Here are the answers to the great questions you posted. Feel free to post any more you might have.
From the 5 year old:
What kinds of things can you buy at the duka?
lollipops
(mom's edit: We can get most of our basic needs at the dukas (flour, sugar, oil, pasta, bread, peanut butter, cleaning supplies, some meat, and lollipops!)
CBF Kids want to know what mandazi is?
a Kenyan doughnut
From the 6 year old:
How do Kenyans say Hello?
"Hello" is "Jambo," but we usually say "Habari" which means "How are you?"
Rascal reminds me of a cat I had when I was a little bit older than you; his name was Smokey Joe. I dressed him in doll clothes. Has Rascal modeled any of your doll clothes yet?
no
What kind of music do people in Africa listen to?
Kenyan music and American music
(mom's edit: They have a strange fondness for country western music - particularly Kenny Rogers.)
What's your favorite color?
pink
What does your school look like?
We are going to go take pictures around the school sometime this week and will make a separate post.
From the 8 year old:
What is different about your house in Kenya than your house in the US?
We don't have air conditioning or heat.
What other kinds of games do you play with your friends?
soccer, capture the flag, tennis baseball
Who is in charge (i.e. government, etc)?
the president (Mwai Kibaki)
Do people vote on them?
yes
What kind of food do the people eat there?
sukuma wiki, ugali, rice, chapatis and samosas
What is sukuma wiki? Do you think I would like it? Do you?
Sukuma wiki is cooked kale and sometimes a little bit of meat. I like it and I don't know if you will like it.
The Hansen Family
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
An MK Tells All - Part 4
Because I didn't have the patience to try to get answers to questions from a wriggly, silly 2 year old I decided that you would just get pictures of his experience in Kenya.
Our two year old is always busy and is always keeping me busy. His favorite activities are making messes, climbing on things, playing in the mud and screaming. His parents can frequently be heard saying, "It's a good thing he's cute." He loves to snuggle and read books with Mommy and his favorite book is David Gets in Trouble - I think he can relate to the main character.
Feel free to leave any questions you have for him in the comment section and hewill be happy to probably will not answer them. I do try to protect the kids' privacy by not using their first names online, so I ask that you please do not use their names in your comments. Thanks!
Our two year old is always busy and is always keeping me busy. His favorite activities are making messes, climbing on things, playing in the mud and screaming. His parents can frequently be heard saying, "It's a good thing he's cute." He loves to snuggle and read books with Mommy and his favorite book is David Gets in Trouble - I think he can relate to the main character.
Feel free to leave any questions you have for him in the comment section and he
Sunday, March 27, 2011
An MK Tells All - Part 3
Since the "big kids" are out of school for a while, I've decided to put them to work and have them help with the blogging a little bit. I also thought you might enjoy their perspective on life in Kenya.
Our 5 year old (soon to be 6) attends a mom-led preschool two mornings a week and enjoys playing outside and jumping on furniture the rest of the time. He is very good at making people laugh and always has a word of praise. When he grows up he'd like to be a "cooker" so he likes to help me in the kitchen.
Here is his interview.
1. What is your favorite thing about living in Kenya?
going shopping at the dukas (our local shops)
2. What do you miss most about living in the US?
I miss my grandparents.
3. What is the best thing that you’ve seen or done while you’ve been in Kenya?
going swimming
4. What is the biggest difference between Kenya and the US?
The people have different skin.
5. What is your favorite thing about your preschool?
snack
6. What different animals have you seen?
giraffes and a buffalo head
7. What is the weather like there?
sunny
8. What new foods have you tried?
mandazi
9. What is your favorite thing about your pets?
I like playing with them.
Feel free to leave any questions you have for him in the comment section and he will be happy to answer them. I do try to protect the kids' privacy by not using their first names online, so I ask that you please do not use their names in your comments. Thanks!
Our 5 year old (soon to be 6) attends a mom-led preschool two mornings a week and enjoys playing outside and jumping on furniture the rest of the time. He is very good at making people laugh and always has a word of praise. When he grows up he'd like to be a "cooker" so he likes to help me in the kitchen.
Here is his interview.
1. What is your favorite thing about living in Kenya?
going shopping at the dukas (our local shops)
2. What do you miss most about living in the US?
I miss my grandparents.
3. What is the best thing that you’ve seen or done while you’ve been in Kenya?
going swimming
4. What is the biggest difference between Kenya and the US?
The people have different skin.
5. What is your favorite thing about your preschool?
snack
6. What different animals have you seen?
giraffes and a buffalo head
7. What is the weather like there?
sunny
8. What new foods have you tried?
mandazi
9. What is your favorite thing about your pets?
I like playing with them.
Feel free to leave any questions you have for him in the comment section and he will be happy to answer them. I do try to protect the kids' privacy by not using their first names online, so I ask that you please do not use their names in your comments. Thanks!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
An MK Tells All - Part 2
Since the "big kids" are out of school for a while, I've decided to put them to work and have them help with the blogging a little bit. I also thought you might enjoy their perspective on life in Kenya.
Our 6 year old (soon to be 7 year old) is an easy going, adaptable child who loves to be around people. It is fun to watch her interact with the Kenyans around us because she is so natural and comfortable with them. She will just skip up to them and start talking. I never thought she was very friendly when we lived in the US, but she has really come out of her shell since we moved here. She likes to write stories, take care of our pets and dance in our yard.
Here is her interview.
1. What is your favorite thing about living in Kenya?
being free to play outside
2. What do you miss most about living in the US?
I miss my friends and grandparents.
3. What is the best thing that you’ve seen or done while you’ve been in Kenya?
seeing wild animals
4. What is the biggest difference between Kenya and the US?
The grocery story is far away.
5. What is your favorite thing about attending Rift Valley Academy?
I’ve made lots of friends.
6. What different animals have you seen?
monkeys, giraffes, zebras, baboons
7. What is the weather like there?
windy and rainy
8. What new foods have you tried?
sukuma wiki and ugali
9. What is your favorite thing about your pets?
My cat snuggles with me.
Feel free to leave any questions you have for her in the comment section and she will be happy to answer them. I do try to protect the kids' privacy by not using their first names online, so I ask that you please do not use their names in your comments. Thanks!
Our 6 year old (soon to be 7 year old) is an easy going, adaptable child who loves to be around people. It is fun to watch her interact with the Kenyans around us because she is so natural and comfortable with them. She will just skip up to them and start talking. I never thought she was very friendly when we lived in the US, but she has really come out of her shell since we moved here. She likes to write stories, take care of our pets and dance in our yard.
Here is her interview.
1. What is your favorite thing about living in Kenya?
being free to play outside
2. What do you miss most about living in the US?
I miss my friends and grandparents.
3. What is the best thing that you’ve seen or done while you’ve been in Kenya?
seeing wild animals
4. What is the biggest difference between Kenya and the US?
The grocery story is far away.
5. What is your favorite thing about attending Rift Valley Academy?
I’ve made lots of friends.
6. What different animals have you seen?
monkeys, giraffes, zebras, baboons
7. What is the weather like there?
windy and rainy
8. What new foods have you tried?
sukuma wiki and ugali
9. What is your favorite thing about your pets?
My cat snuggles with me.
Feel free to leave any questions you have for her in the comment section and she will be happy to answer them. I do try to protect the kids' privacy by not using their first names online, so I ask that you please do not use their names in your comments. Thanks!
Friday, March 25, 2011
An MK Tells All
Since the "big kids" are out of school for a while, I've decided to put them to work and have them help with the blogging a little bit. I also thought you might enjoy their perspective on life in Kenya.
When we first started talking about moving to Kenya our 8 year old was the most enthusiastic. He talked about it all the time and was so eager to move, but as it got closer to our actual move date he got very nervous. He had trouble sleeping, had stomach problems and was very angry with us for making him move. At times I wondered if we were going to be able to get him on the airplane. Now that we are here, he has settled in quite well and really enjoys it here.
Here is a little interview that I did with him.
1. What is your favorite thing about living in Kenya?
drinking Chai
2. What do you miss most about living in the US?
family
3. What is the best thing that you’ve seen or done while you’ve been in Kenya?
seeing monkeys
4. What is the biggest difference between Kenya and the US?
There are more Kenyans in Kenya.
5. What is your favorite thing about attending Rift Valley Academy?
playing basketball during lunch
6. What different animals have you seen?
monkeys, giraffes, zebras, baboons that look like bears
7. What is the weather like there?
windy in the morning and evening; warm during the afternoon.
8. What new foods have you tried?
sukuma wiki and ugali
9. What is your favorite thing about your pets?
Mocha doesn’t bark.
Feel free to leave any questions you have for him in the comment section and he will be happy to answer them. I do try to protect the kids' privacy by not using their first names online, so I ask that you please do not use their names in your comments. Thanks!
When we first started talking about moving to Kenya our 8 year old was the most enthusiastic. He talked about it all the time and was so eager to move, but as it got closer to our actual move date he got very nervous. He had trouble sleeping, had stomach problems and was very angry with us for making him move. At times I wondered if we were going to be able to get him on the airplane. Now that we are here, he has settled in quite well and really enjoys it here.
Here is a little interview that I did with him.
1. What is your favorite thing about living in Kenya?
drinking Chai
2. What do you miss most about living in the US?
family
3. What is the best thing that you’ve seen or done while you’ve been in Kenya?
seeing monkeys
4. What is the biggest difference between Kenya and the US?
There are more Kenyans in Kenya.
5. What is your favorite thing about attending Rift Valley Academy?
playing basketball during lunch
6. What different animals have you seen?
monkeys, giraffes, zebras, baboons that look like bears
7. What is the weather like there?
windy in the morning and evening; warm during the afternoon.
8. What new foods have you tried?
sukuma wiki and ugali
9. What is your favorite thing about your pets?
Mocha doesn’t bark.
Feel free to leave any questions you have for him in the comment section and he will be happy to answer them. I do try to protect the kids' privacy by not using their first names online, so I ask that you please do not use their names in your comments. Thanks!
A Quick Update
Today is the last day of the school term for the kids so they will have the next month off. Rift Valley Academy is a year round school so they have three terms with long breaks between each term. We will have to figure out what to do to keep the kids busy (especially on the rainy days).
I am very thankful that we've had some sun this week. It had been pretty dreary and muddy, but the sun found its way out of the clouds and we've had some nice weather this week.
I had to take our car to the garage for a repair to the tail pipe. It seems that we hit a bump too fast and did some damage. I really had no idea how much it was going to cost, but was shocked when the owner of the garage told me it was 600 shillings - that's about $7! So... if you need your car repaired, it might just be cheaper to bring it to Kenya!
Erik will be leaving on Monday to go work at a refugee camp for a few days. They go several times a year to treat children who have little access to medicine and even less access to the gospel. Please pray for his safety and his ministry there. I will have him give a full report when he returns.
I am very thankful that we've had some sun this week. It had been pretty dreary and muddy, but the sun found its way out of the clouds and we've had some nice weather this week.
I had to take our car to the garage for a repair to the tail pipe. It seems that we hit a bump too fast and did some damage. I really had no idea how much it was going to cost, but was shocked when the owner of the garage told me it was 600 shillings - that's about $7! So... if you need your car repaired, it might just be cheaper to bring it to Kenya!
Erik will be leaving on Monday to go work at a refugee camp for a few days. They go several times a year to treat children who have little access to medicine and even less access to the gospel. Please pray for his safety and his ministry there. I will have him give a full report when he returns.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
This is how rumors get started!
Blogger has a nice feature that allows bloggers to see how various readers have found their blog. Today I clicked on that little feature and was surprised to see that 6 readers found our blog this week by googling "amanda hansen pregnant." So... to my newest readers, I say, "Welcome to our little blog, but I think you've got the wrong Amanda Hansen."
That is all.
That is all.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Rain!
I've always taken rain for granted. Sometimes I enjoyed the noise. Sometimes it meant that we didn't have school due to flooding. Other times it was just a nuisance. I never considered that there are places where rain can be the difference between life and death.
Living in Kenya has changed the way I think about rain. Most people here live off of their shambas (vegetable gardens) and don't live off of their grocery stores like we are accustomed to. The average Kenyan lives on $2 per day and groceries here are surprisingly expensive. For most Kenyans when there is no rain, there is no food.
I've asked Kenyans when the rainy season begins and they can't tell me a date or even a month. Their response is that the rainy season begins when it starts to rain. Well, we were so excited on Thursday when Kijabe's rainy season began. Immediately there was talk of planting and a sense of hope and excitement.
On the downside, after 5 inches of rain in 5 days, our dirt roads are muddy and cars are getting stuck. My kids are muddy, our pets are muddy, the house is muddy and I'm already feeling a little gloomy without the sunshine I've grown quite fond of. I'm trying to keep it all in perspective and to be thankful for each drop of rain that falls, but I'm also hoping for some breaks of sunshine!
Our two year old comes in looking like this a few times a day. It was only cute the first time.
Living in Kenya has changed the way I think about rain. Most people here live off of their shambas (vegetable gardens) and don't live off of their grocery stores like we are accustomed to. The average Kenyan lives on $2 per day and groceries here are surprisingly expensive. For most Kenyans when there is no rain, there is no food.
I've asked Kenyans when the rainy season begins and they can't tell me a date or even a month. Their response is that the rainy season begins when it starts to rain. Well, we were so excited on Thursday when Kijabe's rainy season began. Immediately there was talk of planting and a sense of hope and excitement.
On the downside, after 5 inches of rain in 5 days, our dirt roads are muddy and cars are getting stuck. My kids are muddy, our pets are muddy, the house is muddy and I'm already feeling a little gloomy without the sunshine I've grown quite fond of. I'm trying to keep it all in perspective and to be thankful for each drop of rain that falls, but I'm also hoping for some breaks of sunshine!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Celebrating!
We have so much to celebrate today! Erik made it home safely this morning and had bags full of chocolate chips, parmesan cheese, pecans, candy and other special treats from the US. I was so proud that I'd survived the long 10 days while he was away. Tonight he learned that he passed his oral boards for pediatric surgery so we have even more reason to celebrate! We're so proud of him and are really glad to have him back home! We really appreciate your prayers for us while he was away. They were indeed felt!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Just Another Saturday in Kijabe
I thought you might enjoy a little taste of our day to day life in Kijabe. Today was a relaxing Saturday and the kids all slept late and then climbed into bed with me until 9. It was so nice to have a day that was completely unplanned, easy and not at all rushed.
9:30am milk delivery - We have milk delivered to our door 6 days a week. It comes to us in 2 liter coke bottles and is still warm when it gets here. We then boil it, let it cool, skim the fat and put it in the refrigerator. Some of our kids will drink it straight, but I think it tastes like a barn so I mainly use it for cooking. I pay about $1 for 2 liters of milk.
10:30am We buy most of our produce at a nearby market, but there are some specialty things like strawberries, apples, oranges and grapes that we can only get in Nairobi or if someone comes door to door selling them. Today was a lucky day for us because Samuel came with grapes - both red and green! Grapes are pretty pricey here so they are a rare treat - $7 for two cartons. Samuel also brought gum for the kids and gave them a quick Swahili lesson. The boys love it when Samuel visits!
1:15 Peter came by and said he was going to butcher chickens today and needed to know how many he should butcher so he came by to take orders. I ordered two.
3:00 Peter delivered my chickens. They were 3-4 pounds each and cost about $6 each. I could get them cheaper in Nairobi, but I haven't found that they are very good quality so I'd rather buy them fresh. This brings new meaning to the words "Fresh, Free-Range Organic Chicken." It doesn't get much fresher or more "free-range" than this.
5:00 A friend came by to keep me company and to help me get the kids to bed since she knew Erik was gone. It was so nice to have extra hands during the crazy evening hours!
5:15 Rachel came by selling egg rolls, Samosas and tortillas. I had just made some fried rice so I was so pleased to have some egg rolls to go with it and I bought some Samosas for a quick lunch later in the week. The egg rolls cost less the $0.20 a piece and the Samosas are about $0.25 each. Many ladies here sell baked items to the missionaries living here. We can buy English muffins, mandazi (a Kenyan fry bread), pizza crusts, tortillas, egg rolls and Samosas.
Throughout the day the kids were in and out of the house, playing with various friends and enjoying the freedom to run and roam and just be kids. I'd have to say it was a pretty good day!
9:30am milk delivery - We have milk delivered to our door 6 days a week. It comes to us in 2 liter coke bottles and is still warm when it gets here. We then boil it, let it cool, skim the fat and put it in the refrigerator. Some of our kids will drink it straight, but I think it tastes like a barn so I mainly use it for cooking. I pay about $1 for 2 liters of milk.
10:30am We buy most of our produce at a nearby market, but there are some specialty things like strawberries, apples, oranges and grapes that we can only get in Nairobi or if someone comes door to door selling them. Today was a lucky day for us because Samuel came with grapes - both red and green! Grapes are pretty pricey here so they are a rare treat - $7 for two cartons. Samuel also brought gum for the kids and gave them a quick Swahili lesson. The boys love it when Samuel visits!
1:15 Peter came by and said he was going to butcher chickens today and needed to know how many he should butcher so he came by to take orders. I ordered two.
3:00 Peter delivered my chickens. They were 3-4 pounds each and cost about $6 each. I could get them cheaper in Nairobi, but I haven't found that they are very good quality so I'd rather buy them fresh. This brings new meaning to the words "Fresh, Free-Range Organic Chicken." It doesn't get much fresher or more "free-range" than this.
5:00 A friend came by to keep me company and to help me get the kids to bed since she knew Erik was gone. It was so nice to have extra hands during the crazy evening hours!
5:15 Rachel came by selling egg rolls, Samosas and tortillas. I had just made some fried rice so I was so pleased to have some egg rolls to go with it and I bought some Samosas for a quick lunch later in the week. The egg rolls cost less the $0.20 a piece and the Samosas are about $0.25 each. Many ladies here sell baked items to the missionaries living here. We can buy English muffins, mandazi (a Kenyan fry bread), pizza crusts, tortillas, egg rolls and Samosas.
Throughout the day the kids were in and out of the house, playing with various friends and enjoying the freedom to run and roam and just be kids. I'd have to say it was a pretty good day!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Update!
It's been a while since I posted so I just wanted to give you an update. Do not worry - the lack of blog posts is not because we are depressed or miserable; it's just because we've been busy and haven't made the time to sit down and put our experiences into words. We are doing well and are quite happy. I hope to get some thoughts processed and written down to share with you guys soon.
Erik is in the US this week for his pediatric surgery oral board exams. He arrived safely on Friday and is studying for his test that is on Tuesday morning. I know he would appreciate your prayers as it is an extremely stressful testing experience. He is looking forward to being done with it and we are looking forward to his return (with lots of chocolate chips) next weekend.
We have once again added a pet to our family, even though we said we were not going to have any pets. Mocha is a sweet old dog that has been passed from missionary family to missionary family and she is now ours. She is a calm dog who loves to be around people and will even tolerate our cat and 2 year old. I don't think she is going to make a very good watchdog since the only time she barks is when the cat tries to steal her food, but she is a great companion.
Erik is in the US this week for his pediatric surgery oral board exams. He arrived safely on Friday and is studying for his test that is on Tuesday morning. I know he would appreciate your prayers as it is an extremely stressful testing experience. He is looking forward to being done with it and we are looking forward to his return (with lots of chocolate chips) next weekend.
We have once again added a pet to our family, even though we said we were not going to have any pets. Mocha is a sweet old dog that has been passed from missionary family to missionary family and she is now ours. She is a calm dog who loves to be around people and will even tolerate our cat and 2 year old. I don't think she is going to make a very good watchdog since the only time she barks is when the cat tries to steal her food, but she is a great companion.
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