National Exams

This week begins the almost month long session for the K.C.S.E. exams for the form 4s. I got to school today and the form 4s had just started their break in between the Kiswahili paper 1 and paper 2. Almost at once a huge rush of people swarmed into the library running to get Kiswahili books to flash study before going back to the testing room. I had at least ten people greet me at the same time in a rush to enter the library. After they went back to their room I saw something really interesting. Apparently these tests are very, very important and because of that they have national guards to make sure that the tests are not corrupted by teachers or fellow students. I saw one of the guards and she had a machine gun...sooo...guess these things are serious. Here is my creeper picture of her. 

I'll try and show the gun next time. But taking creeper pics is an art form! It takes time to get the perfect one hahaha. You can tell by her posture she is holding something heavy on her left side. Anyways, I saw Arnold again. He was allowed to come back to school grounds because the exam has to do with the nation and he paid the separate fee. And Dorcas brought her son again today. There's him and Zeina (Halima's daughter). 

They are so cute! This time, Junior wasn't afraid of me and we played peek-a-boo for a good while. And I forgot to say this in the last post but on Friday (which was my mom's birthday...Happy late birthday momma, I love you!) They had a prayer day for the students at school. All the parents came. There was both a pastor and an imam to conduct prayers for the students and the students received success cards which just wish them luck. Apparently, the more cards you get, the more popular you are. Also on Friday I convinced Halima to let me take a picture of her beautiful mendhi (henna) that she had. 

She even had some on her feet!

And I tried this drink called Krest Bitter Lemon...it's a soda and it tastes like a lemonade ginger ale. Except not very sweet. I actually enjoyed it! And on Thursday I watched a guy kill a chicken. That's a blunt way to put it but it wasn't a traumatic experience at all. He wa a Muslim and so the process for him to kill the chicken was very peaceful and clean. He said a prayer, slit the throat, said another prayer, slit another part of the throat and let the chicken die peacefully. I was kinda mesmerized by it. It was nothing like what I've seen in the states when it comes to killing meat. A much better process in my opinion. All the meat that comes to the school is halal which is great. Maybe from now on I should be like those annoying people who demand to know where the chicken they are eating is from and what it's name was, but instead of asking those questions I shall just demand for halal meat!