A Post-Trip Trip

I've been home for about three weeks now. It's funny, I thought adjusting would be absolutely horrible, but I've managed to get by without having any major break downs or panic attacks.
When people ask me how my trip was, I don't know what to say, really. How do I sum up 4 months away in a sentence or two, because, let's be honest, that's really all most people have time to hear. Regardless of those who don't wish to relive my four months in Kenya, I have been able to absorb my trip day by day. Gilbert asked me to write up a summary of my trip for him. I think that'd help me to get to terms with going so far away and coming back. It's not like I can just jump back into the life I had before. I don't even want that for myself. I intend to take what I learned from my trip and apply it to daily life.
As of three days ago I set off on a plane heading for Western Massachusetts, but get this, I had to stay the night in New York City due to transportation difficulties. Poor me, right? I managed to get into contact with Hailey, a friend of my brother. She was more than happy to house me for the night between getting off my plane and boarding my train. Before leaving home I was a bit anxious about getting lost in New York City or finding myself in trouble, but then I remembered that I had already done something very like this, and on the other side of the world. That revelation put my nerves at ease.
Hailey was a very gracious host. She had a gig in the Lower East side of Manhattan and I was able to squeeze in without too much trouble. In fact, it was no trouble at all. The style of music varied from acoustic to heavy metal. I surely wasn't expecting to like the combination of the two, but they complimented each other well.
I'm not sitting on the train due north to Amherst, Massachusetts. One thing I REALLY appreciate about New York, and most of New England, is the structure of the public transportation. I had no trouble at all getting from the LaGuardia Airport in Queens to Hailey's apartment in Brooklyn to Penn station in Manhattan. I rarely ever had to pull out my map and play the "ignorant tourist" card. I did though, once.  The prospect of being in NYC is an exciting one. There's something about just being amidst the energy and life that gets a person excited. On the subway coming home from the gig last night, a handful of people struck up conversation with us about the saxophone case Hailey was carrying. I've heard many bad things about East coasters being cold and distant to strangers, but this small encounter with a Russian musician and a cupcake-making piano player put idea of New Englanders in a different light.
Later this afternoon I'll arrive in Amherst to a little bed and breakfast. I sure wasn't expecting the humidity that I met when I got off the plane, so hopefully I'll have climatized once I have to start transporting myself, possibly by bike, to the campus of my future school.
Running on few hours of sleep, I'm looking forward to the cozy comforts of a small massachusetts town bed and breakfast tonight. We'll see how it goes.
More later!

Tuonane Tena

I figured I have a lot of time to write a post now, as I have a 5 hour layover in Paris. No kidding. 5 hours. What does one do with 5 hours? I've already used up the 5 euro note I'd been keeping in my wallet since my trip to Amsterdam 4 years ago. I knew I'd be able to use it some day. I bought myself a little cappuccino and have made myself comfortable enough to update my blog. The Paris Charles de Gaulle airport is HUGE, so once I decide to walk around, I might get lost. That doesn't matter because I have over 3 hours left before I have to board my plane. I met a young woman from Amsterdam on my flight from Nairobi. She was very sweet and we chatted about our adventures. I wish I knew more French, but I neglected my studies. No worry though because everyone speaks english. It's funny how the airport security will initially greet me in French but stop the second I open my mouth. I hope it's just my accent that gives me away and not my over all appearance.

Back the the real message of this post. Over the past week I've been saying my goodbyes and trying to get closure with Kenya. We took one final trip to Lake Nakuru before wrapping up my trip. It was absolutely the best way to end my four months. We stayed at a lodge tucked waaaay into the bush. There were animals everywhere. On the drive in alone I saw a hippo and a wild cat of some sort, I can't remember the name oops. We went on various game drives, including an early morning drive, on which I felt the coldest I've ever felt in Kenya. The abundance of animals and beautiful landscape was worth the lack of heat. We saw Rhinos grazing and a herd of giraffes peeking through the trees. We saw flamingos out the hoohoo. (Nakuru is famous for it's flamingo population) On the second day we traveled up to a place called baboon lookout. The name does not deceive.  We became perfect victims, along with the Kenyan school children on holiday, for the viscous baboons. They are ruthless, stealing garbage, shoes, really anything. There were security guards walking around with big sticks to try and deter the baboons from getting into any real trouble.

Later that evening we relocated to a lodge called the Sleeping Warrior lodge. It's named such because of a large rock formation, crater I think, that form a certain angle looks like a great warrior sleeping on its side. We made the climb up to a neighboring mountain side to our resort. Though there weren't many animals to see, the view was spectacular. We weren't sure if we would make it to the top of the hill in our friends little rental car, but once we did, we were blown away overlooking the lake and the valley below us. And my god, the stars were spectacular. Ilikuwa maradadi sana! It was very beautiful. We got the best of both worlds on that trip. The first location held plenty of animals for us to gander at, the second location held a jaw-dropping view for us to once again gander at. Even drive to and form with the view overlooking the rift valley isn't unpleasant.

That is exactly how I want to remember Kenya. Yes I had my fare share of headaches, but the over all experience was a positive one. In my last few days in Nairobi I went to visit the Nest, and meet up with some friends. My last DAY in Kenya was a bit stressful, but I got everything done that I had set out to do. Saying goodbye to Kenya was important to me, and I think I was able to close on a high note. It's funny that I should put so much importance into once day out of so many days, but I wanted to leave with a good taste in my mouth. It seems a bit neurotic now to think how I tried to shape the way that I'll view this trip, because in all reality, this trip is what it is, I can't control anything about it now. How I remember in the future is all up to the direction my life takes now. At home I'll be met with all sorts of new challenges in college, job, family, relationships, and some unknown challenges. Who knows if I'll be able to use any of the skills I've learned since being here. Who knows if I'll have to haggle for a good price or speak swahili to prove I'm not just a random american. (I hope I'll get more chances to speak swahili) Those opportunities will show themselves with time. I wish I had a good way to wrap up my adventure, but to be honest, it doesn't feel like it's over. Gilbert asked me yesterday if I could write up a summary of my trip to Kenya for his website. I was honored that he asked me, but I am a bit at a loss of where to begin. How can one summarize an experience when the experience isn't over yet. I'll give it time so I can absorb the past few months. Who knows, I may have a complete different view on coming home. Or, maybe, I'll just go on with my life and all this existential hogwash won't matter. I do, however, seriously doubt the latter. It's hard to say good bye, but I left a few ends untied. All the more reason to come back. Which I will.
Peace out Kenya. Tuonane tena.