Homestay

Sorry about the lack of updates.  The internet crashed for the past week but a lot has happened so many posts will be coming soon!  Love you guys!

A week ago I did a home stay and lived the life of a Maasai woman for the entire day.  I went with my bandamate Ana to a boma with just two homes to stay with a lady named Lydia.  The mommas were informed to not change any part of their daily routine and so we really did not know what to expect going into it considering every family has a different routine.  My momma’s routine consisted of making chai (tea with milk and sugar aka the most delicious thing ever), fetching water, getting firewood, cooking lunch, cleaning the home, and making more chai.  Overall it has been my favorite day here.  I felt so involved and welcomed regardless of the language barrier.  At the same time I was continually impressed with the strength, wisdom, and love of my host momma.  And of course I’m in love with the kids.  My extreme love for the sassy diva teenagers of Whispering Pines is being transferred to the little munchkins in Africa and I just can’t resist giving them a giant hug.  But as great as it was a couple of things went slightly wrong during the homestay…

1) my cooking skills are subpar… we set up some small sticks and lit them followed by covering them in charcoal to create smoke to boil the water for the chai.  Lydia motioned to me to put the pot of water on the charcoal.  This apparently meant setting it on the charcoal but instead I poured the bucket onto the charcoal therefore filling the entire kitchen with smoke and causing an evacuation.  However, many laughs followed so I was again at ease.

2) I need to start lifting weights… I asked Lydia in my minimal Swahili if I could help her with the large water jug at the swamp.  We had trekked a kilometer to fetch water and I thought I would offer.  She let out a laugh and then said okay.  As soon as she put it on my head I realized why she laughed.  It was so heavy that I could barely stand with it on my head, nevermind carry it a kilometer.  Lydia quickly realized and gave me a gallon jug to carry instead. 

3) I like feeling like a warrior… When we went to fetch firewood I carried a machete and although it was a miserable fail trying to chop the firewood with it (I found using my feet easier) I felt super awesome to be carrying that with a pile of firewood on my back.  It was awesome.

4) Always find out the word for bathroom in the language being spoken… I was going to try and hold it considering I knew it would be a bush I would use at best, but by the time lunch came around I could not hold it any longer.  I tried saying a couple of words that I thought meant bathroom but she took me into a room with a chair.  I was pretty sure that she didn’t just want me to pee on the floor but I quickly realized that it was just a washroom and not the toilet.  Finally after a full on charades game of acting out going to the bathroom she realized what I meant.  A classy hole in the ground a short walk away from the home was what I needed and sign language definitely works miracles.

But I can’t really explain how much fun and what an experience it was through words so I uploaded some of my favorite pictures for you to enjoy.  And I will forever be grateful for running water in my home because in case you didn’t know….water is heavy.  

I love cats!

My favorite kid in the entire world!

Me and my momma

I want one...or two

My host family and the neighbors

Love <3

Playing some games

My host family

Host mom and dad

I've drank more tea on this trip than my entire life combined

Collecting firewood

Love my bandamate!

Fetching water...I wanted to cry