It feels like i have been here weeks because i feel so settled in< everyone is friendly and getting along with each other< the projects are amazing and the locals are just so nice! So i can hardly believe it's only day 2!
Anyway, woke up 7am today...feeling so snuggly in my sleeping bag, blankets and mozzy net...i really didn't want to step out onto the cold tile floor. The cottages are so much nicr than i xpected for africa...they are basic but are well furnished and we have cleaners in every day. We have a lounge area with a masive open fire to keep us warm so we all just chat until midnight then hit the pillow! (which is probably why i didn't want to get up this morning!)
There are people from all over the world! Lots of northerner's from england (weeey!), so my accent isn't so alien over here! there are @ girls from canada, toronto>>>and no, I couldn't pinpoint that on the map (dean!) Other girls are from virginia, germany ,poland. there are only 2 lads here...one from up north england and the other from south africa. All lovely people and we are having so much fun picking up each others accents and sayings for different things...I CAN'T BELIEVE THE AMERICANS HAVE NEVER HEARD OF YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS!
ok...back to today...well due to political votes...we didnt think we were doing anything today but it turned out we were! (And yes i am always the last one to know whats going on and levaing the cottage, bad time management!) Breakfast is anything we want really, toast, jams, cereal...just the basic. the chefs are there every morning with a big smile on their faces happily making our packed lunches...which are toasted sandwiches. the meat in them is ok...but slightly dodgy due to limited supplies and obviously where they can getit all from...its obviously not going to be our pumped up battery hens thats for sure! but apart from that the food here is ok...yesterdays tea was cold and a bit gross looking but we could still eat it...however i think it was cold because me and sarah were late...AGAIN!
I got to choose wherever i wanted to be today, and i think its like this every day..which is really good because i get to tailor my whole trip to what i want, which i think is really good! So i chose to go to 'the nest' which is a childrens orphanage where they have an onsight school. so...off we went...i forgot my hand sanitiser...suncream and sun glasses...grat start rachel! but nt to worry sarah and the other girls had plenty to lend me.
oh the driving here i sso funny...kind of like most foreign countries...from what ive seen i am still unsure which side of the road we are supposd to drive on!! haha...they seem to just drive anywhere and everywhere they can! to get to the nest...which is in limuru, we have to go off the tarmac road and up this massive hill...rocky,...dusty...and busy full of local people, children in school uniforms, donkeys pulling carts, chickens, lots and lots and rows and rows of little wooden shacks, either houses or little fruit shops. the journey is VERY bumpy up this road...we're literally out of our seats! but its all part of the fun! and when we go by all the children smile and wave to us...some throw little bits of fruit at the van which is quite funny, and a bit cheeky! but they dont do it in a horrible way! the locals only know one phrase...obviously due to english tourists saying it all th time: they all just say "HOW ARE YOU!" but they say it so fast it almost seems to be one big word! Its so cute!
Anyway, the nest...colourful painted metal gates, obviously for security reasons, and inside its like a lovely green garden with multi-coloured fences with swings, slides, play houses, and the main building. At first we went into the main office for the lady to organise what we could do to help. Obviously its summer hols here too so children go to revision lessons in the mornings...which is what i really wanted to help out with! the children here are so so dedicated to learning and want to revise. they have to pass exams to get into primary school and to go onto the next year (which is MUCH better than our system which seems to push through every child to the next year no matter what ability they may be. so here, they can repeat years until they are at a suitable level to progress through school. however we had about an hour before the lessons started so we were helping out in the kitchen...washing up. this was kind of shocking to actually see their facilities and the fact that we were washing dirty bowls and cups that the children had used (most of which would be currntly ill) in luke warm water rather than hot water. but it was an experience to remember! the cook and the nurse at the nest were so friendly, spoke great english and were eager to explain to us about their jobs and what they feed the children. its mainly grated carrot, beans, maize (which is their main staple food). thewy have stoves where it is cooking and heating all day...but no buildings here have heating so it was like washing up outside in our english winter temps! my hands were freezing!
after that...i went to the school office/staff room wher the revision sessions wer taking place for the secondary age (only 3 boys were there today) but there wasnt much for me to do and i got distracted by the little ones outside the room singing with the teacher! so i went for a wonder, walked past the window and pulled the biggest grommit smile i could to amuse the children (they were only 3 or 4) and they were s fascinated and giggled very loudly (not too sure if the teacher was as welcoming!) but i went next dor where it was the primary classroom which was ace! it was breaktime, the children all surrounded me and wanted a hug and hand shake and all shouted constantly rrrrachel! so i played chase with them which they foudn hilarious and had so much fun. then i got my digi camera out...they all wanted a photo and wanted to take photos...was really cute!
then during break time i was talking with the other teacher who asked if i wanted to teach...WOW! yes pleaseee!!!!! so i taught the class maths, subtraction...i had to wrack my brain for techniques i used on teaching placments! i wasnt even nervous! (oh and i havent even cried AT ALL yet! I am so suprised, I dont miss home yet and im just being open minded and justy taking it all in!) So the lesson went so well...the children were so well behaved, and i tried to be as natural as possible, but i was well aware that the way i teach and the techniques i used was very different to their very strict traditional style. but oh my was the experience so rewarding!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
then it was lunch, i visited the nursery with all the tiny babies...they were all fast asleep in one giant cot...all snuggled up ontop of each other like baby kittens!!! they were so cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
then we went to another childrens centre in limuru where they were having a sports day/afternoon at a nearby field...was so lvely, the sun was out, we all played games and giggled and sat looking at the STUNNING scenary!!!!!!!!rolling hills, green tea plantations, red dusty roads....the only wildlife ive seen so far are the donkeys (alot of them too!) and locusts, that seem to just keep making me jump in the early evenings as they are sooo big!
i can see lots of stars at night, but it gets very very cold and fresh!
there is an amazing cafe here, the food is amazing, a lovely gift shop which i am yet to explore!!! i have a slice of cake every night :)
tomorrow i am going to hope school...which is anothr orphanage but the children don't sleep there like they do at 'the nest'. i am going to go and paint the school there tomorrow just to do something different!
I do love you all back at home, i do think about you lots! but i hope you're all glad to know i am enjoying every minute of it and its just ace! it has really sold voluntary trips to me! w are all just discussing going on safari next weekend....which is pricey but just trying to figure out who wants to go to chop the costs down! GOING TO THE MASAO
It feels like i have been here weeks because i feel so settled in< everyone is friendly and getting along with each other< the projects are amazing and the locals are just so nice! So i can hardly believe it's only day 2!
Anyway, woke up 7am today...feeling so snuggly in my sleeping bag, blankets and mozzy net...i really didn't want to step out onto the cold tile floor. The cottages are so much nicr than i xpected for africa...they are basic but are well furnished and we have cleaners in every day. We have a lounge area with a masive open fire to keep us warm so we all just chat until midnight then hit the pillow! (which is probably why i didn't want to get up this morning!)
There are people from all over the world! Lots of northerner's from england (weeey!), so my accent isn't so alien over here! there are @ girls from canada, toronto>>>and no, I couldn't pinpoint that on the map (dean!) Other girls are from virginia, germany ,poland. there are only 2 lads here...one from up north england and the other from south africa. All lovely people and we are having so much fun picking up each others accents and sayings for different things...I CAN'T BELIEVE THE AMERICANS HAVE NEVER HEARD OF YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS!
ok...back to today...well due to political votes...we didnt think we were doing anything today but it turned out we were! (And yes i am always the last one to know whats going on and levaing the cottage, bad time management!) Breakfast is anything we want really, toast, jams, cereal...just the basic. the chefs are there every morning with a big smile on their faces happily making our packed lunches...which are toasted sandwiches. the meat in them is ok...but slightly dodgy due to limited supplies and obviously where they can getit all from...its obviously not going to be our pumped up battery hens thats for sure! but apart from that the food here is ok...yesterdays tea was cold and a bit gross looking but we could still eat it...however i think it was cold because me and sarah were late...AGAIN!
I got to choose wherever i wanted to be today, and i think its like this every day..which is really good because i get to tailor my whole trip to what i want, which i think is really good! So i chose to go to 'the nest' which is a childrens orphanage where they have an onsight school. so...off we went...i forgot my hand sanitiser...suncream and sun glasses...grat start rachel! but nt to worry sarah and the other girls had plenty to lend me.
oh the driving here i sso funny...kind of like most foreign countries...from what ive seen i am still unsure which side of the road we are supposd to drive on!! haha...they seem to just drive anywhere and everywhere they can! to get to the nest...which is in limuru, we have to go off the tarmac road and up this massive hill...rocky,...dusty...and busy full of local people, children in school uniforms, donkeys pulling carts, chickens, lots and lots and rows and rows of little wooden shacks, either houses or little fruit shops. the journey is VERY bumpy up this road...we're literally out of our seats! but its all part of the fun! and when we go by all the children smile and wave to us...some throw little bits of fruit at the van which is quite funny, and a bit cheeky! but they dont do it in a horrible way! the locals only know one phrase...obviously due to english tourists saying it all th time: they all just say "HOW ARE YOU!" but they say it so fast it almost seems to be one big word! Its so cute!
Anyway, the nest...colourful painted metal gates, obviously for security reasons, and inside its like a lovely green garden with multi-coloured fences with swings, slides, play houses, and the main building. At first we went into the main office for the lady to organise what we could do to help. Obviously its summer hols here too so children go to revision lessons in the mornings...which is what i really wanted to help out with! the children here are so so dedicated to learning and want to revise. they have to pass exams to get into primary school and to go onto the next year (which is MUCH better than our system which seems to push through every child to the next year no matter what ability they may be. so here, they can repeat years until they are at a suitable level to progress through school. however we had about an hour before the lessons started so we were helping out in the kitchen...washing up. this was kind of shocking to actually see their facilities and the fact that we were washing dirty bowls and cups that the children had used (most of which would be currntly ill) in luke warm water rather than hot water. but it was an experience to remember! the cook and the nurse at the nest were so friendly, spoke great english and were eager to explain to us about their jobs and what they feed the children. its mainly grated carrot, beans, maize (which is their main staple food). thewy have stoves where it is cooking and heating all day...but no buildings here have heating so it was like washing up outside in our english winter temps! my hands were freezing!
after that...i went to the school office/staff room wher the revision sessions wer taking place for the secondary age (only 3 boys were there today) but there wasnt much for me to do and i got distracted by the little ones outside the room singing with the teacher! so i went for a wonder, walked past the window and pulled the biggest grommit smile i could to amuse the children (they were only 3 or 4) and they were s fascinated and giggled very loudly (not too sure if the teacher was as welcoming!) but i went next dor where it was the primary classroom which was ace! it was breaktime, the children all surrounded me and wanted a hug and hand shake and all shouted constantly rrrrachel! so i played chase with them which they foudn hilarious and had so much fun. then i got my digi camera out...they all wanted a photo and wanted to take photos...was really cute!
then during break time i was talking with the other teacher who asked if i wanted to teach...WOW! yes pleaseee!!!!! so i taught the class maths, subtraction...i had to wrack my brain for techniques i used on teaching placments! i wasnt even nervous! (oh and i havent even cried AT ALL yet! I am so suprised, I dont miss home yet and im just being open minded and justy taking it all in!) So the lesson went so well...the children were so well behaved, and i tried to be as natural as possible, but i was well aware that the way i teach and the techniques i used was very different to their very strict traditional style. but oh my was the experience so rewarding!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
then it was lunch, i visited the nursery with all the tiny babies...they were all fast asleep in one giant cot...all snuggled up ontop of each other like baby kittens!!! they were so cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
then we went to another childrens centre in limuru where they were having a sports day/afternoon at a nearby field...was so lvely, the sun was out, we all played games and giggled and sat looking at the STUNNING scenary!!!!!!!!
Anyway>>>>ive just deleted a load of paragraphs by accident so i best post this before i loose this too! tomorrow i will be going to another orphanage called hope school to paint classrooms>>>but due to this political vote i am not so sure whether to go or not!
those of you back home i love you so so much but i am enjoying every minute of it and not missing home yet either< which is good!!!!!!!! love you alllllll, night night!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
