. Day 1 - 3 .

Hello there!

Want to start off by saying we are loving it here, feels like it has been forever already. It is day 6 now but I haven't had a chance to update so I'm going to type up parts of my paper journal that I have been writing in every day, to give a little taster of what we have been doing/ feeling.

We are staying in a local house, Mama Bishop is looking after us she is amazing and cooks us proper traditional kenyan meals. The power was out for a few days so no lights (and let me tell you the darkness here is overwhelming, NO external lights from the street, just pure blackness... we first witnessed this on our first night in Kenya, completely alone in the night!) And now the power is back, but we have no running water. Never been so greatful for the little things! Everyone in the Marifiki team is lovely, HILARIOUS, and very caring/ protective so we feel safe and very welcome... even though white people here are very, very rare. We feel like celebs - will feel so strange comining back to London and having not every single person on the street ask how I am.The music here is amazing, lots of reggae and dancehall but also lots of english music (they were blasting Tinie Tempah to our surprise) with an African twist. Also Char showed everyone the Glad You Came video within the first 30mins of being in Kenya lolz. We are clubbing on Friday which should be HILARIOUS, Kenyan nights out are supposed to be really, really wild.


Exert from my journal on Day 3:


'We arrived at the orphanage called Agape, and I have to say I was a little surprised at the conditions. I don't know quite what I was expecting but I wasn't quite prepared for what  I was seeing. Tiny classrooms were made of metal shacks, with a couple of wooden seats and a dusty blackboard - no lights or plumbing anywhere and the kids had cute, but often very ripped uniforms. Char and I had tears in our eyes as Maggie, the owner of the school/ orphanage, talked us through everything that went on. Most of the kids here have either come from abusive/unstable families or were picked up from the street, and before they enroll a child they have to go through various background checks to make sure the child is really in need of a home. Maggie told us of a heart breaking story, where one boy lied multiple times to get himself a place in the orphanage. The staff all grew really attached to him but then found out that he wasn't really an orphan, and that his 'uncle' was actually his dad. Reluctantly they had to ask him to leave - you could see the pain in Maggies face as she told us... it makes you question the severity of the boys home life if he lied out of his teeth to get a place at this tiny orphanage. She also told us that the funding is virtually non existent, which would explain the extreme lack of teachers, supplies, and text books. When I asked Maggie how they cope she said 'we just hope that we can make it okay till the end of the day. If we can do that, we are happy. Just take each day as it comes.' Heartbreak. You have to hand it to them though, considering they are not paid fees the place is running very well. Now back to teaching.


 Let me make it clear that when we agreed to teach, we did so with the understanding that we would assist/shadow the teachers first for a couple of days then perhaps plan a lesson or two together. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. Within the 1st 15mins of being in the orphanage, the head teacher handed us a battered textbook each and said 'today you will be teaching science. Becca you have class 4, Charlie you have class 5. Lessons start in 5mins.' I can't tell you the sheer panic that struck over my body - he was being so serious! The huge teacher shortage meant they really needed us - deepend.com.Seriously imagine an unqualified fashion stylist/ model trying to teach a bunch of african children for whom english is their second language, about science that weve never been taught. OH DEAR. In the end we managed to share a class and it was actually fine - the children were so eager to learn and lovely so that made it easy for us! They actually chose to have extra class time over break time, never in my life have I seen kids so grateful to learn or show genuine affection - in break time they bombarded us with hugs and questions and one girl held my hand so tightly for about 30mins and did not want to let go. These kids have nothing yet i've never come across such friendly, happy children. '


(That diary entry was 10 pages long so I cut a lot out...)


We now have no power or electricity in the house, so better go now before battery runs out. I will update you on the past few days next time I get to a computer. We are off to Mombasa on Saturday to hekp out at HIV support groups for women and children, then we go on a 4 day safari. Lots to look forward to so will update ASAP!


Love and miss you allllll xxxx