MOMBASA

The past week can basically be summed up in one exclamation: This is the most wonderful and beautiful place I have ever been too! I know, it is really cheesy, but to explain I’ll just give you an example of my daily schedule:

7 AM: Wake up and work out with the two other girls in the hostel: go for a run,sprint up the 4 flights of stairs, crunches and push-ups, then do yoga on the rooftop. ** By the way, the hostel where I am living is in Old Town, one of the most beautiful parts of the city, and it is literally right on the water of the oldest port in Africa. The rooftop is wide and open, where you can see the entire city, port and out to the ocean.

8:30: Eat breakfast with the girls, usually fresh fruit and chai, on the balcony next to the living room and watch the ocean. This morning, we watched storm clouds come in and it is currently pouring rain! A huge difference to the extreme heat and humidity of the past week.

9:00: Go to the SIT office and conduct interviews with local Swahili people, ask them questions for my ISP and get to know their culture, community, religion and most importantly their political views. My ISP has really been going very smoothly, I talk to at least one person every day and I am really gaining a great overview of the political and ethnic sentiments of these people

12:00: lunch at the hostel or with one of my friends in the group, grab some local Swahili food (chapatti, beans and rice together costs just under 2 dollars!) and begin to plan our afternoon

1:00 – 5:00: Head down to Nyali Reef to lie on the white sands and swim in the beautiful Indian Ocean, afterwards head to any number of hotelis and grab a cold beer or soda.

6:00: Dinner at a friend we made here, Tom (who a girl in my group is living with) who is an AMAZING cook!

8:00: Out for drinks and then back to the hostel, go up to the roof and watch the stars and the ocean for a while before passing out and doing it all over again the next day!

Last night was special though; Mike’s parents actually arrived on Wednesday for the rest of the week, to vacation and see the sites and also to meet all of us. They are very friendly and nice people, they took us all out to eat at the most famous restaurant in Mombasa, and arguably on of the best seafood restaurants in all of Africa (as the brochure states). And I would have to agree…it was actually some of the best seafood I have ever eaten ANYWHERE! The amazing three course meal was out of this world…spicy crab coconut soup, then a seared salmon in champagne sauce, and a chocolate cornet in passion fruit juice… I am pretty sure that meal is going to hold me over until I get back home!

Speaking of home, from tomorrow there are only 4 weeks left in the program. The time is going to fly, but being here in Mombasa is making every day worth it. My goals for the next four weeks are 1.) Write a good ISP paper 2.) Enjoy every day here (meaning, go swimming in the ocean and lay on the beach) 3.) Explore the city and get to know more people and 4.) Fully appreciate every day the true awesomeness of where I am and what I am doing.

Miss you all…hope you had a great Easter and see you in 4 weeks!