Live from Africa...

here we go:

First and foremost, i packed way too much. i checked two huge bags from atlanta to nairobi and was still exhausted from carrying the enormous pack and million pound laptop bag around the airport. got to nyc fine until British Airways told me and Lakshmy that when travelling through London, you can only have one carry on, so i had to check my pack, which had all of my important (cannot be separated for fear of increasing my abandonment issues) things, but we had no choice, and we checked it anyways for an additional 220$. I'm never flying BA again. London was amazing thanks to my incredible friends Beck, Szilvia, Guy, and Sara who i have not seen in 3+ yrs. L had never been to London so we did a whirlwind tour in 8 hrs, ate 3 times, rode a double decker, and crammed the city down her throat on 4 hrs of sleep then returned to Heathrow and left for Nairobi. Good movies on the plane and good food and then we got to Nairobi, at 7am. We were just flying through but we did have to retrieve our bags, but they would not give me a Visa. We did have to LEAVE OUR PASSPORTS at immigration before we got our bags, which did miraculous arrive unscathed. I was then directed out of the double doors of the baggage claim into Kenya while L thought maybe she should go grab our passports. L had the good idea. I had the bad idea. At this point Emily is wandering around the Kenya airport with 4 huge bags, no passport, and no visa and they will not let me back into the airport. I'm now have the most american blonde moment ever. and i haven't slept in two days, and am about to make it a blonde american girlie moment cause i swear i'm going to cry. when i return to the double doors there is a herd of immigration officers and L standing there explaining the situation. needless to say, my first hour in Africa is NOT GOING WELL. they let me back in with this 'typical american' scowl on their faces and i proceed to recheck my bags on the Rwandair plane, get another boarding pass and go sit at the gate and wait for my flight. from there, it was easy peasy! it was like i blinked on the plane and we were in Kigali.

Rwanda is sooo beautiful. its hilly and temperate. it gets dark at 6pm since we are on the equator, and it gets dark really fast. the house is really nice. i have my own room and we keep the windows open because there is a lovely breeze all the time. 75 during the day and 60's at night. the jetlag is brutal but its getting better.

I have an idea for the new motto of africa: AFRICA: Welcome to Carb World! Oatmeal for breakfast, rice beans and plantains for lunch, and pasta for dinner with a side of potatoes. my liver is in heaven. whole milk, goats meat, and no salads galore.

I'm heading off to the lab now. will blog more later.

On a side note, the support from the states has been amazing. I could not have done it without the sweet emails that mean more than you guys can ever know. I defintely feel half way around the world away and I just about started bawling yesterday when I got emails from all of my friends back home. You guys are the best.