Karibu Keveye!
My last couple months or so has been spent living with a host family in Keveye (pronounced Kayvay), Kakamega. Keveye is a very small village area about a 45 minute matatu (minivan that seats 14 but fits up to 27) ride from Kakamega.
I've decided for this post to give a brief introduction followed by several pictures I took this weekend (note it is now a couple weeks later). The pictures will basically give you a walk through of my Sunday in Keveye and will introduce you to my host family and friends, as well as what the general area looks like.
First, a few notes:
Host Family
My host family is the greatest. Kenyans are extremely welcoming and I have become a part of the family in no time. They say in Kenya that the first day you stay with a family you are a guest, the next day you are handed a tool and told to go work the fields. Not entirely true, but I have gotten to do a fair share of work around here.
The host family, the Amukunes, is twelve members strong and consists of the following:
Mama Felister - Mother, Primary School Teacher, Head of the household and local shop owner
Papa Joe - Father, Primary School Teacher
Maurine - Daughter, college graduate, stays in Nairobi but is living with us now
Timothy - Son, Electrician, Student at University, doesn't currently live in the home
Metty - Daughter, Student at University, is currently living with us, works at the shop
Angela - Adopted Daughter, Student in Secondary School, works at the shop
Diana - Daughter, Student at local girls' school, works at the shop
Madesa - Auntie, works at the shop
Ishmael - Son, herdsman
Pauline - Grand daughter, Preschool student
Cecilia - Baby Niece who just learned to walk, Madesa's daughter
Blessing - Baby less than a year of age, Maurine's daughter
The house is always full!
The House
Have:
- 3 meals a day
- bucket shower
- loo
- electricity when its not raining (every other night)
- stable
- chickens, cows, and a goat
- guard dogs
- several acres of maize and other crops
- pottery hut and kiln
- tin roofs that amplify the rain like none other
- a radio
-cell phones
- lots of conversation
Don't Have:
- running water
-water heater
- ceiling
- toilet
- sink
- mirror
- bathtub
- television
- AC or heater
- clean water (it has to be boiled or gathered from an underground spring)
- dishwasher or washer/dryer
- oven/stove
- refrigerator
- paper/school supplies (Pauline uses little scraps of paper from old budget spreadsheets at the shop and a pencil that is down to one inch length)
- books/novels to pass the time
-basic medicines for fever/cold
- baby food for Cecilia & Blessing
Despite the "don't have" list, life is relatively good for us in Keveye. The rain supplies the crops often and also gives us drinking/washing water that doesn't have to be boiled. All the food is prepared fresh and waste is very minimal. Life is simple, the way it should be, and I quite enjoy it (though I still feel a bit of relief whenever I see a toilet in Kakamega town).
Now for a walk through of my past Sunday!
Sunday Fun Day
First things first: Wake up, make the bed, and tie my malaria net up |
Walter being Walter... |
After the church service (lasted 8 hours) Pauline, Cecilia, Walter and I found a sugar bag to play with |
Sack race! |
I lost. |
But it is a friendly competition after all |
Use the loo again and change out of church clothes - this time avoid the horns on the way |
Pay a visit to Walter's family and pick myself a fresh organic snack on the way |
Walter's family has probably the nicest home in the Keveye region |
After discussing bull fighting and the Kenya constitution with Walter's father, we headed back home to get the livestock in before dark |
Help make chapati - a Kenyan version of a tortilla or flat bread that tastes amazing and is served with ndengu - a specially prepared lentil, tomato and onion mix |
Frying oil might as well be a Kenyan staple food |
After dinner, Pauline and I practice writing our ABC's and our names |
Have some fun on Photo Booth with my brother Ishmael |