A New Month

A new month

March 1, 2011

Christie is the maid here at Alice’s house. She’s 23 years old, the mother of one, and she is Ugandan. She is so sweet! She is beyond kind to me and works her rear end off around here. Although I’m not sure Alice thinks the same as I. Right now Christie is washing my clothes. I told her I would do it since I have no more classes today, but she refused me to even help her. She said that it was her pleasure to do my wash. Personally I don’t know how doing someone’s laundry can be a pleasurable job, and smelly socks aren’t any fun at all, but Christie is a wonderful young woman. 

When she mops the floor, she doesn’t use a mop. She uses a rag and she bends over and washing the entire floor bent at the waist washing the tiles. Now this house is all tile floors, so there’s a lot to wash.  This morning when I got up, Christie was cleaning the tables in the sitting room. She’s always doing something around here. I’ve only seen her sit once during the day and that was with Edna and they watched a program on TV. 

Town today Yeah

I went into town with Edna and Sarah. First we hitched a ride in a pick-up with a teacher from Kibomet Secondary School, then we got on boda boda, which is essentially a bicycle with an extra seat on the back and the guy peddles you to where you want to go. Well it only cost 20 shillings. I gave the guy extra cause I’m not light weight. LOL

Once in town we went all over the place, I mean all over. Bank, dress shop, pharmacy, lunch, and then to the open market where Edna and Sarah shopped for clothing. I gave them fashion advice. I know DON”T LAUGH!! I’m actually pretty good at it. ANYWAY after that we came home on a motorbike. I rode with Mike again. YEAH, I’m so glad I got to get off of my feel.

While we were in town the kids from the local high schools were parading around and singing. Why? Well I’ll tell you. Yesterday the results for the national school rankings came out so to celebrate the kids walk around town and sing. It’s really quite interesting. School rankings here in Kenya are a BIG DEAL. Then being the top student in the country is like becoming king for a year here! If a student does well in school, say  an A or high B student they can go to the university. If you get a lower grade than that, you still can go, but you are very limited in your options. The school I teach at now, Kibomet AIC Secondary School did very well in the rankings. It should considering the biology and chemistry lab they have. 

So that was my day. Got to get out and into town and that doesn’t happen often. I know I’ll be going this weekend, but I’m glad I got to go with Edna and Sarah. I had a good time.