Sunday, June 17, 2012

Update

How do I update when I feel like there has so much in my heart to say.
Often times, when I am overwhelmed, I am quiet. It's difficult now when facebook isn't there for me to share the world just to sit down and blog. Instead, I write.

I'm in Loitokitok, Kenya right now. I will be here for the next 3 months until I a swear in.
Every day on the weekdays I undergo intensive language training and then cross cultural training on Kenya's native culture. We will also receive technical training and medical info sessions every other day.

I know I mentioned that I came here to just learn and throw some cold water on my face, but my God, it's hard to be a passive listener here. The thing about cold water on your face is really how you react afterwards.

My host family is wonderful, they are a Muslim family that insists on treating me like a son. They call me Abdul after their son who is a military contractor in Afghanistan.
While they offer me love, food, and a nice play to stay, all I can offer is a smile and the songs I make for them on guitar.
The house is beautiful, has electricity, warm water, and internet (which is what I am using right now).
I one day hope to repay them for their kindness.

Today is Father's day, so I called my father at home and also wished Baba Abdul as well.

I am lucky really in this world. People work hard into the dirt globally while I have the privilege to be an observer.

Yet maybe that's why it's frustrating.

I'll start with a journal entry on 6/16/12

Sickness, the first spout

I couldn't tell until yesternight when Zainabu mama noticed something wrong with me.
I normally can't tell if something is wrong, it hits me much letter. I don't if it's the fact I am homesick, I don't think of home much because I don't want to dwell into it much and I'd rather be comfortable with the unknown. My energy is certainly down though.
Honestly, I think it's my delayed reaction to change. I'm terrible with change, which is why I was so eager to go in the first place. But it's a shame my biggest expense is cell phone minutes, which is probably an indicator that I must leave America behind to be immersed here.

I washed clothes today and surrendered. Scrubbing in cold water I can do, remembering the many different buckets representing the difference phases of clean, check. Wring like a python every shirt, jacket, and cursedly, jeans, yes done. Doing it for more than 2 and a half hours only to see that my whites still had stains that might as well told me I shouldn't have bothered, ugh.

My father, who was astounded by my insistence on cleaning my clothes, convinced my flagging spirits to let the help handle, in which they chided "He surrendered".
End


So, I think this weekend was just a sledgehammer to something I haven't gotten used to yet. But on a bright note or two, I'm enjoying the food a lot, from ugali with sukima wiki and nyama mbizu (goat meat), to coastal style pilau, it's sooo good and I recommend you google what I just mentioned. I also write a lot. I finished the first mini book of 160 pages and now am on my second book. And I just wrote my first major song here (besides the one I sing in Kiswahili to test please my parents and test my skills)!

So send emails if you're reading this. I hope you all well. God bless you.
And yes I believe in God, because honestly, the little miracles I receive every now and then, it's scary how that's what keeps me connected still.
Allahafas.
Tanim

No comments:

Post a Comment