Rain rain go away

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, the rains have arrived, which is a good thing - no more dust, it's nice and cool, things are growing etc etc. But it would be really lovely if they'd stop. I've had enough. Everyone's had enough. The situation in some parts of Kenya is really serious with floodings ruining crops, destroying homes and in some cases taking lives. It's not like that in Nairobi but it's horrible being wet and mud splattered all the time. I don't have any clean clothes as nothing can dry, I'm kept awake at night by the hammering of the rain and any hint of a tan that I'd picked up has long since faded. The rain was so heavy last night and this morning that the slums flooded. I didn't realise how bad the situation was until I was too far into them to turn back. The slums that I work in are set along the Ngong river. This is normally a fairly stagnant, fetid river clogged up with rubbish and sewage. However today it was raging and had burst at the seems. Bridges were submerged and the river was so high that it looked more like a lake. I tried in vain to keep dry and to jump onto stones to keep my feet out of the water but before long the stones were submerged and I had no choice but to wade through knee high brown water that was flowing at great speed. Once I'd given in to the fact that no part of me was going to be dry, I quite enjoyed wading through the water - I felt as if my 'plight' should be captured on CNN and I would be lifted from the water by helicopter. Clearly there's still not enough drama in my life! I eventually made it to school having witnessed a huge articulated lorry almost being washed downstream (photos to come) and countless people slipping over - to everyone elses great amusement! I was absolutely sodden. Not an inch of me was dry. Thankfully there were no lessons or children today - it was parents day and my job was to help prepare a 'feast' for all the teachers to celebrate the end of term. It was a joy to spend the day in the kitchen as it was warm and welcoming with an open fire oven burning away in the middle of the room. I took off my shoes and socks and slowly dried by the fire while peeling ginger and tumeric for the chicken stew. I'd advise anyone to avoid peeling tumeric, my hands have been stained a bright yellow and no amount of scrubbing is making any difference.
My fellow 'chefs' created quite a feast of chicken, potatoes, carrots and ugali (traditional kenyan food which is basically a thick lump of white stuff). We all ate together in the hall (with our hands) while people made speeches in honour of the departing Headmistress Mrs Nyaga. The speeches were hilarious; very long and earnest and everyone wanted to say something - which would have been ok had there not been thirty people present. Most people ended their speeches with a song and we all had to get up and dance whenever a song broke out. The weirdest moment came when Mrs Nyaga came to cut her cake. Before she was able to do this we had to sing about three different 'cutting cake' songs, all of which are accompanied by actions and strange shrieking noises. When she had finally cut the cake she had to feed everyone with a piece so we all had to stand up, mouths wide open while she put the cake in our mouths. Apparently this is what always happens when people have a cake. I think I'll keep quite about my birthday.
Thankfully the rains had ceased when we eventually left for the day but my walk home was still blocked by the floods. All was not lost however as some bright sparks had made a temporary 'ferry' to take people across the worst of the flooding. The ferry was basically a large trolley which anyone mad enough to give it a go climbed onto and then three men would run at full pelt to push the trolley through the river and onto 'dry' land. It was fantastic fun and I screamed the whole way much to everyone's amusement - I don't think it's everyday they see a squealing white woman crouched on an out of control trolley covered from head to toe in mud!
Tomorrow is the end of term. I am incredibly sad about this. I've grown to really love the children and we have such fun together. I will miss them enormously and will even miss sitting in the staffroom drinking horribly sweet tea (which I'm now addicted to) while everyone debates the political situation with passion and humour. I never thought I'd find myself standing in front of a blackboard trying to teach adjectives and irregular verbs. I don't think I'm a natural teacher but I have loved watching the children grow in confidence and self-esteem and have relished the challenges of finding ways to keep them entertained and under control without beating them. I was thrilled to pieces when I heard that one of the teachers said to another teacher that she was amazed that my class had calmed down so much and had become so charming this term as they were notoriously a wild bunch. She couldn't understand how I'd done it without waving a stick around. Maybe she'll realise that the old adage really is true; 'all you need is love'.