I am not a mzungu.

I decided to take up running....well occasionally. Last weekend when I got home, I laced up my running shoes and went to the gate to leave. Little did I expect my 9 and 12 year old brothers and 18 year old houseboy to accompany me in their flip-flops...well they did! So here I am, mzungu running down dirt/rock roads and attracting the attention of everyone because even though Kenyans are good runners- you never see anyone running (Nike has set up a lot of camps in the areas where the fastest runners live-apparently not Dunga Beach- where I am). And the little kids already call out my name when I pass them, so when I run past them they yell "MZUNGU. YOGGING. HOW AH YOU?" and jog in place. Needless to say, I don't run outside the compound often anymore.

They say if you have bug bites in a line on your body they are probably bed bugs. ha great! I mean if you take two points- there is always a line between them! I don't think I have bed bugs...but I am getting bit up by something. Thus I apply more DEET, often. yuuck. OK, enough of that.

Teaching was fine this week. I had to buy chalk and red pens because they didn't have any for me, let alone the permanent teachers. They all use my chalk everyday- chalk costs about .4 USD and there isn't any for the teachers.
The teachers play this fun game where if you aren't in for your lesson, someone else will jump in so they can teach the lesson they missed yesterday or their afternoon lesson so they can leave early. It is a little more informal than the U.S. ;)
My cooperating teacher came two hours late Monday so I missed my class, because sometimes I don't get teaching materials until the morning of the lesson. But, everything is running on Kenyan time, so it is what it is.

The journalism club is up and running. The kids held elections (not sure I agree with they're system, but it's their club, and I didn't exactly want to mess with elections in Kenya- ok that was was not PC. but regardless.) I guest lectured the foundations of media writing and will be lecturing again on Monday. They have their Saturday meetings without me and I go on Mondays. They seem very eager to get started on something, I think a newsletter is first on their list.

This week I was completely mzungu-ed out. I mean, it's strange how we have come to respond to the name. Also, "How ah YOU?" is the question everyone asks us. It's fine when you respond and they do too, but some kids don't know what they are saying and just repeat the question over and over and over and over, like a broken record, but you probably already got my point.
A man yelled wazungu at as on Friday (and it means European traveler) so Joe and I yelled back: "Who? Us? We are NOT mzungus. We have names!" and went on our way.
It is very frustrating to be only seen for your skin (wow deep I know), but it gets old.
On the other side of it, Joe was talking about how when he shakes little kids hands, they will rub your hand to feel your skin. I was on a matatu yesterday and the little girl next to me kept pretending to fall asleep and would drop her hand with her head and try to touch my knee. So I shook her hand and talked to her a little bit in Swahili. I am fine with this, lets all touch each others skin and realize we're the same (profound).
This weekend we have been disgustingly overcharged so many times I've lost count. First we agreed to a taxi fare home, and when Emily and I got to my gate the driver demanded 200 shillings. We had agreed on 150. Well what do you do when a driver is at your gate demanding money...I gave it to him because I didn't want any hard feelings. And obviously will never use his services again. Yesterday I tried to get a piki-piki home, normally 30-40 bob, and the first guy said 100! So I laughed and walked away, the next guy said 80! Ha! So I walked away from him too. And as soon as I said "Kila siku, hununua alhamisi" (every day I pay 40), one of them agreed. Now yesterday I was also dressed especially touristy because I we went to the rain forest...so I probably didn't look as "smart" as usual. But, nonetheless, double my price, I've got a dollar sign on my forehead.

I don't know how that came off, but really I think there are two general types of travelers who come to Africa- big tourists/spenders and peacecorps/student types (I dont know where to put missionaries...don't be offended by that). Now both are wealthier than most Africans by absolute standards, and in-continent. But back in the U.S. there seems to be quite the dichotomy between the types of people who travel here. I know that was not all inclusive but I think that the big touriism industry, colonial roots and stratification from that system, paint the picture that mzungus are rich. What is rich? I don't know anymore.

And finally, we went to Kakamega forest yesterday. The only remaining area of rain forest in Kenya- I guess the Brits didn't want this part of the country. It was beautiful! We hiked all day, ran into countless monkeys and learned a lot about the plants and trees there. When we were watching the monkeys, I couldn't help but think of my 7th/8th grade English teacher who got bit by a monkey while in a forest in SE Asia. What DO you do if a monkey comes at you? ha I have no idea, glad they didn't. (we did have a guide with us so don't worry too much) verdict on kakamega: recommend it!

OH! and one more thing. On Friday night we went to this little beach bar by our houses, its right on the shores of lake victoria and we go for sunsets often. We'll we just sat down and a guard came up to us and said "Do you want to see people?" I was like what, people, i hope this isn't a prostitution thing (look how jaded I am), but what he said was HIPPO! there was a hippo that came up to feed in the grass around the outdoor bar. So we just sat there and watched this huge creature feed, when it finally did run away, it was the funniest thing! they are fast, and I guess like to snap people in half- but them don't eat them. What show-offs :)

Thanks for reading! planning a rafting trip to Uganda for next weekend! holler- the nile!