Sunday, April 28, 2013
Kakapel Hike
Moving Once Again
28/04/13
The Elewana camp is all finished. To be completely honest, I'm really sad about leaving Amagoro. I had a blast working with those students. Not to mention, I met a ton of great people along the way. I can't believe it's already been 3 weeks since I left Nairobi. We facilitators have promised to keep touch and meet up when we all happen to be in Nairobi.
On the second to last night of camp we engaged the students in a debate. The topic of discussion was: women should NOT be leaders in society. Think about that for a second. This is not western culture we're talking about. Kenya, slowly but surely, is moving toward western thinking in that they are starting to consider men and women to be equals. I'm not saying there is any RIGHT way for a culture to think. I by no means am saying that Kenyans are wrong simply because they are different, but as one of the boys put it, If we want to become a developed Nation, we have to look at the already developed Nations and see what they are doing to be the way they are. Kenya can't move forward unless it reevaluates a bit. Gender equality is a start. The debate was fascinating, infuriating and at the same time uplifting. Both sides proved methodical and informed points. Though the supporters (those who believed women should not have leadership positions) were heavily outnumbered, the four of them stood their ground. There were times when my own biases got in the way and I had the urge to throw my hands up in the air and stomp out of the room in anger, but I heard them out. At the same time, the opposing side made me want to stand up and applaud. The public speaking training we did over the camp must have payed off, but we can't take all the credit. There were a few boys have really mastered the art of persuasive speaking. There are two parts to persuasive speaking. One: content. Two: delivery. Okay I lied, Three: knowing ones audience. We had one boy on the opposing side who put his thoughts directly into the perfect words. They had so much confidence in themselves. Another kid took it upon himself to keep everyone on topic. Once people started getting up in arms about a woman spending too much time on her hair and makeup, he simply stood up and reminded us that we are talking about what makes a good leader. I was so impressed with them all, even those with whom I didn't agree. The best part, in my opinion was the outcome. The audience had all decided on the opposing party, and those who were appointed supporters were all that remained. The supporters stayed true to their topics. I wonder if any of them had doubts. If they did I wouldn't have known from the way they stuck by their points.
The last day of camp was a little bitter-sweet. I had been the only Muzungu in Amagoro for about 3 days since the peace corps volunteers had to leave a few days early. That left me with the three Crazy Nairobians. Nairobiers? Nairobeites? Emphasis on the crazy.
We had the Vicar Isabella come to close the camp with a sermon to send us on our way. She brought with her a visiting pastor/lawyer. Interesting combo, huh? I think Kenyans have an interesting custom of making speches where ever they go no matter the company. I've noticed more and more that practically every social gathering consists of the head of the party, and most of the guests, standing up and making a speech about why everyone is gathered together or the things they are happy about. They are never shorted than 5 minutes each. Each of the remaining facilitators said a few words. All of the staff, and a few of the students chimed in as well. Kenya is full of tradition and custom. That is for sure.
Remember how I mentioned the Kenyan tradition of soaking people with dirty poopy dish water on his or her birthday? Well, I had forgotten all about it until about 3 seconds before I was ambushed with aforementioned sludge. The last thing I remember is seeing Nasi coming at me with a basin full of water and God knows what else. I think I still have some chapati flour residue in my hair. Happy birthday round two? Could there be a round three? Well, be patient and you'll find out!
But I digress. The camp ended and the four of us had the house to ourselves. We weren't sure what do do with all the free space and time, so we went for a walk. During this walk we bumped into a friend of the Elewana organization. He invited us to come visit a local gathering place. We didn't exactly know what we were getting into when we agreed, but I was a little sketched out upon arrival. It was a very clean place but it was most definitely a bar.
What at first appeared to be shady, turned out to be one of the friendliest places I've been in Kenya. Our friend wanted to introduce us to his entire family. Apparently, I was the first White girl to ever step foot into their restaurant. It was an honor for both parties. They were so excited to have me and did absolutely everything to make sure I was comfortable and happy. Each of his three brothers made a point to tell us how glad he was that we were a friend to Oscar, our host. Even their father came to greet us. At one point I let it slip that we had celebrated my birthday earlier that day. (even though my birthday was over 2 weeks ago) That really put them over the edge. The owner of the bar, who earlier had shaken my hand for a good 10 minutes, ordered a few people to run out and get candles. Ready for birthday celebration number 3? The candles were placed on the table(we melted the bottoms first so they would stand up on their own) then set ablaze. Happy Birthday to me. Again!
This morning I woke up super early to say goodbye to Nasi, Matt and Gil, The Nairobians. I took the better part of the morning to pack up and say goodbye to Amagoro. I didn't realize how much I actually would miss that place. I have a lot of fond memories and I can see myself coming back to visit and strengthening the relationships I made in the short time I was there. I'm once again settled in at the Open Arms Village just outside of Eldoret. This leg of my adventure will be a bit short, only a week and a half. Now that I'm running out of time, (only a month left! What!) I am trying everything and anything. It's time for me to get some shut eye. Who knows what tomorrow will have in store. :D
Monday, April 22, 2013
Climbing Mountains n' stuff
22/4/13
I've been writing this blog post over the course of a few days. Since the internet connection is sketch, I just keep adding to it when it doesn't upload.
Lately I've thinking about my return to school and I'm a little concerned at my mental capabilities. After being away from school for so long, will I be able to jump back in and learn like I did in high school? In some ways I hope I can jump back into my studies, but in a different way, I know I won't study like I did before. I'm not the same person all together that I was when I left. Whatever I do when I get home and go to school, it'll be done differently than before. At least a little bit. With that said, there is still a piece of me that is really paranoid that my brain will be so used to not studying and learning from life experience that it will refuse to learn from books. I guess there's really no way to know until I get there.
With all the destruction and chaos going on in the U.S. I don't think I want to come home. Okay that's not exactly true, but America seems like a scary place right now. It's a shame that when I hear news of what is going on back home, it's destruction and crime. Yes, that kind of stuff happens all the time in Kenya, but it's publicized so much more in America. It puts things out of perspective. It makes me sad that people have to hide from what is going on outside. It was the same with elections here. People were so afraid, and for good reason, to leave their houses because of so much violence. To some extent, I believe in staying safe, but if fear of the outside is going to keep a person from enjoying her life, then really, what is the point. Who can really justify invoking so much fear into other people, to make them afraid to leave their house? Not only do these acts of terrorism rob people of their friends and family, they rob people of living their lives. I encourage my friends, family, strangers and even myself to step out of our comfort zones. How the heck can a person manage the courage to step out of his comfort zone if he is going to get shot down the second he takes that first step? Take the Boston marathon for example, my amazing Auntie had the privilege, and ability (props to her) to run in the marathon last week. Had she known there was even the slightest possible threat of a bombing or had been one in the past, would she still have participated? Knowing her, she probably still would have competed, but I'm sure thousands of participants would have dropped out if they knew of a risk. Thank God she and my uncle and cousin were out of the way when destruction hit, but I can't imagine the horror for all those injured and families of the dead. I won't even pretend to know what their families are going through. Fear keeps people from stepping outside their comfort zones. Yes, stepping up and running the race knowing fully of the dangers is an example of moving away from the known in the unknown, but that is an extreme. For some people, simply running a marathon is stepping out of a comfort zone. It would be for me. But they don't need the extra risk of losing their lives on top of everything else. Things like this keep people, who might be inclined to live ordinary lives, from living extraordinary lives. I know I've rambled for a bit, so I'll get to my point now. What I'm trying to say is that if you aren't going out and trying something new every day, then how are you going to differentiate one day from the next? What keeps all those days from running together? That would be adventure and variety.
Yesterday I climbed a mountain. That is what separates yesterday from the day before that. I know, it's easy for me to say "do something new everyday" when I'm in a new and different place, but this is something I will bring home with me for sure. It doesn't have to be something bit. It can be as simple as brushing my teeth starting on the left side instead of the right side. Okay, a little bigger than that, but that's my point. Why not try something new? It's a little bit of effort, but the reward is worth it. I wish I had realized this sooner.
Going back to the whole mountain thing, it really did happen! There is a cool monument called the Kakapel Monument about a half hour drive away from the mission house. We took all the boys up there and let them loose. 28 of us climbed up a cliff covered in grass and little billy goats. The view from the top was breathtaking. It was a serious lion king moment. My pictures just don't do it justice. However, the pictures that Rae, one of the peace corps volunteer, took do a pretty good job of depicting the behavior of Kenyan teenagers. They are too funny with their strange model poses.
We were joined on friday by Tom and Elizabeth, a couple who lives in Kisumu. They are here from North America (Tom from the states, Elizabeth from Canada) to teach math at a university in Kisumu. They came to Amagoro to teach Math at our camp. Tom brought a ukulele and accompanied his lesson with a song about math. After a long day of Math we were all sitting down to a lovely dinner when we received an unexpected visitor. He swooped in to say hello. It wouldn't have been such a big issue if he wasn't a bat. That's right. A bat came to join us for dinner. Inside our house. I don't know how he got in in the first place, but no matter the reason, we all hid under the table until he got his fill of terrorizing us. After dinner, we had the boys in the house working on their life stories while the bat swooped around. They didn't even notice. I made frequent trips to my room to hide.
The next morning, Nasi, Gilbert, and Matt arrived from Nairobi. I'm happy to have them here. I really enjoy their company. They've started their lessons on creativity, careers and entrepreneurship, and innovation. It sounds like the boys are enjoying the lessons because, yesterday, while I was lying on my bed trying stay alive after that hike, I heard a lot of laughter and discussion coming from the workshop.
We went to church yesterday. I realized I haven't been to many church services since I've been here. The congregation in Amagoro is Anglican. I was prepared to spend 4+ hours in a boiling room, but the service was only a refreshing 3 hours long. Singing, dancing and shouting were plentiful throughout the morning. The Elewana students had prepared a song for the congregation, thanks to Mama Beatrice. We three attending volunteers were invited to get up and introduce ourselves too. We did NOT sing for the congregation.
The next item on our agenda is planning the talent show. Joy sneakily escaped by appointing herself a judge, but Rae and I have to prepare something to present. We've got something pretty good planned, if I don't say so myself. Apparently, our boys have got quite a few talents hidden up their sleeves. We've got a comedian, dancers, musicians etc. It will prove interesting to see where they go with the talent show. Our scavenger hunt went off with few problems, We're keeping our fingers crossed for the talent show panning out similarly.
Today, Joy and I have a lesson on healthy relationships today. I'm preparing to face my lesson this morning. I don't know why teaching intimidates me so much, but I'm just going to buck up and have fun. Here we goooo.
I've been writing this blog post over the course of a few days. Since the internet connection is sketch, I just keep adding to it when it doesn't upload.
Lately I've thinking about my return to school and I'm a little concerned at my mental capabilities. After being away from school for so long, will I be able to jump back in and learn like I did in high school? In some ways I hope I can jump back into my studies, but in a different way, I know I won't study like I did before. I'm not the same person all together that I was when I left. Whatever I do when I get home and go to school, it'll be done differently than before. At least a little bit. With that said, there is still a piece of me that is really paranoid that my brain will be so used to not studying and learning from life experience that it will refuse to learn from books. I guess there's really no way to know until I get there.
With all the destruction and chaos going on in the U.S. I don't think I want to come home. Okay that's not exactly true, but America seems like a scary place right now. It's a shame that when I hear news of what is going on back home, it's destruction and crime. Yes, that kind of stuff happens all the time in Kenya, but it's publicized so much more in America. It puts things out of perspective. It makes me sad that people have to hide from what is going on outside. It was the same with elections here. People were so afraid, and for good reason, to leave their houses because of so much violence. To some extent, I believe in staying safe, but if fear of the outside is going to keep a person from enjoying her life, then really, what is the point. Who can really justify invoking so much fear into other people, to make them afraid to leave their house? Not only do these acts of terrorism rob people of their friends and family, they rob people of living their lives. I encourage my friends, family, strangers and even myself to step out of our comfort zones. How the heck can a person manage the courage to step out of his comfort zone if he is going to get shot down the second he takes that first step? Take the Boston marathon for example, my amazing Auntie had the privilege, and ability (props to her) to run in the marathon last week. Had she known there was even the slightest possible threat of a bombing or had been one in the past, would she still have participated? Knowing her, she probably still would have competed, but I'm sure thousands of participants would have dropped out if they knew of a risk. Thank God she and my uncle and cousin were out of the way when destruction hit, but I can't imagine the horror for all those injured and families of the dead. I won't even pretend to know what their families are going through. Fear keeps people from stepping outside their comfort zones. Yes, stepping up and running the race knowing fully of the dangers is an example of moving away from the known in the unknown, but that is an extreme. For some people, simply running a marathon is stepping out of a comfort zone. It would be for me. But they don't need the extra risk of losing their lives on top of everything else. Things like this keep people, who might be inclined to live ordinary lives, from living extraordinary lives. I know I've rambled for a bit, so I'll get to my point now. What I'm trying to say is that if you aren't going out and trying something new every day, then how are you going to differentiate one day from the next? What keeps all those days from running together? That would be adventure and variety.
Yesterday I climbed a mountain. That is what separates yesterday from the day before that. I know, it's easy for me to say "do something new everyday" when I'm in a new and different place, but this is something I will bring home with me for sure. It doesn't have to be something bit. It can be as simple as brushing my teeth starting on the left side instead of the right side. Okay, a little bigger than that, but that's my point. Why not try something new? It's a little bit of effort, but the reward is worth it. I wish I had realized this sooner.
Going back to the whole mountain thing, it really did happen! There is a cool monument called the Kakapel Monument about a half hour drive away from the mission house. We took all the boys up there and let them loose. 28 of us climbed up a cliff covered in grass and little billy goats. The view from the top was breathtaking. It was a serious lion king moment. My pictures just don't do it justice. However, the pictures that Rae, one of the peace corps volunteer, took do a pretty good job of depicting the behavior of Kenyan teenagers. They are too funny with their strange model poses.
We were joined on friday by Tom and Elizabeth, a couple who lives in Kisumu. They are here from North America (Tom from the states, Elizabeth from Canada) to teach math at a university in Kisumu. They came to Amagoro to teach Math at our camp. Tom brought a ukulele and accompanied his lesson with a song about math. After a long day of Math we were all sitting down to a lovely dinner when we received an unexpected visitor. He swooped in to say hello. It wouldn't have been such a big issue if he wasn't a bat. That's right. A bat came to join us for dinner. Inside our house. I don't know how he got in in the first place, but no matter the reason, we all hid under the table until he got his fill of terrorizing us. After dinner, we had the boys in the house working on their life stories while the bat swooped around. They didn't even notice. I made frequent trips to my room to hide.
The next morning, Nasi, Gilbert, and Matt arrived from Nairobi. I'm happy to have them here. I really enjoy their company. They've started their lessons on creativity, careers and entrepreneurship, and innovation. It sounds like the boys are enjoying the lessons because, yesterday, while I was lying on my bed trying stay alive after that hike, I heard a lot of laughter and discussion coming from the workshop.
We went to church yesterday. I realized I haven't been to many church services since I've been here. The congregation in Amagoro is Anglican. I was prepared to spend 4+ hours in a boiling room, but the service was only a refreshing 3 hours long. Singing, dancing and shouting were plentiful throughout the morning. The Elewana students had prepared a song for the congregation, thanks to Mama Beatrice. We three attending volunteers were invited to get up and introduce ourselves too. We did NOT sing for the congregation.
The next item on our agenda is planning the talent show. Joy sneakily escaped by appointing herself a judge, but Rae and I have to prepare something to present. We've got something pretty good planned, if I don't say so myself. Apparently, our boys have got quite a few talents hidden up their sleeves. We've got a comedian, dancers, musicians etc. It will prove interesting to see where they go with the talent show. Our scavenger hunt went off with few problems, We're keeping our fingers crossed for the talent show panning out similarly.
Today, Joy and I have a lesson on healthy relationships today. I'm preparing to face my lesson this morning. I don't know why teaching intimidates me so much, but I'm just going to buck up and have fun. Here we goooo.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Camp!
Today was day two of the Elewana project education camp!
Day one, yesterday, started as most Kenyan events do, slowly. The camp was scheduled to start at 8:30 once all the campers showed up. This funny thing happens in Kenya where people don't show up until anywhere from an hour to 2 days late. Well, yesterday morning was no exception. We received our first seven boys around 9:45. Three more arrived about 20 minutes ago. Remember, today is day TWO of camp. They were about 32 hours late. No big deal. We almost have all of our campers by now.
I'll let you in on a little secret. As much as I bitch about people running late, I really think it is an endearing quality of the culture. Yes it's frustrating and, on a deeper level, it reflects a bit about reasons their government functions the way it does, (the passing on of responsibility and all that) but if you want to just look at it on the surface, running late shows that people don't take themselves too seriously. What they care about is the occasion, not the timing.
We started the camp students with a small assessment so we can gauge their process over the next two weeks. These boys are so smart! They are engaged in the discussions, the make good observations, and they work hard. I sat in on one of the earlier workshops yesterday and was impressed by what they were saying. The only things they weren't too comprehensive in were grapevines, the three man weave and baseball. Yes, American sports gave them a challenge.
We mixed up sports time today and sent them on the scavenger hunt. None of them had ever heard of scavenger hunts before. After a thorough explanation of the rules and well, the purpose, we predicted either an epic failure or an epic success. Let's just say that, after running around Amagoro town, and the next town too, all day, these kids are tired. It seemed like they were having a blast, but to be honest, I was having too much fun too. I was stationed at the Hospital in the neighboring town. I had to meet with the D.A.O. beforehand to discuss the needs and community assessment of the hospital, since he was too busy to meet with the boys himself..... To get to the hospital I had to ride on the pikipiki.... for the first time! And guess what? I didn't even die!!
We spent the last few days as well as most of this morning planning for the scavenger hunt. What the heck am I going to do with all my time now that I don't have to draw out maps and write clues and put a million pieces of a puzzle together? I could start working on another lesson plan, maybe read a book.
I just started reading Fahrenheit 451 again. I forgot how much I loved reading books. Now that I don't have much internet access, I can actually sit and enjoy a book without my computer calling my name.
The rest of the Peace Corps-ers showed up last night so the only others we are waiting for are Nasi and Gilbert, the Nairobians, who are coming on saturday. We are already a packed house, I don't know how we are going to manage three more people but I'm sure we can make it work. There will be various visiting volunteers coming for a few days here and there over the course of the next few weeks, but that is really what kind of system we run here. The people are what make this project run, and we keep adding more variety with each new person that comes and goes.
The Elewana project is trying to move in a more self sustaining direction. The have incorporated a new policy of matching every shilling donated by a Kenyan community member by ten times. So each shilling donated is matched by ten shillings from the sponsors. They are trying to turn the project in a direction that is run by the people instead of depending on an outside force to pay for all these students. As was explained at the retreat last weekend, "the sponsor tree is getting old. We can only shake it for long." This way the project turns into a way for kids all over, even ones that aren't part of Elewana, can get a good education, because their community supports them. Not some anonymous wazungu from far away with deep pockets.
We are gearing up for another lesson, maybe two, tonight before wrapping up for dinner and lights out. Until tomorrow all you crazy folk back home!
Day one, yesterday, started as most Kenyan events do, slowly. The camp was scheduled to start at 8:30 once all the campers showed up. This funny thing happens in Kenya where people don't show up until anywhere from an hour to 2 days late. Well, yesterday morning was no exception. We received our first seven boys around 9:45. Three more arrived about 20 minutes ago. Remember, today is day TWO of camp. They were about 32 hours late. No big deal. We almost have all of our campers by now.
I'll let you in on a little secret. As much as I bitch about people running late, I really think it is an endearing quality of the culture. Yes it's frustrating and, on a deeper level, it reflects a bit about reasons their government functions the way it does, (the passing on of responsibility and all that) but if you want to just look at it on the surface, running late shows that people don't take themselves too seriously. What they care about is the occasion, not the timing.
We started the camp students with a small assessment so we can gauge their process over the next two weeks. These boys are so smart! They are engaged in the discussions, the make good observations, and they work hard. I sat in on one of the earlier workshops yesterday and was impressed by what they were saying. The only things they weren't too comprehensive in were grapevines, the three man weave and baseball. Yes, American sports gave them a challenge.
We mixed up sports time today and sent them on the scavenger hunt. None of them had ever heard of scavenger hunts before. After a thorough explanation of the rules and well, the purpose, we predicted either an epic failure or an epic success. Let's just say that, after running around Amagoro town, and the next town too, all day, these kids are tired. It seemed like they were having a blast, but to be honest, I was having too much fun too. I was stationed at the Hospital in the neighboring town. I had to meet with the D.A.O. beforehand to discuss the needs and community assessment of the hospital, since he was too busy to meet with the boys himself..... To get to the hospital I had to ride on the pikipiki.... for the first time! And guess what? I didn't even die!!
We spent the last few days as well as most of this morning planning for the scavenger hunt. What the heck am I going to do with all my time now that I don't have to draw out maps and write clues and put a million pieces of a puzzle together? I could start working on another lesson plan, maybe read a book.
I just started reading Fahrenheit 451 again. I forgot how much I loved reading books. Now that I don't have much internet access, I can actually sit and enjoy a book without my computer calling my name.
The rest of the Peace Corps-ers showed up last night so the only others we are waiting for are Nasi and Gilbert, the Nairobians, who are coming on saturday. We are already a packed house, I don't know how we are going to manage three more people but I'm sure we can make it work. There will be various visiting volunteers coming for a few days here and there over the course of the next few weeks, but that is really what kind of system we run here. The people are what make this project run, and we keep adding more variety with each new person that comes and goes.
The Elewana project is trying to move in a more self sustaining direction. The have incorporated a new policy of matching every shilling donated by a Kenyan community member by ten times. So each shilling donated is matched by ten shillings from the sponsors. They are trying to turn the project in a direction that is run by the people instead of depending on an outside force to pay for all these students. As was explained at the retreat last weekend, "the sponsor tree is getting old. We can only shake it for long." This way the project turns into a way for kids all over, even ones that aren't part of Elewana, can get a good education, because their community supports them. Not some anonymous wazungu from far away with deep pockets.
We are gearing up for another lesson, maybe two, tonight before wrapping up for dinner and lights out. Until tomorrow all you crazy folk back home!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Deprived Child? Naaaaaah
Let's see, where did I leave off last time? I know I probably have blog fans busting at the seams, but I won't hold you accountable for reminding me of what has transpired over the course of three days. Three interesting days, I should say. I mean, how many people get to turn 19 in Kenya? Not too many, besides the millions of Kenyans.
Everyone here with the Elewana project is pretty tired, no, exhausted, after this weekends retreat. We hosted a whopping total of 140 high school students over the coarse of two days. That means two days worth of writing letters to sponsors, turning in report cards, attending highly advanced lectures taught by highly qualified professors, (a.k.a. me standing in front of a class reminding kids to use a condom) alumni stories and recounting of past Elewana experiences, speeches from our towns Bishop the list goes on and on. In all reality, I had a lot of fun. Yes, we talked about more interesting and engaging things than sex Ed, thought that was a big topic of discussion. Those kids are not learning anything about it in school or worse, are getting the wrong information. We had three workshops as I probably explained before. I was in charge of the "healthy lifestyles" workshop along with another volunteer. We also had a workshop for study skills, and one for decision making and goal setting. Though it was tempting to cram just about every speck of information I knew into the short time we were given, it was also really important to take a different approach with our teaching methods. We were prepared with the knowledge that Kenyan students, and I've heard this is similar in other African countries, are taught to copy everything they see or hear and regurgitate without any questioning or critical thought of their own. If you would allow me to rant about the Kenyan school system, I could go on for a while, instead I'll just say one thing. It doesn't do much for creative thought. Here's an example. The students are told to draw a picture of a rabbit with fuzzy ears, a short tail, and a pink nose. Each one produces carious pictures of a rabbit with fuzzy ears, a short tail, and a pink nose. Easy. No problem. Next, the students are asked to draw a picture of whatever they want. They can draw anything in the world....
They're stumped. They don't know what to draw. They want specific instructions. The school system doesn't encourage critical thinking so students don't learn to stretch and work that part of their brains.
As an inexperienced "teacher" standing in front of a classroom full of 50 kids, I am intimidated.
Though we were expecting to have a slightly difficult, patience-testing experience, these kids exceeded my expectations by lightyears. The students at our camp were extremely bright. They had a million questions for us about a wide range of topics. At the end of our workshop, we had each student create a "flag of hope" stating different ways to make their world an ideal place. We got responses like "by teaching my peers the importance of practicing ways to sustain energy and care for the environment," and "by respecting my elders and authority and encourage my peers to do the same."
It was a bit difficult at first, but it got easier with each group, once I realized that their lack of engaged expression wasn't due to my lack of teaching expertise, but rather, that they were absorbing every word I said. Let's just say, I experienced something new, and I have a better grasp of what to expect for the camp coming up this week.
Today we mostly relaxed, something I really needed to do. I also found out that I am a deprived human being for never having seen The Breakfast Club. Shoot me, I know. Apparently it's a crime. Maybe, one of these days I'll actually watch it, until then, I'll just be deprived. I certainly don't feel deprived, especially here. Kenya may be one of the most beautiful places I've been, other than, maybe, the Columbia Gorge. That's some tough competition. I could do without a lot of the bugs, (I found a cockroach waiting for me in my toilet) but that's just a small sacrifice.
One thing I know, is that when I go back to the states in less than two short months, a piece of me will stay here. I know that sounds horribly and disgustingly cheesy, but it's so true. I'll leave you with that, since it is far past my bedtime, and I've exhausted my ability to make sense any longer. Lots of work left to do, I hope anyone out there reading this has a lovely sunday afternoon.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Another year older. Another year wiser? I don't think so.
Happy Birthday to me. Technically I won't be 19 until 5:00 this evening, but this is my technical day-of-birth. Is it sad that I'm not super excited to be 19? Does that mean I've grown up? Probably not. There's just too much to think about other than turning one year older. Year 19 is, in a way, not a very eventful year. In Kenya, I'm already legal to drive, drink, vote and just about everything else at 18. It's almost the same in the States, so what's one more year? One more year closer to being able to rent a car, put a mortgage on a house, buy my own insurance, but those aren't in my window of opportunity for many more years. I guess what I've learned so far is just because my birthday is on a certain day, it doesn't make it much different than the day before it of the day after. I take each day as it comes instead of only paying attention to the big hitters.
Another reason I haven't been able to focus on my "special day" is because I've been so freaking busy! I haven't really had time to write since I left the Open Arms Village, for all the activity. It hasn't been hectic, really. In fact, it's been a nice balance of activity to inactivity and rest. I've had just enough time to sleep and read a few chapters out of my book, which is really good, by the way. Karen Blixen is quite good at stating her observations in an eloquent and simple way. But I digress...
I've been in Amagoro, a little spot on the map that literally nobody has heard of, for a few days. I'm practically to Uganda. (I crossed the border yesterday. That minute and a half that I spent in Uganda was the most exhilarating of my life. I felt like I was running from the law. Don't tell the authorities.)
Back to Amagoro. On my way here from Bungoma, the only person that had heard of Amagoro was the matatu driver, thank goodness for him, at least. I was greeted by Moses and Zach once I arrived in Amagoro, as well as a few more camp volunteers. Soon after I arrived, a gaggle of peace corps volunteers showed up too, and the next day 2 more Kenyan volunteers. We've got a full house at the moment. People are coming and going every day it seems. We've spent most of our time here planing for the up and coming retreat and camp that will start this weekend. When I first heard that I would be arriving at least 5 days before the camp even started, I thought that was a little over the top. I was wrong. There is so much to plan. I'm a little worried that we wont have enough time to plan everything. It feels really nice to have work to do that involves my interests. Don't get me wrong, the Nest was great, but I can't exactly relate doing laundry every day to my daily life. I really miss the kids. It's been hard being away from them, but it's been made easier. Since I've been so busy, I haven't really had time to think about anything but taking care of business.
I'm sure you're wondering what I mean when I say camps. Let me break it down for you.
We are expecting about 140 kids, both boys and girls, this weekend for our sponsored student retreat. Each student has a sponsor in the united states that pays for their schooling fees, which really aren't expensive for a household in the U.S. (I know what I'm doing with my money once I've payed for college and the inevitable debt that follows.) Each student is responsible for keeping their grades up and keeping out of trouble. There are quite a few requirements to be eligible for this camp and a sponsor. They have to work really hard. Especially because the curriculum in Kenya is off the hook. It's way over expectant of the students learning capacity. Here students are taught to not question authority nor think creatively. They simply sit and intake information and then are expected to regurgitate the information on tests that determine their entire future. Our jobs this week are to encourage a different way of thinking through problems. We are planning different courses for HIV/AIDS awareness, good decision making and problem solving, gender stereotypes and building healthy relationships. It will be different to teach students about things like gender stereotypes because to us, things like the man being the dominant member of the family or women not having a say in any matters is a gender stereotype. To Kenyan students coming from the village, these are just facts about how a family operates.
The week after the retreat, we'll be hosting 20 Kenyan students from the surrounding area to come for 2 weeks for an academic camp. We'll be using a lot of the same activities as we use at the retreat but we will obviously have to add more, which is what we've been planning for the past few days. It should be a ton of fun. I'm pretty gosh darned excited. We've got a bunch of people coming in with specialized workshops for the kids.
Today we ran around Amagoro and Malaba to find supplies for the camps that are quickly approaching.
We drove up to the site for the camp this weekend. We though we would take a 20 minute drive, tops, up to this school nearby. We were wrong. The school is over an hour away in a van packed full of muzungus and absolutely not a drop of water to our names. The heat here is incredible. Midday is stifling, then come afternoon time the rains come out of nowhere. We can't even hear each other shout for the sound of the torrents hitting the tin roof of the Mission House. Back to the story, we made it home just before the rains got bad, but it took us long enough. The school looks perfect for our intentions, but we found ourselves in a bit of a ridiculous situation driving for a total of 2 and a half hours to spend 20 minutes at the aforementioned school.
I've found that with Kenyans, nothing is done quickly, and without consideration. If you come to someone's house to borrow sugar, for example, you don't just come in, borrow the sugar then peace out. You sit down, have a cup of tea, talk about the current events and arrive home a few hours later with or without your sugar. The sugar isn't really what matters in this situation. It is the same when visiting any office, introducing yourself, going to the post office, having a meeting, etc. No meeting gets started until everyone is sitting down, has introduced themselves and had a cup of chai. As a Westerner, whose life is very busy and quick paced, this is frustrating and hard to acclimate to.
I've been chatting with the peace corps volunteers about their experience here. Some have been here for almost 2 years, while some only a few months. One could say that they are enriching their lives. At first, I thought that my 4 months was a long time to be away. They make me look like a weenie. They've got the matatus down. They argue with the driver and chat with the locals like it's nothing. It is funny to listen to their American-Kenyan accents come out when they talk to Kenyans. I heard it first at the nest and thought, why the heck are people talking like that. Now I realize it's necessary to talk slowly with a different inflection. Sure, Americans look and sound stupid when they talk like that, but we're going to look and sound stupid no matter what we do, so there isn't much to lose.
The Kenyans that are here with us now, the ones who arrived a few days ago, just like me, to start with planning for the camp, are much different from Kenyans I've met. They are from Nairobi and are just about as funny and weird and psycho and fun as it gets. They are interested and well informed of American culture so it's refreshing to hang out and talk about things that Kenyans from smaller villages wouldn't know about. All 5 of us, the Peace Corps-ers, the Kenyans and I, can relate to each other pretty dang well and whatever doesn't translate is a learning experience for both sides. They got me singing last night, darn them. I was trying to keep that a secret, but they wouldn't take no for an answer.
Apparently, in Kenya, a person celebrates their birthday by having water and garbage and poop and god knows what else poured on them, or so I've been told. Since today's my special day, I'm going get a nice bath from the lovely Kenyans. I think this is just an excuse to cover me in poo, since I have no idea if this is a real tradition or just a practical joke. Maybe one day I'll look back on this and laugh, but today I'm keeping my guard up against any ambushing attempts.
The rest of the day we will spend planning and coordinating. Stay tuned for pictures of the retreat and beautiful scenery in Amagoro!!
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Next Leg of My Adventure
Hi again. I have just embarked on another leg of my adventure. After a big old giggle-fest last night (something to do with zombies and David Bowie, don't ask) over some delicious birthday cake, I managed to get a few hours of sleep. Though, it wasn't enough considering I had to be on high alert today for the 8 hour bus ride from Nairobi to Eldoret. That's right. Eight. Hours. It wasn't too bad really. I am good at entertaining myself, but I was starting to feel a bit restless once hour 6 rolled around.
I arrived in Eldoret after a hectic phone conversation at Open Arms International. Apparently my email had been a bit unclear (big surprise there) and they weren't expecting me until 3 weeks from now. That was definitely my bad. No worries. The greeted me in the most gracious way. Though they only had about 3 hours notice that I would be dropping in for the night on my way to Amagoro, they made me feel so welcome. I am looking forward to my extended stay here in a few weeks. (I know what I am saying probably makes zero sense, I'll try to clarify later when my head is a bit clearer)
Tomorrow, I will head to Amagoro, which is a few miles west, to start my work with the Elewana project. I can feel my enthusiasm building. I always do this thing where I wait until the last minute to get excited about something. Why? I have no idea. I just know that I am excited now for what the next month and a half holds.
I've had my share of coincidences and freaky connections during my stay. For example: The other Nest volunteer, Blake, and I coming from almost the same part of the country. Meeting up with my high school friend, Chloe, in Nairobi. Getting to use my Norwegian, whilst in Kenya. The day after I leave the Nest, a new German volunteer shows up. Her name is... any guesses...? It's Natalie. But here is one last coincidence to add to the list.
I was greeted today by Tom, a house father here at Open Arms, and he introduced me to my roommate for the night, a woman named Shirley. "She's from America too," he told me. What he didn't realize is that yes, she is from the U.S. but she's also from Oregon. This little fun fact revealed itself when she mentioned that the two long term volunteers are from Tigard. "That's like 20 minutes from where I live in West Linn!" I exclaimed. I didn't expect to see a look of recognition of her face at the mention of West Linn. Most people I've met aren't familiar with Oregon on a map, not to mention West Linn. Turns out she's from Oregon City. This has been an exciting day for me. Meeting another Oregonian was just the cherry on top.
I had dinner with at one of the children's homes tonight. Things are set up a bit differently here than at the nest. The kids live in on of 5 homes with two house parents and a part time house auntie. There are about 18 to a house. With that said, I was invited to eat dinner in the house of Tom and his wife. I sat in on devotionals, then invited the children to ask me an questions. The had been warned by their mother, however, that questions about, how many children I have, or my marital status were off limits.
I can always tell when I've had a good day when I have trouble keeping my heavy eyelids open by the end of it.
Goodnight!
I arrived in Eldoret after a hectic phone conversation at Open Arms International. Apparently my email had been a bit unclear (big surprise there) and they weren't expecting me until 3 weeks from now. That was definitely my bad. No worries. The greeted me in the most gracious way. Though they only had about 3 hours notice that I would be dropping in for the night on my way to Amagoro, they made me feel so welcome. I am looking forward to my extended stay here in a few weeks. (I know what I am saying probably makes zero sense, I'll try to clarify later when my head is a bit clearer)
Tomorrow, I will head to Amagoro, which is a few miles west, to start my work with the Elewana project. I can feel my enthusiasm building. I always do this thing where I wait until the last minute to get excited about something. Why? I have no idea. I just know that I am excited now for what the next month and a half holds.
I've had my share of coincidences and freaky connections during my stay. For example: The other Nest volunteer, Blake, and I coming from almost the same part of the country. Meeting up with my high school friend, Chloe, in Nairobi. Getting to use my Norwegian, whilst in Kenya. The day after I leave the Nest, a new German volunteer shows up. Her name is... any guesses...? It's Natalie. But here is one last coincidence to add to the list.
I was greeted today by Tom, a house father here at Open Arms, and he introduced me to my roommate for the night, a woman named Shirley. "She's from America too," he told me. What he didn't realize is that yes, she is from the U.S. but she's also from Oregon. This little fun fact revealed itself when she mentioned that the two long term volunteers are from Tigard. "That's like 20 minutes from where I live in West Linn!" I exclaimed. I didn't expect to see a look of recognition of her face at the mention of West Linn. Most people I've met aren't familiar with Oregon on a map, not to mention West Linn. Turns out she's from Oregon City. This has been an exciting day for me. Meeting another Oregonian was just the cherry on top.
I had dinner with at one of the children's homes tonight. Things are set up a bit differently here than at the nest. The kids live in on of 5 homes with two house parents and a part time house auntie. There are about 18 to a house. With that said, I was invited to eat dinner in the house of Tom and his wife. I sat in on devotionals, then invited the children to ask me an questions. The had been warned by their mother, however, that questions about, how many children I have, or my marital status were off limits.
I can always tell when I've had a good day when I have trouble keeping my heavy eyelids open by the end of it.
Goodnight!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Shoes and Chocolate...
I absolutely love the way Kenyans talk. My American accent must sound so harsh and coarse compared to the way words just flow out of Ruth's mouth. I realized this during our regular morning chat. There is something so peaceful and soothing in the way Kenyans form english words. I tried imitating a true African accent the other day. It was embarrassing to say the least; I couldn't quite grasp the necessary warmth in my speech.
When I first arrived in Kenya, it was difficult for me to understand the accent when spoken to. Now I understand everything, with exception to some phone conversations. Ruth tells me my accent is hard to understand. I suppose it is a challenge for both parties.
My Swahili is coming along nicely. Self-taught, with a lot of help with pronunciation from Frank, I am getting into noun classes, which are extremely complex and convoluted from an english speaking standpoint. Or maybe I'm just seeing them that way since I lack any proper instruction.
I think this approach is good for me. I'm learning Swahili differently than I've learned other languages. Instead of pen and paper, my lessons come from the people themselves. This is a way of learning I haven't done before, so it is challenging a part of my brain that has, for lack of better words, gotten pretty lazy. (That laziness also might have something to do with the many episodes of Vampire Diaries I've seen in my lifetime.)
I realize I haven't put up many pictures from the safari. My bad. Here are some. We didn't have such great luck with cameras so most of the good shots are in my mind. Too bad I can't draw, or else I could share those too.
When I first arrived in Kenya, it was difficult for me to understand the accent when spoken to. Now I understand everything, with exception to some phone conversations. Ruth tells me my accent is hard to understand. I suppose it is a challenge for both parties.
My Swahili is coming along nicely. Self-taught, with a lot of help with pronunciation from Frank, I am getting into noun classes, which are extremely complex and convoluted from an english speaking standpoint. Or maybe I'm just seeing them that way since I lack any proper instruction.
I think this approach is good for me. I'm learning Swahili differently than I've learned other languages. Instead of pen and paper, my lessons come from the people themselves. This is a way of learning I haven't done before, so it is challenging a part of my brain that has, for lack of better words, gotten pretty lazy. (That laziness also might have something to do with the many episodes of Vampire Diaries I've seen in my lifetime.)
I realize I haven't put up many pictures from the safari. My bad. Here are some. We didn't have such great luck with cameras so most of the good shots are in my mind. Too bad I can't draw, or else I could share those too.
babooooooons
our mealtime visitor
don't have to tell me twice
My hair grows so fast here. I was looking back at a picture right before I left and goodness gracious, I had no idea it had grown so much. Today, Ruth told me that when I first arrived, she thought I was a boy...... great, but now I'm "beautiful like a girl."
Yesterday, Ben and I had some quality cousin bonding time playing catch in the yard. It felt really nice to just play catch since I haven't thrown a softball in about 10 months. My care package, the one that came yesterday, was complete with 2 softball mitts. Maybe my parents were hoping I would teach my Kenyan friends to love baseball as much as we do. The care package also contained a pair of Birkenstocks and plenty of chocolate. If I was happy before, I am completely content now.
I'm finishing up preparation for heading West ie. Transportation, packing, all that fun stuff. Only a few more days til I'm heading off on an 8 hour bus ride into the great unknown.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!
I keep telling myself I'll write every day. Good thing I've promised that, otherwise I would probably never get around to it.
Where did we leave off? Lets see... We were at the Nest. We were sad about leaving. We were excited about the safari. We hadn't had a good cup of coffee in far too many days. Yep. That sounds about right. Since then I've said my first goodbye to the Nest, (the second, official, farewell is tomorrow) I've had a few too many good cups of coffee. I've seen lions and giraffes and zebras and gotten up close and a little too personal with a herd of buffalo. I contemplated my future. I made the walk to Elizabeth's house again. I strengthened my vocal chops. I was payed a visit by the Easter bunny (who was NOT eaten by jackals thank goodness)
We are in our way home from safari as I write this somewhat under-descriptive blog post. It really is hard to portray the exact feeling one gets when seeing a lion stand up and shake his big head only to lay down and yawn so big I could probably stand up in between his massive jaws.
The first day of my first safari I was just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. We say gazelles and zebras driving in an they were absolutely spectacular, but they are about as abundant as houseflies. The lions made us work for the privilege of looking. After that we didn't see any big cats, but we were graced with the presence of Russle (Rustle?) out side our tent that night. The camp has its collection of visitors. Both wild animals and wild humans. Russle is a big, old, blind buffalo whose favorite place for a midnight snack is right outside our tent window. We received our 6 wake up call about 2 hours early thanks to that big guy. We were "Rustled" as the camp coordinator put so nicely. He has such a presence at the camp that he gets his own verb.
There was a troop of baboons that parades through the park at night too. I forgive them for the amount of noise they were making, though. I would probably have been a little upset and noisy if I and all my family was being chased by a leopard too.
Upon arriving to the bush camp, we mistook the sign reading "PRIVATE NO ENTRANCE" for a private drive that should on no account be entered. It was in fact, just the opposite. (You would think that might be an important topic of conversation, but go figure.) so we passes the camp and instead drove another few meters into a muddy pit. We were stuck there for about an hour. Leg one of our adventure... Complete. The sad part is, it wasn't the last time we got our car stuck. I won't say the total number of times we got stuck for the drivers benefit and dignity, but it was more than 3 and less than 5. The staff was very pleasant and welcoming. If they were frustrated by our lack of mud thrashing expertise, they didn't show it. The camp is run by a British woman and her husband, (who was in Nairobi) an intern, and staff. They made us feel very welcome.
The act of welcoming is very prevalent in Kenya. I feel welcome everywhere I go, which has something to do with the number of times I am told "Karibu" when I enter someone's house. Kenyans are very eager to have you come in and sit down and drink tea and eat. and drink some more tea and eat some more chapati, and then wash it down with some more tea. This was the case when we went to visit Elizabeth again. I don't know how I made it all the way home without bursting.
I was able to spend the next morning saying goodbye to the nest and my friends. Roberts had us over for our promised cup coffee. The staff had begun the easter celebration while I was still there. Some of the older kids got a few skits together to kick off the holiday season. I was able to see the breaking of the bread before I left the next morning.
Elizabeth met us at the house to take off for our trip to Nairobi to visit her brother at his restaurant. I felt pretty secure with her along. She guided us down the busy streets that I wouldn't be able to navigate by myself. Not yet, at least.
It felt a little bit like a jungle to be back in a city after so long away. Funny that I should immediately find myself back in the wilderness, only this time surrounded by REAL wild and dangerous animals.
Besides lions, the Ol Pejeta conservancy is home to rhinos, hippos, cheetah, hyena, chimps, ostriches, and just about every thing else. We visited the chimp sanctuary on our second day. There are about 20 chimps that have come to the sanctuary from abusive situations. They were absolutely fascinating. One, named Poco, was restricted to a tiny cage for 9 years, unable to sit or stand properly. As a result of being unable to spread out, he tends to walk on two legs still. That was pretty strange to see. All the other chimps walked on all fours while Poco just walked upright amongst them all.
Ol Pejeta is also home to 4 of the 7 remaining northern white rhinos in the world today. Yes, that's right. There are only 7 Northern White Rhinos left in the ENTIRE world. Two of them are in San Diego, one is in the Czech Republic, and the other four are at Ol Pejeta. What I can't believe is how an entire species can get down to 7 individuals. How does that happen?
We were attacked by rain which made it a little harder to drive, but that meant the animals were a bit more frisky. We got to see an antelope hop his way down the plain. Yep. Hop. He looked like the Eater Bunny had dressed up and went for a stroll.
Speaking of the Easter Bunny, we were surprised sunday morning when he paid a visit. We thought for sure he wouldn't have made it what with all the leopards and lions and jackals on the prowl, but he found us. Ah... the magic of Easter. Is there anything the easter bunny can't do? I remember one year the Easter Bunny managed to find my beloved stuffed penguin that had been lost for weeks.
Last night we took a night drive. I could be wrong but I am almost certain that the twinkling spot hiding in the trees was the eye of a hyena. I mean, what else could it have been? If it weren't for the rain beetles flying into my eyeballs, it was the highlight of the trip. The animals behave so differently at night and it gets so dark that they can sneak up on a person, even the elephants.
Incase you were wondering, rain beetles get their name for two reasons. The first reason is because they wake up when the rains start up. The second is for the sound they make when the swarm hits the side of our tents. There were so many landing on the tent and hitting the plastic cover that it sounded like a steady downpour. I'm getting itchy now just thinking about it.
If there is one thing I've learned, its that elephants are interesting, gazelles are not. I could probably watch a herd of elephants all day, as long as I was at a safe distance. They are so engaging. We had a herd visit us during lunch yesterday. It had been raining so the banks of the river were very slick. That kept them from charging us but also left plenty of mud holes to wallow in. We happened to see two families meet up then part ways, but not before extending a greeting of entwining trunks and bashing tusks with each other. It was quite the sight to see. I didn't even mind the rain. They came close to say hello to us and answer a few questions of their own, I know I had a lot for them. They tested the air using their long trunks which looked like little black eyes. It was almost as if they were smelling and seeing us at the same time. Giraffes used to be my favorite animals, but I think the mighty elephant with its spongy feet and leathery ears may have taken first place in my heart.........
I'm back home now, in Nairobi, and I have a lot of work to do. I head out to west Kenya in a little less than a week. Malaria pills and travel plans are just half of the battle. I have little to no idea of what I'll be facing in the west. All I know is that I'll be practically to Uganda. Weeee.
Tomorrow I go back to the Nest for my farewell.
All is well. Happy Easter everyone
-Natalie
Where did we leave off? Lets see... We were at the Nest. We were sad about leaving. We were excited about the safari. We hadn't had a good cup of coffee in far too many days. Yep. That sounds about right. Since then I've said my first goodbye to the Nest, (the second, official, farewell is tomorrow) I've had a few too many good cups of coffee. I've seen lions and giraffes and zebras and gotten up close and a little too personal with a herd of buffalo. I contemplated my future. I made the walk to Elizabeth's house again. I strengthened my vocal chops. I was payed a visit by the Easter bunny (who was NOT eaten by jackals thank goodness)
We are in our way home from safari as I write this somewhat under-descriptive blog post. It really is hard to portray the exact feeling one gets when seeing a lion stand up and shake his big head only to lay down and yawn so big I could probably stand up in between his massive jaws.
The first day of my first safari I was just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. We say gazelles and zebras driving in an they were absolutely spectacular, but they are about as abundant as houseflies. The lions made us work for the privilege of looking. After that we didn't see any big cats, but we were graced with the presence of Russle (Rustle?) out side our tent that night. The camp has its collection of visitors. Both wild animals and wild humans. Russle is a big, old, blind buffalo whose favorite place for a midnight snack is right outside our tent window. We received our 6 wake up call about 2 hours early thanks to that big guy. We were "Rustled" as the camp coordinator put so nicely. He has such a presence at the camp that he gets his own verb.
There was a troop of baboons that parades through the park at night too. I forgive them for the amount of noise they were making, though. I would probably have been a little upset and noisy if I and all my family was being chased by a leopard too.
Upon arriving to the bush camp, we mistook the sign reading "PRIVATE NO ENTRANCE" for a private drive that should on no account be entered. It was in fact, just the opposite. (You would think that might be an important topic of conversation, but go figure.) so we passes the camp and instead drove another few meters into a muddy pit. We were stuck there for about an hour. Leg one of our adventure... Complete. The sad part is, it wasn't the last time we got our car stuck. I won't say the total number of times we got stuck for the drivers benefit and dignity, but it was more than 3 and less than 5. The staff was very pleasant and welcoming. If they were frustrated by our lack of mud thrashing expertise, they didn't show it. The camp is run by a British woman and her husband, (who was in Nairobi) an intern, and staff. They made us feel very welcome.
The act of welcoming is very prevalent in Kenya. I feel welcome everywhere I go, which has something to do with the number of times I am told "Karibu" when I enter someone's house. Kenyans are very eager to have you come in and sit down and drink tea and eat. and drink some more tea and eat some more chapati, and then wash it down with some more tea. This was the case when we went to visit Elizabeth again. I don't know how I made it all the way home without bursting.
I was able to spend the next morning saying goodbye to the nest and my friends. Roberts had us over for our promised cup coffee. The staff had begun the easter celebration while I was still there. Some of the older kids got a few skits together to kick off the holiday season. I was able to see the breaking of the bread before I left the next morning.
Elizabeth met us at the house to take off for our trip to Nairobi to visit her brother at his restaurant. I felt pretty secure with her along. She guided us down the busy streets that I wouldn't be able to navigate by myself. Not yet, at least.
It felt a little bit like a jungle to be back in a city after so long away. Funny that I should immediately find myself back in the wilderness, only this time surrounded by REAL wild and dangerous animals.
Besides lions, the Ol Pejeta conservancy is home to rhinos, hippos, cheetah, hyena, chimps, ostriches, and just about every thing else. We visited the chimp sanctuary on our second day. There are about 20 chimps that have come to the sanctuary from abusive situations. They were absolutely fascinating. One, named Poco, was restricted to a tiny cage for 9 years, unable to sit or stand properly. As a result of being unable to spread out, he tends to walk on two legs still. That was pretty strange to see. All the other chimps walked on all fours while Poco just walked upright amongst them all.
Ol Pejeta is also home to 4 of the 7 remaining northern white rhinos in the world today. Yes, that's right. There are only 7 Northern White Rhinos left in the ENTIRE world. Two of them are in San Diego, one is in the Czech Republic, and the other four are at Ol Pejeta. What I can't believe is how an entire species can get down to 7 individuals. How does that happen?
We were attacked by rain which made it a little harder to drive, but that meant the animals were a bit more frisky. We got to see an antelope hop his way down the plain. Yep. Hop. He looked like the Eater Bunny had dressed up and went for a stroll.
Speaking of the Easter Bunny, we were surprised sunday morning when he paid a visit. We thought for sure he wouldn't have made it what with all the leopards and lions and jackals on the prowl, but he found us. Ah... the magic of Easter. Is there anything the easter bunny can't do? I remember one year the Easter Bunny managed to find my beloved stuffed penguin that had been lost for weeks.
Last night we took a night drive. I could be wrong but I am almost certain that the twinkling spot hiding in the trees was the eye of a hyena. I mean, what else could it have been? If it weren't for the rain beetles flying into my eyeballs, it was the highlight of the trip. The animals behave so differently at night and it gets so dark that they can sneak up on a person, even the elephants.
Incase you were wondering, rain beetles get their name for two reasons. The first reason is because they wake up when the rains start up. The second is for the sound they make when the swarm hits the side of our tents. There were so many landing on the tent and hitting the plastic cover that it sounded like a steady downpour. I'm getting itchy now just thinking about it.
If there is one thing I've learned, its that elephants are interesting, gazelles are not. I could probably watch a herd of elephants all day, as long as I was at a safe distance. They are so engaging. We had a herd visit us during lunch yesterday. It had been raining so the banks of the river were very slick. That kept them from charging us but also left plenty of mud holes to wallow in. We happened to see two families meet up then part ways, but not before extending a greeting of entwining trunks and bashing tusks with each other. It was quite the sight to see. I didn't even mind the rain. They came close to say hello to us and answer a few questions of their own, I know I had a lot for them. They tested the air using their long trunks which looked like little black eyes. It was almost as if they were smelling and seeing us at the same time. Giraffes used to be my favorite animals, but I think the mighty elephant with its spongy feet and leathery ears may have taken first place in my heart.........
I'm back home now, in Nairobi, and I have a lot of work to do. I head out to west Kenya in a little less than a week. Malaria pills and travel plans are just half of the battle. I have little to no idea of what I'll be facing in the west. All I know is that I'll be practically to Uganda. Weeee.
Tomorrow I go back to the Nest for my farewell.
All is well. Happy Easter everyone
-Natalie
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