Today we have completed our first day of teaching, and wow, what a day it was! Walking into the conference room everyone was silent. The formality was rather overwhelming  and I started wandering what expectations the participants had of us.

After formal introductions were over, we split the participants up into three groups so that each student could take a group. We started discussing community media centres (CMC’s), what the participants thought it was, what ideas they have for CMC’s, etc. I was expecting the same reaction that students have in the UK when a teacher asks them a question – no one wanting to answer and if they do they would keep it short – however I was pleasantly surprised. These participants were switched on, confident, and passionate. Listening to their ideas, experience, and their culture was an eye opener for me, and it was very impressive. Their passion and ideas started making me think about how we can utilise our time to meet their requirements, however these participants had big dreams that we were not capable of fulling with the time that we had, in addition to our resources, however it felt good to know that skills that we can teach will hopefully enable the particpants to teach other citizens, and extend their knowledge. I started to think about what motivates people to engage in communities, is it the injustice witnessed, the passion for change and growth, the circumstances that one is surrounded in, of maybe the realisation that everyone needs to work together to help one another.

For me the afternoon wasn’t as successfiul. We taught participants how to use video hardware and then editing software. I found that I wasn’t clear in my directions and when faced with challeneges, it taught me that you can plan as much as possible, however the unexpected may occur. Although today has been a mixture of ups and downs, I am going to apply what I have learnt today to the workshop tomorrow. Wish me luck!!

Just getting the best best feedback from the rapporteurs of the group dialogue. Students have done a great job of facilitating the workshops. They will blog the results later tonight.

Sat 6th July
9.30 am Introduction & welcome – Willice Okoth & Dr Peter Day plus Laura Gorman, Rosie Way & Callum McNulty.
10.00 – 12.30 Community media needs assessment – scenario-based PLW (Depending on numbers attending participants will break into groups to consider a needs assessment statement; identify their community media hopes and needs & start to develop plans for a community media centre in Ngong.
12.30 – 13.30 Break
13.30 – 15.30 Introduction to media equipment & software
15.30 – 16.00 Break
16.00 – 18.00 1) Creating a community media blog and social networking, e.g. Twitter & Facebook; 2) Generating posts on the blog which can include pictures, video & audio

After the minor mishap of a shampoo explosion in my suitcase we finally arrived at Hartebeest Campsite. After a long flight and lots of food and drink i couldn’t wait to sleep and wake up in Kenya when we could actually see the surroundings! We ventured out to a few shopping centres to find some missing essentials and some Safaricom sim cards to be able to contact home- not as simple as you’d imagine! 8 hours later most of our phones began to work…
Sat down to do some planning when we got back from shopping and it suddenly dawned on me that the work we’d been leading up to was starting tomorrow. Feeling nervous, anxious and excited all at once at first, but running through the tutorials and our plans for the first day of the workshop just made me think, bring on tomorrow!

Woke up at 10am to the sultry sound of Peter Day’s voice. We gathered ourselves in the Kenyan sun on the porch of the Hartebeest compound before heading out into Nairobi. Kenya is Beautiful! We travelled a mile or two down the road from camp, stopping in malls and shops to pick up necessities. Water. Sim cards. Flip Flops. We then taxi’d back to camp taking a backroot to avoid traffic (The Kenyan Rally Competition).

In the backstreets of Nairobi it becomes clear, the vast economic gap in the city. Back at camp we began preparing for the workshops the next day. I’m looking forward to seeing how students will interpret Community Media based on their individual cultural and social mores. Met with Willice and Gordon over diner, both incredibly exciting and interesting Men, Willice’s laugh is infectious. Bed now, will mull over the prep for tomorrow in my sleep. Looking forward to another wonderful day in Kenya.

Waking up in Kenya this morning I couldn’t wait to look out of the window and see the surroundings of our accommodation in day light. I wanted to have a wander around the surrounding area to get familiar with our location and start to understand the Kenyan culture and way of life.

Today we walked to a shopping centre in order to buy supplies for our stay, such as water and sim cards. I must admit that coming from a Western culture, the lack of organisation and force upon sales in the phone store surprised me! The people all seem friendly and happy to help here, which has made me feel welcomed and comfortable in Kenya.

Initially on arrival I was feeling overwhelmed due to how far I am going out of my comfort zone, as not only am I engaging myself with an unknown community (which I have never done before), but I am doing it in an other country. After spending the afternoon planning for the next day three days of teaching, that feeling of being in over my head has settled down, and now I say bring it on!!!!

Well after I long journey over here circa 23 hours I decided to let the students lay in this morning – despite their promises to be up at first light, This gave me some time to read and sip ginger tea over breakfast with the mnkeys who share the garden.

Around midday we went shopping for a few bits that we (mainly me) had forgotten. Getting the local sim cards for our phones proved to be a challenge and if the Safari.com shop at the Junction shopping centre is a beacon shining on the strengths of the private sector in an emerging youthful economy then lord help us all…..chaotic! Phones still not working on local sims btw 😉

On our return we brain stormed the schedule for the next 3 days (which I’ll send later). The students are off planning their interventions and some good ideas are emerging. The workshops will be great I have no doubt but they do present a challange which I am sure they’re up to – as the famous Kenyan philosopher once said…….acuma matata 😉

They’ll be using my laptop later to blog their own impressions of the first day.

Speak later

Peter

As per normal……my case isn’t quite packed yet 😉 One last cup of coffee; a quick shower and then cram into my daughters car to be driven to Gatwick North where I’m meeting Callum, Rosie & laura at about 6.45. We’ll distribute the books we’re taking to the preparatory school in rural Kenya as an aid for their English learning. Get rid of our luggage and then off we go.

The students have been texting me all day and are clearly very excited. I’ve recived some very exciting news from our partners which I’ll report back on after we’ve met them on the ground. All in all, if its not tempting fate……a good start to the trip.