Kisumu, Kenya: A new journey

I am sorry I have not been online for awhile, once you read this blog, you will know why.

Last week, I travelled about 7 hours to the West part of Kenya, near the border of Uganda. The closest town is Kisumu, Kenya's third largest city. The town thrives on and around one of the largest lakes in all of Africa: Lake Victoria.

Where I live:
I live in a rural village in the mountains of Kisumu, my surrounding are a mix of tropical rainforest and red soil. The village I live in is ironically called PARADISE. The area has electricity on good days and running water on even better days. The community as a whole are some of the hardest hit as far as HIV/AIDS and pure poverty.

My family:
Dorthy is a spit fire, 60 year old widow. The only things that gives away her old age is her face. You may not consider 60 that old, but this is Kenya, the life expectancy is maybe 50. Dorthy has a milkman named Nelson and a farm help named Joesphat. Communication with these people is a mixture of Lou (mother tongue)which I know none, basic Swahili, and broken English. Dorthy is the president of a widow's support group, runs a feeding center for 30 kids, and knows every single person in the village, church, orphanage I work at, and nearby schools. She has lived in the village her whole life and has never travelled outside of Kisumu city.

My second home and family:
OGADA is the name for a plant in Lou - it is also the name of the Orphanage, primary school, and secondary school I spend most of my time at. The orphanage has about 30 kids. The primary school has about 650 kids. I am not sure about the secondary school. My family there:
Walter - groundskeeper
Pastor Silas - head of the orphange
James - cook and keeper of the boys dorm
Micheal - grew up in the orphange and now works there
Tom - vice principal of primary school

And there are many others, the ladies who sit with me at church, invite me for tea, etc. When I am bored, I just go to the orphanage to talk, listen to music with the kids, help cook meals, and eat!

I can't believe how beautiful this new home is. It is really hard, and sometimes lonely and boring, but I just go sit outside and look at where I am - on the other side of the world - I think about what I am doing, the people I am meeting, I recite Joshua 1:8 (or maybe it's 9) over and over in my head, then I am ok.

The people are so poor, so hungry, but so hopeful. They value religion and education so much because what other choice do they have?

What I do:
I teach class 5 Plant, Animal, and Soil science
I teach class 8 English
I will be teaching in the secondary school - agriculture
I help correct papers
I spend time at the Orphanage

But most importantly, I listen to people and meet people and talk to people. Kenya has some serious problems, but one thing it has going for itself is it's PEOPLE. The people are the kindest people you will ever meet.

The thing that makes me smile most:
Apart from the view around me, one of my the best feelings is that everyone knows my name! I introduced myself to the 650 kids at the primary school, the kids at the home, and most of the secondary school. My host mom knows everyone, and I have meet all of her neighbors. On my walk to school, everyone I pass stops and greets me and introduces themselves. Because of these things, I am always greeted my the children in the area "Teacher Chelsey, Muzungo (white person) - Chelsey, Teacher!!!" A gathering of children runs to shake my hand or hug me. The old ladies yell out to me in Lou greetings, everyone greets me - usually by name. It has spread like wildfire there is a Muzongo living in Paradise. It always makes me smile.

Overall, things are good. However, everyday is a reminder of how harsh life is. Everyday kids come to school with no shoes, everyday I pass kids with severely tattered clothes or no clothes, children's bellies are expanded due to severe malnutrion, people are dying daily. People are so poor. The feeding center my host mom runs can feed one kid lunch everyday for one month for about a dollar. However, most of the parents cannot afford the one dollar a month, so she must turn them away because she herself can barely afford to get by. I know I will break down and give her enough money for the next month - especially after seeing the kids she feeds lunch to. It makes me sick to think about things back home in America.

The program staff warned us we would become frustrated with things back home and I can feel it already.

Anyway, this is also the home of Obama's father (the general area) so people are in love with him and constantly talking about him.

What else? I am homesick! Mainly for a hot shower and grilled cheese with cold milk - none of these things I have. My shower is a bucket of cold water next to a toilet that gets flushed maybe once a day...ahhh it is so gross but I have found little ways to get over it. My home is one of the fanciest in the village - most of the homes are made from mud and cow dung - mine is similair to a metal polebarn. There is no cieling, just a roof. So all of the rooms are seperated by a concrete like slab. The food is ok. Luckily meat is too expensive so is rare. Fish is plenty but it is prepared differently. I went to the market with my mom to get some and ...the fish is just lying in the grass or dirt with flies everywhere and the organs and insides intact. She just grabs a chunk, wraps it in newspaper and throws it in her purse. It is cooked with the head and eyes and all, and served that way. It takes some getting used to.

We have two cows and two calves, so I told the milkman I would help him milk, he is my age but he just smiles at me and nods. I think he actually does know English but is too shy or nervous to speak it. Last night I had a late meeting at the school and it was dark. My mom (being exactly like a super nervous grandmother) sent the Nelson, the milkman, along with her farmhand to come walk me home. Also, she called the principal I was meeting with to have the school guards walk me home as well. The school guards are Maasia men - the Maasia are warriors and dress in robes and carry sticks and are often barefoot. So, I had a whole army of men (none of whom would speak in English) walking me home and probably talking/laughing at me, especially when it started raining and they made me run! They were so funny.

You just have to laugh at things here. For example, I am laughing right now because my mom took me to town here (civilization is about an hour away)and now it is up to me to get back to the village and I just know that is going to be a challenge to find the right Matatu (van). But luckily people are nice and helpful - for the most part.

Teaching here is so nice, the students stand when you enter the room, greet you together, then sit quietly and respond to you by raising their hand and standing. They are so well behaved it is crazy. The education system is very different here.

This is a long one, and I could probably write for hours more because I have so much I could say. I am not sure when I will be in town next and when I will see a computer with internet next, but maybe this weekend or the next.

It is so nice to hear from everyone, it makes me feel so great to know people care enough to read about how I am doing. Everyday is an experience.

I love you all and hope things are well in America! Can't wait to see everyone!

Chelsey