BEST DAY EVER

So I just got home from one of my favorite, if not the favorite day I've had here so far...
Today was my first day teaching PE at Kitale Forest Primary school...I have to say I was a bit nervous going into it because I didnt know how the kids would receive me or if there would be work for me to do...I also am not a fan of being in front of a lot of people, I get nervous and don't want the attention. But I figured it's Africa and this is the place for me to stretch myself right? I need to get over it



It was sheer craziness, at one point I had class 5 with about 50 students AND class 7 with 70 all at once...






They lost a frisbee in one of the trees so Rodgers climbed up about 30 feet and brought it back down...


Turns out they had plenty for me to do...First, I did some grading for class 7. Then when I was done with all my PE classes they had me teach an impromptu HIV/AIDS class..
To be honest it was one of my favorite parts of the day. In Nashville, one of my jobs is for a non-profit called World Vision and a HUGE part of what they do deals with the HIV/AIDS crisis, esp. in Africa. It was great to talk about what it is, how you can or cannot get it, myths, what it does to your body, and most importantly how you can keep from getting it...Its a subject I feel very passionately about, so I actually didnt mind at all when she threw me up in front of the class without any prep.


The house 1 boys invited me to come to their house for lunch...it was only about a 10 minute walk


Braum and Jonah...


Paul


Evans...



Paul borrowed my camera when we got back to school and took some of these shots...No worries, it was still break time, class hadn't actually started yet..


Some of the students


At the end of the day the deputy had me sit in on Class 4 Swahili, which is great because I need to work on mine. But still the kids were really excited and very encouraging...I totally felt like Billy Madison, being the 26-year-old student in the class 4 primary school class, sitting in a tiny desk repeating sentences back to the teacher...




I love this picture of Joseph...


Today was so great. The teachers and the deputy, Martha, were so encouraging and supportive. The kids were so much fun and really participated, which made me sooo much more comfortable...I seriously cant wait for next week

2nd Base

When we got back this afternoon Ayub went to town and bought me my own Jiko! I was so excited because we had planned on making Githeri tonight for dinner…He got me a really nice one too…


Old Jiko...


New Jiko...


Chris even gave it a try...


Unfortunately, there were bugs in the beans so it kind of ruined the Giteri...we asked some of the Kenyans that live and work on our compound and they said its totally normal and they eat them all the time...not for fun of coarse, but we have enough Githeri for a week now...with a few harmless bugs...


Later on this afternoon Chris decided that he felt like getting some action so he milked one of our cows…it was entertaining to say the least



The anticipation was killing him...




Tomorrow morning I have my first day as the P.E. teacher at the boys school. Im a little nervous and hope it goes well...Im sure it will be fine, just first day jitters of teaching a bunch of kids some games they dont know in a language they can barely speak...no worries

Swimming

We took the kids to the Kitale Club pool today . And of coarse we got some great pictures

Jaci loves swimming...



Moses works out, can't you tell?


Morgan


Moses crack


Jaci was so tired she fell right asleep


Elia from another view..


Allisons sunglasses matched Jaci's bathing suit perfectly




Ester in her towel...


Now notice a random naked child...oh wait thats Ester


Allison took some video of Elia laughing today and it's ridiculously awesome...I love this little man...


Moses


As much as they make fun of him, I got Chris and Allison to admit they secretly love Elia...

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...