First pic is the outhouse. Then you see the stages of building a mud hut. The next pic with the rooster is an outdoor shower and the last one is the idyllic countryside that takes your breath away.

More pics of shamba

That is the kitchen in the huts. The boy Calvin is showing me how they the sisal rope and the grand lady there is repairing her mud hut.

My day in the shamba (farm)

Here are some pics from my day out in the countryside. I hope to go again there this weekend. I still need to transfer my pics from Parents Day to my flash. I am hopping busy right now. Since I am leaving in a week, people are coming out of the woodwork asking me to spend time with them. I am putting in VERY long days. Yesterday after work, I went to the slum area to have dinner with one of my teaching colleagues... unbelievable - she lives in a house smaller then my master bedroom at home with four children. And yet, she has an impeccable house and served me a delicious dinner of ugali, kale and eggs. The hospitality here is staggering for people who have so little.

So - here are some nice pics from the countryside. These are mud huts.... outdoor toilets and showers... The old lass is around 90 years old - oldest lady in the village. The cactus plant - they use to make rope... I have some pics of how they do that.

More pics of puppet show

Puppet day at the orphanage

Ran a sock puppet event at the orphanage on Saturday that went very well. You can see some of the pics. Bought 20 pairs of socks at the local market here and then picked up some craft supplies where I could find them. We made a makeshift puppet theatre and the kids had a lot of fun!

Mini - update...

Hi everyone,

Hope all is well .Slowing down in the pic department for awhile. Need to just concentrate on the work. Settling into a routine at the school, getting to know the kids better and better. Of course, I"ll just get really into the swing of things when it will be time to go! Oh well..

Very tired ... not sleeping well. I seem to be suffering a bit from allergies - I think I am allergic to something in my hut - it is VERY damp there and I suspect a bit mouldy. And the chalkdust at the school has been affecting me. So... I've had to use my inhaler a lot - which I have not used in about three years, taking antihistamines and coughing a ton. Plus - those twenty dogs I told you about.... they bark incessantly during the night, sometimes right outside my hut's door. They usually really get going at around 2am and don't stop for a couple of hours... it is pretty tiresome. I love dogs, but this is starting to be really frustrating for me. I hope to get a better night's sleep tonight.

I started up a new malaria medication - Larium - so cross your fingers that that works. But so far so good. Thanks Charles for all the advice.

Found a great pool to swim in which is making me very happy! A 25 metre at a local club - outdoors which is kind of nice. It is great to get some decent exercise.

One thing I have not mentioned that much about is the food. It is a mixture of African and Indian - lots of Indian influence. Tons of stuff which is deep fried which I am finding a bit much... I am missing my salads! And french fries in abundance - the real mccoy, but they come with EVERYTHING. In fact, in the slums, you will find people frying them up over little fires on the curbside. They hit the spot, but when they are with every meal, you start - at least I do - to get a bit sick of them. Not to mention it increases that need to exercise! But ugali is one of the staples... it is a corn dish, sort of looks like mash potatoes and you often use it instead of utensils to scoop up the food. In Mombasa we ate a lot of barbequed items. But there is quite a huge Indian population here and it has heavily influenced the food.

My work last Saturday with the orphanage was fun. They loved the soccer ball and madly got into a game. The girls and I (girls play soccer, but on this occasion it was only the boys) so the girls and I played rounders with a made up ball comprised of a plastic bag stuffed with garbage wrapped around itself several times.

After we went back to the Day Aid Centre and sang songs. I taught them the hokey pokey which they rather liked! Of course the sillier I get the better :> One little girl was not feeling well so she sat out... she is one of the kids suffering from HIV. They got their treat of pop and bread at the end of the visit. I am trying to think of a better and more nutritious snack for them this Saturday. A lady at the school who makes snacks for the kids at break time may help me out on that. She makes little bags of popcorn and she said she could make up some juice for me. Not that popcorn is terribly nutritious, but since for some of these kids - this is a major part of the food they are getting that day.. I am thinking that perhaps something a bit better than pop might do the trick - though they probably will disagree with me.. :> as of course they love their pop! :>

I have found myself a consistent Tuk Tuk driver who I call now when I need a lift. It is good to create relationships here - cuts down on all the haggling you need to do over price. OH yeah, I have a cell phone now if anyone would like to say hello in person. Email me and I will give you the number. But I realize it may be a bit much to call Kenya :>

Thanks again for your messages. Take care!Jen