Lines . . . Just a suggestion!

Hello All. Sorry It's been so long since I last updated. Since the last time I blogged I went to Mombasa. Mombasa was absolutely beautiful. I think everyone should try to visit at some point in their life. It felt like home, I mean literally felt like home. It was hot and muggy and I was sweating the whole time. It was great! While I would love to give you the play by play of Mobassa, it would take too long and internet is fairly expensive. But some of our highlights were going to the Gedi Ruins, Fort Jesus, Snorkling in the Indian Ocean, going to Bombolulu (a differently-abled communtiy), and enjoying the fellowship with my fellow YAVs.

The bus ride back to Kenya was quite an experience. Drivers in Kenya use lines on roads as more of a suggestion than an actual law. So our drive was constantly driving in the other lane of the 2-lane highway and passing every car on the road. When the road was block he just made his own road on the side if it. I can say we all did not sleep well that night(it was an over ngiht bus ride). I felt bad for my friend Ben as he was siting next to me on the ride so he had to be the one to calm me down after a near miss of the truck heading towards us. All in all we made it safely and had a great time but I think we will all think twice about using the same busline again!

We I have been talking Kiswahili lessons the past few weeks and I can kind of say things in Kiswahili. I can atleast count well in Kiswahili. Moja, mbili, tatu, nne, tano, sita, saba, nane, tisa, na Kumi. That is one thru 10 in Kiswahili. Unfortunately they speak Kikuyu in Gatundu so it's not going to be that helpful but hopefully I will learn Kikuyu and all will be well.

We all moved into our placements on Monday (except Steven but thats a long story). I am very excited/nervous to move to Gatundu. I am ready to stop living out of a suitcase and move into my place but I have no idea what is to come there. SO wish me luck and until next time, Kwahari!

Karibu (Welcome) to KENYA!!!

Well after 24 hours of straight travel and a few stressful situations in the beginning I have now made it safely to Kenya. The travel was filled with lots of laughs and a little crying but all and all a great experience. While Immigration took us about an hour to go through, customs we just walk through. Crazy huh?
Nairobi was nothing like I had imagined not that I really had imagined it too much. I can't really describe it at the moment but it is nothing like anything I have seen before. Most of the housing here have guards at their gates and everything seems to be pretty fortified. I am sure it is needed for safety. It has a very distinct smell of diesel and burning trash. That being said Nairobi is amazing thus far.
We (the girls) are staying currently, and the rest of the month, with our site leader Phyllis and her family. I have never felt so welcomed into someone else home in my life who wasn't my family. We have laughed so hard together in the past 2 days we have been here and I love my new Kenya Brothers and sisters.
This afternoon we start our orientation to Kenya by beginning our home stays. I will be staying with an older couple in Nairobi and am pretty excited to learn a few things from them. They speak the language of the village I will be living in and I am so excited to begin to learn the language. I will give y'all a full report when I can about my home stay.
Things to look forward to hearing about in the next month. A trip to Mombasa (the coast), a trip to the Rift Valley, Ellen taking Swahili lessons, and much more.
I miss you all very much and can't wait to see you all in a year!