Another Friend Leaves

Saturday 20th October 

Time is a fickle friend - feels like Jen has been here forever and for no time at all and all of a sudden, she's in the car on the way to the airport. I'm gonna miss her a whole lot! 

As for Friday, I had frustrating end to a frustrating week! Had a good hour at the start of the day with my class 6 maths group, working through some questions with them and things... and that's about it! The other classes were either doing an exam or Kiswahili so I was of no use, so me and Felix chilled together in the staffroom and he was challenging me to work out maths problems from the textbook - i think he was surprised by my maths skills! (I was too!) Whilst it was a bit of fun, it's not quite what I want to be doing with my time whilst I'm here!

I was then invited into a meeting with the staff, class 8 and their parents to discuss what they're doing for their exams, and again whilst I appreciated being included, I a) didn't know anything about the plans they were talking about regarding sending the kids to stay at another school for a week as a kind of revision camp, which they were asking me to speak about, and b) didn't understand half of what they were talking about anyway because they were talking in Swahili. I picked up some things and semi-followed the bits in English... but all in all felt like a complete waste of space! 

All felt a bit much yesterday, needed a moment at the back of the matatu! But doing better today, I'm exhausted too so it all overflows sometimes!

But today was a good day - went in to Dada's until early afternoon and just spent time with the kids that live there, playing with the little ones and chatting with the older ones, teaching them the Cup Song and clapping games and things. It was really lovely, Tora came with me too coz the others were out at Hell's Gate which was super nice, she wanted to see Dada's and have some kid-time too, we really enjoyed it.

When we first got there Godric and Felix and all the kids were gathered round and it looked like it was a new clothes day! They had a pile of clothes and a pile of shoes and were taking it in turns to try stuff on and distribute it all, was interesting to see how they did it. It was sweet to watch the kids' reactions too, I don't know how often they get new things but they were really happy with some of their winnings :)

While we were there too these guys came in, maybe 4 or 5 of them wearing vests encouraging vaccinating children. They came in and gave a few drops of something to the smaller ones - was good to see also. Godric indicated some of the kids' heads that have a kinda of infection in the skin, I think it was something to do with that maybe...?

Tora, Godric, Felix and I :) They're good guys - found out a few days ago they're brothers! One of their lil sisters is in high school and the other is in class 5 at Dada's.

We found another chameleon!!

I love this picture - it's the background, featuring 2 giggling toddlers sat on my feet! 

Empty yogurt pots are so much fun!! These 3 stuck to us all day, they have the best laugh and babbled at us in Swahili, they had lots of fun, and we did too! The boy in the onsie and the one in stripes are twins and they're adorable.

Cup song! They picked it up really quick and were enjoying learning it...

And teaching it to each other!

There's a game the kids play called Kati using the cups and a makeshift ball (a sock filled with gravel - the lil girl in the picture above is holding one). They're so good at it and it's really fun! You have to collect and stack all the cups and then put them all back on the ground, all the while dodging the ball being thrown across you by the opposing pair! If it hits you you swap out with your partner before you switch sides - they were playing it for agessssss!

Glad we went, was a fun morning - the twins were so funny and a few of them were just happy to sit with us and chill. At one point stripey twin (i think he's calling Ndugo or something, i couldn't quite tell what he was saying!) Got upset about something and started crying, I know it's not really the Kenyan way but I beckoned him over and sat him on my knee and just soothed him a little and got him reluctantly giggling again after a while. Felt good to just give them all a bit a TLC :)

And that's that!

Feeling the volunteer blues a little this evening, no Bailey, no Jen...Kait and Destiny long gone - only 5 of us left! Think someone new is arriving next week tho...but by then it'll be my turn to leave! It'll be here in a flash...

Love to all the family, looking forward to seeing you all soon! xxx