Pamoja na daima..together with always (from a Vodacom commerical)

Habari za wiki? Nzuri sana.

Basically I just asked how is your week and I said mine was very fine. Yes I have to start writing with a greeting too. Things have been great here yet I am getting kidogo homesick but that is normal for everyone. I have that marathon mentality right now where I just got to get through these initial few months and I will start feeling like it’s home again.

But it is home here and that is what I wanted to start my post with. It’s community. You see it here all over. Last week we celebrated Eid in the fact that we got a day off from school. Most people get 2 days off but that was alright. My mama and I tulienda kucheza musiki (we went dancing) to celebrate. But that night some kid in the neighborhood got in an accident. The neighborhood all came together to comfort the mama and the neighbors all went to see the kid in the hospital even after they found out that all the kid has was a broken arm. When our neighbor has water and we don’t, they let us use their water. When we have a fridge and a neighbor doesn’t, we let them use our fridge to keep the sodas cold. You may see that in some parts of the States but chances are you won’t. You definitely see independence in the States..that is our culture. I admit, I am that way. But here I see that community is important- it is alright to depend on another. That is why I am guessing they greet one another- to create that community. It’s something I can get used to and it is very comforting.