Africa.....

As Indy wraps up her first year at Mercer University, she will be home for a week and then heads back to school for a 5 week service learning opportunity. For those that are interested, here is the outline of the program:

Mercer on Mission. Crossing Cultures. Changing Lives.

Kenya -

Academic Courses

* HON 320/PLS 385 Honors Seminar “Water and Sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa"
* HON 310/AFR300: Honors Service Learning “Contemporary Issues in Sub-Saharan Africa”

Faculty

* Laura Lackey (Professor, School of Engineering)
* Jay Pendleton (Associate Professor, College of Liberal Arts)

Program Highlights:

Service Project Description: The goal of MoM-Kenya 2010 is to provide potable water to a nursery school and community in the West Pokot District near Sigor. Installation of a water powered piston pump, placed in an irrigation channel, will be used to transfer water to the school. In addition, we will build small water-filtration units appropriate for households using locally available, relatively cheap materials. Our host in Kenya is Mr. Sam Harrell. Visit his website to learn more about Sam and African Exchange (http://www.africaexchange.org/contact.htm).

Travel Dates: May 31 - June 25, 2010

Approximate In-country Itinerary:

* 3 nights in Nairobi

* 2 nights at Lake Baringo - we will stay at Camp Roberts. For more information, see the following: http://www.robertscamp.com/

* 12 days at the Marich Pass Field Studies Station - The Field Station is located near Sigor and will be our home while we work. See the following for more information: http://www.gg.rhul.ac.uk/MarichPass/

* 2 nights in the Kakamega Forest - Kakamega Forest will be our retreat after working hard. See http://www.rondoretreat.com/

* 3 nights in the Maasai Mara - We will enjoy several game drives in the Mara. Just Google Maasai Mara (or Masai Mara). It is amazing.

Classroom Studies:

May 17 - May 28, 2010
Mercer University, Macon Campus


Map:

A: Nairobi
B: Roberts Camp, Lake Baringo
C: Marich Pass
D: Rondo Retreat, Kakamega Rain Forrest
E: Masai Mara Game Reserve

Indy's Blog: Tutoring

I have been tutoring Jasmine every Thursday this school year for about one to two hours. It was a class requirement to tutor third through fifth graders at a local elementary school. The school is all black students and we were told that some of them had never seen a white person before--crazy! Some stay in the afterschool program because they need help with homework/learning, their parents are working, or their home life is rough. I help with Jasmine's homework occasionally, but have found that she doesn't need help as much as she needs a push to get going. I think I got quite lucky--she seems like the most behaved one around! Today was our last day together and we enjoyed pizza and snacks, coloring, and playing around. Here are some things that I remember about my times with Jasmine and the other students.

1) Children are very gullible. She told her uncle that she had a tutor for school and he asked if I was black or white. She responded with white, and he proceeded to tell her that if you look REALLY REALLY close, all white women are ugly!!! The next time I went to tutor, I was helping her with some homework and looking at her worksheet. Eventually, I feel her literally right next to my face, so close I can feel her breath. I move back and said, "Girl, whatchu lookin' at?? Do I have something on my face??" It was cute watching her blush a little and try to explain herself. I squeezed this story out of her and she was very happy when I laughed very hard. I think she was worried it would offend me. This is my favorite memory with her and I still laugh thinking about it.

2) Kids in the ghetto aren't really kids. They have a lot of worries. I learned this when Jasmine holding a plastic bag stuffed with as much food as it could hold from their party earlier in the day. She said it was so she wouldn't get hungry that weekend.

3) They know how to insult, talk back, and stand up for themselves. I saw and had to stop many verbal fights that were up close and personal. Some of the boys think they are good fighters, too. A couple were play fighting boxing style. I went up and showed them how to defend themselves. They only knew how to punch, but not how to hold their arms to protect themselves, especially their cute faces. Figured they outta know, right?

4) THEY ALL CAN DANCE - AMAZING. They tried to teach me some moves, but I ended up just being laughed at. I really don't know how to do the swanky leg or a bunch of those other weird moves and never could figure it out. I just danced and danced and imitated them and let them laugh and how awful I was.

5) I learned to check before you pet an animal in the dark. Jasmine told me a story about how she accidentally pet a possum with her hand thinking it was a cat. Poor girl got quite the surprise! Haha!

6) It is my tutoring there that made me realize HOW SHORT I AM! The first time I walked into that fifth grade classroom, everyone said to each other, "She's short!" All year they came up to me and talked about how short I am. Some of them were my height or taller. Even though I was small, they still were kids and loved to hug and hold hands and play around, which made it tough for me! Jasmine is one of the shortest kids there, though, so I didn't feel so bad. :)

7) I played on the playground with the kids one day and all I could remember was my Mom's words, "Stay vertical! Stay vertical!" I was fighting for my life out there!! I got to run and play and push everyone on swings. It was fun. Jasmine at one point ran to the top of a dome thing (the one with all the triangles), stood on top of it, and beat her fists on her chest with a war cry!! I was across the playground and she heard me laughing and giggled. Silly girl.

I certainly will miss them. All of the fifth graders knew my name and loved me. Cute kids. Here is a picture of Jasmine and I!

It starts today!

Today we get on the Carnival Fantasy! We left yesterday around 5:15 pm. About a good hour later than I would have liked. So, pretty much right on time!! We arrived safe and sound shortly after midnight to Lonnie & Diana's home outside of Mobile. A couple U'ies there at the end, or as Garmin likes to say, "as soon as legally possible make a left turn followed by left turn", and we found the house. It was nice to have room and beds waiting for us at such a late hour!

The drive was great. We had some bad traffic at the end of our street hearalding major bumper to bumper on the freeway. We needed gas and by the time we filled up we couldn't make the left we needed to get to the freeway and the line of cars going to the freeway access going right was really long. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I looooooove long lines and the pains I will go through to avoid them. So we decided without further ado to take the scenic route across the back country and hook up to I65 past the bottleneck area. I'm sure we didn't save any time at all, and possibly added 15-20 minutes to it, but who knows, traffic might have done the same, and my patience for that kind of thing is not very high. We enjoyed sailing past pastures and cows with nobody in front of us. When we hit the freeway it was busy but not stop and go, and that made me happy.

I drove for awhile. Taryn drove for awhile. I drove for awhile longer. Then we were here. That's the short version. The longer version is that when you cross the stateline into Alabama....peeeeuuuu! The folks there feed their livestock something wrong!! And then there is a smell in a place I think is called Wetskumpa... I think it is named for what it smells like. We sped up to get past the smell (think rotten eggs) so I only saw a flash of the sign. Anyway, a pretty easy drive and we're looking forward to seeing what we missed in the dark on the way home....unless of course, we end up driving in the dark again! Oh well, we'll just have to book another cruise to make up for that.

Today we have the morning to do whatever....hang out with Uncle Lonnie, maybe see Mobile by car and then head to the port. Get ideas for some places to go when our cruise is finished. We have a few hours until we head to the port. The earliest we can board is 12:30 and we should board by 2:00. I'm going to be there at......12:30!!!!! The line thing, you know.

I have a personal saying about that... When virtues were being distributed in Heaven, there was a really long line for Patience. I took one look at that and said, Nah!!!

Wish we could post from the ship, but I guess we can't. Will take photos. Thanks Grammy for lending us your camera since I accidentally left Taryn's at preschool. Thanks Mariah for letting us borrow your flip, and then we gave it back so you can have it for your Spring Break, which I hope is fun. Gib - BE GOOD!!! Do alot of yardwork and stuff. Clean out the garage with dad (watch out for spiders). Indy - take it easy and breathe, you're almost there! Love you kids!!! Mike - Taryn & I are so happy to be on our Mother Daughter vacation! Thanks for everything and thanks for taking time off to be with the kids on their break! I love you!