First Day at St. Catherine School

After leaving Adrian at Ramula, I walked to the trading centre and then down the big hill to St. Catherine School.  I have previously visited this school in 2016 and 2017.  My third visit did not disappoint.
The school is located at the bottom of a big hill.  As I walked down the hill I passed many Kenyans coming up the hill to go to the trading centre or to go about their day.  All along the way I observed beautiful flowers, birds and butterflies.
For a moment I was unsure that I was going the right way but then I heard it.  Thump, thump, thump.  The familiar sound of a basketball bouncing.  Following the sound I turned a corner and there it was.  I arrived at morning break and the children were on the grounds playing.  A group of children were wearing Impact uniforms and were having an unofficial practice.  They were the members of the junior team.  The team Captain greeted me and it wasn't long before everyone knew that I had arrived.
It was a wonderful site to see the court being well used.  In addition to the children practising there were a large group of the younger children watching.  I can bet that they are waiting for their chance to be on a team, just like the kids at home.
After a cup of tea with Donald Mark, my host teacher, we proceeded to the grade 3 class to teach.  The students were learning multiplication in math, and "basic needs of the district" in Social Studies. I had fun team teaching with Donald and before I knew it the day had come to an end.

Rocky road to St. Catherine

A butterfly!  She was there.

Arriving to the sounds of basketball.

Donald Mark, my teaching colleague.

Doing the math!

Basic needs

New latrine!

Monday May 14, 2018: Part One

On a beautiful Monday morning we prepared for a visit to Ramula Secondary.  This would be Adrian's first day of "work" and our first chance to sit down and discuss opportunities and expectations for the next two weeks.  After waiting for an hour for our 9:00 am scheduled meeting we were escorted into Pamela's office at 10:00.  The meeting went well.  Adrian would be teaching Math, Physical Education, Life Skills and Library.  He would also be helping to coach the basketball team after school.  Rather than not having enough to do, it seems that they have opened the school to him with open arms.  From here I left and walked down the hill to the Primary School.  Information about that first visit will be shared in my next post.
Of special note:  When Adrian and I met up again back at Dan's after our day, Adrian informed me that he started teaching 10 minutes after we left.  Learning to "fly by the seat of his pants" is an important skill for teaching.  Well done, young man!

Kenyan flag outside of office door

Adrian sharing some of the resources he brought

Sharing resources with school members

Visiting classrooms

New friend and colleague, Fred.

Co-coaching on the equator.

https://youtu.be/7TM6AI6dHI8

A Kenyan Mother's Day!

What could be more perfect than spending Mother's Day with your boy?  How about doing it in Kenya.  I woke up early, made my own coffee and took it out to the look-out in front of Dan's place.  From this spot the valley drops off and you can see for miles.  The sun rises here each morning and it is enjoyable to sit and listen to the world come awake.  Like home, the birds start singing long before the sun.  Then the roosters start, then more birds, then human noises of preparations for the day.  Before long you have an entire symphony. Click on the link and hear it for yourself!
After breakfast, made by Dan and Adrian, we went into Kisumu to do some shopping.  On the way home we stopped at a local market to get some produce.  Dan picked out these two large cabbages.  Visiting with baby Heather was also an enjoyable way to spend the day and gradually, over time, she got used to the two new muzungus in her life.  For dinner, Mercy and her working girl made a traditional Kenyan meal of chapati, rice, beans, and cabbage.  For dessert we enjoyed fresh fruit such as pineapple, mango, oranges and bananas.  Delicious and nutritious!
 It was a lovely day!

Mother's Day morning view!

https://youtu.be/10z7ZSOMKvM

Hand-Picked wildflower bouquet.

Looking at lines: Man vs. Nature

Building coffins by the road.

Coffins for sale.

Dan and his cabbages!

Arm workout!

Rains were coming.

Chipati

Baby Heather!

Checking into Ramula

One of the main purposes for our trip was for Adrian to have an opportunity to experience life in Africa and to even teach in a rural high school.  Pamela, the Principal was excited that we were coming and she graciously offered up classes for Adrian to teach.  On Friday, Adrian met Kevin, the deputy head teacher and was invited to help coach the boys soccer team who was entered into a tournament the next day.  Adrian was happy for something purposeful to do and he had a long hot day, coaching both soccer and basketball.
Back at Dan's we watched as the sky got darker and darker.  Suddenly we were hit with a violent windstorm that knocked out the hydro.  Dan spent the rest of the night trying to find the break and with the help of some community members they found it, brought in an electrician by boda boda and had it fixed.  When the power was returned I was able to make some dinner which we enjoyed on Dan's new table.  Unbelievable adventure at the end of a wonderful day.

School life!

Coaching on the equator!

Boys' soccer team

Play on

Basketball on a dirt court!

Storm passes and we await the return of power.

Dinner with Dan

Off to Kenya: May 2018

My son, Adrian and I have been travelling for a week in Kenya.  We have been staying primarily in the rural (country) without wifi so I am just now starting my blog for this trip.  I will need to go back in time and try to catch up.
We left on our journey on Tuesday May 8th, leaving Kingston in the afternoon on a train to Toronto.  Our first overnight flight took us to Dubai where we spent 6 lovely hours in an airport lounge.  This was a surprise for Adrian and he was delighted that it included snacks, meals, beverages and even a hot shower.  How nice!  Our second flight took us to Nairobi where we passed immigration without incident.  Unfortunately only three of four bags arrived and they had to be transferred to the domestic terminal across the parking lot.  After checking our bags we went to the Paul Cafe of a delightful coffee.  A quick up and down flight from Nairobi to Kisumu took less than 50 minutes.  I spent a bit of time filing a claim for my lost bag, then it was off shopping for groceries with our host Daniel Otieno and an hour drive to the rural.  The Ramula community of the Siaya District of Kenya would be our home for the better part of two weeks.

Happy travellers!

Photo bombed by a large hairy gopher!

Cafe au latte at the Paul Cafe.  We are in Africa!

Arriving at the Kisumu airport!

Short stop in Luanda

Sunset in the rural!

Bubbling up at Mukono Technical Business Institute

My last day of business took me about 45 minutes out of town to an Vocational School that has received CanAssist support for a number of projects including, latrines, water catchment, kitchen and fuel efficient stove, boarding units and most recently some computers.

Offering a wide range of programs.

This was my first visit to the school and my expectation was to see students sitting and learning about computer technology.  I saw that but I also saw so much more.  As their sign can attest they offer training in a wide range of programs, from technology, to Early Childhood Education, to hairdressing and tailoring, to mechanics and electrician training.  I was impressed to learn that all student groups are getting access to the computers and each group reports that the technology is helping them to learn in new and varied ways.  Students get theoretical teaching from qualified instructors, hands on learning and computer learning.  This multimodal approach leads to deeper understanding.   I met Ronald, our associate and his project manager, Peace, who gave me a full tour of the facility.

Nancy, Ronald and Peace

Automotive Class learning about 2 and 4 stroke engines.  

Hairdressing School

Tailoring Class

Catering class.  The students were elsewhere having French lessons.

Catering Kitchen.

Practical Learning for automotive students.

Rain catchment funded by CanAssist

Computer skills class.

Generator funded by CanAssist to allow classes to continue during power outages.

School kitchen funded by CanAssist

Fuel efficient wood burning stove.  Uses up to 80% less firewood.

Latrines

Small poultry unit on site.  

At the top of the rise (the school is built on a bit of a hill) there was a small ECE Classroom where teacher candidates can work and get practical experience.  I happened to have a jar of bubbles and a few wands in my bag and the kids were delighted when I pulled them out.  Like kids anywhere, I blew the bubbles and they tried to catch and break them.  The peals of laughter was music to my ears.  Ironically, I gave my iPhone and my second camera to Ronald and Peace, asked Peace to make a short 20 second video and asked Ronald to make some still shots while I was immersed with the children.  They did but unbeknownst to me they both experienced some technological problems and by the time they were discovered the moment was gone and the kids had gone back into the classroom.  This has been an ongoing dilemma this trip.  Photography is not my forte and when I pass off the technology to my African friends they are often unfamiliar with it and in the moment there is no time to teach.

Nursery School Class

Rather than make the 20 second clip that I requested, Peace made a two minute video which eventually filled up my camera.  "It went black", she said. I thought ok but then I realized that in addition to the black screen with the storage full message the entire movie was black.  Something seemed to be moving and I saw little bits of myself and then it dawned on my that the blackness was caused by her finger placed inconveniently over the lens.

Ah, I still have the stills on the other camera I thought.  "Did you get some?" I asked Ronald.  "Yes", he said, "but next time you should get some bigger."  I wasn't sure what he meant until I got home later.  He had the zoom on the whole time and none of the shots depicted the whole scene.  Rather they were all close-ups of children's faces, most out of focus.  But I did find one that showed both bubbles and a relatively clear face as well as a video clip that projected the voices.  If I put them together I can trigger the memory.  And of course, these are small problems, relatively speaking.  The best memories live on in my mind.

https://youtu.be/S9QppfBeVwQ