Hey again! I'm back! And I have money. Phew! (Mom and Dad, you can now breathe easy....or easier i guess :) )
Things are still going great! I actually had my last lesson with Edith today. I can't believe how much i've learned in just these few days. It's a lot more fun to be in the city and actually be able to understand what people are saying. And even more fun when I can surprise them and actually respond back with Kiswahili!
Nairobi is such a cool city. Downtown is a lot different than I had expected it to be. It's actually a lot like the big cities in America (only a lot of street vendors and a LOT more people). We came into town to exchange some money and to buy a SIM card to put in my phone so that I could keep in touch with Edith and Pastor Ian and the other girls I'm staying with this week once we all leave for our different projects on Sunday.
Tonight we're cooking dinner for everyone (Laura, Becky, and I). I'm not sure how it's going to go, seeing as we still havent decided what we're making...not to mention i'm not the greatest of cooks But it will be fun. There is a woman who lives at the house named Esther who usually cooks for us. She is one of the sweetest most kind-hearted people I have ever met. Just so gentle-natured and always smiling. She told us that in exchange for us cooking dinner, she would teach us how to cook some of the meals she has made. Hopefully she doesn't decide to take that back once she tastes what we end up throwing together. :)
Tomorrow we are going to spend the day visiting different places (parks, bomas - I'll explain this more later, and other fun places). I'm really excited. We also found out today that on Saturday we will be going to the wedding of one of Edith's friends. I really can't wait! And feel so lucky that we will get to experience that.
Well that's all the time I have for now! I still haven't talked about the Matatu (for those who have no idea what the heck this Matatu thing is I keep mentioning, it's kind of like a bus...only not at all)...fortunately the story will be even more exciting as on our way here today, our Matatu broke down! Hopefully something else will happen on the way home and I'll hae even more to share. :)
Kwaheri! :)
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Far Away from London...Finally!!!
Hey everyone! So I finally made it to Nairobi. While there is quite the dramatic story I could tell, my time is pretty limited as I am in a Cybercafe in the city with only 50 shillings to my name (it's a Kenyan holiday - they have those when it can make things more difficult for me it seems - so I haven't been able to exchange any money). I'm watching the time tick away and the money I owe add up, so I'll have to make this quick.
I just wanted to let everyone know that I made it in one piece. Like i said, London was pretty much just terrible. However, I'm sure that when I look back on this trip, my troubles in London will be the last thing I remember. In a way, I'm kind of glad I went through it all. No matter how miserable my 36+ hours there may have ended up being, all I know is that once I finally held my plane ticket to Nairobi in my hand, I couldn't have possibly felt greater feelings of excitement, relief, and complete happiness. (Even if I could only feel those feelings for a second, as I was instructed to sprint to security and through the huge Heathrow airport to find my gate with only 35 minutes to takeoff and 5 minutes from when the gate would close...) But all that matters is I made it! It wasn't until I sat down in my seat that it finally sunk in that I was actually going to Kenya. After months of planning and years of dreaming, it was finally real. I took a deep breath (the first good one since I had been in London :) ) and smiled the biggest smile I ever have.
The flight was awesome. I ended up sitting between 2 guys from Nairobi whose band had actually just been named "The Most Talented Band in the World" by the BBC network. They were so much fun. I hooked them up with some Tabloid magazines and they hooked me up with some great information and a lot of Swahili (including telling me NOT to say 'Jambo' unless I wanted to look like a total tourist - as if my appearance doesnt give that away already...). They were so friendly and really gave me a good feeling about where I was headed. When they heard what I was going there to do, they were so encouraging. I wish I had written down some of things they had said about the beauty of the people in Kenya, but everything they shared made me more excited to get there and even more confident about my choice to do this. I really feel so lucky to have met them. The flight flew by and was over before I knew it. However not before I got to see the sunrise. It was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. I wish I could explain it, but nothing I could say would ever do it justice. The horizon began with the brightest orange and faded to a deep deep purple. It was amazing.
Anyways, enough about London and the flight. I'm sure you'll all be happy (and some maybe even surprised) to know that Pastor Ian actually does exist! And he actually showed up at the airport to get me. Not only does he exist, but he is truly amazing. He has the biggest smile I have ever seen. He was very friendly and I felt welcomed and comfortable immediately. I found at that I am actually staying at a hostel that he runs with his family for my week of orientation. His family is just as amazing as he is. His wife, Edith, teaches us classes and is so sweet. And they have 3 children, all of which are just beautiful. I really feel comfortable there and completely safe. There are 2 other girls with me at the hostel right now, Laura and Becky. They are also very nice and it has been fun going through all ofthis with them. I have learned so much in the past 2 days from Edith. Yesterday I had to have a double session to catch up with the other girls since I missed the first day of class. So after another day of class, I feel like my brain just might explode, although my Swahili is really improving so it's all worth it.
Unfortunately, I am pretty much out of time. But I have so much more I wish I could share about my time here so far (including my first Mutatu ride...oh my goodness was it fun)! I guess it will have to wait until next time. Hopefully I'll have a chance to write again in the next couple of days! I just wanted to let you all know I'm here and safe and LOVING IT!
ps - for those who have emailed THANKS! I proooomise I'll get back to youu next time. When I have the money to do it. ;) I love you all!
I just wanted to let everyone know that I made it in one piece. Like i said, London was pretty much just terrible. However, I'm sure that when I look back on this trip, my troubles in London will be the last thing I remember. In a way, I'm kind of glad I went through it all. No matter how miserable my 36+ hours there may have ended up being, all I know is that once I finally held my plane ticket to Nairobi in my hand, I couldn't have possibly felt greater feelings of excitement, relief, and complete happiness. (Even if I could only feel those feelings for a second, as I was instructed to sprint to security and through the huge Heathrow airport to find my gate with only 35 minutes to takeoff and 5 minutes from when the gate would close...) But all that matters is I made it! It wasn't until I sat down in my seat that it finally sunk in that I was actually going to Kenya. After months of planning and years of dreaming, it was finally real. I took a deep breath (the first good one since I had been in London :) ) and smiled the biggest smile I ever have.
The flight was awesome. I ended up sitting between 2 guys from Nairobi whose band had actually just been named "The Most Talented Band in the World" by the BBC network. They were so much fun. I hooked them up with some Tabloid magazines and they hooked me up with some great information and a lot of Swahili (including telling me NOT to say 'Jambo' unless I wanted to look like a total tourist - as if my appearance doesnt give that away already...). They were so friendly and really gave me a good feeling about where I was headed. When they heard what I was going there to do, they were so encouraging. I wish I had written down some of things they had said about the beauty of the people in Kenya, but everything they shared made me more excited to get there and even more confident about my choice to do this. I really feel so lucky to have met them. The flight flew by and was over before I knew it. However not before I got to see the sunrise. It was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. I wish I could explain it, but nothing I could say would ever do it justice. The horizon began with the brightest orange and faded to a deep deep purple. It was amazing.
Anyways, enough about London and the flight. I'm sure you'll all be happy (and some maybe even surprised) to know that Pastor Ian actually does exist! And he actually showed up at the airport to get me. Not only does he exist, but he is truly amazing. He has the biggest smile I have ever seen. He was very friendly and I felt welcomed and comfortable immediately. I found at that I am actually staying at a hostel that he runs with his family for my week of orientation. His family is just as amazing as he is. His wife, Edith, teaches us classes and is so sweet. And they have 3 children, all of which are just beautiful. I really feel comfortable there and completely safe. There are 2 other girls with me at the hostel right now, Laura and Becky. They are also very nice and it has been fun going through all ofthis with them. I have learned so much in the past 2 days from Edith. Yesterday I had to have a double session to catch up with the other girls since I missed the first day of class. So after another day of class, I feel like my brain just might explode, although my Swahili is really improving so it's all worth it.
Unfortunately, I am pretty much out of time. But I have so much more I wish I could share about my time here so far (including my first Mutatu ride...oh my goodness was it fun)! I guess it will have to wait until next time. Hopefully I'll have a chance to write again in the next couple of days! I just wanted to let you all know I'm here and safe and LOVING IT!
ps - for those who have emailed THANKS! I proooomise I'll get back to youu next time. When I have the money to do it. ;) I love you all!
Monday, December 17, 2007
Layover in Londonnn
London was amazingly beautiful! Actually, it still is. I'm stuck here still...
I'm currently in London's airport. I wish I could say the same for my bags (they were lost somewhere between New York and here). It's been a disasterous 24 hours or so, but at this point I'm on standby for a flight that leaves tonight around 7. According to my new best friends at the airline's customer service, as of this morning they thought I had a fairly good chance to get on it - although they may have just said that because I looked like an absolute wreck. :) Don't worry, I'm not a wreck anymore. Life is good...I'm just crossing my fingers now. Hopefully, hopefully, hopefully it all works out! I have a feeling it will...and if not I have a feeling it will eventually. By now, I'm kind of starting to feel at home here. So if worst comes to worse, I guess I could just live in the airport. :)
Hopefully the next time I have a chance to get on here I will be writing from Nairobi!!!! Hopefully.
I'm currently in London's airport. I wish I could say the same for my bags (they were lost somewhere between New York and here). It's been a disasterous 24 hours or so, but at this point I'm on standby for a flight that leaves tonight around 7. According to my new best friends at the airline's customer service, as of this morning they thought I had a fairly good chance to get on it - although they may have just said that because I looked like an absolute wreck. :) Don't worry, I'm not a wreck anymore. Life is good...I'm just crossing my fingers now. Hopefully, hopefully, hopefully it all works out! I have a feeling it will...and if not I have a feeling it will eventually. By now, I'm kind of starting to feel at home here. So if worst comes to worse, I guess I could just live in the airport. :)
Hopefully the next time I have a chance to get on here I will be writing from Nairobi!!!! Hopefully.
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