Tonight we couldn’t decide if the days are going by slowly or quickly. We do so much in one day that I can’t possibly write about it all. So here are some highlights:
1. Adventuring to the top of the Kenyan International Conference Center (KICC) to see all of Nairobi from the helipad.
2. Receiving my internship placement and finding out I get to meet my supervisor tomorrow!
3. Blackout #1 (playing card games under the emergency light), #2 (in the middle of eating dinner and having my first drink in Kenya, a fancy shmancy Medusa), and now in the middle of #3. But the wifi is still working (?)
4. At the beginning of our Swahili bootcamp, our Orientation Assistants asked us what words and phrases we would find useful. Among the inquiries were: yogurt, eggs, apples, “Turn up”, “Get turnt", newspaper, and notebook.
5. Touring the university and receiving my new student ID. There are cats in the cafeteria.
6. Learning all the rules then realizing there are no rules.
7. Being the only student to sit at the “adults” table so getting to know a whole lot about the history of the program and the staff. Also making friends with the Australian partner of one of our guest speakers who conveniently has class at the University the same time I do AKA I have a ride during rainy season.
8. Going to the gym with Alex in the middle of a blackout, attempting to run after eating Indian food, changing mind, doing yoga then deciding we should run a 10k next month.
9. Everything Kirindi, our mental health expert, said about life: “The monkeys keep coming but you get better at ducking them.”
10. Every conversation with Walker, particularly today’s lunch where we attempted to rap some hits from our youth, including “Candy Shop”, “Yeah”, “Hot in Here”, and “Because I Got High.”
11. Kenyan food. OH MY GOODNESS IT IS SO GOOD.
The absolute best part has been getting to know the program staff and fellow participants. Our attitudes and skills compliment one another, which is essential when being here during a bit of a tumultuous time. We take the security very seriously when the situation calls for it, but most of the time we are laughing our faces off, pressuring Walter to freestyle rap, and talking about all we are excited for during our time here.
It is good news all around albeit completely strange and wild at times. What can I say...T.I.A.
1. Adventuring to the top of the Kenyan International Conference Center (KICC) to see all of Nairobi from the helipad.
2. Receiving my internship placement and finding out I get to meet my supervisor tomorrow!
3. Blackout #1 (playing card games under the emergency light), #2 (in the middle of eating dinner and having my first drink in Kenya, a fancy shmancy Medusa), and now in the middle of #3. But the wifi is still working (?)
4. At the beginning of our Swahili bootcamp, our Orientation Assistants asked us what words and phrases we would find useful. Among the inquiries were: yogurt, eggs, apples, “Turn up”, “Get turnt", newspaper, and notebook.
5. Touring the university and receiving my new student ID. There are cats in the cafeteria.
6. Learning all the rules then realizing there are no rules.
7. Being the only student to sit at the “adults” table so getting to know a whole lot about the history of the program and the staff. Also making friends with the Australian partner of one of our guest speakers who conveniently has class at the University the same time I do AKA I have a ride during rainy season.
8. Going to the gym with Alex in the middle of a blackout, attempting to run after eating Indian food, changing mind, doing yoga then deciding we should run a 10k next month.
9. Everything Kirindi, our mental health expert, said about life: “The monkeys keep coming but you get better at ducking them.”
10. Every conversation with Walker, particularly today’s lunch where we attempted to rap some hits from our youth, including “Candy Shop”, “Yeah”, “Hot in Here”, and “Because I Got High.”
11. Kenyan food. OH MY GOODNESS IT IS SO GOOD.
The absolute best part has been getting to know the program staff and fellow participants. Our attitudes and skills compliment one another, which is essential when being here during a bit of a tumultuous time. We take the security very seriously when the situation calls for it, but most of the time we are laughing our faces off, pressuring Walter to freestyle rap, and talking about all we are excited for during our time here.
It is good news all around albeit completely strange and wild at times. What can I say...T.I.A.