It’s been a whirlwind these past few weeks. I spent Christmas and New Year’s in Meru and I survived!

For the days before and after Christmas, 8 other Peace Corps Volunteers came out to my site in Meru (hot water and western toilet helped lure them :P ) and we had a lot of fun, some from the glasses. Card Games back from most of our heydays didn’t hurt either. On Christmas, I went and had dinner with my neighbors. I was surprised to see that it was a dinner like any other day – no festivities of any sort. There were games being played, which is somewhat reminiscent of American Christmas. It still made me painstakingly aware of all that I was missing back home – family, friends, and apparently the recent freak snow in the Valley in LOS ANGELES?!

I’m in the Peace Corps office in Nairobi for Medical right now, so forgive me if this post seems to jump around a little bit. I met, today, some of the coolest people from Public Health whom I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting due to Peace Corps’ interesting way of introducing the other sectors and older volunteers to one another. Anyway, a handful of them are just lounging around in the ‘lounge’ and I’m going back and forth between typing and talking to them. More later on why I’m in Nairobi.

The days after Christmas, my site became lonely because I had become used to the massive company I’d been having in my little American Bubble. (Yes, that’s what I’m calling my site from here on out. Down with ‘the princess site’!) I decided to take a walk into town just like I did on any other day beforehand and I greeted the friendly muslim woman named Faoziah, selling potatoes from her duka on the side of the street. We exchanged words and she casually asked me where I lived. “Over by Kaaga.” The next day, she shows up at my house in full muslim attire with headdress and all. I was shocked. I had no words. I actually looked at her and just stared off into space, hoping it was some kind of hallucination. When I felt a hand softly brush itself on my shoulder, I immediately knew her intentions. Being new in the town, I didn’t want to cause any sort of trouble. We sat in the sitting room with akward spans of silence. Finally, she asked why I hadn’t shown her the rest of the house. “Oh shit.” In Peace Corps training, they had warned us that entering one’s bedroom in Kenya means that there is sex on the mind or the intent of sex so we should never invite anyone into our bedrooms unless you know what you’re doing. I walked into my hallway and pointed at the bedroom, guest bedroom, and the toilet and quickly walked back into the sitting room. Faoziah decided to do the opposite - into the bedroom she went. “This bed feels so nice. Come sit next to me here.” Ayyyy. I stood in the hallway asking her to come out into the sitting room. Her eyes spoke of everything she wanted to do and she reluctantly got up and walked to me. I was relieved and waited for her to pass me. As she passed me, she agilely placed her hands on my shoulders and asked me a simple question: ”Why?” I blurted out with an explanation about what the Peace Corps told us and that I wasn’t interested in that way. I felt my body be forced to lean towards hers and I saw her lips pucker up. I pushed her away and took control of the situation, taking us back into the sitting room. There was an akward silence for 10 minutes or so. After that, I got up and announced that I needed to go to the Nakumatt (Wal-Mart equivalent in Kenya). We left. On the walk, people were calling things out in Kiswahili. Towards her duka, three women called out and after Faoziah’s response, they asked if they could too be my lovers. I explained the whole situation to an interpreter, Joseph, I had during my training.

The next day, Joseph, his friend and I went on a hike to see the big tree with a lot of history and influence in the Meru region. The tree has a hollow centre that I can actually walk into! So cool. I even saw an elephant’s footprints in the forest but no elephant :( We walked over to the river and the mini-waterfall and then started back for home. On the way home, it was just Joseph and I. As we passed Faoziah’s duka, she comes running out of her shop with a big cutting knife in her right hand. It was a terrifying sight and I think I would have been much more scared had there not been a ditch separating her from us. Still, the ditch was easy to jump. I hear “WEWE” and then a jumble of some of the fastest Kiswahili I have ever heard in my life. (Wewe means YOU, and it’s not exactly proper to say wewe here in Kenya to anyone but children.) This is directed to Joseph and angers him so much that his upper lip starts quivering; the strongest emotion I have seen in quite a while. I started becoming uncomfortable with heads turning so I encouraged for us to take our leave. We did. Ever since, I have been busy with Peace Corps Volunteers coming in and out of my abode for New Years and coming to Nairobi straight thereafter so I haven’t seen her since, except for that one time on New Year’s Eve for 5 minutes.

New Year’s! I had 8 people come over: Mark & Rohan from Maua, Jenny & Jessica from Sipili, David & Katy from Maralal, Shannon from Homa Bay, and Amanda from Karatina. It was an awesome time – we cooked corn bread, chili, garlic toast, SALAD with two dressings, potato salad and a fruit salad. It was THE most American meal I’ve had since I’ve left the States. Damn well the most delicious as well. We enjoyed our dinner with some mixed beverages and slowly made our way to Simba Wells, the largest and apparently the most happening bar in Meru. 260 KSH to get in and that entrance fee went towards our drinking ‘money’, strangely enough. The bar was packed, and mostly with men because of the culture here. The women that were there were mostly around my age, the dawn of a change in Kenya. Hell, I’d like to believe that we’re the dawn of a change for the world. We Americans counted down to the New Year in the basement to a buzz of chatter – no one else joined our countdown. Way different. We danced to some great music until about 2am and saw some pretty extreme dancing done by the performers, including some humping and really sultry moves. A taxi took us back to the Bubble. On New Years’ Day, we decided to take a hike to walk off our hangovers. I proposed a location and we walked 5km to the point where we begin descending to the river at a 30% incline. It was a fantastic sight seeing everyone slide down the hill at one point or other. Once at the river, we trekked alongside the river up towards the mouth of the river. After about 30 minutes of very uneven terrain, we were greeted by a massive roaring waterfall. We welcomed the gentle specks of water flying around in the air that cooled us off from the hot sun. As soon as we got there, David and I set off to climb up some seriously slippery rocks to get behind the waterfall. Once up behind the falls, the sight was gorgeous! Words just do not explain what I saw and felt. Well, I’ll say this much: I felt the energy of the water and the earth there. Most of us took a swim in the river and felt refreshed. Great hike. If any of you from back home ever decide to pay me a visit, this is the first place I’m taking you.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. The friends left on January 2nd for their sites and I was left with Shannon. Two nights ago, I fed a kitten that has been coming around to my house every night for food. I made the mistake of holding a piece of potato a certain way that enabled the kitten to bite my thumb. I paged Peace Corps Medical and I was ordered to haul my ass to Nairobi the next day for rabies shots. Shit. Shit. I had a Teacher’s Meeting the next day and was going to Nairobi for new night guards ANYWAY on Thursday. Shit. Oh well. I’m in Nairobi now, and I’m enjoying my time here.

I’ll be going back to Meru sometimes tomorrow afternoon, completely missing the first day of school. No matter because apparently in Kenya, the real instruction begins the 2nd or 3rd week. Time and it’s importance is prioritized so differently here. I found out what classes I’ll be teaching: English and P.E. to Class 6, and Kenyan Sign to Class 7. It’s going to be an interesting term.

OH OH – I finally got one of three packages that are making its way to me from my family. The one I got is from my parents and it was loaded with dried fruit, mixed nuts and GUSHERS! AHHHHH I WAS SO HAPPY!!! No Snyders though :( I doubt my parents knew where it was.

Tonight. I go party with other PCVs :)