Today it is my birthday!

...and my treat is internet.. haha am I wired or what?

So after spending a few days in the luxurious home of Caesar, I have now arrived and spent a week and a half in my REAL destination. Wikondiek. (try looking for it on a map. you won't find it.) hahaha right now i'm sitting in Kendu Bay, a relatively close destination with internet. God is good :)

Side note: I tried to find icecream today. I settled for a popsicle in a sandwich bag held together with a twig. Tomorrow with be interesting :(

For those of you well wishers (mo and TT) who expected me to be living in the jungle wearing furs and killing wild boars with a spear while perfecting the coyote call, I'm sorry. But I will ease your minds by telling you that my current living situation has come much closer to that fantasy! haha

The home I'm currently staying in is solar powered and occasionally assisted by a generator. So don't you worry! I am taking lots of pics!.... I just can't load them because the internet is slow and I brought the USB cord for my BB, not my camera. What is a city girl to do?

I know I was having some predeparture jitters but me and Mayan are closing on our 3rd week soon and I am really enjoying myself! We're trying to pick up some Kiswahili and Luo (tribal language) but I'm afraid we just can make it to Stacey's level haha! (Stacey, if you are reading, you are a hero here and everyone cherishes the memories they've shared with you, please come back).

Last year when I was away for the summer I was SERIOUSLY in TO withdrawl. Now, I'm even farther but it gives me a calming effect. The Toronto ego is something that i'll never lose though, don't you worry ;) Me and Mayan are like the brother and sister that have to go to school together and travel everywhere together to please our parents haha! I don't know how else to put it but he keeps me grounded. He's there when I need him and he's also there when don't feel like I need him and viceversa. *everyone please take a moment to remember the petty sibling disputes you used to have as a child* ... yeah. that's us. More than anything he keeps me grounded and gives me more perspective. In fact, the other day he told me he judges the people (mostly men) that we meet by how they treat me. Isn't he cuddly? haha! On a more serious note, his comment resonates with me because the society is very patriarchal and the male creeper population is rampant. Thank god I have brown bear on my side :)

In other news, the first days of school were rough...apparently my take on English is odd and my Americanized English sounds alot like "raw-raw-raw" to my students. We laughed about it and hopefully we're over it haha. There are alot of challenges here I did not anticipate but the students generally want to learn from me, it will just take time to get over the hilarity that is a Chinese English teacher :) *putting on a brave face*

The food continues to be delicious and the home I am staying at does have workers that cook gigantic meals. Mom, get ready to let out some seams on my clothes when I get back. The hospitality of my Mama and Papa Asiyo makes refusing food almost impossible. (yeah I think that sounds like an adequate excuse too haha.)

Random thoughts: I have an uneven tan, showing leg is a little risque here. Mosquitoes are ruining my life. On the bright side, I have perfected the art of getting into my moquito-netted bed. The sounds of hippos are surprisingly similar to the man sitting infront of us during our flight. And finally, I miss night life...

You can take the girl out of the city but...... well, I found internet didn't I? So, you know ;)

Staying savy, I miss you TO <3