Urban Homestay

Okay so I just got back form my Urban Homestay last Friday. I know I haven't posted in awhile, my apologies, but I have been so busy with school (Okay, that was kind of a joke...) and adventuring in Nairobi. So i'll do a brief recount of all the things I've been doing for the past three weeks.

I arrived to my Urban Homestay Sunday Feb, 23 and stayed with my family in South B.. or South Beach as Char and I like to call it... for about three weeks. My parents were awesome, my dad works for fire insurance and my mother is a Branch manager at a bank here in Nairobi. I have three sisters who are 17, 14 and 12 and were so much fun to hang out with! I felt very at home, joking with my family and getting picked on by my dad and sisters. We all got along very well and I had such a great time there, I am going to miss my Nairobi family so much!

Chaitea and I lived in the same area and it just so happened that our dads were best friends since school! So we got to hang out a lot together and get to know eachother's families which was nice. The first weekend we were there, our dads took us out to a soccer game for a local favorite, Gor Mahia. The stadium was packed and everyone was covered in green to support Gor. Superfans were dressed up in crazy outfits and the Tuskers were there. Halfway through the game, the radio broadcaster asked char and I to come talk on the radio which was so cool! "Whats your name?" "Samantha" "What team are you cheering for today, Samantha?" "Gor, or course!!" "How long have you been a Gor fan?" "My entire life" "Can you name a player?" "No, but I know they're the best!"
Unfortunately, Gor lost that day, but we had fun! Immediately after the game our dads took us to a sports bar so they could watch the next game on TV, crazy kids.

One of the nights my sisters and I had a dance party, there was nothing going on so we cranked up the music and danced around the room. We had such a girly night it was so nice to have sisters!!! We gave eachother makeovers and the whole shabang. Yay! We also got to go swimming at the club the next day and had a really nice day out soaking up the sun!

This homestay was very different from the rural homestay, my family here had so much more than in the rural areas. However, I learned that some traditional practices were still in place such as bridewealth. Although I don't think it is taken as seriously in the rural areas, only a practice that is maintained for the sake of tradition. Both my families were so happy though and I learned so much in each homestay, I hope that they learned as much from me as I did from them.

So I know this is a really vague and brief entry (and pictures will come later!) but I leave for Amboseli and Mombasa in 15 minutes! We will be staying with the Maasai people in Amboseli, going on safaris (finally seeing some elephants!) and learning all about the Maasai way of life. I'm Mombasa, Im not really sure what we will be doing, other than getting tan and going to the beach a ton (our resort is on the ocean!!!). We'll be visiting with local people and seeing historical sites such as Fort Jesus. I am so excited for another adventure! I'll post more when I get back!

Hippopotamuseses and Homeboyz

I just got the confirmation today that I will be heading to the Mpala research center to work on Dr. Doug McCauley's Hippo Project! I am so happy this is going to work out, mpala is an international research center in Nanyuki, Kenya and students in the past have had great experiences with interning here. I came here hoping to work with Africas famous tusker, the African Elephant but since literally everyone in the world who comes here wants to help elephants, that wasn't an available option for me. Either way, I am super pumped about heading to Mpala :)

Kevo na mimi

So all this hard work grants some time to play right? Right. This weekend my friend Charlotte and I went out to our friend's host-sister's birthday. At the birthday party, we got cake shoved into our faces.. I guess that is a thing here and I am definitely going to do that on all of my birthdays here on out. After the party we went to Mojo's, a hangout spot in the Nairobi City Center to meet up with my friend Kevin.
When we got there we were the only mzungus there and had no idea where Kev was inside and both of us were not in the best mood after walking up a pretty creepy stairwell. The second we got inside this (really attractive) guy comes up to us and asks, "Are you looking for Kevin?", "Yes, yes we are." So he takes us to where our friend is and we picked up another friend on the way who is about 6'5" and has to be at least 300lbs, Josh. Needless to say, our moods got better fast!! We were introduced to our new 'bodyguards' Leo or "Lenny" and Joshua. They played rugby with Kevin for the Homeboyz.
They also played for Kenya's 7s team last year, at the time we had no idea who these guys were but people kept coming up to them to say hi. It was hilarious, the people WE should have recognized, were the ones to recognize us.

Josh, Me, Lenny

We had so much fun!!!! They are such great guys and like most Kenyans, are very happy, and can dance! They played the best music, the perfect mix of African Beats and American music and we danced all night, it was so much fun!!!!!!!















So we bacame BFFs with Kenyan Ruggers... Check that off the bucket list.