To our friends following our adventures in Kenya,

I want to thank all of you who have read our blogs, seen our photos, and followed our time in Kenya. This has been an exceptional trip and the efforts of the students went beyond anything I anticipated. During our final meeting, the students shared many words of thanks for what I had done, the work of the many teachers at the schools we worked with, and the staff at Batian’s View. I replied that what we had done was the easy part, that of setting up the opportunity for them to come to Kenya.
The more challenging component to all of this was for them to seize the opportunity and grow from this special experience. This was most definitely the
hard part. As you have read and seen, their hard work paid off handsomely. They have raised the bar for what a group of visitors can accomplish in a short time
in Kenya, and I look forward to creating similar opportunities for future students in the years to come.

Tutaonana marafiki wangu. We will see
each other in the future, my friends.

Fred Roberts

St. Gregory Dean of Students

Annie at the helm of her class.

Dispatch from Kenya
June 28, 2011
By Annie Odell, Miramonte High School

Note from Fred Roberts, St. Gregory Dean of Students: For several months leading up to going to Kenya, I communicated frequently with Annie about her idea of building a book cart to donate to one of the schools here. I was a bit skeptical given the magnitude of her idea, not to mention that none of the schools we work with have walkways on which to move such a cart. We discussed these challenges but her passion was not to be denied. She collected more than 200 pounds of books, which she brought with her to Kenya. She drew plans for the cart that she scanned and sent me prior to her arrival. I found a carpenter near Batian’s View to create this unique contraption. On June 28 the cart was delivered to Gitinga Primary School, where Annie had been teaching the previous two weeks. Gitinga does have two new classrooms for the kindergarten students, and floors as smooth as glass. The sidewalks to the other classrooms will come later. After filling only half of the cart with the books she donated (we will work on the other half of the cart for next year), Annie read the following letter to the faculty. If you haven’t shed a tear while reading the previous dispatches, this one will do the trick:

Dear Gitinga Teachers and School,
First off I want to say that it has honestly been my pleasure to work with all of you these past two weeks. Six months ago, when talk of traveling to Kenya first began, I never believed that I would be sitting here now writing to you reflecting on how much of an impact these weeks have had on my life. Each one of the teachers and students that I have gotten to interact with have left a mark on me, and memories that I will cherish forever. The love of learning that is so abundant among the students here has amazed me and the first-hand experiences that I have had teaching my own lessons have inspired me to donate my mobile library cart to your school.

The idea of creating this library cart first emerged about seven months ago, sitting around my backyard with my family and friends trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to do to achieve my Girl Scout Gold Award. The Gold Award is the most prestigious honor you can achieve in Scouting. It requires a scout to identify a need in their community, whether local, national or international, discover a solution, and leave something behind. Finally, after much thought, Africa became a topic of interest. Our family friends, the Colewell’s, being good family friends with Fred Roberts, began telling us all about Kenya and Batian’s View. Knowing that literacy is a problem in many Kenyan schools, I knew then that I wanted to center my project on improving literacy rates in Kenyan Schools. Back then my project was a dream. Now, six months later and after more than 200 hours of planning and a lot of faith, my project became a reality. In those months I was able to collect children’s books from Girl Scout troops all around Orinda, with the help of Margot (my sister) and her friend Liz Berndt. We also raised more than $500 towards the cart and with the help and support of my parents, found a way to ship these books and myself to Kenya.

I can honestly say that my experience here in Kenya has strengthened me both physically and emotionally. In the beginning and at some points throughout the trip, I wished I could go back to the comfort of my life in California. However, I forced myself out of my comfort zone, forged ahead, and benefited greatly. This experience has definitely changed the way I will look at my life now, and how I will look at my life in the future.
Gitinga teachers and students, I am so thankful for all you have provided me. All of you invited me into your school with open arms and welcoming smiles from day one. Your hospitality and kindness have given me an experience that I will never forget.

It is only right that my Girl Scout Gold Award library cart be donated to your school so that I may give back to you a small portion of what you have given to me. The books have all been donated with love and the hope that the students’ love of learning and reading never dies. I pray that this cart influences these children’s lives as much as they have influenced mine.

A thousand thank-yous,
Annie Odell
Miramonte High School
Orinda, California

Meghan and her students.

Note: Better late than never! The students have left Kenya, but this blog just arrived by email:

Dispatch from Kenya

June 21, 2011

By Meghan Colwell, Atlanta Girls’ School

The day at Manyatta Primary School began with a ceremony for those who did well on last week’s midterm exams. Those at the
top received badges reading, “Best in Math,’’  “Best in Social Studies,” etc. They will wear
these proudly on their school uniforms until the next exam period. These awards
are very public, serving as incentive for all students to work hard and excel.
Not surprisingly there are a few students frequently at the top, and a few
students always near the bottom. For this latter group it is easy to become
discouraged when time after time they stand before the school last in their
class. And that is how they do it, the kids line up by class according to how
they did on their exams, so everyone can see how they compare to their peers.

To keep morale high each grade level has an award for “Best
Improved,” regardless of a student’s overall rank. The little boy who improved
most in standard two was toward the end of the ranking line, yet the
headmaster, Mr. Weru, lifted the mwanafunzi
(student) high in the air to celebrate his improvement. The flag of Kenya
waved above the school, and the entire school gave the student a loud ovation.

Meghan and Lauren Stern with fellow teachers.

After a short chai and mandazi break, I taught Standard
Four mathematics. Yesterday I chose my preferred subject, social studies, for
my first day of teaching. While I would love to teach this subject the entire
time, the language barrier is difficult with a topic that is learned largely
through discussion. Numbers, on the other hand, are universal. The students are
much more responsive with math; they stand on seats of their desks, raise their
hands, snap their fingers, and whisper, “teacha! teacha!” hoping that I will
call on them. Today they struggled with fractions, so I abandoned the book and
taught them the way I learned in elementary school. I drew a large circle,
representing 1/1. I then drew line down the center to represent ½. This went on
for some time and then we did a few practice problems and we corrected them
together, which I believe helped with their comprehension. Bit by bit I am
learning how to connect with the students and overcome the many obstacles in my
way.

Over a lunch of ugali and sakuma-wiki, Mr. Kinite, my
supervisor at Manyatta, and I discovered our mutual interest in politics.
Kenyans love our dear president, Mr. Obama, and everyone wants to hear how well
he is doing. They were aware of the recession, but shocked when I told them it
has been extremely detrimental to the U.S. economy and Obama’s
popularity. I explained the harsh reality of American unemployment and poverty,
that the U.S. is not the country of overwhelming prosperity that they thought,
and that in reality the majority of our wealth is concentrated in the hands of
a few. From my conversations I have come to better understand an outsider’s
view of Obama; that he was without a doubt the better vote, and that his
message and ideas have provided hope and optimism worldwide. His election
proved that American democracy is mature and just. He has earned for the United States
greater respect from other countries.

Githeri, eaten daily at Manyatta.

Mr. Kinite wanted to hear about the 2012 election, the
two-party system, and the functioning of state governments, so I told him about
how most of today’s circumstances have roots in the Great Compromise and the
conflict between Jefferson and Hamilton. Tomorrow I will bring the teachers a
recent Economist that gives a briefing of the issues that are splitting
the country and that will likely determine next year’s election. I never
expected to be talking politics in Kenya,
but I am so pleased that I am and learning how others see America and our
government.

We also discussed subjects such as professional sports,
refrigerators, contact lenses, and the absurd practice of keeping animals as
family members. Lawrence
laughed, “If a dog cannot find food and does not provide protection for our
farm, we drive it away!” He told us that Kenyans couldn’t comprehend why
Americans want to “slim” (diet), while at the same time eat twice as much at
the average Kenyan. Lawrence
added, “In Kenya fatness is a sure indication of wealth. But we only eat what
we can afford, and what we need. If my wife and I are going to share a meal, I
slaughter a chicken; if I am having ten guests I slaughter a goat or a sheep;
if more, do you know what I do? I slaughter a cow.” Food here is not looked at
the same as in America,
where we can be picky and have more variety than is needed. Here, food is not a
luxury but something Kenyans work for each day, and they don’t care if they eat
the same thing day after day. The goal is to be healthy and only eat what can
be raised on the family farm or purchased locally.

After lunch two teachers showed me the river behind school,
and proceeded to tell me about the fish, wild berries, water quality of the
area, and about the deforestation that is slowly being reversed. When the lunch
break was over I asked what I should teach, but they responded with cries of,
“Oh! No, no! We have teachers in each class right now! You stay here, take more
chai, and let us continue our discussion.” I suppose that they enjoy learning
about America
as much as I am captivated by their impression of our country. Lawrence’s
final words to me, “When you have spare dollars, do not buy a pet rat, or what
have you, please remember Kenya
and these students. We need text books more than you need a pet rat.”

Quite quickly I have found that Kenyans value hard work and
an education above almost everything else. Unfortunately, from what I have been
told, Kenya’s education system holds pockets of corrupttion, is very
inefficient, and is not conducive to creative thinking at all, the latter being
my first-hand observation. Learning about education here has given me a much
greater appreciation for our education system back home, which Americans never
fail to criticize, and often take for granted.

Teaching in Kenya is fulfilling because of the students’ desire to learn. The fact that they get
as much enjoyment from learning as I do from teaching is making this experience
very gratifying. I wonder, however, what type of impact I am really having?
What little difference, if any, will be left in my wake? I’m not sure, and
likely the students are not sure either, but if I have an opportunity to return
to Kenya I will be prepared to make a significant and lasting difference.

While the teaching is a special experience, more enlightening
is the interaction I am able to have with Kenyans. It starts, of course, at
school in the form of conversation with Manyatta’s students and teachers. We
are living the Kenyan lifestyle, from eating the traditional dishes, packing 18
people into a matatu meant for 11, haggling in the market, finding our
way around Naro Moru and Nanyuki, to shaking hands and exchanging a “Jambo” with everyone we pass. Even more
intimate are the dinners at neighbors’ homes, which, despite the lack of
electricity and spaciousness, impart more of a sense of welcome than most
Americans will ever experience.

-Meghan Colwell

A herd of elephants, photographed by Fred Roberts.

June 27, 2011
By Fred Roberts, St. Gregory Dean of Students, and several others.

For the last three days, our group of intrepid adventurers were in Samburu Game
Reserve, roughly three hours north of Batian’s View. Samburu was established in
the late 1960s, a tract of the richest stretch of the Ewaso Nigro
River. The river is the largest catchment for all the smaller rivers running from the north off of Mt. Kenya
and the Aberdare Mountains, and is the lifeblood of the
pastoral cultural groups living in the area. While one could argue that the
abundance of wildlife and diversity is not near what is found in the more
famous southern areas, such as the Serengeti or the Maasai Mara, the peace and
scenic beauty of Samburu is well worth the effort in reaching this remote
destination.

Our camp, photographed by Fred Roberts.

From Batian’s View and the town of Naro Moru we drove north on the only tarmac road, climbing to an elevation of 8,000 feet on the
northwestern side of Mt.  Kenya. Here there were large farms of wheat and other cash crops that upon harvesting were destined
for international markets. We then began a long descent towards the town of Isiolo, lying 5,000 feet below.
The environment shifted dramatically from fertile soils to that of acacia plains, grazing camel and thin topsoil where little farming is practiced. For
those of us from Tucson, it is similar to driving from the top of Mt. Lemmon which is chilly and heavily forested to that
of the desert environment surrounding the Desert Museum.

Our crew, photographed by Elizabeth Goodwin.

After entering the park we drove another hour to our campsite on the banks of the Ewaso Nigro
River. Luckily we found a large site on which to pitch our 16 tents and set up our kitchen. Before
unloading any supplies, we first had to set up a large tent in which to put all
of our food and cooking supplies. Why, might you ask? Because along with this
being our temporary home, it is the permanent home to a troop of baboon very
used to unwary   campers, and quite able to run through camp
and snatch a loaf of bread or unguarded bunch of bananas. These are wise
animals and know when a free lunch is available. The tent was soon set up and
we unloaded our gear without incident before setting off on our first game
drive.

Buffalo Springs, photographed by Fred Roberts.

Rather than one of us writing the daily blog while in Samburu, each of us contributed
snippets of our time to share with you. And here they are:

Students at the Ewaso Nigro River, photographed by Fred Roberts.

What could be more awesome than driving along a rutted, sandy road in Samburu and
spotting animals that you have only seen in zoos or dreamt about in the Lion
King, like lion, giraffe, zebra, warthogs and crocodile? For me the last two
days in Samburu have been irigithathi (Kikuyu for first born, or
something you have never experienced before). My first time camping out under
the stars, the first time sipping chai and singing songs to a ukulele’s tune
under the constellation Scorpio, the first time jumping into a refreshing
spring ringed by algae, and my first time being only feet away from a lioness
and a pair of elephant. This entire trip to Kenya has been filled with novel
experiences and ending in Samburu was perfect as we were able to relax (even
with the 6 a.m. morning game drives) and be together before going back home. – Emily
Hansen.

Fish eagle, photographed by Athena Roesler.

The memory I will have of Samburu is of our fist night. The sun set at 6:30 and we
ate dinner by headlamp. After another delicious dinner we filled our cups with
chai and sat on the sandy bank of the river next to our campsite. The students
were softly singing a variety of songs, the Lion King included. The sky was
filled with stars and the cool breeze felt wonderful after a hot day. It was
the perfect way to close another amazing day in Kenya. – Fred Roberts

Elephant, photographed by Megan Colwell.

I awoke this morning to the serenade of baboons barking in the trees above my
tent. If you would reread the previous sentence you would realize how surreal
this entire experience has been! The majority of us got up at 6 a.m., our
mission to see cheetah and leopard, the hardest animals to find in Samburu. My
most treasured memory of this morning took place before we set out on safari. I
was getting ready to go and Dom and Ali told me to look at the horizon. I
expected to see the sun peaking over the distance hills. However I was
pleasantly surprised to see two giraffe walking on the horizon’s edge. It was
not yet light enough to see them clearly, but watching their humble, yet
majestic bodies glide across the land truly made me realize the beauty of Kenya. – Lauren
Bolhack.

Lioness, photographed by Athena Roesler.

Jumping into Buffalo Springs, a natural spring around which a cement wall was created
to form a swimming hole, is a memory I will never forget. As Lauren, Emily,
Olivia and I leaped into the water, I felt a snowball of seaweed hit me in the
tummy! Even after a small red spot formed where I was hit, I could only laugh
and shake my finger at Carlos Franco, who had thrown the mass of slime at me.
(I will get even with him when school begins!) How could I be mad when I was
swimming in the middle of an open plain with zebra and giraffe on my right and
oryx and impala on my left? Being completely surrounded by Kenya’s natural
beauty and all of my friends could not have left me with a more stunning
memory. – Athena Roesler.

Male lion, photographed by Meghan Colwell.

On our morning drive we came across an adolescent male lion, dozing on the bank of
the river. We watched in silence and the lion began to stir, as if being
watched. He then opened his eyes and looked directly into mine. I will never
forget his stare and the majesty that comes with being the king of beasts! – Christine
Porter.

Sunset, photographed by Athena Roesler

Looking down at the stone built pool I was skeptical to jump in, but soon found out
that it was the most relaxing part of my day. It was like a pool party in Kenya. We were
frolicking in the spring and surrounded by wildlife in every direction! – Louie
Sanders.

We have seen many lion today, but the highlight was that of one young male roaring
as it emerged from the bush right in front of our vehicle. To hear the roar of
a lion with my very own ears was something I will never forget! – Anonymous.

Today as Olivia and I attempted to nap in our tent, we were rudely awakened by
several vervet monkey investigating our tent from only two feet away! I was so
surprised that I screamed, and this surprised our visitors as well as they
scampered away and ran high up into the trees. – Lila Conlee.

Safari! Photographed by Fred Roberts

By far my most favorite moment of our time in Samburu was Sunday night during
dinner. Lila and I walked down to the edge of the Ewaso Nigro
River to join the others who were already eating. Our plates were filled with another one of Ngigi’s
delicious meals. Just as we sat down Lila let out a sharp scream, for right in
front of us was a small monkey. He was a bold little fella and reached out to
grab a potato off of Lila’s plate, hitting her hand in the process. Of course
we busted out laughing hysterically as we quickly got up and ran back to camp,
our dinner plates safely in hand. When we got there I was laughing so hard I
couldn’t retell the story, and all Lila could say was, “A monkey just hit me!” -
Alexandra Harrison.

Young male lion, photographed by Athena Roesler

Today was a day of exceptional experiences for me. I’m very lucky that at the age of
17, I can say that I have swum in an African spring so clear and dark blue that
we could see the bottom. I have sat on the bank of a river quietly reading
while monkeys strolled by not more than 10 feet away. On one of the evening
game drives I saw a small herd of elephant, and a lion that was relaxing nearby
seemingly watching the elephant’s every move. When the elephants got too close
to the lion he got up and walked towards our car, passing just in front of us.
Then to our surprise the lion rolled in some fresh elephant dung! Much as
humans put on artificial scent to appeal to the opposite gender, I guess the
smell of elephant excrement is what turns the lionesses on! We ended the day
with a night around the fire telling stories and singing songs to the playing
of a ukulele. I wonder what I can do to top this when I am 18?!? – Meghan
Colwell.

Curio shop, photographed by Christine Porter

My favorite part of Samburu? What a hard question to answer! Though we have had
lots of unique and wild experiences, my favorite part of the trip is something
very simple in comparison. My favorite part has been the times we’ve shared
around the campfire. When everyone is together under the stars, this is when I
feel most at home with my friends. The feeling so being completely comfortable
in a place so far away and different is truly incredible. Somewhere in Samburu,
surrounded by darkness (and many baboons), we have become a family. – Anonymous.

My favorite thing to see this weekend was the whole picture. The mountains in the
distance with the sun high above them, the hills covered in acacia trees, the
silhouette of giraffe walking across the horizon in the morning, monkey
grooming each other in the trees, and the beautiful iridescent blue starlings
watching us as we laughed and swam in the little oasis in the desert. It
couldn’t get any better. – Alison Salzer.

This morning as I walked out of the bathroom, a term which I use loosely, I was
greeted by five Lesser Kudu just a few yards away. My companion began the
speech he had prepared in case we ran into any Kudu, but before he could begin
they slowly walked away. I guess they had heard it before! – Anonymous.

Gernick, photographed by Fred Roberts

After our final game drive we had a continental breakfast of chai and toast, slowly
savoring our last meal while sitting on the bank of the river. It was so
peaceful, and a calm moment before we had to pack up the vehicles and return to
Batian’s View. Just outside of the park gate we stopped at what looked like a
community curio shop. Much to our surprise the shop was completely empty; but
not for long. From every boma (Samburu homestead) in sight, women were
hastily walking or running with their goods. They streamed into the bare shop
and within minutes, it turned into a menagerie of beaded bracelets, earrings,
beaded necklaces 8 inches in radius, headbands, and a host of other very
interesting items. The shop was small and the Samburu women were talking rapid
fire in their mother tongue, each vying for a tabletop or shelf on which to
display their wares. It looked like chaos, but I’m sure they had a well thought-out
system. If you liked an item in one section of the shop, and another item
belonging to another vendor, you still continued to bargain with the owner of
the first item, but now the additional item was added to the haggling session.
It was as if the women were all working in concert together, for after making
payment I’m sure they figured out who received which part of the final payment.
It was a whirlwind of an experience and great fun as well. And like every other
bargaining session we have entered, we exited a bit exhausted but still very
pleased with the new items that will keep our memories of Samburu fresh in our
minds for many years to come. It was also nice to bring an influx of revenue
into the community, and help the residents in other ways. – Anonymous

Meeting the children of Kenya has been joyous.

June 28, 2011

Dispatch from Kenya

By Fred Roberts, St. Gregory Dean of Students

The last four days have been a whirlwind of adventure for us, and quite suddenly I find myself without the company of the students, my friends, with whom I have shared a wonderful and very meaningful last three weeks. I am in a hotel in Nairobi, the last place I want to be, having just dropped off the students at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for their departure to London and onward flight to Phoenix. I stayed at the airport long enough to see the final students check their bags, enter security, and that was as far as I could go. This is, without a doubt, the most bittersweet part of the trip, but one that comes regardless how badly the students, and I, would like our time together to continue.

We returned from Samburu late yesterday afternoon and everyone made a fast track to the available showers.  It was dry and dusty in Samburu, and a fine patina of brown covered our bodies, clothing and bags when we reached Batian’s View. A small price to pay for the wonderful time we had camping along with Ewaso Nigro River, watching giraffe saunter by as we sipped our morning chai, and seeing the animals for which this region is so famous.  Lion, elephant, oryx, Grevys zebra, baboon, vervet monkey, common zebra, dik-dik (the smallest of Africa’s antelope) and warthog were seen on almost every game drive. Try as we might, the leopard eluded us, which is not uncommon. I trust, however, that at one point or another a leopard was watching us from a secluded spot, waiting until darkness until beginning another night’s work of hunting.

Last night we had another wonderful meal together and to top off the day the students rode the zip line in the dark. We then retired to the library for hot chocolate and our final debriefing of the day, and of the trip. As the students shared their feelings, one common theme was that the experience was nothing that they had expected. Several of the students said that they have been pushed out of their comfort zones, and were quite unsettled in the beginning. But with time and a realization that the Kenyan teachers and students welcomed them with open arms, the feelings of hesitation and nervousness dissolved into that of feeling part of a larger community. I must admit that one of my goals is to make the students feel pushed, to enter situations they are uncomfortable with, and to find the resources to expand their comfort zones to include stepping into a new culture and into a new role of teaching in a rural Kenyan classroom. They all passed my challenge with flying colors, and I bet that any one of them would be just as happy to leave the departure lounge in which they are now sitting and return to Batian’s View for another round of teaching and experiencing life in Kenya. I truly hope that one day they can return and to pick up where they left off.

This morning many of the students made quick trips to their respective schools for a final farewell. Then back at Batian’s View they quickly packed their bags and had one final lunch of ugali (maize meal), sukumu wiki (spinach), and goat stew. And of course, a few cups of chai. On the way to Nairobi we stopped in the town of Karatina, which has one of the largest open air markets in East Africa. This is not a tourist market selling carvings or bags, but one where fruit, vegetables and beans of all shapes and sizes are purchased by buyers from Nairobi to sell elsewhere. The market covers several football fields, and is abuzz with activity. A few of the students found one corner where Kenyan fabrics were sold, and returned to the vehicles wrapped in colorful cloths of different sizes and patterns. I have a feeling that some of these will be the new fashion statement on the St. Gregory campus when school resumes in August. The remainder of our trip was uneventful and we dodged the Nairobi traffic with a new bypass going directly from the outskirts of town to the airport.

It is hard for me to find words to describe this year’s Kenya trip. The experiences, adventures and surprises have been plentiful, and when it seemed like we would fall into a routine, a new opportunity would present itself. This has been an exceptional group of young women and men to work with.

As the days passed they became more independent, and took advantage of the opportunities before them. This included visiting Lipela Children’s Home after their day at school, walking up the road to purchase mandazi (Kenyan doughnuts) from a local chai house, and feeling quite at home in the Naro Moru market as they looked at the different shops and ate roasted corn on the roadside. These are not activities I organized or initiated, but rather that of the students. As an educator this is a very gratifying experience. I had done my job of helping the students become acclimatized to their new surroundings, realizing that it is OK to take risks in speaking Kiswahili, dressing according to cultural norms, understanding that it is normal for 50 children to want to touch you at once, and knowing how far to push beyond one’s comfort zone. It is at this point my role as a teacher or chaperone of the trip ends, as I know the students are more than capable of taking care of themselves, and of each other.  I have become obsolete, and I couldn’t be happier.

I would like to thank the parents of these students for allowing me the opportunity to take their child half way around the world and show them a part of Kenya that few visitors ever see.  It is a rare pleasure for me to get to know my students so well, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. They have done an excellent job of sharing their time and energy with their Kenyan students, and in ways that are immeasurable they have made a difference in the lives of these young boys and girls.

I would also like to thank the St. Gregory community and many others for the contributions made to our fundraising efforts. We had the resources to build a new classroom at Gitinga Primary School, purchase textbooks and repaint all of the black boards at another primary school.  The new stone and cement classroom at Gitinga still needs a couple of weeks to complete, but the difference this will make in creating a more positive learning environment will be significant.

To my colleagues at St. Gregory, I appreciate your support of the Kenya trip and the encouragement you have provided the last seven years. To Ms. Heintz and Mr. Martin, your support of this program has been extremely important and given me the confidence to think far into the future in how we can take the learning out of the classroom, and allow the students do the teaching for themselves. The lessons they have learned are not found in a textbook or in a lecture, but through their own initiative and hard work. Last but not least, I thank Amanda Rutherford (St. Gregory Class of ‘05) who did as much as I in guiding and assisting the students in this wonderful adventure.

Our dispatches do not end here, however. Given the short time we had from returning from Samburu and our departure to Nairobi, our adventures of Samburu will be coming soon, as well as many photos. And likely one or two more dispatches as I reflect on what has been a very special experience for my students and me.

Signing off,

Fred Roberts

Fred and running partner Wachira.

June 23, 2011

Dispatch from Kenya

By Fred Roberts, St. Gregory Dean of Students

(Written June 10, soon after arriving in Kenya)

I was 30 minutes into my run on a route I call the “long loop backwards.’’ This is more challenging than just the “long loop’’ because doing it backwards involves a mile and a half up-hill section that is a killer. At the top is a primary school, and on any weekday there are dozens of children making their way to school. Approaching the first group a few join me and I pick up the pace a bit, encouraging them along. They soon slow and I come to another group, and the same pattern ensues. Before I know it I am being pushed to run as hard as I can to keep up with the more aggressive young runners. Towards the top when a fresh runner takes over, I no longer have the wind in me to say natia, which is hello in Kikuyu, as I push myself to the top.

Today’s run was a different. As I approached the base of the hill I was joined by another runner moving at a brisk pace. It was my long-time friend Charles Wachira Maina. He had recently returned from Jakarta where he ran a 10-kilometer race and came in third.  He is a professional runner and lives just past Manyatta Primary School, where Collin Maguire and Lauren Stern are teaching, about a mile up the road from Batian’s View.

I was surprised to see him, but then again, not too surprised as these are the roads he trains on when he is not running internationally. We exchanged greetings and updated each other on our recent races and our current training. I had to push my pace considerably to keep up with him, and I knew that he had to slow down considerably to match my effort. I was working hard but it was great to have a partner on this stretch of the run.

Wachira went to Manyatta Primary School and then to Naro Moru Boys School for secondary school. He then went to Kenya Polytechnic School and earned a degree in accounting. It was there he began running seriously and realized he was pretty good at it. But not good enough to leave school or not pursue a job after graduating.

He found a job at a tea factory in Karicho, in western Kenya. He worked in the accounting department and also monitored machinery. There he hooked up with a group of runners being trained by Mike Kosher, one of the better coaches in Kenya. In 2006, after two years with the factory and training under Mike’s supervision, he took a chance on running professionally. He had been successful in many local road races and had placed just short of making Kenya’s national cross-country team. Keep in mind that for every Kenyan we see breaking the tape at the New York Marathon or another renowned race, there are 50 or so others who are only a minute or two away from filling the same position. Wachira is one of those runners.

After our run we talked more about his decision to become a professional runner. He had the support of his family, which is huge here. Often if a family member earns a degree and has a steady job, much of one’s income goes back to the family. In Wachira’s case, considering that his father worked a small family farm to provide for his family, the pressure for Wachira to continue his job must have been significant. With the blessings of his father Wachira pursued his passion, which was now to be his employment.

His first two years were difficult.  He moved to Ngong, outside of Nairobi, a hotbed for up and coming runners, as well as Olympic caliber runners. He moved into a house shared by other runners and trained without a coach. A few road races later he got the attention of an international manager who wanted him to run in Europe as a “rabbit.’’ A rabbit is the runner who pushes the pace early in a race so the elite runners have someone to go after. The rabbit is not expected to win, but rather to drop out three quarters into the race to that the elite runners can battle it out to the finish.

Wachira’s first assignments were to push the best runners in the marathon, often leading the pack to mile 18 until he tired and was passed by the better runners. After many races as the ‘rabbit’ he realized that his forte might be in the shorter distances, the 10 km races or half marathons. He still enters races as a ‘rabbit’ as this brings assured compensation, but he also runs the shorter races, and runs them to win. He currently is the defending winner in three races in Germany and has won others in Jakarta, the Netherlands and Singapore. 

Wachira’s goal, however, is to become a premier marathoner. He has recorded times of 2:14 twice and several more below the 2:20 mark. In the U.S., this would put him near the top, but in Kenya he is in a large crowd and he must get under 2:10 to make a name for himself. He is only 28, just now approaching the prime age of most elite marathoners, and he is biding his time.

To the ordinary runner, Wachira puts in an insane number of miles per week. When training for a race he will amass 140 to 170, following a schedule that is equally intense.  For instance, after our nine-mile run he was going home, having some chai and ugali, and resting. Just before lunch he was going out for another six miles at a steady 6:30 per mile pace. After lunch he would take a nap and do a few small jobs around the family farm.  At 5:30 he goes out for another six miles, this time at an easy pace to loosen up before an hour of stretching and light weight work. He does this three days a week. One day is his long run, which is normally 25 miles or so. Another two days are committed to speed work, and one day is for rest.

When I tell him how impressed I am with his work ethic, he replies that what I am doing is equally impressive, holding a job, having a family and other responsibilities, and still managing to run daily. Besides, he adds, “this is my job and to do my best. I must work hard, just as you do with your job.’’ I feel much better when considering the 60 to 70 miles I put in each week when gearing up for an important race.

Wachira may be one of Kenya’s next Olympic hopefuls, but he is as humble as can be. During our runs he often slows down when approaching a neighbor or an acquaintance to exchange greetings. He isn’t pretentious and talks about other Kenyans who have been wildly successful and have squandered their millions of prize money on vehicles and fancy homes. With his first paycheck from a race in Germany he purchased his parents a posho mill, used to grind corn into flour, as well as three milk cows. The runners he admires most are those who give back to the Kenyan community, such as Paul Tergat who is a spokesperson for Unicef, or Catherine Nderaba who has established several running camps for women.

Wachira estimates his average “salary’’ at about $20,000, an incredible amount of money in a country where the per capita income is barely $600. From his gross earnings deductions are made for his agent, taxes, travel, living expenses in Kenya and abroad and a long list of other items. In the end Wachira has about half of that which he uses to help support his family and for a few projects of his own. One of those is a small shop he opened three years ago in Nairobi. His next project is to build a modest apartment complex. While Wachira has hopes of making the big time with his running, he is leaving nothing to chance. The small shop and apartment building will bring him a steady income for many years to come whether he becomes an elite level runner or not.  

I have another six weeks in Kenya and will be running with Wachira twice a week, the days he does his longer, but much slower, runs. He then goes to Europe in late August to run roughly a dozen races in two months. I also have a race in August, an ultra marathon in Colorado, and if I can keep with my own training and runs with Wachira, I will be more than ready. In fact, I may be in the best shape ever for an ultra. Wachira has taught me many valuable lessons in my struggle to become a stronger runner. The lessons that stick with me, however, have more to do with passion, perseverance, character, and generosity; lessons I will have with me long after crossing any finish line.

Lauren in the classroom.

June 23, 2011

Dispatch from Kenya

By Lauren Stern, St. Gregory Class of ’11

Today I am writing you from inside of Batian’s View’s library as rain showers down through sunshine outside. The rain in Kenya is beautiful and always highly celebrated. I know that our new friends, students and colleagues will be very excited for the rain to water their shambas (farms).

For me, today was a very bittersweet day as our fellow teachers celebrated our departure from Manyatta Primary School. I cannot believe that we have already started to discuss our departure; our time here has flown by, and none of us want to think about how soon we will be returning home. Africa has embraced us with open arms and surprised every single one of us in so many ways.

Throughout our days here we have built a family of old and new friends. The 18 of us (12 from St. Gregory, three from Atlanta Girls’ School, and six from Miramonte High School in California) have undergone a truly life changing experience. We have cemented our friendships through our long walks to school, safari trips and all our time at our new home, Batian’s View. We have seen things that we will never be able to put in words, and met people that will be imprinted in our hearts forever. When we step off of the plane in America I can easily say that none of us will be the same as when we left. The people of Africa welcomed us and taught us so much. They have been unimaginably kind and loving to all of us, and we will never be able to repay them for the invaluable lessons they have taught us. No one can ever really understand what Kenya is like until they taste the chai, walk the dusty streets, hug a smiling child, see a wild lion or, most importantly, talk to the amazing people.

Although we have had many amazing and breathtaking experiences that have easily been relayed to you, the thing that we can never truly portray is the kindness of the people. Kenyans live entirely different lives than we do in America and they have taught us so much about happiness. We have been spoiled at Batian’s View but have also gained a true picture of what life for Kenyans is really like. What is truly amazing about their lives is the joy and happiness they find in hard work and everyday routine. Kenyans work extremely hard for things that are effortlessly provided to us in America, yet are able to find much satisfaction and solitude in their work.

I can honestly say I have not heard one complaint out of a Kenyan’s mouth in my time here. It is an astonishing thing to really think about. We have been here for three weeks and have talked to many, many people and not one person that I can recall has complained. It is hard to imagine this environment until you have observed people with such a positive view on life.

Lauren learned about digging and about the deeper meaning of life in Kenya.

The Kenyans have inspired me to truly contemplate my view on life. During our first day of community service, after stepping out of the van I eagerly grabbed a shovel and headed to the digging site. I worked all of my muscles, pushing the shovel into a big pile of dirt. Laughter quickly erupted from those standing around me as they saw the pathetic handful of dirt that was left on the shovel. I joined them in laughter as I looked around me to see the dirt pouring over the sides of the overfilled shovels that the Africans held.

Many of the surrounding diggers showed me how to most efficiently transport the dirt with my shovel from a large pile into the wheelbarrow. They instructed me to scoop the shovel parallel to the ground at the bottom of the pile and quickly the piles of dirt on my shovel grew exponentially. Now, I can easily tell you I have never dug more in my life. At home, when my dad asks me to help him with yard work he is met with at least a few grumbles of resistance, if not more, but as I watched the Kenyan children and families at their school on a Saturday eagerly asking me to fill their buckets with more and more dirt to transport, I learned so much about life.

The Kenyan way is to accept what you do not have control over and to embrace the rest. They believe in the power of hard work. They truly do not complain. They desire to do all that they can to help. They embrace responsibility. They may not have many cars, TVs or pieces of technology, but they embrace genuine happiness.

After my time here I question how great the luxuries we have at home really are. In America we are blessed with many fortunes, but I have come to realize just how much we have to learn from others who are different than us. I cannot deny my appreciation for those American luxuries, but I also realize the many ways that they paralyze our people. So I urge all of you reading today to step outside, go for a walk, smell the fresh air, and say jambo (hello) to a stranger. Next time a complaint comes to mind, just imagine a life without negativity and slowly you will become much happier.

Lauren Stern

Christine at Lipela Children's Home.

June 22, 2011

Dispatch from Kenya

By Christine Porter, St. Gregory Class of ‘11

After a little more than a week of teaching at Kahuho Primary School, I was presented with a new opportunity to volunteer at Lipela Children’s Home, along with Margot and Lila. While I really enjoyed the teaching and being with my students, being at Lipela has greatly enriched my experience. And since all of the Lipela kids attend Kahuho, I still see many of them daily. We knew we were signing up for harder work compared to teaching, but I didn’t expect to be such a novice at it. Our daily work consists of typical household chores like mopping, doing the wash and preparing food. Normal stuff, but the way all of this is done in Kenya is much different from America, at least in my home!

Today we began our day by washing the morning cooking pots and bowls, which had   held the children’s’ porridge. Porridge, which is similar to a cream of wheat, but more watery and made with sorghum and a touch of sugar, fills the kids up and keeps them going until lunch. There are many dishes to be washed, and we do all of the work by hand. The warm water we use is heated over a wood fire and then poured into three separate buckets for wash, rinse and final rinse. We trade off who does the initial scrubbing, but it takes us a little while to get through all of the dishes. After we were done with the dishes, we took a chai break with the rest of the staff in the small courtyard near the kitchen.

Christine with a Kenyan reptile.

When we were done with that, we went out and took the dry laundry off the lines. Many of the dry pieces had blown off of the line and onto the grass. It was very beautiful in a way, with the bright sun shining and us collecting big armfuls of laundry. It was a picturesque kind of moment and it made me wish that more Americans used clotheslines to save energy.

Peter, our driver, came joyfully in as usual and picked us up from Lipela after the laundry had been completed. He came earlier today (3 o’clock) because we were having dinner at Nelson’s house that evening. Nelson is the head teacher of Gitinga Primary and he is such an intelligent, kind man. Half of the group walked the 2.7 miles to Nelson’s house and the other half drove. When we arrived, Nelson greeted us warmly and took us on a tour of his shamba (farm). Nelson has the mind of an entrepreneur and his shamba was very impressive. He had the typical crops: maize, cabbage, potatoes, but he also had branched off further than the average farmer. Nelson took us over to a very big pool of water that he had dug out with five other men in 10 days. I was confused why he had a very muddy swimming pool, but then he explained that he was growing thousands of tilapia in this pool that he would then sell. We didn’t get to see the fish because it was chilly out, but it was very impressive.

Nelson's tilapia farm.

He then took us into his giant greenhouse he had constructed himself and showed us an enormous tomato crop. These were also to sell at the market. It was amazing to see what one man could do when he put his mind to it and had the education to get the most he could out of his land. Nelson is the only person farming tilapia anywhere in this region and his fish will soon be in very high demand.

After the amazing tour he brought us all inside and we were packed comfortably into his living room. He had been so determined to fit our huge group into his home that he had brought in many couches and chairs from all over his house. It was so cozy inside and he had a beautiful photo of him and his wife in graduation caps together. (Nelson is soon to finish his Master’s degree.) The room was dimly lit with two kerosene lamps and very soon we began to eat. Nelson’s wife, Josephine, had prepared a massive meal of chapatti (similar to pita bread), mokimo (mashed potatoes, beans, and various veggies), and a stew with goat meat, peas, and lentils. The food was delicious, but what I love the most about the food is that Josephine had invited over her neighbors to help her prepare the large quantity of food. I could hear her girlfriends chatting in the other room and playing with Nelson’s children. It was so lovely to see how willingly her friends helped out with the food. It was special and their generosity to each other was inspiring. That is definitely something I want to bring with me back to the U.S.

After dinner we shared chai with Nelson and Josephine, and they had the best chai that I have had in Kenya. It might have been brewed in a special way, or it might have been the environment, but I know that it was definitely the love that permeated the house and the love that they shared with us in welcoming us into their home.

Dinner was shared in Nelson and Josephine's cozy home.

After chai we prepared to depart, but Nelson told us that while he can invite guests into his home, it is the wife who gives permission for the guests to leave. We looked at Josephine and she asked if anyone wanted more chai or the sweet watermelon we had for dessert. A few of us had more chai and once she was convinced we were all full, she bid us farewell and we left.

Outside the stars were as bright as can be, and then as if Nelson and Josephine had planned it, a shooting star lit up the night. It was a special night and provided us with more special memories of our time in Kenya.

Christine

Happy 17th birthday, Louie!

June 21, 2011

Dispatch from Kenya

Olivia Paige, Atlanta Girls’ School

Today was Louie’s birthday. We got up and surprised him with a “Happy Birthday” chalk message on the Batian’s View patio. We also let him go first in the breakfast line.  Little did he know that there were even better (though that’s almost not possible) presents in store. 

After breakfast, we headed to school. Amanda came to Tigithi Primary with Louie and me to take pictures of us teaching. The highlight of the day was when Ann (the cook at Tigithi) made chapati for Louie’s birthday. Amanda and I were happy to help him eat it. 

Louie and Olivia with the Standard 5 teacher at Tigithi Primary School.

Ann has been a close friend to Louie and me since our first day of school. She is always there to greet us in the morning and walks us home most afternoons. She works at Tigithi so she can send her young grandson to school. Though her work is hard, she always finds time to spend time with us during the school day. On Tuesday, Ann made us scrambled eggs, which were incredible. I think the eggs were so good partly because of the large amount of butter that went into them, and partly because we haven’t had eggs in such a long time. 

Olivia teaching at school.

After school, we walked to Lipela Children’s Home where we met Christine, Margot and Lila, who are helping out there now. Because the kids don’t get home until later, we spent some time with the farm animals also at the orphanage. We pet the baby cow, who was busy munching grass and attempted to pet the mama cow, who ran away. We also chased a few of the chickens, who also ran away. Afterwards we peeled lots of potatoes for the kids’ dinner. We fed the peels to the goat that resides and grazes in front of the orphanage. We tried to pet him, but alas, he ran away, too. 

Lipela tries to be as self-sufficient as possible, hence the animals. The chickens produce eggs, the cow milk, and there is a small farm from which come potatoes, beans, spinach and maize. On my walks in the area, this seems to be the case for all of the small family farms. People raise what they can and if there is any left over, it is sold in the market to purchase other goods such as sugar, tea, bread and other household items. Compared to Americans, Kenyans are very self-sufficient and absolutely nothing goes to waste. Even at Batian’s View, where there are roughly 25 of us residing right now, cans and bottles are recycled, what is left on our plates (practically nothing as the food is SO good) go in the compost, and leftover meat and bones go to the neighbors’ dogs. The little paper that becomes waste is burned in the water heater for hot water.

Olivia on the playground with her students.

Later, a van came to pick us up to go to Nanyuki, where we would be “listening to a speaker.” The real plan was to go to a surprise dinner birthday dinner for Louie, but Louie hadn’t caught on. We spent some time walking around the town. It was so neat to see a town that was much bigger compared to Naro Moru. We stopped by a supermarket and were delighted to find a few American foods that we missed greatly. Lila, Lauren S., Alex, and I bought some Nutella to go with the crepes we eat every day for breakfast.

Soon, it was time to meet at the restaurant and “hear our speaker.” By this point we had played up the fake speaker cover enough for Louie to suspect that something was up. If he did suspect anything, he kept quiet and went along with our surprise. Though the restaurant service was a bit slow (which is an understatement), it was worth the wait to finally see the milkshakes, burgers and fries we had ordered. After dinner (when our “speaker” was about two hours late), the lights went down and we gave Louie a birthday cake. After cake, we all gave him seventeen carved wooden animals as presents so he could have a herd of animals to remember his 17th birthday in Africa. 

I can’t believe we’re nearing the end of our trip. Kenya is starting to feel more like a home than I ever thought it would. I’m going to miss everyone. I know the trip has to end eventually. Still, the only reason I’ll be getting on the plane to the U.S. is because I know there will be a chance to return to Kenya some day. Hopefully that day will be very soon.             

Signing off,

Olivia Paige, Atlanta Girls’ School

One of Liz Berndt's students at the blackboard.

June 22, 2011

Dispatch from Kenya

By Elizabeth Berndt

Miramonte High School, Orinda, Calif.                                                           

When I came to Kenya I had no idea what to expect, especially when it came to teaching and the public school system. Unlike the St. Gregory and Atlanta Girls’ School group, I arrived a little more than a week ago and have had to quickly settle in.

One thing that I noticed very quickly is the sense of time. Time in Kenya is treated differently than time in the United States. In the U.S., everything is on a schedule, appointments must be kept, people work for a designated period of time and relax for a designated period of time. People are relatively punctual, and Americans tend to become impatient quickly when someone is late. More often than not, people are on time and try to get what is assigned completed in a timely manner.

In Kenya that isn’t always the case. People seem to show up when they show up and things end when they are finished. The time table at school is very flexible and sometimes classes are left completely unsupervised, a very foreign concept to me. This could be for a few reasons that have to do with the school system. Each class is assigned a teacher, and often there is only one teacher for that particular class. If a teacher is not in school due to illness or something else, there is no substitute to fill in. There are no free blocks or study halls where a teacher who is not teaching can step in. All the other teachers are taking care of their own classes.

Something else I have learned is that the schools here are squeezed by the budget and there are simply no funds to have more teachers than what is absolutely necessary for any one school to function. Another surprise for me was that when there is a class without a teacher, students stay in their class, are relatively quiet and work on their own.  At home, if this were the case, I can’t imagine what would happen!

There are also more breaks in the day than at home. There are two classes in the morning then a 15-minute break. Then two more classes of 35 minutes followed by a 30-minute break. Then two more classes before the lunch break of one hour and twenty minutes.  The day ends at 3 p.m. after two more classes. The morning breaks, during which time the teachers gather in the staff room for a cup of chai, can sometimes go over into class time, meaning less time for teaching. In talking with my fellow Americans I have found that each school is a bit different in how promptly the teachers get to class. At some, they are always on time, usually due to a strict head teacher. At others, not only is the head teacher late to class but the others, as well.

Another component to the school system here is that the teachers teach strictly to the test, so the kids will be able to pass their annual exams and move onto secondary school (high school). The tests, given in the middle and at end of each term, allow the teachers to measure how their students are doing. For me, someone who has never taught a formal class before, teaching to the test has made things easier. There are set lesson plans and questions that can be assigned. All I have to do is make sure the kids are doing their work and help them if the instructions are confusing. One thing Mr. Roberts has encouraged us to do is to introduce the material in a creative and fun way that will make the learning experience more enjoyable, both for the students and the teacher. I can play with the lesson plan but I don’t have to begin from scratch, which I have found comforting.

Liz Berndt and Meghan Colwell at Lipela Children's home.

The other thing that surprised me is that the only teaching resources available are the lesson books (a student copy and teacher copy), a black board and whatever I can bring to make the learning process more meaningful. Compared to what we have at home, this is a real challenge. At my school, Miramonte High School in Orinda, Calif., a teacher has a multitude of resources available to help students understand a lesson. There is the Internet, SMART Boards, whiteboards, projectors, DVDs, and often a teacher who has earned a master’s degree or Ph.D in the subject he or she is teaching. I now realize that I have benefited greatly from this multi-perspective approach to teaching, compared to simply teaching to the test. In my five short days of teaching, I am doing my best to create the same experience here, but with much less at my disposal. I am truly impressed that the kids here are so enthusiastic to learn, but the schools simply do not have the resources and enough teachers to diversify their learning experience.

Today I worked with the Standard 7 (seventh grade) on writing a formal letter. Instead of following the book and giving a lecture about headings, introductions and the point of the letter, I brought card stock and asked the students to write six sentences in English to a person they wanted to thank for a gift they had recently received. It was a simple assignment and when the students were done they shared their work with the class. I think they really enjoyed it, and I was thrilled that it went over so well.

I hope to continue to diversify their learning experience in my few remaining days. I have found that that is what my peers and I can bring to these children; allowing them more freedom with how they learn and how they express themselves. Hopefully in a small way we are making a difference, and the students will realize that even with the constraints in the school system, there are more ways to learn than from a book or lecture. 

Elizabeth Berndt