Lalasalama

Yesterday I went to an orphanage in a nearby town. It was so heart wrenching to see the kids that were living there...they have so little. I met a boy named Moses and he showed me around the house and kept me company while we stayed there. Moses, as well as all of the kids staying at the orphanage had great marks in school. The woman who runs the orphanage is a teacher and really emphasizes the importance of a good education. I hope that all of the kids there have the opportunity to attend college one day and make a good life for themselves. The village where the orphanage was is called Loitokitok and it is such a picturesque place. It is right on the lower slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the view of the mountain from there is amazing. It is actually a pretty big town and has it's own hospital. After visiting, we ate lunch at a hotel where I had french fries! (Not something you see everyday in Kenya!)

We then went to an AIDS counseling/testing center and met with several people who are HIV positive. It was so touching to hear their stories and the types of things that they have faced since living with the disease. There is a definite stigma towards people with HIV, in not only Kenya but the U.S. as well. I was glad to hear that they were speaking out on their disease and helping others who are in their shoes.

Following the AIDS center, we all went to the market and looked around. (Always an interesting experience!)

After the market we then returned to Kimana and stopped at a local club or "bar", and got a couple beers. AH. It was really nice to relax with a beer after the busy and emotional day! While at the club, some people from my program ordered a roasted goat...they then proceded to butcher the goat right then and there and cook it. (Kind of made me lose my appetite to be honest!) I did try it though, and it was alright.

Another new experience while at the club was going to the bathroom...a note on Kenyan bathrooms: In the area that I am staying, most people do not have a toilet with running water as we are accostomed to in the states. Many people have "mobilets" sort of a porta potty looking thing, many just go in the bush, and others have latrines that just have a hole in the ground. Well, the club had the latter. And as you can imagine, after having a couple of Tuskers (beer) I had to go pretty bad...I have been avoiding these strange toilets like the plague...Unfortunately, I just couldn't hold it anymore and had to give in. I can now say, that I know how to pee in a hole in the ground. Should be a skill on a resume if you ask me!

Other than the excursion from yesterday, most of my days have been full of lectures and work. It really is quite tedious what we are doing and by the end of the day I am ready for sleep. We are putting together a research project that should normally take 6-12 months, in 5 weeks. So, you can imagine what that is like.

My Swahili is sadly not getting too much better, but I am hoping that one day I will have mastered a good chunk of it...maybe then I can come back one day and communicate with everyone!

Well, I am off to bed...another long day in Kenya and I am worn out!

Lalasalama (goodnight)