Well the end of an amazing week and here I am sat in my home typing this to the light of a Kerosene lamp as the electricity is off once again. Luckily my laptop battery was charged at work.
Over the last week, the trainees have organised today. They each contributed to a pot of cash which bought all the food they needed. They planned the timing and went shopping for all the food. Arriving at 6am to light the fires in the kitchen and start the prep etc. I arrived at 8am and the chai was ready. I was greeted with a steaming cup and lots of smiles. The trainees were looking forward to laughing at a mzungo trying to cook chapattis!! I was called into the kitchen and together with an able colleague (the boys were only trusted with making the chapatti dough or peeling and making tea J), with, in total 14kg of flour in two big pans, we made around 200 chapattis.
Making Chapattis
Peeling hundreds of spuds
Meanwhile there was much peeling and chopping. I handed over my camera so they could have a bit of fun with that and the photos here are a selection of the 300 they took and we had impromptu slideshows through the day as they wanted to see the fruits of their labour. All were keen to have a disc of the photos but few if any have a computer. Internet cafes, using photo printing shops and sharing of computers is common though. Elevenses was a chapatti and more chai. Then, more chatting in the shade of a tree, much singing in the kitchen etc, etc.
Meat Prep
No chimney!!
I did a little work during the morning putting the finishing touches to the marketing docs to be printed tomorrow when I am in Thika and so I can get Isaacs final comments and feedback from the team.
After increasingly louder music and dancing etc in the assembly hall, finally by about half two the feast was ready. The assembly room had been made into a “banquet suite” a few speeches, a quick inter subject competition, grace and then finally food. More chapattis, stew (beef, potatoes and veg + a shredded veg mix) and bananas. More games a quiz and speeches. Including a request out of the blue for me to make a speech!! Thanks Isaac!
The banquet
Anyway all had a great day and the Trainees did a fantastic job organising it. I was handed a pot with more stew for my dinner and more chapattis. Not that I will be hungry again for a week J.
They asked me to stand there honest!!
The trainees in action
Ditto
The trainees in action
Ditto
On the way home I stopped to see Phillip the butcher nearest to the Poly. Simon one of the Instructors was with me and insisted I go round the back to see Kenyan sausage being made. Up until that point I was quite keen. I love black pudding etc., etc., and felt it would be great. Seeing what goes into it in gory reality however has probably put me off it for a long time. After all, not sure I would want to see black pudding being made - but I do love it.
Blimey – just had the biggest insect beastie yet fly in and to make matters worse I have not yet got my chairs so could not use them to fight it off!! A good Andy Murray smash with a Rough Guide to Kenya stunned it enough for me to beat it with a stick!! Been pretty lucky on that front so far and also avoided being bitten. Better not speak too soon though J.
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