Saturday 26th June

Hi All!!

I can't actually believe I've been here one month now, it's absolutely flown by!

This week we have been back to the school to do some more work. On Monday we cut the grass. We used a tool called a slasher and it sure hurt your hand after a while! Some of us got blisters on our palms. We went to mingle with the kids at their break time, then Mrs NJenga (the headmistress) told a few of us to get involved with one of the PE lessons. Me, Jas and Zahra joined Class 8 and ended up more or less taking the class. Their PE lessons are 40 minutes and they play, sing and dance. It was pretty fun joining in with all their Kenyan games. We all made a circle "1…2 make a circle, 2…4 a BIG circle", there were about 60 girls in it so it was huge. One of the games we played meant that when you were tapped on your head you had to chase the one who had tapped you, round to get back in your space before they got in it. So what happens I got chosen eh, it was the funniest thing ever chasing a Kenyan girl around this huge circle. I felt like an absolute turnip and at one point I was laughing so hard I nearly peed myself! I lost that one but put my tactics on for when I chose the next girl. I chose the littlest one I could find and beat her. Get in! haha. We played another game "I want, I want" "you want…" "I want this girl to dance with me like this, like this…" then you have to dance like the way they asked when pointing to you. We all just got laughed at the whole time but I figured if you can't make a cheb of yourself in front of some kids then you're doomed! They asked us to teach them some things so we ended up teaching them the Hokey Cokey and Macerena. Two of the lads and joined us at that point so Chris helped me teach them. They both went down a treat and for the rest of the week we have caught them doing the Macarena in their breaks!!

On Tuesday we were cutting the grass again. Hand very sore at this point now! The day was pretty much the same as Monday. On the way back we really fancied buying some maize to cook on the coal. Me and Roshan were literally about to buy some from the Old tribal lady next door but then our supervisor told us she had brought some around for us whilst we had been at work. We were well chuffed. I think it was because we took her some bread last week. We didn't waste any time getting the coal in the Giko going (Giko is the mini stove thing).

On Wednesday we were working in a local Health Centre which was around 1.5 miles up the road from our accommodation. I helped plant trees, thank God the holes were already dug for us as it was boiling and some others were planting flowers and watering the trees. The Health centre is a bit like our NHS Primary Care Trust. It has a family planning, ante-natel, HIV - VCT (voluntary counselling and testing) it also has its own maternity ward. We were shown around by nurse. There had been a baby born 2 hours earlier and we were allowed to hold her! Apparently African babies are immune to bacteria. Mad! I suppose they need tip top immune systems! It was lush seeing a baby so little! After we had finished our jobs we were invited for some bread and a hot drink. I had a hot chocolate and it tasted sooo good. It was the best hot drink I've had in Kenya so far. Normally the milk is minging as it is served more or less hot from the udder lol and it stinks but this must have been pasteurized :D

On our way back Me and Roshan took our time to chat to the locals on the way back and practiced our Kikuyu. We went to visit her host family but they weren't in so we went to mine instead. Margaret wasn't in but her husband Michael was, he is always at work when me and Jas go so it was nice to see him. I took them some doughnuts too. A guy down their lane makes them. We have been warned not to buy them incase we get ill but we still sometimes do. They are so tasty. Taste more like Yorkshire puddings than doughnuts…not complaining!

On Thursday we were back at the school but this time we were digging. The deputy head is abit on an arse and sometimes we feel our hard work isn't good enough for him. He wanted specifically 2ft x 2ft and 2ft deep! Eesh it took us all day for me and Roshan to do one and a half as we have to get right into the hole and scoop the soil out! After a hard days digging Mrs Njenga invited us in for oranges…the juiciest oranges ever before we headed home. She is a very funny lady and she makes us laugh. We try and tell her about how England and Kenya are different. We got told in our orientation "homosexuality is a crime!" we explained to Mrs Njenga that it is much more acceptable for homosexuality in Uk and that even some get married. She said she thought we are very funny! Haha. Sophie said if she ever come to England she must meet her gay friends…she said with the most serious face "I would meet them….but I would not like them". She also cant understand the whole having babies unless married and how some people never intend on marrying. She thinks we are hilarious!!

After work we played skipping with the kids outside for a while. I was knackered and for the first time I didn't mind the cold shower! After tea Me and Big Rhys made pancakes for everyone with the eggs his host Mam had given him. I made some caramelized banana too and Jodie had bought some golden syrup. It was amazing and they went down a treat!

On Friday after our weekly meeting we watched two episodes of Blood, Sweat and Takeaways. We find Manos hilarious and it made us realise our accommodation isn't all that bad! We have running water after all. Hannah our cook made us the weekly joyous fish and chips meal. Zahra had bought some Heinz Ketchup so we were in our element! After Dinner we went back to the school to do more digging. Me and Roshan managed to get our second hole done! I don't like Fridays as you spend until 1.30pm sitting around in a meeting and watching DVDs then you eat a greasy dinner then have to walk nearly 2 miles or so it seems to the school for the afternoon. Grr. On the way back we made friends with a woman called Betty and her friends who's name I've forgot. She was impressed by my kikuyu and didn't believe I had learnt it there in the time we've been there. Earlier my supervisors Leah and Flachia told me I was really good and speaking it too!

Today (Saturday) we visited the local children's home. They are in care of over 60 children with 30 of them in residence and the others are either at boarding school or they live with their families but who can't afford to feed and clothe them so the home does that for them. I think the 20 in residence are all orphans or their parents can't afford to keep them. Its been a very inspirational day. We played games with them all morning and went to a walk too. We were meant to pick up some free rock from the quarry up the road to help mend a wall but when the men saw Mzungos (westerners) in the quarry they tried to charge us. Flachia our supervisor did explain to them but they weren't having any of it. It was a nice walk anyway and we got to see a nice view from the quarry and have a good chat to the kids. We have all been invited back so we will definitely be doing that again before we go home.

Me, Jas, Monica, Zahra and Roshan have really been looking forward to Sunday all week. We live for our Sundays which is the only day we get to have personal time. We have planned to spend our weekly allowance by going to the National Museum and then to an international award winning Indian restaurant called Haandi's which is close to the museum. Cant wait!!!!

Til next time. Take care and keep reading and leaving me messages!!

Love Jules xxxxxxxxx :D