Happy Holidays!

I’m sure most of you want to hear the outcome of my very Merry Christmas especially the famous goat slaying. I guess it went as well as a a goat slaying could go. Frankly, I’m sick of thinking about it. Not because we had to kill one, but I ate A LOT of goat, the entire house still smells of it, and I can not get the smell off of my hands. So I apologize since I do not want to talk about it in greater detail. But soon I should be able to post some videos so trust me when I say the entire ordeal was well documented with pictures and videos.

The actual celebration of Christmas was pretty typical. Obviously, the meal was different and there was no exchanging of gifts. But much to my surprise there was a tree with lights. Family and friends came over to eat different parts of goat as the day went on. After the majority of the food had been prepared we bathed and changed into some nice clothes. Then the pictures began.

EVERYONE wanted a picture with me. I felt like a politician or a mall Santa. Honest to God, they were lining up. I knelt down next to the little kids or picked them up. I’d ask them their names. Most of them were shy so I attempted to make them laugh or at least crack a smile. I was in every picture with all of the different families, most of whom I never met but they wanted me in their family Christmas picture. I guess its all part of being an American in Kenya. The goat slaughtering will probably be the thing I remember the most from this Christmas, but I hope that I take away something else from this joyous occasion.

One thing that stood out to me was that all the kids annoyed me. Being the only white person I’m kind of a big deal. But I realized that the kids had nothing else to do. They have no toys, just nothing to do. This is not only true for Christmas, but everyday the boys are bored. They occupy the time by literally running around the house and wrestling with each other. I’ve seen them roll around some wooden post from their bed with a stick and my frisbee is always a big hit. They’re curious about every little thing that I have, and while it is annoying most of the time, it is only because they have nothing. And from my understanding, I think that my host family is one of the wealthier families in town. I come from a world of playstation, ipods, and HDTV and personally, my three favorite hobbies are biking, swimming, and sailing. All three involve expensive equipment. I even have a nice set of golf clubs laying around that I never use. I guess the only low-cost hobby I enjoy is running. So it does not surprise me that Kenya has the best runners in the world. In other words, this Christmas is another reminder of how lucky I am and that is much more important than slaying a goat.

We just have a few more days of training and our final language exam will be on the 31st. And that night a few other trainees and I are getting a hotel room to enjoy some alcoholic beverages and celebrate the New Year in style away from our host families. There are a few events to conclude training and then finally on January 4th we head to Nairobi, where we will bask in the luxury of a hotel room for a few nights before our swearing in ceremony. I will finally find out where I will be living for the next two years! I’m hopeful that I will be able to finally upload some new photos and videos, but I can’t guarantee anything. FYI, the picture of the three boys that is currently on the website, is not of my brothers.

A side note: As I sat down to type this post, I heard a rooster right outside my window. I didn’t think much of it since this is a common occurrence, but I just made a trip to the choo, and that rooster was still right outside my window…tied up. Guess what we’re having for dinner?

Does it ever end?