Pictures for food blog

Here are a few pics of foods - love the kit kat with chai...yummy!

What Becky Eats in Kenya

I got to an internet cafe today so I thought I'd write a post. So - for those who have known me awhile, you know that my diet in the US was largely a high-carb one (which I guess was taboo to some people but seemed to work for me). You would not be surprised if you came and saw my usual meals. For breakfast I usually eat bread with jam (right now I love this plum jam that I can buy in Malindi), a banana, and a cup of chai. I'd love to have orange juice but I can only buy it in Malindi and it's expensive and I can't refigerate it so it's only good if you drink it the day you buy it. I could get cereal but I have no way to refigerate milk and I really don't like the warm milk and cereal thing. So - I pretty much eat the same breakfast every day. Sometimes I have other things like tea biscuits (like little thin cookies). For lunch I usually go to a local hoteli (restaurant) and get chapati and beans (kind of like baked beans) and a coke (this costs about 50 shillings - a little less than a dollar). I sometimes get rice and beans but rice is not always available. Sometimes I go home and eat a "jelly sandwich" (just like I used to eat everyday for school lunch from my Robin Hood lunch box!) and a coke. There really aren't any crackers or salty snacks in my town. I can buy little bags of peanuts that have been cooked so I get those sometimes. For dinner it depends on if I ate a big lunch. For example, if I had two chapati at lunch then I usually don't eat a lot for dinner. Even so, I generally don't like to cook a lot. It's kind of like being at home in the summertime in Virginia -- it's hot and humid so you don't feel like cooking anything. I have cooked rice but it's hard to make just for one person and I can't save leftovers. Plus it's just less expensive for one person to go buy a bowl of rice or chapati. I have to buy water and fuel, so to use fuel to cook and then more water to wash more pots actually is not efficient for me. I do however get lots of tomatoes and carrots. So - often I just cook them real quick in a small frying pan (kind of like stirfry) and either eat with chapati or these small rolls (Benjamin would love them!). I also can make spaghetti with a stirfry of tomatoes which is really good. One night I bought three of the rolls and used olive oil to cook the carrots and tomatoes. I "toasted" the rolls in the olive oil in the pan then scooped the tomatoey mix on top to make a kind of pizza bread. To me it was great! But I used to do that with pita bread at home so I love it. I also can easily get eggs in my town so I make scrambled eggs with toast (by putting the bread in the pan) and it is great. I can get lots of things in Malindi, but I can't really keep them long because of no refrigeration. But, I did get addicted to this KitKat Chunky bar (so good with a cup of chai). I never really loved the kitkat bar but this chunky one is more like crispy and it is SO GOOD. Plus, when Zahara and I meet in Malindi we usually eat lunch somewhere and sometimes treat ourselves. The other day we found a canoli at a bakery for 30 shillings (about 50 cents) and they were so good. So - I may be fat when I get back?? I'm hoping to get a bike which I didn't decide to do at first, but that may be my only way to get some exercise.

My first interesting (funny?) village story

Yesterday (Wednesday) I had to arrange to travel to Mombasa to get the H1N1 flu shot. None of us could figure out why they couldn't just send the syringe to a local clinic for us to get instead of having us all travel all the way to Mombasa. But, we guess it has something to do with govt regulations. Anyway - so I was leaving Wed afternoon to get there Wed night to stay over night to go to the hospital Thursday morning. I arranged for stuff for my classes to do while I was gone and was on my way walking to my house to get my backpack and catch matatu to Malindi. Earlier in the day we heard loud sounds...I didn't even register it at first, but the teachers told me the police were shooting. Of course I wondered why?? Apparently the salt company (there are many along the Indian Ocean here) was trying to expand on lands that I guess they own (I haven't quite gotten the whole picture on that), but nonetheless they see it as their land but others have started shambas (gardens) that I guess they have been cultivating for awhile. I gather that it is kind of like "squatters" who have been using the land and so see it as their land to keep using. So, apparently the police were sent to scare these people off of the land and as a result a mini-skirmish occurred in which police were shooting and apparently three policemen got shot by arrows (yes, arrows) at some point yesterday mid-afternoon. Okay - so back to what happened. I was walking home per my plan to leave and as I passed the primary school (remember it has about 800 - 1000 kids) I saw all of the sudden kids come pouring out of the front gate. They started running and as more came out it was like a herd of kids running. As some of the smaller kids passed me running I heard some of them crying. I of course wondered what in the world was happening. It didn't look like anyone was hurt and there wasn't a widespread panic so I assumed things were okay. Some people saw me walking in the same direction and asked me what was happening and I said I didn't know. Some random guy walking started talking to me loudly in kiswahili. I understood some of what he was saying but he really didn't seem to know either what was happening. He was yelling at the kids to stop running (Usikimbia!). I knew there wasn't anything "really bad" happening so I continued to go home to get my bag and leave. Living in a small village is the same all over the world -- everyone seems to know (or think they know) what you are doing, where you are going, ... So, it was by coincidence that as this confusion was happening with kids fleeing the schoolyard, I am proceeding towards the matatu stage with my backpack and purse. Maybe you can guess what happens next? Not even 1000 feet from my house I get stopped by a woman who I don't really know but I've seen her around...and she says, "Madame, are you leaving us?" I explain is some kiswahili and some english that I am not fleeing but attending a meeting in Mombasa. I say, "Nitarudi kesho" (I will return tomorrow). Then, as I pass the small stores by my house where I buy milk cartons, tomatoes, etc... the women Dorcas and Agnes both ask me where I'm going. I tell them I'll be back tomorrow, I have to take a trip to Mombasa. As I keep walking through the "main street" market area, I am along the road and of course everyone is out looking already because of the ruckus with the kids. So - I see the pastor (Peter) of the Baptist Church (he and his wife have a little stand where I buy bananas and eggs, etc...) and he asks me where I'm going. I assure him that I am going to a meeting and I'll be back tomorrow. Then, when I get on the matatu the conductor guy says something to me like "Madame, it's good that you are saving your life". Of course, the people on the matatu don't really know me because some of them are just passing though on their way to malindi also. I get in and there is already a "buzz" on the matatu about what was happening at the salt factory land and they are talking amongst themselves. I know enough kiswahili to figure out that they are talking about me fleeing the village. So, I tell them, no I'm not fleeing. I'm a teacher at the secondary school and I'll be back. Needless to say, it was an interesting afternoon. So - I meet Zahara finally in Malindi, we get on different matatu and finally get to Mombasa in the early evening. A long hot day. I sent a text to my principal letting him know that I got to Mombasa, etc... Today, I got back at about 4pm, went home and washed some clothes, cleaned up a little, etc. and some of my students stopped by on their way home. Of course, I knew what they were going to say. Now, they already knew that I had gone to Mombasa because I told them before I left. They greeted me and asked me how my trip was and then said, "Madame, everyone was saying that you had fled the village yesterday". So - that's my interesting, funny story. By the way - things seem to be okay. I guess I'll find out from the teachers tomorrow all about the ruckus.

In my "house"

Just a quick pic to show you that I'm fine and healthy. Kila kitu ni sawa - Bwana sifiweh (all things are okay - praise God).

Yes Virginia, there is an ocean!

Okay, so I don't have elec or water or an indoor toilet, but the Indian Ocean is about a 25 min walk from my site. No hotels, no tourists, nothing but beach. This is me and Zahara (PC volunteer) enjoying the day. Hope to go again soon.

Toilet?

This is especially for my 11 year old nephews whom I'm sure can find something amusing here! The stall on left is my "toilet". It's basically a hole in cement (in india they called it a squattx potty). Being the near OCD that I am about clean bathrooms, mine is very clean ( I use bleach and detergent in the flush water). Some kenyans say you either have to go short call or long call. I have also added just for my own amusement what I call Zach call which is a short call (pee) but it goes on and on! You nephews get why it's called zach! A zach call is sometimes good because it also helps flush - sorry for that...just "keeping it real". Of course the other stall is my "bath-shower" which is not too bad, I just wish I didn't have to walk outside to get to it. I can't walk out there in a towel so it's a little annoying to have to go wearing something and put it back on before I walk back to room. I'M hoping to convince the landlord to build a temp fence of sorts that would allow me to walk back and forth "unseen". That's all for now.

Kitchen after 7pm

So, I got home later than usual this friday since I somehow became asst games master at school so I was at the next "town" for soccer (which made me a big hit with the male students - a good thing for future). Back to pic... I was late making something to eat, so thought I'd post pic of my "kitchen". Stay tuned for exciting pics of my "bathroom".

My "house"

Not sure if this pic captures it, but the two "front doors" are the doors to my kitchen and bedroom. These are basically two separate cement block rooms with nothing in them - no counters, no shelves, no sinks, no furniture. The bldg to left is my toilet in one stall and bath area in the next. To take a "bath" I have to first go to my kitchen room where I keep jugs of water, fill basin with water, go to bedroom to get little basin with soap, etc, then carry those along with my towel to the outdoor stall (of course i also have to be dressed since i have to go outside). Finally i get in stall, close door, and take like a bucket bath - sometimes if i feel like taking extra time i fill my solar shower which is fantastic! So i have 4 different doors with 4 different padlocks. To me that is more challenging than no elec. But as with anything i've already developed a routine of sorts that makes it seem easier. I'd still like to move to a house that is all self-contained. We'll see?

Video of mombasa traffic

School in Kenya

Short note first...I tried to attach a video of traffic in Mombasa but not sure if it is viewable. I did this especially for Jo & Rob as it will be reminiscient of their time in Bangalore, India! Crazy stuff. They call those little carts "tuk-tuks".

Many of you have asked about my school day. It really is hard to explain, but I will give you some information. First it's easier if you understand the national schooling system in Kenya (of course I really don't understand it either, but I can give you a glimpse). About 7 years ago or so the government instituted free primary education for all kenyans. Now of course, this seems like something we would all support and probably should, but what happened was that all these kids who previously couldn't or wouldn't pay a nominal fee to attend public school (we pay in the US too, through taxes) all of the sudden flooded into the schools. It doesn't take an economics genius or any other genius to figure out that basic supply and demand does have its consequences. So, for example the primary school here used to have about 300 students. Now it easily has about 1000 students attending the same school...but of course there is a severe shortage of teachers. You know how few politicians think ahead on these things because I mean who doesn't want to support free education for all? [Aside, remember this when free university ed for all americans is proposed] So, at the primary school here there is about the same number of teachers but about triple the number of students. It is not unusual to see a classroom with 80-100 students. The other evening I was sitting outside across "the street" from me talking to an old retired teacher (he's known as Mwalimu Kombo) and he agreed that it is almost impossible to actually teach anything in the primary school. Out of the almost 1000 students he said that maybe 10 will score high enough on the National Primary Exam (KCPE) to go to a National School (which almost ensures you a better education). So, as things go, the education is "free" but there are definitely huge disparities (I think much larger than in the US). Essentially there are schools at various levels (national, provincial, district, public, private) that all are competing to get kids. The students have to take the KCPE after grade 8 and that one score determines if you can even apply to some of the better schools (now that's high stakes). Plus, there are some kids who do manage to score high but then can't afford one of the better schools. Then, after Form 4 (grade 12) they take the second national exam (KCSE) and that score essentially follows them around the rest of their life here in Kenya. It determines whether you can enter college and even the level of job that you can get. Kind of crazy to me.

Anyway - I tell you all this to say that Peace Corps of course places volunteers in public schools that have great needs. So, we don't teach in any national or provincial schools. My school is even "lower on the totem pole". It is not even a registered school. Basically after these last years of free primary ed there was a wave of students in the area with nowhere to attend secondary school. Most of them have scored way below the average on the KCPE and could not afford even to go anywhere else, so the community got together and formed this secondary school only two years ago. So, the school is one building that consists of two classrooms and that is it. There is no office, no staff room, no anything else.

So, I go to school usually about 7am and go to the primary school where we have a small room that serves as our office/staff room. There are very little resources. Most of the students don't have books so you can teach something but if you want to assign problems from the book then you either have to write them all out by hand and post it up on the wall with masking tape and the students can all copy into their notebooks. Or you can just leave the book and the students will copy problems sometime during the day. The schedule is very loosely done. In Kenya the students stay in one room all day and the teachers move from room to room. Of course, in this case we don't even have a desk in the room in which we could maybe keep stuff there to use, so again you really don't have many resources. I don't teach at the same time every day so it is a little confusing. They just made a chart with available times and then starting kind of randomly filling in classes. For example, today I taught the Form 3 Math class twice (2 lessons in one day) and the Form 2 class once. I teach 6 lessons for each classs in a week. The other weird thing to me is that sometimes the teachers just decide to teach extra lessons whenever they feel like it and the schedule allows. So, for example, if a teacher isn't there that day or just doesn't show up for class (yes, that happens) then another teacher might just go to the class and say, okay, now we will do more physics or whatever. Also, the students are supposed to be "on campus" from 7am-5pm. Classes end at 4pm, but a teacher might just decide on the spur of the moment to have their class stay and attend another lecture from 4 - 5. So, I sometimes don't know who is teaching what or when. It's only been two weeks so I'm guessing I'll figure out the schedule soon. The actual teaching part for me is great. I'm glad that I have lots of experience. I don't know how a novice with no experience would fare in this particular situation, but that's probably one of the reasons they sent me here and not to another more well established school. So, I teach 2-3 lessons a day. Then, during the other times I get ready for class and/or answer student questions or sometimes do an extra lesson if the class is "free". I'm trying to involve the students in working together to solve problems, etc... and it's going okay but it is a little difficult when you can't make copies of papers, you don't have paper, you don't have chalk, the students don't have paper, or many other things that might occur on any given day.

But, as usual I figure that if I can get the students' thinking, then all of that other stuff doesn't matter (wishful thinking on my part??). I know that some of you would like to help out and I will let you know as time goes by. One thing the Peace Corps doesn't really want us to do is come for two years and supply the school with lots of stuff and then that stuff disappears when we leave. We are trying to come up with plans that are more sustainable for the school. So, give me some time to learn the school and students and I'll let you know what we can do. All in all, I love the teaching, but that's not unexpected. I hope I can report some inspiring stories someday of things happening here at Marereni Secondary. At the very least, I'll be able to help them think about math.

Okay - battery is down to 59% so better go. Blessings.

At my "home" in Marereni Kenya

I finally got my netbook charged so I am writing a quick post before the battery goes again. So - I am here in Marereni, about 45 minutes from Malindi (apparently a beach getaway for even famous people like Nicolas Cage). Of course, I haven't seen those places. I am living here in a strange arrangement of two rooms of a 4-room "blockhouse" with no electricity and of course no running water. So, my "bathroom" is like two outhouses next to each other, one for toilet and one for bathhouse. It's kind of strange and hard to imagine but I've already somewhat adjusted. However, my principal is looking at another house for me that is closer to the school and has the bathroom inside. So - I won't complain if I do get moved. But, for now it's just how it is. I usually go to bed about 9pm because it is hard to do work when there is no light. I have a kerosene lantern, but that's not so great for seeing papers or reading. Maybe I'll get another and two will make it better? I do have a headlamp type thing that is solar charged so I take it to school with me during the day and let it out in the sun so I can wear it at night to at least have some reading light. It is actually pretty good. I can't take too much time here, but I will give you a few ideas of my current life in short bullet-form:

• I try not to go to the outhouse much after dark because there are big roach type bugs that sometimes appear -- yikes!



• I rode to Malindi last week on a matatu (like a 15-seater van) with probably about 20 people stuffed in and two goats under the seats



• In Malindi it is a tourist type place (many Italians and Germans visiting the resorts/beaches) so there are these "beach boys" who walk around and try to get you to pay them to take you around the town. I successfully told one in kiswahili that I wasn't a tourist, I was a teacher at a secondary school and right after he simply said "kwaheri" (goodbye). So, that was a victory.



• My Form 3 class (like grade 11) is mostly boys and very inquisitive. I like that class a lot. One of the boys said he wanted to be president of the US just like Obama. I said, well, you can't because you were not born in the US. He and several others were a bit confused because they said that Obama is a native Kenyan and he's president, so why can't they be? (Many Kenyans consider Obama a native Kenyan and even say he was born here. Anyone want to research that one?? *smile*) So, I told them that his father was Kenyan but his mother was american. And one of them asked suprisingly, "You mean an american woman is allowed to marry a kenyan?". It's really interesting the things that they do and do not know through experience.



• Another day about four boys were helping to go get this bed frame that I had to have made. As we were walking they asked lots of questions. One asked about if I had kids, etc... I said, no I never had kids. So, he innocently says, "You mean you're a spinster?". So, of course I laughed and said, well, yes we usually don't use that word in the US, but yes.

I hope to share more soon. It's so hard to explain the "town" but essentially it is a small village on the main Malindi-Lamu road so it is easy to get to by bus/matatu. So, that is good. But, it is very simple. People live in mud-houses and have dirt floors. At any given time (even at night) you can hear burros (donkeys) milling around outside and baying loudly sometimes. There are at times goats and chickens walking through my "front yard". But, you get used to it all.

I'm trying to attach a few pictures. I'll take more as time goes by. For now, kwaheri.

Practice

Trying to post from phone.

My 5th Grade Partner Class in America

Thanks to Ms. D's 5th grade for becoming my partner class. I had a great time with the class during our short "workshop" on Kenya and math. What a great bunch of kids! Hope to keep in touch with you throughout my time in Kenya.

Why Peace Corps - Why Now?

Some have asked (or thought silently) - Becky, why do you want to go to a place like Kenya and why now? There is no simple answer. I've felt called to go to Africa for probably 20 years and have often searched various possible routes -- this happened to be one that seemed to fit my particular knowledge and experience. For many reasons this is the right time for me (see other post "What Will You Do?). I definitely feel more prepared to go now as opposed to when I was 22 years old, wondering what I could do to be of service. I have much more life experience in many ways that I believe will help me serve better now. So - I am looking forward with excitement (not fear) to the opportunity to learn much about myself and the people with whom I will live and work. I can only imagine that JOY will be the result. I look forward to keeping you updated on this great experience of a lifetime.

What Will You Do? (for Christians)

Jesus said we should be servants (Jesus first – Others second – Yourself last) as he modeled during his time in this world. In our culture (being the World) we often laud and praise position and accomplishment; indeed, we’ve somehow come to believe (and teach our children) that worldly accomplishment is a goal worthy of extended efforts. While there is no inherent wrong in working hard to become a better pianist or the number one tennis player, when that goal supersedes the goal of knowing (really knowing) Jesus, we likely begin to lose our hope of holiness.

We convince ourselves that by first gaining position and accomplishment, we’ll then be able to serve others. Jesus’ conception of service did not follow this model. Jesus didn’t seek position or entitlement even though some hoped he would. Jesus came to teach us to serve – to serve by feeding the hungry, to serve by clothing the poor, to serve by touching the untouchable, to serve by loving the lost, to serve humbly … as He did (Matthew 20: 25-28).

The story of the Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18: 18-27) is one that many have heard multiple times. I’ve read it over and over and have thought about it a great deal in the last few years. One usual interpretation is the idea that Jesus is telling ALL of us that we should give away everything we own in order to serve (follow) Him. I’m not sure who you think “the rich” are, but I do know that we all have a different definition in our heads for whom the term applies. If I don’t think I’m one of “the rich” (which is debatable but a totally different discussion), then do I simply ignore this story? Of course the answer is no. So, what can it possibly mean to me and you? These are my current thoughts: The rich young ruler heard Jesus’ answer to his question about inheriting eternal life … “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” The young man was saddened because for him this was a seemingly impossible instruction to follow. For you and me, I believe, we need to determine the thing in our life that results in a seemingly impossible instruction to follow. Some possible questions: Do I have a job that takes all my energy so that giving it up seems to leave me with no identity – impossible to leave it? Do I have a house that I’ve convinced myself is one that I deserve – impossible to give it up? Am I in a relationship that consumes all my attention – impossible to live without? Do I believe that I must make more money to keep the stuff that I do own – impossible to live within my means? Could I be spending too much time on hobbies or even charitable work – impossible for those entities to do without me? This is not an exhaustible list; but hopes to convey the idea that we all are at times serving something other than Jesus – something that if He asked us to “give it up” would cause us to be saddened upon the thought.

What does all of this mean to us? I think the main culprit in our own head is fear. We profess to love Jesus and follow His commandments (as did the rich young ruler) but are unsure (fearful) of letting go of the stuff of this world. Maybe we have a conversation like this: “I mean, I’ve been a good person. Sure I’m not perfect, none of us are, and I’ve given time and money to the church. I really am a good person and I even know that Jesus is the One who saves us (it’s not of ourselves). I read the Bible and believe the words of Jesus. I’m not a rich person so I can’t afford to give up my livelihood, my house, my car, my flat-screen, my new clothes, … but I have given up a lot to help others. I’ve done all that I can and should.” And, maybe you have done all you should or could. Only you can decide.

I do know that Jesus didn’t give the same response to everyone he met – He didn’t tell everyone they haven’t yet given all to follow Him. Some He simply touched and healed. Some He forgave and sent on to sin no more. Each of us has to search our head and heart to find our answer to Jesus’ request. For me, I’ve decided that I have to give up the perceived security of my job (money, retirement, position) in order to truly find Jesus’ will for my life. I have to give away those things at this time and follow Him. That’s what I’ll do. What will you do?