Americanism

I thought maybe by coming to Kenya I would lose some of my American ways. This was an assumption yet to be proven correct.

This week has been very busy, and I hold myself responsible. My inability to say "no" has led me into accepting way too many invitations. As I've mentioned before, Kenyan hospitality goes unsurpassed and many friends are inviting my to all types of places: youth events, safaris, remote villages, climb mountains, Maasai weddings, the coast... and going anywhere in Kenya takes between an hour and a day, depending on the roads (road quality & car quantity).

Yesterday I saw all my time thrown away with doing laundry, grocery shopping, finalizing arrangements for my parents' visit, Christmas shopping, going to a youth event, delivering a fridge and stove, finishing some work... somehow I managed to find time to talk to Emily briefly, yet only to forget that today was her birthday! It's nice dating a forgiving girlfriend, yet we all have our limits. All these things mounted up to a stress-level I hadn't felt since doing three 15+ papers in one week at Davidson! And I thought I'd left my hectic American lifestyle back where I came from...

My friend Bethuel, on our way to a youth event, asked me about the 'typical' American lifestyle. After I gave him a vary vague and generalized response, he listed to me his plans for the coming year: completing his house, finishing his PhD, getting a new and bigger car, traveling to at least one country a year... it's nice to think big, yet don't we just want something bigger than we already have?

As I mentioned, yesterday I received a huge fridge and an electric stove (with oven!). A friend was upgrading and gave me her old stuff. While much appreciative, I can't help but wonder if I'll ever be satisfied. With a fridge I could fit in and a cooking machine that doesn't need a match, I'm back to feeling like an American again. Must I always need something more in my life, be it another activity or larger appliance?

Apparently the same dog does the same tricks, regardless of local. So back I go, re-enrolling in GTS: God's Training School. "Where Miracles Are Ordinary"