Well I did it - I ran into town today and it was like a 1/2 marathon!

Yeah, I had thought about doing it since I got here. So this morning something woke me up around 5:30 so I thought what heck today is the day. So by the time I got my shit together I left the house around 6:15. The sun was just coming up and it was still cool. I've run to this Kisian Exhange and back a couple times so that was easy. I always get a lot of people staring like they're thinking what is that crazy muzongu (white - yeah I'm considered white not that I care to be one) doing trying to run like a Kenyan. Most people know the Kenyans are Olympic gold metalists in the marathon and other track events. But they come from the Rift Valley area which is mountainous. The Kenyas around where I am do a lot of walking but I haven't seen another runner since I've been here. They like their football/soccer around here and live and die by the sport. Can't say I'm really into soccer/football but it's a good game! Anyway I had to run about 1 1/2 hrs east into the sun and that wasn't so great. I had only a 1/2 liter bottle of water so I ran out quite soon. But I had my trusty MP3 player to listen to music which I always take with me to run. It was getting a bit hot when I pulled into town. Since I was out of water I could feel my leg starting to cramp up. But no one said I'm too smart so I continued until I got to the golf course. Yeah they have one with hardly anyone on it. I did see one guy playing so I ran over to him. I was hoping this wasn't a country club place where the colonial Poms ( left over from the British Empire days) play. Thank god the guy was a Kenyan who had the time to say hi without a snobbish attitude. His name was Ralphill and he says I could come and place there too. But I figure my golf game needs some sprucing up or I'd set the game of golf back 100 years in Kenya. Also I doubt if I could probably rent a set of left handed golf clubs at the club plus it costs around 2000 KS ($35) to play and it's kind of hot to play. So I made it town around 8:15 so it took me about 2 hrs to run the distance. I'm not too sure how far it is but I know on a matatu it takes about 30 mins with all it stops, etc. So I'm going to say it may be about 22 km (13miles) which is 1/2 a marathon. It wasn't very tiring but it would have been nice to have a couple of water stations along the way like a marathon. But it was something I wanted to try. I got to town and found a lot of places still not open and I was dying for a drink of water. I finally got a 2 liter bottle and finished 1/2 of it. I then had a bite to eat and headed to the internet shop. However the internet connection went down soon after I got there. So I went to the park and slept on a bench/stone wall for 1 1/2 hrs to wake up not in the shade but in the hot sun. So since I was in town on Thur to print out some stuff I won't post too much here. Oh yeah, on Fri I had 3 interesting meetings. In the morning I went to the Secondary school and spoke to Idi Amin the principal. His name is actually Elisah and is a very nice man and we get along good. I was wanted to confirm that we were on the same page as far as the Computer Resource Center was concerned. By this I mean that he understood that the computer equipment was loaned to the school. The Computer Resource Center/Lab was to be used jointly by the staff & students plus the people of the community to learn computer skills. I had also got a book for the administrator of the room to schedule people to train there. I mentioned that it would probably be best to only have a maximum of 2 people train on a computer per hr. Plus a trainer or administrator to supervise or assist. Then the room wouldn't become conjested and noisy. if we don't set a number and the door is open I can envision all kinds of people walking in and crowding around the computers. I had also picked up some plastic name tag holders the other day. I wanted any people outside the school to pick up a name tag when they signed the register at the security gate. They supposedly have a guard at the gate 7/24 but doubt if we could get the key for the Computer Resource Center any time. Barrack the guy in charge of the key is not always going to be available so we are kind of restricted from 8 till 5 which is fair enough as who wants to be there all the time. I think the principal is very cooperative as I asked if we could get glass on the windows because there's a lot of dust coming in. However his budget is full until Jan but he would supply sheets or covers for the computers which will be OK. I've had a couple of teachers come in and they are quick and enthusastic learners. I was showing them some things in Excel which they weren't aware of and they picked it up quickly. I figure to use the basics in computers that they only need about a hr on 2 separate days. So I feel one of my goals for my stay has been partly achieved. Now I just have to make sure the training and process is followed for the next month. I also had a meeting with the principal/head teacher of the Obambo Primary school and the members of the parent committer (PTA). I attended to discuss the Uniform proposal that I had presented for the Woman's sewing group a week ago. I only got one member of the Woman's sewing group to attend but that was OK. The meeting was scheduled for 2 pm so I got there at 1:55. However the principal said everyone goes by African time. So sure enough I waited until 3 before the parents arrived. The meeting went good. The principal who's name is also Tom is a real great guy who is very forward thinking and likes to try ways to improve the community. He's a great assest to the community even though he lives in another community. I spoke to the parents and Tom kind of translated. I told them that the Kenyan government wants all school kids to wear uniforms. So the parents have to buy uniforms and the Woman's group is willing to sewing good quality uniforms and won't use cheap material that fades or falls apart after a couple washings. I then explained that our proposal may be kind of a new concept for them. There are 400 students of which 1/2 are orphans and can't pay for their uniforms. So what we proposed was that if a student buys a uniform that they prepay 150 KS ($2.25 a lot for these people). The woman's group would buy material and sew the uniform. They would then bring the uniform to them and the student would pay the balance of 300 KS. The figures could be any amount as the concept we set is what matters. Then the woman's group would spend 150 KS for material and make another uniform for an orphan. Then they would have 150 remaining which they would keep only 75KS for making 2 uniforms. Then the other 75KS would be put in the community bank for future material or upkeep of the machines. It took a bit of talking but I think we got the parent committee to understand and think it was a good idea. One parent even said we should do this at the other primary schools. I said we will try it but first we have to implement it at their school. Also we only got the parents committee to buy into the proposal. We still have to face all the parents of the school for their buy in. That will be a bigger challenge as I expect many will be hestitant. I also tell the parents that by buying it from the Woman's Group they'll save the 100 KS to take a matatu (bus) into town to buy a cheap quality uniform in the market. But we'll go ahead even if we get a portion of the parents to buy in. I've given 300 KS to the woman's group and told them to buy some good quality material and make a good quality girl's and boy's uniform. She says but a boy's uniform takes more material. I said great why didn't you tell me that before as I've been telling them 150. So I said you go and get the material and you pay the extra yourself. Also said that they repay me for the material later. I told her if she short changes the parents they won't get the tender plus she'll have to face the wrath of Tom!!! So hopefully we'll convince the parents at all next meeting. I also had setup a meeting after that with some members of the KASOW Committee. I wanted to clear the air on some misunderstandings we've had recently mainly about the laptop, etc. That meeting went OK and I think we're all on the same page. I also mentioned that I wanted to attend the KASOW Youth Group's weekly meeting on Sun afternoon. I wanted to push them to start some of the projects they talked about but haven't started. They need a kick start to get them going. We want to keep reinforcing the people of the community not to expect free handouts anymore. They have to understand that they have to be self sustaining and make it on new ideas and projects. Unfortantely many people here in Kenya and a lot of Africa have had donations given free to them from UN, NGO's and other people in the past. They maybe meant well but it spoiled them and they keep expecting it. It's like the tourists that come to Africa for a quick trip and give children free stuff. Now they have their hands out all the time but not as much in Western Kenya where there are few tourists. When someone puts their hand out to me on the street or fields I simply shake their hand. It may bother them but they have to learn the hard way that they have to make it on their own sooner or later. The people are hard working and are intelligent when they want but first they expect a free handout. I've met some real intelligent, caring and educated Kenyans who can match anyone back home. The Professor in Nairobi, Toby in Nairobi, Mke in Kisumu, Tom the principal, Elisha (Idi Amin) the principal of the Secondary school, Loyce a teacher and KASOW member and her husband Ken who is a retired College Economics instructer and now a sucessful farmer, Jennifer and her principal husband who own the house we're staying in. There are a lot more but you get the idea. The Kenyans are warm friendly people who are always smiling even if they face hard times and difficulties. This is the reason we try so hard to help them as we just have to advice them of new ideas or help them start their own. So we'll see how our efforts go. Oh by the way I hope to add some more pics in some of the previous postings. If you want to see what I've added u may have to scroll down to see some older postings as I seemed to have added a lot of stuff. Boy I have to get a life I guess, but then I think well I just want to tell people what Kenya and the people are about.