Welcome back to Mombasa

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Well, I'm back in Mombasa now. I was really sad to leave Lamu. It's a great town. Sun was a long travel day. Our plane leaving Lamu was delayed 2 hours. Also ran into my first experience with corruption at the Lamu airport. Luckily Ali took care of all the stuff for us. The people there didn't want to let us take all our luggage on the plane saying it was too much. So they wanted Ali to pay em around 7,000 shillings (about $100 bucks). Ali called Athman and Athman said not to pay and that we should just send as much luggage back as they didn't want to let on the plane and we'd just bus it out to Mombasa the following day. When Ali got off the phone he told the guy that he was dealing with that Athman wanted that guy to help us out. (Athman has a name around here) Ali also stressed the fact that we're students and don't have money, etc. So we ended up getting all our bags on with us and only giving em 1,000 shillings (around $14). When we finally arrived in Malindi we hopped on a Matatu and rode 2 hours to Mombasa.

When we arrived at the SIT office we got our mail. I got quite an interesting letter in addition to the two from my mom. I recieved a letter from the 16 year old boy that had shown Leigh and me around Gongoni during our drop off in Malindi. I was sooo excited to have gotten a letter fom him. However, I was quite suprised by the kind of letter it was. .... It was a love letter. He wanted to know " How are you my dear since we lost each other?" and let me know that he was "missing my love". The letter continued on like that for a page n' a half. Needless to say it was quite shocking to me and I didn't know (and still don't really know) how to respond. I asked Athman what to do. He said to write back and educate him that meeting a person for the first time doesn't constitute love, etc, etc. I don't know what I did that encouraged this, but it was definetely a huge cultural misunderstanding. Leigh also got a letter from a different boy in the village, but it wasn't nearly as bad as mine. Anyway... it was a very interesting letter to get upon my arrival in Mombasa.

My host sister, Rukiya, picked me up at the SIT office and we walked home. My family is wonderful. My host mom, Mkuu, is great. I've helped her cook and we just have a great time talking. Her husband is in Oman right now working, so it's just her the kids, and the maid at home right now. (Just about every single house here has a maid). I have 4 siblings; 1 sister and 4 brothers. Rukiya is 14, Muhaj and Mohmoud are 9 and Mohamed is 4. They're all really nice. I don't seem em much since they leave for school at around 6:30 and don't get back till around 8 or 9. (except for Mohamed). Mohamed is a handful, but he's so much fun. He has soooo much energy and we basically play from the time I get home (around 5) til when he falls asleep (around 9). He loves jumping on me and wresteling. He's such a contact kid. He's great though, but I'm exhausted by the time he conks out. hehe.

The apartment isn't really big, but it's good sized. I share a room with Rukiya and the house maid, but I have my own bed. (Not all of the other students do). Either today or tomorrow my host-mom is taking me to a tailor so I can have some dresses made, I'm very excited about that. =) It's going to be a fun two weeks with them.

It's kind of weird being back in a city that has cars instead of donkeys, where the streets are wide and paved and in a place where there are more tourists. The first thing all of us noticed when we arrived was the smell. Now instead of smelling like the sea (and donkeys), the air smells like car exhaust. Just an interesting change. Althgough I much prefer the smell of donkey's to cars. But it's still nice to be back in Mombasa.

Gotta run now. Take care everyone! Kwaherini!

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Comments

[Teena]

WOW....
Sounds like you had an exciting time. It is indeed amazing the different ways that cultures look at faith, personal space and 'relationships' :) Have fun!