Our Christmas tree

This is definitely the smallest Christmas tree I have ever had..
Do you manage to see it on the picture below??



Oh yeah! Here it is!

Christmas njema!

Christmas eve, on the street






This Christmas has been very different from what I'm used to.
First of all there is no snow, and when I look out my window it looks like summer.
There is no big Christmas tree in the livingroom, no familymembers, no Christmas parties at the famous Tempe-house, and even the smell of Christmas is missing..

But still, I've had a great time. On Christmas eve, sponsored by the other Marianne's parents, we made a lot of rice, bought plenty of soda and 15 chickens. It was time to give a Christmas gift to the people without food or home; Christmas day is no different from any other day when you live on the streets. Jonathan, the Canadian guy who is living on a matress in our livingroom, brought his guitar ready to play Christmas songs. Over 30 people; kids, youth and some adults, were gathered, and it was an experience I'm not going to forget. Earlier one of the kids told us he once tasted chicken, and he felt like he was in heaven..So you can imagine how they reacted when we came.. Some even started fighting over the chicken and the police showed up, but when we told them it is just Christmas food, they smiled and left. :)

In the evening we gathered some friends for Christmas dinner at our place, Lasagne was on the menu, not the typical Christmas food, but still it tasted really nice. A good party of people; two Norwegians, one Canadian and four Kenyans made this a special evening.

On the 25 of December we were invited to Rebecca's family. So after church in the morning we were off to Mathare North. On the way we stopped by a policestation to visit a policeman we have gotten to know, and in the exchange of a Christmas song, we got a free ride to Mathare. Even the Kenyan police is nice when it is Christmas. ;)

Ho, ho, ho!!

Christmas holidays! And who says that only kids can sit on Santa's lap?
New hairstyle for christmas is also nice, but when it takes two days to get it done, you may start to think: "Is it really worth it?"


Rebecca, Santa and me. :)

The days of our lives

When I went to work this morning I started to think about how surreal everything really is. It feels like someone have just snapped me out of my normal life, and put me on another planet, just to see if it is possible to survive.
I wake up in the morning, and rush together with my colleagues to the bus-stop to catch the bus going to town. But it is not so easy, survival of the fittest is the best explanation of what is happening. A lot of people, few buses, and everybody are running and pushing to get a seat on the bus. After some running and tactical thinking, I might get a seat on the fifth bus passing by. But the journey is not over yet, in town I'm rushing between shouting street-sellers, a moving crowd of people, cars, buses and matatus, until I reach the place where I can jump into the matatu bringing me to work. Of course they always try to trick me into paying a bit to much..
-"Ngapi?"
-"30 bop"
-"Hapana! 20!"
-"Okey, okey! Get in! Fasta', buddha, fasta' buddha!"
If I'm lucky the matatu actually drives the whole way, where it is supposed to go. If not I'm arguing as best as I can, just to realize that they don't care this time either. Money matters, not people.. So I just have to get out and walk the last bit. When I have gotten out of the matatu, the drunk man normally shows up shouting: "Why are you here! I'm so angrrrrry! I will kill you!" He's always so drunk that his feet are not moving as fast as mine, so luckily no problem there. Walking the last bit, through a slum-area, about 10 children gathers around. They know that the wazungu girls are passing every morning, and they come running as fast as they can, just to be able to shout: "How are you! How are you! How are you!" and shake our hands. Then they are happy, and we are also happy, because on the other side of the street is the MYSA-office, and we have finally arrived.

My pride!

Our students! We are teaching two classes now, and I really enjoy it! They are all so thankful and motivated, great people! They are making my day here in Nairobi. Yesterday there was this Street-soccer tournament, and they were in charge of the first aid. Feel like a proud mum, hehe..




The beginnerclass, in our small overcrowded classroom. :)


Some kids playing in Mathare.


The students as first aiders yesterday.