Hello to all my friends & family

I wish I would have been able to write more often but with the holiday everything here is much more inaccessible. It seems the phone lines get tied up easier and the cyber café’s close for many days. As promised, this note will give you some insight to my experiences so far. I hope that I will not offend anyone with this message as it contains my real life experiences which are true and some a bit scary. To begin, stay in the hills of Machakos. It’s difficult to get into the town since I stay in the hills. I ride the matatu (public transportation which ranges from a real bus to a not so great running van that loads 30 people in it squished) which costs about a buck (depending on the day and the amount of people taking it.) It is the scariest and most unsafe transportation I’ve ever experienced in my life! Sometimes, because I am a monzungu (white person), I get charged more. I have to be careful and know how to say that I would like my change. Everywhere I go, kids and sometimes adults will point and say “monzungu” and smile. It’s not so much disrespect as it is just pointing out that I look different. Kids think it’s great and will sometimes come up and shake my hand or ask me my name. I’ve started carrying candy for them. They like that! I also hear “how are you?” a lot from the kids. They might be blocks away and I’ll hear a faint “how are you ?” in the distance. The people in Machokos have been friendly for the most part. Like any other place some are more friendly than others. But for the most part I have been very welcomed. And people thank me often for visiting their country. I’ve experienced that a smile to someone goes a long way. It’s expected to be polite. I know that when I am in the States, I try to be polite but as many Americans who read this know, we really do keep to ourselves. It’s different here. I am expected to talk with people that say hello to me. I like that! It makes me feel connected to humans. I have found that the program I am in offers a different experience in each orphanage. My experience (personally) is very different b/c of where I live. Those volunteers that chose to in stay or near Nairobe are offered much more of a metropolitan lifestyle. They may not experience as much difference as I experience. There are internet cafes, wireless, coffee shops, movies, televisions, running water, etc. I don’t have this where I am. I trade it all for clean air and a quiet, simple place to stay. The place I stay has a bed. It has an outdoor toilet (which is literally a pit in the ground) and at night I need a flashlight to use it b/c there’s no electricity outside). The electricity was turned on for the first time a few days ago. It isn’t much help to me other than to charge my cell phone and ipod. The temp. has been in mid 70s during the day and 55-60 at night. There are no mosquitos b/c it’s cooler so don’t tell them I am not taking my malaria pills! The food here has been great and I’ve had no prob with my vegetarian diet. I eat a lot of rice, vegetables and fresh fruit. Thank goodness they have coke! Because of where I stay, there is hired help on the grounds for me and the orphaned kids. I have someone (her name is Elizabeth) who cooks, cleans and does my laundry. There’s no running water so everything is done by hand. It’s an interesting and very different lifestyle. I try to help Elizabeth when I can but my main purpose for now is to get accustomed to this world and to help the kids. I have felt relatively safe being here. I don’t go out after 5pm at night b/c it gets dark around 6 or 6:30 and I take care to not be out after dark. I don’t go anywhere alone. I either travel with the other volunteer I’m staying with or with someone that I know at the orphanage. For those of you that know Wanjira I’ve met her sister and she is the most lovely person. I feel blessed to know someone that lives here in Nairobe. Thanks so much Wanjira for connecting me with Wanja! I promise to write more…and pics will come soon! Love to all! Renee