Rebekka is here!

She came in on Monday night and will be here until next weekend! Rebekka came to school with me on Tuesday and got to meet all of my kids and watch me teach! She was a great help in the classroom and it was fun introducing her to my coworkers and cooperating teacher, whom of course all loved her! Afterwards, Mrs. Hravatic took Rebekka and I to an orphanage near the school. I think it's going to be my new home! Rebekka and I loved it! There are only babies there. Some of the babies are there because their mother's are in prison. Many women in Kenya are wrongfully placed there because of abusive men in their lives. There's also housing for women who have recently been released from prison to learn how to adjust back to life outside of prison with a young child. It's such an awesome ministry! We took lots of pictures! The babies were so adorable and happy and just love to be held! They all sobbed when we left! Rebekka has spent the last two days there as well. We had dinner at the Hravatic's last night. They are such a wonderful family and served us Korean food! It was delicious! Rebekka was able to go to the Hope Center also, which is where the youth group was when she came in 2006. We also went to Diamond Plaza one night for Indian food with Kim and Wendy and other friends/teachers from the school. Tomorrow we are going to hike Mount Longanot! We are so excited!

Church

I've gone to a different church every week I've been here because I want to worship in as many places as I can while I am here. I was able to go to a Kenyan church called Nairobi Chapel a couple of weeks ago and am hoping to go again this Sunday. Mercy wanted me to come, but I had no way of getting there. So I walked a half hour to Village Market and met her there. We then rode a matatu together which was quite an experience! When we got to downtown Nairobi we then took a bus to church. It was an hour and half process from the time I left my house until I walked into church! I went to the youth/college service which was huge...the church was even bigger! Both the services were in huge tents with chairs inside and it's VERY hot! I met a lot of the KKrew and people who know Shawn. Afterwards, I was able to see Mercy's house and meet her sister and her sister's baby. We then took another matatu to the youth pastor's house. There was a house full of people and I had my first real Kenyan meal! I got to meet a lot of cool people! I was fairly good at understanding the Kenyan accent but if I wasn't listening to one specific person, I felt like they were speaking a different langue (which sometimes they were! :) So basically I saw no other white people all day and I loved it! I loved being engrossed in the Kenyan culture. We left around 4:30 so that I could get back before dark...which is around 7. I feel like I owe so much to Mercy because she lives right near the church but came an hour to get me and an hour to get back. This past Sunday I went to the international church that they have at the school. Many of the teachers go there as well as many of the families who attend Rosslyn.
A picture of downtown on the way to church.Mercy and I at her house after church.

The first week of school is finished! I begin teaching everything except for math on Monday. I’ve got all but one of my lesson plans finished for the week! It’s kindof a jump right into it but I think that I’m ready. I really have enjoyed getting to know my students this week and watching Mrs. Hravatic teach because she is so creative and enthusiastic! I only pray I can be half as good as her! Here are some pictures from my classroom this week. Aren’t they adorable!?


I got to experience many new things this week. One night I went to West Gate or Lands or something with my roommates, which is the closest thing to an American mall but it’s VERY expensive! We went grocery shopping at Nakumatt and picked up some things for the week. We also went out to eat there. Yesterday, we went to the Masai market. It is a traveling market and is in a different area each day. It’s at Village Market near us on Friday’s. They have all sorts of things that they make, such as necklaces, sandals, paintings, purses and so much more! It was very intimidating at first because you barter for the items. It’s hard for me because I’m still getting used to shillings and had no idea what price to start with! I got two or three things and showed Kim what I wanted and watched her do the bartering! I might try my hand at it next time we go!
Last night we had a little group over and made pizzas. We then watched a Bolllywood film (my first ever) that was like 3 hours long and even had an intermission. Very interesting to say the least! But I really enjoyed the time.

So things are going well. The power goes off randomly all the time which I guess I didn’t really expect. At school there is a generator so it’ll just go out for like a minute at a time. The students are so used to it, it doesn’t even phase them! At home though, it went out for about 6 hours the other day. Guess I’ll have to be ahead on lesson plans so I don’t get stuck! It rained for most of the school day yesterday which was very unusual because it is there summer here and never rains. It was a huge answer to prayer because many of the people in Kenya are starving and without water because of no rain.

So today is going to be an adventure! I’m meeting a Kenyan named Mercy. Nathan and the youth group met her when they came to Kenya this past summer and she is friends with Shawn. We’ve been texting (I got a Kenyan phone) and we are meeting up today. We are going to ride a matatu which is like a taxi but it’s a van/bus thing and are known for their crazy driving! For some reason I have been so excited to meet her!
I’ve learned some new vocabulary since I have been here.
Boot- the trunk of a car
Petrol- gasoline
Serviette- napkin
“flash me”- call someone and hang up so they get your number

Week one!

The first week of school is finished! I begin teaching everything except for math on Monday. I’ve got all but one of my lesson plans finished for the week! It’s kindof a jump right into it but I think that I’m ready. I really have enjoyed getting to know my students this week and watching Mrs. Hravatic teach because she is so creative and enthusiastic! I only pray I can be half as good as her! Here are some pictures from my classroom this week. Aren’t they adorable!?

I got to experience many new things this week. One night I went to West Gate or Lands or something with my roommates, which is the closest thing to an American mall but it’s VERY expensive! We went grocery shopping at Nakumatt and picked up some things for the week. We also went out to eat there. Yesterday, we went to the Masai market. It is a traveling market and is in a different area each day. It’s at Village Market near us on Friday’s. They have all sorts of things that they make, such as necklaces, sandals, paintings, purses and so much more! It was very intimidating at first because you barter for the items. It’s hard for me because I’m still getting used to shillings and had no idea what price to start with! I got two or three things and showed Kim what I wanted and watched her do the bartering! I might try my hand at it next time we go!

Last night we had a little group over and made pizzas. We then watched a Bolllywood film (my first ever) that was like 3 hours long and even had an intermission. Very interesting to say the least! But I really enjoyed the time.

So things are going well. The power goes off randomly all the time which I guess I didn’t really expect. At school there is a generator so it’ll just go out for like a minute at a time. The students are so used to it, it doesn’t even phase them! At home though, it went out for about 6 hours the other day. Guess I’ll have to be ahead on lesson plans so I don’t get stuck! It rained for most of the school day yesterday which was very unusual because it is there summer here and never rains. It was a huge answer to prayer because many of the people in Kenya are starving and without water because of no rain.

So today is going to be an adventure! I’m meeting a Kenyan named Mercy. Nathan and the youth group met her when they came to Kenya this past summer and she is friends with Shawn. We’ve been texting (I got a Kenyan phone) and we are meeting up today. We are going to ride a matatu which is like a taxi but it’s a van/bus thing and are known for their crazy driving! I am so excited to meet her!

I’ve learned some new vocabulary since I have been here. Boot- the trunk of a car Petrol- gasoline Serviette- napkin “flash me”- call someone and hang up so they get your number

I'm here!

I have made it to Kenya! It is so beautiful here! It has been great so far. I got here on Friday evening just as planned. All three of my flights went very well and I was sitting next to believers on all three! I got to have some really cool conversations and meet some amazing people. That was definitely God! I was really nervous about making my flight in Amsterdam because I only had an hour and ten minutes on my flight itinerary from when my plane left in Detroit to when my next flight left in Amsterdam took off. We then sat on the runway for almost an hour in Detroit and I thought for sure I wouldn't make it! But we made up time and I found the Weeks family (the elementary principal of Rosslyn Academy who was on my flight to Nairobi) in Amsterdamand we made it on the plane with time to spare! All my luggage was in Nairobi too which was definitely a blessing and I was issued a 90-day visa.

My house is amazing! The only thing different about it is that we have to ration water. We just have to be conservative and reuse it. We also have to boil water and run it through a filter for drinking. I live with two other teachers from the school, Wendy and Kim. They are wonderful! We each have our room and bathroom! On Saturday Kim took me to the Village Market to get exchange money and go grocery shopping. Then we went swimming for the rest of the day in the 85 degree weather! I met some of her friends and enjoyed sleeping in the sun during my first day here! We went to Java House (one of the only or the only American restaurant) for dinner with some of Kim's friends.

On Sunday I went to a Kenya church! The sermon was in English but some of the songs were in Kiswahili. Although I didn't understand any of it, it's pretty easy to sound out the words so I could at least pretend I knew what I was doing! It was a great experience! That afternoon, Wendy my other roommate flew in from the US. She's a lot of fun!

School started today...well kinda. We had to be there but there were no students yet, they come tomorrow. Today we had staff meetings, a meeting on staying safe in Nairobi (I won't give details so as not to scare my mom!) and getting the classrooms ready. Sue Hravatic is the cooperating teacher I am working with and she is great! I think she will make the teaching experience really good and I know I will learn a lot from her. I ate lunch today with her and her husband who is also a teacher at the school. Tonight I'm going to an Indian restaurant with my roommates and some others!

It's kinda crazy meeting so many new people and learning so many names and a new culture but I'm sure I'll settle in before too long. I've gotten to talk to my parents on Skype twice which has been really good. I miss you all but I don't miss all that snow you've been getting! I'll update after I've been teaching a few days.

Here are my roommates, Kim and Wendy.

I leave for Kenya on Thursday morning! I am so incredibly excited and nervous! I am hoping to update this blog as often as possible to keep friends and family informed about how things are going for me in Nairobi! I have been waiting for this adventure for so long and now it's hard to believe it's finally here!