Just waiting...

Today started off bittersweet. I had a call from a very dear friend by phone from Canada who is always very encouraging. Even though she prepared me for some disturbing news about an e-mail, I was still comforted by her voice and her spirit.

I heard from my MP by e-mail who has contacted the High Commissioner. I guess the High Commissioner e-mailed the Federal Minister a summary of our conversation. Along with that was an attached e-mail from our agency representative the day I left for Rwanda warning the High Commissioner of my arrival and placing me in a negative light. Bottom line, the MP said I missed an important part of the sponsorship process which makes things rushed on their end. Once Dominic was identified I should have sent my application with his information on it, to Mississauga first which is then forwarded to Nairobi to at least open a file on him. I told her that I was not aware of this. My agency sent the application to my lawyer in Rwanda. Bottom line…my MP said they will do what they can and will notify me the minute they hear anything. I am supposed to hear from the High commissioner Wed. or Thurs, if not she said I could call the extension she gave me. I pray I hear some positive news from her tomorrow.

So today was just hanging out at the Hotel waiting and praying, praying and waiting. Dominic and I also went out for a walk downtown. It was a couple of kilometers but it was a breeze compared to those hills in Kigali!!! Nairobi is much more developed than Kigali with many high rise buildings, banks and a lot of political representatives from all over the world. The cars don’t honk at everyone as they do in Kigali but the congestion is incredible. Rush hour is every hour as far as I’m concerned. Walking downtown is similar to walking downtown Toronto. We, or should I say I, still stick out but not so much b/c I’m white but more b/c of the colour of child I’m carrying. Still, people don’t walk up to me to stop and stare like they did in Kigali. They speak Swahili here but to my benefit, a majority speak English as well. “Jambo” means hello.

The temperature has been perfect since I’ve been here. Sorry…I’m not trying to rub it in, honest! It has been very hot but not humid like it gets back home and in the evening it cools down. I am amazed what people wear here, in Kenya and Rwanda. In 26-30 degree weather it is common to see most people with long sleeve dress shirts and most times suits with jacket and pants/skirt (both men and women). I also see a lot of people with either knitted vests or an actual sweater over top of there shirt. Last night Dominic and I were walking around the pool, we were wearing t-shirts and it was a very comfortable temperature (about 20 degrees). A lady walked up to me and asked if my baby was cold??? She’d never survive in Canada.

Besides that, not too much else exciting. Dominic and I are definitely getting more comfortable with each other. I can get him to laugh pretty easy now. He’s on a bit of a schedule now. A power nap (usually in my sling) in the morning and a longer one in the afternoon. Although, I do have a little bit of training to do…like the difference between a kiss and a bite…that won’t go over well in Sunday school!