Urban Homestay Update

Hey y'all. Recently I've been receiving some feedback from my (not-so) wide readership requesting that I do a better job keeping my blog hip and current, rather than boring and textbookish. So from here on out, so long as I have internet, I will try to post at least once a day to tell you all about my shenanigans. This is mainly for you, Olivia, so please make sure to stay tuned. 

Today marks the sixth day of my two-way urban homestay in Nairobi. So far it has been an absolute blast. My family is wonderful and very welcoming. I live with my mother, father and Butch, my 19 year-old brother who is quickly becoming my best friend. Everyday I head to school at 8:00 for Swahili lessons, and then continue with my classes until 4:30. They are fun and very interesting, especially my government class focusing on the elections. 

Well, enough about the boring stuff. So much to update you all on...where to start. I've now recovered from my harrowing ordeal with the Kenyan healthcare system. That was a trip. I returned from Mombasa last week with a lovely Kenyan blood infection, which required me to receive intravenous antibiotics for three days. Normally, I'm fine with needle sticks and getting blood taken, but I draw the line at three or four attempts. You'd think that it'd be easier to locate a giant blue vein on a pasty white arm. Clearly, this is not the case. Still, despite inadequate needle-sticking skills and sore forearms, I received all three courses of the IV antibiotics and am thrilled to only be taking an oral antibiotic twice a day. Cross your fingers that that is my last hospitalization of the trip!

Yesterday my father’s macbook and iPad were stolen from his car as he ran into the supermarket to grab something and forgot to lock it. We spent much of last night trying to track it down via findmyiphone, which he was very excited about. Because he works for the government, he has sensitive information on both devices, so finding them is a big priority now. He told me this morning that he got clearance to authorize the anti-terrorism department to track his computer down using its IP address. Apparently they have the ability to locate the device with an accuracy of 30 cm. Today his bodyguard and security personnel are going on a manhunt to find the device, which findmyiphone located within the very complex he believes it was stolen from. Having met his bodyguard already, I am very glad I am not the culprit on the receiving end of the beat-down surely headed his way.

I’ll update more later, but for now this should suffice, Olivia.