Mombasa is very hot

I'm working on a longer post, but right now I'm killing some time before going to the ferry to go to Diani this weekend! I'm shamelessly excited to be going to a tourist beach. More on the public beach in my upcoming post.

My family here is great- I have my mother Shadia, brothers Nabil (17) and Fadhil (2,) and sisters Iptisam (15) and Hafsa (13.) We're staying in Kisauni just outside Mombasa right next to the big Mosque, which is very beautiful and loud. Things are quite rural- no running water or electricity, but I think I'm adjusting well.

My internship is both confusing and interesting- more on it later, but it seems there is no need for orientations or training in this country, so I've just been winging it.

Miss you all!

When in Rome...

I have no running water at my next homestay, so I figured a hairstyle I don't need to wash or comb would be best.

A short lesson in Kiswahili

Hamjambo, Wanafunzi!
I thought I'd teach you all a little lesson in Kiswahili this week! Here is a list of all of the phrases that have come in handy during my travels thus far. Feel free to use them if you ever grace the country of Kenya.

Tuende! Let's go! Useful when urging lagging classmates and host brothers along.

Bei ngapi? How much is the price? Helpful when shopping in the market- you can get lower prices if you bargain in Kiswahili!

Usiniguse! Don't touch me! This will come in handy when dealing with a certain host brother who habitually pets you like a dog.

Niache! Leave me! Gets those market "helpers" off your back. Don't believe anyone who offers to "help" you bargain- they're getting a cut of the sale.

Sawasawa? Alright/Ok? More fun to say in Kiswahili than in English.

Sina pesa. I don't have money. Useful in the market, on the street, and when answering your host brother's request for a new watch when you know very well he broke his last one a day after purchase by testing its water resistance.

Pole! Sorry! Useful when apologizing to a classmate for chickening out for the third time when trying to cross the street, and holding them back with you.

Nina mpenzi. I have a boyfriend. If this doesn't work, Nina mume may be more effective. (I have a husband.)

There you go- the survival sayings kwa Kiswahili. Enjoy!

I have an internship!

Good news, folks! I will be interning in Mombasa at the Wema Centre. The Wema Centre is a rehabilitation center for street kids, and it provides both formal and nonformal education, vocational training, food, shelter, medical care, and counseling. My biggest role will be teaching reading and writing to youth ages 9-13 as well as conducting outreach among community children with the social workers. For more information about the organization, visit www.wemacentre.org. I'm excited to finally know what I am doing and where I will be! It seems I won't be very rural, as Mombasa is a decently sized city, but most Kiswahili is spoken on the coast, so being there should help my language skills quite a bit.

I also learned a little bit about my host family in Mombasa, and I am very excited about that as well. I'll get to experience a bigger culture change, as my family is Muslim, and I'll have four host siblings ranging in age from 2 to 16. I'm really looking forward to the internship portion of the program now!

Internship in Mombasa?

So, the MSID staff refuses to announce our internships until everyone is all together, but Simon (one of the staff members) asked me offhand if I would mind too terribly if my internship was in Mombasa. Of course, I do not mind at all, as they speak the most Kiswahili on the coast. Looks like I may not be in Kitui or Machakos after all...

I still don't know what I'll be doing in Mombasa, but it's a start. Coastal paradise, here I come!