After two trips to the hospital in two different cities for digestion-related issues that all started with bad water (I'll spare you the details), I am now settled and getting used to life on Kenya's coast. And I'm absolutely loving it. I feel like I'm in a whole separate world out here, with its own culture and traditions and people and lifestyle. My host family is wonderful. They've never hosted a foreign student before, so everyone in the compound was eager to greet me upon my arrival Sunday evening. We live in a one-story cement house with no running water, but we do have electricity, which is a plus (although I often wake up to my 15-year-old host brother blaring hip-hop at 5 a.m. in the morning while he gets ready for school). My host mama is a big, dark, African widow in her 50s who's sometimes quiet but very sweet. I can tell she worries that I'm always happy and comfortable and feeling at home. She has 6 children, two of whom live in the same house as us, and 7 grandchildren. The whole compound is filled with aunts and cousins and children and grandchildren, so family and friends are always passing through, sharing a cup of chai or a meal or a story. My 20-year-old host sister and I have breakfast together each morning before she heads to class and I catch a matatu to the city for my internship. We live in an area called Shanzu, which is about a 30-minute drive outside of the city (the island of Mombasa). At night after we eat dinner the family (and whoever else is over) usually congregates in the in the main room and watches TV, chats, and the teenagers and I play cards (the ones I brought from Minnesota) or other games. Last night I was sitting on the sofa during this time and I could see three rats running around the room at the same time. I thought I had just gotten used to cockroaches... but RATS! And THREE of them! When the family noticed me watching them they all laughed, thinking it was funny that I had brought my feet up on the sofa. My mama told me not to worry, that she would "put the medicine" tomorrow.
Unfortunately I'm out of time for today! I'm so sorry to all those who've emailed me and haven't gotten a response yet... My last days in Nairobi were crazy busy and since I've been on the coast I've had no Internet access at all. I'm going to try to get back into the city this weekend to write more though. Until then!
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Jambo Bridget!
ReplyDeleteNo worries about responding to us. We know that you are busy. It is great to read your blog posts. Maura filled us in on the details of the hospital visits. I hope am so glad you are OK now. I hope the "medicine" gets rid of the rats!
We toasted you (among others) at the McConnon
3/17 get together.
I love the "inner McConnon channeling".
You sound like you are doing so well and you sound so mature.
I am so proud to be your Aunt.
Much love,
Kathy
Hey Bridge!
ReplyDeleteMom and I are very happy that you are so hapy with your new host family and the Shanzu community! And the surrounding area looks really nice on Google Earth, with the white sandy beaches lined with Palm trees etc. We hope that you also will feel good about your internship as time goes on. We think of you often and I frequently get out the encyclopedia and read about Africa or Kenya or something related to your travels.
TTYL,
Fran & Maura
Bridget,
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could introduce your family to the Pied Piper of Hamlin who used his flute to charm all of the rats out of the city.
I am excited to learn about the micro loan programs, for the have revolutionized opportunities for women throughout Africa. You may recall that the inventor of these loans won the Nobel Peace Prize last year.
Drink clean water. Avoid tippy rafts.
That's my insightful advice for your next 6 weeks.
Love,
Mike
Wow does that sound amazing! I wish I could be there.... besides the rats and cockroaches of course haha. But I miss you tons and I'm so glad you're having an amazing time! how could you not? lol can't wait to hear more from you!
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