I drove myself crazy on that long rainy train ride about what to talk about with the girls. I’d met them before at the Powderfinger and Jet concert, but it wasn’t the best place to get a word out. Over all of the screaming rock fans all we could really do was exchange smiles. This time I actually had to speak. I kept asking myself, what can I say to these girls that they haven’t already heard? I shook my umbrella outside and I walked into the loud crowded cafeteria – felt like TYWLS.
A bunch of girls in uniform yelling from table-to-table, it made me miss my high school table under the clock. I spotted the director of development and she told me to make a plate of food. She brought all of the girls over and they immediately started talking, asking me how I was, laughing that my dinner was cafeteria food, and fighting over who was going to marry Usher and Justin Bieber.
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| The Struggle is universal: MLK over Aboriginal Flag |
They asked me if all blackfellas (that’s what they call black people in general) in the states walk around with big chains, and if all the white people in New York City act like the ‘posh’ characters on Gossip Girl. I laughed so hard, but realized everything we know about each other’s home countries is based off of stereotypes. I explained everything best I could and they taught me a thing or two as well.
They’re in grades 7-10 so around 12-16 years old – a lively bunch. Of course the director threw in the occasional academic question; we shared our favorite subjects and the ones we could do without. I explained the education system in the states in comparison to Australia, the prices, the holiday vacation time we get and how to survive in an all-girls school. They asked me how I got into college so we traded stories about how the Yalari and Posse scholarships work. To think I got to work with them from asking questions, sending emails and making connections with strangers who turned out to be really good people. I’m so grateful; hopefully I will meet with them very soon before I leave.
Speaking of leaving... I don’t want to. Registering for classes at Wheaton next semester was my first reality check.
It’s getting really hot over here so every weekend feels like a beach weekend. Not a fan of the waterbugs though. They roam the streets like rats do in the city, and apparently some people saw some in their room. I bought the good potent stuff from one of the mom & pop stores over here (of course it’s illegal though) while the other girls are spraying them with Raid, which is basically soap and water. The worst was walking into this bar with a courtyard and seeing one stroll up the brick wall and no one even noticed or said anything. I know NYC is not the cleanest place in the world, but that was just nasty – I ran.
Oh I didn’t explain the Melbourne Cup! It's a BIG horserace, think the Super Bowl of Australia. The country stops to watch it and everyone bets and gets drunk. It was earlier this month and one of my internships threw a fancy lunch to watch the races. Everyone gets dressed up in these big hats. Some look like the hats women wear to church that block everyone behind them from seeing the pastor. We had a drag queen MC at our lunch, she was fierce.
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| Me and Carmen Get it ('Come and get it') |
I used to be good at keeping the updates coming weekly, but since I started interning it’s harder to do. I’ll keep them coming though, even if they’re random free-writes, just so you know I’m still alive out here.
Kenya
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