Around Nairobi
Sunday, July 1, 2007

First day of July! Its been ten days since I left home. Its almost the 4th of July too...not that that means anything here.

Oh yesterday while walking around Nairobi with Mrs. Njiru I someone with an RIT catch the spiRIT orientation tote bag! I was so excited! I wanted to run across the street and grin profusely at them but I thought they might think I was strange. So I grinned profusely on my own side of the street. It really is a small world. Its amazing what alittle hint of home will do.

Today I went to my first Kenyan mass. It was surprisingly simlar to mass at home. THere was alittle clapping and swaing but nothing to extraviganct. However, it was the 8am mass and there were not alot of people there. It looked like the 9am mass would be fuller. It felt really good to go to church. I wish I had tried harder to find a church last weekend. We left Nairobitoday by bus this time. It was called All Blacks. haha. First a preacher got up and was preaching some religion. It was swahili so I don't know exactly what he was saying. Then he went down the aisle as a collection. I wish I could have understood what he said.

Later there were music videos being played on a TV at the front of the bus. Lots of Sean Paul which reminded me a Jengie, senior year and the trip to Dorney Park. They also played some Bob Marley and some local hits. It definately made the trip go by faster. This time we went to Makutano instead of Runyenjes and we took the buda buda to Kathenjuri. Buda buda are bicycle taxis. It was cool except I had my big green bag infront of me and I was trying not the push the driver off while still maintaining enough room so I didnt fall off the back. I think I will enjoy it much more next time with less baggage. Fafa told me that they can come directly to Karago from Makutano too. So I will try that next time. We walked back to Karago from Kathenjuri. We took a different route with alot of rocks which were damp from rain. Mrs. Njiru slipped and hurt her knee. I felt so bad! I didn't know what to do. When we hobbled back to her house I gave her the pain relieving patch Mom gave me . I hope it works. I don't think shes going to start liking me any time soon.

I arranged my room and set up the mosquito net this afternoon. Its amazing how much that helped me to feel at home. Much more comfortable having my things. Then I went with Mama to the little shop on the way to Kathenjuri. We met lots of people on the way. I am still awkward about greeting people. I'm afraid I'll say it wrong and I feel like a poser. I guess the more I do it the more natural it will seem.