sa sa?

Well, its been a pretty normal week so far. It has been raining quite a lot for the time of year, but always returns to its normal sunny self. Monday night I did go to the cinema- saw Australia (good film!). It was nice to get out the flat as i didnt have any power from 7pm. It didnt come back on again until the next evening, which was a bit of a pain, although worse for some of the teachers who had just been shopping and filled their freezers!

I really enjoyed the swimming lesson i gave on tuesday. I was given one guy (year 7) who really cant swim very well, and was asked to work on his frontcrawl. Its so satisfying working with an individual as you can see the improvement massively. I remembered back to my swimming lesson days and the techniques and drills i was taught, and used some to help him. Swimming training session after school is another thing altogether. Im given around 10 kids and just told to take them...not really the best situation, as i get given the ones that are struggling with their swimming. How do you teach all of them at the same time?! Respect to teachers...hard work!! That eve i went back 'home' to the Johnsons. I love being with them and around their family.

Friday night, after the year 3,4,5 school disco (themed 'safari') the girls are going out clubbing. Im sure it will be a laugh, and im interestesed to see the night life of Nairobi! There is lots going on round school at the moment...lots of sports matches (i was at Banda yest until 6.15pm with the girls hockey team) the school play rehearsals, the teachers are stressed with report writing etc but all is well. :o)

I hope you all are good. I really dont get long on the computers so sorry for lack of emailage!
Big love xxx

habari yaco?

Sawa, Monday morning again! Weeks seem to be flying by.

This weekend i went upcountry to a place called Turi. We pass by Mt. longonot and continue up for 3.5 hours! I had to be at school by 6am with the Under15 hockey teams. Both the boys and the girls had 3 matches before getting back on the bus to head back to Nairobi. The altitude it mega, and so breathing becomes much more of an effort. It really was beautiful up there though- the school grounds are amazing. I now have very distinct tan lines from my ankle socks- very pale feet! haha. The trip back was painfully slow, as the big school bus drags itself up the long hill. The driving is very entertaining to watch, as people overtake in the most stupid of places! Horns beeb, cars swerve, and we gasp! Some very near misses I tell thee!

Sunday I churched it, which was all good, and then went out for a curry with the Johnsons before heading back to Cassia Court to watch a film. Quite a relaxing day- nice nice. Sunday eve I spent in my flat, trying to make it more homely! I have turned my curtains the wrong way round so I have the plain cream side-rather than the horrid green patterned stuff! I have stuck candles in old soda bottles and arranged prettily on the table, and I started to paint some canvas to put up on my walls! :o)

This avo is the year 7 and 8 swimming gala, so I think I’m going to be sat by the pool cheering and trying to control excitable children! Possibly going to cinema later with Donald and Felix (Kenyan rugby coach/player).

Sorry for lack of photos…I haven’t been taking many, will try get some more up soon.

xxx

memories!

heey,
Well, it has been a few days of going back to the past! Yest after my swimming training (yes i made them tired) i caught the late bus to Cassia Court (the compound where we used to live). It was just incredible going back. More and more things were familiar as we drove towards our road, but there were also things which were missing. (The dukas* that used to be at the end of the road, were no longer! Apparently they got ripped down sometime last year.) It is so strange how things stay the same...the tire swing, the pile of sand on the corner car parking space, the bush where the stray cat had her kittens...walking up the stairs, the familiar floor...so so strange! Its funny too how things seem so much smaller!! The time i was there i kept noticing different things which i had forgotten...i cant really explain all the emotion of going back 'home'! Wow. Today was just the same. I have just got back from a hockey match at Hillcrest (my old school). As soon as i got off the bus i abandoned the team and walked into the school. Again a lot of memories come flooding back, it all looked so similar. They had knocked down a couple of walls, and the trees had grown--apart from that, i felt like i should have been in my school uniform running to class. I felt like a bit of a trator walking around in a Braeburn shirt, and i have to say im not too disappointed that we drew in the match! Crazy thing was one of the ladies handing out water reconised me!! We chatted for a while about old teachers etc, mental! Its hard to describe to you everything, as most of you wont understand, but its just so amazing to be able to come back and see where i spent my kenya years.

*duka=a small shop made out of metal, by the side of the road.

xxx

Monday morning...

Hey my lovely s,

Hope you all had a good weekend! Hmm...what did i get up to?!
Saturday morning i had to be at school by 7am to travel with one of the hockey teams to a match over the other side of Nairobi. It was absolutely tipping it down, so by the time i had made it to school (in my hoodie and 2 rain coats) i was SOAKED! Very unusual to have rain like that at this time of year, although its not a bad thing as its been very dry. The pitch was about 1/2 hr away, and was covered in puddles which made play interesting! I was running up and down the length of the pitch shouting at the girls to 'push up' or 'ring the ball' etc as the coach was reffing and so not allowed to coach during the game. It continued to rain throughout the game, so i was feeling rather damp by the end. Sadly we lost that game, however we won 2 and drew one of the others. The year 8's are just amazing at hockey! They have been drilled since year 2 and so by the time they are at the top of the prep school they are nothing to compare to the UK yr 8s. Its funny how much older they seem.
I came back to my flat to dry off, and spent most of the afternoon sleeping! It was so nice to just relax and do nothing. In the evening i went out to westlands with a group of the 'newbie' women teachers for an Indian. It was really nice to go with them, eat and chat. We left the restaurant about 11 and decided to walk to a nearby club/bar. Ha, we soon turned back and took the car as it was slightly dodge and we were being followed by various kids begging for money. It was quite funny going to this place, which was def an Indian hanging out place. The music was old school club tunes, which progressed into Indian beats...i had never heard anything like it!! I got back home about 1230. Good fun.

Sunday i went to church again and then i was invited out to lunch with a few people. We went to a garden restaurant place amongst the beautiful trees and watched the tree hyrax scuttle about as we ate. They paid which was very nice!! I got back to the flat around 4 to Donald who was waiting for me so we could walk to the supermarket. We decided that we were going to use our brown bananas to make a cake! What a joke. We have no measuring stuff, no mixing bowl, we bought a wooden spoon to mix, and no cake containers. I guessed how much of the ingredient to use and we cooked it in frying pans that we put in the oven. Quite an hilarious evening to be honest! Im amazed that they tasted pretty good, although it wasn't much to look at as they weren't so good at coming out the frying pan in one piece. Ah well!

Mum, you will be jealous to hear i bought my mango and massive bag of black passion fruit which cost me 70p! oh yes.

Well, that is it for now. Hugs all round! :o)
xxx


Veiw of Lake Naivasha...


This is Felix, me, ben, Donald, and Byron in the school bar

piccys

Lake Naivasha



The little sailing boats...



Driving to Naivasha...





Landscape...

Mt. Longonot

Over the rift valley.

Its cloudy today!!

Love xx

tired!

Heya,

I am so very tired right now! The days are so busy, and it doesn't seem to matter how much sleep i get, its still exhausting! The hockey lessons and practices i seem to do as much as the kids, so im sweaty and very hot right now! Tomorrow im doing swimming coaching after school with the team, so i am looking forward to being splashed!! Sat i have to be at school by 7am on sat to go to a hockey match on the other side of Nairobi...so its going to be a busy weekend!

Last night i went to a baby shower with a lot of the female teachers. We played stupid games, such as: guess the babyfood, put the nappy on the baby blindfolded etc. Bit of a laugh really.

I am in with a yr 7 and a yr 8 english, which has been great. We are doing poetry (yr 7) and media (yr 8). Im starting tomorrows yr 7 lesson with my own poem, before they all have to present one. Today i spent the yr 8 lesson trying to control the cheeky boys, who were loving the attention more than anything i feel. I even got invited to one of their birthday partys, and told that i should stay so i could be a class teacher next year- haha i love them.

Did i tell you about the trip i get to go on in feb? I have learnt that this is going to be white water rafting, so im well excited! Apparently its the female teachers turn to stay in the cottege, so im quite happy i dont have to get into a tent wet. Bring that on!

untill next time...love love xx

1 week in...

Haallo!

Hope you all had a good weekend!?
Friday night one of the teachers asked if we wanted to go with the school sailers to the lake Naivasha, and so, by 8am on sat morning Donald and I were at school with a packed lunch to head off. Its about 1.5 hr drive out of Nairobi. The road used to be awful, however it has been redone recently so it was a v smooth journey down. It was pretty cool to drive down the rift valley with the veiws of Mt longonort (sp?). We used to do it quite a bit as a family when we were here- so was a bit of a trip down memory lane! We got to the sailing club and i sat in the sunshine by the lake whilst the kids rigged up. ( I thought i would be more of a hinderence trying to help as i havent got a clue about sailing!) Its so peaceful and quiet and totally beautful. I went out on the rescue motorboat- which was quality just racing around the lake for hours. The kids were pretty good, having more fun purposefully capsizing their lasers only to clumb back in them. We had to watch out for hippos, and had to back off at one point as hippos were spotted over our side of the lake. Its amazing what you can do for such little money over here. It cost the kids 10 quid for the whole day including transport- never would you get that in the UK. They do these trips 3 times a term, so i think i will be heading down there with them quite often. Good day! Sunday morning i went to church with the Johnson family. It is based at Hillcrest Sec school, which was so bizzare! (I used to go to hillcrest prep). I wandered around the site out to the back fields where we would often play hockey/crosscountry and then peered across to the prep school (it was locked up). It was quite amazing to be back there in a place which holds SO many good memories. wowie...very cool indeedy. We drove back to the Braeburn to have lunch and swim in the pool which was a fun avo. The evening was spent in the bar as it was the Man/Chelsea match. I have to say i didnt really care much for the footie, but cool to socialise with the teachers and be with lots of people. I dont think i have drunk so much beer in my life- yey for tuska! I met one of my old class mates who is the son of one of the teachers here...i dont think i would have reconised him if i hadnt been told he was there...but cool to catch up a bit.
Anyways, will chuck some pics of Naivasha up sometime when i have more time. Love to all xx

more photos...

This would be my bedroom...

One of the school pools (where i teach swimming) There is another pool in the top floor of the sports hall- its so crazy having a pool up there!

This is the school canteen area.

This is PE group being taught outside the yr 6 block.

This is my bathroom at my flat. Yes mum, thanks for the bathmat...

Sawa sawa (ok in swahili!) there you are, a few more piccys to help you imagine where i am!

Apparently, from time to time, we have the president of Kenya come drink at our school bar!! Oh yes.

Ooh, i had news today that i am going on a school trip with yr 7s 1st week of feb to a place called Sagana. I have no idea what this will involve, but we are away for 3 days...!!

sorry guys who are writing to me on facebook- i really can hardly ever get on there due to school blocking it- so i cant reply on there...im not igoring you (sophie lowen!).

Loovvee xx

PS: J- i eat banana and yoghurt every day after school. Havent touched the weatabix (it was bought for me before i got to the flat) Marmite on toast in my prefered breaky! ;o)

attempt at photos...

Hallo you all.

I have downloaded some pics, hopefully this will work...!

Yest after school i went to Nakumatt with one of the teachers, Lucy. She is lovely! We made it through the Nairobi traffic, parked, shopped, and then tried to leave. Ha, the car wouldnt start-so we had fun pushing it round the carpark with two kenyan security gaurds trying to start it, which we did! Whey!

The power was very blippy last night. I had bought some candels, but forgot the lighter- so was running up and down the stairs borrowing one. Just as you blow the candles out when the power comes on, it decides to switch off again! Going to bed was my solution!

This is my kitchen in my flat.

This is the school from the back...

This is very slow- i have a lesson to get to, will put some more up sooon! xxx

Lessons start...

Im already burnt! You soon realise which little sections you forgot to put sun cream on, so i have now decided to slap it on everywhere! ha.
I spent all day yest out on the field doing sports/swimming lessons. They have a lot of teachers involved in the sports lessons, and so unlike the uk where you have a class, and teach them all together, they get divided into little groups and have a teacher each. One of the swimming teachers was away yest, and so i got handed an assessment form and told to teach the bottom group of year 6. She had presumed i was cover! Eventually the cover teacher showed up, but just sat on the side leaving me to teach the lesson! hah, talk about thinking on the spot! Managed to pull it off ok tho i think!!

It is quite hard to find things to do in the evenings. There is a bar in the school- but no-one was around last night, so Donald and myself went back to the flats. He went to bed about 8, leaving me sitting in my big flat trying to busy myself by rearranging furnature or re-sticking the photos that KEEP falling of my dusty walls!

I had my first classroom lesson today: english with year 7s. We are doing poetry...my fave...hmm! haha, its good tho to spend some time not out in the sun, and seeing how they do english here. It does mean that i am changing clothes every lesson as a swap between pe and lessons!

Days are quite long, although its good to fill our time. We start around 8ish and will often finish at 5.30 with sports practises for 2 hrs after school hours finish. I expect i will be away some weekends going to fixtures around the country (turi!). After school yest, the teachers had a PE insect where they were taught how to teach basic drills and ref. A lot of the class tutors of the younger years have to take groups in pe, which is why we all had to do it. We ended up having a game, which was really good fun! I forgot how much i liked hockey! There is a social game every friday for teachers and any parents who want to play, so i shall be doing that!

Sorry still for lack of photos, i have a long free tomor so i will bring my camera over to download some then. I hope you are all doing good. Big love xxx

In kenya!!

Well hello my lovelys!
I have arrived, infact, this be my second day in school. We have just managed to find someone who told us our log on to the computers, so sorry for not getting on here sooner.

Its so amazing to be back here- the sun is out and beating down, so i will be coming home very brown!! My flight was all good. I hate flying normally, but i felt fine. There was a total of 40 of us on the flight, so i had my 3 seats to myself to lie down. I spent most the time sleeping, which meant the time went fast. Kenyan James was at the airport to pick me up, so all that went very smoothly. He took me to the dep head (joanne's) house to sleep that night. I was fairly shocked at her house- it was huuge! I dont think i have ever slept in a 4 post bed that big before, and i was not expecting my 1st experience of it to be in Africa! She and her family were very welcoming, so it was very relaxed. She grew up in kenya and went through Braeburn (the school) herself. The next morning i was taken to my flat, which is just opposite from the school. Its really quite big, with a kitchen area, living room, bathroom and bedroom. I made myself at home straight away by sticking all my photo's up. I will be chucking some photos up here soon so you can see. I even have a little balcony from my room, but typically the door is jammed. I went out to buy some tape yest after school meetings at the local shop (nakumat) to tape up the whole in my balcony door. Its about a 20-30 minute walk each way, so me and Donald (another gappy from new z) walked it together. I had a bucket shower this morning, as my water was freezing cold! I used the kettle to get some warm water, and only after i had managed the art of bucket hair washing, did i see the switch clearly labled 'water heater'. d'oh!!

Yest eve Donold and I stayed in the bar to get some food (which we get given) and the PE teachers bought us a drink...or two...! They drink LOADS, and only stopped when i told the barman to take back the 3rd bottle of Tuska that they ordered me (donold had the my 2nd!)

All the teachers are lovely, although its a bit of a challenge trying to remember all their names! There is about 50/50 of white/african teachers. I have mostly PE/Games/Swimming and English lessons, which is cool. The 2 Pe lessons i had this morning were cool- year 4 and then yr 8 hockey. They get taught so much more here than in the UK where proper hockey lessons would start in year 7!

It is so familiar being here...the smells bring back a lot of memories of old houses and old school. It was very weird meeting my old teachers Mr Webber and Mr Mmbigori (sp?) although very cool. I havent been bitten once yet by a mossie, which is amazing, although i squished some against the walls! haha. Doom is a good thing to have in the flat! The school is pretty impressive, really nice buildings and a couple of pools (much bigger than Hillcrest). Sorry for lack of photoage right now, but i left my camera in the flat. Im not sure how well these comps are going to deal with the large pics...we shall see.

Facebook is blocked here throughout the day, so i cant get on there at the mo.
Sorry this has been a bit all over the place...so much going through my head that i wanted to tell you all! I just LOVE it...being back is so incredible. eeeee!!

I shall leave it there for now. Hope you are all doing ok back in the cold and snow(aaahahah!)
Love you all :o)
xxx

Nearly gone...

Well, the plane departs hideously early on Sunday morning, and i am yet to pack. The pile on my floor is, for once, actually supposed to be there- as i collect together the bits and bobs to chuck into the suit case last minute! I cannot wait to feel the sunshine again. I was not built for the cold!
So I say goodbye England...Hello Kenya...!