I can’t believe I am in Africa!! This is one continent I
have always wanted to visit and I still am amazed I am here for a year! It was
quite the trek getting here! We left on a Sunday night from Michigan and
arrived in Nairobi at 6am Tuesday morning. We had a 9 hour layover in London
which was totally amazing!! We didn’t want to sit in the airport that whole
time so we took an express train into London. Once we got there we realized we
were still a ways away from many of the sites in London but had no idea where
to go or what to see. We talked with a super nice and helpful security officer
at the station and he told us what train to take to get to the hub of downtown.
It was pretty cheap and super convenient so that was awesome. We were able to
see Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. There was so
much more I would have liked to have seen!
 |
Big Ben
 |
 |
| Parliament |
 |
| St. Margaret's Church at Westminster Abbey |
 |
| Westminster Abbey |
 |
| Buckingham Palace |
 |
| Queen's Fountain at Buckingham Palace |
 |
| The awesome security guard in London |
When we arrived in Nairobi, things were pretty crazy! The
international arrival unit had completely burned less than a week before so
all international travel was run through the domestic terminal. When we got off
the plane, we walked right down onto the tarmac and there were lots of airline
officials there, but they never told us what to do or where to go. They just
stood there watching us looking lost. We finally figured out to wait for a bus
to take us to a tent where they were dealing with immigration. When we got to
the tent, again there were all these officials who wouldn’t tell you anything.
There were all these tables and lots of different forms, but we didn’t know
what to do. I finally asked some of the officials and got some direction. I was
worried that I would have trouble getting the visa since I had failed to get
any contact information for who I would be working with here in Kenya and I had
to first apply for a 3 month visitor visa but I had to write on the document
that I was planning on staying here for 10 months. But I think the official was
more concerned about getting money than worrying about documentation so he
didn’t even look at the paperwork and just gave me the visa… That was easy!
Then we went for our luggage. Hundreds of bags were lined up in rows out on the
ground. They would release groups of people based on flights and then it was
like a mad dash to race around looking for your bags. And yep, one of mine went
missing. It took us 4 days to retrieve it. The airport kept saying it was there
but it couldn’t be located. Finally, mom went there yesterday and had to search
through rows and rows of luggage looking for it. Apparently, lots of other
people had lost their luggage too. Craziness!
 |
| This doesn't even capture the craziness! |
When we landed, I realized I didn’t even know who was
picking us up and I had no contact info for anyone. I knew I had access through
my ipad, but with the international unit burned down there was no wifi or
telephones. We waited around seeing if anyone would indicate they were looking for us, but
to no avail. Nothing like realizing you are in a completely foreign country and you have absolutely no way to contact anyone. It makes you feel really helpless! I finally talked with an incredibly helpful security officer and
he let me access wifi from his vehicle and borrow his cell phone. I was really grateful for him! We finally found our ride…
Ironically, the lady had seen me talking with the security officer, but saw me
by myself and not with my mom so we figured I wasn’t the right person since she
was supposed to pick up two of us. We finally connected and it was nice to get
to the school. We got to the school at 10:15 am and by 10:45, we were on the
road to a retreat center about 2 hours away. We immediately started staff
meetings for the next 2 1/2 days. Talk about being exhausted! I kept falling
asleep in meetings and the principal just laughed at me. Haha! But I think I am
finally back on track.
 |
| The retreat center where we had our teacher's orientation. |
I just got my books Thursday night and it is till not
decided exactly what I will be teaching for other classes. School starts
Tuesday so that gives such little time to prepare! Stress?? Not at all!! Haha!
Just kidding! It has been major stress!! But I am slowing working my way
through it and I know what I will be doing all Sunday and Monday before school
starts! :P
I absolutely love the staff though! I couldn’t ask for
better people to work with! And the school is very much in line with my
philosophy of education which is awesome!! I really knew very little about this
school when I came so I completely stepped out in faith that everything would
be ok. But it has turned out to be amazing so far!
Today we took a walk around campus. Although it is “winter”
here, it is beautiful! There are so many flowers and flowering trees. I can’t
imagine what spring looks like. There are many gazelles on campus and I have
been told there are lots of hedgehogs and chameleons as well. Can’t wait to see
them.
Well, I need to stop doing this and get back to my lesson planning!!! Oh, so much to do!!! :P
