It's 1:15pm on monday and I am at flying kites. I can't begin to explain what I have seen or heard in the last 4 hours. Upon landing in nairobi, I needed to figure out exchanging money in order to pay the help to get 12 bags out of the baggage claim. The airport is very small, smaller than albany. It took 3 porters. The lady at customs was scary to me. She asked if everything was new or used. For some reason I lied and said used. She knew I lied and made me open the boxes. There were tags on things. They wanted to charge me tax on everything I was bringing in. The person who was meeting me was a bit late so I was negotiating with this woman. Oh yeah- I was the only white person around. And I had yellow smiley faces on these boxes. No one was smiling.
After a bit, I rounded up the porters and trekked outside, waiting for my ride. There was a ton of drivers with signs waiting for arrivals. I was getting nervous- I don't even know how to dial kenya from my phone. "Bethany" I finally heard. Woo hoo!!!!!! My driver had arrived. There are all sorts of other details but not important right now.
The ride was an hour and a half through Kenya. I passed the largest shantytown in africa - somewhere between d00k and 1.5M in a square mile. Nairobi is a city but not like we know it. The towns are not like we know it. Its a different world but when I got to FKLA the kids sang to me, gave me a tour, introduced me to the matrons and showed me their school. They have not seen all the boxes. We kept them hidden. Staff thinks it best to give out a little at a time.
Hannah and Ann just grabbed me by the hand and walked me around. James is a warm old soul. Isaac, Benson, Mary...oh my goodness...its so much. I am "auntie" bethany. I have been welcomed. I am tired. I am glad to be horizontal. Peace out my friends.
