Stories and Nairobi Flies

A view of the road around camp

Maasai women's group where we interviewed

Maasai Jewelry!

Well, it's official. We all look like we got in a fight with a cat and lost.  Ok, so maybe that's an exaggeration.  But, remember when I told you that Zach had a huge red spot on his neck caused by a caterpillar?  Well, it wasn't really a caterpillar.  Chaka informed us last night that it is from an insect called the Nairobi fly, which irritates your skin when it stays on their for extended periods of time.  So far, I think about 5 people have been affected by it.  Zach has a huge spot on his neck and one by his eye, Karen has some under her eyes and in her nose, Chelsea has a small spot on her wrist, Lauren has spots on her back and neck, and Zoe woke up this morning with tons of spots all over her neck and face.  The spots feel like a sunburn or a really bad burn and hurt quite badly.  They take at least a week to go away.  Zach's spot isn't even better yet.  So today many of us shook out our tents in hopes that we would get rid of some of them.  We have determined that they must bite us while we are sleeping.  Anyway, I haven't been affected yet (knock on wood), but I did wake up this morning feeling really achey and tired.  I think I'm coming down with a sinus cold. 
So, back to the exciting stuff-what I did with my day today.  I took a walk to the secondary school to sit on the biology class and learn about Malaria.  I had to leave a little early since I didn't feel too well.  The rest of the morning was spent reading, laying down, and beading.  Lunch was spaghetti with cheese, fried eggplant, and green beans and carrots.  After lunch I continued with the crafts-doing watercolors and making a friendship bracelet.  Then, I accompanied Siri with her to her interview with a Maasai man.  He was so funny!  He was very frail and old, and told us several stories about the origin of the Maasai and about the monsters who live in the forest.  According to the Maasai, anyone who abandons the Maasai tradition to live in the forest becomes a huge monster with long ears and tree branches coming out of him.  It was so great to see this old man who could barely walk, acting out these stories.  We ended up talking to him for an hour and a half.  Siri and I returned to camp and now I'm here writing this blog.  I'm hoping I'll feel better tomorrow.  Trudy and I are going to teach some of the kids who live across from camp just for fun. I invited them into camp before to color and they all wanted me to show them how to write their names.  So, tomorrow, we are going to hold a little school here at camp.  Well, that's all for now. Take care!
Erin
Swahili word of the day: Hadithi [Hah-DEE-thee] = story