Wednesday evening

Habari Friends and Family,

7:00 AM meeting, wake up at 6:55. That's the life of the Tre Js (Jamie, Jono, Julian). Every morning is an arduous and calf-burning trek down from our 2-story mansion banda hut located in the far upper corner of campus. The walk is so long that we were able to eat the remnants of a giant chocolate madeline (courtesy of Papa Steve) from the previous day before we even reached the halfway point.

At our meeting, we received our schedules for the day. Each MA student chose three classes to focus on and attend for the remainder of our time at DaraJa and the time not spent in class was to be used to begin proJects (shamba shed, bench-building, photography, music etc). After an atypical breakfast of uJi (porridge), watermelon, and eggs (a heavenly breakfast at DaraJa), the day began.

I personally indulged myself in mathematics, chemistry, and religion where we studied sequences, alkynes, and idolatry. The in-class participation from MA students is momentous. Paige, Julian, and I contributed heavily in our morning math class and are to teach the next math class on arithmetic series. And while we contribute heavily, we also learn new things in every class; I myself was able to read and analyze a verse from the bible for the first time.

Between classes, MA students spent their time hauling iron wheelbarrows (which somehow didn't have circular wheels) with clay across soccer fields, stone paths, rough terrain, and bumpy roads from a corner of campus down to the garden. Paige and Jamie created their first bench (nicknamed Skinny Pete) and Julian and I created designs for a desk to be built on Friday.

After all the classes were finished, it was laundry time. And by laundry time, I mean hands and soap vs dirty laundry. While Megan, Erin, Paige, and Alison spent time washing each individual piece, the Tre Js Just didn't have the patience. Instead, we filled a large bucket, poured in mountains of soap, and threw in our respective  loads of laundry. Working in unison, we were able to emulate the rotation of a laundry machine and we quickly and efficiently washed our clothes in a tenth the time it would have taken us without our problem solving skills (or laziness). Had Jamie not emptied the soap bucket into the waste pond of black, dirty water, not realizing there was a sock left at the bottom, it would have been a perfect and casualty-free  success.

And then there was dinner. Pilau is a spiced rice dish with beef and thus, we had meat for the first time in a week. According to Lizzy, it was the longest some have gone without eating meat in their lives (probably just her, though). To Jirwin's dismay, we did not have ugali – the most hated dish in the school. A meeting detailing our trip to the Twala Masai Manyatta and the Baboon walk tomorrow and a few hours in study hall concluded our day.

I'm so happy to be back at Daraja and I'm enjoying every moment of it.

Lala Salama,

Jono Disenhof

Tabasamu kila wakati

When not in class, the projects continue...

...the first bench for the shamba shed...

...seeds were planted...

...and seedlings replanted...

...a group effort...

...including work on the compost bin.

Buddies...

...what was once called "computer" - bean sorting...

Study buddies

The group prepares for Thursday's baboon walk

Wait! What!??? We have to climb up there???

No way!

Really? All the way up there?

Even higher, but way worth the climb!!!

Just a preview of some of the 100's of great pix of this trek!

Awwww....