Creamy.

This photo perfectly sums up the kindergarteners at Beacon of Hope

My first day in Beacon of Hope’s kindergarten, the most adorable little girl came and sat next to me, looking up shyly. I could tell she had something to say, so I attempted to coax it out of her. “Teacher Molly,” she said in her heavily accented English. “Can you lick white people?”

“Excuse me?” I responded, warily eyeing the little pink tongue that peeked out from behind her gapped teeth.

“Are they creamy?” she said, a little more insistent this time.

Thinking of the popular “Creamy Inn” ice cream shop in Downtown Nairobi, I said, “Like Ice cream?” To which she vigorously nodded. “No,” I said slowly, “They’re not creamy at all.”

Slightly disappointed, she nodded and then ran back to join her friends. For the rest of the day, I skirted the ‘kindergarten a little warily.

So far, no one's tried to lick me, but the mental image of a very confused white person in a sugar cone never fails to make me smile. :)