Blood Runs Thicker Than Water

When I was younger, and now that I think about it even to this day, my father would always talk about the smell after it rains. How fresh and clean it was and how much he loved it. For a while I didn't get what the big deal was. Every time it rained it just smelled moldy or damp. It wasn't an attractive smell. No matter where we were, Canada or the states. It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized he wasn't talking about the smell in North America. He was talking about the smell in Africa. And I can finally relate to the smell he was talking about. It rains almost every day here in Kisumu. Right before it rains, while it is raining and after it rains the whole town smells amazing. It's just like my dad described. Fresh, clean, sweet. That's the most interesting part. It smells sweet, almost sugary. In all my 18 humble years of life, I've never smelled rain this good before. Actually, whole time that I've been in Africa, I am constantly reminded of the stories my dad told me growing up about life in Africa. I feel a stronger connection to my family and where I come from. Uncle Amin's sister Shamim is in town with her husband Navez and we had a really good conversation today about how different families are now. On my Dad's side of the family (at least) when they were in Africa and even when they left for Canada, they were all close. Everything that happened, happened as one big family. Not just immediate family but all the uncles, aunts and cousins. My father and all his cousins are still super close even though they live miles apart. And only because of strong family ties was I able to come here and stay with Uncle Amin and Aunt Munira even though they had never met me before and they hadn't seen my dad in over 20 years. Most families now days don't even talk to each other. I know people who never see their parents or siblings and if they are in the house at the same time, they are all in their own rooms. No one in my family operates like that. And coming here has taught me how important family really is. I had lunch with Massi, Massa, Shamim and Navez. It was nice to just be together. It was also a big deal. 3 generations of the family together from different ends of the world. Shamim and Navez live in England, Massi and Massa in Kenya and myself in America. 

We were together today because of those strong family ties.