I don't know where to start.. Haven't been to town for five days and reading upon on emails and bloggs makes me both glad and emotional. My head was already full of thoughts and happenings I wanted to share with you, so now the sign over my head blinks "overload"! So where should I start..?

I am surprised how quickly one adapt to a new setting. We've been here two and a half week but its seems like a life time. The strangest thing is my adjustment to the new diurnal rhythm. Since we're at the equator the sun rises at around seven and sets at seven and since our lamps are run by solar cells the lighting is quite dimmed. Och hor och hapna, I go to bed at ten and every morning I go up between seven and eight. It's impossible to fall back to sleep! Scary I tell you ;) But it's nice to have a regular rhythm for once!

So how do my days pass by?
Well I go up (around 7.30!), eat breakfast and depending on weekday it differs. On weekdays while the children are in school I either help rinsing the beans and maize or I assist in school. On Mondays the principal start the school week with a ceremony at the flag pole in front of the children. I sneaked up and stood next to the teachers. I hear that the principal changes his language to more and more include English (from Swahili) and then I hear him say:
"I see we have a visitor here today. We welcome you and won't you come up here and say some words.

I look at the teacher Karen next to me and asks if he wants me to go up in front of the children. She says yes. Up I go. I greet the principal and he starts to talk about Sweden and the connection to the school and how the school uniform represents the colours of the Swedish flag and so on. Then he tells me to say something inspiring to the children that will encourage them in life and with their studies! You can imagen the situation haha! Anyways, I introduced myself and then just babbled on, of course my words was filled with wisdom ;)

Later while observing the second grade class I was asked to teach the English class (!) Again, there I stand in front of 15 second graders teaching them the orders of the weekdays. Since their first weekday is Sunday and ours is Monday I occasionally had to peek in the book for the right answers :D The same thing happened in math class. Division isn't the easiest task I can tell you haha! I definitely will think twice before I attend seven or eight grade..

There aren't just children from Phyllis who goes to the Phyllis school. A lot of the neighbouring children attend Phyllis school which makes it many many children to recognize. During dinner time it is just Phyllis children left, but still they are many (about 60) and learning all the names is tricky. The elder children are more difficult to approach, especially the girls. Some of them have the teen age I-don't-care-attitude. The elder guys are a bit shy and when they just hang (only guys) it's not the most appropriate thing to try to be one in the gang haha! The division between men and women are very visible. But then again, it makes sense that a man stirs the ugali (very heavy) and the women rinse beans. It's the rural life.

The adaption to time consuming chores has also gone smoothly. I'm still in the face where I romanticize this life. No stress. Pole pole. Washing our clothes takes half a day (and that's just one set of laundry, black or white). You sit outside in the sun while washing and have time to cook while the clothes lays in the water. I draw parallels to the tv-show "house on the praire" all the time haha! Laura Ingels here I come :D

To shower we have to warm up water and then mix it with cold rain water and then pour it over ourselves with a pet bottle. The same goes with washing the hair. Just like back in the day at Uvö, right family members!? So you'll see how days just passes by.

I'm slowly getting to know some of the children. We usually sit with them after school and chore time and before dinner. Of course some are more forward than others and it's difficult to come close to everyone. But once they seeked contact it gets easier and easier. Some boys seeks attention the typically boy way by scaring us with the biggest beetle I have ever seen. Talking to the children reminds me how fortunate life we live in Sweden and how much we take for granted.

The social worker at Phyllis, Maragia, is a good investment. He is only 22 years old but gives a professional impression and has really good care with the children. Unfortunately its too many children and another social worker is needed but they have the money for it. Maragia makes 500 Swedish kr a month and he has to provide for his sisters schooling and housing. Last Sunday we followed Maragia to church and afterwards we visited Maragias sisters house. It was a one room apartment 15-20 kvm. Kitchen, living room and bed room in one room. They lived three persons there. Rent 100 sw kr. I feel grateful to get the opportunity to visit a "normal" kenyan house and not just the tourist sights.

I think the visit to the church was the longest ceremony I have attended. Afterwards I could feel a good old four ours ceremony in my body!

The weather has actually been quite cold at moments. Some days are cloudy and it rains in the afternoon. The last couple of days however, have been warmer.

My thesis (D-uppsats) goes.. well I don't know. I felt that I had to land first before thinking in terms of hypothesis and research questions. I'll realized that I have to change my focus a bit cuz I don't just want to focus on the childrens home. I want to get a more general apprehension about ethnic identity in Kenya. National versus local (tribe) belonging and analyse if there is a differences in attitudes amongst generations.

Ok, guess it's time to round up. Think I covered a little bit of everything. Miss you at home! But I really enjoy Kenya too!

Lots of love <3