Safari wonderfulness

We’re back from an amazing safari for one last day at home (Meru) before the long drive to Nairobi tomorrow morning! Now, how do I find the words to describe how amazing the past two days have been? I’m going to have to whip out my thesaurus to properly explain our safari adventures and experiences.

We arrived at Meru National Park (which is actually two hours from Meru by van) on Tuesday afternoon and slapped on our safari hats for the grand adventure. The first few minutes were anxious and calm all at once— each person rested silently in his or her seat, cameras poised and ready to capture whatever unreal safari creature might pass by. The first animals we saw were beautiful but boring (I’m just being honest here)… gazelles and a few buffalo. I snapped some pictures and waited patiently for a stereotypical safari creature to come out of the woodwork. My wishes were granted within minutes. One of our van-mates yelled “giraffe!” and pointed to the right of our vehicle, where several of the lovely long-necked animals stood stoically. I’ve seen giraffes in the zoo, but watching them tower over the shrubbery in their natural environment was truly a sight to behold. It only got better from there. Elephants, ugly/cute warthogs, and baboons crossed our path as we made our way through the sweeping game reserve. 

After about an hour, we stopped at a hippo pool within the park and exited the vans. We were lucky enough to see several hippos walking down the hillside and into the river, which was murky enough to conceal the hippos’ massive brown bodies. After the rest of the group headed back to the vans, I stayed behind and searched for a proper place to take care of some bladder-related business. The only eligible location was behind a tree that overlooked the hippo pool, where the hippos were still casually resting… but when you gotta go, you gotta go. I squatted elegantly by the tree and let nature take its course. My endeavor was successful until I realized that one of the hippos was making direct eye contact with me, while its friends were intermittently glancing my way and blowing water out of their protruding noses. This was definitely one of the more scenic peeing experiences I’ve partaken in, and I’m thankful that none of the hippos jumped out of the river and charged at me while I was squatting.

After our hippo stop, we headed to the eco-lodge to check out our home for the night. It’s impossible to accurately explain the beauty and luxury of the place we stayed— we were greeted with glasses of iced orange juice and towels to wash our hands. We broke up into pairs and were shown our rooms, which were gorgeous tent lodges with African décor, fully functioning bathrooms, and jungle-like greenery just outside the screen windows. Lunch was even more amazing. A beautiful wooden dining room was set up in the middle of an outdoor clearing, surrounded by shady, vibrant green trees and hammocks. After a delicious lunch (the best since we’ve arrived here) and dessert, we gathered for a dusk game drive in the safari park. I’m not going to attempt to describe the view from the van as I watched the sunset pass behind beautiful, skeleton-like savannah trees. It was truly beyond words. We even spotted a rare black rhino and a lioness lounging in the tall grass.

That evening, we had a beautiful lantern-lit dinner at the lodge and enjoyed a cultural performance by a local dance team. I was even pulled up to dance on three separate occasions, including one time by the "chief" of the group, who made a loud screeching noise and yanked me out of my chair. It was a bit terrifying, but I did my best to go with the flow. After dinner, we were escorted to our individual lodges by a guard carrying a bow and arrow-- seriously. I enjoyed the most heavenly shower of my life (there was hot water AND proper water pressure) and fell asleep in order to wake up early for our 6 am dawn game drive in the national park. The next morning was gorgeous, and it was amazing to watch the sunrise as zebras and giraffes meandered leisurely next to our van. Gah. I could probably live in that park, assuming I could figure out a way to morph into a tree and avoid being brutally attacked by any number of beastly carnivores. 

The drive back to Meru was relaxed and calm. We stopped at a lookout point and enjoyed a beautiful view of the mountains surrounding the city. Have I mentioned that I really, really like this place? It's starting to feel a lot like home, and I'm sad to be leaving soon. 

More to come when we're back in Nairobi... 

PS: I don't have time to upload pictures right now, but I promise that I'll thrill you with some amazing photos when I have a faster internet connection!

Tazama Chapaa!

Greetings!

We've had an eventful couple of days since my last update. Saturday morning, we went to Ripples, an orphanage and home for abandoned children whose parents have died from HIV/AIDs. We were briefed beforehand by the home's founder, who told us some incredible stories about her life and experiences with Ripples. She explained that while she was in Canada for a conference last year, she received word that the rent for the children's home building had doubled and she would no longer be able to continue supporting the organization. Discouraged, she decided to stay home from church and be alone in her hotel room. Minutes later, however, she says she felt compelled to go to church and seek guidance from her religion, so she entered the sanctuary and sat next to a praying woman. When the woman, a complete stranger, asked the Ripples founder what she should pray for, the founder (I wish I could remember her name) explained the story of her orphanage's rent and said that she was hoping to somehow find the money to continue aiding abandoned children. The woman turned to the Ripples founder and said, "How much do you need?" The answer to this question was $300,000. The woman didn't flinch at this staggering amount, and she provided the funds for Ripples to remain open. Although I am not religious, I was still touched by this incredible story.

After the founder spoke, we were suddenly flooded with toddlers and young children. While it was difficult to be sad as adorable children climbed onto my lap without hesitation, the reality of their situation was heartbreaking. These children are so void of human contact that they literally cling to anyone who crosses their path, strangers or not. Little boys would come up to me and jump onto my lap, while others would simply rest their heads on my knee as I gently scratched their backs. My heart was truly broken by the sight of one young girl, just barely past walking age, who shied away from all interaction with other people. If we tried to approach her and play, she would shrink away into the corner and stare at us with a blank, frightened look. Other children had burn marks on their hands and faces, likely scars inflicted by family members who did not want them after their parents died of AIDs. When the older children left, I sat on the couch in silence for a few moments-- but only a few moments, because the doors rapidly swung open and a woman (one of only three caretakers at the home) entered the room and literally dropped a swaddled infant into my lap. I was shocked but joyful at the sight of such an adorable baby-- his face was calm and he stared into my eyes intently as I rocked him off to sleep. The time we spent Ripples will not soon be forgotten.

After leaving Ripples, we attended a cultural celebration and assembly at BLISS. At one point, all of the Michigan students and representatives stood up and performed a rousing rendition of 'Hail To The Victors.' It was slightly embarrassing, but the Kenyan audience members seemed to find it moderately entertaining... After a few hours, we gathered up our luggage from each homestay house and migrated over to the Meru Bio-Intensive farm, where we will stay until we leave for Nairobi at the end of the week. The farm is amazingly adorable! We (the girls) are staying in a large farmhouse with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a dining room, living room, and kitchen. It's nice to be back with the whole group again. We had our host families over for a farewell dinner, and it was so tough to say goodbye without knowing when we will see them again. I am confident that I will return to Meru someday, but until that day comes, I will miss my Kenyan family dearly.

On Sunday, a small group of us headed to the IPI orphanage to help some children paint a mural in the building's entrance area. After two hours, a lot of paint, and tons of messy hands, we admired our colorful work. The kids were so adorable and artistic, and we were even invited to join in an intense game of handball when the painting was through. Definitely a worthwhile way to spend my morning. Last night was our long-awaited party at Loyd's house! His family's property is beautiful and the food was just as delicious as I hoped it would be.

This morning has already been very busy. A group of us headed out to a nearby "crater lake" that's known as a popular hang-out for elephants! It was beautiful and I felt refreshed after our hike around the lake. This afternoon should be just as eventful, as we are heading to a local plantation to pick coffee beans. Then we'll go back to the farm and prepare ourselves for tomorrow and Wednesday. If you've been obsessively following my schedule, you know what that means: SAFARI! I am beyond excited.

Talk to you in a few days!

Pictures:

A beautiful waterlily from Lake Nkonga this morning!

                                         

Ixchel and I took some "senior pictures" at the farmhouse...

Me and the painting group at IPI Orphanage. 

Mixed emotions

Today can only be described as an "up and down" sort of day. We walked from BLISS to Kithoka Primary School this morning, and it was just as fun as I imagined it would be. As usual, the children were extremely happy to see us-- crowds of primary school kids ran up to us as we walked into the yard. We split up into two teaching groups, one for reading and one for math. I opted for the reading group because revisiting long-forgotten math skills would probably cause me to become physically ill.

I picked several books from the school library and headed over to a first/second grade classroom to read to the students. I was surprised at how interactive the young students were, especially given their relatively basic English skills. They were able to answer our questions about the alphabet and name each animal in the picture book I showed them. After reading through several books, we migrated outside to interact with a larger group of students. Within minutes, my hair became the center of attention... I've learned that wearing my hair down is the best path of action here because it provides kids with endless entertainment. I was basically blinded by the flying locks of partially braided hair and smiling children that crowded my field of vision. "Your hair is so big!" the students told me. I'm thankful that my mom was so violent while brushing my hair as a child because now I have no nerve endings in my scalp, so I was unaffected by the hair-pulling/untangling. Many of the older girls hugged me, held my hands, and stroked my hair. One even told me that I am her best friend. I'm going to miss the kindred spirits of Kenya so much when I am forced to leave in about a week.

This is when one of the "down" parts of my day happened. I let some of the children play with camera as we ran around in the dusty schoolyard. I was hesitant to hand my camera over to a group of hyperactive kids, but I knew it would make them happy, so I decided I would just keep a close eye on their activities. When I finally retrieved my camera, I noticed that something was wrong. The screen displayed blurry images and I was unable to take photos, which was pretty distressing. When we got back to the Thiiri Center for lunch, I headed into the computer lab to research potential solutions to my camera problem, but the only suggestion that came up was "bang the camera against your palm until the error message goes away." I was skeptical, but the solution was corroborated by various sources, so I decided I had nothing to lose. I am EXTREMELY pleased to announce that after about an hour of firmly hitting my camera/looking like a maniac, I have officially resolved my technological difficulties. I don't know how I would have lived without my (expensive) camera for the next two weeks!

Tonight is our last night with our host families, so I'm feeling a bit sad at the prospect of saying goodbye. However, I used the new photo printer at BLISS to print a family picture of me, Mo, Lucy, Joshua, and Brenda. I will frame it this evening and give it to to my host family at dinner as a going away present... I think they will truly appreciate the gesture. I had the internet card at my homestay last night, so we set up a Skype session with my American parents and my Kenyan family-- quite a funny exchange, but I'm glad they were able to "meet."

We also got our safari hats this afternoon! Two words: RIDICULOUSLY EXCITED. Plus, they had different hat sizes, which means that I was able to find one that actually fits on my giant Boudreau/Ruhlman head. Family members, you know what I'm talking about. There's a reason my mom had a C-section when I was born. Too much information? Oops.

I'll have more to say soon. Until then, here are a couple of pictures.

Me with some of the older students at Kithoka.

This is the picture I'm giving my family tonight.

So much to say!

I finally have a substantial amount of time to use the internet, so I can actually create a proper blog entry! I really feel like it's going to be impossible to translate my thoughts and feelings into written words, but I'll do what I can to bring you into my brain for a few moments.

Over the past few days, we've been meeting at BLISS in the morning for Swahili lessons. I won't bore you with a bunch of grammatical constructions, but I will add a special message for Kendra and Aysha: we learned that the word "nyanya" means both "grandmother" and "tomato." I am not kidding. Those of you who understand the reference can probably imagine that I had to stifle my laughter as the rest of the class practiced saying that word. ANYWAY. I've been happy to learn more about the language, and I feel a lot more capable of making my own way here in Kenya now that I'm equipped with basic speaking knowledge. Brenda (my host sister) has also been helping me learn both Kimeru and Swahili, provided that I teach her a bit of Spanish!

Speaking of my host sister, things here at my homestay have been rather amazing as of late. I can really say that I have gained a new Kenyan family-- I know that I will always have somewhere to stay in Meru, and I love feeling like part of a brand new unit. When Mo and I arrive home from BLISS each evening, Lucy comes out and exclaims "Oh, my girls! My girls are home!" It is both heartwarming and hilarious. She took us on a tour of the school buildings a couple of days ago, and we were introduced to everyone as "my daughters." During our tour, we stopped in for a cup of tea with the principal of the school, and that was the turning point at which I realized that I have gained a real appetite for Kenyan tea. I have never been a fan of anything other than water, but I can now say with confidence that I need Kenyan tea to properly jump start my morning routine. Last night, the power went out throughout the town, so our family dined by lantern light. As usual, we shared laughs, conversation, and cultural comparisons... but something about the shadows being cast on the walls and the dim lighting created a new sense of closeness that I will never forget.

Yesterday, I taught a geography class with Natalie-- more specifically, a Form 2 (sophomore) level course on geographical photography. I was nervous at first, but Kenyan students are nothing like American students because instead of texting and obnoxiously chatting during class, they demonstrate respect and attentiveness. I felt appreciated and it was wonderful to know that my lesson was actually being absorbed instead of ridiculed. After geography, I taught my first photography workshop, which went more wonderfully than I could have hoped for. The students were broken up into two small groups, and I explained the basic features of the digital camera and photography. Next, I took a nice portrait of each student leaning up against a pretty blue door outside of the BLISS laboratory. I couldn't have anticipated the excitement the students showed when they were told that I would give each of them a copy of their own photograph. Within moments of printing the first picture, groups of students gathered around to admire the results. Students who hadn't even signed up for the photography class created a large crowd around the printer, calling my name and asking me to print a photo of them. My only regret is that I could not print a picture for every student at BLISS.

Today was our last afternoon teaching at BLISS, and I sat on in a female sexual education class taught by Ixchel, Johanna, and Kyra. After reviewing some of the basic questions asked by the BLISS students, I found myself shocked... the lack of knowledge on topics that many Americans consider basic took me by surprise. I don't want to make this too uncomfortable for my blog readers, but I would like to give an idea of the types of questions the Kenyan girls asked. Questions ranged from "How many times can a condom be reused?" to "Is there a medicine that will prevent pregnancy?" However, the girls were already very educated about HIV/AIDs, which surprised some of us. In any case, I was intrigued by sitting in on the sexual education class.

As we left class today, we were literally bombarded by BLISS students who wanted to hug us, sing with us, ask us questions, and inquire as to when we will return. For some reason, many students remember my name, so it's not uncommon for me to hear "Sophie!" from someone whose face I don't even recognize. I have to admit that it feels pretty good to be in such high demand. :)

I could type for hours about how awesome Kenya is, but I need to help my host family prepare for dinner tonight. Did I mention that we eat dinner at about 9 PM here? Well, we do. I think my consumption patterns are going to be so warped when I get back to Michigan. Oh, and we saw elephants yesterday! We were driving back to Thiiri after a tour of a local university when I saw an elephant tusk peeking out from behind the bushes on the side of the road! I quickly yelled out and Loyd let us stop the car to take pictures. I'm getting more and more anxious for our safari each and every day, but I also want to cherish my last couple of days with my family in Meru.

I'll update again as soon as I can. I've decided not to share ALL of my stories on this blog (as if that was possible anyway) because I need to save a few tales for when I see all of you at the giant country-wide welcome home party you're throwing for me... right? ;)

- Muthoni (that's my Kimeru name, as decided by a couple of students at BLISS!)

Pictures:

Me and a few nursery school students in Meru.

Teaching Form 2 geography and photography at BLISS.

Some of my photography students with printed pictures of themselves!

My Kenyan mama introduced me to sugarcane... YUM.

Pictures

I haven't been able to upload photos for a few days, but I'm finally back at the Thiiri Centre with a bit of down time this afternoon! Here are some pictures from the past few days.

I think Brenda (my host sister) had a bit too much fun helping me wash my hair... she was especially interested in watching the shampooing process.

This is my host family's home within the Kaaga Girls' School compound in Meru. It's actually a duplex, so our family only occupies the left side of the home. There are 5 rooms in our section.

Me and Mo at our family's farm!

Busy, busy, busy!

This will probably be the shortest post of all time. I deserve a medal.

We are getting busier by the day, and I will start teaching my photography class tomorrow! Also, we played with some adorable nursery school children yesterday, which gave me a dose of happiness that should last about 5 weeks.

More to follow!

Thoughts

I don't have time to write another full entry, but I'm going to summarize my current thoughts in one sentence:

"I am here to build relationships, not buildings."

Allison (a seasoned Kenya traveler) said this to me on our second night here-- and it makes perfect sense in my mind. So many people visit Africa to "help" by constructing churches or other buildings that could have been built by locals who desperately need jobs. Once a building is finished, the charity group leaves, and the sustainability aspect is left solely in the hands of local citizens. By building RELATIONSHIPS with people here, we are creating something real, lasting, and dually beneficial for both ourselves and those we interact with. We are taking away just as much as we are giving.

Just something to think about.

Updates!

There is a 94% chance that this will never actually be posted-- the computer I'm using was probably born in the 1980s, but I wanted to give you guys an update on my life in Kenya.

My homestay family is awesome. No young children, but my host sister (Brenda, or Kinya) is 18 years old and we have been spending a lot of time together. My host mom's name is Lucy and she has truly taken me in as one of her own. Last night, she came home from her church fellowship meeting and said she had a gift for "her girls." She pulled out matching sandals for me, Brenda, and Mo-- beautiful shoes with beaded flowers! Lucy laughed hysterically as we slipped the sandals onto our feet. "A mom knows her daughters' sizes!" she exclaimed. She also asked me to inform my real mom that my African mom says I don't eat enough. Sound about right, Mom? Lucy and Joshua (my host father) are both teachers, so their home is actually inside the gates of a girls' boarding school compound here in Meru. I'm eager to interact with some of the girls over the course of my week with the family.

Yesterday (Sunday) was a mixture of bustling activity and lots of down time. We attended church in the morning, and I was surprised at the technological advances used in the service. Now, I'm not exactly a frequent church attendee, but I can say that this service was more joyful and upbeat than anything I have experienced in the past. Many of the songs were in Swahili, but the readings and hymns were displayed on a large projector in the front of the church, so it was easy to clap and sing along. We were also given the chance to introduce ourselves to the congregation. As usual, everyone was kind and welcoming.

After church, Brenda took me and Mo on a brief walk around the property near the family's home. I just have one conclusion about this walk: Kenyans know how to grow some HUGE vegetables. Seriously, I have a photo of my head next to some cabbage, and it's hard to determine which one is bigger. I have an abnormally large head, so that's saying something. We also saw cows grazing on a basketball and volleyball court-- probably a sight I will never experience again. Don't worry, I took pictures. After our walk, we introduced Brenda to the joys of Uno... I STILL REIGN SUPREME AS THE UNO CHAMPION OF THE WORLD. Later in the afternoon, Joshua drove us out to the family farm, where we picked fresh papayas and avocados.

The food has been very good and very traditional... lots of beans, maize, rice, and fruit, including the papayas we picked with our own hands. There's a good chance that I will take up gardening upon my return to the United States. "Sophie's Produce Market" sounds like a plausible business endeavor, right?

The only difficult part of our homestay has been the water situation. There's a water shortage happening right now, so that means no flushing toilets, no showers/baths, and no sink water. Last night, Brenda and Mo helped me wash my hair using a bucket of water and a pitcher. It was moderately uncomfortable, but I can't complain about the bonding experience that resulted. :)

All in all, I am doing well. I suffered a brief bout of homesickness this weekend, but I think I can combat that by staying busy during the week. Also, it's impossible to be sad when I have access to Kenyan sitcoms like "Mother-in-Law" and "Teresa," which is actually a Spanish soap opera with English dubbing. Funny for all the wrong reasons. It was nice to be reunited with our group this morning, and I'm pretty sure that I am incapable of feeling any negative emotions when I am near Loyd (my fellow group members know what I'm talking about)! Today will keep us extremely occupied, with a few hours at BLISS and a trip to a local orphanage planned. As always, I love and miss you all, and thank you for following me/putting up with my pathetic attempts at humor!

Homestays

Greetings!

In about an hour, we are heading off to meet our homestay families. This means that I will not have internet for the next few days, as we will probably only have access at Thiiri Centre. This morning we attended a ceremony/meeting for some of the BLISS student leaders. We participated in team building activities and enjoyed a walk down the road. As we walked, an elderly woman stopped and asked to shake our hands. I found this extremely interesting, as I am not used to being sought out by people who want to greet me personally. It was a new feeling.

The rest of the afternoon has been very low-key. There is a large wedding reception taking place here at Thiiri, so I've been watching the festivities from the balcony. One clear difference between American weddings and Kenyan weddings is that here, when the bride arrived, all of her friends and family ran up to her car and danced their way back to their seats in a giant organized mob. I got some great photos and a couple of videos!

Mo and I are roommates for homestays, and we will be leaving shortly. I am nervous for an entire week with an unfamiliar family, but I couldn't be more excited to experience their way of life! Also, my homestay family has children, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that they are young enough to still be considered adorable... :) Talk to you in a couple of days.

A quick hello

Hi again! Just a quick note: my posts will probably start getting shorter and less detailed as I become busier here in Kenya. Also, I will probably only have internet access intermittently next week, as we are moving in with our homestay families and we'll only be at the Thiiri Centre for a couple of hours each day.

We spent several hours at BLISS this morning, interacting with the students, sitting in on classes, and watching their morning ceremonies. As expected, it was educational and exciting, and the kids were as curious as ever. The fascination with my hair continues... today, students in the class began swarming around me, stroking my hair and even feeling the skin on my hands. One girl opened up my hand and rubbed her fingers over my palms, fascinated by my coloring. "It's so smooth," she said. I expected to stand out, but I never thought they would be THIS interested in my physical differences! I soon became aware that at least four students were braiding my hair as I talked with several of their classmates. It was a wonderful (and entertaining) experience. Here's a picture:

I know it's hard to believe, but this photo was 100% unposed. A girl just grabbed my camera and snapped a picture of what was going on-- my hair took a beating today, but it was SO worth it.

I also sat in on a poetry class and gave a brief speech about my major, my career goals, and my advice for the Kenyan students. Essentially, the other American students in the room and I encouraged the Kenyan students to seek a career that combines practicality and passion: if you can make money doing something you love, you've won.

This afternoon, we visited a Meru co-op that supports single mothers in the community. The women there produce wool and other textile goods. I got a few souvenirs and enjoyed learning about a different aspect of Kenyan culture. On that note, I am going to head back into my room for a brief nap. Talk to you soon!

Bumps in the road (literally)

Hello again! First of all, thank you for your continued support. I've gotten messages and comments from many different people, and it makes me feel very loved to know that you are all experiencing this adventure along with me. That being said, I don't want anyone to think that this blog is a substitute for talking to me directly about my trip, or that I am spending big chunks of my time here online. The only reason that I keep this blog is because I want to maintain an online record of my trip and so that my relatives and friends around the world can follow my experiences. Just wanted to clear that up so no one thinks I am spending my time online instead of fully experiencing Africa! :)

As for today... where do I start? It was an adventure, to say the least. We hopped into our vans (manned by our drivers, Peter and Peterson... seriously) and started the long/bumpy two hour ride to Mt. Kenya. After about an hour, our van suddenly headed down what can only be described as a crater-like dirt road. Seriously, I have not been that shaken up since I made the unfortunate decision to go on a particularly rusty Tulip Time carnival ride in 8th grade. We were SO confused as to where Peter was taking us-- the path became more and more narrow, and it was clear that we were in a small village that sat in a patch of green, Ireland-esque paradise surrounded by a bubbling stream. Not exactly what I expected for Kenya, but beautiful nonetheless. Suddenly, we were told to exit the car and look upward into a tree. I have one word for you: MONKEYS! That should pretty much sum it up. It was the first time I had seen a monkey in its true natural habitat, so I was excited.

After an hour of exploration and waiting, the cooks who worked in the "Kenya/Ireland village" gave us meals of fish (eyeballs and heads still intact), chicken, beef sausage, carrots, and potatoes-- very good. We continued our trek to Mt. Kenya, and the road bumpiness increased immensely as we approached the  distant mountains. Peter, being the unbeatable driver that he is, successfully dislodged our van from puddles of mud, dusty ruts, and rock-covered parking spaces. On the drive up to the mountain, we were blown away by the adorableness of the children we saw. As we drove by, children would run alongside our van and wave as we took their pictures. These Kenyan children have remarkable enthusiasm and untouchable cuteness, seriously.

Our jubilance would soon wear off, however, as we began our long trek up Mt. Kenya. It was exciting at first, and the scenery was definitely beautiful. After about 45 minutes of rugged uphill hiking, however, I was ready to head back to the van. I'm taking this as further proof that I should probably start exercising on a regular basis, and playing drums on Beatles Rock Band shouldn't count as "real exercise." Sad but true. ANYWAY, I pushed through, and we reached our destination. The view was gorgeous, and I was proud of myself for barreling through the physical discomfort. I also overcame another uncomfortable obstacle today when I took care of my business in one of the national park's toilets... if you can call it a toilet. In an effort to not gross people out, I will say this: using the bathroom is always more pleasant when squatting over a hand-dug hole is not involved... but I have no complaints. It will make for a good story someday, as soon as I wash the stench out of my clothes.

We spent the rest of the day back here at Thiiri-- I took a nice nap after our hike. Tomorrow is another preparation day at the schools, followed by a drive into town to visit a co-op for single mothers in the Meru community. It should be a good day all around, and I continue to be thankful for each and every experience here. Good afternoon, morning, or night, depending on where you are!

Me and some of the girls at Mt. Kenya!

Adorable children waving at me from the road. 

Pure BLISS (pun intended)

Today isn't even over yet, but I feel like I need to get these thoughts out of my system before my heart and/or body explodes from joy and excitement. I wish I could pick up all of you and bring you here with me to experience what I experienced today, but until teleportation technology is developed, this blog will have to suffice.

This morning, I was literally woken up by the crowing of a rooster outside. That's Africa for you. We ate breakfast here at Thiiri and started the 15 minute walk to the secondary and primary schools we'll be working at. I was absolutely blown away by the scenery we saw on our walk-- it rained last night, so a light, dewy coating covered all of the flowers, greenery, and worn-down trees. We walked along the side of the road, receiving kind waves from all of the men on bicycles who crossed our path. After getting a bit lost, we finally ended up at BLISS and met with some of the teachers who work at the school. They gave us a basic rundown of their positions and welcomed us to the area.

As the rest of the group embarked on a more formal tour, Laura and I decided to break off from the others and spend time with a classroom full of Kenyan students. I have never felt so welcome by a group of individuals (let alone teenagers) in my life. Nearly immediately, a girl stood up to offer us her desk so we could sit and chat with the students. Another girl was fascinated by my camera, so I let her take it around the room-- this resulted in a handful of awesome photos, which I discovered on my camera after leaving the school. I quickly became engaged in a conversation with several students, specifically a girl named Karen. She asked me question after question about myself, all of which I tried to counter with questions about her life. However, she was insanely curious, and I ended up answering far more questions than I asked. Karen is 17 and she plans to be a lawyer-- Kenyan students choose their career paths at a very young age, which allows them to spend more time preparing for their university entrance exam. She was especially fascinated by hearing tales about my boyfriend, Matt. I had to be careful about what information I divulged, but her curiosity was hilarious. "Why isn't he in Kenya?" she inquired. "Do you swim together?!" The best part of this particular conversation, however, was when I showed her a picture of Matt that's stored on my camera. "Oh, he's cute!" she exclaimed, and then proceeded to walk around the classroom with my camera so she could show Matt's photo to all of her friends. As Karen correctly predicted, "Matthew will be happy to hear about this!"

I also spoke with several other students, and I was blown away by their intelligence, curiosity, and kindness. I answered question after question, hardly being left with a free moment to catch my breath. I wish I had a transcript of our conversation, but here are a few of the questions they asked:

"Why do you keep your hair so long? How do you clean it?"
"Tell me the story of your country." I knew AP US History would come in handy some day...
"Were you happy when Osama died?"
"In your country, are girls who become pregnant seen as outcasts?"
"Who is better, Beyonce or Rihanna?"
"In your country, how much does a mobile phone cost?"
"What is your career? Do you want to become an actress?" (Their reaction to "I'm a film major")
"Do you have beaches near your home? Can I see a photo of the beach?"

I wish I could recall everything, but I was so overwhelmed by this happy interrogation that I probably forgot 50% of our conversation topics. Ask me about it the next time you see me in person, and I'll be glad to give you more information as it comes to me! After our time at BLISS, we walked next door to see the primary school students-- holy cuteness. Honestly, it should not be possible for children to be that adorable. I took a lot of pictures, as you can probably imagine.

The rest of the day has been fairly uneventful. We ventured to the Nakumatt, which is essentially a Kenyan Wal-Mart. It was really not much different from a grocery store here, aside from the fact that it is plopped in the middle of a dusty African town. We also ordered hot chocolate, tea, and coffee from a small cafe, one of the few established businesses that I've seen since arriving in Meru. Yum.

I need to go write more in my actual personal journal, so here are some pictures. Thanks for all of your comments and support-- it makes me even more eager to keep documenting this journey! Tomorrow we're off for a trip to Mt. Kenya... so many adventures, so little time!

Me, Laura, and a few of the BLISS students we hung out with. 

Morning walk from Thiiri to school. 

The long road to Meru...

Jambo, loyal readers (all three of you)!

We made the six-hour journey by van to Meru today! Meru is the village where BLISS (the secondary school we're teaching at) is located. We woke up early for a great breakfast back in Nairobi and gathered in the waiting area until our vans arrived. In the lobby of the guest house in Nairobi, we were surprised to hear the familiar sounds of Christmas music coming through the overhead speaker. None of us are quite sure why, but maybe Kenyans are just always in the Christmas spirit!

The ride to Meru was interesting, eye-opening, and amazing-- I finally processed the fact that none of this is a trip to a tacky African-themed amusement park or a bizarrely realistic viewing of a National Geographic documentary. This is real life, these are real people, and my eyes are actually seeing these sights. As we drove through village after village, I couldn't help but feel like an outsider. After all, as an abnormally pale young American, I don't exactly blend into the crowd here in Africa. Every time we passed through a crowd (nearly everyone in every village was outdoors, tending to their fruit stand, feeding their animals, or simply walking around), people would notice our van full of strangers and stare. I wasn't sure how to react, so I simply smiled or looked away if the staring became uneasy. This was a new sensation for me, but I completely understand the fact that we are new faces to people here, and their staring is completely warranted. Any awkwardness was made up for by the small schoolchildren we saw on the way here. Groups of four or five children would intermittently appear next to our van, all of them dressed in matching school uniforms-- many of them held hands or wrapped their arms around each other's shoulders. Some of the younger ones waved at us as we passed, and this was enough to make the entire six-hour trip worthwhile.

We stopped for lunch in Embu at a charming little restaurant. The people there were friendly, kind, and helpful-- this has been the case for most of the Kenyans I've interacted with so far. After lunch, we piled into our vans and finished the journey to Meru... and I can't say I was sad to get out of that van. Did I mention that there are virtually no rules regarding driving here? Well, I'll say it now: there are virtually no rules regarding driving here. It's kind of a free-for-all, which makes for an exciting but moderately scary long-distance car ride. We got to the Thiiri Centre (an arts and cultural guest house/facility) around 6 pm, and we were greeted by many friendly faces. Dinner was spaghetti (that's traditional Kenyan food, right?) with spinach and oranges right from the local gardens. I can't say enough about the beauty of this place! Thriving greenery countered by fog-clouded mountains in the distance, as well as the occasional patch of open grass and bright red soil. Pictures will never do it justice.

Tomorrow will be an exciting day because we are finally meeting the students at BLISS. Each of us is expected to introduce ourselves to the group of 100+ Kenyan students directly following their daily opening ceremonies. I'm nervous, but I know this is the beginning of something wonderful. However, school starts EARLY (at least by college student standards... 8 in the morning), so I should shower and hop into bed. Until next time!

Village we passed through on the way to Meru.

View from my room here at the Thiiri Centre in Meru.

I'm here!

After what felt like three weeks of traveling, my group has arrived safely here in Nairobi, Kenya! I'll try not to give you all the boring details of my trip, but here are a few highlights and a couple of photos I took over the past 48 hours.

The journey from Detroit to Amsterdam was much more bearable than I expected it to be. Kendra, Aysha, and my parents saw me off in Detroit, and we even ran into Carl Levin at the security check. That was a great distraction from the sadness of saying goodbye... plus, Carl Levin is awesome. I usually get very uneasy when it comes to flying over large bodies of water, and dark water is one of my big fears, so I was expecting to be on edge as we crossed the ocean at night. However, my expectations were completely contradicted. I sat with my head against the window and listened to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of The Moon in its entirety while watching the moon's reflection on the Atlantic Ocean. Kind of an epic moment. Plus, the Delta on-demand had Parks & Rec, so time passed quickly.

In Amsterdam, I couldn't help but laugh at all of the Holland-themed stuff. My fellow travelers marveled at wooden shoe keychains and giant tulip statues, but all I could think about was the Holland I'm accustomed to. It felt like home. On the flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi, we were re-routed due to a volcanic explosion in Northern Africa (yes, I'm serious). Our flight lasted 2 hours longer than it was expected to, but we got to fly over Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Ethiopia, and some other regions with interesting landscapes, so I wasn't too distraught. Here's a photo I took just as the sun was setting over Saudi Arabia:

We arrived here in Nairobi around 10 pm local time, and a van drove us to the Kenya Methodist Guest House. It's basically a hotel with a more personal feel. Everyone is extremely kind and there are a couple of cats roaming around and sleeping on various wicker chairs. There is so much more I could say, but I'm jetlagged and I think a few hours of sleep would do me good. You know you're sleep-deprived when you cry at an episode of Undercover Boss on the airplane. On that note, goodnight. Stay tuned for much more.

This is me making good use of the mosquito net on my bed.

Bon Voyage (Almost)

So, here's the thing. I am leaving for Africa TOMORROW (yes, tomorrow) and I feel as if my body might spontaneously combust at any moment. Not just because I am stressed out, nervous, and excited-- but also because the reality of this trip is finally starting to drop on me, and I feel like spontaneous combustion is the only way I'll be able to process the awesomeness. I've spent most of today in a blurred frenzy of last-minute packing and checklist-making. This is the first sliver of free time I've had to really sit down and comprehend the fact that the big blue suitcase in front of me is packed because I AM GOING TO AFRICA. Not for a week in New Baltimore, a family vacation to Arizona, or a holiday break at home. For Africa... the real Africa, of Lion King fame.

There's a lot left to be done before I head to the airport tomorrow afternoon, so I should probably bid farewell to the internet until I can rest assured that every skirt, camera cord, and personal hygiene product is resting safely in the pockets of my suitcase. Goodbye for now, blog. See you in Nairobi.

For your entertainment, I have added a photo of me looking extremely disheveled while hugging my trusty wiener dog pillow/personal stress-reliever. This photo was taken today after I made the tough decision to leave my guinea pig Beanie Baby at home. I suppose I can manage.