Karibu Sana - Welcome Home

The house where I'm living for the next three months belongs to the Fasses (fah-sees). It's a very nice house, except for the fact that there's no heater. None of the houses here have heaters. We all have either wood stoves or fireplaces. This one has a wood stove, which heats the seating room... and nowhere else. Some nights are really cold, but most aren't too bad. I have 4 or 5 blankets on my bed, though, so I've been fine. The kitchen has everything I could possibly need, and I even have the distinct privelege of having a washer. The dryer is here, but it's broken... so I'll be using the lines out back.

Unfortunately, the house also came with a cat. His name is TO, which stands for Totally Obnoxious. As much as a cat person as I am, this cat drives me crazy! He is almost never quiet, and he likes to hang out right around your feet. When I put him outside, he finds the window nearest where I am and sits in the sil and just cries and cries and cries! Bless his heart.

My first night in Kenya, Nancy and John Nelson graciously had me over for dinner. Also in attendance were Sarah (the second grade teacher) the Browns -- Tim and Laura -- and the five Nelson children: Leah, Caleb, Addy, Hannah, and Emily. Leah, the oldest, is eleven, and Emily is four. It was quite a party! We had enchiladas ("Enchadas!!" -Emily) for dinner, of all things! So at that point, I had eaten pancakes, a bagel, and enchilladas... in Kenya. Very exotic. Anyway, Emily asked me to sit next to her at dinner, which was extremely cute. And now, every time I see any of the Nelson girls, they run up and hug me. They know no strangers. :)

After dinner, we played Old Maid, Trouble, Monopoly Junior, and Snorta. I had never played Snorta -- go figure -- but it's a pretty fun game. :) You choose an animal from the bag, make its animal sound, and then hide it in your lil plastic barn. Then, if the cards you flip up (in turn) matches someone else's you have to say his/her animal sound before he says yours. We played on the floor, of course, and it was quite humorous. We also played Boggle Junior, but by Emily's rules, so I'm not sure if that counts. Anyway, the sun was down just before 7pm, and before 8, I thought I was going to pass out! So we left fairly eary, by US standards. I found out, though, that "Missionary Midnight" is 9pm. Makes sense.

After dinner I went to the Cooks and used their Internet for a few minutes. I watched some of the Olympics with them on one of their greatly-envied three channels, and they made sure I had enough fire wood for the night. They're such great hosts! (Your "host" here is someone who sort of makes sure that you get settled and that you learn your way around.) I think Mr. Cook actually came and made the fire for me. :)

That night I didn't sleep at all. I didn't know the altitude (RVA is at about 7,200 ft.) would affect me so much. I woke up at least once an hour, and I just couldn't breath. I finally got up at about 8:30, feeling like a complete failure. I was so scared I'd have to go home! I took a cool shower -- I didn't know the water needed twenty minutes to warm up after you turn on the water heater -- and got to prayin... I was really scared. On the phone with Charles the night before, I kept telling him I'd be fine and that my cough would get better, but it just got worse and worse. I finally decided to head up to the Cooks' house. They had told me to come up whenever I got up so that Ms. Bonnie could show me around. Their house is four houses from mine -- close houses -- and I thought I was gonna die on the walk over there. I couldn't get enough oxygen, so my muscles didn't wanna work. I felt like my two-pound purse was choking me, and my legs felt like lead. Anyway, I sat and talked and had coffee with the Cooks, and Mr. Cook set up the internet on my laptop. By the time Mrs. Cook (Ms. Bonnie) took me for a tour, the air had warmed and I was feeling much better about my breathing. :)