We arrived in Nairobi late Tuesday night exhausted and happy to be done traveling. Someone from Seth's work was there to pick us up and bring us back to our new home. The neighborhood and the compound are beautiful. Lots of flowers, trees, very well manicured. It is not hot at all--between 75 and 80 year round, sunny, and low to mid 60's at night. No humidity! I cannot complain about the weather at all. We are in a town home but it is HUGE. The houses on the compound are palatial--I am actually happy we are in a townhome because that would be a ton to clean! The furniture is god awful--looks like something someone who did home decorating for Don Johnson picked it out. It has three bathrooms, three huge bedrooms, vaulted ceilings, a gigantic kitchen, and
servant's quarters. I told Seth I will become a "Real Housewife of Kenya." :)
We decided to hire a gardener two days a week to give someone a job (his name is Moses and he is adorable--came complete with "reference letters"!). I am going to have him teach me some techniques and have him help me set up a vegetable and herb garden. We also decided on a housekeeper who will just do floors, windows, and bathrooms once or twice a week. A full time gardener is about $80 a month and he will also wash the cars and walk the dog everyday for that price. A full time housekeeper and nanny is about $150 to $200 a month...talk about cheap daycare!
Oh, ladies, there is a lady here who will come to your house and give you a foot massage and pedi for 3 bucks! Can't beat that. And Seth and I are signing up to take tennis lessons--the courts are right next door to us. We can play while Claire is sleeping and be about 30 steps away from her.
So far, Kenyans are kind, generous, and ridiculously cheerful. They want to help in any way they can. This may sound snotty, but I will DEFINITELY be shopping for my clothes as the outfits the Kenyans wear are not quite my style :) They wear a lot of stripes with plaids and bad colors :)
Yesterday I ventured out to the grocery store with Claire. It is quite different from the states! It was a bit overwhelming as none of the brands are the same and the US stuff is outrageously expensive. I think that we will be ordering groceries online for the most part (the boxed stuff) and go to the store for the dairy, meat, etc. I came back from the store having spent about 75 American dollars on products I recognized, only to realize that I didn't really buy anything to make meals--just parts of them :) Seth and I are going back today to see if we can get some more necessities. :) I will be able to satisfy my diet coke cravings but we have to buy it at the American morale store. It is about $8 for a 12 pack but you all know me and my soda habit...it' s worth it to prict the money and keep me happy. Although I may have to restrict myself to just two cans a day :)
Claire has done an amazing job adjusting. She had a few rough days where she mixed up her nights and days (Slept on and off all day but woke up happy and smiling every two hours at night--poor mom!) but she is back on track now--ate last at 11.30 last night and then slept until almost 6 this morning. Beautiful.
No, there is NO McDonalds or Starbucks here. Panera either. My mouth is watering as I type! I have been hesitant to
eat out yet because of the Kenyan tummy troubles. They call it the "Welcome to Kenya" illness. Guess we will get it at some point or another. I plan on coming back to the states a size two because there is nowhere near the temptations we have back at home. :)
I have been doing ok. The only time I've really lost it since we got here was when I realized that our surface shipment wouldn't get here til after Christmas and that I won't be able to decorate. It kills me that Claire won't have a tree for her first Christmas. It's going to be hard enough being away from family but now this... Thinking about trying to online order a tree if I can, but it'll probably cost a fortune. SOO Bummed! BUT my in-laws and some wonderful friends said they would send us some stuff and I am ridiculously grateful for that.
We are off to the grocery store again... I will update you all soon!
We love and miss you!
Sarah, Claire, Seth, and Walter
