Sunday, November 29, 2009

Epiphany

So I had an epiphany today.

Originally I was kind of frustrated because I am not picking up Kiswahili very fast. Since I am in the deaf education program I am learning Kenyan Sign Language not Kiswahili. My homestay family is helping me to learn Kiswahili.

I was sitting in the living room waiting for everyone to get finished getting ready for church so we could leave. While waiting I was eating an orange. The house boy came in and asked me if the orange was sweet. I automatically replied yes it is very sweet when in fact it was bitter and not like the oranges in America. Here in Kenya if someone asks you if something is sweet they are not referring to the taste. Sweet means it is very good. So I would say dinner was very sweet tonight because dinner was very good.

Also at that time there were also bananas on the plate. Instead of thinking Banana I thought Ndizi. So I might not be learning the words I want to learn but I am learning words.

One of the reasons I joined the Peace Corps is because I wanted to be immersed into a new culture and language. I am definitely being immersed into the culture and learning a lot. I am also learning a lot of Kenyan Sign Language and a little Kiswahili.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Continued Travels

Two weeks ago I meet my home stay family. I have a baba (Father), mama, one sister, and a younger brother. We live in a really nice house. When you walk in there is the living room/ t.v. room. Then to the left is a hallway that leads to the cooking room on the right. Then a wash room. Next to that a real toilet!!! Then my room. To the left are two more bedrooms. My baba is a farmer and a veterinarian and my mama has a shop in town. We have electricity and watch t.v. and dvd's. I was supprised by the access to power, water, and electonics. Most people in town have a t.v. Also everyone has a cell phone. I have even brought one. This is how I stay in contact with Peace Corps, other trainess, and home. Kenya is blessed with the technology they have and I think the technology will only get better.

At the end of my first week at my home stay I left with the deaf education group for Machakos. We are the first group to go through this new and improved training. We spent the past week at the Machakos school for the deaf. The school is a bording school. This was a lot of fun because we got to interact with the students and play games with them during resease. The students went home today because it is the end of the term for them.

Next week volunteers from different schools from the deaf in Kenya are going to bring their students to the school to stay. We will practice teaching with these students. I am excited to put my four years of deaf education schooling to the test!

Monday we find out were we will be going at the end of our training to teach for two years. The math and science group who are still in Loitokitok found out there sites Tuesday. I have to addmitte that I am a little jealuse, lol.

I can't wait until I found out were I am going Monday!!!!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Finally in Kenya!

I avived in Kenya November 4th. It was so cool when I walked off my final flight. There were two Peace Corps staff standing waiting for us as we walked of the flight. They were holding a Peace Corps sign so that it was easy to find them. I was relieved that we didn't have to do anything to find them. They helped us make it through customs in a speedy easy manor. Then we walked down the stairs that took us to the baggage claim to get our luggage. They had luggage carts and we each found our luggage to take through another customs officer. We were lucky because they know we were Peace Corps Trainees and just let us through with out going through our bags. When we walked out of the air port there were a bunch of Peace Corps (PC) Volunteers and Staff waiting to great us with a big PC banner. This was so nice. They gave us hugs and welcomed us to Kenya. From there we took vans to the hostel we are staying at.

While at the hostel we have had many meetings about procedures and medical information. We also had our interview about where we will be placed for the next two years. For the Deaf Education volunteers they are starting a new training program with our class. I have heard a lot of great things about it from the PC volunteers who helped put it together. We will be finding out our placement sooner then the past trainees and we will also be spending some time in the classroom shadowing a PC volunteer.

Tomorrow we leave for our training site. We will arrive there on Sunday and meet our host families. I am so excited to find out who I will be living with during training.

The hardest thing that I have had to deal with while here is the time change. Right now everyone is eating breakfast back home while I just finished with dinner. It seems that I am always tired. Well I have to finish packing and go to bed so until next time by!