Bathing when I am in a new place has always been “an experience.”  In France, I did not fit in the shower because it was too short, in the States when traveling I have not been able to figure out how to even turn the shower on (Giffords). Thus, it is no surprise that Kenya has also given me “an experience.”  I moved into AEE 4 weeks ago and the shower heater was not working then. Cosmos was just using a basin that he would heat water in every morning.  I inquired if the shower was supposed to be heated and they said yes so the electrician came out and fixed it.  This led to me waking up every morning to hear Cosmos in the shower (we don’t have ceilings) saying “oh, it’s so hot!” (in a very high pitch Kenyan voice) and other high pitch remarks.  The first time this occurred I was excited to get in the shower and try out the new hotness, but when I got in, it was the same cold water.  The next few mornings I heard Cosmos saying the same remarks and thought he was just joking.  I finally asked him what his definition of "hot water" was.  We have learned we are better at showing each other what we mean than trying to explain it.  So he showed me "the way."  The trick is that you can't turn the shower on too much, you can only turn it until the light above your head dims because the water heater is sucking the power.  Then you know the heater is working.  This lead to hot water and me saying in the shower in a deep voice, "oh, it's so hot!"

Shower problem number 2.
Every time you touch the knob at the end of the shower it electricutes you...for fun. I had thought of some clever ways to avoid this, but they weren't always fool proof.  So, once again I asked Cosmos, "uh...does the shower electricute you when you touch the knob?"  (Confused look, which I take as no)  Once again back to the shower for example of how a Kenyan showers.  Turns out, the trick is that when you are done showering you must reach out the door and turn off the water heater and light and then it is usually safe to touch the knob.  So, to recap.

1. Turn light and water heater on.
2. Turn water knob until the light above your head dims. Make sure you choose the right temp. or you're going to get electricuted when you touch the knob again.
3. Shower with exclamations of "oh, it's so hot!"
   
4. Turn off water heater and light.
5. Carefully turn off shower.

From Maasai