Day 37

June 10

After a long day of traveling yesterday I finally arrived in Eldoret.
At one point of the bus ride I would have put money on the bus tipping
over. Luckily, I didn't lose any money. As the sun went down I felt
like I had a hangover. Strange, because I hadn't had a drink all day.
Not that a wet bar on the bus would have been a bad thing.

My friend Simon picked me up, threw me in a taxi, and took me to the
moi seinor's club. It's not what it sounds like, but it kind of is. He
had big plans for the evening. Karaoke. We went to the Iu house and it
was like a portal to another world, a mazungu world. I've been away
from white people for like three weeks, so a room full took me a back.
I literally felt uncomfortable for about twenty minutes. There was
white people food, white people jokes, white people hair, white people
dogs. It was crazy.

The Iu Kenya program brings people from my very own university to
Eldoret to work in their medical center. All of a sudden I had a lot
of l things in common with the people around me. It was refreshing to
say the least. They were all pumped on karaoke as well.

As we walk to spree it dawns on me that Avril, a Kenyan law student
who's moving to Indiana in the fall, also invited me to spree, as she
hosts karaoke weekly. There she was, singing 'hot stuff' in the
underground club, sellin it. Woooo.

My head is splitting and nothing amplifies a headache like amature
night in Kenya. I grab the song list open up to a page of classics but
I only see one line 'total eclipse of the heart.' ok, if you've seen
old school, I know that you've wanted to sing that song infront of a
captive audience. It's a duet, no big deal. I found a partner.

I fill out my request slip and walk to the bathroom and throw up. Is
it nerves? Has it been that long since I've performed? I don't know.
But when I walked out my song was on deck. The show must go on.

I'm handed a wireless mike and I make my way on stage. The piano plays
softly in a synth piano style. I gave Eldoret everything I had. By the
way, have you ever listened to that whole song? Me either. I missed a
couple I cues but that didn't stop me. I was sellin it, trying to act
as serious as possible. Hand gestures, the whole nine. I was
channeling meat loaf and queen simultaniously.

I got home, talked to my dad, Sarah and nick. I had great news. I was
june 9ths duet champion. No big deal. I was achey, nautious, and hot.
With my new crown I took the thrown. I spent all night in the bathroom
wondering what happened.

In the morning I went back to Iu house. There's no better place to get
sick. I had three doctors opinions at once. It turns out that I might
have left mbita, but I hasn't left me. I have malaria. Hahaha! It's
not a bad case, my medication is keeping the symptoms minor. I already
have more medication to keep it from getting to full blown status.
When it's not one thing it's another :) only in kenya can you get in a
motorcycle accident, chased by a crazed, loin cloth wearing, pipe
wielding guy and get malaria in one week. Or is that just my brand of
luck?

I popped my pills and popped in to the joy bringger space to see what
they were working on. They are a fair trade group that I'll be working
with. Of their 35 member, 2 had decided to show up. They were working
hard on ( you can't make this up ) virtual, strip checkers. That is
what it sounds like. I left after a patronizing conversation about
treating their job like a job. I said 'look, i need you now, i need
you now more than ever. I you make this stuff really tight, together
we'll make it, forever.' Tommorrow there will be much better
attendance, or so I'm told. I told them that training WILL start
tommorrow. We'll see in the morning. Time to get to work. Time to turn
around.

I went back to Iu hose for lunch ( a glass of water ) and managed to
accidently meet a ellen, the lady I have a meeting with tommorrow.
She's trying to start some self sustainable groups out of kisumu. I
warned her of the pipe guy. ( even though he covers himself in
charcoal and would be much more suiting of the name 'black guy' it
just sounds bad ) a third voice joined. Julie is a woman working with
fair trade groups in Africa for her store in north Carolina. She had
great things to say and was quite taken by the products I brought back
from mbita. Kelly, she's looking for a me, but I'll stay loyal to the
village.

I was taken to see some prospective sight plots for the street kid
project by Simon and Sam. We went to the 'prime chic' ( this is
absolutely not what it sounds like) to discuss plans over dinner.
After that we took a stroll through the moi uni dorms and found some
of simons friends hanging out. I met matt who's not only from
Bloomington but the founder of box car books. He's also friends with
two graduated sculpture bfa's who shared my studio at one time.

Two big days and one small world.

-cheers