Today I realized I’ve made another very big mistake. I
thought Denis was the very specific name of where we are, but they just call my
CCT that because the school we intern at is “St. Denis”. I’m really stupid. I
actually live in Kihona, or more specifically Majengo Mapya.
We took the daladala home today after getting sim cards and
vouchers in town. I successfully haggled** for the first time. The price of a
new sim card should be 500 shillings, but he tried to charge me 1000. I decided
I’d go for 600, and he laughed at my negotiating determination, and decided to
let me have it for the 500 shillings. I win!
The daladalas are truly an experience. Each one is
different. They bang on the sides to signal getting on and off. They try to
cram things in the back that have no way of fitting. Nonetheless, they still
haven’t been as crowded as they made it sound like they’d be. I can still
breathe while riding, even if the air doesn’t usually smell that good. Italy
was worse sometimes.
I’m pretty thirsty right now but I try to avoid drinking at
night and it’s already 7:30 pm. My pit latrine is in an outside building and I
have to wake up my host sister at night if I need to go out because the locks
are complicated. I feel really bad doing that, so I just try to make it until
morning. In terms of using the choo, I’ve actually gotten pretty used to
squatting already. I’m also pretty adjusted to the bucket baths, although I do
miss a nice hot shower. Shaving my legs is also now a big priority since it’s
been a little while. No one here cares, but I haven’t hit that point yet, so I
think tomorrow will be the day.
My host baba is home from his trip. I remembered to greet
him properly! I’m learning, even if I do sometimes feel slow and stupid. He ate
with my host mama and kaka at dinner (the sisters ate afterwards.) I ate ugali
with my hands again. It was very, very hot! You’re supposed to use it like a
fork to pick up other things like the leafy greens. They also gave me a bowl of
sauce to dip it in. I’m so full that I actually got a little sick from it. It
didn’t help that they gave me juice at the end of the meal. They’re so
hospitable that I feel bad being rude, but sometimes I really don’t need 1/3 of
what they give me.
In other news, I found out I will be teaching Forms 1 &
2 in English (the bottom two levels in secondary school.) Tomorrow we start
microteaching! I talked a volunteer who is a true redhead and she said that she
actually uses her hair as a prize for students—they get to touch it when they
finish their work. I wonder if I’ll do that, too!
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