Kenya: Week 10 Pre-Service Training
Monday began with language class from 8 – 10:30 followed by teacher training until lunch. I had chapati and dengu at a local hoteli and worked on a new friendship bracelet pattern. I dropped my bags off at Sophie’s house then walked 40 minutes to the next town over with Sophie, Savannah, Laura, Marissa, Margaret, and Rikki so that we could cross the equator and take a picture with the equator sign. It was a nice walk and fun to take a new path. Back in our market town, it was market day, so Savannah and I went clothes shopping and each found a pair of jeans. We compared the waistband to our neck (it is a trick to see if pants will fit you if you can’t try them on - google it lol) and it worked, the jeans fit us. Back at Mama Margaret’s, I helped Dan make chapati. It was our first time making chapati without the help of Mama Margaret or Sheila and it was a bit of a mess, but they tasted great! I taught Dan how to make the new friendship bracelet pattern I learned today so he could have something to do tomorrow when I go to the training center 😊
On Tuesday, we boarded the matatu to go to the training center and had teacher training and language classes all day. Our country director visited us and brought chocolates for us which was a delicious and much appreciated surprise. After working all day, we had a 3 v 3 soccer game and I was able to watch a few episodes of “S.W.A.T.” to end my day.
Wednesday began with lessons at the training center. We ended the day at the training center by taking our safety exam and completing our gas stove safety practical. I made yet another friendship bracelet and watched more episodes of “S.W.A.T.” and “The Great British Baking Show” while waiting for everyone else to finish their exams and practical tests. Three PCTs had birthdays close to today, so they purchased a cake that we were able to have before heading home. Back at Mama Margaret’s, I prepped my laundry for tomorrow. The night before I scrub my clothes, I soak my laundry in a bucket of water with a cap of liquid detergent. Lucas’ baba told me this gets the sweat out of clothes. I think he’s onto something with this because my clothes have been smelling a lot better since I started doing this. Dan and I watched the rest of “Avatar” tonight. We had potato and banana stew which was a new meal and so delicious.
On Thursday, we had language training and teacher training before lunch. I purchased chapati and peanut butter for lunch and it was delicious. We had another watch party of “The Great British Baking Show” followed by even more language class. Back at my house, I finished my laundry and then walked with Sophie, Erika, Margaret, and Brady to my tailor. I was able to try on the top of my outfit and everyone else got fitted for their swearing in outfits. When I got back home, the baby calf had gotten ahold of a pair of my pants that were drying on the clothes line. After negotiating with him to get them back, I rewashed them and hung them back up out of his reach😊I then worked on filling in addresses for my Christmas cards on Shutterfly and studied language before dinner. Dan and I started watching “Cheaper by the Dozen 2” and this might be his favorite movie we have watched so far.
Friday began with a training session on corporal punishment and how to navigate this in schools and our community. The health trainees joined us for this session as well because they will also be working in schools for various health projects. We had more language class after lunch and then Dan and I finished watching “Cheaper by the Dozen 2” during dinner.
On Saturday, we had language class in the morning and then Savannah and I walked about an hour and a half to a large market because it was that market’s market day. We spent about two hours here going through all of the clothes piles. We both left with a bag full of clothes that we can wear, embroider, and hem to make them fit us better. I am getting more hobbies since arriving in Kenya, so I am excited to see what I can do with these clothes. For lunch, we had the best piece of pineapple I’ve ever had and a banana (also good, just not as life-changing as the pineapple).
On our walk home, it started pouring down rain, so we had to take cover under a duka (local shop) to wait out the rain. We continued on when the rain stopped and when we arrived back in our market town, we got bajia and Fanta and ate our snack outside the duka. We met up with Lucas and Sophie and then Sophie came back to Mama Margaret’s with me so that we could hangout and watch some TV. Mama Margaret had gone to her sister’s house today and she returned with snacks of peanuts and popcorn for us to have before our dinner of chapati and beans. It was an awesome surprise and everything was delicious. The rainwater tanks at the house need to be cleaned before we can use the shower heads, so I successfully washed my hair using a bucket tonight.
I was able to sleep in on Sunday and then I sent Aunt Susan a “Marco Polo” and did more laundry. Around 10, I left with Dan and our neighbor to walk to the spot on the river where there were baptisms being done. We walked about 40 minutes (literally over a river and through a tea farm) and it was a beautiful walk. Unfortunately, we arrived late and all of the baptisms were finished before we arrived. So, I walked to Andy and CiCi’s to study language the rest of the day. Mama Linda made me lunch and Baba Linda came home with a ton of kumbe kumbe (termites) to roast and eat later. Back at home, I watched “The Departed” for the first time before closing out the week 😊
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