Dearest Friends and Family,
Jambo! My flight arrived at 8am this morning and I am officially living in Kenya! Getting a visa and going through customs was a breeze and I quickly found Oliver who works with the IVHQ. Myself and another volunteer from Canada rode with him back to his apartment on the other side of Nairobi. I walked into a room with 6 girls and 4 bunk beds and was overwhelmed. Within an
hour of being at the the apartment, I was asked by one of
the girls (who's been here for two weeks) to join her in visiting the orphanage
shes been volunteering at. We walked into the compound and I was immediately surrounded by beautiful children holding my hands. I twirled them around like a ballerina and they all wanted to know my name and where I was from. So, in my first day her I have already visited and even TAUGHT in an orphanage class room full of 30+ four year olds... if you can call it teaching! Haha! Tomorrow have my orientation and will find
out my placement. I am
secretly wishing that they send me to Mombasa (on the coast), instead of working in
Nairobi and Kibera (the largest slum in Africa- located outside of Nairobi). We shall see...
Tonight I
may go out to dinner at a place called Carnivore. Apparently it
is THE restaurant in Nairobi- look it up! By the way, I am so glad I visited India before this, it has prepared me A LOT. The driving is scary,
but not as bad as India (sometimes they use turn signals here!) The air
quality is...poor to say the least. I haven't exercised since Thursday
and feel like a fatty. I dont know what opportunities I will have to
work out. It is NOT safe to just go out on a run around here. Though, like in India,
I feel like a movie star- people stare at me where ever I go! Something about blond hair, blue eyes and light skin...
This trip is not going to be a walk in the park; life here is dirty and hard. I've already gotten cat called and am constantly looking out for pickpockets. Here's something I jotted in my journal just minutes before landing on African soil while reflecting on the journey ahead of me: "I must have tricked myself into being this brave!"
Keep laughing about life; despite its sorrows. Maybe laugh a little extra for me.
Much Love,
Kris
