safely back in Kenya

So the rest of our journey was relatively uneventful, but nonetheless really wonderful. We ran out of time to continue our bus trip, so we flew to South Africa from Zambia (bussing would have required either a very dicey, but shorter trip through Zimbabwe...or a much longer version around through Botswana). After spending so much time on buses (sp?) and mini-buses and taxis, etc, flying was a serious luxury. I don't even think cancellation or 8-hour delays would have fazed us! All we knew was that no one was heckling us, we all had an entire seat to ourselves that actually fit our asses in them, and there was optional air-conditioning and a beverage service!! Now that is FANCY. I will never complain about a plane trip ever again.

We made our way to Umdloti (pronounced um-shlo-tee), which is a gorgeous beach-side town just outside of Durban. My family friends, Mike & Christine, took us all into their home and took such good care of us. It was positively indulgent being there for 4 days! Andre and I did some damn good cookin' for Christmas Day dinner, and we ate pastries for breakfast until they came out our noses. It was amazing. Notice how I'm focusing on the food? Yeah, well you would too if you hadn't seen most of these things for 4 months!!

On the 28th, I hopped a plane with a bunch of Ethiopians heading to Kuwait to spend New Years with Tamara and her family again. Again, the LUXURY of the developed world completely overpowers me now! Everything works, you can get any kind of food you want...anytime you want, squat toilets are an option...not a requirement, and multi-lane highways abound with no pot-holes or taxis of death in sight! Haha, okay, I'm only kind of serious. But really, readjustment to such a life definitely took a few days. And then I looooved it. I'm already missing my morning latte (and by morning, I mean when we woke up in early afternoon) with Tamara.

I spent my New Years this time in some incredibly decadent tents in the Kuwaiti desert. There was a DJ, silk pillows, couches, tons of delicious food, illegal booze, western toilets (with running water!!! in the freakin desert!!!), and an entire tent just for hookah. I love the Middle East. We danced and talked and ate until 4am, then headed back to Tamara's house and passed out til nearly 2. :)

It's always nice to go BACK to somewhere, rather than always being the new girl in town. So I really really enjoyed my second visit to Kuwait. And then I got to go back to my other home, Nairobi, which is where I am now. I have 2 weeks here to start my research project for the semester, and then I move to Western Kenya for my new internship! I requested to be moved from Mombasa, despite loving my work with SOLWODI, because of you know what. So now I will (hopefully!) be working at the Millenium Village in Sauri, Kenya and teaching basic computer skills in the schools there.

Yes, this is THE Millenium Village, founded and run by Jeffrey Sachs...MY IDOL. I'm so so so excited about the possiblities this holds! I just hope I'm a half-way decent teacher. Oy vey.

Anyway, I'm exhausted, probably from the new bacterial infection I'm 75% sure I've picked up. Let's see if this THIRD ROUND of antibiotics does anything to ease my poor stomach. And hopefully it will simultaneously kill off the sinus infection we think I also have! Woohoo for unidentified infections!!

So goodnight, love you all

and HAPPY NEW YEAR!