Week 2

 This is our home in Eldoret. The family who owns this house, Jim and Jane Sang, also have their home on this property. We share the home with a PhD student from Tanzania, named Grace. The properties in this area are generally surrounded by nine-foot high brick walls, topped with a few strands of barbwire and guarded 24-7. We are told it is safe to walk here at night. It might be safe with respect to thieves but there are no street lights so there would be a good chance of stepping in a hole, falling and breaking a limb. In that respect, we think it is not safe.

Grace had her first class Monday. The 35 km to the main campus took a little over half an hour, which is quite reasonable. She has a class of about 55 students with a total of 6 textbooks for the class, which is a drawback.

I met each of my classes this week. Generally students do not have textbooks so that is a problem. On Thursday I arrived at class today prepared to teach a two-sample t test was told students had not even seen the one sample test. For Friday’s class I had been told to assume students had not seen the relevant topic. When I arrived I found out they were taking the theory of the topic, not the application. Another big change in plans, this time more difficult.

Saturday we went to do our shopping. We tried to get a ride on a matatu (see minivan in the picture) but after about a dozen passed us already full, we decided to walk. After about twenty steps a businessman picked us up and gave us a ride. The matatu shown is driving through a very rough section of the street. I suspect it has been that rough for a long time. The last picture is a taxi stand. On her ride to school Grace was told often a son would ask his father for a plot of land so he could start out on his own. When he gets the land, he sells it and buys a motorcycle to operate a taxi. Not a wise decision – on good days they may earn up to $7.00.

This morning we attended the second service of the Africa Inland Church (Anglican) with Sangs. Services are at 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 with the latter in Swahili. The second service was packed with about 4,000 people. It was a very good service. All in all, a very good week.

Just before we left Winnipeg I was told I could start raising my left arm to shoulder height but no farther. After three weeks of very hard work I am finally able to get it to shoulder height. Pitching 80 pound bales in my youth was easier but at least I see good progress.