Safari Njema

Habari!
The suspense is over! I am safe in Westlands Nairobi! We have been here 9 days and it feels like a month. Every day here feels like a lifetime worth of experiences and emotions. I started school at the United States International University on Monday. I am taking US/East African Relations and Cross Cultural Management. On our days away from campus we travel around the city to visit possible externship sites. The sites range from upscale boutiques like Amani (peace) that feature handicrafts made by refugee women from across the continent to the Initiative for Sports and Social Arts deep inside Kibera, a slum filled with people, dirt, garbage, kiosks and laughter. I won't find out until next Friday where I will be working, but I hoping to be placed in the Kibera or Kanguare.

I hope to post at least twice a week from now on but the infastructure in Kenya is lacking and the internet is very expensive. I can only get on a cafes and even then there the connection is slow and frustrating. This is among the joys of living in a developing country. I have yet to have a warm shower, we have had rolling blackouts for the past week. At times we will be out of power for over three hours.

Otherwise the scenery and the Jacaranda trees are stunning and the people are generous, hospitable and funny! To call me you have to buy a calling card and my number is 011 254 714746668.

Heat Wave

Surfs always up! Over 307 hours on the boat! Last night's watercolor sunset was stunning and the sticky 101 degree weather today capped off another beautiful summer. As my second summer home from college wanes, here comes Kenya! Last week I went shopping with a colleague, Arika Makena, from the African Women's Coalition for some travel essentials for my study abroad in Nairobi. Arika is married to a Kenyan, she has spent significant time in Kibera (the largest slum in the world) and she offered lots of useful advice for clothing, toiletries and gifts. Without Arika's wisdom I wouldn't have known to wait to get the eight dollar blue mosquito net in Nairobi or to drink black tea sin milk for an upset stomach.

Update: My new email is justine.raschio@gmail.com

Tonight marks ten days before takeoff. I guess all I can say is I can't wait for touchdown!