Kenyan Kindness

The first thing you notice is the kindness. It is everywhere.  And the smells -- a mix of diesel fuel, earth, the scent of tropical flowers, and humidity. A really pleasant smell that grounds me, somehow.  My first friend here is Cyrus, the driver who picked me up at the airport and had to listen to me exclaim "I'm really in Kenya!" incessantly!  I sat right up front with him in his Toyota truck, and realized that driving on the left can be completely disorienting when one has jet lag!! He taught me several phrases in the local language (and thanks to Abiola (my student from Nigeria), I already knew how to say "thank you" -- which really impressed Cyrus!  In talking, I discovered that Cyrus is a member of Jamii Bora -- the wonderful microfinance organization that we learned about in class, students!  And I will be visiting Jamii Bora's town on Tuesday.  Cyrus bought his truck with a loan from Jamii Bora.  It is exciting to see first-hand the impact that Jamii Bora has on the lives of people here in Kenya.
A little meal by the pool ended my evening. My waiter Geoffrey welcomed me heartily, and greeted me by name again this morning at breakfast (hey, Nan -- this breakfast buffet is to die for!). 
Today, I ventured on my own and by foot to the center of town and visited the Massai market.  What a cornucopia of colors and noise -- fabrics, wooden sculptures, beads...anything you want can be found here!As I was the only visibly western face, I was quickly surrounded by eager vendors.  It was fun bargaining, but I am not very good at it, and certainly paid top dollar for my few souvenirs.  But what a great time! I climbed wearily up the hill back to the hotel. Time for my siesta! Tomorrow, I will visit with the Daughters of Charity for Easter. I brought along a big bag of school supplies for the sisters.  Hope they enjoy them!