Boogie Nights

Tomorrow is TICH's Sixth graduation ceremony. It will be held here in the courtyard of TICH's student hostel/medical clinic. Tents are erected, food is brought in and, tonight, the famous Ahanglo band from the Sunset Hotel, who play every Friday night to huge crowds, is hired for 8,000 shillings ($100 USD) to play for us. Our dance floor is the grassy area between tents. The band sets up under one tent while we congregate under the facing tent. Food is set out and we eat, TICH staff along with our international guests. We drink warm soft drinks and warm beer with our stewed beef and ugali.

After 8pm, the band starts playing traditional Luo music and folks waddle and stamp their way onto the grass dance floor. Men with men, women with women, men with women. In Luoland, anything goes! We dance and dance until nearly Mid-night, bonding as folks from Canada, France, South Africa, Kenya, the Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania and the US attempt to mimic the smooth dancing style of our Luo teachers. George and Linet really show off the Ahanglo style, as do Elizabeth the Librarian and Paul our gate guard. The Reverend's back has been bothering him lately, but Dina and I coax him out onto the grass for one short dance. Dan, the director, sits with Sister Masheti until I take him by the hand and we stomp out onto the grass, cheers and shouts coming from the people who work with Dan and respect him and are celebrating his appearance on the dance floor.

We bond as we dance. I feel great affection for my co-workers and our guests who are part of the TICH family. Affection and admiration. We dance in the grass and laugh at each other until it's time to go home, to prepare for tomorrow's graduation. Walter offers a ride home and I accept, gratefully. Goodnight, Sweethearts, well, it's time to go. I hate to leave ya' but I really must say, Goodnight, Sweethearts, Goodnight.