By Tuesday that night I felt really unwell. Shermaine and I walked to Neema to say hi to the babies briefly, but we had to come back after only a little while as I was sick. Lori was very kind and mothered me and gave me ibuprofen and phenergan. They were worried I might have malaria, but thankfully two days later, it doesn't appear so! There was only one full day that I didn't see the babies, but I missed them so much. It's funny how quickly we adjust to new situations and how things that were foreign only a couple of weeks ago become the new normal. Before I came here my contact with babies had been limited to cuddling those belonging to friends. Now I feel strangely empty if I'm not holding a baby or rocking a baby or giving a bottle or spooning uji into their (usually) willing mouths.
Last night Shermaine and I stayed up until midnight (we both usually went to bed early - early bed means early rising which means more time at Neema) and talked and watched a movie and ate chocolate and it was really nice. She was fascinated by the chocolate fish I brought with me so we ate one. We were talking about the strange phenomena where it is always easy to talk to someone when the lights are off. We wondered if maybe it has something to do with that theory that people are less inhibited after 8pm. I'm not sure!
Today was Thursday and it was a happy/sad day. Shermaine left and I cried. If you read this Shermaine - our room is very quiet without you, I miss you already, I've already eaten some of your chocolate, I'm going to watch New Moon and I promise to give Bahati extra kisses every day.
In the afternoon Aldelien, Katey, Caroline and I went into the city to the Masai market. It was my first time riding the dala dala and it was an interesting experience to say the least! The dala dala is a van which is used as public transportation and as many people as are able to fit, will squeeze in. People half sit on your lap, you're squished from all angles and it speeds down the road, doors opening and closing, people getting in while it's still moving. When you want to get out you shout "Shusha!" and bang on the roof or the sides of the van and it will (hopefully) stop. Thankfully we didn't have to bang or shout as we were getting out at a popular stop. The good thing about the dala dala is that it is very cheap. It costs 400 shillings, which converted is only about NZ$0.30
The Masai market is only a short walk from the dala dala stop and it too, is an experience all to itself. It is basically a craft and curio market where you can find just about any souvenir that you could possibly want. All the classic souvenirs that people come back from Africa with - carved masks and animals; beaded boxes, jewelry, place mats, coasters; serviette holders in the shape of animals (I found a set almost identical to one that Aunty Felicity brought my family back from Africa years ago); t-shirts and hats and beaded sandals and baskets; plus almost anything else you could think of.
Last week Shermaine and I visited the Masai market briefly and I found it quite overwhelming - people grab your arms calling "Sister, sister" or the Swahili equivalent, "Dada," and say "Karibu" (welcome), "Come into my shop," "Please look at my goods," "I have the best prices," and they tell you sad stories - "My daughter is sick," "I haven't yet had any customers today," "My family is going hungry," etc. etc. I found it quite exhausting just walking down one aisle at the market! Shermaine and I had to hide eventually because there was a guy who kept following us around, saying that he had zebra striped pants that she needed to buy.
Today was my second time there and it was not nearly so bad. I quickly learned to just smile and say, "Hapana asante" (no thank you) dozens of times. It was funny though because Aldelien and I were looking for a soft giraffe toy for her sister who they call "Giraffe" because she is so tall. It couldn't be just any giraffe though - it had to be a black and white striped giraffe because the the furnishings in her house are black and white. Do you know how hard it is to find a black and white giraffe?! Once the shopkeepers heard what we wanted the cry went up and down the row of stalls, "Black and white twiga, black and white twiga" and we were accosted by dozens of people, all positive that they could sell us a black and white "twiga".
We were so excited when we came across this sight...
Only to discover that the stall owner was trying to pass off zebra as giraffe!
We did find some, but they were ridiculously expensive and seeing as the shopkeepers knew we were looking for one, it become more and more expensive with every shop we went into. Eventually Aldelien picked out a carved wooden giraffe and we were so proud of ourselves that we managed to haggle the price down to 4000 shillings from the original 12,000 that she told us. I thought I would be terrible at haggling, but being with Aldelien made me much braver and at one stall the negotiations for us to buy a bracelet and some key rings went on so long that the shopkeeper got us both stools to sit down on!
I have mentioned before that I am learning to be thankful for the small things - tonight I had what was probably the first proper shower since I left Australia. No holding the faucet trying not to drown the rest of the bathroom, no cold rinse, no more bucket washes. Just lovely hot water to stand under. It was glorious!
Every day I'm here I experience new things - from changing a dozen dirty nappies in a row (the toddlers wake up from their afternoon nap at 3:30-4pm and it's my least favourite time of day as all 11 of them need changing at the exact same time - should I ever have children of my own I will be eternally grateful that there is only one poopy butt to clean at a time!), to riding on dala dalas to meeting new volunteers to trying new foods. My life before was always stable, predictable - I knew what would happen and when. In this new life I am adjusting to, I've become increasingly grateful for my God - no matter what changes, day in and day out, He is always the same.
xoxo,
-Hannah
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