Mid-Week Update: Week 7

Since arriving back in Kenya, life has went back to the typical routine. I am diligently working on my research paper in hopes of having a solid draft completed before I go home in just under (😔) two weeks. All of data is entered and I've finished making all the tables and graphs that I need. Now I am just going through to make sure everything matches up and starting the analysis. So far, it looks like education plays little to no role in what people know about aflatoxin. I wouldn't say that I thought it would be a huge component but I considered it as a possibility. In the United States, for example, it is reasonable to assume that someone with a PhD or upper-level education is going to be more knowledgable about something influencing their area of study than someone who has only a high school diploma. Although I am still analyzing the data, it looks like only 1-4 people have a university/college education, with a majority of respondents only finishing primary or secondary education. Gender does play a factor, at least a little bit, and I'm really anxious to finish the analyzing so I can discuss the gender perceptions with my mentors later this week! Today, Matilda came back and we ventured to an "orphanage" near Rusinga with one of our drivers (Palicarb, I think is how you spell it). The orphanage turned out to be a nursery with both orphans and non-orphans, but I love love love kids! Matilda was like "Holly will probably stay here, she likes kids" and I was like "but they don't like me"...and of course, the 5 minutes I had with the kiddos from today proved me wrong. The little girls anxiously grabbed ahold of my hand to the point where I had 5 hands grasping mine. Upon the realization that I indeed have two hands, more girls joined in on the fun and grabbed my other hand! I love kids. Love them. And I'm sad beyond words to be leaving them all here and going back home where I can no longer help them. Here are some photos from today. Khalela took some pictures of me teaching, so I will share them soon. Our new friend, Dr. Amanda Parks, left earlier than she had anticipated but it was nice to get to know her. She was here for a little under a week but is an infectious disease doc in Georgia who is helping Dr. Sawa and seeing his patients.  It has been so interesting hearing the stories of what brings people to Kenya; from Deena to Khalela, to Bob and Kurt and Tina, to Franceen and the nice kitchen staff, to Jacob, Richard, and Allen, to Dr. Parks and the lady who works out next to me at the gym...I've been lucky to meet some really great people while in Kenya and Uganda. Leaving is hard and I don't really want to go. <Currently begging the World Food Prize for a project extension 😉>Above you see a stack of letters. My assignment to my kiddos (yes, I gave homework) was to write a letter to me (or Khalela and Isaac, our visitors!) about themselves and their favorite things and anything they wanted. I encouraged them to use "; however,", speech marks, and to spell some words that we've been working on over the last few weeks. All of the kids had their letters ready to go at the beginning of class and made envelopes and decorations and gave me gifts and I'm going to devote a whole post just to them and the contents of these letters so look out in the next few days whenever "Miss Holly" comes to a close. Love my kids. I'm so sad that time is coming to an end, because I would take them all home with me. 

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End of Week 7

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"I'm Coming Home"