Off to the Races

On Saturday afternoon, I began making beads for the support groups here because I didn't have much else to do. It's a good way to pass the time while watching T.V., and I've gotten pretty decent at it. I still have to try making the big, fat beads with the wrapping paper sometime this week. I also started reading this amazing novel Shantaram that another volunteer left here. It's about this escaped Australian convict who ends up in Bombay and starts a free health clinic, fights Afghan rebels, and runs illegal drug deals among others. I'm 100 pages in and highly recommend it. Apparently, weekend nights are for watching another Spanish soap, Catalina y Sebastian, and I went to bed relatively early after that.

I was excited for Sunday afternoon, because I had decided to go see the horse races that happen on Sundays just down the road. They exercise some of the ponies on the other side of Ngong road, and I've been determined to go one of these weekends. I was told the races started at 2pm (it was actually 12:45), so I made some more beads and read with Melissa in the morning. It's been pretty chilly here in the mornings and evenings, but the weather in the afternoon is perfect when the sun is out. There was no rain in site, so I dressed in a skirt and a wrap and walked the ten minutes to the racetrack. The gated complex has some upscale apartments, a steakhouse restaurant, and a golf course with driving range and pro shop in the middle of the infield. I was just in time to see the start of the first race, and my 200Ksh bought me a bench seat in the small, shaded grandstand area near the finish line. The track (and the surrounding area) was covered in a lush green grass that the horses seemed to like running on as much as the kids liked rolling around in it in front of the betting booths. I didn't bet any money, which was good because none of my picks won. In my defense, I was judging on who had the best conformation for show jumping, so I wasn't really looking for the winner. Their feet looked well taken care of, and I wonder who grows up in Kenya wanting to be a farrier. Maybe it's someone from Britain like the announcers, trainers, and owners. One of the jockeys was a tall white woman, and she stood out against the other short, black men. She seemed to ride the favorite in the last two money races, but came in second both times. I really enjoyed being here, especially watching the horses in the parade arena before the race, but it made me miss riding a lot. My saddle has been sitting behind my couch in Gainesville for six months, which is pathetic. After I'm done with college ultimate, I will get back into it, I promise.

I walked Melissa to the LocalAid office this morning, but didn't stay because I wasn't feeling well. We were supposed to make home visits to the home-bound HIV+ members of the support group, and I didn't want to unintentionally give them anything. I did meet a thirteen-year-old girl who is HIV+ from the Hanne Howard Fund that Margaret helps run this weekend. I gave her some Aleeve because she was having a really bad toothache and the person who was supposed to take her to the hospital didn't show. It turns out that she had extrapulmonary TB in her tooth. I have one more full work week and one more weekend here. I would really like to go hike the Ngong hills, but you can't go by yourself and even need to hire an armed guard to go with you in case of robbers and/or buffalo. Also, I promised Margaret I would go to church on Sunday... we'll see. Only a week and a half until I'm home. Love you all!