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.