Mwalimu, update, and stereotypes!

First of all, a short update:

I love Kisumu! It's a small town with lots of fun things to do. On Friday night, a group of us went to an all-you-can-eat Indian food buffet for less than $7. It was SO amazing, way better than any Indian food I've ever had in the states. And there was even dessert. I ate so much I couldn't sleep at night. Today I also went swimming in a pool that was on the lake. You can't swim in the lake because of various diseases, which is why the pool was necessary. But really I'm having a lot of fun. I have met two other Americans who studied abroad here last year, but are now married/engaged to Kenyan men. They know the best ways to get around town and the most fun things to do. For the elections on Tuesday, I'll probably watch the results roll in with them.

Next weekend I'll be in Uganda to go white water rafting on the Nile! It's two days on the river and apparently it's pretty crazy. I'm going with a group that was recommended by generations of MSID students, so don't worry it's quite safe. I'm so excited: this was on my top three list of things I had to do while in Kenya. This will actually be the last of the three! (The other two were camping and then going to coast. They were quite achievable!)

I also wanted to inform people that women do really carry things on their head in Kenya. It's one of those stereotypes that you always think you only see in movies, but totally happens. Even my host mom carries firewood and bananas on her head. When I want to make the neighborhood laugh, I try to carry things too. Everyone totally loves it and thinks it's the weirdest thing they've ever seen.

And last little tidbit: There is a teacher who lives next door to us who always visits the family. I don't know his real name, because we only call him "mwalimu," which is teacher in Swahili. He comes and for hours he'll just ask me questions. Does it rain in America? Are there black people? Do you have charcoal? What's the climate like? Did you come by plane? What's the time difference? Do you cry when people die? And more... These are all actual questions I've gotten from him. Lots of people drill me about America, but mwalimu is the most thorough. I've really come to enjoy our conversations. He swears that he'll come to America to see me graduate from college! I try to explain to him that I only know about two states (MN and WI) and that I don't believe I think like most Americans. He enjoys my replies anyway. :)