It's not all a Vacation

Ever since I got back from my home stay we have been participating in classes in Nairobi. There are four choices of classes (Government, History, Biodiversity and Gender) and they all meet on the daily in addition to our intensive Swahili class. My schedule looks like this

8:00-- Swahili
10:30-- Gender issues in Traditional and Modern Kenya
12:00-- LUNCH! (fend for yourself in Nairobi)
1:30--Conservation and Biodiversity in Kenya

All of the classes have been really great so far. I am not typically a science person but found myself drawn to the biodiversity class and am very happy I am taking it. The class is discussion based and talks a lot about solutions to conservation efforts in Kenya--how fascinating! My gender class is taught by a British woman (who has got to be at least 75 years old) and she has been living in Kenya for 20 something years. She is married to a Kikuyu Kenyan man and is very, VERY well educated! Celia is her name, and she is very knowledgeable but also lives an interesting life and therefore brings a different perspective to the table.

Lunch is by far the most interesting part of the day. We receive a 1,500 Ksh (about $18) stipend for the week and are set free in Nairobi to find lunch under 300 Ksh ($5) a day. This is a lot more difficult than it sounds. While 'everything is cheaper in Kenya' it is also hard to find food that we, as Mzungu (white people), can stomach. The University of Nairobi students can walk right up to the food vendors on the streets and order the local foods but we are summoned to the more western restaurants and therefore expected to pay a bit more. Some great options so far have been:
KP's-- A fun Kenyan "Breakfast all day" restaurant
Milkshakes and Tea-- Basically the name describes it pretty accurately
and my favorite...the YMCA! This is where you can find traditional Kenyan food for a very cheep price. I find my meal being 200 Ksh ($3) and walk out feeling very satisfied and full. The great part about the Y is that there is a nice sitting area where we can do our homework and relax while we watch the Kenyan school children take swimming lessons. (Dad, I know now why you are a Y guy--this is awesome!)

As much as I believed this was going to be 4 months of vacation, and we often joke it is, reality has definitely set in. I have had a lot of reading assigned between my teachers and I even have a paper due on Friday. No, I am not complaining BY ANY MEANS (sorry everyone at SLU...I know you have A LOT of work and I wish you all the best with it!!) but this is not the rigorous first week we were expecting!

Unfortunately I have no pictures for you from Nairobi but can assure you that when I return from Mombasa I will have many! We are leaving for Mombasa on Saturday and will be there for about a week...I don't remember how long exactly. Stay tuned!