I have another Good Samaritan story. Well, I don’t know if you could really call it that, but we were at the right place at the right time. First, a little background. The last few days have been really tough at school. I have been extremely frustrated and felt I need to spend every single minute studying. However, we needed to purchase some more time for our internet connections, plus John was having trouble with his modem, so he needed to go to the Safaricom store. So, on Wednesday he and Mary walked to the shopping center to take care of that. I stayed here and went outside to study in a beautiful garden.
I had been working for quite some time when an older Sister came by and stopped to chat. We had a nice visit. I learned that Sister Elizabeth was originally from Scotland and had been a teacher for over 60 years. She taught everything from the primary level to university. Eight of those years were in Michigan. I thought it was interesting that things hadn’t changed much over the years. She left the United States in 1965. While there she was a principal of a school. I gather that it must have been a new school that had just opened. She talked about how PTA meetings were the bane of her existence during that time. Always parents were complaining about teachers, wanting to make excuses and special allowances for their children.
I had been watching for her since then, but haven’t seen her since. Today is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Consolata Sisters. At the conclusion of Mass this morning the priest told us that whenever we saw a Sister over the next few days we needed to wish them a happy anniversary.
We get out of class at 1:00 on Fridays. It’s great because it gives us a chance to take care of business things and have a little more time to explore the city. Since we will be traveling to Kitale in two weeks, we needed to purchase bus tickets. (There is no such thing as making reservations or paying via internet here!) After eating lunch and resting a little, we headed out.
We had only gotten about a block away from the hostel when we saw Sister Elizabeth walking towards us with another woman. Of course we greeted and offered her congratulations. The other woman explained that she had just been on a bus with Sister Elizabeth. The bus stopped several blocks away from the usual drop off spot and Sister was disoriented and confused. This woman was on her way back to work and asked if we could escort Sister home. Of course, we were glad to. It was midafternoon and Sister was flushed so Mary asked her if she needed a drink of water. Her reply was “I really need a drink of whisky! You know I’m Scottish!”
There were two extremely busy streets to cross. Pedestrians don’t have the right-of-way here. It is dangerous to cross streets. (I have almost been hit three times walking to school and those aren’t busy streets.) Once we crossed the streets she saw a large billboard and recognized where she was and insisted that she could make it on home by herself. Just think of what might have happened if I hadn’t chatted with her a couple of days earlier, recognized her or had been a few minutes earlier or later.
On a totally different note: As we were walking home through Uhuru Park we heard music. Since we weren’t in any hurry, we decided to go investigate. Richard Roberts, son of Oral Roberts, is here for a healing crusade for the next three days. We had seen banners around town but hadn’t realized that it was going to be so close to us. In fact, I can hear music coming from there as I write.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Busy Week
We had a busy week week last week. Tuesday night we as well as the Maryknoll Sisters were invited to join the Fathers and Brothers for the closing session of their African General Assembly. Priests from Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia were there as were five sisters and four lay missioners. There was a panel discussion in which the three branches of Maryknoll (priests and brothers, sisters, and lay missioners) shared what had been happening in their respective organizations this past year. Mass followed said by two priests and one brother who were celebrating their Silver Jubilee (25 years as a priest or brother). We enjoyed getting a chance to visit with people that have been in Kenya for many years and have a lot of experience that we can learn from.
Yesterday we went on an excursion downtown to an art gallery and then to the Masai market. The museum had an art display which we had heard about. Admission if you are a resident of Kenya it cost 100Ksh (about $1.25), nonresidents cost 500Ksh. Bless Mary’s heart(she's the other lay missioner with us), she had her language school student ID and was able to convince the young man we were missionaries in Kenya attending school. We were in process of obtaining resident status, but the hadn't gotten the paperwork yet (which is true). Of course, the gentleman was kind enough to let us pass as residents. There were six rooms with photographs of people who had gone to studios for individual or family pictures. Some of the photos were taken as far back as in the 1930’s. It was really interesting.
Our next destination was the Masai market. We had a general idea of where we were going and about ten minutes later found it. The market is on about a half acre of land that is either a parking lot or empty lot during the week. Many vendors sale their wares there two days a week. There were craft items, clothing, jewelry, paintings, wall hangs, fabric, plus much more. Some of the vendors were actual Masai selling their beaded jewelry, but most were not. As we were about to enter the market we swarmed by a group of about six men. Our first thought was that they were pickpockets, so we all put our hands in or on our pant pockets. These men wanted to know what we were looking for, where we were from, what we were looking for, etc. We realized that they wanted to guide us around, probably take us to special vendors, and of course, collect a fee for assisting us. After about ten minutes of telling them we were just looking, they finally left us alone. There were rows of paths between vendors who more than happy to show you their wares. If you gave more than a quick glance, they would greet you and ask if you would like to buy. "Promote me," they would say. "For you I'll give a good price." One time John was looking at some beautifully carved and painted gourds two rows away and the vendor came over to try to bring us closer to look. Talk about keen observation.
On the way back we walked through Uhuru Park. The day was like a nice warm spring day in Kansas. There were couples and families sitting in the shade enjoying the day. Sylvia, our teacher, had told us that as many as six families would live together in a small apartment because they could not afford other housing. Think about having sheets as walls to separate you from another family. Not much privacy!
Sunday we went with Father John (MK priest) to church on the outskirts of a slum area. The church was made of tin. It had just been built and opened in October. It had a dirt floor and benches for seats. Mass began with a procession of dancing children and young people leading Father in to the altar. There was much singing and dancing during the two hour Kiswahili service. John enjoyed watching a little boy filling his shoes with dirt and then dumping the dirt out.
Click here to see some photographs.
Yesterday we went on an excursion downtown to an art gallery and then to the Masai market. The museum had an art display which we had heard about. Admission if you are a resident of Kenya it cost 100Ksh (about $1.25), nonresidents cost 500Ksh. Bless Mary’s heart(she's the other lay missioner with us), she had her language school student ID and was able to convince the young man we were missionaries in Kenya attending school. We were in process of obtaining resident status, but the hadn't gotten the paperwork yet (which is true). Of course, the gentleman was kind enough to let us pass as residents. There were six rooms with photographs of people who had gone to studios for individual or family pictures. Some of the photos were taken as far back as in the 1930’s. It was really interesting.
Our next destination was the Masai market. We had a general idea of where we were going and about ten minutes later found it. The market is on about a half acre of land that is either a parking lot or empty lot during the week. Many vendors sale their wares there two days a week. There were craft items, clothing, jewelry, paintings, wall hangs, fabric, plus much more. Some of the vendors were actual Masai selling their beaded jewelry, but most were not. As we were about to enter the market we swarmed by a group of about six men. Our first thought was that they were pickpockets, so we all put our hands in or on our pant pockets. These men wanted to know what we were looking for, where we were from, what we were looking for, etc. We realized that they wanted to guide us around, probably take us to special vendors, and of course, collect a fee for assisting us. After about ten minutes of telling them we were just looking, they finally left us alone. There were rows of paths between vendors who more than happy to show you their wares. If you gave more than a quick glance, they would greet you and ask if you would like to buy. "Promote me," they would say. "For you I'll give a good price." One time John was looking at some beautifully carved and painted gourds two rows away and the vendor came over to try to bring us closer to look. Talk about keen observation.
On the way back we walked through Uhuru Park. The day was like a nice warm spring day in Kansas. There were couples and families sitting in the shade enjoying the day. Sylvia, our teacher, had told us that as many as six families would live together in a small apartment because they could not afford other housing. Think about having sheets as walls to separate you from another family. Not much privacy!
Sunday we went with Father John (MK priest) to church on the outskirts of a slum area. The church was made of tin. It had just been built and opened in October. It had a dirt floor and benches for seats. Mass began with a procession of dancing children and young people leading Father in to the altar. There was much singing and dancing during the two hour Kiswahili service. John enjoyed watching a little boy filling his shoes with dirt and then dumping the dirt out.
Click here to see some photographs.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Kenyan Weddings
Mwalimu Sylvia is one of our teachers. I wrote about her and gave a little of her background two weeks ago. She is a young, modern, beautiful Kenyan. She has been married for five years. Her husband is a police officer and they have a three year old son that began school last week. Friday we spent part of our class talking about customs. I had wanted to ask her about dowries, but hesitated to do so thinking it might be impolite. She brought up the subject herself. This is what we learned.
A traditional wedding supersedes a church wedding. At least in her tribe, a traditional wedding consists of the man going before the woman’s extended family to meet them and get their approval. Once he receives the family’s blessing, they are considered married.
Next comes the negotiation of the dowry or bride price, but it doesn’t necessarily come immediately. Sometimes the woman must prove that she is a good wife and can produce sons. The husband must reimburse the bride’s family for her loss of labor. Tradition allows that a woman can be returned to her family at any time before the dowry is paid, but once it is paid “her dish is broken” and there is no longer any place for her in her parent’s home.
Sylvia’s husband was in the process of negotiating her bride price, when her father-in-law passed away. Due to funeral financial obligations, the bargaining had to come to a halt. She expects that her dowry will be about 17 cows, the cost of her university education, and a few other items.
There is even a difference in terminology for marriage based upon one’s gender. A man may marry (-oa), but a woman gets married (-olewa).
Most Kenyans want a church wedding. If finances allow, they will have a church wedding, but the majority cannot afford to do so.
As a sign of respect, a husband cannot be in close quarters with his mother-in-law. If they are in a large home, they can be together in the living room, but he may not enter the bathroom or bedroom. The same is true of the wife with her father-in-law. Neither can spend the night at their in-laws home, only the child of the parent can spend the night. The only time a mother can physically touch her son-in-law is at this ceremony.
A traditional wedding supersedes a church wedding. At least in her tribe, a traditional wedding consists of the man going before the woman’s extended family to meet them and get their approval. Once he receives the family’s blessing, they are considered married.
Next comes the negotiation of the dowry or bride price, but it doesn’t necessarily come immediately. Sometimes the woman must prove that she is a good wife and can produce sons. The husband must reimburse the bride’s family for her loss of labor. Tradition allows that a woman can be returned to her family at any time before the dowry is paid, but once it is paid “her dish is broken” and there is no longer any place for her in her parent’s home.
Sylvia’s husband was in the process of negotiating her bride price, when her father-in-law passed away. Due to funeral financial obligations, the bargaining had to come to a halt. She expects that her dowry will be about 17 cows, the cost of her university education, and a few other items.
There is even a difference in terminology for marriage based upon one’s gender. A man may marry (-oa), but a woman gets married (-olewa).
Most Kenyans want a church wedding. If finances allow, they will have a church wedding, but the majority cannot afford to do so.
As a sign of respect, a husband cannot be in close quarters with his mother-in-law. If they are in a large home, they can be together in the living room, but he may not enter the bathroom or bedroom. The same is true of the wife with her father-in-law. Neither can spend the night at their in-laws home, only the child of the parent can spend the night. The only time a mother can physically touch her son-in-law is at this ceremony.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Kenyan American English Dictionary
I suppose it is because we are so focused on language, but I have been noticing differences in vocabulary and terminology even when speaking in English. I am also motivated by the fact that soon I will probably be teaching and I need students to be able to understand what I am saying. My American accent will hamper them enough. I thought it would be fun to share some of my discoveries with you in Cindy’s Kenyan English Dictionary.
We’ll start with a few words:
chips = French fries
innerwear = underwear
queue here = form a line here
rubber = eraser
washroom = room with toilet and sink only
bafu = room to take shower
wash = wash hand, face, and legs
bathe = wash entire body
hoot = honk horn
car park = parking lot
zebra crossing = pedestrian crosswalk
trolley = shopping cart
look sharp = look nice, well dressed
Now let’s move on to some sentences.
I read in Niarobi. = I studied there. I went to school there.
Let’s give a clap. = Let’s give them a hand, let’s applaud for them.
Are we together? = Does everyone understand?
He’s eating money. = He’s taking money (in reference to a politician’s corruption).
Since it’s eating up your mind let’s review. = It is confusing you, you don’t understand so let’s go over it again.
Do you fear them? = Are you afraid of them?
Let’s go and take tea. = It’s time for tea break. Let’s go have some tea.
The phone cries. The door cries = They make high pitched noises.
Did you jump? = This was said when one of us read the wrong answer. It means did you lose your place?
My husband went to pick him. = My husband went to pick him up from school.
The school provides transport. = The school provides transportation.
It was sweet. = It was tasty, not it was sweet and yummy with a lot of sugar.
Use words like this to make conversation more delicious. = Make the conversation more interesting and longer.
My thinking is destructed. = I’ve lost my train of thought. I’ve forgotten what I was going to say.
Allow me to rub here. = Allow me to erase this part of the board.
They abuse it. = They don’t use it correctly. They mistreat the machine.
Did you revise your lesson? = Did you study last night?
Is what? = What do you mean? I don’t understand.
I slept late = I went to bed late last night. That’s exactly the opposite of what we mean when we say it!
Verbs can never hang alone. = Verbs can never stand alone, they must have subject prefixed added to them.
The road will branch. = The road will divide.
I won't restrict you. = I won't stop you. I won't limit you to that.
I have a small heart. = I cry easily for others. I'm worried about them. (We would say they have a big heart.)
I expect you to be picking from them. = I expect you to be learning from them.
They have two sayings that sum up their attitude about time.
Polepole ndia mwendo. = Slowly, slowly is the journey.
Polepole ya kobe humfikisha mbali. = The slowness of the tortoise enables him to go far. In other words, don’t get in a hurry. People are more important than being on time and getting tasks done. Who says we don’t have things to learn from Kenyans?
We’ll start with a few words:
chips = French fries
innerwear = underwear
queue here = form a line here
rubber = eraser
washroom = room with toilet and sink only
bafu = room to take shower
wash = wash hand, face, and legs
bathe = wash entire body
hoot = honk horn
car park = parking lot
zebra crossing = pedestrian crosswalk
trolley = shopping cart
look sharp = look nice, well dressed
Now let’s move on to some sentences.
I read in Niarobi. = I studied there. I went to school there.
Let’s give a clap. = Let’s give them a hand, let’s applaud for them.
Are we together? = Does everyone understand?
He’s eating money. = He’s taking money (in reference to a politician’s corruption).
Since it’s eating up your mind let’s review. = It is confusing you, you don’t understand so let’s go over it again.
Do you fear them? = Are you afraid of them?
Let’s go and take tea. = It’s time for tea break. Let’s go have some tea.
The phone cries. The door cries = They make high pitched noises.
Did you jump? = This was said when one of us read the wrong answer. It means did you lose your place?
My husband went to pick him. = My husband went to pick him up from school.
The school provides transport. = The school provides transportation.
It was sweet. = It was tasty, not it was sweet and yummy with a lot of sugar.
Use words like this to make conversation more delicious. = Make the conversation more interesting and longer.
My thinking is destructed. = I’ve lost my train of thought. I’ve forgotten what I was going to say.
Allow me to rub here. = Allow me to erase this part of the board.
They abuse it. = They don’t use it correctly. They mistreat the machine.
Did you revise your lesson? = Did you study last night?
Is what? = What do you mean? I don’t understand.
I slept late = I went to bed late last night. That’s exactly the opposite of what we mean when we say it!
Verbs can never hang alone. = Verbs can never stand alone, they must have subject prefixed added to them.
The road will branch. = The road will divide.
I won't restrict you. = I won't stop you. I won't limit you to that.
I have a small heart. = I cry easily for others. I'm worried about them. (We would say they have a big heart.)
I expect you to be picking from them. = I expect you to be learning from them.
They have two sayings that sum up their attitude about time.
Polepole ndia mwendo. = Slowly, slowly is the journey.
Polepole ya kobe humfikisha mbali. = The slowness of the tortoise enables him to go far. In other words, don’t get in a hurry. People are more important than being on time and getting tasks done. Who says we don’t have things to learn from Kenyans?
Sunday, January 17, 2010
New Friends
One of the benefits of living at a hostel is that you eat family style. The tables are set up for four people so you get a chance to visit with many people while you are eating. Our school, ACK Language School, also has students from many different places. I thought I’d share with you some of the stories of people we have met the past two weeks.
Last night we ate with Professor Jae from South Korea. He is a political science professor from Gyeongsang National University. South Korea is just entering into the realm of international NGOs (non governmental organizations or aid organizations). He is on a trip to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda with a graduate student to collect data about the effectiveness of NGOs. He studied in America (as they call the US) to obtain in Master’s degree. We decided that we are long- lost siblings because we were born in the same year. He has no sister and I have no brother.
This week two seminarians shared several meals with us, Edwin and Fredrick. They have been with a Spanish priest for five years. This priest has been in Africa for several years and has established a formation house for young men wanting to join the priesthood. There are several younger boys who are completing secondary school with the intention of becoming priests. Both young men are studying theology and philosophy as they prepare to enter university next year. The left early yesterday morning to return to their archdiocese. It would be at least an eight hour trip in their pickup depending on the condition of the roads. They were great help at correcting our broken Kiswahali phrases. I’m sure that had many chuckles after they left the dining hall.
Faustina is a doctor from Tanzania studying English at British University here in Nairobi. She earned her medical degree in Italy and can speak fluent Italian. However, she needs to learn English to communicate in hospitals. Her English is just a little bit better than our Kiswahali. So, it has been good practice for all of us. We struggle to understand one another. Mary is great at initiating conversation along her English-Kiswahali dictionary as support. I’m listening, recognizing words and entering into the conversation once in a while.
We met another lady from Tanzania whose husband is a doctor that works in Southern Sudan for the UN. He came home for the Christmas holiday, got pneumonia and had to be hospitalized. She came to take care of him while he is in the hospital. Her husband was released from the hospital on Friday, but must stay in Nairobi for another week since he needs to see the doctor again at the end of the week. They are living apart because she is not allowed to enter Sudan.
Peter is a young man we have often visited with at school during our chai breaks. He is from the Dinka tribe in Southern Sudan. He was in the army for nine years, but left to get an education. He is currently studying English and hoping to be admitted to a university next year. All of his brothers have been killed in the fighting, but his parents are still alive. It seems that there is a large Sudanese population in Kenya. This last week several more Sudanese students started school. We noticed in Friday’s paper that the Sudanese embassy was holding a cultural festival this week in Nairobi.
Evelyn is a civil servant in Nairobi. She is on leave from her job for several weeks and is attending language school to study Kikuyu (a tribal language). She is hoping for a promotion and will need to speak Kikyyu in the village so people can understand her.
Mwalimu Bill is one of our teachers. He has taught at ACK for over ten years. We don’t know much about his background, but he owns a tailor shop downtown with three tailors. He says it is impossible to raise a family on a teacher’s salary and you must have a second job. He spends his Saturdays supervising the shop.
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Mwalimu Sylvia is our other teacher. She is only twenty-six years old and is the second born in her family. Polygamy is common in most of Africa. Her mother had four girls. Her father was pressured into setting aside her mother to marry someone else in order to have sons. The new wife had two daughters and a son and Sylvia’s mother had a son next and then another daughter. The two wives did not live in the same compound, but in different villages. Her mother worked to save money to educate her children. As young as she is, Sylvia is the head of the English department in our school.
John’s birthday was this last week and we were able to celebrate in style. He woke up to a huge card covering our doorway thanks to the late night efforts of Mary, the other MKLM with us. We learned how to sing happy birthday in class: siku ya kuzaliwa (repeat four times). Mary arranged with Rafel, our dining room attendant to have a birthday cake for lunch. John was surprised and the rest of the diners enjoyed a special treat. After class we stopped at a hotel we pass by every day. One of the other missioners had recommended it as a nice place to enjoy beautiful gardens and a drink. We sat outside near waterfalls and enjoyed our raspberry shake and smoothies. Click here if you’d like to see some photos of his birthday as well as some street scenes of Nairobi.
Last night we ate with Professor Jae from South Korea. He is a political science professor from Gyeongsang National University. South Korea is just entering into the realm of international NGOs (non governmental organizations or aid organizations). He is on a trip to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda with a graduate student to collect data about the effectiveness of NGOs. He studied in America (as they call the US) to obtain in Master’s degree. We decided that we are long- lost siblings because we were born in the same year. He has no sister and I have no brother.
This week two seminarians shared several meals with us, Edwin and Fredrick. They have been with a Spanish priest for five years. This priest has been in Africa for several years and has established a formation house for young men wanting to join the priesthood. There are several younger boys who are completing secondary school with the intention of becoming priests. Both young men are studying theology and philosophy as they prepare to enter university next year. The left early yesterday morning to return to their archdiocese. It would be at least an eight hour trip in their pickup depending on the condition of the roads. They were great help at correcting our broken Kiswahali phrases. I’m sure that had many chuckles after they left the dining hall.
Faustina is a doctor from Tanzania studying English at British University here in Nairobi. She earned her medical degree in Italy and can speak fluent Italian. However, she needs to learn English to communicate in hospitals. Her English is just a little bit better than our Kiswahali. So, it has been good practice for all of us. We struggle to understand one another. Mary is great at initiating conversation along her English-Kiswahali dictionary as support. I’m listening, recognizing words and entering into the conversation once in a while.
We met another lady from Tanzania whose husband is a doctor that works in Southern Sudan for the UN. He came home for the Christmas holiday, got pneumonia and had to be hospitalized. She came to take care of him while he is in the hospital. Her husband was released from the hospital on Friday, but must stay in Nairobi for another week since he needs to see the doctor again at the end of the week. They are living apart because she is not allowed to enter Sudan.
Peter is a young man we have often visited with at school during our chai breaks. He is from the Dinka tribe in Southern Sudan. He was in the army for nine years, but left to get an education. He is currently studying English and hoping to be admitted to a university next year. All of his brothers have been killed in the fighting, but his parents are still alive. It seems that there is a large Sudanese population in Kenya. This last week several more Sudanese students started school. We noticed in Friday’s paper that the Sudanese embassy was holding a cultural festival this week in Nairobi.
Evelyn is a civil servant in Nairobi. She is on leave from her job for several weeks and is attending language school to study Kikuyu (a tribal language). She is hoping for a promotion and will need to speak Kikyyu in the village so people can understand her.
Mwalimu Bill is one of our teachers. He has taught at ACK for over ten years. We don’t know much about his background, but he owns a tailor shop downtown with three tailors. He says it is impossible to raise a family on a teacher’s salary and you must have a second job. He spends his Saturdays supervising the shop.alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427608020245095234" />
Mwalimu Sylvia is our other teacher. She is only twenty-six years old and is the second born in her family. Polygamy is common in most of Africa. Her mother had four girls. Her father was pressured into setting aside her mother to marry someone else in order to have sons. The new wife had two daughters and a son and Sylvia’s mother had a son next and then another daughter. The two wives did not live in the same compound, but in different villages. Her mother worked to save money to educate her children. As young as she is, Sylvia is the head of the English department in our school.
John’s birthday was this last week and we were able to celebrate in style. He woke up to a huge card covering our doorway thanks to the late night efforts of Mary, the other MKLM with us. We learned how to sing happy birthday in class: siku ya kuzaliwa (repeat four times). Mary arranged with Rafel, our dining room attendant to have a birthday cake for lunch. John was surprised and the rest of the diners enjoyed a special treat. After class we stopped at a hotel we pass by every day. One of the other missioners had recommended it as a nice place to enjoy beautiful gardens and a drink. We sat outside near waterfalls and enjoyed our raspberry shake and smoothies. Click here if you’d like to see some photos of his birthday as well as some street scenes of Nairobi.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
First Days in Nairobi
The school we are attending is the ACK (Anglican Church of Kenya) Language School. It was formed in 1965 to train missionaries to study languages. It seems that there are only four students learning Kiswahali this term. Most students are studying English. It is so interesting to visit with other students during breaks. We have met people from Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Korea, Indonesia, Chad, Australia, Togo, Libya, Somalia and Cameroon.
Our hostel is also multi-ethnic. We’ve talked to people from Tanzania, Italy, Spain, Scotland, and Germany.
We knew we wouldn’t get much rest over the weekend because we were going to have in country orientation. Russ, the regional coordinator, and Coralis (in Mombasa) were flying in to meet with us along with Vikki (who is in Nairobi. It was quite a weekend.
We first met Russ Friday evening. John and I were in our room giving our brains a rest from the Kiswahali lessons when there was a knock on the door. Since the usual person who knocks is Mary whose room is right next door, we hollered, “Come on in.” There was a hesitation, so we guessed it wasn’t Mary. Instead a questioning voice asked, “John and Cindy?” It was Russ. He had arrived in town was staying here at Flora and came to meet us. We had a delightful evening sharing supper and talking about Kenya.
Saturday morning Coralis came to pick us up to go over to Vikki’s house for our meeting. It was business during the meeting, but as you can tell from the photo, we had a nice lunch at Java House. It is a popular place for expats to gather for a cup of coffee or meal. There are several in Nairobi.
Sunday was a fun day. We meet and went to a Kiswahili Mass. We were able to catch a word here and there. Since it was a rainy day, plans were revised and we went to an upscale shopping center for the afternoon. It was nice to get a chance to visit and learn more about Kenya, the people we will be working with, possible ministries and placements.
Here are some things that we have learned during our first week in Kenya:
• If you can hear a mosquito buzzing you don’t have to worry. Only the females bite and they don’t buzz. (That sure helps get you back to sleep in the middle of the night when you hear buzzing.)
• How to tie mosquito netting up during the day so you can still sit on your bed and work.
• Dates are written with the day first, then the month, and finally the year. For example today is 12/01/2010.
• How to text message. Due to the expense, we had never used text messaging. Katrina is thrilled that we can text her.
• How to use an USB stick for internet connections. It is wonderful that we can get internet here in our room. All we have to do is insert a Safaricom stick into a USB port and voile, we’re connected. OK, it’s not always that easy, but it works.
Some of the things we remember about Kenya now that we are here are:
• Chai is a real treat. Chai is made by putting a tea bag and a spoonful of sugar into a cup of hot milk. It tastes really good. We usually have a cup of chai at the end of breakfast and at lunch.
• Fresh fruit, yum! Bananas, oranges, papaya, mango, plums, avocado . . . they all taste so much better when they ripen on the trees.
• Appearances are so important to Kenyans. We dress too casually for them. In Nairobi you see everyone in tailored suits, leather shoes, heels for the ladies! We are wearing our tevas for comfort!
Our Kiswahali is limited, but we have learned to say a few phrases without looking at our notes: Habari ya mchana (What’s the news of the day?)
Waenda salama (go with peace) and mungu akubariki (God bless you.
Our hostel is also multi-ethnic. We’ve talked to people from Tanzania, Italy, Spain, Scotland, and Germany.
We knew we wouldn’t get much rest over the weekend because we were going to have in country orientation. Russ, the regional coordinator, and Coralis (in Mombasa) were flying in to meet with us along with Vikki (who is in Nairobi. It was quite a weekend.
We first met Russ Friday evening. John and I were in our room giving our brains a rest from the Kiswahali lessons when there was a knock on the door. Since the usual person who knocks is Mary whose room is right next door, we hollered, “Come on in.” There was a hesitation, so we guessed it wasn’t Mary. Instead a questioning voice asked, “John and Cindy?” It was Russ. He had arrived in town was staying here at Flora and came to meet us. We had a delightful evening sharing supper and talking about Kenya.
Saturday morning Coralis came to pick us up to go over to Vikki’s house for our meeting. It was business during the meeting, but as you can tell from the photo, we had a nice lunch at Java House. It is a popular place for expats to gather for a cup of coffee or meal. There are several in Nairobi.
Sunday was a fun day. We meet and went to a Kiswahili Mass. We were able to catch a word here and there. Since it was a rainy day, plans were revised and we went to an upscale shopping center for the afternoon. It was nice to get a chance to visit and learn more about Kenya, the people we will be working with, possible ministries and placements.
Here are some things that we have learned during our first week in Kenya:
• If you can hear a mosquito buzzing you don’t have to worry. Only the females bite and they don’t buzz. (That sure helps get you back to sleep in the middle of the night when you hear buzzing.)
• How to tie mosquito netting up during the day so you can still sit on your bed and work.
• Dates are written with the day first, then the month, and finally the year. For example today is 12/01/2010.
• How to text message. Due to the expense, we had never used text messaging. Katrina is thrilled that we can text her.
• How to use an USB stick for internet connections. It is wonderful that we can get internet here in our room. All we have to do is insert a Safaricom stick into a USB port and voile, we’re connected. OK, it’s not always that easy, but it works.
Some of the things we remember about Kenya now that we are here are:
• Chai is a real treat. Chai is made by putting a tea bag and a spoonful of sugar into a cup of hot milk. It tastes really good. We usually have a cup of chai at the end of breakfast and at lunch.
• Fresh fruit, yum! Bananas, oranges, papaya, mango, plums, avocado . . . they all taste so much better when they ripen on the trees.
• Appearances are so important to Kenyans. We dress too casually for them. In Nairobi you see everyone in tailored suits, leather shoes, heels for the ladies! We are wearing our tevas for comfort!
Our Kiswahali is limited, but we have learned to say a few phrases without looking at our notes: Habari ya mchana (What’s the news of the day?)
Waenda salama (go with peace) and mungu akubariki (God bless you.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Settling In
We’re staying at the Floral Hostel for the next four months while we are in language school. It is a guesthouse run by the Consulata Sisters. Two nuns from Italy manage the complex. And complex it is. There is a chapel that offers morning Mass at 6:30 am and weekend Masses. This morning when we attended there were probably about 50 people there, probably two-thirds of them nuns.
Next to the chapel is the dining hall where we take our meals with other paying guests. Breakfast is served at 7:00, lunch at 1:00 and supper at 6:45. The food is placed on a table in the center of the dining room. You fill your own plates and find an empty table to eat. It is a great way to meet other people. This morning we ate with Sister Elizabeth. She is an Italian nun who has been here for ten years. She works in one of the five slums here in Nairobi. Although she is a nurse in Italy, she must take courses for ten months before she can be a registered nurse here. Because the matatu drivers are on strike, public transportation is limited for the next few days. It is too far a distance and too dangerous for her to get to school, so she has moved here until the strike is over.
John and I are in a double room with our own bathroom while Mary is right next door. Our wing is the only wing that allows men. There is another huge building that houses female students that are attending colleges. I’m guessing there are at least 100 girls. They have their own separate dining room. Then there are other support buildings that contain kitchens, laundry, etc.
Today was our first day of language school. It’s called the Anglican Church of Kenya Language and Orientation School. It was originally established in 1965 to train missionaries to speak the national language, Kiswahali, and other local tribal languages. It’s about a half a mile away from where we are staying and took us less than 20 minutes to walk there.
It was a typical first day of class meaning we didn’t do much except go over expectations, schedule, and syllabus. It also didn’t take long for us to take the entrance exam. We are in the correct course, Basic Kiswahali. I could only answer the first three questions! Our schedule will be 9:00 until 10:30 class, 10:30 – 11:00 tea break where we are expected to practice with other students, 11:00 to 12:30 class, 12:30 until 2:00 is lunch and the last class is from 2:00 until 4:00. There will be a different teacher for each class section during the day. We’ll be getting plenty of exercise since we will be walking back to Flora for lunch. That should make two miles a day!One of the instructors made the comment, “We might not be able to wipe out mother tongue interference.” How true that is. Often we complain that we are not able to understand nonnative English speakers because they don’t pronounce words correctly. Why not? Because they have trouble forming some sounds because they haven’t spent their lifetimes making them. That would be mother tongue interference!
Tomorrow the real work will begin.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
We've Arrived
We have arrived in Nairobi safe and sound. I would be happy to fly Emirates Airlines again anytime in the future. We had heard that they were a more upscale airlines. That was more than demonstrated as we had chilled real silverware with our meals, three course meals, warm washcloths to clean our faces, over 150 movies to choose from, 50 TV shows to watch, at least 50 interactive games to play. On that first twelve hour flight they sure came in handy. For me it was a three movie, two Grey’s Anatomys, online crossword puzzle, three meals and two short nap flight. Like Mary said, “I don’t think I’ve ever watched so many movies in one day before!” The seats also moved forward as you leaned back making for a more comfortable ride.
The longest leg of our flight was from New York to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It is interesting to check the flight map when you are on international flights to see where you are on your route. This map even showed where it was day and night. Our plane even had cameras mounted pointing downward and forward so you could see the scenery as you were flying. It was amazing to see all the ridges of sand in the United Arab Emirates as we were coming down for landing. Sand, sand, sand everywhere. The green was all contained within walls around houses. We’re guessing that the green is all due to cultivation and irrigation. We also think we saw an olive grove with lots and lots of trees.
Vicki was there to meet us as planned. She was starting to get worried about us because we were taking so long to get through customs and baggage claims. One of our checked bags didn’t arrive, so we were filling out the required paperwork. The airlines had already notified Nairobi that the bag wasn’t transferred in Dubai. For some reason they didn’t leave New York with the rest of our things.
As I write this it is raining and thundering. We drove in a short shower this afternoon once we arrived. We are staying at the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers tonight. Father Doug and several other priests gave us a warm welcome. Shortly after we arrived they had a happy hour followed by dinner. We’re looking forward to a warm shower and then bed!
Photos: John and Mary are in line to enter Kenya. John and Vicki. Mary and Father Don.
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