Just like America, Kenya has weather. But unlike Oregon, when its Cloudy it isn't about to pour. I still am getting used to this. And after living in Kenya for close to three months, I've had one real rain.
Our training took place in Loitoktok, a quickly developing town at the base of Mt Kilo near amboseli nation park. During our stay there, it was cold every other day. In the town, most mornings where chilling, but around 1 or 2 it would usually be sunny and 85 degrees. If you go 20 minutes north, away from the mountain, it was usually much warmer. Also Walking ten minutes south, toward the mountain, was yet colder.
Waking out to Mt Kilo was cool. It really disappears into the sky. Most mornings it was very clear and we had a great few of it; a sky without clouds. Everyday around noon, clouds would appear and the mountain would hide in the sky.
Now i am living near Tawa (the closest posta). It is semi-arid, drought prone, hilly area. The hills cover the land, and most of them are filled with gardens, naturally irrigated for when the rain comes, I am told November at the latest. There is a good amount of green here, but I was also told that the entire area will be covered once it rains. When its cold here, its probably just below 70 and I get asked if I'm cold in just a sleeved shirt. I tell them there is not cold in Kenya.
The stars are different here. You can see them. I also knew that there was a milky way in the sky, the portrait you see in pictures, but i never though you could see it without a telescope. In kenya, you can see the sky at night and it is something else.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Maisha
The Best thing I have every done.
In my opinion, you do not fully appreciate life, until you give two Africa children a soccer ball. Then imagine what it is like to teach them how to throw and catch a football, which I left with them along with matching soccer shorts. This made the pages of paperwork worth each hour. I would wake the next few mornings to the sound of a ball bouncing and Nuton counting, onetwothreefour……eightytwoeightrythree. I got woke with a smile.
To the Kenyans, its seems that I gave up so many things in order to life here with them. In church last Sunday, the pastor was talking about attachment to earthly positions and momentary satisfaction, a similar message I’ve heard in America. He said, “see our friend here (me), he gave up all that America has to live here and help people.” Thankfully this portion of the message was in English and not the local mother tongue, Kikamba, which I am learning, slowly).
The way Kenyans few America is, in their words, 'like heaven'. They see America as a land where life is easier and there are so many things we can buy and use to make ourselves happier. And really, this is the image we told them to think, because of our media leakage. I don’t disagree with capitalism or the media, but the message the rest of the world receives in incomplete. This topic reminds me of Thomas Friedman’s Hot Flat and Crowded, where American's consumption is dictating the rest of the world. (Again, I am not commenting on America's level of consumption, only their global influence).
In my opinion, you do not fully appreciate life, until you give two Africa children a soccer ball. Then imagine what it is like to teach them how to throw and catch a football, which I left with them along with matching soccer shorts. This made the pages of paperwork worth each hour. I would wake the next few mornings to the sound of a ball bouncing and Nuton counting, onetwothreefour……eightytwoeightrythree. I got woke with a smile.
To the Kenyans, its seems that I gave up so many things in order to life here with them. In church last Sunday, the pastor was talking about attachment to earthly positions and momentary satisfaction, a similar message I’ve heard in America. He said, “see our friend here (me), he gave up all that America has to live here and help people.” Thankfully this portion of the message was in English and not the local mother tongue, Kikamba, which I am learning, slowly).
The way Kenyans few America is, in their words, 'like heaven'. They see America as a land where life is easier and there are so many things we can buy and use to make ourselves happier. And really, this is the image we told them to think, because of our media leakage. I don’t disagree with capitalism or the media, but the message the rest of the world receives in incomplete. This topic reminds me of Thomas Friedman’s Hot Flat and Crowded, where American's consumption is dictating the rest of the world. (Again, I am not commenting on America's level of consumption, only their global influence).
Thats just life
Well first things first, I’ve been a little busy. I have just starting living at working at my site, I am located in a village called Kitile, near mbumbuni, south east of Nairobi and at 5500’. I have a very nice house, and as always much more than I need. I am enjoying myself. And that is what leads me to write my first real blog.
After living in Kenya for almost 3 months, I have a number of stories and just as many moments where I am in awe of the people here. When I first arrived at my home stay, I had just realized the depth of my adventure hit me. I was about to be living in new place, with new people for two years. It was a big moment and soon after, Simon, my home stay brother asked me, “Trevor, can you help me with math and teach me to write compositions with good adverbs and similes.” Life is good.
Simon and Nuton (13 and 7), my brothers, are a lot of fun to live with. Nuton was a little shy and wouldn’t talk much to me, but we just be excited to be around me. We would go for walks and he would be skipping with the biggest smile his face could make. Another good moment was when I left Nuton wear my sunglasses, aviators what fit my big head. He walked around town with his face held high, to keep them from falling, and another large grin on his face. We would also watch cartoon together.
Simon is a matured little man. He is much more studious than Nuton, who hates school, and does his chores on time. He also started breeding rabbits, Sungura. When I arrived, he had one rabbit but about a month before I left, he asked me to go with him to pick up another rabbit. 3 hours later, after getting lost through some hills, we got him a second and he could start breeding. I did miss the rabbit giving birth birth, also the goat.
My Mama is a very social, happy woman. She is very motherly, and one day, when I looked red in the face (because I’m a white boy living in Kenya) she insisted that I couldn’t do my laundry that day and needed to rest and eat a lemon. In the end it was a good story and I got lots of help the next to day to finish my laundry in record time (usually takes an hour and half). Mama also speaks very very fast with a thick kikuyu accent. The result of which taught me a very good ear for Swahili, so after not understanding anything for the first 6 weeks, I could now hear the language and I am very thankful for it.
Baba spent a lot of time working. He would go to Nairbo and buy kids clothing he and mama would sell in markets. He would also do the transporting of the clothing and set up the market stands. On a normal day, he would leave at 8am and come home at 9pm. And he would reply to anything he I had to say with, “that is very good,” he is a very nice man and always had a smile.
When it was time to leave, it was harder than I expected. There are definitely times during the home stay that aren’t easy. You have restricted freedom, a 630pm curfew and do everything in a new language. It is hard not to become attached to a Kenya family that you live with for 10 weeks. They seemed to like me too and Simon and Nuton even cried when I left. I was a blessing to know that I have two Kenya children that miss me.
After living in Kenya for almost 3 months, I have a number of stories and just as many moments where I am in awe of the people here. When I first arrived at my home stay, I had just realized the depth of my adventure hit me. I was about to be living in new place, with new people for two years. It was a big moment and soon after, Simon, my home stay brother asked me, “Trevor, can you help me with math and teach me to write compositions with good adverbs and similes.” Life is good.
Simon and Nuton (13 and 7), my brothers, are a lot of fun to live with. Nuton was a little shy and wouldn’t talk much to me, but we just be excited to be around me. We would go for walks and he would be skipping with the biggest smile his face could make. Another good moment was when I left Nuton wear my sunglasses, aviators what fit my big head. He walked around town with his face held high, to keep them from falling, and another large grin on his face. We would also watch cartoon together.
Simon is a matured little man. He is much more studious than Nuton, who hates school, and does his chores on time. He also started breeding rabbits, Sungura. When I arrived, he had one rabbit but about a month before I left, he asked me to go with him to pick up another rabbit. 3 hours later, after getting lost through some hills, we got him a second and he could start breeding. I did miss the rabbit giving birth birth, also the goat.
My Mama is a very social, happy woman. She is very motherly, and one day, when I looked red in the face (because I’m a white boy living in Kenya) she insisted that I couldn’t do my laundry that day and needed to rest and eat a lemon. In the end it was a good story and I got lots of help the next to day to finish my laundry in record time (usually takes an hour and half). Mama also speaks very very fast with a thick kikuyu accent. The result of which taught me a very good ear for Swahili, so after not understanding anything for the first 6 weeks, I could now hear the language and I am very thankful for it.
Baba spent a lot of time working. He would go to Nairbo and buy kids clothing he and mama would sell in markets. He would also do the transporting of the clothing and set up the market stands. On a normal day, he would leave at 8am and come home at 9pm. And he would reply to anything he I had to say with, “that is very good,” he is a very nice man and always had a smile.
When it was time to leave, it was harder than I expected. There are definitely times during the home stay that aren’t easy. You have restricted freedom, a 630pm curfew and do everything in a new language. It is hard not to become attached to a Kenya family that you live with for 10 weeks. They seemed to like me too and Simon and Nuton even cried when I left. I was a blessing to know that I have two Kenya children that miss me.
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