Happy Moi Day

Wednesday October 10

Yeah, former president Moi made a holiday for himself on his birthday, just like he named everything from streets in every town and universities and schools all after himself. We’ve been learning in political science about how the president here came to be revered and glorified as a god, his picture is required to be in every public building, you’ll get arrested for urinating in it’s presence (haha) and all the negative consequences of that, like making the president above the laws. Anyway, we get school off today! There was big debate over whether they should change it and not count it as a public holiday anymore because Moi’s legacy isn’t too admired by many, they might change it after this year.

It worked out well because Michelle’s birthday is also today so we went out last night and didn’t have to worry about waking up early in the morning for class. It was a really fun family outing-Michelle, Rhoda and Cheryl (my sisters) all went and Rachel (from K-our hostmoms are sisters, making us host cousins!), my host cousin Chippa, and Rhoda’s boyfriend. Today Rachel and Piper and I found this hotel up the road from my house where there is a pool people can pay 200 Ksh to swim in for the day. It was SO nice, and a beautiful day! (Most days here are beautiful and sunny) I think I’ll go there more often, there’s also a pool at the university that’s free, but I have to find where it is.

My mom went left this morning for Sweden for some kind of YWCA conference presentation and will be gone until the 23^rd. It’s funny that I just walked into the kitchen and thought to myself, “oh, we’ll have to cook our own food for the next two weeks. Wait, Mercy cooks all of the food” Mercy is our “housegirl.” They always refer to her by that title, even though she’s a grown woman. It’s interesting that I make that association with moms and cooking food, even though my mom here doesn’t cook any of the food.

A random observation: There are a lot of random holes in the sidewalks to watch out for as you’re walking. Lots of manhole covers are open often or just covers taken off of things I guess. Sometimes there are cones around them, but sometimes not, you just have to be careful. There’s also tons of construction all over the place, I think because Kenya is developing so rapidly.

I love palm trees. And these gigantic yellow flowers with blooms bigger than your hand in a huge archway at the university. I love all the plants here so much! I’m not missing the fall weather at home that I love so much when I’m there anymore. We’re moving into summer and wow, this weather is niiiice!