Schedule is as follows:
Monday: 12:30-3:30 INS 412 Modern Africa
Tuesday: 8:45-10:00 Mandatory Chapel Service
Wednesday: 8:45-11:45 PEA 340 Conflict Theory, 12:30-3:30 ECON 312 African Economic Problems
Thursday: 8:45-10:00 Mandatory Chapel Service, 10:00-12:00 RET 320 Christianity and Islam in Africa
Friday: 8:45-11:45 PEA 365 Introduction to Refugee Studies, 12:30-3:30 DEV 413 Gender and Development
BAM! With luck my first class started, Lecturer in on time, and 40+ classmates in attendance. Here we go. The introduction for my Modern Africa class began with the Lecturer telling us her life story, and how she was a “…born again Christian” (a fact that all my Lectures proclaimed to the different classes they were teaching). Afterwards she asked us all to introduce ourselves to the class; this was our name, major and country of origin. “Hello. My name is Monica, at home my major is International Studies here I am in the Community Development program but will only be participating for a semester. Oh and I am from Canada.” Simple right? That is what I thought to, but there seemed to be much more curiosity among my classmates about this girl from Canada, so I soon found myself bombarded with an array of questions. Starting with the Lecture who asked what I thought of Africa, the land, the people; why I was here; and if I was well. By the end, I think the answering of my questions took up a good portion of the class. Several of the girls in my class welcomed me to their home later in the evening; they wanted to teach me how to make chapatti. I quickly agreed.
Something that has taken a bit of getting used to are the built walls that are up around any home, institution, or building; and the G4S guards that litter the entrances to these places. As I walked to my new found friends’ (the previously mentioned girls from class) home I encountered 6 guards; 1 at the entrance of my hostel, 2 who checked my bag before I left campus, 1 who asked to see my invoice (proof of my studenthood at DSU), 1 who told me to take out my nose ring (campus rule), and the last I met at the entrance to the hostel I was about to enter (he asked for my ID). Though these security measures seem incongruous, the guards take their jobs seriously and do not jest about. Most work 12 hour shifts, and are not to do anything but their jobs (on the overnight shifts, they cannot bring along reading – nothing). I am not convinced that these guards would be so beneficial if crisis did arise, most are sloth like and do not carry any sort of weapon; perhaps there power is in numbers, or the uniforms they proudly display?
So far, the interactions with my peers have been far more edifying than academia at the University. First off, I have successfully learnt how to make chapatti and ugali – staple foods in many East African homes. One of the girls who hosted my Kenyan cooking experience (the first of many) was the former President of Kenya’s children; her story was remarkable and I learnt more in conversation with her about Kenyan “self-esteem/views/culture” than I will probably ever learn in any class I take. Just as Mina, my Kenyan roommate and I have discussed an array of subjects from the 2007 Post-election Violence that occurred in Kenya, to traditional tribal ceremonies, to the problems caused by the settlements in Mao and how to say “goodbye” in KiSwahili.
An intense game of Sea Farers was played on the weekend, and peanut butter popcorn was enjoyed. Dinner with the Vice Chancellor of Daystar in Nairobi was entertaining, he kept bringing up how him and President Raymond had met on such and such date, and oh how great Trinity Western University – too funny. Another important event of the week was the successful completion of my application for a Kenya’s Pupil Pass, now I will have to wait and see if I actually get one before my visa expires.
BAM! Keep the posts coming. You are a great writer!