Week One - COMPLETE!

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Hello Again Everyone!!

Thanks again for the comments!! They are hilarious!!
Thanks for writing Joan! And I'm assuming Ms. Miller got the e-mail address from you, so thanks for sharing that with her!!
Pete - I'm assuming you are '[e-mail]' and if you think we stand out in those pictures....you should see how much we stand out walking around... It's quite strange... oh and so far no killing and eating dinner all within a 1 hour span. Acutally most meals are vegetarian here! I fit in quite well (in that way....LOL).
Thanks so much for writing Debbie and Michelle!! I'm so happy to hear that Alyssa enjoyed my East Side Marios tip...that one will serve her well!! Tell her I've got lots more up my sleeve, if she's interested! And Brodie will be thrilled to have another friend!! You'll have to bring her (or him) up to Belleville sometime (but make sure I am there, so that I can meet this new puppy!!)

I hope all is well at home!

Since Friday things haven't been overly eventful...

One detail I did leave out in the last blog was about the Matatu ride to Junction on Friday...I was ALMOST a victim of a pick-pocketing. I was a total sucker too! I fell for the lines completely. At first I sat down and was next to the window and another man. He started talking to me and asking how long I'd been in Kenya. I said about 2 weeks (and know now that whenever anyone asks to say we've been here for 2 or 3 months) Anyways, he asked if I would trade him seats because he apparently "liked being next to the window" So I switched him...well in turns out the guy on the other side of me now was friends with him. He had this big peice of paper thing, that he draped over half of me and half of him. I thought that was weird...but still didn't say anything. Then when the Matatu person asked me for my money, I felt a hand in my pocket!!! I was so shocked (although after talking to Margaret and Maggie apparently this happens often....to white people). So anyways, luckily I felt it and immediately grabbed my pocket. He knew that I knew what was going on, so he moved his large paper back over himself. He was basically just waiting for a moment when I was distracted. I then emptied my other pocket (which just had my cell phone) and looked at him to let him know I was annoyed.
Again...valuable learning experience...and Brittney and I no longer have ANYTHING in our pockets when we are on the Matatus...I even keep my cell phone and our house key in my money belt (hear that momma....money belt!!!)

Anyways...yesterday we went to the Massai Market. First at about 11 am we went up to the office to see Kilonzi and the kids. I had marked some of their "compositions" they had written in English, and some letters to pen pals in Texas, so I brought those back with me. We met a girl names Maryanne, who is Kenyan and has been volunteering with Kilonzi for a few years now. She was really nice and even gave us a ride to downtown Nairobi so we could go to the market.
First though, we stopped into the VICDA office to visit, and let them know that every thing was going well. They were super nice and gave us directions to the market.

So when we finally made it there...we AGAIN were targeted. As we walked in "Alex" started walking with us and explaining to me that "the way the market works is..." he wanted to walk along with us...and we just pick up things as we like them if we want them, and then at the end we pay for everything. Well I noticed that we were the only ones that "needed" escorts...Brittney tried to tell him we were fine on our own. Then another guy came over and said the same story...that THAT was how it worked. So we went along with it for a little while...but when I asked a woman how much a scarf cost, he acted really weird and said "I told you...I'll give you a good deal at the end" So eventually when Britt was looking at some scarves, I decided that I'd had enough. I told him to stop trying to rip us off and to leave us alone. I said NO ONE else had people walking around with them, and we just wanted to look on our own! He basically refused to leave us...and told me to trust him. I said I dont know you and DONT trust you...so either you leave, or we're leaving now. So he "out of his own kindness" decided to let us do our own thing and would let the "guy who runs it" know that we are just going to look on our own!

Anyways...after that...we had a tonne of fun!! We bartered and haggled and got some great stuff!! I would love to tell you about what I bought...but most of it is Christmas presents....so people are just going to have to wait!!

So last night was pretty uneventful, Brittney, Maggie and I watched Apollo 13 and went to bed...

And today we just waited around for Kilonzi to bring the lap top over after church so we could come here to update!

Anyways...that's all for now! I'll try to add some more pictures.

Hakuna Matata!
-Denise

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Comments

[Heather Culbert]

That's my girl!!
Hi Hon. All I can say is "Oh my God", you are having quite the experiences! That money belt sure is coming in handy...and your police training...and of course, what you've learned from all your police and court house friends in St. Catherines. I AM SO PROUD OF HOW YOU ARE HANDLING THINGS!! I am really excited about talking to you again on the phone this afternoon. Hopefully we get through ok. Keep up the good work and PLEASE STAY SAFE!! Love Mom

[Dennis T]

enjoying
Just a short not that me and my friend Ah Shit really enjoy reading these things. Keep it up. Be careful.

[Dennis T]

for editor
Note for the editor of the blog. (I thought of this after I sent last comment) Ah Shit is a real name.