top tens

hello everyone. only ten days until i'm stepping on american soil once again. so in keeping with the theme of 'ten', here are some "top ten" lists from my time in kenya....

top ten things i'll miss most about kenya...
10. the crazy ringtones kenyans have. the vibrate or silent setting is never used. personal favorite ringtones: jingle bells, and classic 1990's backstreet boys.
9. the outlets. they always say that if an electronic is plugged in, even if you aren't using it, it still uses electricity. solution: create an on/off switch on the outlet. genius.
8. the markets. goodwill is nice, but nothing beats thirty cent shirts.
7. chapati. mmm greasy, unleavened bread goodness. hands down my favorite kenyan food. personal record is five chapati in one day.
6. brick, old school cell phones. no people, we do not need cell phones with internet on them. no, we don't need a ridiculous amount of apps. let's all go back to a simpler time where cell phones were used just for calling people.
5. i've heard this song nonstop for the past three months. it always makes me smile when i hear it.. .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_lTHjpRkMM&noredirect=1
4. all the little kids screaming "how are you?" whenever you walk past them. for many, it's the only english they know, and it's so cute watching them wave and scream to you. :)
3. the transportation. although matatus are infamous for how dangerous they are, it is such a convenient form of transportation. many kenyans do not have vehicles, and there is absolutely no need for them. also, pikipikis (motorbikes) are one of my favorite things about kenya.
2. the fresh fruit. mmm the pineapples and bananas were my absolute favorite. you just can't get fruit like that in the united states.
1. soda in a glass jar, drank with a straw. i don't know why, but it just tastes better like this. also, i'm really going to miss krest, a bitter lemon soda.

top ten things i WON'T miss about kenya...
10. their "lazy" behavior. it's a cultural thing not to work very hard, but i hear "i'm so tired" so many times at the hospital, even though they hardly do any work.
9. their driving. blind overtakings by matatu drivers can be scary. and they drive way too fast.
8. beach boys. no i don't want to buy your bracelets. no i don't want to buy your keychains. no i don't want to buy your necklaces. don't tell me you love me, after speaking with me for five minutes. just let me enjoy the beach by myself.
7. the gender roles of men and women. it is extremely rare to see a father with a kid. the mother always takes care of the kids, and women do all the work around the house. gender roles are so stratified, it's nice to know i'm from a country that believes we should be treated equally.
6. the limited variety of foods. i've had a few staple foods in my diet for the past three months, and hardly anything else. chapati, ugali, rice, fish, beef stew, potato soup, spaghetti. i like variety. i also will not miss eating foods i don't like, but forcing myself to because i have no other choice.
5. the smell of body odor. this is more just focused on msambweni, because it's so hot and everyone sweats so much. deodorant/antiperspirant were amazing inventions, use them.
4. the word "mzungu". heard multiple times a day. i have an actual name, you don't need to say "the mzungu" all the time instead.
3. the inappropriate times people think it's acceptable to answer their cell phones. while teaching class? why not. when working with patients? sure. during the middle of major surgery? i hope it's an extremely important call...
2. being taken advantaged of because of the color of my skin. don't charge me more just because i'm white, which makes you assume i have a ton of money.
1. ugali. tasteless white crap on a plate? no thank you. and it looks so much like mashed potatoes, i might be scarred for life thinking that my mashed potatoes are ugali.

top ten things i missed most about home... (this list excludes family and friends, those go without saying!)
10. air conditioning. so hot and humid here in msambweni all the time.
9. trashy television shows. seriously, where's keeping up with the kardashians when you just want to watch some awful television?
8. the food. specifically, the fast food. culver's, come back into my life.
7. water. always having water for a shower. being able to drink the water without sterilizing it first. having cold water, with ice cubes, when its 90 degrees out.
6. my sonicare toothbrush. i just love that thing so much, i definitely regret not bringing it with. my teeth just haven't felt as clean the past three months.
5. a washing machine. my clothes just haven't felt very clean. and in msambweni, they lay them on the ground to dry. doesn't the defeat the purpose of washing them?
4. the changing seasons. although the sun has been nice for my tan, i honestly miss the changing weather. summer year round is not as great as you might think (maybe i just love winter too much).
3. set prices for everything. i don't enjoy bargaining for items (because i know i'm not a good bargainer), and it's hard knowing that i'm probably paying much more for an item than a kenyan would.
2. english. there is no way of feeling more alone and isolated that hearing a foreign language all the time, and knowing most people don't know how to speak english. the language barrier has also been hard for me to get as much out of my internship experience, because all the doctor-patient contact is done in swahili.
1. the food (again). easily the single thing i miss most about home. i'll for sure be gaining those 15 pounds i lost here as soon as i get back home. christmas cookies and taco bell are calling my name...