Night Out in Kenya

Wednesday 3rd October


If there's one thing I'm learning about the Kenyan way of life, it's that they do everything in their own time! No rush, just do whatever, it'll be fiiiiiiiine - it's slightly infuriating for a stresshead like me but it is funny, and something I need to get better at so I'm trying to embrace it! 
For example, we were going to go out to the karaoke together just down the road - but by 10pm the Kenyans were only just back from their Wednesday prayer they go to together and we had all sort of lost enthusiasm for the idea! Also the others had made plans to go to Nairobi instead so that one went out the window. When they got back though we spent a few hours in the bar behind the house, playing pool, darts, cards, loud music and of course, they started hitting the alcohol! It was good fun -I wasn't having anything, no way, if I'm going out somewhere I don't know with people I don't really know properly yet, I do not want to be drunk! It was great though, the Marifiki team were all there - so Yvonne, Che, Boni, Izzo (the CEO), Mickey and Dan, I think that's all of them, plus Sophie our House Mum and some of Boni and Dan's friends to celebrate their birthday.

When we finally got round to the cake Sophie made for the guys it was ready midnight! I was just expecting maybe bring it out, maybe a Kenyan song they have at birthdays, eat cake and skiddaddle to bed (karaoke was dismissed for this week!) but ohhhhhh no! I think it's a Kenyan thing - but as the bday boys were cutting the cake, Yvonne and Che and a few others snuck up on them and threw water allllll over them and everywhere, it was crazy they got soaked! Then it broke out into an all out cake/water fight; icing was wiped on faces and they would get everyone back too and just generally smear cake and icing over anyone standing near them!! It was very entertaining and a bit of a mess, I'm glad I stayed up for that bit!! I have a couple of pictures but everyone was taking loads and I bet the others have some good ones - I'll have to get some sent to me!

 Sophie's amazing cake (before it got shmushed!)






Boni n Dan (with Yvonne sneaking in the background) and me, Cordelia and Kait after cake fight! (I got got but wiped it off 😂)


But yeh, the plan was now to go into Nairobi instead of just down to the karaoke in Gardens... I wasn't sure if I wanted to go - I was stressing so much! - but everyone decided they were gonna go give it a go so I sucked it up and went along... and it was actually ok! We went to a fancy club about 40 minutes away - it might've been a little longer though given there were 16 of us packed into a van for 9 passengers! In true Kenyan style, all 6 of the volunteers who were going were in the back row of seats, all piled on top of each other, with the rest in the front seats, it was mad. Quite the experience! Lots of Kenyans showing us mzungus how to dance and fun face paints, and 3 o'clock in the morning fried chicken stop! I got into bed and could hear the cockrels crowing...so I think it was quite a success! (I wanted to be in bed but it was fun and everything takes more time than anticipated here, but I didn't mind :)

Can't believe I actually went! I'm pleased I did, and I'm still feeling pretty chipper this morning for 2 and a half hours of sleep!

Thursday is our outreach day here, when we all go together to a different project and help out for a day, and I'm looking forward to a new place and spending a day with the volunteer fam - I'll report back later when I know what we're actually doing!

Love always xxx

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