An Overview of Our Time in Shirazi

Shirazi is a small rural village of 400 people located a 90 minute drive south of Mombasa.

The whole community came to meet us as we got off of the bus.. Our Shirazi families walked us to our new homes with either our luggage or a gallon of drinking water balanced on their heads. (Jamal, one of our academic directors is in the blue shirt.).

 

We walked to our new homes, thinking it would be impossible to differentiate between the different dirt paths and mud houses on our way to and from school the next day.

Many men in Shirazi were either farmers or they were fishermen because for some the Indian Ocean is only a 2 minute walk from their house.

We bought mumus, kangas, and kikois to fit in better with the community.

Hii ni picha ya darasa ya kiswahili.

Everyone welcomed us into life in Shirazi. The kids especially loved us - breaking up their repetitive days where they rarely see foreigners.

All of the girls got were taken by their families to get their hands and feet painted with henna. But, usually the people on the coast of Kenya wait until their wedding day to apply henna for the first time.

As foreigners and newcomers to the cultures of the Swahili people, we were encouraged to attend events such as funerals, community prayers, and weddings [pictured above].

A lot of our mothers wouldn't let us dress ourselves. We wore a lot of prom dresses.

On a boat from Fundi Island. Someone said the most expensive resort in Kenya is on Fundi Island.. but, I might be remembering wrong.