So I made it through my first weekend at home and I must say it was a rather uneventful one.We have been going nonstop since Oct 3rd so we were all dying for a weekend of rest. We agreed that because this is our 1st weekend it should be spent with our new families, lets just say that many of us take that back now haha. My saturday began with my little brother banging on my door shouting 'Wikia, Wikia can come out(only in Swahili)' So I slowly make my way out to breakfast. Shortly after breakfast my host mama suggest we start washing clothes, I guess she knew it would take me forever. I bring out my load(4 skirts, 2 pants, 6 dress shirts, 2 tshirts, 2 sweatpants, many underwear and a towel) which is pretty much all the clothes I have in Kenya because we haven't been able to wash since we left. She showed me how to set up 4 basins and use the first for applying the bar soap and a little powder(lots of scrubbing the clothing against itself),the 2nd for more powder and what seem to be a spin cycle(more scrubbing), the next a rinse just a little scrub and squeeze water out and finally a rinse bucket to get rid of all the extra suds. After each set of clothing you poor the 1st bucket out-as it contain the dirtiest water and then you move each basin of water in the one before-filling up the rinse bucket with clean water each time. This took 2 long hours,let me just say we are very lazy people in America lol.
After I hung all my clothes up I went in to help prepare lunch and to 'take tea'. After lunch I simply wanted to nap because honestly my body isnt used to this much action. But I decided to clean my room 1st and hang up pictures on home to make my room feel like my room, then I purify my water to make sure I have enough next week.
Then the technician came to fix the socket in my room-fine I appreciate having a working socket. After this my host mother's sister comes over and my host mother tells me she is about to go to town with my baba, ok fine. I go back into my room and theres a knock and wikia wikia over and over. I go to the door and my brother and his cousin(the sister's 5 year old son is at the door). I explain that I am trying to nap and I will play later. 10 Mins later they are back so I figured theyd leave me alone if I give them candy...ha yeah right. The 5 year old is telling my brother to knock on my door and say things including 'chocolate' in attempt to get more candy. So I turn up my ipod and shut out the world. This kid comes to my window and starts knocking so yeah Im about to lose it!haha.I shut my window and try to sleep again but it has been about 45 mins since 1st tried to nap so I say forget it and go into the living room. When I come in the sister says to me 'were you trying to sleep?' ahhhhhh I wanted to blow something up at that moment. So sortly afterward my mom comes home, they leave, we cook dinner, and I go to my room feeling some kind of way. This is the first day that I have been unhappy so I need sometime to just reflect and get it together. After watching finding nemo I think for a sec how I miss home but then I tell myself that I shouldn't be upset with Africa or my host family because my real family and siblings make me this upset sometimes. Plus it just gets annoying when no one naturally speaks your language, you just get tired from wondering what they are saying. But I just have to remind myself what I came for and all is well. So yeah after watching many movies I go to bed.
Today I woke up around 9 to my baba saying my water has been prepared(usually I take my bath at night but I didnt really do much on sat so I saw no need to). So I take my water in the washroom and take my bucketbath expecting to have to go to church or something because of the rush to bathe. Nope no church just breakfast. Then my baba comes in and talks to me-he really is a great guy but a little too much for me sometimes. He ask me why I don't each much, am i sick, stressed, missing home. Now don't you worry I eat a decent amount but these guys can really eat so it seems like I'm eating nothing I guess. After breakfast I help clean the living room and my mom goes to the market across the road. She comes back and I help her prepare lunch and she tells me she saw a fellow Trainee's mom at the store.She tells me all about the trainee(as if I dont speak to her everyday)and suggest I go see her today-I think she was just tired of seeing me around the house. I say ok maybe. After lunch she's like are you ready and Im like sure bc i guess I have no choice.
She walks me to Sandy's house which is about 5 mins away. Sandy is an older lady prob late 40s and the only other black trainee so we have a weird little bond. she sometimes reminds me of my real mom because shes older but silly as ever. Anywho I spend about 3 hours over Sandy's-trying to get her modem to work, talking about our 5min cases of homesickness, talking about the church she went to today and explaining to her brother the concept of purchasing a 20thous dollar car haha. I must admit it was good to get away from home for a bit. I return around 4:30 to see the 5 year old demon child is at the house. At about 5 I help my mom with dinner which legit took about 2.5hrs to make on those 2 little charcoal and gas stoves, we made chapati for the 1st time which is abs delish and a cabbage stew! She said it was going to rain bc I ate so much but really it was prob the best meal Ive had so far here I prob overate. After that I ironed my clothes for the week, took my bath and here I am in the bed tucked away in my mosquito net at 9:15pm lol. We will start our 1st day at the deaf school(tomorrow we attend the assembly which begins at 8) and it is a 40 min walk so I will leave here around 7 to meet with my friend at 710.Well thats my weekend play for play, it really was uneventful I guess im just feeling a little wordy haha.
I'm still working on the pics-I have a few good ones of my place and me washing clothes and such that I want to show.
the demon child sounds a bit familiar, so you should be fine lol. i almost got sad for a moment reading it, but then you reminded me and yourself of why you're gonna make it through this...you've always been the glass half full one..im debbie lol. just keep an open mind and remind yourself, every culture has bad kids haha. i definitely feel lazy after reading this though. time to go throw a load in the washer. oh yeah, i responded on fb, but you must have been gone...last thing, i've completely given up on getting this daggone blog to let me post as myself, instead of anonymous. I'm praying for you, but you'll be fine :)
ReplyDeleteKia you are so amazing! We Love you & Thank God for you! Be encouraged! LOVE MOM! Mo & I are going to figure out how to post with our name soon. Lol! Gotta call Auntie!
ReplyDeleteHey mo and mom aka anoymous thanks for the warm thoughts. Mo youre ridic lol going to put another load in the wash. and yeah i saw your message today. i have a modem and free unlimited internet for a week but that runs out tomorrow so im not sure how much ill be one. Mom I will call you in the next few days. Love you both you should come visit in about 6 months!
ReplyDeleteHey lady the little ones sound as if they are excited to have you around they will get used to you and eventually give you more time to yourself. I am praying that the school is a awesome experience!!!! Can"t wait to start reading posts about it. Hang in there and be patient! Love you!!!!!! (*|*)
ReplyDeleteI got a little sad too when you said you weren't happy but like Mo said, you're optimistic and it will all work out once you get used to everything and everybody. I would have loved to see you washing your clothes hehe Hope school is going well and you're enjoying it! Make a difference roomie! :) lol looks like i need to help mo and tammy get their name showing up lol Love ya!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteKia they can't help but fall in love with you like everyone else! It's really hard not to do, you know! Stay Encouraged! We Love Killie!
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