November 29th, 2013 – Hike to Mt. Kyejo….did I agree to this?

Well I am going anyway under protest of course.  The kids are very excited.  This hike is a tradition for the Pre Form 1 students at the end of class.  They have been asking about it since we started.   We left at 8AM – by the time everyone got there, got their mandahzi and chapati .  The hike is about 2 to 2 ½ hours to get there and the plan is to get off the mountain in time to miss the rain which usually comes in the afternoon.  We went thru some of the areas of Manow I had not seen which was very fun…also moving up each step gave us beautiful views….and then we cut thru a corn field and the going got a bit more challenging for Mama Jane.  I was escorted by 3 of the girls – Tuhobwike, Faraja and Neema….Modesta had already taken my back pack with the iPod and the speakers and ahead of us they were all hiking to Dire Straits.

Clearly they are starting to see that Mama Jane is going to need help.

You can see that Tine was much more in her element!  

We were joined by Kenny – always certain, seldom correct – and Jasiri a sweet and kind boy who took my safety as his special assignment and made me a walking stick.  The girls were adamant.  They were not leaving me. We  became separated from the group and at one point appeared very lost. Kenny of course claimed to know the right way but I was not impressed.   Jasiri went and asked a woman who was cutting trees in the forest if we were going the right way and she assured him we were so….off we continued up yet another enormous hill/mountain…..Pole Pole [slowly slowly] Mama Jane.  We came around one mountain and saw the rest of the group at the top of another enormous and steep mountain…..I was not planning another ascent that is for sure…

No way am I going up this hill which is really a mountain!

 however, two of the other students – Gifti and Anafi – were determined that Mama Jane was going to go to the top.  They came running down and virtually carried me up the hill.  Although I appreciated their effort and care for me it is yet another African experience I do not wish to repeat. 

For those of you who do not recognize great moments in teaching this is a demonstration of  the verb "to carry".

The rains came with a vengeance and I will spare you the details of the return trip but in summary it consisted of me picturing headlines like “ Grandmother dies in flash flood in Tanzania”.  “Grannie lost to her family while fording a stream through a cornfield” “Tragedy for recent retiree”.  So you get the picture?  I did make it home with my 3 girls Neema, Tuhobwike and Faraja beside me – all of us soaking wet from head to toe and they had another 45 minute walk to get home.  I made it to the top of Mt. Kyejo and I am glad they were with me.  I am lucky to have met them.  

View from the top with ominous black cloud looming for our return trip.