From: Jerra
Date: May 26, 2010 11:01:33 PM GMT+03:00
Subject: Report from Nairobi
I love being a Rotarian--part one
Today was a great and fullfilling day. Itotia & I began our mission at 10AM. He wanted our $250 gift to the school to be both tangible & transparent. Does that sound like banker talk? A friend of his contacted the school and came up with list of textbooks that would be useful. We were off in search of an ATM to get 20,000 shillings ($250.58). Then we searched for the book publishing place. They had all the books but one, but fear not, the bookstore across the street had it.
The publisher usually only sells to schools. Itodia did some fast talking about how I was here all the way from the USA to do good work. I whipped out my business card that says secretary -- Rotary Club of Cupertino. They designated me as a special customer and opened an account. I paid in cash, gathered our books and headed off to the school.
We headed out of the city to the hills covered with coffee plants and banana trees. Thirty five minutes later we drove down a dirt road with lots of holes and deep ruts and arrived at P.C.E.A Mukua Secondary School.
We met with the principal and got the VIP tour. We looked at a possible space for a computer lab. We were there at lunch time so got to see the students get heaping helpings of rice and beans. The cooks cook in pots (like a caldron) big enough for me to get into. They are heated with firewood. After lunch we met in the principal's office with a couple of teachers and students for our presentation of the books to the school.
As many as four students will share a single textbook. Our gift will help. We talked about other school needs. I'll report when I get home.
Report from Nairobi 2
May 27, 2010
...after visiting the secondary school Itotia and I drove down the
road to visit a primary school. We could only drive a short way and were forced to leave the car and walk the rest of the way. The ruts were so deep I thought we were going to get hung up. I don't think AAA would have come to rescue us. As we walked down the road a group of kids spotted us. They can running across a big field to greet us.
The principal asked me to speak to a couple of classes and tell them about the USA. They asked questions like what was the capital of California, what kinds of things do farmers grow... They were very curious about my hair. When we walked back to the car they followed like the pied piper.
Today we went to the giraffe center. I kissed a giraffe when she took food out of my mouth. Such soft lips. Next was the Karen Blixen (Out of Africa) house. Lunch was at the home of the Pinto family (they own the safari company). Last stop was the national museum.
Time to finish packing...we leave for Amboselli National Park tomorrow @ 6:00AM sharp. This will be my last email.
Signing off
Jerra Rowland