Kushengaza Zaidi (more amazing stuff!)

i have thought of a few more funny differences between the States and Kenya. Just in case anyone didn't know this, i am writing these things about people in rural Kenya, not Nairobi or other big cities. Of course differences occur in big cities as well, but they are much more westernized then the rest of Kenya, and the majority of my experiences have been in rural settings. enjoy!

1. cocoa is drinking chocolate.
2. They put very little drinking chocolate in milk, and then add sugar. 
3. always call plastic bags, paper bags. I have no idea why. probably has to do with paper bags being around first, and then when plastic came along, they just kept calling them paper. 
4. Clean, pretty feet are a big deal. they are kind of a status symbol. if you have time to keep them clean and toes painted, then you probably don't work in the fields or do manual labor. some even grow their toe nails out, way gross. 
5. like i have said before, Kenyans are very intent on relationships. when you enter someones sitting room it is usually crowded wall to wall with seating to accommodate many visitors. 
6. most bicycles are one speed.
7. most bicycles are used to haul things. of course people ride them, but many people load stuff on the back and push them around like a wheel barrow. 
8. being gentle is not in very many peoples vocabulary. they grow up being quite rough, sometimes they get beatings from their parents and when they go heard the livestock they need to be rough to get them to go where they want. For example, the primary school i teach at has a library of donated, pristine condition, books. the students, very rarely, are allowed to use them, because they often destroy them. of course this changes as you go up the wealth ladder.
9. women always wear some kind of heal. little girls, just learning to walk, to grandmas. it makes it impossible to find comfortable, girly shoes. 
10. yesterday i went to get a dress made. the seamstress had three machines, all of which were foot powered. last year i had to use a cheap singer, and i got soo frustrated changing from a computer run machine to a purely no frills, one. 
11. drinking is a big problem here. once people begin drinking, they usually don't stop until they are drunk. they don't just drink a beer with a meal, it is almost always drunk to accomplish being drunk. 
12. bribery is also a very big problem here. even at places that you wouldn't expect to pay "extra", especially being white, you will probably have to pay something. 
13. babies are passed from person to person. everyone takes care of them, and because of this they don't develop much "stranger danger." it seems like an awesome way to raise kids. 
14. even though there isn't much "stranger danger" any kid between the ages of 9 months, and maybe 5 or 6 will scream their head off if they don't have very much experience with white people, and then i try and hold them, or even talk to them. i don't know, maybe they think i am a ghost? 

Recently, when i was in Rwanda, i met an awesome opera singer from Spokane. she was visiting her sister, who was in the peace corp, and also had planned a visit with a girl she sponsored through compassion international. she had prepared for the trip, bringing special little treats for the 4 year old girl and her family. when she finally met them, the girl freaked out, and cried for the next several hours that the women was there. she was quite perplexed by this, until i shared my own experiences with her.

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I am heading back to the states October 2. It is so hard to think of leaving this place and all the people that have become my second family. this has truly become another home. i will miss it so much. i am planning on coming back maybe next summer, just for a visit. it is too hard to think of leaving a place i love so much without a plan to come back. if anyone is interested in coming, let me know! love to you all and can't wait to see everyone! 

suzanne