Exploring

August 29, 2007

Things are continuing to be amazing here in beautiful Nairobi. Yesterday afternoon we had a semi-orientation on the basics about the college. It’s cheaper to go to school here than Nairobi so I may just never come home! (Just kidding for those of you who would be freaked out about that.) Basically there are several kinds of international students. There are those in direct exchanges (like me and 6 students from American University who haven’t shown up yet), students in direct enrollment (like students from other African countries), and then those in the KEI program. Other than Aaron and Dijana, the rest of the people here are from that group. I’m not sure what it is exactly, but I do know all their weekend trips are paid for, they got a phone paid by the program, and other stuff. Regardless, we’re all really tight so far. Other than one girl, the whole group seems normal and really fun. Anyway, Patrick, the guy at USIU in charge of KEI gave us our orientation. Then we went and met the dean. Then we went and got registered or something for our IDs.

Then last night Patrick took us all out to dinner at a hotel nearby. The food is surprisingly good so far. I’m enjoying it. Patrick is also going to look into getting me an internship at the UN while I’m here, which would be badass. He also organizes the trips on the weekends and is going to give us advice for some trips were planning on our own.

This morning I woke up at 7am completely on my own and felt great. It was wonderful. At 8 a bunch of us worked out together. I hope we keep running here, it feels great, although its considerably harder since were at such a higher altitude

Then we went to breakfast at this place near the school. It's called Momma Rosie's. Food was delicious. Then we went to this place called Village Market, which turned out to basically be a mall, African style. Pretty westernized and rather boring. They had bowling, and Robin had never bowled, so we took him bowling for his birthday. It was so weird cause for the whole time we were there I kept forgetting we were in Africa.

OHHHHHH AND THE BEST STORY EVER!~!!!! on the way to village market, we saw all the houses for the ambassadors to the UN. Then, we drove down this street and got to see the UN. On the other side of the street was the US embassy. Catherine took a picture of the gate and immediately the guards started radioing people and like coming after us. They took her camera and we had to follow them to like the US compound or something. They had to write this big report, she had to delete the picture, they took pictures of the van, then we all had to get out and they took a picture of us. It was crazy. We were a little freaked out, but still laughing cause they weren’t going to do anything to US citizens. She got her camera back, luckily.

Tomorrow we see giraffes. This weekend we are going to the country to stay with Robin’s auntie. Robin claims there is a stream that flows UPHILL near there, but I wont believe it until I see it. A few of us are going to try and travel Mon-Wed of next week, but were not sure where yet. Dubai keeps coming up as an option and I guess its pretty cheap from here. Exciting!!