My Kenya by the Numbers

I’ve been thinking about this past year and I love stats and wanted to share some that I’ve thought of with you all…my Peace Corps Kenya experience thus far in numbers:

Number of…

• Names I’ve accumulated since arriving: 4 (Zabet, Mwende-my Kikamba name that my host family in Machakos gave me, Nwera-my Kikukyu name that my co-teachers game me and ‘color’ is my KSL name)
• Lindes who have visited Sipili: 2
• Different classes/subjects I’ve taught: 5
• Elephants I’ve seen: 1
• Longest time without using a restroom: 18 hours
• Times I’ve mopped: 3
• Longest amount of days I’ve gone without bathing: 8
• Letters I’ve sent: 223
• Average hours of sleep each night: 9
• Milkshakes I’ve tried: probably around 10 ….milkshakes that have tasted like the ones I grew up with: 0
• Times I’ve known what was happening at school before it happened: Very few
• Marriage proposals: Between 5 and 7 I think
• Most crickets caught within my little house: 5 in 90 min…now I don’t even bother, we’re friendly to each other now
• Pineapples carved like pumpkins: 2
• Cups of chai/day: 2-3 on average
• Longest ceremony attended: 4.5 hours
• Consecutive days that potatoes were my main meal: 7
• Days without seeing an American in person (and only skyping once): 45
• Most letters I’ve received on 1 day: 8
• Days I’ve shaved my legs: 0
• ‘Wedding’ rings I’ve bought to show that Nate & I are ‘truly’ married & I’m taken: 3…total cost? $8
• Weeks school was missed: 3.5 (strike) + 2 (elections/consolidation)
• Hot showers: less than I can count on my fingers and toes
• Choco-chip cookie variations I’ve made up: 14
• Terms of teaching I’ve completed: 3
• Kids I’ve had knock on my door between 6 & 6:30am to return a magazine, get triple antibiotic ointment for a cut I can barely see or to just say hi: countless!
• Students who’ve stolen my heart: 78 :)