I actually wrote a fairly extensive blog this morning.. and sure enough.. it is nowhere to be found on my zip. Alas. I will upload it tomorrow.

I am in Chicago. In response to all the questions.. I don't feel different about things now that I am back. I am still so very happy to be doing what I am doing, where I am doing it. In fact if anything, the visit confirms that I needed a change. Monday night at 5pm I was sitting at my same desk, working on my same computer, with literally piles of children's books and activity manuals and programming notes and I thought I had never left. Dave was meant to pick me up in Lincoln Park at 5:30 and I was still downtown, running late, completely discombobulated and it could have been last January, or last November, or 2003!

It has been lovely to see people though. Saturday night a large group of us (including Margaret Farren my 10th grade teacher who was in town from Ireland on a conference!!) went out for beers and pizza to catch up. Phil and his girlfriend Melissa too, and whilst it is always going to be a little bittersweet with Philly, it was great they were there and I am wouldn't have it any other way.

So. No regret. I can't believe you even thought to ask. b x

I went to see a psychic medium today.. I last went in February 2006 so it was enlightening to consider the difference in readings. I will have to pull out the tape from that session and listen to them back to back. To be fair.. my reading was less interesting than the psychic invasion of my loved ones. Ha. I already know mostly what is going on with me, it is the others.. But this is neither the time nor place for those stories.

Saw Becky today for lunch and Kate for dinner. How lovely. What wonderful friends. I also spent a considerable amount of time roaming around Covent Garden and it brought back this amazing day/night I had in London with Kate and Liz when we were about 17. It was a true all nighter where we arrived home from the bars barely in time to get our cab to the airport to meet Kate's parents and head to Corfu for 2 gorgeus weeks. Bliss. It definitely ranks within the top 10 nights of my life for various reasons, but the amazing thing is, just thinking about it transports me back to the way i felt at that time, having just graduated from high school, having untangled myself from the web of Mike Boger and knowing that I had 6 weeks in Europe with wonderful friends before starting college. Infinite possibilities.

I have been sitting in Melissa's apartment working on my training manual all week. Like somewhat of a recluse really. But tomorrow I move on.. soon. b x

It is so interesting to be here and reflect on Kenya and my current life there given a bit of distance. Claire was on the same flight as me to England and I couldn’t imagine how she must be feeling to be finished with the project. I think going home must be much harder than leaving it. Departing you have the excitement of the unknown whilst coming home you know that you are going to have to conform to some kind of ‘real life’ for better or for worse. I had dinner with an American recently and he explained to me that he was hoping by the time he reached 30 (a mere 12 months away) that he would have the perfect job and the perfect woman, a set up for his next phase. As I approach 30 I have no such clear delineations about my next moves. But for right now I am sure I want to be in Kisumu doing what I am doing.

Speaking of life changes… Melissa and Chris are having twins in October. I am so very happy for them. Twins seem like a lot quite frankly, but being an aunt is fabulous and I am quite happy to change diapers and give cuddles when I am in town. It’s wonderful to love a little person that you don’t have to be responsible for. I’m only sorry that they will be in New York not London- it being considerably further from Nairobi.

So I had a dinner date at the airport last night. He was late, but so were most of the passengers on the plane due to the Nairobi-Mombasa highway. Traffic seemed a ridiculous reason for a flight delay. Lately I feel like I am in high school. I feel like 10 years dropped away and I can’t really explain why it’s like this. Maybe it’s because things are new and fresh and full of possibility in the same way those recently graduated seem to feel about college? Maybe it’s poorly articulated conversations under street lights?

So school got out yesterday and Kisumu was a zoo. People were everywhere, the traffic mad, Oginga Odinga as busy as I have ever seen it. I now have one whole wonderful month to get all those things done that have taken the back burner because of the national training. Martin and I are submitting a proposal to the occupational therapy association for their East African conference in Zanzibar in September, I have scads of Leap work, my HIV paper and the training manuals. Computer by day loved ones by night. First here, later in Chicago and then finally in Lamu. Heaven. So I’ll be on and off this next month. I may finally get through my inbox and actually email people.. also if you are planning to visit you better let me know.. 2007 is nearly booked up in its entirety. Soon. B xx

Well.. yesterday's entry never happened, and I can't guarantee much for today's. I fly to London tonight and I am mentally in 600 places. Last night the phone rang at 11pm and becuase i had been asleep for an hour I thought it was my alarm and time to get up and so slept badly all night.. I then had this really strange dream.. and in describing it it may not seem strange, but I can't shake nor place the yakky feeling that came with it.

So I was picked up by a boy.. man really in his car, an old convertible something something and he wanted to take me to lunch. We were sitting in the back and he kept trying to kiss me, but i wished he would just watch where he was going. Anyway we are headed down Michigan Avenue and he wanted to take me to Lawry's or it might have been Trotter's (neithr of which I might add is on Michigan) but I was wearing Jamie's denim jacket (I wear it on the motorbike) and jeans so I couldn't get in.. and then I woke up. See.. seems very innocuous. Maybe it's becuase I am reading Mimi Sheraton's "Eating my words"

Anyway today I did a home visit.. made mum feel like someone cares, though unsure what on earth we are going to do with this child. but.. more later. I have a few chores to do before i leave town. Uuurgh. what sort of blog entry is this? Much to say.. next week perhaps. Mum - I'll talk to you from Mel's. b xx

April 3

I am a little distracted today. Any wit or wisdom has abandoned me. Maybe it did so long ago but I am feeling it this afternoon. I've been at the hospital all day seeing patients. The joy of being referred a 2 year old I tell you.. of course the predicament is that now i have all these follow ups scheduled and I wasn't going to see patients for speech therapy.

Kisumu is hot, hot, hot right now. Even the Kenyans are complaining. Last night Brian stood outside talking to me through my kitchen window while I cooked, deeming the temperature in my kitchen to be miserable. He is becoming like such a Kenyan man, next he'll expect me to serve him. Ha. I did beat him at Scrabble though so all is well.

Yesterday I gathered up my brain matter.. finally got a bank card so can access my pay, attempted to pick up my Kenya Airlines tickets (it takes 60 days for the internet purchases to be processed??)and had lunch with my Dutch doctor friend from Mumias who I am going to Lamu with. I discovered Kisumu has a tourist market and sought it out. I also spent a good deal of time and energy looking for mint for my cous cous.. it is just such a delicious addition, but to no avail. Wednesday apparently.

Today I met Wellington at the District Education Officer's for a meet and greet. He wasn't there again (the DEO), but at least I have been trying. We then did a speech and language training with some of the Kenya Institute of Education (KISE) distance learners.. and boy were they a barrel of laughs. At 1 o'clock I just decided I had had enough and gave them the packet of handouts to read through at their leisure. Then Wellington decided he wanted to take me home (as they do! ha.). "Fine" said I while simultaneously groaning inwardly at the prospect.

Wellington explained that in order for me to know him, really know him I had to see who he was at home and where he came from. Sure. I can't say I know him any better having seen his home, but it was still a cool visit and it's not often you get to meet your co-workers mother.

First though we stopped at a school where Wellington actually did his primary education and his brother now works as a teacher. The school is a part of a link program through the British Council and they currently have some British visitors, teachers who are actually staying with Wellington's mother. Wellington and I rocked up on the motor bike, greeted the headmaster, had a soda, promised we would consider them in the district training and turned down lunch (I was later disappointed to realize it was dengue and chapatti not the typical ugali and skumawiki! Of course - they had visitors!!)

Back on the bike, up a winding dirt path and there we are Wellington's family compound. Basically his mother lives in the middle and her 5-6 sons have houses within a stones throw. I wasn't too clear on the 3 daughters. 1 of them lives in Kakamega though. So apparently as a son you can always come to your mother's for dinner and basically the men get together with their mum every night, eat together and chat about the day, politics etc, pray and then go home at 10pm. And your wives? "They take care of the children. After my father died, the children had to eat at their own homes because it was too much for my mother to be cooking for all of them." How wonderful to grow up with a pack of children all around. It really was a beautiful homestead and I got to see the cows and chickens.

The other day we were talking about children. I was saying I would want four children, but it was unlikely to happen because I wouldn't want to not work for that long. And the Kenyan women said, "you don't have to stop work, the children just run around and other people look after them". I pointed out that as a speech therapist I had to talk to my children a lot. "No" said they "the other children will talk to them." Oh. Okay then. I love that when I am marketing or out and about you will just come across a child sitting by themselves playing, engaged in whatever it is they can get their hands on. Yesterday there was a little one causing havoc with a sack of potatoes, and the world goes on around them.

Anyway, Wellington and I had a good chat over tea and indeterminable jam sandwiches and now I am back in Kisumu. There is a dish here called Katchimberi? something with 4 syllables, starts with /K/ ands with a vowel.. I am going to try and make that to go with my Dahl Makhani (from a packet bad me) and rice. Last night I finished packing so I am going to work on the upcoming training manuals. Hope life is exciting for everyone and Spring has appeared in the midwest. love, love. b

Hooray for Sundays. It is so quiet in Kisumu.. many of the Javakali (sp??) vendors are not out and businesses are closed. I spent all morning lounging about in my P.J.s. drinking chocolate milk (no electricity). Strange, but lovely. I wrote some thank you notes and started packing for my trip. The afternoon unfolds.. i anticipate a little cooking and a lot of work. Photos from this week are uploading. Big love. b

March 31, 2007

Look what I found! An attempt at a blog entry (see below). Well.. it’s only been a week since I started (but didn’t finish) that. It feels like such a long time. You know the scene in the movies where the pages fly from the calendar to indicate the passing of time? That’s been my March. And so here I am at home in the aqua house post-national training, slightly remorseful that it’s over. It was such a wonderful albeit exhausting experience. Last night I was out with Tanya et al. but got up to catch the 9am bus to Kisumu with many of the other western participants. (Cute text at 7:13 am “Hey busy bea you do well to have you phone on and be here for breakfast”) I am so glad I did. It was wonderful to spend time with them all the way home. I thought I would write to try and process all the things I have learned this week.

Training adults is great. Especially when they are dedicated and knowledgeable as this group was. I really gained as much as I imparted… maybe I need to back up to the beginning of the week?

So Sunday, after a moderately late night or early morning depending on how you look at it (I finally went to Carnivore for dinner and then to Zoho's in westland for dancing), I got up and went into VSO to finish gathering paperwork and go to Nakumart for last minute supplies. We arrived at the hotel in Kassarani and did a little set up. Monday we talked about communication. All day we discussed what speech, language and communication is and the typically expected developmental milestones. This was a really hands on workshop, so much of the information was generated from the crowd, and we merely molded and responded to what they gave us. We did Jeopardy in the afternoon and it was a pretty good first day. I can’t seem to recall who did our opening remarks- oh yes I can! Anne Musalia from the Ministry of Education and she actually attended the conference all week and was fairly fabulous. When you start the workshop, after giving god his due (?) credit for his role in the organization of it all you assign roles and responsibilities. Can I tell you.. people took these very very seriously. Wellington (my good colleague from Vihiga ~ 45 minutes north of Kisumu) was chairman and took to the job with relish and much formality. He also started calling me Madame Bea (I must tell Esme). I pointed out that perhaps the title was a bit unnecessary to which he replied “but it’s a sign of respect Madame.” Alright then. Martin (one of my very favorite colleagues – of the rehab playgroup fame- from Mumias ~ 2 hours north of Kisumu) was the Welfare officer and it was ridiculous the things people came to him about. Apparently many many partipants were constipated because of eating too much protein (our meals were all buffet). Now, I think even if I was going to die from poo related issues, pretty much NOTHING could make me tell a colleague about it. Nothing! And if I did, I would expect them to say, why don’t you stop eating that mountain of meat then and eat some fruit? People came to Martin for things big and small. Apparently this is a job not to be overlooked. Maybe people just like going to someone to fix their problems??

Just to add.. in case I haven’t mentioned it before.. In addition to my own facilitation, Claire, Mike, Tanya and Sarah (all Nairobi based VSO volunteers who work in disability) came to help with small and large group work and to lead sessions. It was great to have such a competent group to do team teaching. It also made it much more fun (for me) and I think for the participants.

So Tuesday we talked about assessment all day. Doing assessments, setting goals and creating IEPs. Wednesday – Speech and language disorders, picture communication, specific diagnoses.. Thursday – my favorite.. creating learning environments + activities (a little Bev Bos action) and Friday they worked on and presented case studies and we had the rigmarole of scheduling district training rollouts and the closing ceremony. People had infinite patience.

So.. some favorite parts..

* The prayer people were Lilian (Christian) and Dima (Muslim) and they did really a really nice job of it (Can you say that?) I loved to watch Lilian lead the prayer because it was such an earnest imploring of god.. like watching a serious conversation with a good friend. Also.. the choral songs that she kicked off the morning with. My all time favorite actually had the words “Satan you are a loser, loser, Satan you are a loser forever.” Jesus of course is a winner. I liked Dima’s prayers because it was a new experience to hear someone talk to Allah. I felt well looked after spiritually. Someone put on the course evaluation that morning prayers were their least favorite part of the conference, I suspect they are not actually an optional part of the workshop structure. Not having them would be like canning the opening and closing ceremonies (lip service to the ministry, VSO and anyone else)

* Listening to conversations between participants about love and marriage. I am floored by the difference in expectations. Today someone was talking about going to work in Southern Sudan or America as it pays more than Kenya and I said “well what about your wife and children?” (I am so niave) and the response was “no I am done with them now, I will go and work so I can support their education”.. I did point out that his youngest was actually only 2! And this is someone who works with and appears to enjoy children. Semi related.. Tanya has also gotten some really great texts from Kenyan men that go something like this:

T: Thats fine, but I am not having sex with you you know
KM: No, of course not I am saved.. unless you want to

or.. T: Alright, but you do know we are not going to have sex
KM2: No, I didn't think that. We're just friends. But it's not a bad idea

Ha.

* Being quoted by Silas, Wellington and Martin! These three are really my closest and dearest colleagues and it was lovely to have them there. They are so supportive. If I was explaining something or someone was talking about something.. one of them might chime in, “you know one time I was working with Bea and she said..” It was so funny to me and yet such a show of solidarity I thought.

* The excitement about making collages even though there was a whole roomful of other fun activities.. they couldn’t be dragged away! I have uploaded some of the pictures.

* The ridiculous team building evening. Mingle, mingle, mingle…

* This one scrumptious fish dish

* Making a classbook.. the participants all had to give me a one page picture or story about their families. I was interested in the commonality of the things people shared, as well as some of the things it would have never occurred to me to include (“I am married to two wives who I dully paid dowry for”). I took some story dictation as well and I got a really nice little bit of insight into their lives.

* Getting to know people. Someone asked me about being far away from my parents and I explained that dad was fairly unhappy about me being in Kenya, mainly I thought because he had fears about my wellbeing and it was like a light bulb went off for this man. “Oh so your parents worry about you, like we worry about our children? They want their children nearby and safe too.”

I am just so overwhelmed by the dedication and potential of a project like this. 20 districts are now training 20 teachers each. Each of those 400 teachers have at least 10 (sometimes up to 120) children in their class… if they only do one tiny thing differently… it’s staggering.



Perry announced he is leaving Leap this week and the girls called me up to tell me the news and see informally if I would even consider coming back early and helping with the transition, but honestly.. I have never been so happy with my work. Also, if I am going to be considered for upper management in Leap eventually, I will be so so so much more useful to them with this project experience than without. I did agree to attend a meeting while I am in town though and I am sure I am going to love being back there for a couple of weeks.

I really need to get these district roll out training and participant manuals done though so everyone here can start preparing. May, June and July I am going to be on the road constantly. It will be exhausting, but I am so excited.

What else.. I also had the pleasure of meeting Grace Macharia, a smart and attractive woman who I just know is going to start Kenya’s first speech and language program. She is being sponsored (and bonded) by the Ministry of Education to go to the University of Reading and become a speech therapist. Hooray. The Kenya Institute of Education (KISE) are threatening to start a speech and language specialization next year and Grace already works within KISE so it could actually all happen within the decade.

So here I am. Me, my computer and the arse dent in the sofa. I have a mosquito coil along for company but maybe it’s just poisoning my air intake?? I am so glad to be home though between now and my flight to Heathrow I have to do a home visit, spend a day doing evaluations at “Russian” the district hospital, train 20 distance learners up in Vihiga and get organized for the start of next term. I also need to cook some healthy meals and sleep many many hours. More soon. Love, love. B xx

p.s. I will upload the pictures I took..

p.p.s. Some of you have asked about what to donate, I asked the districts to put down anything they would like and so here you have the wishlist. Not unlike things I had previously listed. I have removed things like tape, reams of paper and other general supplies I know can be bought here for the price of postage! For anything else, I can bring things back in April from the States/England and also there are speechies coming out mid June, July and August. Do let me know if you are sending any of these items.

District Wishlists…
- Toy cars
- children’s scissors
- toys (in Kenya they are really expensive and pretty rubbish. If you buy toys please remove them from their packaging. Choose simple toys that don’t require batteries.)
- crayons
- Markers
- 1 otoscope (I have ordered these from amazon.com before)
- handouts on drooling, cerebral palsy, autism

March 24, 2007

It’s been an exhausting week. I feel ill. It’s Saturday and I am not where I should be (the Special Education Professionals get-together). Instead I am sitting here eating dengue, chapatti and githeri in Kassarani wondering at which point I became the proverbial child in the candy store? When did my inability to decide become merely not deciding and choosing all that’s offered? This week I needed a good dose of “but no I need some sleep.”

I’ve been in Nairobi staying at the dry and morally superior Methodist guest house. The latter coming from the troops of American missionaries that are in the business of saving souls and here I wish to digress for just a moment.

The Democrats in the last US election were accused of being scattered. They didn’t come together on any one point, whereas the Republicans could and did and were victorious. In development, I think NGO’s are the Democrats and missionaries the Republicans. Not because of the obvious religious right connection but because the missionaries are all united in purpose. The missionaries are successful because all of them have a common focus, whereas with NGO’s some care about water, some women and children, some HIV, some abstinence.. whatever it is, it disperses the general efficacy of any one group I think. But there’s so many issues what do you choose? See.. leading the lost to the door of the lord it an obvious victor.

Just quickly.. the workshop is really going tremendously. We did a Bev Bos style activities session yesterday and people seemed to like it. They were creating some fairly ornate collages, although Silas came up to me and said "now Bea, this isn't really a collage you know, it's a mosiac." Oh. Alright then.

Leading workshops is exhausting. There are 3 - 2 hour sessions, and 1 - 1 hour session per day. I typically lead 2 of the 2 hour ones and the one hour one and someone else does one of the longer sessions. The feedback leads me to believe people are actually getting it. We'll see when we do district follow up. I am so excited for the work to come.

Last night the hotel put on a barbeque and dance show, followed up by myself, the other facilitators and the participants busting out some moves on the floor. I have never danced so much in my life. But last night's activities were much better than what had previously been offered up!

Wednesday night the hotel gave us this mingle guy named David to do team building.. it was all fairly ridiculous. Tanya and I were laughing very hard and just how silly the activities were. Good old fashioned fun. It ended in tug of war and I have to say Kenyan women are just so cool. Cool without even trying. The ones on this workshop are fairly fabulous, beautiful and dynamic individuals. I have had the pleasure of some really interesting conversation with them about male/female relationships, marriage, the lot. What a different set of expectations we have. More on this later.

We are doing case study presentations today and then I am headed into Nairobi with Claire, Mike, Tanya and Sarah to listen to music at Alliance Francaise. Oh and probably.. you guessed it.. DANCING! Hooray. I leave for Kisumu with all the western district participants at 9am so it won't be such a big night. I think when I get to London next week I am going to need to sleep for days!

i have been so remiss with blogging.. i know. I haven't had two brain cells to rub together. this week is the national speech and language training and it's going exceptionally well if I may say so myself. It's a great and dedicated group from 20 districts far and wide. so much to say.. and i will.. soon.

last week i was in nairobi, ostensibly at in country training but really on the photocopier at VSO making a plethora of handouts by day, dancing my arse off with all and sundry by night. more about that too. i love that you can leave a bar at 5:30 am and the place is still pumping.

the next entry may be as long as my arm. b

Hello. I have been ridiculously busy and distracted by work and house guests so haven't had the opportunity to do much of anything. Also for a good hour or so Monday I was completely convinced I had malaria.. which was a terrible thought, not least of all because i have much to much to do to be ill.

I don't know if I was in recovery from the weekend (but honestly with all my dancing I really didn't drink that much!) but Monday I was all over body aches and fatigue, culminating in me hopping off my boda-boda enroute to puke in the gutter. Nice. Nothing like public vomiting to draw a crowd.

Anyway, I am in Nairobi and attending in-country training with half a brain. The other half is doing preparation for next week's national training. I have so many things to do, that my wants and needs are in conflict damn it. Must fly. But I have been racking up some good stories for when I have half a minute to put them all down. Ha. love. b

p.s. I swear I lost a post. I really, really believed that I wrote all about my MARVELLOUS weekend of dancing with Argentinian men, but apparently not. So, suffice it to say I spent literally hours on the dance floor Friday and Saturday night. Hours. Kenyans (and Argentinians apparently) have a penchant for dancing and so I am developing my dancing skills (whilest sober!)as a new personal concept. It was so damn hot Saturday night and there was so much dancing that people were literally glistening. I might never have been so hot in my life, but it was immense fun. I am hoping for a repeat.. though Nairobi night life doesn't have the same laid back element as Kisumu.

Hello.. I have been receiving ALL SORTS of mail lately and I just want to say a big big thank you. It is so wonderful to get letters and packages. The kids are loving the stickers, cars and finger puppets. And books -especially novels!- by the way rock! If you have any trashy Anita Shreve, Jodie Pichoult or other ridiculous chick lit. sitting read on your shelf please consider sending them to me (surface mail's fine.. I have time!!) This is my genre of choice currently (after slogging through two education/disability reads). I am presently devouring "The Cotton Queen" by Pamela Morsi. Reminds me of "Ya-Ya Sisterhood", but not as many interesting characters. I am such a girl these days. I think my brain can only take so many serious thoughts.

So. This morning I was amazingly productive. Wrote a massive section of my training on speech disorders and was very self congradualatory about how much stuff i could remember from grad school days! Ha. And then started thinking about John Lybolt falling asleep during his stuttering client and was laughing out loud.

Alright. Back to my computer. We are spending a lot of time together. I think I have carpal tunnel in my shoulder. Is it possible? But I've also started doing push up so I might be doing them wrong? Must fly like a bird. b

March 14, 2007

Today was one of those great days when I was so happy just to be. I was in Mumias. I went to a community based rehab group. And I had skumawiki (shredded greens sautéed with a little onion and tomato) and chapattis for lunch.

Mumias looks exactly the way I anticipated my life in Africa to look. Mumias is Kenya’s sugar growing capital and home to a large rather nice hospital that I have previously mentioned. The Dutch girls live in a house on a hospital compound which could have featured in my memory. Soetinah is a last year medical student, her two room mates nurses. It’s lovely to be up there. The tropical foliage clusters around the buildings and the gardens and fields intermingle. The main street is more or less two parallel rows of businesses dominated by the bustling matatu stage. Last night I joined the girls for a delicious dinner and a discussion of books and a possible trip to Lamu before retiring to St Mary’s guesthouse.

I met Martin (Mumias’ occupational therapist/OT) at the EARC at 9 this morning and he had scheduled a couple of patients for me. One who may be a late talker but more likely has some significant oral motor issues according to his mother’s accounts of meal times. The other.. I think he has cranial nerve damage. I don’t know what else to think. I have to do some research. His tongue is as good as dysfunctional. Absolutely no range of motion, barely any protrusion. It is, as the saying goes in my family, as limp as “a wet slug.” He swallows by tilting his head all the way back. People are amazing.

Anyway, after consultations, Martin and I took the motor bike and headed out to the community. Francis (Vihiga’s OT) also joined us, as we are hoping to roll out this model of service provision in their district too. Once again it was a beautiful day and a cluster of mothers attended with their little ones. Both the OT’s got to work on sensory integration activities, muscle work (range of motion I’d guess) and teaching parents how to interact with their children. I tried for joint attention, back and forth vocalizing and general language stimulation. You show up to things once around here and your presence is appreciated. You show up twice and people treat you like you mean business. It’s only a slight shift in attitude but it’s noticeable. It made me think that these groups get a lot of one time visitors. Mumias is running a very successful program so I imagine VSO sends people out to look all the time.

Anyway, there was a new baby (Jamila) since last time. She was 5 though!! I kid you not she was tiny. I was thinking months old. Her motor skills, head control, balance, that kind of thing was more advanced than an infant but the child was as small as a doll. Both OT’s to their credit were spending a lot of time talking about nutrition today.

After the therapy when all the babes promptly fell asleep we spent some time under the trees talking about speech and communication. They asked questions and I tried to give clear simple answers. The grand finale .. “so in your country (what is my country I wonder?).. so in your country, do eggs stop children talking?”

I am back in Kisumu and the rest of my week is in upheaval. Vihiga didn’t schedule the teacher meeting tomorrow from the sounds of things. “Which teachers?” Super. But it gives me much needed time to continue prepping for this five day circus.

I’m making Claire and I spicy eggplant stir fry tonight. Lovely jubbely. b

I am not blogging becuase I have been working on my speech and language training which is driving me CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!! Really. The more I work on it the more work it needs. That was my weekend. And some dancing. The dancing was a release for all the typing. It turns out if I buy my tuk tuk driver beer he will stay out later and drive me home. Now I know it is questionable to buy your designated driver booze but he only had two and he actually called to check I made it into my house safely which was a very respectable thing to do.

But.. the whole poverty question. When I get five minutes.. expect an eloquent response. I have done a little research actually after a discussion with Robin Friday night.. but i need time.

I am waiting for Claire to arrive. She is staying wqith me this week. Tomorrow I go to Mumias until Thursday and Friday.. I am thinking to throw a little dinner party. I just might have 5 willing attendees. Don't actually have six forks, plates, or glasses but that can be remedied.

So.. Today a wonderful thing happened. I was at the market looking for mint (making Moroccan Vegetables and Cous Cous for dinner) and this boy says "I know what you want". And he brings me rosemary. Now it wasn't mint but I was suddenly and unexpectedly filed with joy at the fragrance of this fresh bunch of herbs. Really. I just stood there smelling it and it was wonderful.

Must fly. Soon. b xx

March 8, 2007

Community outreach day. I am mentally drained. I can be so impatient at times and today.. yep.. it was in short supply.

Held a baby which was lovely. Sadly she had leprosy and it had caused the loss of a foot and toes and fingers (not thumbs though- hurrah! they are just so useful). She also had this pink bubbly scar (?) on her face.. a growth? birth marks? i don't know but it also appeared to be blocking her ear canals. I hope something can be done about that so that she has a chance of hearing. She was so smiley and gurgley and happy just like a 5 month old should be. Why aren't i something useful like a physio or a doctor?

oh and something I think I was wrong about. when i talk of poverty in Kenya.. to clarify.. rural poverty appears much better than in other countries I have visited. Urban poverty. Same stinking hovel.

March 7, 2007

I haven’t written lately. It was intentional. I was questioning the whole blog thing. I was considering what my detractors have said in the past and wondering if it wasn’t perhaps true. And more broadly wondering does anyone really need to hear another affluent white chicks perspective on anything let alone Kenya? But then.. I recalled why I started doing this in the first place.. so mum knew what I was doing and that I was still alive and I realized it was all silliness and I would just shut the hell up, stop thinking so much and write about what I am doing when I feel like it and not when I don’t. End of story.

But in tandem with the above concerns was an issue related to my written ‘voice.’ It actually occurred to me that I never write about serious issues or things too very close to my heart and so that perhaps it was all a pile of nonsense. But Elizabeth Evans (thank you honey) set me straight with a very sensible email. I have really been getting some sound advice from people here, there and everywhere lately. Lovely. What great friends I have. I am such a lucky girl.

Having said all that about the actual process of writing something, anything.. apart from literally driving myself crazy I haven’t done much this week. Met with some VSO person who was in town for a horse and pony show (is that the expression?), stopped by the hospital for the cranio-facial clinic and scheduled some days to see patients there, and today was a typically busy assessment day at the EARC. Other than that I have been working on my 5 day workshop which is progressing very slowly indeed. I have scrapped most of Katherine Storey’s (Past speechie) material and am writing it afresh. The best thing about the participatory approach to presenting is.. the audience provides most of the content. You set the stage for them to process and expand upon their current knowledge and practice new information that comes from inside their lovely souls. It’s fantastic. The handout is a bunch of space for them to write their ideas, and they spend their time getting into groups and generating definitions and role playing. Ha. I’m also getting them to create activities so that we can think beyond this rote learning call and response business.

So what else.. Sunday night I read a book cover to cover. It might have been a crappy novel I stole from the guest house in Ireland last year, but nonetheless it was a treat. I camped out on my sofa and read til I will done.

Yesterday Brian came over for Scrabble and I made a red lentil curry. We discussed issues in education and whose problem is it anyway? So.. that’s it. Nothing exciting on the horizon either. I had anticipated a spectacular dinner and shopped at the market so that I would have vegetables for a really really good fried rice. By the time I got home I had decided I was content with buttered noodles, then the electricity went out (after I had spent an hour boiling water for the filter and making mint tea mind you) right when the pasta was meant to go in, so muesli it is.

Alright back to my training.. Soon. Maybe. B xx

Oh.. and because everyone keeps asking.. on boys..

Brian is my neighbor. We have a standing Scrabble date. No romantic inclinations but a very good person to have as a buddy. All the Kenyans think he’s Somalian.. No Sudanese.. and they stare at him (I suspect the experience of black American volunteer is its own unique experience). We share transportation to and from the city at night.. which is good because apparently Kondele is not immune to the odd car jackings after midnight and neither of us can avoid the area to get home. This is also why I am never out late. So never meet any other boys.

Kenyans.. now.. I bitched an awful lot about the lack of domestic abilities in many American boys. I’d consider a local relationship if I could find one who would even conceptualize a romantic arrangement that included cooking and cleaning. As an aside my coworkers brokering for me inform people that my bride price is a rhinoceros (rather than a cow J). “Because it’s impossible” they say. Right. At a bar one night, a man was trying to pick up my German companion and told us this story (I like a good story) which I’ll abbreviate: “In Kenya when a father doesn’t like her daughter’s suitor he tells them the bride price is a live crocodile. Can you guess why? Because they are worth a lot of money and the man will either succeed and the father will be rich or the man will get eaten and the marital problem will be taken care of. Win-win for the father”. The guys’s line was..obviously.. I would capture a live crocodile for you... The girl was unimpressed. But then she didn’t prefer testosterone. I gave him points for the set up and amusement value.

Jason (of Swaziland fame) is around and is threatening to visit Kisumu. He is in Nairobi these days working at some organization and embroiled in a Kenyan romance of tumultuous proportions. We are intermittently in touch.. though I should pay attention.. if I ever write a book perhaps I would use his current relationship as the event.. the thing all things build to.

So that’s it. Of course if there was anything good and juicy I wouldn’t say.. but I would avoid the topic of men altogether. I leave lying in public forums for politicians. Evasiveness however is fair game.

Sunday March 4, 2007

I have been the queen of the computer this weekend and there is an arse shaped dent in the sofa to prove it. But I have gotten so much done it is worth celebrating. Today I will go to the pool just for a change of scenery. Also the Dutch girls are staying at Nyanza club where I swim. But that’s it with me.. nothing exciting.. I go to bed early and get up early.

Actually Jamie, I went to bed last night and in the net with me was a meditation book, my current read, two travel guides, head lamp, phone and a bottle of water. It reminded me of Veronica and how children always have beds full of toys. I now sleep amidst my reading. Lovely.

I do want to say. The roaches are gone. I embarked on chemical warfare last Sunday. They were living in my water filter box behind the shopping bags in the bottom of my cabinet. I stomped, Doomed, crushed, obliterated. It was gruesome. The cabinet is cleared and this morning there were no tell tale holes in the bread bag. Hurrah. I am the victor. Until my month away I suspect. I’ve never had such a living breathing scuttling residence.

Friday March 2, 2007

Well it’s been a tumultuous week, but I love love Fridays in this life of mine. Typically they are unscheduled or we have a staff meeting so I have taken to putting any speech therapy clients into the morning and then I take the afternoon at a leisurely pace. I woke at 6:30 and lay in bed dreaming hazily until a more respectable hour. I cannot get up in the mornings. It is so very hard to get out of bed. Anyway, I actually did a few creaky salutes to the sun and headed to work in my red dress. “You look like a Valentine” says Silas and cracks up.

So I thought to write about yesterday because it was such a wonderful day. I would have done it earlier but I have a grand distraction: an instant messenger pal who being in the same time zone is always on gmail when I am. I have been considerably less productive this week. As a direct consequence I also spend a good deal of time looking up words on dictionary.com (e.g. sinecure) but I digress..

Yesterday we headed out to do a “disability sensitization” in Maseno-Karateng. It had been raining so it was a completely muddy trek to the homestead where we met. Apparently we were early (the program didn’t in fact start until 3 hours after we arrived). Silas says he didn’t want to tell me to meet at 10am because I would have thought he was lazy. I pointed out I would have celebrated a lie in. There was an excuse for the delay - people have to come from their shambas. Apparently they start planting next week and it’s getting into busy season. But finally we kicked off, some prayers, very formal introductions, some words of appreciation. It was all lovely. They sung my praises.. about how good I am for moral and motivation and all the rest of it. Beauty that lights up the night, wouldn’t you know. Oh and I have a nice structure??????? Anyway, it was a fairly successful workshop. I did nothing useful but Silas had it covered. He could have been spouting nonsense but he quit translating so I wouldn’t know. We tried to sneak away by 2 but were captured, tied up and huge quantities of food were funneled into us. Actually though I was actively trying to avoid lunch, I was starving and as luck would have it, it was delicious. Piles of chapattis.. my very favorite, rice, and a shredded cabbage vegetable dish. Carb overload. I was then given a massive bag of avocados. Did I mention how little I actually did? If you look at the photos you will actually see me in the back reading my book. Anyway, everyone was so nice and I really was very nearly overwhelmed with the kindness and hospitality. Lillian the hostess is one of those truly beautiful people who looks like someone who has been caring all her life. Looks like someone you would want to know. Her home is also lovely (it’s all relative) and apparently it is all of her own doing. She is a single mother with four boys and a girl. The house is filled with drawings done by one of her children, and pictures of weight lifters. I loved the gym. I wonder how he makes sure his weights are balanced?? Did I upload that picture? If not I will.

Today I saw my stroke lady who is so sweet, a young man who stutters who is also a pleasure to work with and a small cutie boy who is low tone, and wasn’t playing with me if he could help it. I’ll see him next week in his community. I can’t believe they all showed up. Fabulous.

So I am here in my pj’s but Brian should be swinging by with his tuk-tuk guy to pick me up at 7:45. We are meeting some Dutch girls at Kengeles and then going for an amazing Indian feast at Simba club. I am not going to eat so much so we can go dancing at Mon Ami because I have been here 7 weeks and not made it there once. It’s nice that Brian lives nearby, it makes me feel much better about commuting too and from town.

So my weekend unfolds. I bought a new frying pan to make better pancakes tomorrow. I also have a banana so I am thinking I’ll have pikelets mid morning. I have so much work to do on my computer I should be on house arrest.

This is out of order (I am going to upload Monday's post now) because yesterday I lost my zip drive in my purse.

Last night was my worst night. No. That's a vast exaggeration. It was a swamp of heightened emotion set off by my day, followed by a crazy crazy story that is not mine to share (new rule) and my proximity to it all and capped off nicely with a very real conversation about the possibility of being raped in my home. A chat I could have done with out. My favorite part of the conversation was "if you believe that so you can sleep better at night..." Yes actually. I do. And now I will wake up when every friggin dog barks and person walks past and window bangs and all those other sounds that make up the cacophony of the night. It was well meaning, I was just in a tail spin.

I have spent the day in Vihiga. Assessing kids. "Mild mental impairment" says one, "she didn't walk until she was 6, she didn't stand until she was 4, she doesn't speak, probably not mild" says me. "mild speech and language disorder" says one. "mild nothing" says I. At least in Kisumu we have placement options. In Vihiga they don't refer to the special school because you have to pay fees. I don't know what happened to the free primary school for all in that district! It's so frustrating "this one, this one can learn" says two. "Of course he can, we can all learn" says I. Anyway.. I agreed to do a special workshop for their distance learners who are becoming special education teachers "for the pay raise" per three. "They've never seen a learning disabled child." Whatever. They picked the one open week before the term ends. Lucky them. Lucky me. Seeing as they are paying for their own transportation to get there. I'll even spring for tea.

February 26, 2007 – Melissa’s Birthday Hooray.

I bet you are just dying to know what I had for dinner tonight.. and so I will tell you.. diced carrot, green pepper, garlic and onion sautéed with kidney beans and served with hot sauce and a handful of cooked rice. Delicious. As I am sure I have mentioned before I do like the process of shopping and preparing meals. Tomorrow I even have someone coming for dinner. He even promised to play Scrabble.

I fear this is all becoming rather trite, so I am going to write about a rather exciting project I may focus on in August during the school holidays when Mira and Abbie are around.

As you might recall I was at Pistis Academy in Nakuru last week visiting the Early Childhood teachers I’d worked with this summer when I remembered my manners and went to greet the Head Teacher Leonard (typically this is the very first thing you should do when entering a school). We had a discussion about developmentally appropriate practices (ha!) and why pre-K teaching looks different from older classes, and why they need more consumable materials (e.g. markers and paper) so on and so forth. Anyway, the conversation meandered and Leonard told me he had been loaned/given a house (?) and he didn’t want to live there because it was far from the school so he had decided to start what he calls Mbugani Center for Vulnerable Girls (Mbugani means forest or clearing.. something woody??). Anyway he envisions an informal school for girls who have had to leave the education system due to other responsibilities, money or other miscellaneous reasons. He hopes to get them involved in income-generating activities and start a women’s co-op as I understand it. I asked him if he planned to include young mums and babies, and said I would definitely be interested in being involved. I also said I would help write grants, and gave him some possible leads through Nakuru’s assessment centers. I suggested he email Sofia who is also going to be back in Kenya next summer. How very very exciting.

My current development philosophy is.. I will do whatever I am asked to do and help where ever I can. But if the request doesn’t come from a Kenyan, forget about it. From what I have heard, projects that aren’t inspired by the locals who are here long term and an intrinsic part of the community are just a waste of time and money. The projects are just not.. and here comes the buzz word.. sustainable. Which brings me to a little story.. I was having a fish sandwich in a café in town and reading my book when I noticed this very excited muzungu telling a Kenyan all about this plan he had to get all these community people to come together and buy motor bikes. He had done the math, they would save money on transportation… it was all a very logical. I wondered about parts and maintenance and went back to my book.. (because it’s really a recommendably good read). My understanding of these things is that it is hard to conceive of all the (real and imagined) difficulties and problems you are likely to encounter in a culture, in a town you are only vaguely familiar with, and Kenyan’s won’t displease, discourage or disagree if they can avoid it. It is just so very easy to be blinded by your own enthusiasm for an idea. It’s definitely my M.O. in Chicago (it’s why I recognize it so quickly), but typically back home there is a whole lot less time, money and more importantly hope at stake.

Now I am all for grand optimistic plans and projects and I am willing to support anything my local colleagues are eager enough or mad enough to attempt. It’s really about ownership.. this is not the time in my life for Brenda motivated programming.. I’ll save all my inspirational mayhem to unleash on Chicago Public Schools or some other community based/low resource organization where the need is nearly as great, but everyone’s expectations are so low that they anticipates things will be a catastrophic waste of everyone’s time and money.

So.. my week unfolds and promises to be fairly dull, which I welcome. All our schools/community based rehab groups are writing proposals. I think I missed something.. maybe they are requesting money from VSO?? I have no idea. I am chugging along in my own little current.. I need to write 30 hours of speech and language training. Unfortunately the deadline is still too far away (March 19th) to motivate the mental juices and get me writing.. Franklin or Covey or some one (who is the famous planner/date book guy?) says doing things when they are due is bad. However.. anything before that is likely to be tepid.

Although I took a jumbo nap this afternoon I am to bed. It’s raining and my crisp white sheets beckon. I’m sleeping in the spare room for a change of scenery. Or maybe I just like having two bedrooms.

So a crazy thing happened on the way to the forum.. (well town really.. I just wanted to use that line).

I was walking along the track behind the school, working on being present and minding my own business. Walking I might add because I was told by my coordinator I look "bigger today" and Silas added that you could see my shape (this is the first time I have ever come to work wearing trousers)!!! Anyway, none too flattered I headed to town and I see these children and they start running away, except for one who has dropped to the ground and is squealing and I notice he is holding onto the end of a snapped electricity cable. I mean. Excuse the simplemindedness of me... but all I could think was 'I can't believe this'

I grabbed a branch and try and help the boy (who is still screaming) separate himself from the wire... which he does and then he just gets up and runs off. It was surreal. I stood there, tree limb in hand and had this strange conversation with two adults who were present about this wire. They didn't understand. The guy told me he thought the child was being beaten. Great. And in conclusion. You know what we did about it? Nothing. I did nothing. But the thing was, I had enough faith in the scientific principle that wood does not conduct electricity when there was a child attached to the wire, but without that there was no way I was going to attempt to relocate it. So I left in shock, but now I wonder is it only a matter of time before the next child plays with it.. why didn't I move it off the path????

So I have spent the time since reflecting on the brevity and transient nature of life. A frequent thought pattern for me lately... and the reason why I have taken to telling everyone I love them recently. Phil thinks 'I love you' tends towards meaningless nonsense (here I go misquoting him again) and believes it is in actions not words. And while I agree, I think you should still tell people, becuase what if that's your electricity wire.. and what if the current is considerably stronger than it is in Kenya.. I'd still want to have said it.

The things is, on the bus with Jason the other day I actually said look at how low those electricity wires are hanging.. and the only reason I knew that you had to separate the child from the wire with a stick is because at Livingstone Primary School in 4th grade we actually had a lesson on this very scenario. I can't believe that just happened.

Furthermore in Nanyuki, Claire and I decided that after death by motor vehicle accident, we were most likely to die by being electrocuted in the shower. In the kinds of classy establishments we stay in, the shower head is connected to an electric charge that heats the water.. it's a questionnable arrangement at best. Perhaps one should shower in clogs?

So on a cheerier note. No. I don't have a cheerier note today. Holy fucking shit. That was one lucky kid. I'm just so glad he didn't die. I don't even know, can you give CPR to someone who has been electrocuted?

February 25th, 2007

It is raining today. Belgian style, dreary rain. I have actually donned a long sleeved top. Not because it’s necessary, but because I can wear it without sweltering. I am annoyed this morning, and have been directing said emotion at the unsuspecting ants (perhaps it will be noticeable in my written tone?). The cause of my irritation is as follows.. I went to bed after a lovely dinner and much wine, woke at midnight feeling a mite thirsty and made the dreaded, dreaded mistake (because I wish I didn’t have this knowledge) of opening my cabinet to get a glass. And there they were .. a roach party. I haven’t seen them in so long, and now I know where they go. The thing is I can’t Doom the cabinet where I keep my food and dishes. Smart bastards. I got one, who was feasting on my rolls through the plastic bag. I thumped him on the ground and sprayed him, but bugger... I could have lived peacefully without this information. The things is, I suspect they don’t actually live there, no it’s the play ground. Uuurgh. Villans.

So. It’s Sunday. I have spent my weekend tied to my computer working on a language rich preschool science program for Leap and preparing delightful meals with local produce. I made pancakes yesterday morning (I’m inspired to listen to that Jack Johnson song), next time I’ll put stewed apple into the batter Scandanavian style because that’s my favorite. Oh and I am officially no longer losing weight. Blasted.

Some thoughts:

* It takes very little to get a large group of Kenyan’s dancing even mid-afternoon. I could do with more spontaneous boogie-ing in my life. I may have to start having my own private dance parties in the aqua house (reminiscent of living with Sam perhaps? She had a good apartment for impromptu celebration –and a view that prompted it. There were several evenings of throwing our limbs around her living room..).

* There is some sort of cash for plastic bag agreement in this place so that no matter what you purchase someone always wants to bag it. Perhaps it legitimizes the transaction. Yesterday morning I went to my front gate and bought a single egg from my housekeeper’s stall and she wanted to know why I didn’t want a bag. I had a conversation with the bagger at the supermarket (because I always take my canvas shopping bag -which I love because it’s signed by children’s author Mo Willems) and since then I suspect that supermarket bags are a bit of a status thing, mainly because they symbolize you can afford the supermarket, whose prices are similar to the US really. Anyway, as a result, the rubbish – a plethora of these bags- doesn’t decompose and recent research shows they become breeding grounds for mosquitos. Just what this region needs. (I am as annoyed with the mozzies as I am with the roaches and ants)

* I was perusing this boy’s blog http://potashke.blogspot.com(the guy from the bar in Nairobi.. who I might add sent a very good first email… I love a smart and witty correspondence) and it got me thinking. He made a comment: ‘don’t come to Africa, just send money’ and I just have to say, that it is the most ridiculous advice I have ever heard. The money would end up in the first wealthy persons treasury, in which case you would be better to take yourself out for a swank dinner and REALLY ENJOY it. I wouldn’t send any money anywhere unless I knew exactly who was managing it and even then, it’s so hard to get the right things to the right people when it is externally motivated. Look at the examples of trying to give out mosquito nets. Even if the middle man doesn’t sell them, the people whose kids really need them do. The value of the net, is greater to them than the value of malaria prevention. I say this entirely without judgement.

Someone said to me the other day that “the new government (when it’s elected) will stamp out corruption” and I said that “just wasn’t true”. People embezzle at every level. Accountability is really a problem, and because there is no corporate mentality here (which can be a good thing) the checks they have to put in place to keep everything transparent is tiresome and makes management inefficient. Things just seem to disappear. It is understandable given that most people have so very little. But it always comes back to the question.. what is up with this continent? China has had corruption issues, China has an HIV/AIDS problem, but a completely different social/political/economic climate. I know I am posing simplistic questions, and the answers are long and detailed and available in books far more interesting than this blog perhaps, but I have to say this now.. my brain is just too full for sensible reading. I will get there one day, when I am living, perhaps, a more mundane existence.

* Today I am skipping the pool and plan on working on a presentation proposal for ASHA (American Speech and Hearing Association) in Boston in November. Three speech and language projects in Africa (Kenya, Swaziland, Zambia).. the climate is right within the organization for interest in professional contributions overseas. I am going to present my CDEP project, the volunteers for this summer can talk about St. Joseph’s and another VSO speechie in Zambia can present her work. Laura- fancy doing the intro session? I’m writing you in. We’ll wait and see if it’s accepted and then work on travel funding! I’m sure I can rustle up some qualitative data. I am also applying to ASHA’s leadership development program, so doesn’t that sound like a fun filled day.

Alright. Enough dribble. This week I am in Kisumu (Vihiga for their assessment day Wednesday) and will blog.. about work once more. Salama. B xx

p.s. learned about a very very cool project in Nakuru that is in the brewing stages. will write about it, and my visit there soon. Or did I do that already?? hmmm.

February 21, 2007

I am so so so excited about my work. This day finds me extraordinarily ebullient. I had a meeting in Nairobi and it was good. I feel so energized and organized and know what needs to be done.

If you have ever read Ruiz’ “The Four Agreements” one of the tenets is about poisoning other people’s perspective. In other words (and this is highly oversimplified) giving your opinion so that before someone even has a chance to meet a person/place they have been given an impression that may or may not be particularly favorable. Dave pointed out to me that I do this all the time and I have resolved to stop.. but I digress. I bring this all up because I think the negative feelings I was beginning to harbor about the administration of the project I am working on were a direct result of someone else’s relationship issues, which I need to stay out of.. because truthfully the response I got today (and have received in past meetings) was great. I think there are going to be scheduling issues at times, and I am going to be pulled in Nairobi when I would prefer to be in my little aqua house, BUT it is all well within my realm of flexibility.

So.. yay. I have a very good and comprehensive work plan to roll out through late November. It will be busy, but fun. There is also a new speech therapist that arrived in town… I haven’t met him yet, but I hope to recruit him to help me facilitate my 5 day training at the end of March. Can I say how excited I am? Leap has trained me so bloody well.. I am eternally thankful for that. I feel like the national training and the district trainings will really get us in good stead for all the classroom visits. I feel so excited I could burst. Ha.

Last night I came back to Nairobi and stayed with Tanya and Sarah in Kasserani (or as Tanya calls is “kassa-stinkin’-rani”)??? They work for the Kenya Institute of Special Education; Tanya works in assessment, Sarah is an autism trainer as far as I understand. They also have a spare room which I suspect I will become quite familiar with. Sarah has agreed to also help facilitate my National speech and language training which rocks my socks.

So. I am headed to Nakuru right now. I am going to visit the ECD room I worked in this summer.

Early Childhood- my one true love – trainings will hopefully be rolled out in 2008. I am working on a proposal and I’m curious about the sustainability. I am a buzz with ideas.

Now if only I could get mum, dad, Melissa, Thomas, Jamie, Phil, Steph, Bev, John Lybolt, Amy, Jen, Julie, Cara, perhaps Greg Barter, definitely Dave, certainly Liz Evans, and a whole bunch of other people I love (and their loved ones of course.. ) to move to Kisumu life would be perfect. Ha.

February 19th, 2007

Well here I am in Nanyuki. We haven’t had electricity for about 12 hours so I am facing a very cold shower. I am filthy though, so there is no getting around it. This district is incredibly beautiful and I have had a lovely visit so far.

But let me go back. It’s easier for me to write chronologically it seems.

Saturday I arrived in Nairobi and met Claire and a Dutch speech therapist Lynn. They both belong to Special Education Professionals (SEP) an organization based out of Nairobi that I intend to join. Every third Saturday of the month there are assessment days so I will plan to make about 6 a year when my travel schedule finds me in the central districts. Anyway, I met them for ice-cream and then Claire and I headed to her home in Westlands where Tanya, Canadian a special education teacher joined us. The three of us then embarked on a pretty massive girlie night. We started at a beautiful bar/restaurant/club called Casablanca that had lots of outdoor seating around fire pits. The night sky was filled with stars so it was a really lovely, slightly glam setting. Anyway, we moved onto the dance floor, but soon after bailed on the whole establishment because it had filled with 16 year old Swedish teenagers making out in very trendy outfits!! Next we went to a karaoke bar, but before my song came up Claire had become involve in a ridiculous altercation and so we moved to a ‘Kenyan’ bar (?). We then went somewhere else and after much action on the dance floor moved back to the Kenyan bar for reasons unknown to me. I had by this time quit drinking because I was famished and the only food options were chicken on a skewer and suspected goat samosas. It was also about 3 am and I was fatigued beyond belief. So.. while the others danced some more, I got into a very extensive debate with some guy about why people who come to Africa to work in development are ridiculous. His points were valid. It was a fairly interesting conversation and he gave me his blog address which I am may check out. It is an interesting pick up tactic.. to begin by completely disregarding someone’s work.

So. 4am. I crashed out on Claire’s floor. And the next day after scraping our brainselves together we met another friend of Claire’s for a delicious lunch (salad- ahhhhhhhhhhhh!) and then got a matatu for the 3 ½ hour journey to Nanyuki. I managed to crash sleep which given the space restrictions was a miracle I was thankful for.

We are staying at the Equator chalet and really this is another spectacular part of Kenya. I will upload the photo of the peak of Mount Kenya covered in snow that presides over the town.

Unfortunately the work day wasn’t terribly successful. While I got to meet the EARC staff and come up with a plan for their service provision next month, none of the parents in Claire’s parent group showed up!! So we headed to this community spinners and weavers (www.spinnersandweaver.org) project to visit their workshop. I ordered two blankets – one for each bed, in the off chance Kisumu’s temperature ever drops below 20 degrees celcius at night. Ha.

Then we headed out of town on a matatu to trout tree farm which was basically a restaurant tree house on a trout farm. The colobus (?) monkeys were playing in the trees and the food (trout pate, avocado, tomato and mozzarella salad, trout chowder) was delicious. It was just such a pretty spot to spend some time. I then napped all afternoon, so I suspect at midnight I am going to be cursing myself.

Saturday February 17th, 2007

Friday night was fabulous. Actually as I previously mentioned my day was pretty good, and it continued that way.

So work… In the morning I went to the special education “resource” room to meet with the teachers. They had previously brought their 8 students to the assessment center one Wednesday. This is our assessment day, so people come from far and wide and it’s fairly mad. We pointed out that seeing as we were located on the same campus, perhaps it would be more appropriate to see the students a different day when we had more time. So. Silas and I headed over to see what it was that the teacher wanted.

Sometimes I get so mad. So internally mad. Not often, but my blood was boiling on Friday and all the venom was directed at one person. This teacher is a trainer for the Kenya Institute for Special Education, he is experienced and apparently is a very knowledgeable man, but basically he is so busy working in Uganda and doing a plethora of other things that his 8 charges do next to nothing. This class is made up of a mix of children all with moderate to profound special needs. Their scheduled school day is only 3 ½ hours long (a bit like Chicago public schools- ha!), yet they board on campus. Term has been going for 6 weeks, but per the teacher he was waiting for us to assess the children so he could know where they are functioning. Bullshit. It is firmly within his realm of responsibilities to baseline his kids at the beginning of the term, some of whom have been at the school for 6 fucking years and have files of pretty impressive length for Kenya. Anyway, so I start to help hgim and his assistant with the assessment and what we are going to do for program planning and he has the audacity to leave and go and meet with someone else. I basically gave him a very polite “I know you are busy, but I am extraordinarily busy and if you don’t want my help, I will leave” speech. Silas was so impressed. Maybe my diplomacy skills are growing by leaps and bounds. (I really just wanted to make him feel thoroughly ashamed for being so neglectful). I also asked him and his assistant give me three strengths and three areas for growth on each child by next Friday and we collected a baseline portfolio sample of the kids written work. But the thing is.. he knows all this, he just doesn’t care. He has better things to do. On a positive note, if the lovely assistant Leonard is doing all the work anyway, perhaps we can boost his skill level. It’s just going to be hard not to be shirty with the teacher who rocks up mid morning and leaves his children to sit and play with themselves. But it was good. The kids are always great. One of the girls is covered in burns but she can get a bilabial seal and can move her mouth/jaw though as she gets older I wonder if the flesh is going to cause oral mobility issues. The burns are so bad she now has a couple of nubs for fingers. Sad.

Anyway. My stroke client also came in, and both her and her husband are delightful, so even though I try to avoid working with adult clients wherever possible, they snuck into my tightly barricaded schedule and we are working on a communication book. I’ll see her weekly when I am in town..

So.. the afternoon was spent having a delightful lunch, doing some computer work and going to the pool. In the evening my houseguests and I met up with the two Peace Corps volunteers I had met through some Dutch doctors in Mumias. The group turned out to be massive. Perhaps 20 of us, and we met for drinks and then at 9pm went to the Simba Club for an Indian buffet. Now, I know I am prone to exaggeration, but this meal was one of the best I have ever eaten in my life. I can’t tell you how fantastic is was.. but I wil try. For about $6 there was a vast array of vegetarian curries and chutneys and everything was mouth watering and amazing. The chilli fish was definitely in the top five things I have ever put in my mouth! It was absurd just how good it was. Unfortunately I ate so much, I couldn’t go out dancing afterwards, and had to abandon drinking entirely.

I also met a couple of girls that live in Kisumu that could be decent company, and a Peace Corp guy that lives very close to me in Migosi. I also met a Canadian girl who is north west of Kisumu towards one of my districts and I liked her immensely and think/hope we can be friends. I also saw a boy across the room and fell in love. Small, dark and handsome. Ha. No. shame really.

So I am enroute to Nairobi. Reading “Jamaica Inn” by Daphne DuMaurier- finally- thanks Liz! Tonight I am going out for Claire’s birthday in the city. My houseguests have their own accommodations and plans and then head into Tanzania. That’s the thing about houseguests, it’s lovely when they come, lovely when they go.

Today has been such a good and productive day.

Busy... I thought I verbally bitch slapped a teacher, but Silas said he was impressed by how "civilized" I was. Ha. Frustrating. The story however is too too long for my current energy level. I am tossing between the pool and a nap. My houseguests were meant to arrive at 3am and didn't get here until today so I slept badly last night.

Amy, Cara, saw a 65 year old lady this morning, who had a stroke and presents with aphasia and right sided hemiplegia.. have several planning questions for you. I will email soon.

I am headed to Nairobi and then Nanyuki, back to Nairobi and Nakuru, so may not be online until next week. My inbox is overflowing with unanswered emails .. I'll get there.. soon. love. b xx