If you come to Kenya say apple not Tofaa(the word in Swahili)

So I wanted Erica to put the post about the trip because I figured it would be more interesting through her eyes, since I am starting to get used to everything. I think I was right. I think she is a much better writer than me too! I don't even really know if there is anything I can add. With her post and the pictures posted on facebook (by Erica). I think the story is told well. It is was a really nice trip and was so much fun. I was really glad things went pretty much to plan other than the one day I cooked for Erica and the next day she got sick!
There has been lots of fires in Wongonyi lately. These day unfortunately the place is my as beautiful as it was when Erica came. There were lots of government people that came to try to help put the fire out. In the end it was mainly the people in the village that put it out. I did however get a pop and half a loaf in bread from the Kenyan government as a thank you for helping. The people here joke because the government comes up with machine guns. People ask, “ so how do they plan to put out the fire with their guns…?” It was not about putting out the fire as much as it was about containing it. That is pretty much the best you can do went you don’t have water. Wongonyi know who is to blame for one or most of the fires but he has run off to Mombasa. I guess there was talk about arresting his wife just because but I don’t think that happened. They caught 4 others but have not been able to prove anything. These fires happen every year. I think have never to have an action plan before they start not after.
I have been working a lot with eco-tourism and fish farmers. I was at a meeting the other day for tourism. It was ran by the government they were going around to different parts of the country get view on what need to be done to help community based tourism. They will be making a document for all the ideas from all the meeting and it will be emailed to me(and other that were at the meeting). I really will be happy to see it. With the fish farming less people have been coming to the meetings but I think the next meeting the project will be giving them fish net so hopefully that will get there spirits up. I will be getting together with a few members to write the constitution we have been talking about in the last few meetings. So it will also good to get all the ideas on paper.
This last weekend I FINAL saw my host family. It was a pretty long trip to get there 3 buses. I left at 730 and got there about 6 30 or 7. Where I got off was a about a km. too far. I am to walk to the house. My host brother was going to get me but he turned back because he heard there have been some elephants around. It could not have been too bad because I was not the only one on the road walking. It was` really weird to go back to my training site where I was one of about 40 white people in a town to now be the only one! It was good to catch up with my host family. My papa got a promotion and my mama had opened her own shop. My papa’s brother (with the one year old) had moved out and is not working construction. It was fun to see how far my Swahili had come. Saturday I saw mama’s shop and spent the day with Ken(age 13). Then the afternoon Michele (age 10) got home and I played soccer with them. I also was bench pressing the neighbor kids as well. Good times…My host family really made me feel welcome. My mama is a great cook! I also got my room back for the weekend. If all works out they want me to come for Christmas.
I wrote this blog a few days ago but I had to add something to it. I was at my office Friday morning a little after 8am my time so 12am your time. I told people at work it was my Mom’s birthday and they were like we should call her and wish her a happy birthday. I was like it is late but hey this could be fun!
Dad answers: Hello
Me: Can I talk to mom!?
Dad: she is sleeping. Why are you calling ?(in an annoyed voice)

*Also this is all on speaker phone*
Me: I just want to wish Mom a happy birthday..
Dad: Well she is sleeping. (sight pause) Oh is this John! I thought it was Anthony. Next time say who are you are.
Lesson learned: Don’t call your parents out of nowhere and not say it is you at 12am at night..But hey it was fun!
After that I had a nice talk with them and people at the office wished my mom a happy birthday with me.