Teacher's Strike

With the teachers' strike continuing, there could be complications if union staff came to schools and found people teaching. My school is rather isolated, so it seemed unlikely that we would receive anyone to check on us. Even so, we would not want to anger the teachers' union...

We spent much of Wednesday at school preparing for and holding a community fundraiser so that they can arrange for the body to be transported across Kenya next week. The fundraiser was successful, and I learned a lot about Harambee functions in Kenya. Also, as the ceremony was drawing to a close, I realized that there was a good chance they were going to ask me to also speak. I also realized that everyone was speaking in Kiswahili. I panicked and tried to think of some kind of eulogy I could offer to introduce myself, and how I would do it in Kiswahili. Finally, I just settled on doing it in English. Regrettable, but in the future, I will prepare a few words in Kiswahili any time I am meeting the community as a whole.

In other news, since we have been very busy with everything at school, I haven't had a chance to learn a lot of things about my community. For example, I mostly only know the teachers at the school, so if they are busy all day with funeral arrangements, and I need to get water from the pump, I don't know who to talk to. That resulted in me not having water for washing things (clothes, dishes, house, myself) most of the week. Somewhat unfortunate. Let this be a lesson to the Peace Corps staff that education volunteers need to arrive at their sites sometime prior to one week into the schoolyear.

I got to watch the inauguration at a restaurant near my house. It was nice of the president to mention me. He talked about nourishing hungry minds around the world, and that is pretty much my job description.

Otherwise, not much else to report from the week. I found out that PV=nRT is also not part of the curriculum, even though they treat gas laws extensively. I was helping the English teacher with some of his work this week, since he has a heavier workload as acting headmaster. It is hard to correct grammar to Kenyan English as opposed to American English. Also, I will be supervising some kind of agriculture activity at school tomorrow. Not really sure how someone who has never lived anywhere but extremely urban settings got that job, but it'll be an adventure. I have written a lot of suggestions for Peace Corps on how to improve training, hopefully to be sent when I actually post this. I think I am earning a reputation as Mr. I-Have-an-Opinion-About-Everything. (yes, that is a reference to 10 Things I Hate About You. I have nothing to be ashamed of.) I guess I will go with it for better or for worse.