Michelle Togami:
Kenya is amazing in almost every way possible. My family and community
have been beyond supportive and have included me in so much of their
everyday lives. For example, one of the neighborhood children runs out
of his shamba to hold my hand and walk me home every day after school.
As we walk, we practice counting and sing the alphabet. It is one of
the things that I love and will miss the most. My school has also been
an experience of its own. While at times working with the principal
was difficult due to out differing views on education, I really have
loved every minute that I spent at Namanja Secondary. The teaching
staff has become my second family and while no family is perfect, my
family at Namamja come pretty close. Most importantly, my students are
wonderful. They are absolutely inspiring and I have come to love each
and every one of them. My students have played a huge role in my
experience here in Kenya and I truly believe that I have made
relationships with many of them that will continue to grow despite
distance and time. My experience so far has been more than I could
have ever dreamed of and I know for a fact that so much of my
happiness and appreciation is because of Geno. She has been our rock
through this entire experience while simultaneously allowing each of
us our own space for individual growth. I honestly believe that she is
our Mama Murrembo.
Mary Stuart Baker:
I really enjoyed the trip to Masai Mara game reserve, although the roads are
terrible and the drive is long, Joseph is a great driver and did his
best to make it easy. He took us to a smaller Masai village as well,
which I think made a big difference in our experience. The
last 2 weeks of teaching went very quickly and I’m excited to start my
project of painting the school.
