connected

With a nearly desperate sense of isolation and a growing suspicion that I lived in an alien land, I took to the open road in search of places where change did not mean ruin and where time and men and deeds connected. ~ William Least Heat-Moon

 

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One thing I like to do where I travel is find local honey.  (Although, I have yet to be able to accept the idea of palmetto bug honey that I saw at a shop in Gainesville. I don’t care what you say, they ARE roaches!) Honey is my latest excitement in Kenya! Because, not only is it local but also, you usually buy it from the person who made it! Sometimes I buy honey from the Kipepeo Project in Gede (which is a 10 min matatu ride south of me.) But, a few weeks ago, Charlotte (knowing about my fascination) bought me some honey from a man in Kilifi and, today, a teacher brought some to school to sell. These people don’t have labels made for their honey and they often use old soda bottles to send it home with you.  I’m in love!!!

 

The past few days I’ve had a few online and phone conversations with friends and family and I’ve realized that I should have a mini Kiswahili lesson for everyone so that if when I slip you’ll understand. I don’t know much but there are a few words that have found there way into all of my conversations and I really don’t know how I ever lived without them.

 

na – and

 

bado – not yet – “Kiswahili na Giriama bado”

 

bas – enough/that’s it/only – “I have one brother, bas.” (Almost always accompanied with the sign - even if I’m talking on the phone.)

 

sawa – okay – “I’ll meet you in an hour, sawa?”

 

I expect that by the time I come back to the US these should be catching on as slang…. So much better than “uber”!!!!!

 

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Here’s a mix I threw together about a month ago for my dog. (Sometimes I just need to get out of my head.) I haven’t had time to confirm but according to itunes these are all Track 05 songs. That’s significant because my dog is named Fiver (after a rabbit in the book Watership Down by Richard Adams.) Future cover art will definitely include a frisbee.

 

Hi, Fiver

 

Details Of The War                              Clap Your Hands Say Yeah         

You're My Flame - Feat. Sia                   Zero 7

Capturing Moods                          Rilo Kiley   

i thought i saw your face today            she & him

Josephine                                            Teitur

Octopus’ Garden                         The Beatles

Pictures In An Exhibition                    Death Cab for Cutie

Saint Simon                                         The Shins

Paper Bag                                            Fiona Apple

Stealing Romance                                  Portastatic

days that are over                             Sondre Lerche

august                                                  Rilo Kiley

No Other Way                                       Jack Johnson

Lonely Lonely (Frisbee'd Mix)              Feist

Someday                                              Strokes

she sends kisses                           The Wrens

Sailor & Widow                                     Keren Ann

Unpersuaded                                        Moving Units

Teeth in the Grass                           Iron and Wine

Measuring Cups                            Andrew Bird