7/28/2009

FYI I turned off the setting that only allows gmail users to post comments, so anyone can post a comment if they like.

I went to the orphanage today to say goodbye, and it was very bittersweet, as you can imagine. Mom (that is what everyone calls Salome, including me) gave me a present for KB (my mother) for having me. Um, awesome. Not only does that take care of a souvenir for her, its kind of the ultimate compliment to her ever, so that's super sweet.

Then Jane and I went into Nairobi to see the IAVI office, and we had lunch with Daisy, and explained to everyone that I was SJ Chapman, NOT SJ Muratori, the other SJ who works for IAVI. We strategized about different fund raising methods for By Grace, and Daisy had some really good ideas, which is excellent, since Jane is on the board of the orphanage.

And then... off to Mombasa! It's fantabulous so far. Kenyans have acrobats perform at functions (we saw acrobats at the opening of a hospital in Kayole), and some acrobats performed tonight as well. Now, Kenyan acrobats are not what I imagine acrobats being, that is, flying through the air on trapezes, or people who fit into tiny boxes by bending their limbs in unnatural ways. Kenyan acrobats are Rastas who do a combination of cheerleading, jazzercise, and circus acts. They did a bunch of human pyramids, jumping through hoops, and step-clap-kicking for us.

I spoke with the hotel DJ, from which I learned that I understand much more Swahili than I can actually speak. He speaks fluent German too, so we had fun switching up languages on each other.

Being in places like this reminds me of how much I loved Africa even as a little girl. My favorite song was Paul Simon's Under African Skies (ps, here, every star in the sky is visible, and the sight of the southern cross makes me bubble over in delight), I only liked to play with black dolls (although I gave them really racist names like Baby Jamaica...), Lion King was my favorite movie (and now I know it was actually quite accurate in many respects), and I knew the capitals of African countries long before I knew the capitals of the states. Actually I still don't know the capitals of the US (Mandie, NC roadtrip much?).

Tomorrow I have a water-aerobics class at 10:30am, and then I plan on lying on the beach for HOURS. Its winter here, so it only reaches a shockingly low 80 degrees. Since I am not a fan of being hot, I am planning to enjoy myself very much in the cool (Indian!!!) ocean breeze.

The mosquitoes here are brutal. I got about 2 bites in Kayole in 5 weeks, and I already have 4, and I've only been here a matter of hours...