Getting settled in

Photos: (top) me and my Nairobi siblings...Kevin (22), Roy (19), and Juliette (12)

Hujambo from Nairobi.

After a week of orientation-type things, I've finally settled in with my host family. I couldn't be happier. I'm in a neighborhood called Jamhuri, a 20-minute "matatu" ride outside of Nairobi. Several of the students in my program are in the same neighborhood.

My host momma is Millicent, and also in the family are 21- and 19-year-old sons Kevin and Roy, an 18-year-old adopted daughter named Susan, and a 12-year-old daughter named Juliette. My host poppa, George, works in Sudan and is usually away from home. Right now Kevin and Roy are home on breaks from school.

Tomorrow we start legit classes, with 3 hours of Kiswahili in the mornings and 3 hours of either Society, Development, or Health lecture in the afternoons. It will not be boring at all though, because it's a fascinating country and our lectures often entail excursions to interesting sites around the city and country. Next Friday we leave for 10-days on the Kenya coast, living with families in rural villages just outside of Mombasa.

The group is fun, the food is delicious, and my host family is fantastic. I hope everybody is doing well back at home/school! Take care and stay in touch.