PCV in Kenya: Week 3

Monday

Happy New Year! Tina, Babu, Priscah, and I had a relaxing day today because of the fun we had bringing in the New Year. I was able to watch some more episodes of “Suits” (shocking, I know) while having breakfast. Tina was awesome and made chai, mandazi, bread with Blue Band (Kenya’s version of butter) and honey, and sausages. In the afternoon, Priscah and I went to United Mall so I could grocery shop before going home tomorrow. Back at the house, Tina let me borrow one of her dera dresses to wear. A dera is a dress made out of very light fabric and every woman I have met in Kenya has one. As soon as I find one with a pattern I like, I am getting one and wearing it around my house every day because they are so light and airy. For dinner, I helped Tina peel potatoes and then we boiled them. I then made mashed potatoes out of them and they were delicious. So far, mashed potatoes and chapati are two things I can consistently make well. We ate the mashed potatoes with beef stew and it was delicious. Before turning in for the night, I helped Tina start to take out her braids. I ended up getting so tired I was falling asleep mid-braid, so I had to call it a night before we finished.

Tuesday

Babu made breakfast and Priscah’s nanny and her two boys came over to start the day. I helped Priscah run to the butchery after breakfast to get meat for lunch. Back at the house, I did some research for what I want to do for my birthday next month and for our school break in April. You know me, I always have to have a trip planned 😊 It was fun to start looking at the possibilities! For lunch, we had pilau, potato stew, and chapati. After lunch, it was time for me to say my goodbyes and go back to Siaya. I will miss Tina, Babu, and Priscah, but I know we will get time to visit each other. Tina packed me some chapati for the road (she knows me so well) then Babu and Priscah drove me to the main stage so I could get a matatu. I boarded successfully and drew the short straw of having to sit on the wooden board between the seats on the van. Halfway through the two-hour journey, the board slipped on one side and I found myself on the floor of the van. It was quite funny and the two ladies on either side of me helped me get back onto the board. When I got back to my market town, I sat in the market at Baba Charles’ shop for a bit and then I called Boy (the nickname of a reliable pikipiki driver) to collect my groceries to take them to my house while I walked home. It was well worth the 50 KSH and when I got home, I was able to put away the groceries and then eat dinner with the family. Sammy came back tonight from spending time with his family, so I am happy to have my buddy back!

Wednesday

I had to set an alarm this morning so that I could be ready on time to meet with the carpenter and Chief Susan. Archer talked to the carpenter about details for the two projects being done on my house while I got to know Chief Susan. She is the assistant chief in our region and she lives very close to me. Village chiefs are very integral to the community, so it was very important that I met with her. After breakfast, Gladys and Archer left to go back to work. Archer works in Nairobi and Gladys works in Kisumu. They let me ride with them and they dropped me off at the tutor office. I studied until Elma arrived and I feel like we had another good lesson. She walked with me to the market again and helped me purchase a few things. I talked with Baba Charles for a while then walked back home. I had to walk the long way instead of the short cut because the short cut was flooded with the rains we have been having. When I got home, I did some research to start the search for Cosmas’ PCV teacher in the 60s. Cosmas is a school board member and a retired teacher in my community. In the 60s, he was taught by a PCV and I am trying to see if I can locate her to put them in contact. I didn’t find much, but it was day one of searching, so I’ll try again soon. Tonight, I made pancakes and ramen and neither really went well (I told you, I am a beginner). I was feeling a bit defeated after this, so I watched The Lion King which really helps reset me, so I am ready to take on tomorrow 😊

Thursday

I woke up and organized my house for the carpenter to allow him space to work in case he needed to work in my house today. I then did my laundry and made a grocery list before walking to the market. It has been raining very hard the last few days, so I put on gumboots to walk through all of the mud since I was using the short cut. I successfully got to the market and saw Jane, one of my neighbors. She walked through the market with me to make sure I was getting reasonable prices for my food and then I visited with Baba Charles. He and I shared a soda before I walked back home. I collected my laundry and put away my market finds. I began making diner when a million tiny bugs flew into my home. They were so small and there were so many there were getting in my eyes and mouth. I ran to turn the lights off because I think that’s what they were being attracted to. They had come through the cracks of my front door frame and I couldn’t get them to stop. I turned the lights off quick enough that they were staying mainly in the living room, so I took a shower to wash off all the bugs that had gotten on me and in my hair before going to my bed and hiding out under my bug net for the rest of the night.

Friday

I started today by cleaning my house of all the bugs from last night. They must have had a very short life span because they were all dead already, thankfully. It took me four hours to sweep, mop, and wipe off every surface of my house to rid it of the tiny bugs. It was a discouraging way to start the day and I wasn’t in the best mood when I left the house to go to Baba Charles’ house. But, on the way out, I saw Sammy help one of our mama cows give birth which was amazing. I stood and watched the calf and mom interact for a while. I have since decided to name him Tuba. It means blessedness in reference to nature, and he was born under a tree 😊

I continued my walk and when I got to Baba Charles’ house, we started by having water and juice and then I helped Reagan and Mama Doreen cook lunch. We made stew, rice, French fries, chicken, and fish. I was so full after lunch. We rested for a bit then walked next door to see Hannah, the calf they named after me 😊She has turned a bit more brown than the dark black and white she was last time I saw here. After seeing Hannah, Baba Charles and I walked to Nick’s home. The house and the grounds are gorgeous. He is planning to turn the grounds into a resort and it shows. Right now, there’s a main home, swimming pool, covered parking, and helicopter landing pad. Guest rooms are in the process of being built. After walking around the home, we rested on the couches upstairs overlooking Lake Victoria. Cosmas, Principal Richard, and Nick arrived soon and they talked for a few hours while I relaxed. Nick drove me home when they were done and I finished organizing my house back to normal after the bug situation.

Saturday

I started the day off by washing dishes and working on a few things for school. I then made lunch followed by a nap. I woke up and worked on some more things for school before calling it a day. It was a much needed rest day 😊

Sunday

I enjoyed pancakes for breakfast while watching an episode of “The Crown”. I then did some laundry and then the carpenter came to install my wardrobe in my bedroom. It took him about four hours to install it and I monitored the progress like a Home Depot dad 😊The finished wardrobe looks great. I am happy I can start organizing my things in permanent spots instead of out of suitcases. When the carpenter left, I spent the next two hours cleaning the floors of sawdust and putting things in the new wardrobe. The house is coming together more and more and it feels really good. I ate some leftovers before getting ready to call it a night. I ended my week by watching an episode of “The Office” that I guess I had missed when I watched the show all the way through. I have been listening to “The Office Ladies” podcast and they went over an episode that I had no recollection of, so I watched that one to end my week😊

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