An 6 month interview with Madeline (and Annabelle, kind of)

(everything is a direct quote. . .)

What has been your favorite thing about moving to Kijabe?

M: All the places we can go – Like Longonot. And camping in the Aberdare’s was definitely amazing.

A: I don’t know.

What else have you liked?

M: I like school. Because we have so many friends around and it is a great place to be.

A: I don’t know.

What is your favorite thing about school?

M: My favorite thing about school is math. We’ve been taking multiplication tests and I’m at the one that has 100 problems.

A: Ummm. . . . .I don’t know.

What is different about school here?

M: At home most of the time we were in the classroom and the only time we went outside was recess. Now we go out at lunch too. And our hallways are outside too. And mostly, there are all new people.

A: (at this point, she went to play bananagrams by herself. . .we’ll try another time. . .)

What is the hardest thing about moving to Kenya?

M: That I don’t get to see my family grow in person.

What’s the craziest thing that’s happened since we moved?

M: A monkey in our house. I saw a peep of it coming down the stairs. It was the small one with white around the face and by the door it peed on the floor.

What foods do you eat here that you didn’t eat at home?

M: Samosas, mandazis, chai and ugali. . .and the cinnamon rolls Ms. Ruth makes.

What is different about Kenya than you expected?

M: When we came last time it was really quiet – but it is really active . There are tons of people around all the time.

What is your favorite memory?

M: One thing I really liked, because we had to work together, was the trip to Paradise Falls. It was a really steep hike. It was really tricky – a few times we would slip but we were always together. Even when we were lost, we did it together.

Any other things you would like to tell everyone about Kenya?

M: Ummm .. . it’s an amazing place to be. It is really fun to see people grow and yourself grow and you are with some great people.