Kiteng's Adventures continue

Have you ever been invited to a party that you really wanted to go to but wasn’t sure if you would fit in and you didn’t really have a dress to wear? It one of those times when you want to go but are glad you are not invited because you don’t have the right outfit for the occasion. Does this even make sense? Never mind, Kiteng is sharing what she went through when she had her first birthday party invitation.


Invitation to a Party

“A party, a party Kiteng!” exclaimed Ddamba running up to me and waving a pink envelope in front of my nose. I was already making my way to the bus after the long school day and I wasn’t in the mood for games.

“What is so special about this party Ddamba,” I asked. “Surely you’ve been invited to parties before?” I had never seen Ddamba so excited.

“This is your invitation Kiteng, I’ve been invited too,” he thrust the small envelope into my hands. My heart missed a beat. I was invited to a party! No one had invited me to their party since I joined the school about 3 months ago.

“Go on, open it,” Ddamba prompted, as we sat down in the hot noisy bus.

I tore open the envelope excitedly, a little bit apprehensive and pulled out a small pink card. My heart sank, the invitation was from Mpulani! She was the richest and most popular girl in class or so she made herself out to be.

“Mpulani’s parties are usually fantastic everyone wants to go!” Ddamba’s eager voice broke into my thoughts. “Why are you not excited Kiteng? Not everyone in class was invited.”

“It’s not that I don’t like her, or that I think she is proud or anything, she just isn’t one of my friends,” I thought aloud. “We did the seed germination project together, and she was my partner in the badminton tournament we won last month. Oh and we are in the same dance group in the drama club, but that’s all.” I was really thinking about how delicate and expensive she always looked. I regarded her with respect, fear and a touch of envy. Certainly I was not in her ‘league' and would be terribly out of place at her party.

“Kiteng, to do all that together you must be friends!” Ddamba protested. “Anyway, I know for a fact that she likes you, that is why she invited you to her party.”

“I can’t go, I do not have a party dress, besides I have never been to a birthday party, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

Even as I spoke, I knew my arguments were lame and unconvincing, except the one about the dress. I stood up as the bus approached my corner and Ddamba followed. I tried to ignore the puzzled look on his face.

The cool late afternoon breeze felt comforting on my shoulders as we walked to my house and the smell of freshly baked bread and scones that greeted us was reassuring.

“Mama must be home early,” I thought aloud again, but to my great surprise, it was grandmother who was clad in an apron standing by the kitchen stove! For a moment all my fears about the party were forgotton and I ran to hug grandmother.

“When did you come, Grandma? How was the journey? How is my friend Akilla? Are you well?” The questions just came tumbling out. Grandmother laughed hugging me back. She drew chairs for us at the kitchen table.

“One thing at a time Kiteng,” she said pouring tea and freshly baked scones for us.

I introduced Ddamba to her and continued to ask her more questions about Mene Village and her journey. Ddamba was full of questions too. He had never been out of the city and never tired of hearing about the countryside. Soon it was time for Ddamba to leave and I walked him to the corner. He brought up Mpulani’s party again, taking great lengths to persuade me that it would be fun. I finally agreed to go with him and returned home worrying about what I would wear and how I would fit in with Mpulani and her friends.

At dinner that night I could not stop thinking about Mpulani’s party. Whatever was I going to do?

“What’s the matter, Kiteng?” Mama asked. “You are so quiet and you haven’t touched your food.”

I pulled out the pink envelope and handed it to her.

“This is wonderful, Kiteng has been invited to a party!” Mama eagerly passed the invitation to grandmother. “We shall go shopping tomorrow for a party dress and a present for your friend.”

“Thank you Mama,” I answered quietly feeling a little bit relieved, but still not convinced that I would fit in with Mpulani and her friends. At least I would have a dress for the party, I thought.

I turned in early that night and lying in bed, I tried to get rid of the image of Mpulani’s party. An uneasy feeling about the party kept nagging at me. I finally convinced myself to tell Ddamba the next day that I would not be able to go.

It wasn’t until we were walking to the bus at the end of the school day, that I had a chance to talk to Ddamba about Mpulani’s party and my decision. Ddamba was shattered.

“I've already told Mpulani that we would be going together, you can’t back out now!” he responded angrily. “What’s wrong with you?”

I was adamant and he was stubborn. This was our first real disagreement and I felt miserable. I had upset my best friend and he was not even trying to understand my position. We remained silent for the rest of the bus trip and the walk to my house. I couldn’t understand why he had to walk home with me when he was so obviously annoyed at me.

I went straight to my room after seeing how grandma was, leaving Ddamba with her in the kitchen eating scones. There spread out on my bed was the most beautiful ocean blue party dress I had ever seen! I stared at it in astonishment. Ddamba and grandmother had followed me and were peering over my shoulders.

“Wow!” Ddamba exclaimed quietly under his breath, but I heard him.

I had to admit though that the dress was gorgeous and so were the matching shoes next to it. Any girl would be pleased to wear them to an occasion. I was positively thrilled at the thought of wearing the stunning dress even though it would be at Mpulani’s party!

Mama came in and joined us at the door. “Well,” she asked. “Do you like it?”

I rushed up to her and hugged her tightly, “Thank you mama, its exquisite!”

Ddamba and I sat down on the small veranda at the front of the house, watching the world go by.
“I still feel uneasy about going to the party,” I told him. “I don’t have a present for Mpulani and frankly I am worried about how I will fit in with her friends, I am just a village girl.” There I had finally said it.

“Don’t worry about fitting in, Kiteng,” he said. “It will be just like being at school, except this time we shall be at Mpulani’s house and all dressed up. I'll be there with you all the time. And there is nothing wrong with being ‘a village girl’. I like you just the way you are!”

Just then, grandmother walked out to the veranda carrying a small bundle similar to the one that I had carried when I first came to city.

“Are you leaving already grandmother?” I asked quickly, feeling rather let down that I had been at school throughout her visit.

“No dear, this is a surprise for you from Akilla’s mother,” she said laying the bundle on my laps. “She made them especially for you and perhaps one of your friends.”

Oh my God! My jaw dropped as I stared at the lovely handmade Lokomotit leather slippers in my hands. I had forgotton how dainty and elegant their beadwork was.

“They are a perfect gift for Mpulani,” I said quietly, stroking them and turning them over, finding it hard to believe that I had such a magnificent and unique gift for Mpulani.

“Oh thank you grandma,” I jumped up and hugged her. I was beginning to feel excited about the party now that I had such a gorgeous dress and elegant slippers for a present! I looked forward to seeing Mpulani’s face when she opened her gift.

Turning to Ddamba, I smiled shaking my head at him. “I’m so glad you insisted I go to Mpulani’s party, I am really looking forward to it now!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The party was fantastic and everyone loved my dress. Mpulani was thrilled with her present and there were lots of games, food and fun. Mpulani’s house was enormous and elegant! I wonder how they manage to live in such a huge house! Mpulani is really a friendly girl and so are her friends. I was a little bit ashamed that I had judged them because of what they looked like and had not really taken the time to know them. Mpulani and I are best of friends now and Ddamba is my best friend too. Mama says that it is okay to have more than one best friend.

Kiteng's Adventures

Ever had to change school in the middle of term? It is somewhat daunting when you are the only new person, everyone knows everyone else and they all have friends. Imagine how much harder it is when you come from a completely different community. Here is how Kiteng handled it.

A New School

“Hurry up Kiteng, you must not miss the school bus!” Mama called to me.

“I’ll be out in a minute!” I stood in front of the mirror smoothing back my braided hair trying to get used to the girl looking back at me. I was wearing my brand new school uniform, a smart gray skirt, white blouse, deep green, tie and blazer that sported the school emblem. I had to wear white knee length socks and black shoes. It was very smart and very far removed from the simple bright yellow free hanging dress that I wore at my missionary school back in the village. Nobody wore shoes and socks there.

I hardly touched my breakfast as I thought about how I would fit in with the children at Mazimba Academy, my new school. Would they know straight away that I was from the village? Would I be able to speak English properly like the city folks do? I was so nervous I really hoped I would not trip over and fall in my new shoes or embarrass myself in some way.

“Come along,” Mama said and took my hand as we walked to Baker’s Corner where I would wait for the school bus. How I longed for the familiar mornings in the village getting ready for school. I used to throw on my yellow uniform, after fetching water from the well, and pick up a snack from Grandma before setting off for school. I never had a school bag, just a small plastic bag where I carried my exercise book, a pen and pencil, and the snack that grandma had prepared for me. Akilla, my best friend, would be waiting by the large fig tree at the end of her road and we would walk to school together.

Akilla must be walking to school all by herself I thought a sense of loss creeping over me. My eyes filled with tears and I blinked them away quickly. I really mustn’t cry, I thought willing the tightness in my chest to go away.

“Don’t worry, Kiteng, you will make new friends too.” Mama said as though she had read my thoughts. She her arm around me and pulling me close up against her for a quick hug. “Akilla will always be your friend, and you will see her when we go to Mene to visit Grandma.”

“I know Mama, I just feel nervous about going to this big city school.” I said as we stopped at Baker’s Corner. “Mama, everyone will see me as the village girl. How will I fit in? Why can’t I go home to Mene. My missionary school there was very good.”

“Don’t worry, Kiteng,” Mama said again gently patting my head. “You are a bright friendly girl, of course you will fit in. Mazimba Academy is one of the best schools in the country. You are very fortunate to be going there.” Mama sounded a little bit impatient. “Just be your self and try to relax. It probably won’t be very different from St Mary Mene.”

The school bus drove up at that moment and Mama said her good byes and walked off to the regular bus stop.

As she walked away, I wondered if she had ever had to begin a new school like this. She didn’t seem to understand how hard it was for me. I boarded the bus trying to be as confident and relaxed as Mama expected me to be. I sat down at a window seat and looked around. I was the only person to board the bus at Baker’s Corner and all the children seemed to be looking at me and whispering to each other. They all seemed to know each other and I was the only one who sat alone. I looked out of the window wondering how I would make it through the day.

“Is this seat taken?”

Looking up I found my self staring at the bright smiling face of a boy who had just boarded the bus at the stop next to Baker’s Corner. His large eyes smiled at me and I couldn’t help staring at his untidy stubby hair. That would never be allowed at St Mary Mene.

“No” I replied in a quiet voice, looking away. “I mean the seat is not taken.” I felt flustered and uncomfortable under his steady gaze.

“My name is Ddamba, I am in Class 5.” He said as he sat down next to me. “You are new aren’t you? What Class are you in?”

“I am in Class 5 too.” I answered his last question first turning round to face him.

“This is my first day in Mazimba Academy. My name is Kiteng.”

“Welcome to Mzimba!” Ddamba still had that large bright smile. “It’s a great school. I’m sure you will like it. Everyone does. I will show you around and introduce you to everyone.”

I began to relax as Ddamba told me all about the school. Looking around the bus now, the children were all talking to each other and no one seemed to be paying any attention to me.

The bus turned into the school gates and my heart sank. Ddamba’s voice droned on but my mind could no longer grasp what he was saying. I was appalled at the sight of so many children! Even the buildings looked bigger, and more foreboding than they did on the day of the interview. I sat still in my seat, waiting for the children to alight. Ddamba had stood up as soon as the bus stopped and was already walking off towards the main building.

Oh why hadn’t I gone with him? I thought in despair. I slowly rose from my seat and moved towards the bus doors.

“Hurry up slow coach!” It was Ddamba he had come back for me!

I hurried to join him and we walked towards the school main building. At the large entrance I took a deep breath and set myself to face my first day at the new posh looking city school.

“God, please help me,” I whispered a quick prayer as we entered the building.

Kiteng's Adventures

Traveling in a country bus in Africa is an experience not to be missed in life. Kiteng shares her journey.

Journey to the City continued

It was dark as we left the house and began the 3 hours walk to the Sokotit Trading Centre. I stayed close to Mama pulling my worn out sweater close around me to keep out the cold wind. I was excited to be going to live in the city, and also sad to be leaving everything that was familiar to me. The excitement was greater though as we left home. I had never been outside at this time and I held onto Uncle Tilakit’s hand tightly feeling safe because it was so big. Grandma had insisted that he come with us to keep us safe on the long walk and wait until the bus left. I opened my small bag of groundnuts that Grandma had given me and we munched on them as we walked away from home. They tasted good but dry, making me thirsty. Mama gave me some fresh banana juice that she had prepared for the journey. The night was quiet except for the loud crunching of groundnuts. When we reached the corner, I stopped and looked back and took a deep breath, taking in all the familiar smells that I was leaving behind.

“Come on Kiteng, we need to get to Sokotit before sunrise, the bus leaves soon after sunrise,” Mama’s eyes shone brightly in the dim light.

My feet were sore and my legs tired when we finally arrived at Sokotit Trading Centre. The sun was just beginning to rise and the colours in the ski were beautiful. It had been a long journey across a fast moving river in a canoe that smelt of rotting fish, and a trek at the edge of a thick forest. There was a short cut through the forest, but Mama said it was not safe. I was glad that we had not taken the short cut. I had heard many scary stories about this forest.
Sokotit Trading Centre had three shops and a tearoom and it was the place where everyone going to the city went to catch the bus.

There was the bus parked next to the tearoom and people had already begun boarding. Mama hurried into the tearoom and bought our tickets from the driver. As we entered the bus I thought everyone could hear the loud thumping of my heart beat. This was my first bus ride. I had been to Sokotit once before with Uncle Tilakit when we escorted Mama on her last visit. The bus was very big and the seats looked soft and comfortable. That time I had stood by the side and waved to Mama. Now it was only Uncle Tilakit who would stand on the side and I would be with Mama in the bus waving to him. I smiled to myself feeling very happy that Mama had decided to take me to the city with her. We chose seats near the back, with me at the window so I could see the different places that we passed through. I made myself comfortable and waited for the bus to fill up and begin the journey.

Finally, the engine started and people began pushing to make their way into the bus with all sorts of luggage. Two large women pushed and shoved, making their way right to the back of the bus. They were carrying large baskets of dried fish. I was glad that I was sitting by the window.

The bus slowly pulled out onto the road at last we were on our way. I looked outside and waved to Uncle Tilakit who had a great big grin on his face, almost as if he was happy to see us go. I wiped a tear from my eyes, I was really moving to the city, I thought. It was actually happening. Mama put her arms around me pulling me against her chest.

“You are going to love living in the city, Kiteng,” she said softly. “This is our chance to be together after all this time.”

“I know, Mama, but I am going to miss being with Grandma and my friends,” I whispered. “May be it would be better for us to stay in Mene. We could just visit the folks in the city and come back.”

“Don’t worry sweetheart, you will love the city. We shall do so many fun things together and you will go to a big city school. Isn’t it all so exciting?”

“Yes!” I said my spirit lifting as I wandered what all those fun things we were going to do would be.

It was a bumpy and dusty journey with so many stops and people kept getting in at each new stop. At one stop I was asked to stand up so that a grown up, an important person from the trading centre we had just stopped at, could sit down. I was relieved when Mama refused, but she compromised by squeezing into my seat with me so that the important man could have her seat. It was almost midday now and the sun was very hot. The bus was extremely full although it continued to stop to pick up people. My excitement had all gone and I was feeling very tried, uncomfortable and very hungry. We had eaten up all the roasted groundnuts and Mama gave me the last of the banana juice then I rested my head back on her breast and closed my eyes.
I must have dosed off, because Mama was shaking me and saying we had arrived. The bus was still moving and when I looked outside, I could saw tall buildings, nice big brick houses, people walking around on the side of the road, and cars moving along the smooth roads. As I watched the city people getting on with their lives, I wondered if I would ever fit in.

The bus was slowing down and turning into the bus station. Our journey was almost over! My excitement had returned and I couldn’t wait to get off the bus. As soon as it stopped people began pushing each other trying to get out.

“It would be best for us to wait until most people have left, Kiteng,” Mama said when I attempted to stand up.

I settled back by the window and watched people collecting their luggage from the bus conductor. There were people boarding the bus next to ours. Its’ engine was running and there was a lot of shoving and pushing just as I had seen at Sokotit. It was comforting, to know that the city people were no different from us at least when it came to boarding a bus. At last Mama said we could get off the bus and she led the way carrying our belongings. I breathed deeply taking in the city area for the first time. Mama took my hand and we walked out of the bus station into the city.

Kiteng's Adventures

Kiteng is the little girl who listens to Grandma's stories about the Kingdom of Zindana. She has her own adventures with her friends that I have been writing for a number of years now and I'm still not finished. I haven't even managed to write the chapters in order. So here I will just post tit bits of Kiteng's Adventures.

JOURNEY TO THE CITY

“Wait up, Kiteng!”

I turned to see Akilla running towards me. She looked as excited as I felt. We held hands and hurried on to school.

“Hi Akilla! I waited for you forever at the fig tree. What happened to you?”

“Hey Kiteng,” Akilla squeezed my hand and smiled at me. “I had some extra chore to do this moring. My big sister is going to the city tomorrow and she just had to have all sorts of things done for her this morning.”

“Why couldn’t you do the chores when you get home after the concert?”

“Exactly what I asked her, but she wouldn’t hear of it. They had to be done before I left for school!”

We walked through the school gate and headed for the Drama Room. We were going to spend most of the today practicing the school play. The end of year concert was always exciting, and this year it was a Christmas Play. Akilla and I were both angels, we had the most gorgeous white gowns I had ever seen. They had white cardboard wings and glitter halos pinned to shinning silver crowns.

“I don’t remember ever being this excited about a concert before, Akilla. It must be because my mother will be here from the city. She has never attended any of the school functions before. I do so hope she will not be disappointed in me.”

“I hope so too Kiteng. She’s been away for so long I don’t remember what she’s like!”

I was brought up by my Grandma in Mene Village where we lived with his son, my Uncle Tilakit. Grandma had told me that my father died in a car accident when I was 2 years old. Mother had been devastated and unable to cope with a baby in her grief. She brought me to the village to live with Grandma promising to come and get me once she had sorted herself out. She had gone to stay with her Uncle in the city, and he had arranged for her to go for further studies overseas. Grandma said that apart from the money she sent and the letters she wrote, we did not see her again until last year when I was turning seven.

Mother showed up unexpectedly on my birthday with a gift. Grandma and I had been overjoyed to see her, but our excitement was short lived, when Mother had to leave again the next day. She explained that she had returned from overseas and had to look for work in the city. She promised that she would return to take me once she was settled down. Since then she had visited occasionally, but never for long and never during the school term. This time she said she would stay for Christmas and that I would be returning to the city with her.

“Are you looking forward to going to live in the city, Kiteng?” Akilla interrupted my thoughts.

“I suppose so. I shall miss Grandma terribly, and you, my friends at school, Uncle Tilakit, not to mention the village. To tell you the truth Akilla, I wish I was only going for a visit. Who is going to look after Grandma?”

“Don’t worry Kiteng, I will check on her every day. I’m going to miss you too, you know. Will you write to me?”

“Of course I will, all the time.”

“Look there’s Sister Margo calling us. It must be time to dress up. Come on Akilla, we must hurry.”

The end of year production marked the end of term, and the beginning of the holidays. Everyone in the village attended it. Our missionary school had a reputation for putting on very entertaining shows. The concert was like a dream, perfect. I really felt like an angel in all that light and glitter! I wasn’t nervous when I was on stage as the light made it impossible to see anyone in the audience. Sister Margo was so pleased with our performance, that she allowed everyone to take their costumes home with a promise to bring them to school on Monday.

I was exhausted when we finally reached home, that I went straight to bed. Grandma made me a cup of warm hot chocolate that Mother had brought and I sipped it in bed before I fell asleep.

Mother stayed for the entire Christmas holidays and the New Years day. Grandma made a fuss of her and me saying that she had too since we would be leaving soon.

The day before we were set to leave, Akilla and I sat on a mat by Grandma’s kitchen shelling groundnuts.

“I’m really excited about going to the city,” I said to my friend. “I want to go, but I also wanted to stay.”

“Do you remember when Sister Margo said that people are afraid of change,” Akilla said thoughtful. “I didn’t really understand her until now.”

“What do you mean? Does that have anything to do with my going to live in the city?”

“It does too, Kiteng,” Akilla rubbed her big toe in the soil making circles. “You are just like she said. You want to go but you also want to stay.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, going is a change and staying means there is no change.”

“Yeah, you’re right! You sound very clever, Akilla.”

“Not really. I just remember things like that. I am so going to miss you, Kiteng.”
“Me too Akilla. Whate ever will I do?”

“We’ll write to each all the time and visit each other too.”

“Yeah.”

We fell silent, only the sound of the cracking groundnut shells could be heard. I was glad that we were able to spend the evening together. I hardly slept that night thinking that I would not wake up in time and that Mama would leave me behind. Not that she had said she would leave me. It was my over active imagination that conjured up these fears. A gentle tap on the shoulders was all it took to wake me up early the next morning.