Love in the time of diarrhea >> Aurelien's idea for our blog name. Funny enough, we are living in a place rife with cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea. This blog is meant to be about the adventures that we, A&H, have together. Make no mistake, calling our day-to-day life an adventure is a bit of an exaggeration! But, we hope that you, our family and close friends, can read this as a way to know what we're up to when we're far away. We enjoy reading your blogs and hope you'll enjoy reading ours!
Aurelien and I are getting settled in our new home in Bungoma, Western Province, Kenya. We are working together for an NGO here. We've both been to east Africa before but living here and knowing we're staying is a new experience! This is something we've dreamed of, and talked about, since before we started dating. It's very fulfilling to know that we're living our dreams by being here, together.
The run-down on Bungoma: Less than 100,000 people live in Bungoma and it's surrounding areas. There is one main road in Bungoma where most of the shops, markets, restaurants, etc. are located. Bungoma is bustling - there are so many people working, walking, living, buying, selling, etc. in Bungoma. Many-a-truck and matutu pass through Bungoma and it's sister city, Mumias (home of a giant sugar factory and accompanying sugar factory village), on the way into, or out of, Uganda. This is because there is one main road to Busia, Uganda from other parts of Western Kenya and the turn-off to Bungoma is on this road. Bungoma is also slightly on the dusty side. The rainy season has just ended here and water supplies are intermittent. On the positive side, less rain (and water) means more frequent electricity - which is definitely helpful considering the sun sets around 7pm every night, all year. It's safe to say that Bungoma doesn't attract tourists - there are no historical sites, famous landscapes or safari animals - at least none that haven't been poached or eaten in the last 30 years. However, Bungoma is a spirited place and has so much to offer. Aurelien and I joke that most days we forget we're living in Kenya (or not in the US for that matter). Almost anything you could possibly need is available, save Jelly Belly Jelly beans, J.Crew, and other non-essential but enjoyable luxuries.
The things we love most about Bungoma (in no particular order):
- the trees that bend over the road, creating a canopy, on the way to our office
- charming bicycle taxis that can take us anywhere in town for approximately 20 cents.
- Sarasa, a strange fairly-land type place we recently discovered that has a bouncy castle, trampoline, pool, cabanas, AMAZING food that tastes like nothing we'd ever tried before, and Pimms (for $3 Junebugs, of course!)
- Our puppy, Oliver, who we can take on walks/runs without a leash and he stays (mostly) by our side
- Roasted corn and avocados and mangos galore, for about 10-20 cents each
- The nicest people who greet perfect strangers and ask if we can give them our dog
- The most incredible co-workers who are dedicated to the project and infinitely cheerful
- Airtel: our phone network that allows us to call home for 3 cents per minute
- The lack of decent food which is making us sharpen our cooking skills. We will be expert chefs by June 2013.
- eachother! :)
- eachother, again
- the most precious Kenyan babies/kids who live in the same compound as us
- mosquito nets
- Stoney. The best ginger beer in the world. 40 cents a bottle.
- realizing that we're accomplishing our dreams
- talking about our next dreams
Bungoma is our current adventure. It is so wonderful being able to experience this together. Aurelien and I are so similar in some ways and really different in others
Picture: I'm typing while Aurelien is sitting beside me, holding my glass of wine and his beer and throwing out ideas (read: lame jokes) that sometimes (read: never) make it into the blog. HA. This one is the exception.
Photos to come soon,
Au revoir!
A&H
The adventures of a Frenchman and a Southern lady.
