Day 1: New York - Paris - Mombasa

The plastic bats made it! JustinJustin Toca donated the bats along with balls, Frisbees and a couple of jump ropes. They were strapped with duct tape to the outside of one of my bags and they made it. In fact, getting here went perfectly. We barely had time to eat in each airport on the way and got in only 30 minutes late. It was the best travel you could hope for such a long way.

Alex and I are settled in our Guesthouse. It is run by a sweet and smart lady name Sipirina. She grew up in Kisumu, where Barack's family is from she reminded us, and lived in Germany for 14 years as a maid or cook. She is back here now because times got tough there and she could no longer afford to live. Now she is making her way here, with this guesthouse, relying on the trickle of foreigners that the EAC or her other foreign contacts send her way. It's a wonderful place and she is proud of it, as she should be.

Our driver last night explained that he grew up, lived and worked in Nairobi until 4 years ago when the German company he was an engineer for re-located to South Africa. He has a degree and now has to drive taxi. He wishes he could be back in Nairobi. Davies. He brought us in late last night and while we were stopped waiting for Alex to use an ATM, there was a young gay man soliciting himself to the men in a truck parked by the side of the road in front of us. Davies said this was more common in just the past two years since they changed the laws about homosexuality, protecting them from crimes. He said they had the guts now to come out so obviously and prostitute the way women do there and have in large numbers for a long time. It's still very dangerous for them, but they are there. In Western Kenya, there are still many incidences of hate crimes, often leading to death. The Coast is less dangerous in many ways. Gay men would not act so in the West. No chance.

Those are all the stories I have for now. I'm soaking in every detail. I really can't wait to get to the village which is about 10 miles from where I am staying. I will have to wait two days though. Kate is coming to pick us up tonight for dinner, then tomorrow resting, then Monday to the village. I have been thinking about ways to pursue local partnerships with bigger companies here. We already gain support from Mombasa Maize Millers and should pursue other large corporations, like the two big cement companies here, for contributions.

I have thought about the protests happening in the States now quite a bit and was very obsessed before I left. Without any easy way to get online the past two days, it has been impossible to find out and if the media is really reporting it in the US, I doubt any substantial news has spread to the streets of Mombasa. I am so inspired and hopeful about this movement. Maybe me and Alex will pop-a-squat in Kilifi's center and occupy that space. If the homeless man who covered himself in a hundred plastic bags is still there huffing glue, however, I may just wait to occupy until I am home.

I will be typing these updates at home, saving them on a drive which I will take the computer lab to upload so I don't have to spend much time there. I still am unsure of how I will be accessing internet so I can't tell you how often to expect me, but please do email me or comment here on the blog. I have updated my phone on the right side of this blog, so you can text or call through Skype if you need to.

Thanks again to everyone who got supplies to me to bring over! An entire 50lb suitcase and half of another are all donations from you guys and I am so pleased to be giving all this to the teachers and staff next week. Along with all the new XO activities for the laptops and the tuna Kate requested, everyone is going to be very happy!

Annie V – we already strolled through the garment district in Mombasa... a little different from Spandex City in Midtown, but a garment district nonetheless.

Lucky – I was able to fit 10 or so various balls. We are going to ship the rest here with the next batch and are talking about ways to spread them around Kenya. Will post pictures asap!