This is for you Kat

I was thinking about how I hadn't posted anything in a while, and then got a little sad, because I couldn't think of anything exciting to share. The first thing that came to mind was our current bathroom issues. As of now, our shower and sink are clogged and drain at a painfully slow rate, and our toilet is just...ummm...being a little difficult, and we just found out this morning that the door no longer opens from the inside. This means that if you accidentally shut the door behind you(which I am in the habit of doing when I enter a washroom) it will lock you inside. I haven't done it yet, but I'm sure it will happen, and I'm sure I'll be home alone.

As I thought more about some exciting news I could share, I realized that I haven't posted anything since my Gramma arrived! She is safely here, and the kids have totally taken to her. (She was the unfortunate one who discovered the door problem with the bathroom. I woke up this morning to a rattling lock followed by a slightly panicky, "Candice?" and had to rescue her.) It is great to have her here, and I am able to see Kitale through fresh eyes, as if I were seeing it all for the first time again as I take her around to the places that have become so normal to me.

I also celebrated my birthday on the 15th. It was definitely one that I won't forget! The kids all sang to me during the come-together meeting (which happens every Friday.) It was also my Gramma's first day to go out to Mercy Home and meet everyone, so it was just an all round exciting day.

My flight home is scheduled for March.10th

Things I will miss...

I used to spend a lot of time thinking about the things that I miss most about home.  I still do, but I am starting to think more and more about the things that I love most about Kitale, and can only assume that I will miss the most once I return home. 

           

Here are a few of them:

-Learning and attempting to use Swahili.

-The kids at Mercy Home.

-Chai, half-cakes, mandazis, and chapati.

-Walking to town

-The street boys

-Pikipikis (motorbikes)

-Sudden rain storms

-Incredible hospitality and general friendliness.

-Shaking hands

            Nancy and I are leaving for Nairobi tomorrow morning at 7am.  Watching her get ready to leave for Melbourne, Australia to visit her son before she goes home to Canada is one of the main reasons that I have been having this mindset shift.  Seeing all the people that she has to say goodbye to makes me imagine that I am in her shoes.  It makes me realize how sad it’s going to be, and it also gives me new inspiration to make the most of my time here.  It’s easy to just get lost in the rhythm of life, and slip through each day without noticing how quickly it’s all going by!

Captain Davis

On Wednesday, we took the day off and took a trip to a game farm just outside of Kitale, and all had a great time being touristy! It was quite funny, because the only thing that they advertised was "horse rides" but they had all sorts of sweet animals like giraffes, ostriches, gazelles, elands (large elk-ish animal) rhinos, monkeys, and a bunch of birds. I guess that to Kenyans, horses are more exciting than those. They were quite surprised when we told them that horses are not such a novelty in Canada, so we weren't interested in horse rides.

However. I rode an ostrich instead! Pretty exciting. It was one of those times in life where I just couldn't not do it. David did it first, and it looked terribly awkward and uncomfortable. But really...when will I ever have the chance to ride on the fastest land bird in the world again? I'm thinking never. So I'm glad I did it. Mostly, the people helping me just kept it to a walk, but on my second tour of the ring, they let it run a bit. It felt so weird. It's kind of a cool thing to brag about. I rode an ostrich. That's impressive. No? Yes? Maybe a good way to start conversation and make friends?

I never would have imagined that Rhinos were SO big. I couldn't even get my mind wrapped around the pure solid mass of them. They each weighed 2 tonnes. Pictures can't do justice to their size. Their names are Mike and Celina.

 

My highlight of the trip was definitely Thomas (unfortunately I didn't catch his last name, but I'd bet money it was Sanz). He was a very friendly, very tall, nine year old giraffe. I fed him molasses, and got to pet him. He had a blue tongue. Did you know that a giraffe can live to be 70 years old? Giraffes are now my new favorite animal. I have never met a creature with such a quirky personality before. I've seen so many nature videos that have footage of giraffes, but none of them could ever compare with what it feels like to have something that tall come sauntering up to you and pick molasses out of your hand!

These guys (Moses, Joseph, and Juma) are always asking me to "help them with a picha."  They are tons of fun.  I have especially taken a liking to Joseph, he's a little goof.