Mambo rafikis! (Marta's tatu post)

I thought today I would share some of the more routine things we do. I find those are things you miss the most when the experience ends, but they are also the things that get overshadowed with stories of more exciting excursions when you come home and ‘sum up your experience’ to family and friends.

Every morning (and quite often night) I wake up to a range of different sounds. Most often there are car horns, yells, chatter and music. But to shake it up, there are sometimes roosters crowing, cows mooing, crickets chirping, birds singing, motor cycles speeding, or my personal favourite- our dog Blackie barking. As for smells, the wind seems to carry the smell of burning charcoal through my window in waves.

Spending time with Blackie is a daily routine that also shouldn’t be overlooked. When we unlock the gate surrounding our house on our way home from work, Blackie is often the first to come greet us (well along with the really nice men that guard and maintain the outside of the house- Taysha and Frenk). He is a really calm and affectionate dog, but at the same time his loud barks at night remind us that he’s still watching over us.

Olive is by far the best part of our daily routines. She is essentially our housekeeper and mom. She has the most welcoming, beautiful smile. We are so fortunate to wake up to her kind greetings and delicious breakfast every morning. She patiently teaches us new Swahili words, and smiles at our failed attempts to understand her responses to the phrases we so carefully practiced.

And finally, one of the other amazing daily routines that I never want to forget is the time the four of us spend together in our living room. Even when there is a computer on all of our laps, the company could not be better. We share great music, and even greater laughs. Actually, just last night I announced that I expect to come home with a 6-pack from all the laughing we do!!

         

A great country, great friends and great laughs. What more could you ask for?