'Cause I'm Your Lady

Tonight was probably the most fun I’ve had since I’ve come to Africa. About 14 of us went out to eat at The Klique as we heard their vegetable pizza was supposed to be delicious. Unfortunately, when we arrived, they claimed the oven was broke. We didn’t quite believe it and think they told us this because they would make more if we each ordered an individual meal. Whatever, it’s the price you pay for being a muzungu. After a good meal and interesting conversation, we decided to head over to The Wagon Wheel. There was a local Luhya (a tribe in Kenya) band playing live music and the place was quite crowded. Upon arrival, we learned they are the most popular band in Eastern and Central Africa – or at least according to them. Anyways, the Kenyans were all out dancing, enjoying themselves to the beat of the drums and African rhythm and we thought, “what the heck, why not?” and joined them out on the floor. They LOVED us! There were so many people on the dance floor that we each had our own dance instructor and learned some of the common dance moves.

All was going well until Nick, an IU medical resident, found himself a lady who liked him a little too much. I’m so used to guys having to help bail me out from dancing with other creep-os and this was the first time I would get to bail a guy out as he was giving me the “come-dance-with-me-get-her-away-from-me eyes.” As I was working my way over to him and picking my path, I realized everyone was looking and pointing at me. Before I knew it, I had been picked up and carried onto stage with the band!! The lead singer took me by the hand, asked my name, introduced me to the crowd, and started to sing his next song. It was all in Kiswahili, so I’m not quite sure what it was about, but I suspect it was a song about a lady as everyone kept pointing at me during the refrain of the song and I heard my name mentioned once or twice. Long story short, I danced on stage holding hands with the lead singer for the entire song (which lasted about 15 minutes!). Eventually I got Alan to come up and dance with me so I wasn’t the only muzungu up there. We danced together and the last few minutes Ashley came up to join as well, but the majority of the time I was up there with all eyes on me! I had a few ladies in the front that kept telling me to move my hips more but I just wanted to holler, “I’M WHITE! I CAN”T MOVE THAT FAST!” So, I was a hit and I got many compliments on my dance moves from the Kenyans and Americans alike. Sonak was in the crowd and I could see him shaking his head as if he was saying, “what are my students doing?!”

Oh, great African memories….