I made it!!

(Monday, Jan. 11)

Alright! Here it is! Blog Numero Uno! I'm waiting on my delayed flight to Nairobi in the Amsterdam airport right now.... First flight was alright. Had a quiet seatmate that was good at pretending he didn't notice I was crying. Yeah, so who's surprised.... :) I was freaking out a little bit until I got to read all the notes my mom had you all write me. I swear, that may have saved me. I know I seem strong, but those who really know me know I'm a big pile of mush on the inside. I'm so used to being surrounded with support, that it's pretty overwhelming being on my own... making all the calls and having no one to run decisions by – and it's only the first day!! I'm not even in Africa yet. I guess what I'm getting at is that the little words of encouragement from you all were just what the doctor ordered. Spontaneous or not, I'm afraid of my own decision-making capabilities, and even though I've proven by now I can “take care of myself,” I still lack a lot of self confidence that I think people assume I have an abundance of. Anyway, everyone's confidence in me is what will keep me going when I'm not sure I can. All I can do is my very very best, and hope it's enough. You all said to live in the moment and get everything I possibly can out of every moment I have. And that's just what I intend to do. I'm definitely going to have to be conscious of my attitude towards situations and how I react to things, but I think this will be a gigantic growing experience for me because of it. So thank you thank you thank you all for your thoughts and encouragement. I can feel it from all the way over here, and I really really need it.

Peace and Love.

(Friday, Jan. 15)

Alright, so what was that? Like 3 days ago? 4, I guess... Anyway, I am now in Kisumu, safe but one bag short. Some damn Canadians mistook my big black bin for theirs, but I haven't lost hope for getting it back yet. Besides, Jesus is protecting it, isn't he Mommy? So so so... After my delayed flight (close to 4 hours... I couldn't have cared less, really, but a few people were fairly disgruntled about it; that is, until the airline brought us juice and cookies in the waiting room. Thought that was funny...) I got into Nairobi just after 11 am, which was when I was supposed to be meeting Ted, Kelsey, and one of her friends for our bus to Kisumu. Lucky for them, my dad had text-messaged Kelsey once he found out that my flight was delayed, so they went on without me. So anyway, through the Visa line (only $25 this year!), and down to Baggage Claim where I discovered my missing bag... filed a report for it and headed out to get a taxi into town. Made it to the Easycoach station in town just in time to miss the 1:00 to Kisumu. Sweet. So I got a ticket for the 9 pm and dozed off & on on a bench that has those nice dividers so you can't lay down. My good friend Stephen King was kind enough to lay over the bar so I could be slightly more comfortable. So after another half-day layover, I was on my way to Kisumu. I made it into town about 4 am yesterday morning, and took a tuktuk (looks like I'm going to need to start an appendix so you all can figure out who & what I'm talking about... ) to Ted & Kelsey's where I finally got to lie down. So yesterday afternoon Kelsey and I had a mellow day. Took a matatu into town and got ourselves a cappuccino & a little internet time. I should mention that Kelsey just re-arrived in Kisumu the day before I did (after 2 months at home) so the two of us are re-adjusting together. The value of having another American around who understands you is priceless. As well as we know this place (Kelsey especially), it never ceases to amaze us, and Kenyans obviously don't understand why we think some things are so funny. Anyway, we went for lunch (I had kuku choma: grilled chicken) and ate with our hands. No such thing as silverware most of the time, and I LOVE IT. I definitely embarrassed myself a few times at home by eating with my fingers... well, embarrassed others, maybe. :) Kelsey checked in at her office, and then we did a little grocery shopping. We bought tomatoes, onions, dania (cilantro), garlic, and avocados the size of your head (15ksh = about 20¢) on the road on the way home, and feasted on home-made tomato soup and a bowl of guacamole that was too big to finish for dinner... all for less than 2 bucks! Kelsey and Ted have electricity, but not running water, so even though Kelsey can get ESPN on satellite, we bathe in a basin with a pitcher of water as our shower. And I mean a pitcher of water. Gotta love the sponge bath!! So it is now Friday morning, and I'm having a cup of instant coffee (sorry, Trav, it's Doorman's, not Nescafe! (pronounced nes-calf around here)) and watching the CNN news about that sickening earthquake in Haiti. Kelsey and I are getting ready to head into town where I'll go stop by the school for the first time. I could go on and on right now about how nervous – maybe anxious is a better word for it – I am about this whole principaling thing, but right now that wouldn't be productive. I swear my feelings about this adventure change about every 15 minutes. At one moment I feel like I want to throw up because I want to go home so bad, and the next I'm full of joy inside, remembering why I didn't want to go home the last time we were here. Anyway, that will even out in time; especially once I get into a routine (which I believe will include being in town by 7:30 every morning. Horray!). Anyway, I definitely believe none of this was my idea anyway, I'm just listening to what (God? The Universe? Fate? You all decide what you believe about it... from here on out, I'll call it God...) is setting out in front of me. So I'm trying to let go. We'll see how that goes.......... Love you all!