Things I’ve Learned in Kenya

· I learned to be completely unfazed by, and even fairly interested in, slaughtering chickens and goats
· I learned to treat my elders with respect
· I learned how to be the 15th (or 16th, or 17th, or 18th) person in a 14-seat matatu
· I learned to be okay with it when people referred to me as fat – it’s descriptive, not derogatory
· I learned to appreciate my government
· I learned how to make everything from chili to pizza from scratch and on a charcoal stove
· I learned to honestly and truly laugh at myself
· I learned at least 20 ways to greet people, depending on the person and circumstance
· I learned (and am still learning) how to serve, and the value of serving
· I learned to live on 1-2 buckets of water a day
· I learned how to fry things
· I learned how to “shangwe na vigelegele” (celebrate and ululate)
· I learned to like doing to dishes
· I learned to stand up for what I believe in, but also when to pick my battles
· I learned to converse with my husband about every intimate thing, from poop to predestination
· I learned that God is the ultimate answer to issues of poverty and development – he is the end and the means