Two weeks and counting...

I have been here for almost two weeks now and it seems like an eternity. Seriously, it feels like I have been gone for a month. I think because I have just seen so much in such a short amount of time. Everything you do here is a project. Showering- project. Eating- project. Bank- project. Drinking water- project. Going to town is a major deal. You have to catch a Matatu on the side of the road and then ride about 10 to 15 minutes into town. Matatues are supposed to carry about 12 people, but I’ve been in one with 23 people inside and four hanging off the back. Crazy. So when you are heading anywhere in a Matatu, you end up stopping a million times and letting people off and squeezing people in. I have to go to town every day to teach.
I have been teaching Ceramic s at an all boys boarding school. It is totally different than any classroom I have ever been in. The boys are SO good. Too good. They don’t talk. Ever. I have to tell them that they can talk to eachother while they are working. The other day I asked them to please talk. When I speak to them they act like they are terrified. They are Freshman, or Form 1 here, so they could just be shy anyway. However, I know that it is just the way they are taught to behave. They show the teachers so much respect. They also are not allowed to talk to each other without permission from the teacher. I know this because I asked them during a really quiet work day when they refused to talk. It is hard to understand eachother’s accents. The project is going well. The kids dug up their own clay from anthills, and it is the most amazing terra cotta clay. Pretty cool. So the resources here are pretty much nonexistent. I tried to find some visual aids at book stores and had no luck. All they sold were textbooks. So I had to print some images from the web. It worked. They have no tools for ceramics in the classroom, so I went to the supermarket and got a bunch of random things they could use. They were so excited. I could see it on their faces, because they sure didn’t say it. They classroom itself is interesting, too. The school is set up so that all of the classrooms are in separate buildings around the campus. It’s neat. My classroom has a tin roof that radiates heat, concrete floors, and windows that swing open and shut. The other day a bird landed on the tin roof and started making crazy noises. I was startled and asked the boys what it was. Of course they said little, but they acted totally unphased. It is definitely a learning experience as far as being a teacher goes. You definitely have to be creative when it comes to gathering resources for your lessons. It is amazing, too how kids can be so appreciative of such small things. Education is everything here, and it shows in the behavior of the students.
There are farm animals everywhere. You never know when you might see a cow. In town or in the country- you never know. Chickens and goats also hang out in random places. The Lubangas have dogs and a cat. They ar all very sweet. It is nice to have some pets around because I miss mine so much.
We went to Kisumu on Thursday and went to the market. I got some cool crafts and gifts for people. I also got some cool jewelry and handbags for myself. Fun. There were some nice paintings that I will have to go back for because I ran out of money. Candice got a couple and they are really cool. We ate at a Chinese/Thai restaurant. Um, Thai food in Africa- not a good idea. But the restaurant was nice, so it was good. Kisumu borders Lake Victoria. You can go out on a boat and see hippos. I’ll have to go back for that too. It took like three hours on a crowded Matatu, so I’ll have to be good and ready to return.
Last night we all went out to a bar and danced. It was really fun. They played a mix of Kenyan music and American hip-hop. The Kenyans got an eye full watching the crazy Mzungues dance. I don’t know if I mentioned the Mzungu thing. That supposedly means ‘white person’, but I think the real interpretation is ‘European’. So when we walk down the street people point and shout ‘Mzungu!’ We are a total spectacle everywhere we go. It is like you are a celebrity. It gets annoying. I just want to walk down the street without being gaulked at. Some people stare like they have never seen anything like it, and some people look at you like they hate you. Everyone is so accomodating though. I think the Kenyans are proud to have us around so they treat us well.
I miss home, but I am liking it here. I feel more comfortable with the living situation and being in town (town is intense). It’s insane how an experience like this makes you appreciate the things you have at home. Not big things or material things, but basic things. Like plumbing, trash cans, landfills, clean water, ice…