Most of what Peter promised I would be involved with in Nairobi simply hasn't materialised. I was looking forward to helping children to read in Kangemi but I won't be doing that now. I was going to assist with computer lessons in Kibera but that was also a non-starter. It's been a strange and confusing time , these last 3 week but it's not all been in vain.
Before I go home and look for jobs and projects to be involved with I've had a timely reminder about how to evaluate situations and learning to trust my instincts. It's funny how the older we get we trust our feelings less and less but we must learn to listen to that inner voice we call instinct, intuition, whatever you will. Drawing the distinction between the two is so vital for getting anywhere in life.
I've had the chance for an extended holiday and seen parts of the country I never thought I'd get to see. Yesterday, for want of anything better to do I got a matatu out to Lake Magadi. My guide book describes it so well I think I'll steal the description:
"Lake Magadi is a vast shallow pool of soda, a sludge of alkaline water and crystal trona deposits lying in a Rift Valley depression 1000m below Nairobi. This is one of the hottest places in the country...a barren spit of land jutting out across the mulitcoloured soda..." (Richard Trillo 1999)
Going to one of the hottest places in the country after losing my hat and running out of suncream wasn't the wisest move but this was one place where I was guaranteed to see flamingoes. I've been so lucky with my wildlife spotting recently I thought I would add flamingoes to the list, another brightly coloured creature that you only see in books or on TV if you grow up in England. Now the only animal I've really missed while here is the lion. Still, I need a reason to come back to Kenya, maybe lion spotting and a balloon ride over the Maasi Mara one day...
I did see flamingoes, from a distance but the day went a little downhill after that. I had to wait an hour for the return matatu in the town square. Have you ever watched a Western where a stranger comes into town and loiters for too long? The townsfolk push their children in doors and pull down their shutters, any children left outside arm themselves with stones just in case and the adults watch from across the street, shaking their heads. Eventually the sherrif approaches the stranger to find out what the problem is. Of course there has to be a problem, why would any white tourist (who is obviously wealthy) come to a dusty hole in the ground like Magadi? I was beginning to ask myself the same question when the matatu finally arrived and I managed to escape.
The one project with which I have managed to help Peter has surprised me by how much I've enjoyed it. One of his personal ventures is a filmclub for high school students in an area called Pumwani. He's been teaching them the basics of everything from story structure to how to use a digital camera and I've assisted with lessons and occasionally taken some parts of the class.
Despite us all speaking English there have still been language barriers. I often speak too fast for them or use phrases they haven't come across. They were mostly unresponsive in the beginning, probably not sure how to respond appropriately to this strange white woman. Ultimately though they've shown themselves to be a really positive group of young people. I think they're keen to learn and grateful some stranger has come to teach them, which has helped them see beyond my skin colour.
I'm not a natural teacher but to an extent anyone can teach what they enjoy and I've been reminded just how much I do enjoy talking about plots and characters, what constitutes a theme or makes a good ending. These students are not the very poorest the city has to offer although some of them live in Majengo, next toPumwani, which is fairly infamous according to Peter (and smells pretty bad I've noticed). They're all in high school which means they're the lucky ones but they've all had to fight to get there. As part of learning about acting they each had to write a profile, most of which I've read and its obvious they've not had easy lives. A lot have lost a parent and many have had to move around schools and are still completing Form 4 when they're old enough to be finishing college. Probably none, or very few of them will go to college unless they can get sponsorship. It feels worthwhile teaching them about film simply because they're interested in it and its one of the few free gifts that they will get. They won't get taught about it in school and they caught afford college courses. I feel like we're giving them the gift of encouragement if nothing else and despite my short time with them I'm going to miss the class.
Being here has given me time to catch up with Lispa once or twice. She's resigned from her job with A Rocha which wasn't a surprise. It sounds like they're going through a tough time at Mwamba at the moment. Another staff member has also had to leave and Colin is due back any day now which could help but also rock the boat considerably. I feel relieved to have left when I did but also sad for them. But it's more than time to go home now. I can't wait! For all the cold and the dark and the high prices and the economic recession and the long waits for buses it's still home! Being away has made me realise how lucky I am to have the home that I do.
Experiences that haven't made into the blog include:
Running away from elephants with Lispa in Arabuko Sokoke Forest.
Losing my phone on the beach at Mwamba and then getting given money to buy a new one straight away.
A confrontation with a policeman on my first night in Nairobi when Rachel told him to his face he only wanted to bribe us - in Swahili!
A power line nearly falling on my matatu in Karen
Getting to stroke a Cheetah on the Nairobi Park Safari Walk.
The matatu hitting a donkey on the way to Lake Magadi!
The endless confrontations I've had with random people in the street, in parks, on buses wanting my phone number and wanting money from me.
Living at the Glory Star (Gory Scar) Hostel and getting lifts home in the back of someone's driving lesson (this morning I got a lift into town in a truck!)
For Those Who Pray
Thank you!
Thank you for praying for me for my safety, for my health, for finishing off well with A Rocha (my information display made it onto the wall).
There have been times when I've known people have prayed for me, situations where I could actually feel it.
Thank God that he's kept me in once piece and is bringing me safely home.
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