On a boat in Mbita

I have to apologize for not being able to update this blog personally over the past few weeks but we have been in some really rural areas without real internet access.  Luckily Dad offered to fill in for me. He's only mixed up a few of the details.  He's doing a great job so far and I really appreciate it. 
We are currently in Mbita.  We left Kisumu this morning in our giant trucks.  These things are obnoxiously large and I don't understand how our drivers manage.  John and Anthony are very talented!  We were camped at an impala sanctuary which was sweet because there were impala wandering through our camp regularily.  There are also wild roaming zebras, who may have almost trampled us while we were out walking.  All's good though and we got some good pictures.  We spent the first day in the village of Sauri and the second day in the city of Kisumu, Kenya's third largest city and home to the Millennium Cities Initiative (as Dad mentioned). I won't say more because I don't have a lot of time, but you can totally google it.  We also got some shopping done too and were only slightly delayed by a mild protest.  Don't worry, it was nothing serious.  Some of the boda boda operators were protesting something but it lasted less than an hour.  Just goes to show you how flexible you need to be while travelling in Africa. 
We've had a great time camping and the crew that travel with us make absolutely fantastic meals.  We eat them as the sun is setting around a campfire.  The group is also really big into singing and the evening always quickly degenerates into song. 
We left Kisumu this morning and headed for a ferry port about 2 hours away.  We all crammed into this tiny ferry and travelled across the bay to Mbita.  I have no clue how we fit our huge honking trucks on but needless to say the others waiting to load vehicles were not too impressed with the muzungoos.  It was an uncomfortable 45min ride crammed into this ferry but I met a guy with a field hockey stick who had just bought it for his son.  When we got off the ferry he showed it to me and I showed the kid a few moves seeing as he was just starting out.  We walked from the ferry to the research center where we are staying.  It is another locale right on the water and it is beautiful.  We had the afternoon off which entailed a very rigorous napping regime followed by a light run.  The most satisfying part of the day had to be the shower though.  None of us had showered in several days and it was beginning to wear on us.  We can't complain though because apparantly it is going to be much worse in the Mara. Mel and Mon (staff members) insist that we don't know what dirty is yet.  Be that what it may, Jess, Katie, Georgia and I decided to throw our pants in the tub today to wash them (one pair of pants each) and the water quickly turned to mud.  It took multiple washes and rinses and I think they are still dirty. 
Tomorrow we are starting our Health Module and we start Session II courses later this weekend.  I was happy to finish my first Session exams but I was sad to leave our professors.  Lea was a fantastic prof and I learned so much from her which is crazy to think about because we only had two weeks for the course.  Despite the short time frame, it is amazing how much we learn.  This is how all learning should be.  The only time I am not learning is when I am sleeping.  It's a wonder how we're not all ridiculously stressed out.  I'm sure that day will come but in the mean time I am enjoying myself.  I will hopefully be able to make one more post before the Mara (where we definitely won't have internet) but the computers are valuable comoditites, especially considering the deadlines on some of our research projects.  I actually skipped out while everyone else is partying right now to write this.  I'm going to rejoin them now. 
Thanks for reading my posts.  I am sorry I can't update it too often but Dad will continue to fill you in when I cannot.  I also apologize for any spelling errors as I do not have time to proof read.  I am sure you won't judge me too harshly. 
Take care!