Third Chapter Kenya

I had a 14 hour odyssey in “the bush" recently. I accompanied, Zach, an officer from the Kenya Ministry of Education on a back country tour of state public schools. Zach was assessing teachers, and I volunteered to be his driver. It was an adventure on a number of levels! We left the tarmac very early in the journey and the “roads” were deeply rutted dirt paths that recent rains had virtually washed away. For hours we traversed countryside which was alternately stunning and depressing.The majesty of the land and the flora and fauna was juxtaposed against the stark reality of poverty of the people living often without even the barest necessities. Speaking of barest necessities….. The rural schools we visited gave me a deeper perspective on  education in Kenya and fueled my resolve more than ever to create a school that could serve as a model for educators throughout the country. Since 2003, primary education is mandatory for children in Kenya. Enforcement is minimal and facili...

Susie is in the States shepherding her son through his last days as a high schooler so I am solo in Kenya for a while. I did return to the States for a workshop on the International Baccalaureate and was homesick….for Kenya! I am acculturating quite fervently to this land of almost constant sun,glorious landscapes and fascinating culture. Here are some perfect moments in that culture. One night I decided to stop by Citimall to get a pizza for dinner. The pizza Inn there makes great pizza which replicates what one would find in the U.S. Citi Mall is an upscale shopping area in Nyali where we live.This is where expats hang as well as Kenyans with cash to spend. There are guards at the gates and while one checks your car inside and out another mans the large cross bar which blocks the entrance. I had an early Michael Jackson song blasting on the CD in the car. I looked up and noticed that the guard manning the cross bar was bebopping to the tune, the large rifle strung across h...

We are still learning a lot about the socioeconomic levels in Kenya. Like many aspects of figuring out the country we now call home, we are collecting bits and pieces of information, facts, and experiences . . . The cost of living in Kenya is about ⅔ the cost of living in the US. Some goods and services are significantly less expensive. For example, twice weekly laundry service costs us about $20.00/month. A car wash - hand wash, polished inside and out - can run between $2.00 and $4.00. Other goods and services are very expensive - by US standards, making them relatively exorbitant. Electronic good of any sort are pricey. Electricity is really expensive - so much so that all fans, lights, and especially air conditioning, is turned off when not in immediate use. There is a very small segment of the population that is extremely wealthy. Think range rovers, Mercedes Benz, and sending your kid to boarding school in Switzerland . . . The rumor is that most of this money is the f...

Engagement…. No, we are not making an upcoming wedding announcement! We both have always attempted to be fully engaged in all aspects of our lives. In Kenya engagement has a whole different meaning.  What’s wrong with this picture? Take a close look. These are the control knobs for our oven. Notice that there are no temperature markings. We’ve been told that Kenyan’s don’t do much baking in ovens - rather they use the stove top for many things or an outside charcoal oven. So, making brownies and cookies were exercises in trial and error and vigilant watching and adjusting - on then off then on again then higher then lower and on and off etc . . .  Ice cubes? Kenyans aren’ t really fans of ice in drinks. We are. Our freezer came equipped with a mini ice tray which produces ten little cubes of ice each freeze. We searched a few stores for more ice trays. Nope. So we improvised. We purchased two mini bundt baking pans, and now we make the coolest ice in Mombasa! Ice ...

Just a bit of context... Many Hopes is a charity that was initially founded by two journalists to rescue young girls from extreme poverty and the traumatic situations that often are associated with it. In the past 9 years Many hopes has provided a home for these girls in a group setting filled with joy and love. Additionally, they have worked tirelessly through the legal system in Kenya to provide protections for children. Front entrance A current initiative of the Many Hopes organization is to create a primary school (pre-K - 8th grade) with a student population comprised of girls from extreme poverty and girls from privilege. The hope is that these girls from very different backgrounds will form a network of empowered young women who will work in their home country to stem the tide of poverty and abuse. As founding head, my job is to oversee the completion of the building, develop a curriculum, establish a school culture, furnish and equip the interior and hire all the...

Every day is full of learning on many different fronts. It is challenging, but also invigorating. It makes you feel alive and alert . . .  and young! Kenya Time - As we plan our daily activities we’ve learned that Kenyan time is an important factor. Kenyan time usually means that a scheduled event will commence an hour or two or maybe even three (or perhaps not at all) after the scheduled time. So, it’s best to schedule important meetings in the morning as meetings scheduled in the afternoon may never happen. Driving - Driving in Kenya is like a demolition derby video game. The rules of the road are vague. The only thing that seems to be somewhat consistent is that you drive on the left- most of the time. Everything else is negotiable. The roads are narrow and there are no lane lines. It appears as if the numerous big trucks are coming straight at you. Thusly, Randy tends to drive on the right shoulder - a lot. Susie consistently remonstrates Randy as there are pedestrian...