Steinerschool Mbagathi

Thursday 12.4.2012

Rudolf Steiner School Mbagathi

Yesterday I spent two hours in a big supermarket to find out about what they offer and got a shock how prices have increased since 4 years ago. Some products are even as expensive as in Norway but that are products that are not often used by Kenyans as virgin olive oil imported from Italy. But also daily food is expensive and I wonder how people manage. I bought a plastic table and two chairs that are really not cheap here and as you watch around you, you see how much plastic furniture is used as an alternative to wood. But now I am really enjoying living at the balcony, the best place to be in the morning when the world around comes to life, during the day in the sun or in the shadow, in the afternoon to watch the sun go down in the Ngong hills. Hearing all the sounds from the animals, there are many birds. A little lemon yellow sparrow sat right in front of me and I didn’t dare to move. Sitting there today with a cup of Kenyan coffee, a cake thing fried in oil, like the oliebol in Holland, a glass of mango juice and some passion fruit (well that is not little) I felt so content. I feel like I have to explore the surroundings before I can feel at home and now I am beginning to do so. I am very eager to start working but still have to wait till next week. I have got some documents to get to know the organization better.

Today I first visited M. at the German mission Diguna nearby to make an appointment that Monica bakes bread for me twice a week, she runs a bakery. I will try to get hold of organic flour. It is kind of strange to go there as I am not the only mzungu (white person); there was even a group of white students. Strange as I get used to have black people around me wherever I go. Monica told that she also does catering and that she prefers to cook for 700 people instead of 300! One big bowl with meat and to with rice. It is that easy (!).

Afterwards I walked to the Steiner school Mbagathi not far away from here. I went to the office and presented myself, telling that my son was a student teacher for 4 years ago and yes they reminded him with joy. The school was empty for children as they have holidays from Easter up to the second of May. A teacher Komora was so kind to show me around. He teaches drama, dance, and drums and is a storyteller. They don’t have a eurythmy teacher and he tries to fill the gap and he dreams of studying eurythmy. There was such good energy at the whole place, I felt so at home, every Steiner school wherever in the world has the same loving atmosphere. The kindergarten was newly built and was really wonderful. When visiting the garden where all the children work in the morning it was like coming to paradise as it is dry and dusty everywhere around since there has not come enough rain yet. But the garden was green and looked so well maintained and there were so beautiful flowers. They also have handwork like making baskets, sowing, knitting etc.

 

                          office

                                                                             

                                                                                          playgrounds

                             

   garden

There is a boarding school as well as Kenya has the English system. Children from all over the country live there, also Maasai children from Loitokitok where I was last week, and even from Tanzania and Uganda. A school bus fetches daily children from quite far a distance from Ongata Rongai. The school is very much supported by other countries, most Denmark and Germany. Christian supports the school as much as he can from Norway by supporting a child himself, finding supporters like my other son and his fiancée and me, and holding concerts and second hand markets. I got in contact with a couple from Congo who studies at the Nazarene university nearby and they try to get their two children at the Steiner school, one in the kindergarten and one at the primary school. They asked me to talk with them about possibilities. Now I will try to find two supporters. I cannot do so myself at the moment as I am here as a volunteer and have no income. At Monday I try to get more people along to visit the school. The school has a website: www.rudolfsteiner.co.ke.

   kindergarten

                   hall

          

classroom s  School yard all classes around  

  classroom

                      

                                                               boarding school boys

                                                                                

      path to the garden

                                                                              

                                       fish pond

                      

On the way back I got around visiting the shops with the road nearby. There are many kind of stalls where they sell almost the same things like bread, soda, flour, rice, batteries, and sweets. Too much to even notice everything. They are much cheaper than the big supermarkets and I will buy most things there to support the neighbourhood and get to know the people. There was a girl who wanted to get to know me; she was really sweet, so now I have a new friend called Liz. It is so easy to get in contact with people.

As I told before Thursday is a day without electricity. That also means for shops that they cannot do their usual business like the copy and printer shop. Bigger businesses have aggregates.