A cup of tea

I miss Kenyan tea. I never harbored any ill will towards the watery substance before I arrived on this continent, but I never really sought it out either. As most of us in the US know, or have experienced, coffee has more caffeine. And for most of us the obsession begins around the time we head for university. Too much studying, and not enough hours in the day. I remember when I finally finished, I wanted to go off caffeine completely. For about 9 months I tried to stay away from all caffeine products. I didn't get that much done in those 9 months. Without caffeine I accomplished about half as much. I soon went back to coffee.

In Kenya their caffeine addiction lies in tea. When we wake up in the morning we make a big flask, with lots of milk and sugar, to sustain us through the day. A few cups early in the morning, a few at 10 o'clock tea, maybe one with lunch, another at 4 o'clock tea, and when ever else it suits your fancy during the day. That is a lot of tea and milk and sugar. When I first encountered this ritual of constant tea consumption, I was less than enthusiastic about this sugary tea milk. But now I find myself missing it. I am always seeking out a cup of chai na maziwa (tea with milk). It is filling and comforting in its own way. I don't know what I will do when I am faced with Starbucks on a daily basis again, they couldn't make a proper cup if their life depended on it.

I fear that during this process of acquiring a taste for tea, I may have become a bit of a snob. Not in the british sense with their high tea and such, i just now know my product a bit better. You never use tea bags, those have only the poorest part of the tea leaves, and you must boil the milk and water together.

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After a long and uneventful day, I have now reached Kigali, Rwanda. My hotel in in a safe area and I have hot water and toilet paper! It's funny I can do fine without all the luxuries of western toilets, toilet paper, quiet rooms, but then when I get to expierence them again I am so thankful. I like this, it makes me not take for granted the many blessings that surround me.

More news later, I am exhausted and going to bed.

xox suz


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Location:Rue Depute Kamuzinzi,Kigali,Rwanda