Kwaheri for now....

Hey all.

So we leave for Mombasa and Bodo today, so I will not be at a computer for a few weeks. I am feeling MUCH better, and Mama Rose took great care of me (of course.) Her sister actually flew in from London last night as there is a family wedding this weekend. She's so cute, she goes, "I don't want to let you go. I am going to call Mr. Odoch and say he can't just take my daughter back." The three of us joked all last night, as they hung out in my room so I could lay in bed about getting my hair braided in a Maasai village (the famous tribal people of Kenya with the bright colors, and the very tall warrior men.) Auntie goes, "we will tell all the eligible men to come line up, 7 ft. tall plus only." And Mama goes, "no, no, she already has a Maasai! He is HUGE, 6'5''! And handsome...so handsome!" So we laugh about Chris being very tall, and then about my kissing a giraffe, which leads Mama to call Chris a giraffe as she says I must have a thing for very tall species. She's right. This morning as I came down stairs she goes, "Oh if only the Maasai (her name for Chris) could see you now." So funny. I get more attention in that house than I've ever gotten in my life. Breakfast is laid out for me when I come downstairs--eggs, toast, porridge, chai, juice, fruit and sweet potatos. She makes me tea and snacks whenever she can get me to eat them, dinner is amazing, my laundry is done...and plus whenever I am home mama just wants to hang out with me. I love her so much. Her sister only has sons too---so she was having fun with a daughter. I have to say: I have a sweet deal---my brothers totally treat me like a princess too---Tom small is teaching me how to kickbox, and we three hang out a lot. Being the youngest and only girl---you get hooked up.

Then for Swahili Class today our teachers sent us out to the market with two things (which they told us in Swahili) that we had to find and buy, using only Swahili. Ay...So we went into the depths of Toy Market---trying to figure out what the hell these things were---and everyone would laugh as we asked which I could not figure out why--and they kept pointing us deeper into the market. let me just say I have never been muddier in my life, my feet, crocs and claves were seriously COVERED in mud up to my knees---that was a cultural adjustment moment to be sure, as I have NEVER liked getting dirty and especially abhore mud. ewww.. Well as we're walking on this wild goose chase, I slip and fall and eat it good, so now I am covered in mud, and everyone is laughing, including me--because if i don't I might cry. Turns out we had to buy what are called "soft stones," which are really stones that are eaten by pregnant women for their iron and calcium. Apparently they taste good: I took their word for it. We also had to buy Miraa, a plant that people eat that is basically a legal drug. I've heard it's a combo of caffine and some like hallucinations. Crazyness. I came back to school and dumped a bucket of water over my head, and then got out of my clothes and into a kanga. Quite and adventure. And another one is about to begin...a 10 hour train ride....

Wish me luck! Love to you all!

Jess