PICTURES I WOULD HAVE INSTAGRAMED...

1.     So, I’ve mentioned many times before about the creek that divides Takaungu and Kilifi. Well, I love this creek. It is a beautiful blue color…the pictures don’t do it justice! In this picture you can see the stairs that lead straight to the water. I take the stairs down to the water, and this is where I like to sit and take in the sun and watch the boats go by filled with people making their way to and from Kilifi or the fisherman looking for fish to catch and then sell. Isn’t it BEAUTIFUL?! This is a short 5-minute walk from my house and has become my go-to place for a quick getaway!

 2.     Here is one of the EAC workers, named Joy, who is leading the Stay Alive Program at Takaungu Primary School on the topic of early marriages and early pregnancies. The kids are adorable and really look forward to this program that occurs once a week! Joy actually has 3 children already and is pregnant and due in September with her 4^th! CRAZY lady! She is super nice and helpful and would translate everything the children said in Swahili back into English for me…therefore, my laughs were always delayed. I really need to pick up Swahili faster!

3.     On my walk to the shop with Do (well, Do is her nickname and I don’t know yet how to spell her full name) it started to rain! So, we hid. While hiding, we ran into her cousin haha! When the rain finally let up, then we went to buy our flour and onions and tomatoes. We typically go to the shop several times a day based on what is needed. They do not stock up on goods and food, instead they go and buy what they need for each meal and each day. Good way not to waste food, right??

4.     Here is a local bar! The guy out front is writing the times on the chalkboard of the Fifa World Cup games that will be televised there. As a girl, I will not be going into this establishment because it is not seen as a proper place for a lady. Psh! Also—the alcohol they serve there is called Palm Wine and is collected from the palm trees/coconut trees. I do want to try this Palm Wine at some point, but I will have to venture to a larger town to try it so that I’m not seen trying it in the small village of Takaungu where I am told I should not drink alcohol.

5.     These are taken on my walk from the shop back to the house I am living at! Stray cats and goats and cows and chickens are very normal sightings. There is Fautma (the oldest daughter of the house I’m staying at) as we walk back from the shop! As you can see, some of the houses in Takaungu are made of stone, while others (as seen in my previous post) are made of clay and stones. The materials your house is made of depend on a family’s wealth and culture.