Wednesday, September 24, 2008

What the Shuck?!



Last night Allison and I shucked corn (A.K.A. Maize) to make Githiri, which is basically beans and maize...It took about an hour and actually wasnt that bad once you got going...definitely an experience...



Ayub is going to town tomorrow to get me my own Jiko to cook on! Yes, I really am that excited...





Today the morning was spent at Oasis. Our friend Stonic paid us a surprise visit from Nairobi...We were so excited to see him, its been at least 3 weeks, maybe a month since we've seen him...
We went into town for lunch and ate at my favorite place in town called the Coffee Shop. And then Allison and I went to a book store so I could buy the Geography books I would need to teach my class...Man, that sounds so weird, but I guess I have "pupils" now...

Chris and some of the students at Gilgol in their PE uniforms...


After lunch we went to Gilgol High School, just on the other side of Kipsongo...
When we got there we had a period where they could ask us questions and randomly enough we talked about marriage in America and in Kenya...turns out if a guy wants to marry a woman in Kenya he has to provide a dowry of some sort which is usually cows and goats...the guys just about had party when they found out that in America the girls family pays for everything...in Kenya its the other way around...



After we headed over to a nearby Primary School to use their field for our P.E. time...It seemed as though they had never seen a white person before...it was crazy, the entire school followed us around the field





I asked Millenia, one of the Gilgol students why they reacted that way, why they kept laughing and following Chris and I, and she said that for the students, seeing a white person was like seeing God...I was dumbfounded

This is Millenia and I after playing football(soccer)


Just a handful of the students that surrounded us...




They had the Gilgol boys play each other first. Then the girls had to play the winner of the boys...I ended up playing even though I suck at soccer...We lost, but the girls had fun...And I realized just how out of shape I really am. I like to blame it on the altitude, but I just don't think I can get away with it anymore...


The best boys team then took on the boys from the Primary School...They played a great game and won...

Newton wasnt feeling well and sat on the sidelines and read the newspaper I had brought him...hes the Sudanese student who wants to be a journalist...


Allison and some of the neighborhood kids...





When we got back to the school Chris played around with a lot of the neighborhood kids...this is his character he likes to call "Mazungu Man"


It terrified the kids...But it was hysterical to me...


Edwin and Gabriel


Gilgol High School only has 33 students, but they are an incredible group...They are all from different IDP (Internally Displaced Persons)camps either throughout Kitale, Lodwar, Kakuma, or the Sudan...They are great students and so respectful. I'm excited to get to work with them...I also spoke with Ben who is one of the people who runs Gilgol about possibly getting them sponsors since most can't or don't pay school fees. You better believe Ill be posting about that soon:)



Tomorrow is pool day with Elia & the kids at Sister Fredas! You know those will be some sweet pics...