Settling

I’ve actually been feeling the urge to blog a lot more since I got back to Mombasa.  It’s tricky, though, because I’ve reached that point where life here no longer feels worthy of talking about.  Instead it just feels like life.  Consequently, I feel like every blog is going to sound the same: Things are good.  Really busy but I’m enjoying my work.  Life’s moving along.

And that’s pretty much it.  Things are pretty good.  I think I’ve settled in.  I finally got some pictures up on my wall, which always gives me a stronger sense of calm than I expect it to.  On the job I feel like I’m wearing so many different hats I haven’t quite figured out how to keep it all straight, but I’m getting there slowly and chipping away at some long-term tasks that are beginning to look more manageable.   I’m appreciating the chance to use all the skills I’ve gained over the last few years. 

Personally, I’m finding time to relax, exercise and get into a book or two as well as getting to know some awesome volunteers.  So it’s good.  My life is generally enjoyable, sometimes frustrating, mostly fulfilling and relatively balanced.  I don’t think you can ask for much more (though I’d take an oven).  

Madam Monkey

I’m finally getting more and more of the village kids to call me madam instead of mzungu (Kiswahili for white person).  All but the Olives kindergartners, at least.  We were doing well until yesterday when I walked by a lot in a tree that started calling me Madam Monkey.  I let it go until they did it again on my way by this morning.  I’m still investigating where on earth this came from as I have absolutely no clue, but you can be sure I’ll report back straight away if I do manage to solve the mystery.  

Update:  My super sleuthing, aka asking the kindergartners outright, has turned up exactly zero bits of useful information.  I'm afraid the world may never know how Madam Monkey came to be.  

Jazz hands, please

It occurred to me recently that I don’t always take the time to really appreciate some of the moments in the classroom that make my job great.  I tend to take most things in life in stride, which sometimes means I don’t fully process the amusing moments that make class interesting.  I have a very ill-defined notion to rectify that. 

For a start, I’d like to share the fact that I got almost all of my standard 8 pupils to begrudgingly participate in a jazz hands competition at 8:15am this morning.  I know they thought it was completely stupid, but they did it and they enjoyed it in spite of themselves.  And I’m ok with that.  It’s totally fine with me that half of their enjoyment came from chuckling at me dashing across the front of the classroom signaling each section.  Sometimes you just need that to get going in the morning. 

I’d also like to mention that I had to detain standard 7 for 20 minutes after class because they insisted on speaking Kiswahili during English.  I decided to use the opportunity to teach them some things they might like to say to each other during class, using their English.  We learned things like “Can I borrow a pencil, please?”  and “Can you move over, please?” and “Can you stop touching me, please?”  The boys did a great job figuring out the pattern and making it their own, which led to some fun questions like, “Can I love you, please?” and “Can I sleep with you, please?”;  to both of which I suggested thinking twice before making either request of a girl. 

Today’s anecdotes have been brought to you by 5 very itchy mosquito bites.  Pop by again to see what else standards 7 and 8 have been up to!

Mom in Mombasa

This past week and a half has been full of new experiences for me.  Last week I got my first batch of new volunteers since becoming the coordinator for Olives, so it’s been all about getting people settled into their new lives as teachers.  It’s been extra special this time, because they aren’t just any batch of volunteers.  My mom and her friend have had the privilege of being a part of my inaugural class.

When I first started talking about coming to volunteer in Africa, my mom was interested in possibly coming out as well.  She was bummed that she couldn't make a visit work during my first time around, so when I decided to come back, she decided to make a trip as well.  She signed up to volunteer for 2 weeks on my project here in Mombasa.  She’s been a huge help at school, filling in and doing loads of odds and ends.  I think it’s been interesting for her to see my world in action and put faces to some of the names I’ve mentioned. 

I’ve been enjoying the chance to show her a bit of my life here in Mombasa.  I’m glad for her to see it, though I’m not sure if seeing it in person will make her feel better or worse about my living here.   It’s kind of a crazy place, commonly lacking in any Western notions of safety.  I think she’s enjoying her experience but I’m not sure she would want to stay for months.  Either way, I’m proud of her for coming out to see what I do and help out the kids.  Don’t know too many moms willing to do that. 

Aside from just figuring out the new bits of my job and showing my mom around, things for me are good.  I have so much to do before I leave, I can’t even believe it, so it’s a bit busy, but I’m finding balance between working and enjoying my last few months in Kenya.  I realized this weekend that four months from last Sunday I will be back in Nebraska eating turkey.  Well, hopefully, assuming all goes to plan.  I‘m not really counting down yet, but I am looking forward to spending the holidays with everyone at home.  I wish I could just bring my work back to Nebraska and have the best of both worlds.  Such is life, you can never have everything.  At least for this month I get to have a piece of home here with me.

Back in Action

I’ve been back in Mombasa for just over a week now and it feels good to be back to work.  Each day has flown by but I’m also having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that it hasn’t even been two weeks yet.  Haven’t I just always been here?  It seems so natural, I’ve just picked up where I left off. 

There have been quite a few changes since I was here last.  For one thing, we’ve been through quite a lot of volunteers in the past 2 months and I’ve had a lot of new faces to get to know.  At school Michele has been very proactive in setting up programs to build on the reading and English levels of all the kids.  We now have a more focused reading time each day as well as daily phonics lessons with standards 1 and 2.  I’m really proud of all the work everyone’s been doing and I think, after this past week of trial by fire, I finally have a handle on all the new things going on.

As if that wasn’t enough to get used to, I’m now officially a volunteer staff member, so I’ve also been busy learning about what goes on behind the scenes and getting used to the fact that I’m in charge.  I think that last bit has been the trickiest.  It’s kind of strange not having to go through a superior when it comes to things at Olives.  It’s also rather convenient.  I can now officially do what I was essentially already doing before, without having to ask permission.

That’s pretty much it for me.  I’m missing everyone at home already, but I know the next few months will fly and I’ll be home before I know it.