Today I was officially initiated into the Kenyan kitchen at Janet Junior Academy... Had to peel potatoes by hand using a knife. The kitchen boy just laughed when I expressed my fright. He analyzed my every slice, saying "Like this! Like this!", not understanding why I didn't know how to do this already. My first dozen potatoes were rather geometric versus his perfectly skinned ones, but I slowly got better. I tried to explain to him that I am used to a potato peeler, but we were totally lost in translation on that one. After a whole bag of potatoes had been peeled, and I REALLY felt the cramp in my ring and pinky knuckles, he then started carving out chunks of the potatoes in one hand! I put my foot down on this one and insisted on chopping them on the table. I have a lot of practice to do before I can become a good Kenyan woman!
Chopping cabbage - check
Sorting beans - check
Making porridge - check (beans, maize flour, sugar, and water)
Scrubbing and cleaning with the bare basics of bar soap and shredded cloth - check
Sweeping the floor with their awesome handmade broom of sticks - check
Stirring brick-hard ugali with a giant wooden paddle - check
Peeling potatoes by hand - check
Shredding and chopping in hand - not yet
Tending to the fire without choking and coughing and running out because my eyes are buring - not yet
Carrying 20+ cabbages in a sack on my back - not yet
Everyday I am humbled by the women (and kitchen boy) that I work with. Their natural strength, positive attitudes, and resourceful qualities are so inspiring!! Yesterday I chatted it up (as best I could) with Grace, and learned more about her and her family. She has 3 kids and has worked in the Janet kitchen for 4 years. She's such a beautiful and quiet woman. My goal is to secretly find out their shoe sizes and buy them new shoes when I'm at the market on Friday. Crocs would be the best, but I'll have to see what I can find. Both women wear shoes with their toes poking out of holes. I know they don't care, but after putting up with me for 6 weeks it'll be the least I can do!
Today I was officially initiated into the Kenyan kitchen at Janet Junior Academy... Had to peel potatoes by hand using a knife. The kitchen boy just laughed when I expressed my fright. He analyzed my every slice, saying "Like this! Like this!", not understanding why I didn't know how to do this already. My first dozen potatoes were rather geometric versus his perfectly skinned ones, but I slowly got better. I tried to explain to him that I am used to a potato peeler, but we were totally lost in translation on that one. After a whole bag of potatoes had been peeled, and I REALLY felt the cramp in my ring and pinky knuckles, he then started carving out chunks of the potatoes in one hand! I put my foot down on this one and insisted on chopping them on the table. I have a lot of practice to do before I can become a good Kenyan woman!
Chopping cabbage - check
Sorting beans - check
Making porridge - check (beans, maize flour, sugar, and water)
Scrubbing and cleaning with the bare basics of bar soap and shredded cloth - check
Sweeping the floor with their awesome handmade broom of sticks - check
Stirring brick-hard ugali with a giant wooden paddle - check
Peeling potatoes by hand - check
Shredding and chopping in hand - not yet
Tending to the fire without choking and coughing and running out because my eyes are buring - not yet
Carrying 20+ cabbages in a sack on my back - not yet
Everyday I am humbled by the women (and kitchen boy) that I work with. Their natural strength, positive attitudes, and resourceful qualities are so inspiring!! Yesterday I chatted it up (as best I could) with Grace, and learned more about her and her family. She has 3 kids and has worked in the Janet kitchen for 4 years. She's such a beautiful and quiet woman. My goal is to secretly find out their shoe sizes and buy them new shoes when I'm at the market on Friday. Crocs would be the best, but I'll have to see what I can find. Both women wear shoes with their toes poking out of holes. I know they don't care, but after putting up with me for 6 weeks it'll be the least I can do!
Today I was officially initiated into the Kenyan kitchen at Janet Junior Academy... Had to peel potatoes by hand using a knife. The kitchen boy just laughed when I expressed my fright. He analyzed my every slice, saying "Like this! Like this!", not understanding why I didn't know how to do this already. My first dozen potatoes were rather geometric versus his perfectly skinned ones, but I slowly got better. I tried to explain to him that I am used to a potato peeler, but we were totally lost in translation on that one. After a whole bag of potatoes had been peeled, and I REALLY felt the cramp in my ring and pinky knuckles, he then started carving out chunks of the potatoes in one hand! I put my foot down on this one and insisted on chopping them on the table. I have a lot of practice to do before I can become a good Kenyan woman!
Chopping cabbage - check
Sorting beans - check
Making porridge - check (beans, maize flour, sugar, and water)
Scrubbing and cleaning with the bare basics of bar soap and shredded cloth - check
Sweeping the floor with their awesome handmade broom of sticks - check
Stirring brick-hard ugali with a giant wooden paddle - check
Peeling potatoes by hand - check
Shredding and chopping in hand - not yet
Tending to the fire without choking and coughing and running out because my eyes are buring - not yet
Carrying 20+ cabbages in a sack on my back - not yet
Everyday I am humbled by the women (and kitchen boy) that I work with. Their natural strength, positive attitudes, and resourceful qualities are so inspiring!! Yesterday I chatted it up (as best I could) with Grace, and learned more about her and her family. She has 3 kids and has worked in the Janet kitchen for 4 years. She's such a beautiful and quiet woman. My goal is to secretly find out their shoe sizes and buy them new shoes when I'm at the market on Friday. Crocs would be the best, but I'll have to see what I can find. Both women wear shoes with their toes poking out of holes. I know they don't care, but after putting up with me for 6 weeks it'll be the least I can do!