After finishing with exams and grades at my school I packed up and headed to Nairobi en route to PST for the newest group of education volunteers.
An HIV/AIDS workshop had been planned for Mon and Tues of the week when we were to be in Loitokitiok so we were lucky enough to get to go instead to Kibwezi for a few days. Jenny and I got to sit in on sessions talking about HIV/AIDS in Kenya and we also visited a local CBO (community based organization) that is doing work with OVCs (orphans and vulnerable children) and we visited a primary school where the students performed skits, dances and songs about preventing the spread of HIV and taking care of family members with HIV/AIDS. There is a picture above of the students performing a dance and the one below is a picture of all the trainees.
After the HIV/AIDS workshop in Kibwezi it was time to head to Loitokitok and Jenny and I had quite the adventure getting back. There was some miscommunication with the PC training staff as to how Jenny and I were supposed to get back. First we were told we could go with the PC vehicle but when we got to the vehicle they said there wasn't enough room but we could go with the buses that were going to carry the trainees. When we got to the buses for the trainees we were once again told there was no room for us and that we should go with the PC vehicle, since there was no room in the PC vehicle we asked if they could at least take our bags and luckily there was at least enough room for those to make our travel easier. So, after some confusion, Jenny and I were on our own to get to Loitokitok. But, no problem right? We're experienced PCVs here in Kenya, we can do this no problem.... We left Kibwezi and headed to Makindu where we wanted to stop and have lunch at the Sheikh Temple (I highly recommend stopping here to anyone in the area, the food is delicious Indian food and it's all by donation) which was really the only highlight of the trip thanks to the events that ensued. I swear I'm not complaining because it really was hilarious! But, here's what happened next: The matatu that we got from Makindu to Emali was so jam packed that the tout was leaning over the back of my seat and his face was less than a milimeter from my face and Jenny said it looked like I had two heads, apparently having another persons face that close to my own face makes me really uncomfortable but there was no where for me to go so I just laughed awkwardly and hoped the trip was short. In Emali we found a matatu to Loitokitok but this leg of the trip was doomed from the start. The matatu started having engine problems as soon as we left Emali but instead of turning around right then or going to a mechanic in the substantial town of Emali we weaved back and forth across the road to make it up the tiniest of inclines on the road. About halfway to Loitokitok we had to stop in the middle of nowhere in a tiny tiny village and have someone look at the engine, it was getting fairly close to dark so Jenny and I were a little worried, but it didnt take too long before we were on our way. About 20KM from LTK we were told to switch to a station wagon that smelled completely AWFUL (we decided it smelled like feet, pickled goat and BO) and I was sitting next to quite possibly the creepiest guy in Kenya, he had super long fingernails that were dyed a weird color and he kept saying "welcome customer" in a really creepy voice and we think he was trying to sell us his nail dye. I also think he had sniffed too much nail dye fumes because he seemed kind of out of it and passed out across the passenger on the other side of him about 5 minutes before we finally arrived in Loitokitok. Ok, so we are finally at our destination, so the adventure is over right? Nope. Jenny and I quickly grabbed some dinner to-go in town and headed to our guest house. Along the way there was a huge section of the road that was flooded and really muddy and when we were trying to get across this mud puddle/cow pie mess I fell. Perfect. I did the splits and ended up totally covered in mud. When I recovered to a standing (wobbling) position my skirt was so heavy with mud that it kept falling down to my knees and Jenny had to help me pull it up since my hands were full of stuff. My shoes were so muddy that they wouldnt stay on and my feet were slipping around, making the short walk a lot harder than it should have been. We finally made it to our guest house where I was able to take a much needed shower, but not before Jenny took some pictures for evidence of our ordeal. It was a really really long day, but Jenny and I laughed the whole time because everything that happened was just so absolutely ridiculous. I'm glad Jenny was there with me so we could laugh at everything and also so I have a witness that I am not making this stuff up! So, if nothing else, the day was highly entertaining.
Here is the aftermath of my fall in the mud. Don't I look happy?
In Loitokitok, Jenny and I led sessions about dealing with corporal punishment in schools, classroom management and discipline. It was so great to meet the new trainees and its fun to be around them since they are so full of enthusiasm and optimism! I think they are an excellent group and I can't wait for them to get to site and see the things that they are doing in their schools. I also got the chance to visit my homestay family and that was a blast! It was crazy to be back in the house where I had stayed a year ago and think of all the things that have happened since then and how my views of Kenya have changed and grown. It was so nice to see my Mama, I miss her like crazy! She is the sweetest woman and I have her to thank for my cooking, clothes washing and Kenyan house keeping skills! She had a baby a few months ago, little baby Alvin, so I can now add another brother to my list of Kenyan family.
Isn't he adorable?
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