Chapter I: I love my Crocs, and the Buonajutis' cooking, and I hate using the phone

For a few days there, when I first got to Kenya, Safaricom was the bane of my existence. It's not that I miss my Chocolate or anything... you sweet navy blue ear candy that could always connect me to Endo salmon rolls at the touch of a button... I just would have liked to have been able to call someone. Anyone. But today I'm happy to say that the cell Chris lent me and this little white thing sticking straight out of my USB port have decided that they finally work for ME now. They have probably single-handedly saved Anthea the cost a frenzied flight to Kenya, and me, the sight of my frenzied mom stalking me down to see how I am. I love you, Mom!

I'm grateful to Carrie for recommending these Croc ballets. They're the only shoes I've worn since I bought them three weeks ago. Of course, if you know me, that's how I am with all my shoes, whether I buy them or "borrow" them from friends. And yes, Mother, that's why I threw a hissy when you tried to stuff my rucksack full of extra shoes. I hope you don't mind, but I flushed those aquasocks down the airplane loo 10 minutes after I took off from Dulles. :) Kidding! I'll give them to a fisherman or something.

Lessons I've learned from four days of staying with Anthea and Julian's Kenya friends: 1) Marry an Italian man who cooks. Even if you're Dutch and can already make the best tomato sauce, pasta, and cheese soufflé ever tasted. Especially marry an Italian if he makes incredible salad dressing and stir fry. 2) That's all I got. 3) This is Katherine speaking. I love food. Period. 4) Stop judging me, I'll learn more lessons later.

Kenya seems inherently different from my visit last year. I find I'm paying much more attention to my surroundings, which is nice and makes sense (as I'm on my own and probably shouldn't get lost anywhere), but it seems to be partly because I don't have the Kenya Krew 07 to distract me, which is a bit sad. [Aside: if any of you read this, Chris, Koko and I went out to dinner before I left and we all believe that a REAL reunion would be the making of a great summer trip one of these years...] If it's possible, it was actually rather shocking not being thrust into Kibera on my first day in the country, or in fact, at all. I saw it for the first time today as Campbell, his friend John, and I drove past it on the way from downtown Nairobi to Langata..... at the foot of the Ngong Hills ....... I had a farm in Africa....... Actually, I watched part of that movie on the plane ride down, but after gradually realizing what a camp move I was making, I switched over to an episode of Flight of the Concords. And yes, it was the Yoko one. This is for Katie and Ashley:

[I’d climb the highest mountain
I’d swim the deepest ocean
I’d walk along the longest path
To be with you
If you want me to

I’d solve the hardest puzzle
And read the boringest book
I’d hold the hottest substance
Ooh nyeah

I’d solve the hardest puzzle
I’d race the fastest animal
Eat the biggest meal
To be with you, Coco]

I know Bryony, you're so ashamed of your pop-culture-groupie sister. Maybe if I spent 3 1/2 years in Kenya, that would change, but unfortunately, I think it's a part of me. Just remember that Katie Chew made me this way. It was absolutely none of my doing :)