A Wandering Sole

Gaichanjiru: Could This Be It?

// February 6th, 2012 // No Comments » // Kenya

I have been writing about searching for a secondary boarding school for someone who is like my little brother in Kenya. If you’ve missed them, you  might want to catch up on the previous posts first:

The School Search Begins
The Time I Cried in the Principal’s Office

My school search buddy Onesmus

John was three days into the tenth grade; the clock was ticking. Two matatus and a long, scenic motorbike ride later through the lush, green rolling hills that typify Kenya in my mind, Onesmus (John’s older brother) and I peeled ourselves off the bike and dusted off our shoes in front of the gates of Gaichanjiru High School. A provincial (ie good) boarding school in a rural setting only an hour from our village, I was excited about our prospects here. The principal of Kirwara had not only phoned the principal of this school, but also sent me with a recommendation letter. While I knew anything was possible (like the fact that I might be turned down again), I had a renewed sense of hope. (more…)

The Time I Cried in the Principal’s Office

// February 4th, 2012 // 1 Comment » // Kenya

A matatu cruising in Thika

Our first couple of days trying to find a new boarding school for John were a complete failure. I’m navigating a country’s education system that is completely foreign to me, and trying to figure it out in a matter of days. The school year had already started so if I wanted to transfer John, I needed to do it fast. The most frustrating part is this: I want him to go to a good school. The school with the highest exit exam marks and with amenities to teach him valuable skillsets. Generally, the schools that perform higher require higher entrance marks. Well, no surprise there except it’s the ONLY thing they look at. One test. That’s it. And if you tell John’s score to people in our district they think it’s good; our district has terrible schools and his marks far surpassed the average. But visit a school outside of our district and his score is not as competitive. (more…)

The School Search Begins

// February 3rd, 2012 // 2 Comments » // Kenya

Some village walks include a train tracks bridge

When I was talking to my best friend the other night, she told me that she was looking forward to reading about our school search for John… and then she chuckled. Just a little. And then it dawned on me… “I think I’m going to omit the part where I cried in the principal’s office.” “No, you can’t!” she replied. Okay, okay, so I guess I’m going to divulge all the details, and then everyone will officially know how ridiculous I am. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I thought I’d waltz into a principal’s office (at only one school), share my story, and be given an admittance form. Easy peasy. But that was so far from the truth…  (more…)

John’s Birthday Surprise

// February 2nd, 2012 // 4 Comments » // Kenya

John and I spent the morning meeting with craftspeople in Kibera and then meeting up with our friend Jacquie to visit the Masai Market being held at a very  nice outdoor mall called Village Market. Returning to the city in the late afternoon, I was dusty, sweaty, and my feet were filthy from the morning in Kibera. Jacquie and John went back to the hotel, while I ‘ran an errand’. I took my scrubby self over to the Sarova Stanley Hotel and told the concierge that I just wanted to find out if I needed reservations at the Thorn Tree Cafe. They practically pushed me through the restaurant doors to speak with a host, as I tried to resist and apologize for my unkempt appearance. I mentioned that we were coming for a birthday dinner for a boy who had never celebrated his birthday, and the manager had me select a piece of cake that they would deliver after we ate. They also had a live band that evening that would sing Happy Birthday. I was thrilled!  (more…)

Kenya’s Diani Beach in Photos

// February 1st, 2012 // 2 Comments » // Kenya

Aside from our serious research interest in Diani, we managed to have loads of fun in between! I got a super cheap deal on a room (I’m pretty sure when I mentioned to the guesthouse that I needed a better price, the lady nodded to the boys and said “Oh yes, I’m sure they can’t pay that much. What would you like to pay?” I told her, and it was just that easy. It pays to be local.) Suddenly, the four of us were booked for six days at one of the most beautiful beaches in Kenya. (more…)

Do People Cook With Saltwater?… The Verdict is in

// January 31st, 2012 // 1 Comment » // Kenya

At the beginning of my trip to Kenya, the boys and I took a little trip. We went to a beautiful beach south of Mombasa called Diani, which I visited in 2010 and loved. On a pre-trip interview, Onesmus and John declared that they thought coastal people surely cook with the saltwater, since, ya know, why would you buy salt when you can get it for free? (more…)

My Bipolar Trip to Kenya

// January 30th, 2012 // 8 Comments » // Kenya, Travel Reflection

Sweet and spunky Margaret, who I've known since she was just a toddler

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

The past seven weeks in Kenya have been quite a ride. In reflection, I’m not even sure how to describe it, but I imagine if bipolar could be an adjective to describe things other than humans, this would be an appropriate time to use it. On this trip to Kenya I experienced some of the most exciting days of my life and also some of the saddest.  Some joyful moments were overshadowed by unfortunate circumstances, but I can’t discount how many amazing things happened. Most days I was up by seven and not in bed until after midnight.  I was busy to say the least! Here’s a brief recap and what you can expect to hear about soon:  (more…)

Artisans in Kibera

// January 9th, 2012 // 6 Comments » // Kenya

Baraka, a sandal maker in Kibera with a great smile

Day 2 of our Nairobi shopping research project:

When you visit the curio shops at the craft markets in Nairobi, most of the vendors aren’t the ones actually making the products. They source them from all over Nairobi and Kenya, but I heard several people mention Kibera. Kibera has a lot of people (I put this vaguely because some sources say 170,000 while others say 1 million or more) so just asking around about crafts people could take some time. While I did visit Power Women the previous day, I wanted to visit more artisans. The question was, how to go about this…  (more…)

Power Women & My First Visit to Kibera

// January 3rd, 2012 // 8 Comments » // Kenya

A view of Kibera from the train tracks

I’ve been on a 3-day shopping tour of sorts in Nairobi. Not so much to purchase goods but more to research and learn about the people behind the beautiful crafts and curios sold around Kenya. I took my friend John from the village with me; I want to expose him to as much as I can and I also appreciate his assistance with translation and questioning at times.

Day One (Thursday):

By the time 7am rolled around, I think John and I had been in and out of consciousness for a few hours. Staying at a shoddy hotel right downtown near the main public transportation hub and lots of bars, the noise in the alley below was buzzing late into the night and started again very early in the morning.  We walked downstairs for our complimentary breakfast (okay the fact that this place is called a bed and breakfast is laughable because it’s definitely a hole in the wall). We… or I guess I should say I, decided to visit a women’s group in Kibera called Power Women on our first morning. Kibera is the largest slum in Kenya and the second largest in Africa. (more…)

Boxing Day, Presents, & More Family Visits in Kenya

// December 28th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Kenya

At the mention of Boxing Day, I asked the boys, “What exactly is Boxing Day?” The response was: “It’s the day after Christmas.” Of course it is. After a little bit of google research and asking a Canadian, I now know about Boxing Day. Here in Kenya I spent Boxing Day doling out gifts to the boys that Stella and I had put together for them (yes, I am ashamed to say that I was a day late because we never had a chance to sit down on Christmas and open presents). Then, we went to meet John’s sister and her family who were in from Nairobi.  (more…)