Jambo!

I've been in Kakamega now for less than a week and I am getting more comfortable with in every day. The town is definitely bigger than I expected. There are 3 ATMs just around the corner and even a Barclays bank further into town. There is an awesome street market that runs throughout town but there is also a super market that could almost be mistaken for one in the US. The town is always hectic between the street vendors trying to catch you attention, the matatus (6 passenger vans that fit about 20 people inside), the tukuks (three wheeled taxi like vehicle that makes a tuktuktuktuk sound as it passes),the bodabodas (for hire bicycle drivers), and the pikipikis (motorcyclists offering to give everyone a ride). Sometimes it's harder to cross a street here than it is in Manhattan! I'm here in our oh so luxurious Sheywey Guest House after my morning run through the nearby neighborhood (the look on some of the Kenyan's faces is priceless when they see a group of foreigners running, since there really are no other white people in Kakamega and Kenyans don't run for the sake of running. Our water and electricity often give out. One of the other interns here, Alexis is using the shower in my room and is experiencing all of the shower problems. The water pressure can hardly be called a drip, heat just isn't happening, the water spontaneously stops when in feels like it, and the knob just fell of. Welcome to Kenya. But I will take these minor inconveniences in exchange for the happy, relationship-oriented, slow way of life that Kakameagans lead. It's going to be a great 2 months. I'm off to breakfast now, I'll tell you all about the food here next time. Kwaheri!