I've swum in the Indian Ocean from 2 different continents!

Our beach trip wasn't exactly what I expected but it really was nice!! We stayed at TOP END hotels...countless pools, our own rooms, AIR CONDITIONING (that was the first time I had felt AC since I got to Kenya), and beautiful beaches!

Our night in Mombassa we went dancing at a local disco--but the majority of the women were dancing for work as opposed to dancing for fun. We left Mombassa the next morning (only spend 1 night there) for Malindi, a really Italian-inspired city further down the coast. Malindi was Incredible!! Not only was the city itself really pretty and well-maintained, we stayed at the NICEST resort I've ever been to/been inside/seen!!

this was my private little house. not room, HOUSE!

Brenden chillin by our pool...OUR pool!

While the hotel was incredible and the beaches were beautiful, the most amazing part of the trip (for me, at least) came Wednesday night when a local Massai tribe put on a dance show for us. They reinacted what a Massai hunt is like (it involves a lot of jumping up and down really high and stomping your feet as a way to seem bigger and more threatening to your prey) and did a few traditional dances (when they dance, they roll their bodies like a snake standing upright...kinda and jump up and down..its magical..sounds stupid but really that's the perfect word) and all the while are chanting and grunting and shreiking and whistling--it was AWESOME!!!

Then, to top it off, as if the night weren't fascinating enough, half of the Massai came into the audience and picked people to dance with them!! I held hands with the guy who picked me and he led me around showing me how to do the snake-like dance, teaching me the chants. Brenden has a picture of it somewhere in his camera...but it was just incredible. It's all I could think of for the rest of the night!!

I still keep in touch with the guy who picked me, too :) Saitoti speaks really good english so we're able to talk on the phone most days. Since Malindi is so Italian (and the majority of the mzungus vacationing there are Italian) all the workers at the resort and the majority of the Massai speak Massai, Kiswahili, English, AND Italian!

This man has killed 5 lions, and has the scars to prove it. I talked with him after the show--he showed me his scars, told me a couple stories, and painted a picture of what it's like to sneak up on a lion with nothing but a wooden club for protection. AHHH!!! AWESOME!!!

It was just absolutely awesome. awesome awesome awesome awesome. one of the coolest things that's ever happened to me. and i'm so glad that I still talk with Saitoti--if I could do anything in the world right now, I'd go back to Malindi and live with his tribe for a couple weeks...learn some skills to become an "honorary" Massai, something like that. It was just too incredible to write about. and apparently i'm still obsessing over it!!!! haha

So, Martine, Brenden (the two Canadians) and I arrived back in Nairobi late Friday night, went to Adam's Market (this huge second hand market...good prices and GOOD products! lots of clothes, accessories, shoes, bootleg DVDS, etc) on Saturday and relaxed on Sunday. Monday morning the Canadians took a matatu to a neighboring town where they're volunteering (although they're soon to relocate to Nakuru like I am) and I went to school--which I had missed!

I planned an awesome project for this week (since it might be one of my last working at school..it's been the time of my life but I can't WAIT to go to Nakuru's IDP camps): paper mache! I bought balloons, tons of flour, and one of my friends was able to get me a ton of free newspaper--it was so messy and fun!!! And to top it off, Monday and Tuesday were exams and there's no school today (Friday, feb. 26th) or monday and so it was a pretty abnormal week--Wednesday and Thursday were basically just fun, hanging out days! And after art, each class had huge water fights!!! and of course, who doesn't like to dump a bucket of water on the teacher? I came home from work covered in flour-y glue and newspaper strips.......soaking wet. I meant to take pictures but kept forgetting my camera! I have one more class, Class 7, doing the project next week and i will make SURE to take pictures!

But it really was fun, and next week we're painting the balloons! It's a big, fun project to possibly end my teaching on. :) I will miss them, though........a lot.

As far as the actual SAFARI part of our safari, we're leaving March 5th for either Massai Mara or another huge national park--they're basically the same. Both have the Big 5, beautiful sunrises, and local tribes scattered throughout the hundreds of square miles of land.

That's about it -- I was pretty sunburned after the beach and look like a snake shedding its skin. I've never had my ENTIRE BODY peel...gross. hey! I saw a monkey crossing the street on my walk walking to the internet today! And since nobody around knew how to cut mzungu hair, I skipped the haircut and am getting my hair plated soon! Tomorrow (Saturday) I think I'll go visit the Canadians..they're about an hour and a half drive away..I think the matatu should cost around 200 bob, not bad at all! I've been studying Kiswahili like mad and am geting the hang of it! I hope everyone's well..and oh, btw,......GO USA! I've missed being able to watch the Olympics--there's no coverage of it here!!!!!

Love to everyone and talk to you again soon! Kwa heri!

PS - CONGRATULATIONS JOZLYN!! IM SO PROUD OF YOU!!! =D

(pps, the post below this one was written RIGHT after the Massai show!)