life in nairobi

The rainy season threatened to start a few weeks ago with rainy nights and puddles galore, but this past week has truly been beautiful... the sun only hides behind friendly clouds for a few minutes at a time and the breeze keeps the day cool. Everything is a bit more green after having a nice long drink last week. I often find myself lost in the beauty of this place when I'm riding the bus home. The drive from my school begins with the sight of amazing red soil with maize and tea growing and then we head down a large hill into a jungle-book setting with trees towering as the road winds along. After this, the bus returns to the 'city' and my senses are overloaded with the sights, sounds, and even smells of Nairobi. I often have quite a bit of time to take it all in as traffic jams slows my bus to a crawl. I am thankful for these times of reflection as I try to process all that I am experiencing in this beautiful yet struggling place.

There is an excitement in my heart to return to the states in three months, to be with friends and family, to drink root beer and eat tortilla chips, to wash my clothes in a washing machine.... and yet I am already nostalgic about leaving Nairobi. I guess I'm reminded once again to 'Carpe Diem' and seize the day, for we are not guaranteed tomorrow and there is something amazing about today. It is has never happened before, nor will it happen again...

peace