Excited Yet?

(Nairobi, Kenya: May 16, 2007)

It's the question I've heard most often in the past few weeks - as recently as boarding the flight to Nairobi, "You must be so excited!" Then the subsequent implied question when I don't immediately respond - "You must be crazy?". Well, I have to admit, excitement is not really something I've been feeling - at least not in the way I am used to experiencing it. Excitement to me is driving a10 foot box truck packed with dusty gear out to the Nevada desert every August. Then I am nearly jumping out of my uncomfortable, sweaty vinyl seat. This has been different. I'm not going to a festival where I've been going for 6 years already, or seeing a movie I've wanted to see for ages. I'm going to 3 developing countries for 2 months, which is dangerous, and scary, and exciting all in one. So, it feels different. Two people now have talked to me about the importance of going outside of your comfort zone - and how necessary it is for growth. I completely agree. I figured once I got on the plane I would be excited - but it's really just a calm readiness to experience, with a bit of apprehension and a hyper-alertness. Most of the people talking about Nairobi start out by saying "I don't want to scare you, but..."

I haven't really seen Nairobi so far because I came in late at night. The roads are *terrible*. I thought the roads in New Orleans were bad - they don't hold a candle. Potholes the size of small cars litter the incredibly lumpy road, and the drivers swerve towards you instead of away to avoid them! Traffic control devices (like red lights, for example) are ignored. Carjackings are somewhat common, so no need to come to a complete stop unless a larger vehicle than yourself is coming. Same goes for those pesky painted dividing lines in the street - if there are any at all. Apparently based on the width of the road, you just know how many cars wide you should be. Kai's house is amazing, as is his Irish setter. The grounds are tropical, lush and noisy! So many insects and birds chattering. I wish I had a recorder with me.

A little known fact (to me at least) - the plastic bag is known as the African flower. There are so many in trees. Kenyans apparently have an obsession with them, and use them for everything. Which is why I was surprised (pleasantly so) to hear I should not bring any plastic bags with me to Rwanda or they will be confiscated - they are illegal for environmental reasons! Good for them!

So today I head to the UN complex to check out where Kai works, and then I'm off early tomorrow to Rwanda (sans plastic bags) to see the genocide museum and the mountain gorillas.