One month later
This next letter is dated 10/9/89. We had been in Nairobi almost a month. After leaving the Hotel Boulevard, we spent a couple of nights at a Country Club and then moved to the YMCA until our apartment was finally finished. One thing I find really funny is that I mention our "favorite Italian restaurant." I'm not sure there were many Italian restaurants in Nairobi back then. I realize now that my letters were a combination of letting my parents know how we were getting on, helping them to see our lives as somewhat "normal" and protecting them from knowing too much so they wouldn't worry.
Dear Mom and Dad,
Hi! How are you? How is grandma and grandpa? Everyone else? I've been thinking about everyone so much and praying for you all. I wish I could be with you.
Tom and I are getting settled into our new home. We went shopping last Monday and bought 4 chairs, a table and 2 strong baskets with lids for end tables by our bed. I'm really liking this bartering! Jospat is my dealer - he always says the price is ..., but you are my customer, I'll give you a good deal. And we go from there. I got lace for curtains and some other material for a curtain for the door and cushions for the chairs. The chairs are woven. We decided to get them now and use them outside later.
We went to our favorite Italian restaurant tonight. It was a beautiful night - we sat outside. It was fun! We spent the day together, but were pretty lazy. Oh well. We're having a great time and getting adjusted very well, I think. I think I expected to have a harder time since I've never really been outside the U.S. much. So far I'm not comparing much - things are just different to me [Thanks to Leslie teaching me how to cross the street, right?]. I do miss catsup, however. I found a store today that had Heinz and I'm going to get some. The restaurants use tomato sauce and chili sauce. Some even have like a sweet and sour sauce. The fries are great, but I miss the catsup.
I went to a fashion show last Wednesday. All the "women of leisure" love to go to these things. It was at one of the hotels. For 185 shillings (less than $10 U.S.) you get a buffet lunch (excellent) and the show. It was fun. The shop who sponsored it has a mixture of Indian and Western clothes. And one of the models was about my size, so I was excited I could wear the clothes. Some of them were very pretty. Others were pretty far out. I met a girl there who lives by the Karen Blixen Museum. Karen Blixen is the woman from "Out of Africa." She's pretty famous here. I can't wait to go out there. Ruth said all the homes in the area have about 5 acres and big gardens.
Tom has an interview with a company on Wednesday and last week visited several hospitals. He has to contact Nairobi hospital on Friday. They would love to hire him. They're starting a program just now using information he learned in Philly working at the VA Hospital. Companies pay more and give greater benefits so we're just shopping around right now. Things look promising though. Well, listen, I'm out of room. We love you guys very much. Please kiss Kyle and give everyone my love. We'll write soon again. Please write! We love you -
Tom and Lori
Dear Mom and Dad,
Hi! How are you? How is grandma and grandpa? Everyone else? I've been thinking about everyone so much and praying for you all. I wish I could be with you.
Tom and I are getting settled into our new home. We went shopping last Monday and bought 4 chairs, a table and 2 strong baskets with lids for end tables by our bed. I'm really liking this bartering! Jospat is my dealer - he always says the price is ..., but you are my customer, I'll give you a good deal. And we go from there. I got lace for curtains and some other material for a curtain for the door and cushions for the chairs. The chairs are woven. We decided to get them now and use them outside later.
We went to our favorite Italian restaurant tonight. It was a beautiful night - we sat outside. It was fun! We spent the day together, but were pretty lazy. Oh well. We're having a great time and getting adjusted very well, I think. I think I expected to have a harder time since I've never really been outside the U.S. much. So far I'm not comparing much - things are just different to me [Thanks to Leslie teaching me how to cross the street, right?]. I do miss catsup, however. I found a store today that had Heinz and I'm going to get some. The restaurants use tomato sauce and chili sauce. Some even have like a sweet and sour sauce. The fries are great, but I miss the catsup.
I went to a fashion show last Wednesday. All the "women of leisure" love to go to these things. It was at one of the hotels. For 185 shillings (less than $10 U.S.) you get a buffet lunch (excellent) and the show. It was fun. The shop who sponsored it has a mixture of Indian and Western clothes. And one of the models was about my size, so I was excited I could wear the clothes. Some of them were very pretty. Others were pretty far out. I met a girl there who lives by the Karen Blixen Museum. Karen Blixen is the woman from "Out of Africa." She's pretty famous here. I can't wait to go out there. Ruth said all the homes in the area have about 5 acres and big gardens.
Tom has an interview with a company on Wednesday and last week visited several hospitals. He has to contact Nairobi hospital on Friday. They would love to hire him. They're starting a program just now using information he learned in Philly working at the VA Hospital. Companies pay more and give greater benefits so we're just shopping around right now. Things look promising though. Well, listen, I'm out of room. We love you guys very much. Please kiss Kyle and give everyone my love. We'll write soon again. Please write! We love you -
Tom and Lori