The game of Kumiliki!

HI! arrived in Nairobi 2 days ago and am currently spending time in the city before we head off to the village. I have been in 3 countries in the past 3 days. THAT to me is a little insane. One thing that is consistent is the hustle and bustle of the city life and the AMAZING technologies within.

The house I am staying at is unreal. It is the house of Caesar, the son of Papa Asiyo (my host father). When I arrived in Kenya i had the misconception that I would be roughing it all the way through. With a family of 5, 3 servants at hand and a gigantic house, I was definitely wrong.

The laptops and cellphones here are way more advanced than in Canada (atleast I think so). Since landlines and electricity is often spotty, the country depends on both. For example, you can do banking on your cellphone, the laptop I am currently writing on has a fingerprint recognition and is also touch screen.

The hospitality shown by Caesar, his wife Connie and his 3 lovely sons (which by the way are mind-blowingly mature and curtious for their age) has been a great treat before we embark on our real adventure. Right now it hasn't really hit me that I am so far away from home because they have so many comforta available to me here.

It is so odd to be in a household with a bathroom and balcony in each bedroom and still be regarded as someone more privileged than the owners. The assumptions made about both our nationalities form a really weird dynamic.

Words cannot describe the luxuries here. so I will say this: In the game of Kumiliki (Kenya's monopoly), Park Place is replaced by Karen (Ka-ren). when I asked where Karen was, they said "it is here"...BALLIN!

Today, I went to church. The service was so different! i'm not a religious person but it was really great to see how they used rap, dance and comedy as a medium to engage young people. it was really impressive.

Today I went to a slum. Caesar works with the prime minister and visited a site where they were dropping off food for starving people. we waited in the car. too dangerous. But to see the garbage piles, the desperation and the resilience was much needed.

Today I went to a Giraffe park. and had a giraffe eating out of my hand. that is all.

off to enjoy a dinner prepared by in house cook... yeah, I know.

Regret is my greatest fear

You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you do not trust enough - Frank Crane

Hey guys... this is officially my first blog post for my international internship to Wikondiek Primary and Secondary School in Kenya! I'll be on here throughout the summer (whenever I can get on a computer) to let you know what's up :)

So, 2 days before I leave and I'm already starting to recognize one of my greatest challenges: trusting others. I knew when I received this opportunity that I would have to boldly face challenges I usually avoid with my current comfy lifestyle. *lucky me*

For some context: I was born and raised in Toronto and have been living in the same area for 20 years. Needless to say, I'm very strongly rooted here and have generally had the same friends for awhile now.

To leave them for three months will be difficult, but not as difficult as having to trust people that I hardly know or haven't spoken to yet...:S I have to admit that I get really anxious when putting my fate in the hands of others so I usually handle as much as I can myself. However, in this circumstance, I have no choice but to sit back and relax. It is ab-so-lute-ly unsettling. I'm not sure what awaits me in Africa, whether or not I'll have the luxury of sitting around contemplating my feelings, but the thought of my soon-to-be reality is terrifying and exhilarating. Currently biting my nails and gorging on chocolate.

On that note, I thought I'd try to tackle Larissa's Blog challenge: Define your culture.

I COULD cop out and say I'm a 20 year old Chinese-Canadian City girl from Toronto.... but what does that even mean.. really? hahaha! The truth is I'm not sure what my culture is since my identities intersect like crazy. Like, can I really say I'm Canadian when my Chinese identity heavily affects my experiences in Canadian culture? Am I a full blown city slicker when being a student or even a woman can limit my participation in certain spaces?

Why is it WAY easier to define "other" cultures but not your own? This had me thinking for a bit... but I think I'm going to be politically correct and say its impossible for me to define my culture because that would confine me. There are maybe thousands (or tens of thousands hahaha) of Chinese-Canadian City girls from Toronto... but how we interpret the Chinese, Canadian or Urban culture in Toronto is completely subjective.... I really could go on forever haha.

Following the blogging footsteps of Carrie Bradshaw, this is the bottom line: Defining my culture would mean its fixed. But if I value its fluidity, why am I so scared I will lose something while away?

That's it for now :) check back for updates! *although it might be awhile*