My First Week as a Kenyan!!

Jambo everybody!!
  Things are going great here in africa!! I can't begin to tell you how incredible it is!! Where do I even begin! I am finally in Naivasha where Emilee and I work in the Monica Memorial. Even though we signed up for Orphanage work that isn't exactly what our placement is. Monica Memorial is a school for children who can't afford to go to the government schools. The kids come from very poor families which sometimes aren't even their real parents. There are some kids that live with like foster parents, and sometimes their granparents. We spend most of the day at school from about 8.00-4.00. When we are there we teach the classes like math, english, social studies, science,etc. Then we have breaks and play with the kids and feed them! The teaching is very very difficult and I am having a pretty hard time.  The kids have a hard time sometimes understanding english even though they have been taught it. Even though it is hard i am loving it for sure.

The Kids there are incredible!! Let me just tell you about the first day we arrived at the schoool. Our host dad (Wallace) drove us to school our first day and as we pulled into th area that the school is in the kids just started running towards the car so happy to see us! They were waving and yelling "how are you? How are you?" It was the coolest thing ever! Then when we got out they all wanted to touch our hands and tell us their names. I felt like a celebrity! It was awesome!! I already almost know everyone by name! I am pretty proud of myself:)

There is one boy in particular that i would love to share with you guys about! His name is Simon. The very first day that i got there he was always just sitting off by himself and not playing with anyone. So of course being me i went over to talk to him and he wouldn't talk to me and he just stared at me. I kept trying to go back to him every once and awhile the first day but nothing. Then the second day i tried again and nothing! Every once in awhile i would get a smile out of him but nothing still. However, when we were walking home i got close to him and he took my hand and we walked hand in hand all the way home. It was so cute! Then the next day he really started to warm up to me. He was playing with me and laughing and woudln't leave my side. He was attached to my hip (in fact he still is:). Come to find out he doesn't speak any english at all, but also now that he is warming up to me he is also warming up to other kids :)  It makes me feel so good to know that i helped this kid with just the first week i was here! It is an incredible feeling! Not to mention he is extremely adorable!! :)

Well now let me give you a little information about my area! I am currently in Naivasha, Kenya. It was about an hour and half drive from Nairobi and this city is awesome. I am loving it here and the host family is amazing! Everyone here is so nice. I feel a lot more safe here then when i did in like Nairobi. All the streets here except for the 2 main ones (one being the highway) are dirt roads so by the end of the day i am so dirty!! There is garabage all over the streets. I guess the government doesn't come to pick up the trash so they just throw it on the street. The house that i am living in is really nice. We have like our own living space with our own bedrooms and also bathroom. However, in our bathroom we only have a running toilet and we have to shower with a bucket. Talk about what a real Kenyan experiene :)

I will have to share with you guys more later! And try to put on pictures as well! I am absolutely loving it here so far, and can't wait to share all my experiences with you!! :) I love you and miss you all! Oh and by the way this next weekend is our Safari so i can't wait to share that with you!!! Love you lots!!!!!!!!

Jordann

Placement!!

Well everyone I have finally received my placement for my 2 months that I will be in Kenya!! Emilee and I are going to be placed in Naivasha, Kenya where we will be working in the Orphanage of Monica Memorial! There is about 50 kids that live there that come from places of extreme proverty and also just kids that have parents but they can't afford them. :( I am super excited for this journey and this chapter in my life!! I hope that I will be able to touch the lives of these kids and that they will also touch mine. I will miss you all!! Next post I will be basking in the warm Kenyan sun while you all still freeze your tushies off!! :D love you all and keep in touch i would love to hear from you!!!
Jordann.