there's no place like home, except maybe a new home.

Ok so I want to make this short, but I know it's not going to be. I need to sleep because it's after midnight and I have to be awake by 8am tomorrow- woohoo!

So I've had horrible luck with traveling this summer, and of course it continued for this trip. My trip to Morocco was canceled because of the bombings and unrest in the area, then my Visa for Ghana came too late, then of course Hurricane Irene canceled my original flight to Kenya. But oh no that wasn't all, when my parents and Nancy took me to the airport I had to rebook my ticket because the card we used to pay for my flight was lost and we couldn't confirm. The flight to Amsterdam wasn't too bad, I honestly just slept the whole way. 

Once in Amsterdam I had a few hours and had a coffee at the airport and continued to read this book, Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women which I can't take my nose out of, it's incredibly clever and the author, Elizabeth Wurtzel and I have very similar views when it comes to feminism, and the whole female empowerment saga- which of course I will have a whole new out look on after this trip.

I finally got on the plane, and of course something on the plane was not working and had to be replaced- while we sat on the runway for an extra 2 hours (lucky me). I ended up sitting between a Kenyan who had moved to the UK and started his own business and an older German man who teaches German at a private school in Kenya. Both were entertaining to talk with and informative. Again I slept a majority of this flight and read a little. 

Once I arrived in Kenya (mom you'll be proud of this) a Spanish woman came up to me and asked if I spoke Spanish- of course I don't, but I took it for a few years (way back in elementary/ middle school) and both of my sisters take it so I knew enough to explain to her what everything was asking on the Entry Visa form, and talked with her a little bit about why I'm in Kenya- in horribly broken Spanish and some expert charades. 

Our Program assistant, Victor, was waiting for me at the airport with another student who had flown in a few hours before me- her flight also had to be rescheduled thanks to good old Irene.

We then drove to my new home, and I finally got to see my apartment, and meet my roommates. Only 2 were here, and the 3rd is coming in in about 5 hours. 

Now I have to try and figure out my cell phone, and fill out some paper work, and of course, unpack!

Hopefully I'll be able to get some sleep tonight, before our big day tomorrow, we are heading to USIU and into Nairobi for orientation.

don't forget to smile today!