Author Archives: aaalbee

Kenya Photos 2010

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Hello Everyone,

I’m back in California! Incase you didn’t know I made it back safely from Kenya about a month ago. Just in time to spend my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, with my family.

Upon my return I packed up my boxes in DC and moved to Los Angeles where I am working on grad school applications and waiting to find out where my next adventure  will be.

It has taken me a few weeks to get all my photos and movies together (at least 3,000), but now they are finally posted to my MobileMe Gallery, so PLEASE check them out!!

The pictures only begin to share all the wonderful experiences I had so if  you have any other thoughts, questions, or comments let me know. I enjoy talking about all of it.

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Alisa becomes a Role Model and Fist Bump Promoter

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The school parent meeting was on Friday, so for several days everyone was preparing for the parents arrival. For me that meant listening to several hours of poem presentations and succeeding in getting them to say greaT instead of greaS.

I was looking forward to meeting my students parents, seeing the 7th graders be promoted to 8th, and watching the student entertainment, but the meeting didn’t go quiet as I expected. The  entertainment was enjoyable and I was very proud of the students who performed, but most parents didn’t come and many of those who came left early. The result- several lonely and homesick children.

The parents I did have the privilege of being introduced were very friendly and truly interested in how their children were progressing in English.They also wanted to insure that I felt welcomed in Kenya and Continue reading →

I Have Officially Become an African Woman

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Today I awoke at 6 am and was unable to go back to sleep, so I got dressed, cleaned my hut and did some laundry all before breakfast.

After eating and packing a PB&J sandwich for lunch I walked 30 min by myself to Keminini to get a matatu to the junction. When you take public transportation here there are men who try to persuade (push) you to ride in their matatu, but you have to stand firm and insist on knowing the price before you get in, otherwise you might get the white person price.  The first guy who approached me wanted 40 Bob to the junction, hell no, its 50 Bob all the way to town and only 10 Bob to the junction. He took back the first offer and I road for 10.

Once we got to the junction I walked another 30 min to the primary school. Several motorbikes stopped and asked if I wanted a ride, but I waved them on. I don’t like motorbikes, plus I prefer to get the exercise. One thing I have noticed here is people dont just walk  for the sake of walking, they only walk if they have somewhere to go. So they think it is very strange that I actually like to walk, even when I have no where to go.

When I arrived at school everyone was asking “where were you last week”, “we missed you”, so I had to explain Continue reading →

Rain, Photos, & Goodbyes- Poems at the End

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My week here in Kenya has been met with several obstacles.

On Tuesday I made the matatu/walking trip to Wachonya Secondary School to teach HIV/AIDS education. However, for the 2nd time, the principal and the teacher did not communicate on the time and I was unable to teach. I am supposed to go back this week at 3:20 after spending the morning at the primary school, so hopefully 3rd times the charm.

After Tuesday was a bust, I was looking forward to teaching STI education to the 7th graders at Wachonya Primary on Thursday. However, the weather was not cooperative.  It poured on Wednesday night and well into Thursday. If it had only been a sprinkle we would have put our raincoats on and made the trek, but it was very wet and the mud here is like cement, you have to scrub with a brush to remove even the smallest amount.  Plus for some reason my feet get unusually dirty here. I don’t know if it is how I walk or what, but Kristiana compare our feet at the end of the day Continue reading →