Monday Monday

Monday I had drumming at 9. I was supposed to have Kiswahili after that, but it was cancelled, so I hung out for a while and read outside. Jenna, Whitney and I went to the Ethiopian restaurant near school for lunch, and it was amazing, again. The past two times we have gotten the “mixed dish” which is a huge piece of injera (Ethiopian flat bread) with little piles of all different things, like minced beef, cabbage, kale, carrots and potatoes, among other things. With it, we got this orange stuff (I can’t remember the name), but it is chickpeas and regular peas all mashed up with lots of spices. I am making it sound like hummus, but it is a lot smoother and less solid and more orange and a lot more delicious. So I would pick up whichever food with the injera, and then dip it in the chickpea mash…and it was just SO good. Mmm.
After that we had Anthropology of Infectious Diseases with Professor Bukachi, who is my favorite professor. She is the only woman professor I have met, and the only one who regularly holds class, and the smiliest one. The class is really interesting, and so far it’s my favorite as well…it is also the only one I have had more than once : )
After class Whitney and I went to the grocery store (Nakumatt). I love the grocery stores here. Whenever I am there, regardless of what I need (if anything), I walk up and down every single aisle. Maybe because I have only been to grocery stores in the U.S, which are all pretty much organized the same way, but I find looking at every shelf here so fascinating. I bet people reading this are starting to wonder about my sanity, so I will stop there : )
On my way to the matatu to go home, I saw a man carrying at least 2 chickens, live and fully alert, upside down by the legs. I also saw, on a sadder note, a woman sitting in the middle of the sidewalk today wailing, with her hand to her face. On her lap, facing her was a little boy about a year old, just sitting there, looking at me as I passed. It made my heart ache. The past two times I have seen grown people crying like that in public places (the last time was in Mount Auburn Hospital when I saw a man in the waiting room with tears running down his face) I have wanted to go up and talk to them and hug them, but maybe that would make them cry more. It is really hard to just walk by though.
Tonight I asked Monica what the word “lakini” meant because I hear it a lot. She said it meant “but” and then said “Nakupenda lakini…I love you buut…” It was so funny. She is a really funny lady sometimes. She is usually pretty quiet, but every once in a while she makes a subtle joke like that and cracks me up. I love when she laughs. Also, she made really good mashed potatoes tonight. So two thumbs up for Monica!