College

There is a VIDES+Kenya volunteer, Joseph who "schools" (as they say here) at a teacher's college about a mile away. I met him while we were animating an Oratory camp, and so the other day went to visit him. I very much enjoyed being around students and seeing a college campus. I'd been there for Mass, in which they have an EXCELLENT choir and a lot of life, but Saturday afternoons provide a different experience.
Most of the students are in their 20s, because very few people go straight through all of their studies. Most work in between to save money for school. Murang'a Teachers' Training College is specifically for those who want to teach primary school. That is a 2 year degree here, although there are different "levels" you can move up to with more school - I believe first you get a certificate, then a diploma, then a degree. Secondary school teachers must attend a four year university, and study the subject(s) they want to teach.
Many students were out and about as this is everyone's free day. The clothing lines were completely full so many had laid their clothes on the ground to dry. There are no washing machines or dryers, of course. Some students were outside studying, others playing basketball, really what you would expect at college. Even the cows of the college were out and about grazing. The dorms are rather, dorm-like I have to say. Each floor has a common bathroom, and each room, or cube, holds 4 students. The rooms are very simple -- one light hanging from the ceiling, two sets of bunk beds, two chairs, one long desk, one electrical socket, and 4 cabinets that lock. That's it! The students seem happy with their rooms, however, and have some study lounges and common rooms as well. One thing that surprised me is that high school students here often go on strikes. The strikes can become violent and destructive (such as burning buildings etc.) and if students don't participate and students leading the rioting find out, the innocent student gets retribution. When I learned, however, that the issues arising are often things like there has been no water for three weeks so students must walk 1/2 hour to a nearby river for bathing and washing, it begins to make a little more sense.
Joseph was having another round of teaching practice (the abbreviation used is TP) the following week, so we sat outside and made teaching aids, (much like dioramas!) of a homestead, including a cattle dip! No, it's not something you eat, but like a swimming pool where cows walk through to get chemicals to kill ticks and the likes. They couldn't believe I had never heard of one before! For their teachi g experiences, everyone has a partner to work with, so many of the students walking by kept asking Joseph "Is this your partner?"
Overall, it seems that the life of a college student in Kenya and the US is fairly similar. The standard of living is quite different -- no one here has a TV or mini-fridge in their room, and the cafeteria only serves one option for each meal (and the students don't complain about that either). Also, it seems that discipline is significantly less of a problem. There are people who serve as something like RAs, but few roommate conflicts, and it's easy to switch rooms if there is an issue, alcohol is not a problem it seems, and in general the students know that they are all mature adults and expected to behave as such, and see no reason to cause trouble!