A normal day.

So, I realized recently that I often write that a day was "normal."  Life here became "normal" very quickly.  This speedy arrival at normalcy must have come from my experience with new contexts.  My family has, as of this week, lived in 14 different places since my birth.  Thanks to this semi nomadic lifestyle, I adapt fairly easily to change.  Thus, writing about "normal" life here has simply slipped my mind, as interested as I know some of you may be in this routine.  I realize that each day is rich with cultural lessons but they are easy now to miss as they are just a part of everyday life.  Anyway, I think it would be helpful to describe what a normal day is like in this new context.  

The day begins with my rotten alarm going off at 6:10.  Which is ten minutes after I have stepped out of bed and pulled up my mosquito net.  The mosquitos actually haven't been that bad.  I don't use bug spray and have been bitten only once.  Though, I may just be impervious, or have nasty blood as many have contracted malaria since the beginning of our studies and Sara often has red marks from mosquito kisses running like track marks up her arms and legs.  Who knows.  So I wake up.  Most days, after a fair amount of sleep Steve and I get a run in and we head to breakfast sweaty, completely covered in finely carved muscles.  David-esque in our boyish beauty.  In any other context I absolutely detest running but here it is different.  The air tastes, smells and feels different.  Lighter.  As we fun to the train tracks and back the Uluguru stands tall and strong against the horizon, covered in the mist of morning and the haze of height.  The high road leads us to the tracks and the low road, closer to the mountains guides us back past houses, countless chickens, baying donkeys, waking cows, tireless workers and the aroma of millions of yellow and pick flowers.  

At breakfast there is always Uji (a runny brown maize based porridge) and yogurt (milk boiled and then cooled.)  It is really amazing with some granola.  We can also expect fruit, chai, and either pancakes, eggs, or french toast.  We leave breakfast with a little time to study or read and at 7:45ish devotions start.  These are led by teachers and students.  Steve, Peter and I have all had the opportunity to do this.  It starts with a song.  The music is very classic Lutheran.  Most are songs written by Germans or English speaking folk and translated into Kiswahili.  Then comes the word and a short reflection followed by another song.  Jina lako litukuzwe.  Class then begins in our small groups.  We read the lesson book together and then do practice.  The class breaks at 10 for chai and resumes around 10:30 only to end again at 12 for chakula cha mchana.  The noon meal is traditionally the largest meal of the day. We always have rice and then everything changes.  There is a 2.5 hour break in the middle of the day. I use this time to eat, take a short nap and study Kiswahili.  Classes then last from 2:30 until 4 at which time we have community around chai yet again.  The day is full of people.  We are constantly in conversation about culture and politics and language.  It is a very good environment.  4:30 to 6 is fart around and study time. 6-6:30 is chakula cha jioni.  Outside of the campus this smaller meal normally occurs after 9 sometime.  For us, it is bigger.  The food is alway amazing.  Wali na nyama can be well expected.  On some occasions we are treated to local or international favorites.  Kwa mfano, tonight we had mac and cheese.  Way good.  After supper I study until my face melts.  I do always make a little time for reflection, especially since I read Breuggy's mandate to difference a couple weeks ago.  I try to do some homework in the common room where I can practice speaking with the teachers and secondary school students.  So, um...that's it.  Way interesting I am sure, mom.  Kuna swali?