Gaining Experience

As I mentioned before, my debit card in Naivasha was eaten by Barclay's ATM machine. I thought that I would just call a few people here and there and call it quits. But as I thought about it, I realized that I would have to go back to Naivasha and reclaim my card.

The whole deal was really stressful because It requires a good chunk of money and time. Meghan took me to "town", where we got my cell phone unlocked and got a Kenyan phone number. Then I boarded a slanted matatu all the way to Naivasha. This matatu ride was not only literally crooked, but it was like sketchy crooked as well. The driver kept leaving the matatu vehicle every 20 or so minutes and would have lengthy conversations with the police. Who knows what was going on? And since I have problems with my left hamstring, sitting with all my weight projected at that side was painful.

I got off the matatu and was surprised that nobody came up to hassle me to buy stuff. In fact, other than the ocasional "hello, my sees-ta" and "chinese", I was left alone. The experience was completely different compared to the weekend, where we had MOBS of kenyans coming up to offer us transportation services and such. I just asked around and finally got to the same ATM machine. and guess what? The friggin bank had closed about 15 minutes before I got there!

I knocked on the door, and surprisingly, people were still inside. I begged and begged and begged to let them give my card back. They kept telling me to come back the next day--which at that point I got very upset because I didn't have enough money to stay over night, and I couldn't imagine wastinge more money to return to Nairobi and back the next morning. Not to mention that I had to miss a day of teaching.... But I was surpised to see how kind the bank workers were to some white skinned little kid. Here I was, begging for my plastic debit card back, and they could have just turned me away. Then I remembered that I had Sharon's number, and she called her sister, who works at that exact bank. By 4 PM, I had my card and I was on my way to Nairobi again.

Traveling alone is scary, although I was left alone to a greater degree. The priced offered for a water bottle wasn't even more expensive than what I can get at the shop near Sharon's home. The real scary part was after I boarded the bus 4W to get back home. I was on this huge bus, the ONLY light skinned passenger. It was uncomfortable to have waves of eyes looking at me. There was this grandma who kept looking at me, just straight at me, and muttering to her daughter in Kiswahili. =( I didnt' want to get off past my stop, so I got off when I thought I saw Waynee Road.

I did get off at Waynee Road, but it was actually close to New Franeli! I couldn't believe that I was walking alone, in the dark, at 8 PM, in a slum area. In order to hide my appearnace, I took my black and green jacket, put the hood over my head, and pulled the sleeves over my hands. In hte dark, I must have looked Kenyan enough, because little kids walking past me weren't shouting "How are you?" I got completely lost, and compltely terrified. My shirt was sweated through, and I'm sure my hair looked like I had just showered. Itwas a cold night, but nervousness consumed my heart. I just kept repeating bible verses over and over again. I used my phone, and Meghan eventually found me, about half hour away from home. I had been walking in the complete wrong direction! I have never been so happy to get back home, safe and sound. Thank God!

And today, I haven't been feeling good. I miss my mom's cooking, and I could kill for her spinache-miso soup with tofu, and brown rice. Or a huge salad or something. Just something I'm used to. An apple would be nice. All I've been eating are bananas. But I came home early today because I started getting really really sick.

But while I was there, I had really good time with STandard 7. They gave me an honorary Kenyan name, Karembo, which means beautiful in Swahili. Others were Kangata-person who travels-- and Moderna, which I forgot. But now I'm back at home, well at the internet cafe, and i'm going to spend the rest of teh night finishing up season 1 of Heroes. It's totally not my usual type of show, but I love it! It actually has a Gilmore Girls actor, Milo something, who played Jess Mariano. I'm hooked!

I'm actually half way through with my trip.... time flies!
Becky