i had a dream i stood beneath an orange sky

my salvation lies in your love

life here is beginning to ebb and flow. it's starting to feel natural and more comfortable. however, i have not been able to get over the fact that kenyans CUT IN LINE. everyday we go to the university cafeteria and wait in three lines. the first line at the kiosk for our coke kubua baridi (big, cold coke) then we wait in line to order our lunch then we wait in line to get the food. and without fail everyday, in at least one line, a student will cut. they are not malicious about it, just passive aggressive and nonchalant. i asked our kenyan friend about it, convinced it was because we were wazungus, but, in fact it is just a cultural thing and we need to be more assertive. noted.

kayla in our quantitative data collection classroom

yesterday in swahili class we went over "foodstuffs." we had to pretend we were at a restaurant. kayla was the "waita" and i was the "kustoma" (both words spelled correctly here). perfect. we are increasing our swahili classes to twice a week. and our teacher told us here they have TGII 'cause friday = ijumaa. the jokes never stop.

also prominent in my life has been my frequent consumption of cucumbers. they are delicious and fun to peel with this nifty little knife i have. i have been eating at least one a day, which is good 'cause they have quite a few nutritional qualities:

• Fresh cucumber juice can provide relief from heartburn, acid stomach, gastritis and even ulcer.
• Placing a cucumber slice over the eyes not only soothes them, but also reduces swelling.
• Daily consumption of cucumber juice helps control cases of eczema, arthritis and gout.
• Cucumber has been found to be beneficial for those suffering from lung, stomach and chest problems.
• The potassium in cucumber makes it useful for the problem of high and low blood pressure.
• Cucumber contains Erepsin, the enzyme that helps in protein digestion.
• Cucumber juice is said to promote hair growth, especially when it is added to the juice of carrot, lettuce and spinach.
• Cucumber juice, when mixed with carrot juice, is said to be good for rheumatic conditions caused by excessive uric acid in the body.
• Cucumber can prove to be beneficial for those suffering from diseases of the teeth and gums, especially in cases of pyorrhea.
• Being rich in minerals, cucumber helps prevent splitting of nails of the fingers and toes.
• Cucumber has been associated with healing properties in relation to diseases of the kidney, urinary bladder, liver and pancreas.

the other day i heard a R&B/hip-hop song while printing my assignment where the chorus was "shake your booty in the name of jesus." that alone explains a lot about kenyan culture.

last night we heard from a man that works for AMPATH about the post-election violence two years ago. his personal story was gripping. he told us about transporting vulnerable people around town and the road blocks and the unemployed young men with machetes that were getting paid by government officials to continue fighting. the IU compound became a Hotel Rwanda, the hospital was a mess, all shops completely closed down and bodies could be found in the street. he is also a body builder and will be competing in the Mr. Africa competition next weekend here in town. i already bought my ticket.

this morning we went to the Imani workshop, to shop and take a tour, where HIV/AIDS patients can work making clothes, paper goods, jewelry and pottery to generate an income. i bought some gifts :)

kanjani with men and women making paper behind her

in other news, i am stark raving mad at the supreme court, and i bet you are too.