Long overdue update

My apologies to all you blog readers. I have been a horrible blogger, but I hope you’ll bare with me. The past month and a half has been pretty tough. Those of you who know me, know I don’t come to that conclusion, or admit that easily. While I pride myself on being eternally positive, even I have a limit in how many body blows I can take.

Shortly after arriving I found an apartment. I had a plan to write a posting on the interesting way to find an apartment here, but I think I’ll have to save that for later. After being taken by an “agent” to maybe 15 places over about a week, I found a place in a great, safe neighborhood, part of a complex of 3 houses, with a nice big yard and garden. The place used to be a detached servant’s quarters, and had two bedrooms, two baths, and an outdoor wash area. After the first week I realized there were some plumbing issues so I began working with my landlord to address them. I spent two weeks straight, stuck at my house, waiting for random workmen to fix the kitchen sink, the water pressure and my shower. Nothing quite worked, and when I raised the problem one more time with my landlord he said the only way to fix it would require me to leave for 2-4 weeks, or just move out.

Two days later, I told him I would need to move out and he said that I had to move by the following day or he would withhold my security deposit of 2 month’s rent. When I arrived later that day with some folks to help me move, it turned bad. He basically forced me out then and there, trying to withhold money from my security deposit with false claims of lease terms and move in dates. I drove to my old office to grab a Kenyan friend for some support and my car stopped working right as I pulled into the parking lot. Someone else drove us back to my house where an hour of haggling and yelling resulted in me shoving everything I owned into two cars, a check being written for my security deposit, less $150, and me homeless. During the whole process, the guy even had the guts to bring someone else to the house to try to show it…while we were still arguing and my things were still there.

This all happened after someone tried to steal my purse and successfully stole my ipod in my car while I was in it, my car breaking (yea I bought one…a post on that later), some furniture I had made (and paid a deposit on) not being given to me, working full time, being a student full time, the government failing to finalize my immigration status…and then getting sick.

So I’ve decided this is all a result of one of 3 things. One, Kenya is allergic to me and wants me out. Two, I harmed many many people in a past life and karma is getting me back. Or three, this is one really really rough slate of bad luck. Maybe all I can conclude is thank goodness for friends.

Regardless, I am declaring an end to crappiness. I got pretty sick a few days ago, which prevented me from going on a rotary site visit to one of the Thika club’s projects. As disappointed as I am to have to cancel, I suppose this is my body’s way of saying slow it down. I’m trying to get myself better, complete my midterms and start fresh.

I promise my coming posts will not be so depressing, but I had to write about something! Things to look forward to...posts on a trip to Djibouti, posts on some work I’m doing, posts on work with Rotary…and let’s cross our fingers for a post on me finding a place to live ASAP!