is this real life!?

18-1-12

I actually am not sure if life can get any better here in Kenya, and let me explain why! Today I taught my first exercise class to one of my women groups! Well only 6 ladies showed up, but that is better than none! Teaching exercise to these women was definitely not as easy as teaching in America, but I live for a little challange :) I taught them the basics, and they said they really enjoyed it! We're going to have another session next weeks. So that is # 1 of the best things that happened today. #2, a baby boy (well he's 2) was at the mama's house that we had the exercise session at, fell in love with me! He wasn't scared (like most babies are, because I'm white) then he cried when I had to leave!!!! My heart was melting. So that was #2, and #3..... I got my package from my grandma today. It consisted of 3 dozen of her homemade oatmeal cookies and peanut brittle! I'm basically in heaven,.... and off my diet! hahah. Anyway I just thought I would share my good day with all of you! 

Tomorrow I'm teaching at Atlas Secondary School, again, but I tell ya what, it was like pullin teeth to get back in to teach again. Most principals are more than happy for me to come and teach health to the students, but this principal..... makes it seem like he doesn't want me there and has to "squeeze" in time for me. I just don't get it, the girls are always really happy when I come, and they always have a lot of questions..... Oh well, I teach tomorrow and keep working on the principal. 

19-1-12

 Another awesome day for the books! It started off with an hour long run...... not only my longest run since arriving in Kenya 7 months ago, but I was also accompanied by my new running buddy! She is a women from one of my JOYWO groups, she lives near me. Her name is Bridget and I think she is around my age, but already has 3 kids! We don't talk much, during our run, but it's definitely nice to have to company! 

Also today I went to Atlas Secondary to teach the girls. I talked to them about peer pressure and sexual abuse. They said they were understanding everything I was saying. Afterwards, I had them write their questions (they could be about anythings) and then I read them anonymously. When I was through, I found myself in the staff room, being bombarded with questions by other teachers. . . . why I'm not teaching the boys as well,,,, why I don't come more often?.... I guess it's just the principal who doesn't want me there!, which makes me feel much better about it. So hopefully I will be able to come and talk with all the boys! I have found in these schools, that it is the boys who ask all the questions!  Obviously gender roles are very different here in Kenya, which is why I like talking to the boys and girls separate. When I am teaching about these important topics, I want all of the students to feel comfortable, which is why is keep the separate. But I am so glad the teachers want me to come back!  Hopefully I will be able to talk with the boys on Tuesday before I leave for Ghana on Wednesday! Also on Tuesday I am teaching another exercise session to the women I taught this week! 

20-1-12

Another long run this morning! Then off to work, went to another JOYWO training today as well as i have one tomorrow. They are fun and a good change of pace! I get to spend the whole day with mama Lydia and Juliette, we d   rive really far out into the bush and train new groups about table banking and then I get to do my condom demonstrations :) You would really be surprised how many women have never even seen a condom up close and personal. They are always a little embarassed at first, but by the end they are a little more comfortable and definitely grateful for the education!

This will be my last post until I return from my vacation! We leave on Wednesday morning, and I cannot wait! We are going for 2 weeks and are each just bringing a backpack :) Yep we're real peace corps volunteers :) Peter, a boy who works on my farm ( a very cute boy) is watching Kibaibai for me. He loves kiabiabai and treats him like a pet rather than a kenyan dog. He always watches him when I go out of town.  So Kwaheri kwa sasa! (goodbye for now)

busy busy busy

11/1/12

Well I'm back to work. Went to 3 groups today, would you believe it literally took ALL day! Anastasia my counterpart went back to her college in Nairobi..... I was assigned another counterpart... but I guess she didn't make the cut, because I haven't heard from her since training. Therefore I am group crashing alone. It's no big deal, except that instead of showing up at the end of the table banking meeting. I now have to attend the entire thing! ... and well they usually go way over the allotted hour. Being counterpart-less also means I don't have a translator. I'm going to have to speak better kiswahili, like yesterday! It went fine today. I said what I could in Kiswahili and others in the group helped translate for me when needed. 

    Next week I'm going teach an exercise class to one of my women's groups! I'm really excited, I'm not sure what the ladies are expecting, but I think they are in for a treat! 

    Tomorrow I have the day off then Friday and Saturday I have JOYWO training groups all day. 

16/1/12

Friday and Saturday went really well. Well..... Friday was kinda rushed since we didn't get out there until 12:00 and we were supposed to be there by 9:00. I am being forced to get used to the "kenyan time" thing. Meaning if your on time... your way to early... if you 1 hour late.. your on time....doesn't make a lot of sense... Saturday was better, we were more on time, and there were around 200 women there. These things we have been going to are actually training's. We are training the women because they are starting new table banking groups. Well... i'm not doing the training, i'm just teaching to the group about health... mostly doing condom demonstration! Im able to say the whole thing in kiswahili! 

 With all these crazy awesome pictures from the holidays, going up on facebook... you're probably wondering "is she actually doing any work over there in Kenya!?" Well the answer is YES! But it's not quite a 9-5 job that most of us are used to in America. First of all, it is work just to live in this environment. Having to integrate is not as easy as it sounds. No I don't actually work everyday from 9 to 5, But on the days I go to groups, I am usually gone all day. And the days I go to these training's, I am gone even longer. So I am working... just a different type of work. But as you can see..... I have as much fun as I do work! We have to make time for fun, so we don't lose our minds!  

This week is gonna go by really slow, I can already tell. It's going to go slow because I'm so looking forward to next week! Going to Ghana baby! 

Back to the daily grind in Kenya

6/1/12

I went to speak with my village chief this morning. I had ideas for the new year that I wanted to run by him: starting an exercise class for women, having a nutrition day, doing a "how to build a home water filter demo", and how to build a sack garden. Of course the chief was on board for all of them! I really lucked out as far as chief's go. He is helping me to get the community involved, and he speaks pretty good english! He especially loved my exercise class idea, and wants me to teach one for men too! After that confidence booster, I headed over to the local primary school to see about starting an environmental club for after school. Just as I had hoped, they were on board as well! 

So it was definitely a successful day! I'm meeting with the chief again on Monday to discuss dates and places. Hopefully I will be able to start advertising for my exercise classes, and by advertising I mean going door to door and inviting people to come. 

Also coming up next weekend and the following weekend, I will be going with my supervisor at JOYWO to large women group "training's."  I use quotations because they are more like lectures to the women, but JOYWY calls them training's. My supervisor is the common Kenyan... meaning... not very specific. There is no time set yet, and they haven't specified what they want me to teach about. Im debating discussing water and nutrition, or family planning and HIV...... oh the choices the choices. For those of you who knew me in America, I was really into health and nutrition, and being in Africa... I have crawled away from that. I really want to get back into it, so I'm leaning more towards teaching the women about nutrition. 

 This brings me to my next topic. " KENYAN MAMA SABOTAGE" 

this is my mama that is sabotaging me ! hahaha

Mama's here in Kenya see being "fat" as being wealthy and healthy. Basically well fed. Every time I see my mama Lydia,  (she is the one who gave me my Nandi name) she tells me she is happy because I am looking fat. I had the same problem during my home stay in training. No matter how many time you tell them that being fat is not what WE want. They don't listen. In training I truly had no control, because my family cooked my meals.... but now at my site... I have no excuse. 

My New Year's Resolution, ( probably like most peoples) is to take control of my eating and exercise more consistently. I would really like to run a marathon in June!

Motivating myself is much more difficult here for a number of reasons. 1) there is no gym to get up and go to, 2) I live alone and only see my friends about once a month or so, 3) when running outside (which I do) you get stared at and called at, (usually by the kids, which gets old) 4) I am already out of shape, getting back into shape is TOUGH!

So there you have it, my new years resolution, and my plans for the community. 

7/1/12

 I ran to town today (literally) with my fingers crossed the whole time, hoping that my packages would finally be there. And guess what... THEY WERE! I couldn't get home fast enough. Opening them was like christmas morning! My grandma and my mom even wrapped things in christmas paper, so it really was like christmas morning. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa and mom and dad! I love everything! Kibaibai loves his new toy grandma! Mom.... he was a little disappointed that there was nothing for him in your box.... I told him to relax and gave him a treat ;) Thanks again family!!!  Today and tomorrow are my days to relax and hang out. Then next 2 weeks are going to be BUSY. Then off to Ghana and Togo with my girl Andrea! 

8/1/12

 Sunday.... the day of rest, and that's what I did. It was actually the most quiet and peaceful day I have had since I got site. Nobody was constantly at my back door asking for something. All the workers who have been around lately, helping with the maize harvest, weren't around. Kibaibai and I took a walk down to the river. And for the first time, not a soul was there. Usually there are a ton of kids who just sit and stare at you. Well not today! And to top it off the whole "motley crew" wasn't around to walk with us. It's days like these that I remember I'm in Africa. 

Chirstmas and New Years with my Peace corps family

For Christmas I had a few volunteers over for a few days. Ok by few I mean I cooked dinner for 12! Yep it was a bit chaotic but everyone helped out! I made most of the meals but everyone was so good at pitching in on cleaning up and what not. On Christmas day we slaughtered another chicken, and had mashed potatoes, beans, carrots, and yummy mac and cheese! Compliments of Breezie's care package. 

In case I forgot to mention.... we may have run out of water. Yes I had a house full of people and NO WATER! The toilets didn't flush for a day. Needless to say we bathed in the river when we had the chance. TIA

me and Kibaibai, I made him a xmas sweater but he didn't like it to much

All the kids in my neighboorhood. They got to play in my yard since it was christmas. They also sung me a song!

Everyone was gone by Tuesday, I had Wednesday and Thursday to clean and recover. I tell you I don't know how my Grandmas do it! They host so many people over the holidays and cook every meal! It was a lot of work to say the least. 

On Friday, which was the day before New Years Eve. I had a JOYWO event. When the office told me about it, they made it sound so.... well... not a big deal. Needless to say I showed up Friday morning to Miletisa, to over 20 huge white tents, and sound system and stage being put up in the center. I guess there were over 3000 people there, mostly women from the womens groups. I had to get up and introduce myself and say a few words on behalf of Peace Corps. I got over any fear I may have had of speaking to large groups, real fast. We've all spoken in front of our classes in school, some have even performed to large numbers of people in a play. But speaking to over 3000 people, including government officials, in Kiswahili! Well I can cross that off my bucket list. 

For the New Year the same group, plus and minus a few, met up at another volunteers on Rusinga Island. Its absolutely beautiful there, but very rural. On New Years day we took a boat (and by boat I mean a hand built wood boat, with an extra passenger to scoop out the water as it seeps in) to a private island! We had the beach to ourselves all day! I guess the resort that is there is no longer in use. It is still owned but not taken care of. But they had the cutest little bungalows which included flush toilets! Also the care taker gave us fresh coconuts and had them peeled and a hole pokes so we could drink the coconut milk inside. DELICIOUS! 

Andrea, Izzy, and I on our own private island for New Years! It was absolutly beautiful!

Now i'm back home and back to work. I will continue going to the women's groups, but starting this month or the next I want to start some health clubs at the local secondary schools. We'll see how it goes. 

Also I forgot to mention the new addition to my house. a Chujio water filter! I visited the factory while in in service training. It's the filter made out of a clay pot. Well it averages 1 liter of water filtered in an hour. It was a little pricey,but worth it since I will not have to treat my water anymore! Plus I can offer clean drinking water to the people who work on my farm. If you can't tell.... Im pretty excited! 

I'm short on money this month, obviously with the holidays, purchase of a couch and water filter. Anyway I wont be able to update until next week or so. I apologize. I hope everyone had as wonderful of a holiday as I did! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

wedding cake????

My friend Milcha took me to  her cousins wedding today! I was so excited to go to my first Kenyan wedding. It was beautiful, yet simple.  The day was perfect for a wedding! Most churches here are made of mud with tin roofs, so on a hot day, they are miserable! But today.... perfect! There was a gentle breeze, yet the sun was out the entire time! The wedding itself was very similar to weddings in America. The bride wore white, the bridesmaids had matching dresses. There were flower girls and junior bridesmaids, and matching grooms men. The service took about an hour and a half. Then it was off to the reception. The reception was held at the grooms house. There were big tents, and seats for the guests. The food was (kenyan) to say the least. The only real difference was that there were no tables, just lots of chairs. 

Now to the wedding cake! Let me just start by saying, there was obviously not enough to go around, there were around 500 guests! Not that I would have wanted any cake anyways. Cake here is absolutely .... not the greatest! I don't know why no one here can figure out how to bake a good cake. We have many bakery's here, but all the cakes just taste like crumbly corn bread. They are very dry and all taste the same, whether its chocolate or vanilla. And don't even get me started on the icing. It looks beautiful! But tastes and feels like its been sitting on the cake for years! Maybe after peace corps I stay here and open my own bakery! Grandma, you can come help. They have all the ingredients to bake wonderful things! I've baked numerous things in my jiko oven!, and I know the bakery's have actual ovens. So I just feel like there is no excuse........

I got a picture with the bride and groom as they were discussing dowery.  

Oh you haven't heard of dowery?..... Here in Kenya, when a man marries a women, he has to pay her family a dowery. This usually consists of several cows and goats. Depending on the size of the family and the educational back ground will determine the number of cows and goats. My friend Andrea and I always tell the men who propose to us, that our fathers want 100 cows, plus shipping them to America! hahaha I was told today that, that is way to much, but I now have someone working on getting 100 cow.. Look out dad! 

Anyways, it was an awesome cultural experience! 

One big motley crew

The Motley crew

Kibaibai pretty much has me trained to take him on a walk EVERYDAY. Otherwise he mopes around the house. These are the kids in my village who run screaming to greet us, then sometimes continue to escort us on our walk. They are very sweet, yet sometime annoying. They love Kibaibai and have actually started to pet him. People are usually scared of him, so I consider this an accomplishment. Yesterday I went to church with Anastasia. 3 hours sitting in the sun. No mom it wasn't a catholic mass! But it should count that I went to a church! and since it was 3 hours long, I figure I'm covered till after christmas ;). 

Speaking of christmas, I decorated the house in paper snowflakes and branches from a pine tree. Im expecting company on Friday, so I thought it would be nice to decorate. 

On Friday, Anastasia took me to her cousin's graduation party. It was actually similar to a graduation party back home. The women were busy cooking and helping out and there was plenty of food (rice, beans and meat). The difference was that it of course did not start on time, and the had many people stand up to speak. They put me on the spot and asked me to say a few words! "Congratulations and good luck!" What else is there to say? 

I also visited a nearby Hospice center. It was absolutely beautiful! It is not only for terminal patients however, they also do rehabilitation. The director was nice enough to show me around. There were 5 children there for malnourishment! It was very sad. The center was actually put together by an American! Hopefully on my free days, maybe once or twice a month, I will be able to visit. 

I know I haven been great at keeping up with fashion friday, however.... ta da! You know whats special about this dress?.... I made it! Yep hand sewed it myself! Actually its a skirt so I can interchange the tops and then I made the sash and head wrap as well. Told you there is not a lot going on right now. I have 2 groups to go to next week then there will be absolutly nothing until after christmas! I think I will have to round up some more material...... For christmas I am planning on having some other volunteers over so we can spend the holiday together... although just our luck, the matatus are planning on going on strike from Dec 19 -29, against high gas prices..... yep TIA (this is Africa) At times like this I miss my car and being able to drive wherever and whenever. Oh well, learning experience I guess. 

It's not just fun and games with all this free time however, I am planning alot of things to start in the new year. I want to start and environmental club at the local primary school/s. Also a health club at the secondary school. I am really go to try to start some sort of exercise class for the women in my area, the hard part is finding a venu. You would be surprised how many women ask me about sore backs and joints. This is why I thought a yoga type stretch class might be a positive addition to this community. Also I would like to do a community cook day. I want to show families how to cook healthy meals with the food that is available. A huge problem is that mama's cook with a lot of oil and salt, thus leading to diabetes and hypertension. I guess we'll see how it goes next year!