Kenya Holiday

On the 15th of December we set out fairly early after saying a very sad goodbye to our neighbours who were flying back to the UK just after we left. We had a long journey to Ndola airport which went smoothly then after checking in we discovered that the lunch that we packed we had to eat before we got on the plane which resulted in us sat round the box of noodles and beef all eating with our plastic forks. I made a mess though, for some reason I kept dropping food. During take-off Diana so was so excited! It was her first ever flight! We had a short stop in Mozambique and then flew on to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia where we spent the night in a very lovely hotel. In the morning we got to enjoy the sunrise but it was REALLY cold which none of us were ready for. The next flight was from Addis to Mombasa airport in Kenya which was a huge temperature difference, we went from freezing to sweating a lot within a short space of time. Then began the journey from Mombasa to Msambweni where our house is. We were in two safari vehicles which was really great because it meant we could have the roof open which we were very grateful for because we were dripping with sweat. After our very short ferry trip (so short that both Diana and Pia, who were in different cars, didn’t know it moved across) in our car we stood up and enjoyed the sites around us which was probably very dangerous, but it was good fun, so I’m not worried right now 😂. We stopped off at the shops in Diani for food and water, I got to go into the market as well which I really enjoyed. In the evening we looked round the house and went for a walk or a swim down at the beach. This was the first time Diana had ever seen the sea or a beach. It was so lovely to watch her experience everything so new, it made me look at it all differently again. 

Our House from the front

The back of the house

Enjoying the view from our house over the Indian ocean

Our House is amazing! It’s so big and the view is incredible. We can see the beach from all of our bed rooms and there are monkeys that visit and yeah just wow! Frank and Julia Wittmann have their own room then you have Diana, Julia P, Michelle and Melanie upstairs in one room and then Pia and I share a room downstairs. There is a Pool table in the middle of the hall/living room which is great fun as well as some lovely comfy sofas. Out on the veranda we have more sofas and loungers and there are 4 hammocks dotted round. Our kitchen and eating area are not in the house but down a short path, under a thatched roof, overlooking the ocean. We spend very little time inside the house in general, but it is so nice.  Here we have both a cleaning lady and a cook and the food is so so good. It’s really lovely not having to think about cooking or cleaning up afterwards. 

Holding starfish
Julia W, Julia P, Michelle, Diana & Melanie

On Tuesday the 17th we had a fairly relaxed day, we went for a walk on the beach after breakfast and looked for shells which was really good. The first hermit crab we came across was so exciting for Diana but by the end she didn’t like them because they had all the good shells! 😂🐚 We got to hold starfish in our hands as well, there were so many, it was hard to make sure we didn’t stand on them. For lunch we had shell pasta with tomato sauce which I thought was so fun because it fitted so well with our day and it tasted amazing. After lunch the girls and I went to the village to look at getting sim cards. All the way we heard muzungu muzungu which is what they call white people, all the children were so excited to see us. We managed to get 3 sims out of 6 which took much longer than expected. We came back just in time for coffee and bible, it was Esther 1. 

Pia, Diana and Me getting ready for a swim

Swimming (sort of, it was too shallow to really swim)

Giraffe

On Wednesday the 18th we went on Safari! We saw a Giraffe, Warthog, buffalo, Black sable, eagles, monkeys, impala, baboons and I’m sure some more that I’ve forgotten already. We had a really lovely although tiring day. Pia, Julia, Diana, Melanie and Michelle all went for a long walk down to a waterfall which I couldn’t go to, so I stayed with Frank and Julia while they slept overlooking the gorge. They came back and said that it was so amazing, but they were a little damp and out of breath 😂. In the evening we were all really tired so after supper we looked at Esther 2 and then went to bed pretty early.

Standing in the safari car
Julia, Me, Michelle and Melanie

Diana admiring the view

Me in my most natural position 

Lost on Diani Beach with Michelle and Melanie

On Thursday the 19th we went to Diani beach for the day. We started out very early, we travelled by motorbike to the junction then Matatu to Diani then the Tuk-tuk to the beach. I was in a Tuk-tuk with Michelle and Melanie which proceeded to get lost! We made it to Diani beach just didn’t know where the others where and the beach is about 45 kilometres long. It was ok though, we wandered along and called them a few times and we eventually found each other. We spent quite a long time wandering along looking for the perfect place to set up camp. We eventually found a bar/boutique/restaurant thing that was nice that we could sit in. We swam, we wandered, we talked, we enjoyed the free WIFI (something that is very hard to come by here, I haven’t really had it since I left the UK) and we enjoyed good food. Diana, Julia P and I went to the boutique and enjoyed a spot of shopping. It was all very eventful with people always coming up to us and offering us their glass boat tours and their merchandise. On the way back, we travelled by Tuk-tuk back to Diani but first stopping at the market stalls where we bought things like floaty trousers and light fabric wraps (in Zambia it’s a chitenge but I’ve forgotten what they call the light ones in Kenya something like parelle). After a very eventful Tuk-tuk ride to Diani we were waiting for the Matatu to go back to Mwasambeni when a couple of really nice Tuk-tuk drivers offered to take us the whole way back. It was very squishy though because they are meant to sit three but there were four of us in one! And yet somehow Michelle still managed to fall asleep on the way back 😂. After supper we read Esther 3 as a group. I have managed to gut super sunburned on my back, as well as Julia so we spent a lot of time putting moisturiser on our backs. It really hurts but on the positive side, I will have some fun tan lines.

Squashed into the Matatu on the way to Diani
Diana, Julia, Me, Michelle & Melanie

The view from our base

Coral and a fish

Friday the 20th was thankfully a little later in starting, I could sleep a little longer. Well, if it wasn’t for the rooster then I’m sure I would but never mind. The breakfasts we have here are amazing, we often have bacon, sausages, beans, pancakes, toast, fresh bread, cereal and lots of different fruits. Today we went out on a little boat (it was like the fishing boats in Moana 😂) to go to the reef to go snorkelling. I’m normally very afraid of snorkelling but this time, not so much. I had so much fun, I could even dive down for a while. We saw lots of different types of fish, sadly I don’t know any names. Diana was lying on a ring to look down as we did a lot of swimming and when you’re not used to swimming in the sea especially with a snorkel it was hard work for her. She was so excited, she keeps telling me “Beth, I saw Dori!”. After a late lunch we all went off and slept for some time and then came together for Esther 4 then we all chilled around the house for a while. Diana and I went on a walk along the beach and ended up talking to lots of people along the way, the people are very friendly here. We were a little late for supper because we were chatting so much. 😂

Felling like a fish

The girls holding a coral that was brought to us
(we put it back)

On our Moana boat going out to snorkel 

Evening game of Pool

Saturday the 21st was meant to be a chill day but it started with a hospital trip. Julia P’s ears were blocked for the past few weeks, so she went to see if she could get them unblocked and I broke my toe! Oops! When we were at Diani beach I managed to kick a chair rather hard (by accident) and broke the second toe from the outside on my left foot. It’s not too bad but I don’t think I’ll be putting on closed shoes for some time. Diana came along with us too because there was an extra motorbike that came to pick us up, so it made sense to use it. I didn’t actually get the toe checked in the end, I just went on a cotton and tape hunt to tape it up to make it more comfortable. The rest of the day was very rainy, and we didn’t get up to much really, just chilled, read, played pool, etc… After supper we studied Esther 5 and then chilled again till bed.

Coconutting 

Sunday the 22nd we went to the local church which was lovely even though we understood so little because it was all in Swahili. The music was amazing, and we even got up and sang ‘we want to see Jesus lifted high’ for them. After church some people from the village came to sell us what they’d made which was lovely but very stressful, especially when they say things like “please miss this is my only income, how about this one”. I bought myself a Hippo! I also got a kanga which Melanie also got the identical one just after me so now we match. We got coconuts which was a fun experience. I shared one with Diana but neither of us loved it, it wasn’t bad but… yeah not my favourite. Afterwards we went down to the beach to swim but the ocean was too far away, so we stayed on the beach. Some children came and chatted and when they saw my camera they were very excited and wanted lots of photos, it was really good fun, but we had to go back for supper. After supper we studied Esther 6 then chilled again, playing pool, reading, games etc till we went to bed.

Beach fun

Our Beach base

On Monday the 23rd our plan had been to visit Mombasa but there was no transport available for us so instead we went back to Diani beach. Julia, Julia and I went round the market stalls first and we bought quite a few things. My favourite thing I bought was a little hippo key ring. By the time we re-joined the others on the beach it was almost lunch time. I called home (because we had free WiFi) and got to video chat to all the family which was really lovely. Mum spotted that my tongue was bright orange even though I didn’t intentionally show her and had to explain that it was the Fanta that I had just had. 😂 Grandma D happened to call just as I was having lunch wanting to discuss when she should come to visit me which was fun. Pia, Diana, Michelle and Melanie wanted to go on the jet skis, so I walked down with them, but it was much further than I thought so I was gone for a long time and left Julia alone. I had a really good walk though and got to talk to lots of interesting people. When I came back I spent some time chatting with Julia about home and about our families. Homesickness is starting to really make an appearance with us at the moment. On the way back Julia, Julia and I went back to one of the stalls to pick up something Julia W was having made and then we went to safaricom to get Julia P a sim card (safaricom had air conditioning which was lovely). We re-joined the group at the mall where they were food shopping. I went round the market to get the fruits which I loved. We got back much later than expected, we caught the Matatu to the hospital and then had to walk the rest of the way back. After we showered we mostly went to bed, we have to get up early in the morning ready for Christmas Eve! Very exciting!

Of cause... Camels in Kenya

Getting ready for jet skiing
Melanie, Pia, Diana and Michelle

Pia and Diana ready to go

Getting on our boat for the day

Tuesday 24th German Christmas (Christmas Eve). Today we went on a boat tore wo see dolphins and go snorkelling along a beautiful protected coral reef. It was so amazing, the fish were so beautiful and not too afraid of us, so we could really get very close. Unfortunately though, while there my waterproof camera (which is very old) finally gave up. I did get some photos but not as many as I would have. We saw starfish, sea cucumbers and many many other amazing sea creatures. It was so awesome to see God’s underwater creations up so close. Our lunch was really lovely too but unfortunately Diana really wasn’t feeling well. On the boat on the way back to the harbour, one of the boat crew played a plastic bottle like a drum and sang us a song which was really fun. When we got back Julia W and I took Diana to the hospital. In the evening we sang Christmas songs, wore Christmas hats and listened to the Christmas story. We also shared out our secret Santa gifts which was really fun, especially the guessing who had who 😂. Most people were calling home afterwards, so I made a quick call home and got to chat to all of my family plus extras which was really lovely. I also received some really fun photos and videos from them all which was both lovely and made me sad that I wasn’t with them. All in all, I had a really lovely German Christmas day.

DOLPHINS!!

Angel fish

Different type of fish
(my fish knowledge is bad) 

Group Photo underwater
Diana, Melanie, Michelle and Julia P

Me and Diana after snorkelling

Melanie and Michelle

Pia, Julia P, Diana and Me

Julia W

Frank W after refusing to wear the hats because he said he'd look silly

Frank, Julia W, Pia, Diana,
Melanie, Michelle, Julia and me

Wednesday the 25th (my Christmas). Today was very chilled, we didn’t really do much all day. I had made stockings for all the girls and we opened them at breakfast which was good fun. I had a few little bits from mum which she sent with me back in September, so it was really nice to finally see what was in these presents. It was certainly a lesson in patience 😉. I called home again briefly just to say Happy Christmas which was really lovely. After lunch we all went down to the beach and took some photos. Then we went swimming in the sea on Christmas day 😍 not something I’ve ever done before. In the evening we sang Christmas songs again, ate Christmas cookies and watched some Christmas story videos and just spent some time together which was really lovely. In the evening it was time to pack up our things because in the morning we are leaving! 😢.

Cheeky posed shot

Frank and Julia Wittmann

Pia, Diana, me, Julia, Michelle and Melanie
"3, 2, 1, JUMP!"

At the Monument in Mombasa

Thursday 26th, our last day. We left pretty early because before we fly we’d like to see a bit of Mombasa. We saw the horn monument thingy, which I didn’t really understand but it looked kinda cool then we had lunch at a restaurant, the food was lovely but it took forever to come 😂. Then we went to the wood carving market which was really interesting! We wandered round there pretty much till we left for our flight. The airport had free WIFI so naturally none of us spoke to each other we just watched videos 😂. We had some monkey visitors in the airport which was funny. The plain was HUGE! And mostly empty so we had a row each although it was the only one with movies so none of us really slept we all watched movies. I watched most of Rouge One but didn’t manage to finish it. After our flight I couldn’t cope with wearing my shoes with my broken toe, so I took it off. I got some very strange looks! Our hotel was again beautiful but this one didn’t have such a good view. I shared a room with Pia again 😁.

Boxing day walk. A little different from most years for me

So much space on our flight

Friday 27th. Very early start today. One thing I’ve noticed especially about this hotel is that it is SILENT like completely! It was so strange not to hear traffic, the ocean, crickets or the chicken. Breakfast was really nice too, lots of bread things and fruit. The flight was longer this time and I think I slept part of the way. When we landed it was raining in Zambia but that was quite nice. Customs took a loooooooong time because most of our TPs had expired either today or yesterday, but we got that all sorted thanks to Frank and all our bags arrived so all in all successful in my books. On the journey back, I got a surprise call from Rachel V which was lovely to see and chat to her for a bit even if signal kept cutting us off. When we got home we immediately put a wash on and then had to go shopping because we had no food. I cooked bolognaise for supper which worked much better than expected. We all went to bed pretty early after a long day traveling. 

We had an amazing time and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was also really good to be away and busy over Christmas otherwise I think the homesickness would have hit a lot harder for all of us. I have soooo many photos from this holiday, but I’ve only pulled out what I think are the best for you to enjoy. Thank you for all your ongoing support and friendship while I’m here in Zambia. I really feel like I’m where I’m meant to be right now and that’s a lovely feeling. Please be praying for us over the next few weeks as we are still out of routine and getting used to people being away and also as we start preparing for the new school year starting on the 7th of January 2020.

End of Term 3 2019

Trying to feel festive

End of term 3 also known as the end of the school year. I have now been in Zambia for more than 3 months and I completely believe that I am where I am meant to be. I love teaching, even though it’s sometimes rather challenging and I always find something to complain about (I’m working on trying to be more positive and not only focusing on the negatives). Coming up now we have the end of year holidays (equivalent to the 6 week break in August in the UK) but it’s over Christmas which is really strange for me. Also it is super hot right now so it doesn’t really feel Christmassy. We have now got a little Christmas tree with lights courtesy of our neighbours who are leaving to go back to England before Christmas (leaving leaving, not just for a few weeks).

Little leaving party for the Kirk boys

Grade 12 Leavers Party

Recently we’ve had the graduation of the grade 12 students and the 6^th form students. There was a celebration in the dorm before they left and then we had a graduation ceremony for them, which Michelle, Melanie and I sang at with the worship team. On the 1^st of December we held a carols by candle light service here at Amano, again we sang with the worship group but this time we had a piece of our own that we sang just the three of us; “his name shall be” by Matt Redman. I was so nervous, Sam who was sat behind said that he could see my legs shaking, I don’t think it helped that we messed up on the first chorus.  We also had the Christmas Nativity beautifully performed for us buy the primary students on the 6^th which was the last day of school. It was so cute. 😍

Primary Nativity

Cholwe, Me and Sam 

On the 15^th of December Diana, Pia, Melanie, Michelle, Julia, the Wittmann’s and I will be traveling to Kenya for Christmas which I am so looking forwards to. It will be Diana’s first time flying which will be great to experience with her. Trying to think of all the things I need to take is giving me a headache! 😂 We will be staying in a little house next to a beach called Msambweni Beach. We will hopefully go on safari and go to Mombasa and Diani Beach and other things. Having Christmas on a beach is going to be so strange! We now have Christmas hats though so we can take a photo of all of us in our hats on a beach on Christmas day. Christmas day has been a big point of discussion as of late. When is Christmas Day? In Germany they celebrate on the evening of the 24^th but in England and Zambia we celebrate Christmas day on the 25^th. So I think the plan is to have German Christmas on the 24^th and English/Zambian Christmas on the 25^th. Two Christmas’ 😍!

Comparison from when we arrived.
What a little bit of rain can do

Life here definitely has some of its challenges, some of which I can do nothing about and others are part of living away from home for the first time. Shopping is a challenge, remembering what I need to buy and not just buy chocolate and also think of new meals to cook and buy the things for that meal. Here at the moment we mostly cook vegetarian at home because the school meals are sooooo meat heavy, the only problem with this is that all the meals I knew how to cook at home contained meat so they’re not very helpful here, I’ve had to get creative (my specialty is a vegetable/tomato sauce with pasta and cheese 😁). Power is another challenge, during term time we have the generator through most of the day if Zesco (electricity provider of Zambia) is out but now it’s the holidays we have 2 hours over lunch and 2 hours over supper time to allow us to cook something. Thankfully power at the moment is out mostly in the evening and overnight. Another thing that has been a challenge since I arrived is learning to live with new people. We have had loads of really good times together but we have also had our not so good moments, generally through lack of communication or sometimes even too much communication (it’s all very confusing). Over all we are doing much better now I think than we were some time ago.

Next term is going to look very different for all of us here. Classes are going to be doubled in primary which could change how my timetable looks completely. I’ll still have swimming lessons for another term but that’s about as much as I know. Please be praying for the provision of new teachers who fit into the mission here at Amano.

Photo time 🤩📸

Melanie

Diana

Fun hats at the Christmas Youth Event

Christmas Youth Event

PARTEEEEEEEYY!

Pia's 20th Birthday 

6th of December. St Nicolas Day

More mischief with Diana

Me and Diana getting into mischief in Shopwrite

Sam, Joe, Cholwe, Michelle, Julia and Me
coming back from a day in Kitwe