The Orange Hat

My past two entries have been long and somewhat loaded… so I think I’m going to cut this one down a little.

I really miss eating dinner with people, without a TV. It could be at home (any of them) making a dish with Miss Jane, out at Falinies with the caving crew, or at home with my parents who probably didn’t let me cook ☺. I just had pizza (poor excuse) with a group of friends after I left work and it was a start. I enjoy recounting the day, the trips and activates to come, and how much excitement is in life over good food. I find that television is a horrible distraction and has gotten in the way of a many good relationships that could have been formed.

Last night I joined the Mountain Club of Kenya, which has it’s dinner every last Tuesday of the month- there were about 50 people there- and many dishes which reminded me of home, Europe, mixed with a little of Africa. After dinner Alex (the first person I met in the club, and the chair member who signed my membership app.) presented his slid show of his Yosemite El Capitan Nose assent – big wall climbing looks insane (if Mr. McDowell actually did this he is more driven than I could have ever imagined, way to go Andrew.) It took him a total of four days to climb 3000 feet, and though I know it’s extremely rigorous, I think that might be one of my life goals. I also took notes on how to present a good slide show (they want me to present on my Cascade adventures with NOLS). There are so many Aid workers and Embassy peopleat the club, I met a lady who works with Great apes in Rwanda and a Japanese environmentalist who just got back from a conference in Monaco, it’s all very fascinating at MCK which doubles as a Bar and a club house.


I’m really excited about this upcoming weekend, which won’t involve hospitals, and I plan to be “touristy,” and see main attractions with my camera.

A Friend of a friend contacted me tonight too (Andre’s British pals Squeaks and Paul) so I might have some coffee with people I’ll be meeting for the first time
Condition: [I see the doctor tomorrow btw] Balance if for the most part back, and I don’t get vertigo. I still can’t hear very well out of my right ear, but I do hear ringing (which means my brain is receiving signals), and I can hear when I scratch my ear and “pop” my ears. There is no pain or swelling that I can feel, nor is there any discharge. I’ll tell you more tomorrow after Dr. Din inspects.



Reading:

>FINISHED
Robin Hobb: The Fools Errand - I’d say –B, nothing extremely novel, yet entertaining and could have a nice follow through with the sequels.



>STARTING
Stephen Hawking: A Brief History of Time - My 3rd book in a month that’s begun with the history of human understanding of the world, the only difference is I don’t think Mr. Hawking ever leaves the subject
African Food:
Chapatti: flat bread that does not work well as a taco, eaten plain (It’s Indian, but there’s no spice…)


Words I have learned:
(In order of usefulness)
Kiswahili
• Sasa: Hey or Hello
• Sawa: Fine, ok, ummhumm
• Assante’: Thank you
• Careeboo: welcome
• Hapana: no
• Neo: Yes
• Meemee: I
• See: (the negative, am not)
• Sana: a lot, much
Non-Kiswahili words
• High: drunk
• Chips: French fries
• Crisps: potato chips
• Flash: to call someone and hang up so that they call you back, and you don’t have to pay

Something different: Cell phones all run on prepaid cards, you can credit just about anywhere (literally, on every corner, in telephone booth sized cells the sales people sit in). I pay 100 Ksh for 100 credit, and it is spend however I use it on my phone (other Safaricom calls are 20 ksh a min, text are 5-10 ksh, calls other carriers are more). So people don’t talk on the phone very long which there’s no “bill me later.”


(Edit later)

Labels: everything else, Kenya, life, Nairboi, the universe