I don't know why you say goodbye I say hello

I have seen many people come and go here in Ugunja. The two Global Youth Network teams in both May and June, Ryan from Cali, I have seen Wren leave, and now recently there are two Canadians who arrived Thursday and will be leaving Tuesday. In July, I hear that even more volunteers will be coming and staying a short period of time. So I will get to say hello and goodbye many times, all the while staying stationary.

It brings different feelings. In one respect, I am jealous of those who come and go, because they make this place a part of their life for a short period of time, and then move on with their life, perhaps traveling back to their homes in Canada or the US, where I miss so many things and dream of often. Or maybe some of them, like the Canadians, will be traveling down Africa to Cape Town. All of these adventures, so many interesting things to see – and here I am, in rural Kenya, living a simple and mainly quiet life. Not that I feel sorry for myself, but part of me just yearns to lead the kind of life of these people I see come and go – staying for a bit and then going on to something different.

However, I have realized that my position is one that is very unique and one that makes me very privileged. First of all, because I have been here for 2 months, I am very accustomed to the area. I know where everything is, I know where to find things, I know people, I know how to make my way around, and most important I am comfortable in this environment now. And comfort is something that takes time – it doesn’t come in a week, it doesn’t come in two weeks – it takes a good amount of time.
Another plus about staying a long time is that you can really connect with the people, you can really begin to uncover the culture and learn how it influences and is influenced by different people, places and environmental factors. I understand why a woman has to carry water down a long dirt road, I understand why the children have to work so hard, I understand why there is so little variety in food, I understand why HIV continues to dominate, I understand why little kids call out “how are you” constantly, I understand why everyone treats me like I am famous, etc, etc.

There is a difference between knowing and understanding. You can know something without understanding it. The people who come and go can know a lot of things about a place, but may only understand a few of them. I know and understand many things here in Ugunja, and that is a blessing. After all, that’s what I came to do. And although it is hard to see people come and go, travel onward to places I wish I could go, I understand that the experience I am getting could only have happened with my staying as long as I have.

I am very lucky.

In other news, these past few days have been really great. The two Canadians are awesome women who are traveling down to Cape Town, SA, throughout the next month. They are both from Waterloo, and we have much in common, so it has been great to talk with them and share Ugunja with them. Yesterday we had a little hut party and made guacamole with Chili Lemon flavoured chips (so good!), soft buns and some chocolate. It was very fun indeed. Tomorrow I am showing them around Kisumu, which I am excited about because it feels like I haven’t been there in awhile and there are some things I need to pick up (more Quaker oats, peanut butter, and perhaps some candy!) which I can’t get here in Ugunja.

Also, I am going to a wedding next Saturday! An AFRICAN WEDDING! It’s my own! Sorry to break the news to you mom and dad – I’m coming back a married woman! Haha. Kidding! I know the woman, Esther, from the health centre, and I think it will probably be the highlight of this Kenyan adventure (well, the most fun I will have I think). So next week I am getting a skirt made for me in town, which costs about $3, and then I will wear a nice shawl I bought, do my hair all nice, get one of the girls to do my makeup, and maybe even buy some nail polish! I haven’t really dressed up my whole time here, and I love dressing up, so I am really looking forward to it.

Lastly, my brother called me today. The boy hasn’t contacted me yet, although he claims he called me when my mom visited him a month ago, but I know that it was my mom who initiated the phone call. Anyways, the last few weeks I have been fostering a brutal hatred towards him for being so emotionally incompetent – I am in a place that Google Maps doesn’t recognize and he can’t find the time to give me a little phone call? CMON!- but now I am happy. So, it has been a great day.

Off to lunch now. Oriti.