Happy late 4^th of July everyone! Hope you had some fun celebrating – I asked about fireworks here, but I guess those are illegal in Kenya. I celebrated by going to Kisui Beach, one of the villages around here, and doing interviews. Ummm, not really, but I enjoyed the interviews – they went really well. I learned some interesting things from the women, especially about practices that take place during a home birth. For example, when the baby is born, it is laid on the floor until the placenta is delivered and the umbilical cord is cut – they believe the baby should not be touched until that takes place. I asked if the baby got cold – they thought I was joking. When I asked why the baby had to stay on the floor, they couldn’t really answer. “Just tradition”. They also always wash the baby right away, instead of just quick wiping them down and wrapping them – one even said they use cold water! Yikes.

So far, many of the women I’ve spoken too know the ways that it is safest to deliver a baby, but lack many of the means to do so. The women who have made it to the hospital and have been able to pay are those who have their own business and don’t depend on their husband for money. I’ve only spoken to three men – two of the three said it was their decision as to where the baby was born, but all three said the best place was the hospital. However, they, too, agree that that doesn’t always happen because it is too far or it is too expensive. Not really sure what the solution is there, but all of them stated they wanted to learn more about the care that their wives need during pregnancy and birth, which I thought was interesting.

Today I did my second round of interviews in Lambwe Beach. There were fewer women, so we were done by 1:30. Which was actually fine – it is sooooo hot in the middle of the day, I am completely wiped out by then! I’ve been able to talk to almost 15 women so far, so am well on my way. I have this feeling that the stories might change a little as we get farther and farther from Mbita town (both Kisui and Lambwe are relatively close). Anyway, on our way back from Lambwe Beach, we passed a group of girls on their way home for lunch. We had just passed when one of them ran back and just lightly brushed my arm. So funny! They definitely had a bet going as to who would be the one to touch my skin – I went back and said hello to all of them and they just laughed and laughed! Yesterday, the same thing happened to me. I was standing there, talking to Mary Okelo, the community health worker at Kisui Beach, when I feel this little hand rubbing my leg. I look down and there is this little girl just looking at me inquisitively, rubbing my calf – basically saying “What are you, really?” :o) It has actually gone fairly smoothly setting up all the interviews. Some women are definitely more willing to talk than others, but as long as I get a good chunk of really good interviews, I’m set.

So, the bummer thing that happened was I “lost” my phone on the boat ride over from Kisumu on Sunday. We had missed the ferry and so got into one of the motorboats that will take people across for hire. I had had my phone in my hand and slipped it into my pocket when I jumped on the boat. When I checked my pocket after we got off (I didn’t check until we had almost walked all the way home), it was gone! Soti tried calling it, but it was off, which means someone had a lucky day and got a new phone. Oh well – I had to get another one – sometimes that is just life! And I am seriously getting eaten alive – I will put up a picture of my bites, but today I counted 42 (and they are all on my legs below the knee)! Repellent is doing nothing – I am going to get some mosquito repellent soap and see if that does anything. They actually don’t itch too bad, my legs just look UGLY, like I have chicken pox.

Hope you all are well!

....okay, so I wrote this earlier and my internet was being ridiculous, so I am just posting it now and I HAVE to tell you this story. So, every night, there is a lot of lightening and thunder, but no rain. It is soooo dry. The past few nights, there have been these bugs, kind've like big gnats, congregating in clouds all over the place. Supposedly that means it is going to rain. Anyway, tonight, I needed to go to the ATM to get cash and so I walked up to the bank and thought the windows were black. But as I got closer, they were BUGS! Thousands and thousands of them - I mean, you should have heard the racket they were making. And I walked in (all the ATM's are in these little rooms) and it was so much worse. bugs, bugs and more bugs, crawling in my ears, going up my nose - it makes me shiver even now just thinking about it. Seriously, I think it could have been on fear factor or something. I put up my hood on my sweatshirt, held one hand in front of my face, held my breath, got my cash and took off. Blecchhh. Soti says he forgets that's even something to be grossed out by, it's so normal. Really?