First Day

I would consider this my first real day in Kenya. I'm still dealing with jet lag so I slept until about 11am Kenya time. I met with some people at the career training service about consulting on their restaurant. I asked the restaurant manager if I could get a tour of the kitchen and the first thing that he told me was, "someone is donating a modern kitchen this year." Modern kitchen? I thought. Then he showed me their "non-modern" kitchen. I didn't take any pictures because I didn't want to be rude by snapping a series of critical food violations but to paint you a quick mental image it was a dirt floor shack with a tin roof. There was a man cutting tender outside and everything that they were cooking inside was being cooked over a fire on the floor.

After spending some time at the restaurant Jill needed to go out and check on some students that were in a more rural clinic. On the way back we were able to stop and tour a Kenyan farm as well as learn about agriculture in Kenya. The lack of operating capital for farms limits many of the farming methods that I was accustomed to in the States. For example instead of pesticides they space the crops out farther than we do; and in the event of an infestation they use home remedies such as ash, cayenne pepper, and water to repel the invading pests. I took some pictures of the fields that we saw but I am not sure that I can upload them at this time.

A few parting observations from my first day in Kenya:

1. Although I considered my accent to be neutral, no one can understand my American English. I think I am probably going to have to adopt Jill's "Kenyan English" accent which I could only describe as part American, part English, and part talk to someone as if they were an idiot by over pronouncing all of the syllables in each word.

2. There is relatively little hurry here over anything and the expectation of self-satisfaction is virtually non existent.

3. Jill Helphinstine is truly brilliant, it was a real treat to get to watch her work briefly today.

That's all for now, hope to catch up with some of you later on skype.

CG