Week of Shadowing

Now under regular circumstances when someone informs you that it is time for a road trip you of course get naturally excited. When you’re a PCT(rainee) these words are like water in the desert, a hot cup of coffee when you’re on hour 9 of a 15 hour shift, or the after pee shivers when you’ve been holding it for like 10 hours. Needless to say the chance to see how currently serving PCVs are getting along on their own and get out of Loitokitok and relentless training for a few days was a breath of fresh air (after you were just forcibly dutch-ovened… sorry couldn’t resist).
Three of my fellows and myself were headed to the bustling desert communities of the African bush (though we didn’t know it yet), to shadow who ended up to be the greatest pairing of PCV’s you could have (who were only slightly on the crazy train after 9 months of solitude =P) Julia and Peter. They are Education volunteers working in two secondary schools and, let me just say, they have been on one heck of a ride.
Being the visiting mzungus that we are, it was a declared must that we be introduced to each grade level (Form 1-4 equivalent to Fresh-Senior) at both schools. To give you a small taste of what we were getting into, here is a direct quote one of the students told Peter; “we will touch them”. For each classroom we were bombarded with a series of serious, goofy, and (to us) down right hilarious questions, as well as being told that we must “give them a song”. Therefore there as a lot of singing, including my gripping rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner”, given that it was the 4th of July.
Here are a few of my favourite received questions/incidents:
As I am spelling my name on the chalkboard: NA- Student: SODIUM!!

Spelling in a different classroom: Hatch Student: From where!? Me: I’m not answering that question…

Other PCT writing his last name: Sexton Student: Does that mean you do a lot of sex?

To other PCT: Why do you have earrings? Other student: She is overloading her ears.

Student: Where does a Tsunami come from and how do I avoid it? (We’re in the desert BTW)
What is the origin of Teneasha, Nathan, and Jennifer (leaving out Connor the only other white guy)

And those were the tame ones (they had a lot of lifeskills/sex ed questions because we’re health volunteers.) It was a wonderful week to live and learn outside of our little training island of Loitokitok. I am ready to get to my site and began working. Five more weeks and counting! -N