Its Tuesday I haven't been on line for a really long time. Sorry. We are in Mombasa now. We've been here for a few days. I really like it here. Its fast pace but like Hawai'i like with the palm trees and the beach's. I swam in the Indian Ocean. It was warm and has whiter, thinner sand than the beach's in Hawai'i. It was extremely shallow and was for a long way out. Women go in either a swimsuit, under garments, or in clothes. The men, either in swim trunks or underwear. And then theres the few who are in speedos and really don't need to be(yeah that was a joke). On the first day we went, we went with Steve, the photographer, three Kenyan kids hes friends with, the two Ugandan boys, Wasswa and Paddy, and all the girls in our group but Bailey. Because we were with like five black guys, none of us girls were really bothered. The second time we went, it was just all the girls but Juli, Gideon, one of the Kenyan kids Steve is friends with. Gideon, the only Kenyan, went on a walk up the beach with Kelsey and Aria, so the rest of us were left alone. All these men were trying to talk to us and get our attention. It was funny and extremely creepy.
Steve the photographer is very nice, very helpful and knowledgeable. The Ugandans he brought is so kind, funny, and incredibly smart. Paddy is going to a very good university in Uganda. It is supposed to be one of the best. Waswa is sixteen and is in form two I think which is sophomore year for us in America. They are both a part of Steve's foundation where orphans in Uganda are given a home, a mom, and free education. Dream Home I think its called. I think it is amazing what Steve does. Steve was telling a few of us the other day that they rarely have problems with the kids acting up in school or getting in fights. Nobody messes with them because they all watch out for each other. The older kids watch out for the younger kids. Everyone knows if you start something with one student from Dream Home, you start something with all the kids at Dream Home. How he runs the house so its like that, blows my mind.
We had to change hotels, if you could even call the ACK a hotel. It was more like a hostel. Bailey and I somehow ended up with a quad. The floor was concrete. Anyone could have broken in, the windows glass was already broken and no longer there. The bed had a sheet and just a sheet. Oh yeah and a misquito net that had so many holes, that it didn't even make a difference. I was eaten alive. And I'm sure the killer, gigantic ants got me too. The bathroom had to be the best part. There was no handle to get out, so you pound on the door thinking you are locked in. The other person has to push the door in. Still concrete floor, a shower tub, where the fosset didn't work. Above the tub was a spout thing. It was extremely necessary I took I shower, I turned on the spout, and a drizzle came out. And of course, it was cold. Luckily they had a pool...with no chlorine. Nah, but the pool was definitely the best part. The sad part was that it looked so cute from the outside.
The hotel we moved to, Castle Royal Hotel, was beautiful. Full equip with a TV, a fan, air conditioning (which we hadn't seen in quite awhile), a good size bathroom, a nice working toilet, and connecting door for Isabelle Juli Bailey and me. It was in a good place in town. Casablanca was right down the street, although we never got to go. Casablanca was known for its many prostitutes, I really wanted to see it. I heard it was a club too. But whatevs, I saw my fair share of prostitutes.
If I had never been to Kenya and I saw prostitutes I would just think they are easy girls with nothing better to do, but after my experience in Africa, I realize, they honestly don't have anything else they can do. And in Kenya, you got to go what you got to do to make money. Of course prostitutes are looked down upon but at least they are doing something about not having money.
Speaking of club, Robin let us go to one with the Kwacha Afrika group. We all had so much fun, you were supposed to be 18, so Evans, the Kwacha Afrika group leader, told the bouncer that we were dumb Americans and didn't know to bring out ID. They played Mzungu(white people music) at the beginning but then started to play like Swahili Kenyan hip hop music, which I like so I didn't mind. This one song they played was like a remix of a gospel song. And don't get me wrong, I like gospel music but I dont like to go to clubs and dance to gospel music, but it was all G.
In Mombasa, with the Kwacha JUMPers we went to a few out reachs. I think they may be one of my favorite things we did on the trip. We went to a village and they blared hip music and everyone started coming out. We all danced, then they had a dance contest for the little kids. It was amazing, the little girls were doing like Tahitian but wayyy better. And the boys, they were just thrusting their pelvic. It was so funny. They performed in Swahili so we didn't understand but it was still amazing. The effect they had was so obvious. They had the whole community join in.
Mombasa was one of my favorite places for sure.

We've been in Nairobi for four days I think? Anyways, its not as scary as we were told it would be. Although we rarely go out during the day since we are in Kibera, the slum we are working it. The JUMPers we are working with are great, the are a lot different then the other group. I think its better this way. I am in the digital story group, our team has already flimed and edited our first digital story. Its going great. I am very happy to be hear and very greatful to God for steering me to the trip.
I have completely run outta clothes. Mom, I have to tell you, I did not pack enough. I never ever thoughtI would ever say that in my entire life.
Narobi and Kibera are fast pace anf theres always a million things going on. The kids are adorable. The street kids are heartbreaking.They sniff glue, so they can forget the are hungry. When we see a group of them we bring them food, instead of money so we know the are getting food and not any other drugs. Its very sad.
I miss my family and friends and its amazing the support i am getting. Thank you sooo much

By request from my psychotic mother (I love you mommy) here is another blog. I love Kenya well Nakuru atleast. I haven't seen all of Kenya. I am very excited to see the rest of it. We leave today for Lake Navasha(sp?) then to nairobi tomorrow night. We dont get much time on the computer, if anytime at all so I end up spending most of my time emailing family. I miss Kauai but love it here. On friday night I ate dinner at a member of JUMP nakuru house, James. His father is a pastor, his mother was the sweetest lady, his sister was very nice and his youngest sister was soooo adorable. she was very shy and could speak much english. Aria was with me. It was very homey there. I enjoyed myself alot. The JUMP Nakuru are some of the nicest people I have ever met in such a large group. They all are caring, proud, hopeful, friendly and everything else with a cherry on top. We had our last dinner last night with them. It was sad but at the same time great. It made us think about what we had accomplished, learned, gained and gave. I know I gained a lot more then I gave. I know God planned it that way. I know now more than ever, God is watching out for me. We went to Church yesterday, it was different. I really liked it though. Beautiful voices. We also interviewed two women living with AIDs. One was in here 40s I think and the other was a teen. I went to interview the older woman. When you walked in you would have never been able to tell how young she was. She was so skinny and weak and fraile. Yet she had a story to tell. She didnt speak english so she got interviewed in Swahili. I didnt have to understand the language to understand the interview. it had that much impact. I am excited to go to a new place. untill next time. up, up and away! I love you all. and I miss my friends and family. cant wait tocome home
love always
Carly Summer

We got on the airplane on the 30th of June, totally not expecting the plane rides to be hell on earth. We stayed in a ghetto hotel in California, pretty sweet. In cali, Juli, Erik, Andrew, Alec, and I went to a mall, while everyone else was sleeping. The boys made us rush through the mall, but its all G, I got a new big purse which is what I wanted.
We are currently in Nakuru, Kenya. The airport was in Nairobi so we had to drive on these terrible bumpy roads but it was sooo beautiful. Stan and Dennis. our Nakurr JUMP leaders, are wonderful. they are so incredibly nice. Yesterday, we went to a slummer area, where we saw te Nakuru Players perform, their AIDs awareness skits, it was very neat. There were all these little kids. We started to take pictures and they loved it. They wouuld all get really close so it was hard to take pictures but it was somuch fun. After we took the picture, we would show it to them, they just adored seeing themselves. We got them to stick their tongues out, and shaka, it was so incredbily adorable. They were all so sweet. There was little kids carrying littler kids (brothers, sisters) on their backs. I cannot explain the feeling of happiness i got from that. Later, we went and saw our Nakuru JUMP group/. They are all so nice, so open, carring, and sooo smart. They know what they want and they got after it. They care about Kenya somuch. They all have so much hope even though things arent the best.
We are staying in the Pivot Hotels, its uhh... okay. Nah its better than i expected and pretty safe. I dont feel unsafe here in Nakuru. Everyone stares at us though, so we just smile and wave. Everyone here is so nice. Mzgu is the word for white person, its like ha'ole, not derrogitory at all. I love it here. I am have one of the best experience of my life, it is amazing.


Pictures to come. flash thingy isnt working fast enough and we only have one.

Well it took me like fifteen minutes to figure out how to actually post blog, but I figured it out all on my own. We leave for Kenya in FOUR days. That is so incredibly soon. I am excited to visit a new foriegn country I have never been to. This will be my first time in Africa. I love to travel, I dont really mind airplane rides. Although this time I might. Three days of traveling is more than I might be able to handle. A shopping day in LA will make up for it. I went to Walmart today and got all of my needs for Kenya. (I stocked up with Kenya for the plane rides, of course.) Buy all of this made me anxious and curious. I read the Kenya LonelyPlanet Guidebook. I really enjoyed it. Kenya sounds beautiful and exotic. I have been traveling outside of the States since I turned one, (I recently found out, I was potty trained in Portugal) so I've been blessed to growing up trying knew things. Guaranteed, on this trip, I will try a lot of weird things. I am estatic to meet the teens and advisors from Kenya. They all seem very neat. Its cool that although we live thousands of miles apart, yet we seem to enjoy the same simple things like music and dancing. I am interested in hearing their stories, about their lifes, memories, families, friends, school and anything else.

According to the UN AIDs factsheet, Sub-Saharan Africans are about ten percent of the worlds populations; yet they are sixty-four percent of all people living with HIV. Obviously this is a problem and I am honored and proud to say I am making an effort to change these statistics. I know that I personally, nor JUMP could single-handly (if that even makes since) change the world. I know it will take time and a lot of effort from a large variety of people.

I am nervous about going because I feel like we don't actually have it completely planned, I'm not sure how safe the places we are staying, and I haven't been trained much with all the equiment we are using and bringing. I have been praying that everything will turn out okay. My pastor is coming over tomorrow to pray with me and my family. Well this has been a long blog. God bless and PEACE.