or bible devotion depending on what day it is.
8:15-8:55 Lesson one
8:55-9:35 Lesson  two
9:35-9:45 10 minute break to go to the toilet, get a drink, return library books or just stay in the classroom
9:45-10:25 Lesson three
10:25-11:05 Lesson four
11:05-11:25 Tea break! Black tea with sugar. For many students this is the first sustenance they have had all day. A couple of days a week they will get a donutty kind of thing called a 'mondazi' as well as their tea.
11:25-12:05 Lesson five
12:05-12:45 Lesson six
12:45-1:25 Lunch time :)
For the students this means a bowl of beans and maize (everyday!) some of the wealthier/more fortunate students may have an avocado to mix in for extra flavour.
1:25-2:05 School wide bible studies program. All the students group with their year level and are taught by myself, Greg, Desleigh or someone else from the local ecclesia.
2:05-2:45 Lesson seven
2:45-3:25 Lesson eight
3:25-4:05 Lesson  nine- interestingly I took a geography lesson for Greg this lesson on a Friday and the students were completing a formative worksheet with questions on volcanoes. When the bell went I expected them to throw their pens down and run out the door (as I wanted to do myself) instead they continue working. I explain that it doesn't matter if they haven't finished, I'll just collect what they have done so far, this is met with cries of 'no madam, allow us more time!' Incredible work ethic!!
4:05-4:20 This time is allocated to cleaning classrooms and the school. However with only a few students rostered to clean most go straight to sports or clubs.

An excerpt from one of the students personal timetables.

4:20-5:00 Sports and clubs. Mon, Wed and Friday is sports- we are currently training up soccer, volleyball and netball teams for interschool competition. Clubs include drama, debating, art, journalism, scouts, and Chriatian youth.
The day students then head home.
Other students continue playing sport, will do their washing or else go back to classroom for more study.
Around 7 they have supper. Ugali (maize flour porridge bread) and greens (mostly kale).
As soon as supper is over they meet for night time bible class, with either one of the students or one of us leading the study. Usually this lasts around half an hour depending on how long the 'announcements' go for at the end. Every night there seems to be a lot of missing things that students request be returned to them.
After night time bible study they go back to the classroom to study until bedtime at 10pm.
A looooong day!!!

Professional Development

Last week myself and the other sports teachers headed to a nearby town to attend a 2 day coaching and refereeing clinic in preparation for the inter school sports competition in 3 weeks time. Hopped on the back of motorbikes and a 20 min ride later arrived late at an expensive prestigious boys boarding school where the clinic was held.
We filled out registration forms and split up to go to our individual sports. I walked through the door of the room I was directed to only to find over 100 Kenyan soccer coaches facing me-unfortunately the only entrance was right behind the speaker and the only spare seats were at the very back of the room. Trying not to be too conspicuous I weave my way through the chairs to the back; it is immediately apparent that my appearance is unexpected, there are only about 3 other females in the room and needless to say I am the only white person. Sitting down I pull out a notebook and start to write what the speaker is saying. The majority of the session is quite informative- of the rules of soccer. Photocopying is time consuming and expensive so essentially the presenter reads out the rules and everyone writes them down. When it gets to question time the room livens up, amidst the usual queries about rule clarifications and fouls I find myself a little surprised at some of the questions 'what happens if the ref dies mid-game' and 'what do you do if a wild animal attacks the keeper and someone scores in the interim'... The presenter gives a logical answer to every question however and the session goes long into the afternoon.
The second day once again we are late. I am expecting a colleague to arrive and sit down on the edge of the netball session to wait-not the best idea I've ever had as the presenter stops the session and declares I can't sit on the ground ( despite everyone else doing so) I insist I am fine but he makes everyone move so I can sit in the front and centre and be 'very comfortable'... Bit awkward as I have to get up and leave after about 5 minutes.
This time I am more prepared for the entry scenario and move quickly through the crowd to take my seat, however shortly after sitting, the man next to me leans over and makes a comment asking me if I agreed that what today's presenter was saying was slightly irrelevant. I answer that I don't really know as he is speaking in Swahili. Bad move for attempting to stay inconspicuous. The man next to me is indignant and immediately stands up and yells for the speaker to stop. He explains we have a communication problem and 'madam cannot understand'. All my attempts at blending in with the crowd are right out the window as every eye in the room is now on me. I try to say I don't mind but the man is adamant and the presenter agrees to switch language- which he does for a while until he forgets and slips back to Swahili. Fortunately he draws lots of diagrams on the board and so I am still able to get a bit out of it :)
After the sessions we meet with the other groups and are presented with certificates. The organiser makes a big deal of mine, shocked that I was coaching football not netball as is typical for females and that I play it in Australia. He asks several questions about me shakes my hand profusely and wishes my team all the best. Everyone else is simply handed theirs as their name is called.
Thus ends my first professional development experience in Kenya!

Muzungu!

Muzungu is the Swahilli word for 'foreigner' or 'white person' and one that no matter where I go I seem to hear a lot!
The village and surrounding area is home to around 3000 people. All of whom are Kenyan. I asked a local if he had ever seen someone with white skin in the village and he said that apart from the volunteers coming to the school there were never any other foreigners.

Last week, buying milk in the village the shopkeeper writes a receipt out to 'Agape' the charity that runs the school, knowing that if I have white skin I must be from there!
When walking down the street, children run out their huts to stare calling their friends to come and see 'MUZUNGU, MUZUNGU!!!'. If I am running with the students it causes even more of a stir, so too if carrying buckets or parcels-especially if I try to carry on my head like the locals, an event of great hilarity for the children!
When sitting watching the students play football on the weekend, local kids flock around, getting closer and closer the braver they get. The toughest kids in the crew may actually come close enough to touch my skin or shake my hand- something which one of the teachers informed me means that they will 'receive a blessing'.

The very young on the other hand find seeing a white person for the first time all too much and burst into tears.
Some of the perceptions of westerners are quite comical, my favorite comment so far, when I did my washing by hand like the locals the girls were shocked, one asking me 'but didn't it make your hands bleed? I thought you white people were very soft and had to use machines!'

The kids LOVE photos- especially when with a Muzungu!

Felt like the Pied Piper walking to the hall on Sunday- kids flocking around us!

Doesn't take long until you have a little hand in yours!

Nutrition Drink

Western Kenya is a very poor part of the country. Many of the people struggle to find enough food on a daily basis and the children are often malnourished. 
Setting up a nutrition drink program for the local community children was a highlight of my last trip and thanks to many of your generous donations for my 21st we have raised almost $5000 to keep the program going.

It is amazing to see every Sunday morning the children lining up for their nutrition drink, just near the volunteers house- they actually sit in our garden to drink it :)
Some carry their younger siblings, others bring along empty coke bottles to save some of their rations for later, all are grinning and chatting excitedly in expectation. 
Seeing what an impact your funds are having is amazing and heart warming. The fundraiser is still open and if you are able to contribute, know it is much appreciated and truly going to those in need! 

http://www.agapeinaction.com/tabbys_page.html 

 'I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink...as you did it into one of the least of these my brothers, you did it unto me' Matt 25:35-40.