We are lucky humans to be experiencing Nairobi this way...

The Salvelburg retreat house is a delightful setting and the nuns of St. Johns run this joint, and do they run it...  Breakfast at 8, tea 10:30, lunch on your own, dinner at 7.  We mainly have not experienced dinner here because of me.  My snobbish tendencies prevents me from wanting to have dinner anywhere but Nairobi Java, the greatest place on earth in Nairobi and it is walking distance from our retreat house.  I have been there three times today. Three times, Breakfast for Fruit, Margaret and I met Ken for Lunch, then again for evening tea before we went off to dinner with Ken Okoth's fantastic and large famaily in what is called the Olympia neighborhood of Kibera.  Unlike some of the homes we have had the experience of visiting in the past, this was a nice 2 bedroom apartment, with your own toilet just for the family.  It was great.  His brother Jeff, whom went to Culinary school made a wonderful meal of lentils, a great tasting beef stew, wonderful home made chapatti bread and salad and for desert, fresh fruit.  it was lovely.  Angeline, Ken's mom was amazing and warm and welcoming.  Under her stylish shawl, she wore an Obama for President shirt.  It was great.  If I can figure out how to upload photos to the blog, you may see some pictures soon of this.  It was great.  His youngest niece was also adorable, Angelina, She and I are fast friends.

Ken's wife Monica is also her with him and they spend about 6 weeks a summer her an now for more than just Ken's Family.  Monica's family has retired her from Florence, Italy and they live in what I consider the high rent district of Nairobi called Leavington in a beautiful estate like setting.  A beautiful home, charming people and a nice glass of wine before we were off to dine with Ken's family. What is so amazing are the stark contrast present here.  Retirees from Italy, residents of Kibera.  All great and providing a real experience of the many types of Diversity here.  Monica's mother Madeleine, owns a bag shop in Adams Arcade  located where Nairobi Java is, and they are beautiful bags,  They used to design in Italy  Margaret walked in the store and the first thing out of her mouth was "you can never have too many bags".  From her mouth to God's ears for a proprietor of a bag shop.

Well the meat of our day was teaching even after all I have already written about.  A really great experience.  It went really quickly and intensely today.  We posed the question, "what does art mean to you?" yesterday and the form 1 class could not answer this question quick enough. They came prepared.  We introduced Leonardo DaVinci, not DiCaprio which is what I keep wanting to say and the Mona Lisa, Renoir and the Boating Party and Toulouse Lautrec and the Moulin Rouge.  The were engrossed. Students took away assignments to read up on artists and answer questions in class.  We also introduced drawing ans appointed Vice Presidents of black pencils and color pencils and these leaders are responsible for the distribution and collection to ensure that these pencils last for 2 weeks.  Accountability is a good thing and I am really excited to see what comes of it.  Today we also started Studio Sessions.  After Class with Forms 1, they had studio time to work on 2 assignments , drawing a figure of choice and something from imagination.  Wow, O almost had to tare the paper out of their hands to get them to go.  They also knew Renoir and Lautrec were French and I threw in a few french words and it was down hill from there.  En Chante, Je m'appelle (insert name), aurevoir.  I had no idea we would be combining French and Art.  Liz Grimm would be proud.  Margaret and I were running back and forth between classes once Studio started and the other class was in session. It was great feverish and hard work.  At 35 students per class, there is a lot to be done.  Margaret and I complement each other well in class, I am load and dramatic and see is calm and reassuring.  Her 12 years in the classroom experience show up clearly as an expert teacher and my excitement shows up for my passion  for Art and educating others as well, not to be tooting our horns, but I think we are working out well.

After class today, David Dinda, who actually feels like a son to me showed up to say hello,  He is one of the 1st grads of St. Als and Lynne Hirshfeld, Lyndon Dominique and I send him to Social Work College. He is great and we just connect every time we see each other.  He will spend time together after class and come to Savelburg for the night.

After dinner and the whole day of it all, Margaret and I are bouncing off the ceilings and are exhausted and at the same time, bed is the farthest thing from our minds.

More to come.... It is only getting More exciting and a bit overwhelming with all the contrasts.  From wine at an estate to wonderful familial dinner in the largest slum in the continent of Africa, it all represents Kenya.