So...I have almost celebrated my one month anniversary of being in Kenya...with this in mind I have been pondering what it is going to be like in 4 months to return to the US...here are my feelings on the subject:

The things that I have experienced in the last month are impossible to explain with the significance they deserve. The beauty of what I saw this weekend can't be represented in a picture. The daily life I lead cannot be demonstrated when I come home. The things that I have learned about myself and the world around me will never be given justice with words. Although there are things at home that I certainly miss, the thought of returning and not having people understand why I am the person I am is going to be oh so hard and that is a little frightening to say the least. With all this being said, I am going to try really really hard to explain my life here...and take some cool pictures but just take into consideration...everything I write about is actually way more cool that I already make it sound. So, here goes nothing...

My stomach has been feeling a little queazy today...it could be the fact that I have eaten some funky meats (like cow stomach and intestines) the last two days...but that story comes later in this blog.

In general Nairobi is awesome. I am definitly starting to feel at home. I can now cook a whole meal for our 7 person family almost all by myself on an open fire in the middle of our kitchen. pretty impressive, I know. The crime everyone speaks of...I have not experienced thankfully. There is a TON of congestion and pollution. My boogers are now consistently black and my body has not been completely clean by american standards since about the second day I landed in the country. Alot of other people are always happy to leave the city on the weekends...I can't say I feel the same way. I always miss home and I am really happy to come back...have my baby sister jump into my arms and lay a huge wet kiss on my face...then hop into the kitchen with my other sis to start cooking. My host mom is very proud of the fact that I am gaining weight (much to my disapproval) and keep making me eat more and more.The fact that my family is amazing probably has alot to do with my love for the city...this I am so grateful for. I can't wait for my american family to meet my kenyan family. It will probably be one of the most fantastic days of my life....

Ok...so now onto more exciting things....this weekend we opted out of Maasai Mara due to possible road blocks along the way. instead we decided to head up to samburu national park aka bandit territory. thankfully, we never ran into any bandits of the human kind...only lots of greedy baboons.

First we drove through Mt. Kenya area. It is so beautiful and no matter what I say...it will do it no justice. I couldn't take my eyes off of it. We stayed in the area for the night in a backpackers campsite. the guides brought a couple cases of tusker...everyone loosened up a bit and we all laughed really really hard and got very little sleep but it was definitly worth it just to see one of the boys crawl underneath a tent of sleeping girls. The next day we drove the remainder of the way to Samburu where we spent the day with the Samburu tribe (cousins of the Maasai) It was absolutly incredible to see the way they lived. Its as if they could live the same way a thousand years ago...and i'm sure they pretty much did. We went on a game drive which was again...to beautiful to describe, pole (sorry). That night we hung out at the camp and the samburu tribe came with a goat. One of the boys from the group slaughtered it. It was pretty much the craziest thing I have ever seen. First they strangled it until it passed out (not died) then they slit the throat...make a cup out of the throat skin...then they pop the jugular with the knife and drink the oxygenated blood. a few people from the group did it...I am regretting not being daring enough to do it...I mean...how many people can say they drank goat blood with samburu warriors. then I helped them skin the goat...and we roasted it over and open fire and ate it. Then I became the 7th wife of one of the warriors (sorry damian). The meat tasted as terrible as it smelled...but it was well worth it. When all of us went to sleep in our tents I think we realized how rediculous our night had been. We slaughtered a goat in a game reserve where huge game cats like lions and leopards live. basically...if there weren't guards with guns in our campsite we would have been done for...because they had to scare of hyenas and leopards during the night.

Overall, kenya is still amazing...loving every second. Miss and love you all