Us Mzungus all look the same!

Tuesday 19th October



Another magical day with my kids – I’d found some reading books here in Kiswahili, which I shared with the kids for the first time today. I’m slightly going off on a tangent with the kids here, as personally I am concerned that English is ‘forced’ on them because of the Kenyan system. Whilst they enjoy the stories I read and they are decoding reading through the books they are learning and working through here, it is clear because of their backgrounds that none of them will ever have read a book, or have had a story book read to them in their own language. They were so, so excited – they were jumping up and down, shouting and hugging me! I think it was the first time they realised that stories could be in their own language not just in English. First off, one of the kids read one of the books to them all, with them then translating the story to me so I could understand, and then they just sat and read, and read and read. They were reading to each other, out loud to themselves, smiling, laughing, sharing, trying to teach me words – it was priceless! We only have 10 books at the moment, but I will find more.

Thursday 21st October


Oh, I’m having fun working through the curriculum here, and trying to sort out an order for the teaching of grammar. It’s been very clear from the debrief each night that the volunteers that are taking standard 4 & 5 in both schools are struggling to get their kids to do some of the basics – like capital letters and full stops for sentences. Well, on analysis and mapping out of the curriculum here, it’s not surprising, as they learn all these different tenses early on, like use of apostrophe in standard 1 (yes that’s age 5!) but capitals and full stops are not taught until standard 4 upwards – where’s the logic in that I ask? So, keeping an eye on what they have to learn for each end of standard test, I am moving some of the grammar concepts around so that we can head off future problems.

Went out yesterday and bought a printer as finding it hard not being able to print anything without getting on a boda boda and going to the internet café. The exchange rate is really good at the moment so it only knocked me back £25, and I managed to install it myself – oh how I have progressed!!

Massive problem here now with volunteer sickness – lots going down – we have four really ill at the moment (ranging from sickness/diarrhoea, bacterial viruses, heavy colds/sore throats, one likely to be flown home as suspected malaria. But don’t worry, am being very, very cautious – spending loads of time cleaning, cleaning and cleaning everything. Everyone who’s sick is over at the house not the apartment (apart from Rachel who is now recovering from her sickness bout), so not spending much time over there at all, and definitely not using their ‘facilities’!

Had quite a big turnover of volunteers since I’ve been here – there’s only 3 of us who are ‘long termers’ until next summer, the rest are mostly 2 or 4 weekers coming in. have to say, the apartment is now full to the brim – 6 of us in our tiny bedroom, and it’s fair to say, it’s feeling rather crowded. Was a bit cranky at the beginning of the week as the new arrivals rather upset the routine, tidiness and general ambience of the apartment. Rachel (Aussie) also feels the same, but this is the reality of being here for so long. I’ll see so many people come and go, some I’ll be pleased to see go, and others, such as Michelle and Rachel who both leave before Christmas, who it will be very difficult to say goodbye to.

Just sung happy birthday to number one son’s birthday - 25 today! 

Sunday 25th October


The ‘crowded’ feeling didn’t go away, so escaped to a local guest house on Friday, recommended by the manager of the dive centre. And it’s fab! To sleep in a double bed, have my own room, own toilet, shower etc etc is just wonderful! Made more new friends, which I think is healthy to have a crowd away from the volunteer project, been on two great dives today, and feeling relaxed, chilled and ready to face my week, hopefully without being cranky like I was last week!

Forgot to tell you about my kids who saw an atlas for the first time last week. Completely mesmerised – again quite hard hitting to realise they have no idea about anywhere else in the world – most hadn’t heard of any countries outside of Africa other than UK and America. I also had a children’s encyclopaedia, and one kid kept turning the pages, pointing at the photos of the different women (both young and old!) or children in it saying, it’s you Madam, or it’s your son…clearly us white people look all the same to them – makes you stop and think!