Drop Off

---

Hamjambo,
I'm writing cause we have some free time. After our Swahili class we were all partnered up and given a place in the city to find. I was partned up with Lia and we had to find the Ganjoni Health Center. All they told us was to take lots of water (it's scorching out here) and sunscreen with. We had to find people along the road and ask them how to get there. We have til 4 to be back at the office (We started at 11). Lia and I found it with few problems. Most everyone that we stopped to ask was very nice and helpful. We had to walk through some very very poor parts of the city. We were almost there, but wanted to make sure we were on the right road and stopped to ask a guy if he could point us in the right direction. He then started to say that hmmm... it was kind of complicated and far and that he should take us. Lia and I reclined, 'cause he would probably show us and then demand payment. So we just said we would like to be pointed in the right direction. He then introduced himself and talked with us. Said he was from the UN and so forth and how he would take us, but he was in a hurry and started discribing this really complicated way to get there. He then asked if we had a token of appreciation to give him. We told him no and he kept pushing, "A dollar or so, is nice here" and on and on. We finally got away from him and walked down the street. Not even a min. later the clinic was on our direct left. Not hard to find at all. The guy kind of ruined our good moods. It's getting really tiring trying to find people who really want to help and don't have alterior motives.

So, when we got to the center we were supposed to find out things about it, so we asked at a counter if there was a person we could talk to. He pointed us to the doctors. We told them we were students and were told to find the place and just wanted to know a little about the place. They asked if we had documentation. Of course we didn't. Without documentation and approval from higher up they said they couldn't talk to us. So, an hour walk in the burning sun and we didnt' find out anything. On the bright side we familiarized ourselves with the city a little more.

On our way back we were walking and more guys came up to us and asked us if they could help us and so forth... all with the hopes that we would give them some money. At one point we stopped 'cause we wanted to write something down (we have to explain the way to the group later) and a guy came up to us and asked if he could help us. We told him "la, asante" (no thanks) and then said we just wanted to write something down. He then asked if one of us could speak German and I said yes. So we started talking in German and he wanted to show us around the city and help us. I told him we weren't lost. I just wanted him to leave us alone. Then he started asking if we knew the city and saying the people just come for a couple weeks. I told him that we were going to be here for 4 months and that we were students. Almost before the words were out of my mouth. He put one of his hands up in apology and started backing up. He appologized for bothering us. Lia had no idea what had happened, 'cause we had been speaking German (The German Embassy Language School was just down the street). We were both suprised at the abrupt change in his attitude when I told him we were students. It was nice though not having to try to fend him off another way.

Now we're on our way to lunch, we still have another 2 hours before we have to be back. We decided to make a quick stop at here so she could e-mail home. It works well for me too. =) I know I've been updating you all very often. I'm not sure I'll be able continue for long, but I hope you're enjoying it while I can. I've decided I won't be able to put up pictures while I'm here. While internet cafe's are cheap and everywhere they're also very slow. They're all dial-up and I would spend hours and hours I don't have loading pictures. I hope you all understand. I'll have some really neat pictures to show you all when I'm back. Until then I hope the journals suffice. Miss you all!

Kwaherini,
Rachel

---