So. I've been on this adventure for more than a week now, and it's just flying by in some ways, and in others I'm really looking forward to getting through alive. So, we'll start with today. We all woke up, I conquered the toilet once again and headed out. We taught math with jump ropes again, today counting by threes. They did really great after a while, but we accept that it was mostly reiteration. We went into the school house after that and I drew up the first number line they have ever seen. I taught them simple subtraction with counting leaps and it worked better than I would've hoped. After we worked with math more, we started doing English skills, which they really, really struggle with. It's hard to teach them to do more than just copy and regurgitate. It's been incredibly helpful to have Georgia and her mom here, I'm a little concerned about when they leave. I'm hoping I'll be able to continue the reading and math regimen we've quasi set up for them. In the afternoon, we talked about the human body and then followed it up with a presentation from the Canadians about Canada. I think they understood about 40% of the presentation, hopefully.
Otherwise, it's been really tiring to try to make everything educational. It's hard to teach kids who don't know a lick of English, or even a lick of Swahili. Most of them speak tribal languages and many we think may have learning disabilities. It's sad to see flies landing on faces and kids not having the know how to swat them away. They don't have love there. They don't have adults who cuddle them and make them feel loved. They don't have teachers who invest themselves in their achievement, their ability to learn, their lives. It's so incredibly sad, but I've done what I can. I know all their names now, pretty much. Among the memorable ones, or my favorites, are Irene, who is an 11 year old girl who always loves playing with my hair. She's great. There's also Paul, who I think is a favorite of the Canadians. He's funky and has a really unique personality. I've also taken this interest in this kid named Samuel, he's so smart but he's so quiet and small that I don't think he really has a chance to show it off.
So, other than the school, I've been doing some interesting things around Ngong. I met some nurses from the Karen Hospital (in Karen, a city named after the author of Out of Africa, Karen Blixon) who said I would be welcome to come and tour the hospital. I am looking forward to that, as I originally signed on to work in a health care setting. Tomorrow-ish, we're going to go check out the Giraffes so I'll get my first taste of real African wildlife. I mean, I saw a chameleon today, at which I gawked, "Is that real?!" It was.
Millicent is great, she's been a great hostess even considering the crazy amount of religiousness that goes down under her roof and the broken toilet. Germicide has become my best friend here, no one even thinks of soap and few people rinse their hands with water after using the restroom. There are pit toilets dug near the trash piles which are randomly littered (puns, puns, puns, I know) around town. But, honestly, now that I've been here for a while I begin to look past all the really pungent things and see the vibrant life that calls this part of Africa their home. There are animals of all sorts, goats, roosters, sheep, dogs, and cats roaming around town. And the people are so...incredible. They all look strong and proud, and are so hearty. Life is bustling. There are so many people always, everywhere, and they have this uniquely African look. It's like the fashion is from 10 seasons ago, but somehow people look put together, and all so happy. Always happy and pleased and thankful for what they 'have been given.' Very religious though, when we went to church, I was fairly sure I was probably going to hell. Scary stuff. We also pray at least three times a day, which makes me uncomfortable when they have me do it still. I'll get better and I'll never giggle-hiccup again. I promise.
So, it's time for me to go, know that if I haven't answered an email or so it's not because I don't love you, but rather because I don't have unlimited time online.
Miss you all and I'll be in touch!
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