Kenya: The Visitors

Today's the day. There will be 8 people in a two bedroom place, smaller than my apartment at home. For the rest of the time I'm here. I'm a little exacerbated about it because I have trouble sleeping anyway because it gets really stuffy in the house (no windows because of mosquitoes). Ah well, it will be nice, I guess, because Millicent is really excited about it and I'm glad to see her happy.
This week has been flying by, it struck me that I only have ELEVEN days left here. I honestly feel like I just got here like last week. Time has flown, and with it many of the apprehensions I had before I came. Sometimes I think, "what the hell? I really expected that but not this!?"\

Today in Kenya is a national holiday, so I didn't have to go to Manaseh today, but I did, just to sort out some of the books. I'm planning on making a database of all the stuff that they have so nothing 'walks away.' I have pictures of many of the books and I'm going to spend the rest of tonight making up the list on Millicent's computer that Louise gave here. It's an ancient HP but it looks so shiny and new compared to everything else technology-wise around here.

Yesterday I went to go hang out with friends. That's right people, I've made friends. All by myself, not through the program or through my home-stay family. They were so cool, too! I realize they are probably a lot cooler than I am, but I guess I am automatically a little cooler than usual because I am a) A Mzungu b) American c) dress kinda unique here. I met them through David, the guy who also volunteers at Manaseh with me. After work I met up with him and five of his friends (who taught me how to dance...America, get ready). It was so nice to hang out with GIRLS. It's pretty easy to find guys willing to hang out with you, but it's nice to find girls to chat with. Amyla, one of them, even wants to do my hair with an iron! Love it. She has great hair, it sticks up in a whole bunch of directions, but is perfectly coiffed. And I made plans to go to a fashion show with them!

Today I'm hoping to meet up with them again, because we had so much fun! We played football, and by we played, I mean, a bunch of guys played football as I watched in awe. They're so good! They can like get the ball above their head and shit...professional style. I kicked it a couple times and I'm sure I made a fool of myself. Of course. Oh, I mean soccer. They played soccer. (Other words that I now use casually: lorry, gum boots, torch, elastics, slippers, trainers [side note within side note: I listened to This American Life last night and someone interviewed had a Kansas accent, and I was so confused and taken aback by it because all I hear is African accents! It was so weird. Also, the girl said flip-flops and I laughed because I hadn't heard that word for ages, and even if I do, people look at me like I'm nuts. I was happy someone else on Earth still knew what they are, I was getting worried]).

And I was out after dark again, so I got to see the stars, which I can never get enough of. The sky here is THE BEST. I love seeing all the constellations because I can't recognize them at all. It looks completely different down here! It's just so hard for me to make excuses to be out at night, or find people to be out with. I wish I could see them every night.

To finish off the post, a few random observations about Kenya for you all to enjoy:
1. People here love Celine Dion, randomly 30 Seconds to Mars, and this random Irish band called Westlife. I've watched videos from all of them since I've been here. Google Westlife for a great laugh...I went to a restaurant and there was a huge poster of them on the wall. Oh, Kenya.
2. Ketchup here isn't ketchup, it's like this water tomato sauce. Tasty though.
3. Stray dogs in town form packs. Motley crews full of dogs. Big ones, small ones, furry ones...
4. CDs here always have movies on them. Weird movies, usually involving many fat women singing and wearing prom dresses, clipped together with gimmicky transitions and fades. I kid you not.