wednesday. january 31 2oo7

on friday, i met a girl named jenna. on saturday, we had megan's bday party pt 2 at java and their house. on sunday, i sat next to a pool and enjoyed the heat. i'm texan. i love the sun. on monday, i saw blood diamonds, which i think i appreciate on a different level because i've picked up on some african culture. on tuesday, the girls played their first soccer game this season versus rosslyn. it was exciting for me to watch because half of them were on the girls bball team that i coached. they lost 6-2. but if you showed up in the second half to watch the game, you would've never guessed that to be the score. they definitely stepped up their game in the second half. i hadn't seen the girls in practice or anything, so i was excited to see them play for the first time. and today, i'm staying over at joe's house because the parents are going outta town. it'll be fun hanging out with joe and ricky. it's just one of those weeks where something has been going on each day. and i haven't even mentioned what goes on during school. i hope you're all doing well. leave me a comment or email me on wassup with you. ::: :::

thursday. january 18 2oo7

wow i actually let more than a week pass without posting. school's been keeping me busy. come to think of it, i wonder if i only write when something special or eventful occurs. wouldn't that give yall a skewed representation of what life is like over here for me? that makes me wish i could bring andrew or peter out here to film a documentary. i think it's interesting to tell a story about a culture within a culture. on top of that, i've brought my culture to the school's culture within the kenyan culture. or is it the other way around? is the school's culture within the kenyan culture making an impact on my american chinese culture, thus molding me into something else? actually it's both. and i haven't even gotten into what the other teachers bring to the table. ok enough talk. you want pictures, right? here we go... today i received this identification of residency. it doesn't mean we've gotten the work permit. it just means we're alien residents, which gets us discounts on touristy stuff =] notice how the expiration date is feb 3, 2007 which is in about 2wks...hahahaa awesome! hanbeen knows i really enjoy korean food, so he gave this to me one day. i didn't realize the significance of it till all the koreans huddled around me that day when they saw me holding it. their eyes widened and they all asked where i got it from. i'm guessing it's not commonly seen in kenya. so as a tribute to them, i enjoyed every last bite of it. ::: :::

sunday. january o7 2oo7

here's a customized necklace that i got from the Reeds for Christmas. i've seen the cross sold on the streets, but i never knew you could have something written on it. what a great gift! i didn't realize how much i missed walking from place to place until i started house-sitting. i guess i'm not the type to sit still for too long. even having tv and internet on all day isn't enough to keep me indoors for too long. i'm fortunate enough to have friends who are willing to drive out to karen to pick me up. in a way, it feels like i went away for the holiday. when i came back to nairobi for the first time, i found myself missing this place. when i stepped into my place, i got that same feeling you get when you come home after a really long vacation. does that mean that i consider my place in nairobi my new home? i wonder what it's gonna be like when i go home to sugarland in the summer. from what people say, it sounds like many things have developed in the community. i wonder if i will have become so accustomed to kenya living that i'll get a culture shock from my own home. i get the feeling i'll be restless on the plane pacing back and forth. the first starbucks i set eyes on in the airport is getting my business. hmm...why am i thinking about all this? it's probably because i've had too much time away from working. this second semester may feel longer than the first because it has alot less breaks. we no longer have a music teacher also. the art teacher supposedly is coming back to teach, which means i won't be teaching the web design class anymore. instead, i'll be helping with the drama class. i've grown to expect change no matter what time of the school year. i'm determined to change the format of the bible class too. i want to integrate prayer more often and possibly memory verses. i should capitalize on the fact that this is a christian school and not a secular school, which often rejects school prayers in the states. school starts in two days. it's time for me to mentally prepare. please pray for all the new changes for all the teachers at wns...that things will go smoothly. ::: :::

monday. january o1 2oo7

whoa it's 2007!!! should i do a reflection of this past year? naah i've been doing that every day since i arrived. it is weird to think that an entire year has passed. it's weird to think my new year is beginning in a different continent with people i didn't know five months ago. i can't even anticipate where i'll be dec 31, 2007. the most comforting thing about all these changes is that God remains the same throughout. for those of you wanting to see pics, here are a few. the first one is a collection of all the cards i've gotten since i've arrived. here's christmas at the hagmans: ::: :::