Karibu! Second week in Kenya...

So far we have been here for two weeks out of our six weeks here in Kenya. I think I can speak for the pre-service teachers in Ichamara when I say that we love every minute and that time is going by too fast!
Ndathia? (How are you?) Nikewayga! (I’m fine!) Those are a few of the Kikuyu words that I have picked up. The locals love it when you speak their language, although we usually get laughed at when we do. Everyone here speaks Kiswahili and Kikuyu. There are many people who also understand English, but it is their third language so it is a little rough for some. In school, students begin learning English in Standard (grade) 4. On the topic of language, being foreign, I have a very strange accent. My students are beginning to understand me better, and I am beginning to understand them too. They love to laugh at words I pronounce, especially their names. All of the students in my class are Christian so they were given a baptized English name, which makes it a little easier for me to remember them. Some examples are Esther, Agnes, Patricia, Lewis, Anastasiah, Charles and Duncan. I seem to have a difficult time saying Duncan. Everytime I say his name the entire Standard 6 class bursts out laughing and I am corrected, “No Teacha Hannah, his name is DONE CAN.” People also seem to have difficulty with our names, most people call me Anne because they don’t really pronounce the H, Evan is Eevans and Lindsay is sometimes referred to as Linskey.
I am teaching at a school called Matuto Primary School. I have been assigned Standard 6 English, Standard 7 Social Studies and 7 Phys. Ed. Like most schools there is a schedule posted on the wall, I admit it really had me fooled the first day. I thought that there should be no problem following a schedule. However, I am at a school with no electricity and no clock so basically teachers teach when they want and take a break when they want. Often I will go to my class and there is already a teacher there, or I will randomly walk by any other classroom and children are calling out “Teacha teacha come teach us.” So I will just go in, even though I realize the little ones have no idea what I am saying. The children are truly amazing and make me smile and laugh constantly!
Everyone here is interested in Canada, and are shocked when we tell them how cold it can get. Children here will bundle up in sweaters and knitted hats to walk to school, I mean it is a brisk 20 degrees some mornings! A couple of the teachers approached me the other day and asked me to clear up a debate they were having before I arrived. One teacher had told the other teacher that Canadians can buy thermal underwear. The other teacher thought he was pulling her leg. I set them straight; I also tried to explain long johns to them. They found this to be quite hilarious. They are in disbelief how I am often very hot in my tshirt and skirt while they are wearing heavy clothing (it’s usually about 25 degrees). Kenyans are just as interested in the cultural differences as we are.
Well that’s it for now! I can’t believe I have been here for two weeks already, time is just flying by. Four more weeks to go and I’m sure I will have lots of stories to tell when I come home. I already never want to leave the children, I will miss them and our bags and bags of mangos they send us home with everyday. Even though they have so little, they want to give us something everyday. They have already given me and taught me more than I will ever give or teach them. I feel so thankful and lucky to be here, and I love every moment. Next weekend we are going on Safari, I can’t wait! I am ready for Kenya to bring on the elephants, giraffes, zebras and lions.

Hannah