A Football Celebration

There are so many things that I experienced in Kenya that I will never forget. My trip has definitely changed my life and given me an entirely new view of my life and the lives of others. The moment that affected me the most was when we sent a soccer ball sailing through the air into a field of kids. It was such a simple act of kindness but it meant so much to the kids to have a real soccer ball to play with. If you look closely in the pictures above you will see me holding the ball they were using. The new ball was a HUGE upgrade.

Game Drive in the Mara

A Maasai Celebration

In honor of my last night in Ole Keene, the Maasai held a small celebration for me. The chief Peter and about 16 Maasai boys gathered at our camp for dinner. Normally, women are not allowed to attend these gatherings but since I was a special guest I was allowed. They slaughtered a sheep to roast over the fire. It was quite an experience to see a sheep alive and then less than 2 hours later it is roasting over the fire. The smell coming from the meat was unlike anything I have smelled before. It was so overwhelming and made me not want to eat the meat. But, since I was the special guest, I received the honor of making the first cut in the meat. I had to use their ponga (large knife they are carry on their belt) to cut the meat. I think they made fun of me in Swahili as I tried and failed to cut a piece, With a little help from the boys, though, I was able to get a piece to eat. I can’t say that I enjoyed eating the roasted sheep but it was a great way to end my final night in the Mara.

At our small celebration I was also able to see the Maasai dance, which consists of a lot of jumping and chanting. Of course they made me join in with their dance so I was surrounded by 10 boys jumping and chanting. I am sure there are not very many visitors that are get to dance with the Maasai. What a great honor to be welcomed into their culture.

Today I head back to Nairobi so that I can board the plane back to America. As I begin my journey home, I am filled with both sadness and happiness. I am glad to be returning to my family and friends in Ohio and I definitely miss my bed and shower. But, I have had such a wonderful experience in Kenya. I don’t think pictures will be able to capture the essence of Kenya. Wherever I traveled, I was always greeted with a smile and a handshake. I met so many wonderful people that welcomed me into their homes and fed me lots of food and tea. The people here live a simple life but seem completely content and happy with their lives. If there is one thing I have learned from Kenya it is that simplicity is bliss. You don’t need a lot of things to make you happy. Happiness is found within you.

I have enjoyed traveling with the Kids in Kenya fund and seeing the many schools and children that Kids in Kenya sponsored. It is wonderful to see many villages beginning to invest more importance in education. I hope that when I return I see more girls in school!

Once I return home and sort through my many, many pictures I hope to share a few photos of the places I have traveled.

Lessons learned in Kenya

Tonight is my last night in the Maasai Mara. As I sit in the car and type this post they are slaughtering a sheep for me. I guess I should be honored that they are having this celebration for me but I am not so sure I like having a sheep slaughtered next to my tent…. especially since that means the hyenas will be stopping by tonight. I am looking forward to the celebration but I hope that I don’t have to drink the milk and blood mixture that they drink. Peter, the chief, has been teasing me about trying it for the past two weeks. I don’t think I will be able to get myself to do it…but as I mentioned in my other posts I don’t want to offend the cook so I might have to try it so I don’t offend the Maasai.

As I get ready to leave I want to pass on a few lessons I have learned while in Kenya so that if you ever travel to Kenya you will be prepared.

1. Always, always, carry a stick when walking in case you meet a wild animal.

2. Never insult the cook. It is rude to refuse food so you eat way more than you want.

3. Traffic lights and stop signs are optional if they even exist.

4. Cell phones and Internet work in the bush even though you don’t have electricity.

5. If you are supposed to be somewhere at noon and you show up at 6 pm you are still on time.

6. Kenyans love speed bumps.

7. As long as your car fits and doesn’t get stuck, it is a road.

8. Even if it is impossible, a Kenyan will always tell you it is “No problem”.

Kenyan Cuisine

When I prepared to leave for Kenya I was very concerned about what I would be eating on my trip. I do not really like unusual food so I was nervous that I would have to hold my nose and force down so unidentifiable foods. Luckily, I have had the good fortune to eat foods I can identify that are (mostly) good. I have learned here that is rude to refuse food because I would be insulting the cook. My bowl, therefore, is loaded with food and I am asked often if I would like additions (seconds). If I say no, the cook looks at me until I give in. I have eaten more here than I do at home. Here are some of the foods I have eaten while I have been here:

1. Lots and lots of rice. Rice is served with lunch and dinner. I think I’ve eaten enough rice to last me a long time.
2. Fried Chicken: Just as good as home!
3. Beef and goat. The meat is made into a stew and sometimes mixed with vegetables. Goat does not taste bad but I do not like some of the seasonings they use on it.
4. Sheep meat on a skewer: pretty good actually
5. Ugali: Tastes and looks like playdough. It is made from Maize. I have eaten white and brown Ugali. I try my best to stay away from it but since I don’t want to insult the cook I usually have to eat some.
6. Mondazi: Almost like a square donut without any glaze. I like these and sometimes we eat it for breakfast.
7. Chapati: Like a pancake but thinner and a little greasy. I ate these sometimes for breakfast.
8. Fruit: The fruit here is all local and tastes fantastic. I’ve had bananas, oranges, pineapple, and passion fruits. Fruit is always served at the end of the meal. The pineapple here is awesome. It is so juicy. The best snack I have had is pineapple on a stick.
9. Chips (French fries) I was surprised that they serve them here but it was good to get something other than rice. I really liked when we had chips and eggs. This was yummy!
10. French Toast: Even had maple syrup from Kroger!
11. Sugar cane: You chew it and then spit it out once the juice is gone. My teeth are not as strong as a native’s, I have hard time getting to the stuff you can chew.
12. Eggs: Scrambled, fried, or hard-boiled.
13. Spaghetti: Usually mixed with vegetables and a packet of soup mix. We made this many times over the campfire.

Although I don’t mind the food I am looking forward to going home and eating American food. It has been awhile since I have eaten anything off of a plate. Everything here is mixed together in a bowl and eaten with a spoon. I also wouldn’t mind eating at dining table either.

More Wildlife in Africa

Some more animals I have seen while in Aitong:

1. Baboons

2. Vervet Monkeys

3. Gazelles

4. Tommy Gazelles

5. Dikdiks

6. 6 foot Black Mamba Snake: one of the deadliest snakes in Africa

7. Hippos hanging out on the rocks

8. Guinea Hens

9. 10 Elephants hanging out on the hill. I could see the trees moving and breaking as they walking across the hill

10. Hares

Aitong

Earlier this week we left Narok and headed to Aitong, on the other side of the Mara. If Ole Keene is quiet then Aitong is silent. It is almost too quiet here. It was hard to get used to the silence and to allow myself to become one with the Mara. The only loud thing here is the wind. At night it blows so hard that I think that our tent will fall apart. It is amazing how windy it is here at night. We have not blown away…..yet.

I have definitely had to step outside myself during my stay in Aitong. The latrine here has not lived up to my standards. It has three sides that are covered by plants on the bottom half and sheets on the top. It does have a toilet seat, which is unusual for the wilderness. The door, though, is nonexistent. I was almost ready to tell Jamey to drive me back to Narok to the hotel. But, I sucked it up and made it though. I don’t think I will ever complain about the bathrooms in America again.

On Thursday, we took some of the kids from the village to the Rhino Sanctuary. I have never seen so many kids pile into one car. I think there were about 10 of them in one row of seats. This was a very special opportunity for them to visit the Rhino Sanctuary. Field trips do not happen often for them. We met up with a group of Rangers who were watching about 4-5 Rhinos. Rangers watch the rhinos every day all day to make sure they are not poached. The Rhinos are not fenced in so they are free to move as the Rangers watch them. We were able to get about 20 feet from the Rhinos. The kids seemed like they were afraid to move or speak because they didn’t want to upset the Rhinos. On the way back to the village one of the mother’s stopped our car and told us that next time the mothers in the village want to go see the Rhinos. It is quite a big deal to be taken out of the village on a trip! They were jealous that the kids got to go and they didn’t.

On our last day of camping in Aitong I had the unlucky fortune of seeing a Black Mamba snake, one of the deadliest snakes in Africa. It was almost 6 feet long and had its head about a foot up in air with its black tongue flicking out at the car menacingly. About an hour earlier, Jamey and I had been walking in that same exact spot. As we watched the snake slither off into the bush I turned and told Jamey I was ready to go home. I do not want to meet any more snakes in Africa.

I don’t think I will miss Aitong when we leave. Next time I will make sure I check that a real latrine has been built before coming back here. Oh yeah, and a shower might be nice too.

Schools in Kenya

During my visit in Kenya I have had the opportunity to visit many schools in the villages we have visited. Unfortunately, the school children are on holiday until September so I have not had the opportunity to teach in the classroom. It has been interesting, though, to see many different schools and see the struggles that face schools as they try to educate the children in the community.

The first school I visited was in Maji Moto. The school’s motto is “Don’t exchange girls for cows, give them education.” In many schools, there is a low attendance of girls. Many parents do not find it a priority to send girls to school. The school in Maji Moto was very, very, nice which a rare find in Kenya. The organizer, Helene, has done a fantastic job of developing her school. I was surprised to find that her classrooms were almost as nice as mine. The preschool room, for example, was decorated with posters from our education store in the United States. It had nice toys and an indoor garden. I was very impressed but Jamey was quick to remind me that most schools do not look anything like this.

In Ole Keene, I visited their primary school, which houses preK to grade 3. Next year they will add grade 4. The school started seven years ago with a preschool under a tree. I have had the opportunity to talk extensively with Peter, the teacher that started the school. I am hoping to be able to develop some pen pals between my school and Ole Keene. What an awesome opportunity to expose my students to what school is like in another country. While in Ole Keene, I had the opportunity to attend their closing ceremony on the last day of school. I wasn’t able to understand much of what they said but it was great to see all the kids, parents and teachers together for the celebration. During the ceremony each teacher announced the ranking of each student in the class. This is very different from American schools. Parents of American children want everyone to be recognized equally – everyone gets an award or no one gets and award. They don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings if they are not given an equal award. In Kenya, however, they recognize and distinguish the ranking of each student but there is still a sense of pride in every child that attended school. They do not treat it as a bad thing that they were 5^th, or 15^th, or 20^th in the class. The teachers express happiness in each child that finished the term. I did notice that there were not many girls among the students gathered. I hope that as the school develops that they will be able to get more girls in school.

While in Kisii, we were given a tour of their primary school. The village built a 5-classroom school but have not had the funds to finish it. The walls are there but it needs a roof. For now, they are having class in an iron sheet houses with a dirt floor and a chalkboard. It is hard to imagine students wanting to go to class in an iron sheet building but the kids will be there no matter what.

In Bomet we visited their secondary and primary school. Their schools seemed very advanced compared to the school in Kisii and Ole Keene. The secondary school has just built a library, which is almost finished. They are trying to find the funds to get books for the Library and add computers so that the students can access the Internet. The schools seemed very organized and well run. They also had electricity, which is rare for a school. The community of Bomet is very involved in the education of it children. I think this is a huge strength of this community. When you have an involved community that finds education important, the school will always be stronger. They are invested in their children and in the school so they will make sure that it succeeds. I think that if other communities become more involved in education then their schools will experience more success.

It was difficult to leave these communities and schools behind each time we left for a different village. My heart went out to all the school children and the things they go through to learn. I wanted to stay and help but felt overwhelmed with the needs they presented us. I wish I could do more for them. I have been thinking a lot about what I can do to help once I return to the states. I cannot leave and forget.

A Kisii Celebration

After a long day of driving, fixing the brakes in Kisii, and shopping for Soapstone figures we finally arrived at our destination in Kisii South almost 6 hours later than we were expected. When we arrived a huge crowd was there to greet us. They had been waiting all day for our arrival. I have never experienced a welcome like this one. A hundred or so people cheered as we got out of the car. I was instantly surrounded by people hugging me and shaking my hand. A band played some traditional African music to celebrate our arrival. We were then seated for the program, which consisted of many people thanking us for coming, school children performing songs and poems, and a band performing music for us. It was incredible.

After nearly two hours of celebrating we were taken to the school to eat dinner. I thought that things would begin to settle down and our evening would come to an end. Boy, was I wrong. We were taken back for more celebrating, which went on for 2 more hours! At one point, the generator kicked off and the lights went out. I have never been so happy for the lights to go out. Unfortunately within 5 minutes they had it up and running again and the celebrating continued. The funniest part of the whole evening was when the School Commission gathered us for a meeting during the celebration. Imagine trying to have a business meeting in a loud bar with a band playing while sitting next to the speaker. Then, add to it the language barrier and this would be our meeting. Finally, after we were nearly frozen and falling asleep we were finally taken to our tents to rest. As I drifted off to sleep I could still hear the music playing. I really think they continued to celebrate all night. Kisii people know how to party!

The next morning we woke up, had breakfast and then toured one of the schools that Kids in Kenya is supporting. The village has begun building a new school but ran out of funds to finish it. They are hoping that Kids in Kenya can help them finish the building. For now, the kids are going to school in Iron sheet buildings with dirt floors and one chalkboard. It was hard to see the conditions they deal with so that they can learn. As a teacher it is hard to imagine teaching in an iron sheet house.

Then, as you might have guessed, we were taken back to the field for more celebrating (I’m not kidding). I think that some of the children stayed there overnight. We listened to some more singing and dancing and then everyone said their goodbyes. I have decided that this is the longest celebration I have ever attended. It was both a strange and wonderful experience in Kisii…but an experience that I will never, ever forget.

The Road to Kisii

It is amazing how the picture of Kenya changes depending on what part you are traveling through. So far during my stay in Kenya I have seen a desert like landscape with lots of dirt/dust, flat roads, and cacti and trees sparsely populating the land. Small villages consisting of mud houses surrounded by a fence made of sticks can be seen every few miles along the road.

The Road to Kisii, however, is completely different…so different, in fact, that you feel as though you are in a different country. As we left Narok for Kisii, the desert-like landscape began to change into fields of Wheat and Maize. Kenya is one of the largest producers of wheat and maize in Africa. It is the harvest season for wheat so large tarps of drying wheat lay along the road. Trucks arrive at night to collect the bags of wheat.

Past the fields of wheat and maize individual family farms begin to divide the countryside. Unlike the openness of the Mara, these plots of land are divided and fenced in. The houses are made of bricks instead of mud and some even have two stories. The land becomes lush and green with many trees and plants growing everywhere. I almost felt like I had entered a tropical country. The road became very hilly as we drove deeper into the Kisii Region. Looking out over the countryside I could see many divided farms covering the land. The most interesting part of their farming is their mastery of planting on hills. Every part of the hill was covered with a different section of plants. The Kisii Region is a large producer of fruits and vegetables. Bananas, pineapples, sugar cane, green peppers, potatoes, tea, and carrots (to name a few) are grown here and then sent to neighboring towns to be sold at market days. The Kisii pineapple that I have eaten here is the best pineapple I have ever eaten. I wish I could bring some home with me when I leave!

As we drove through the hills along our very bumpy dirt path, I could hear people yelling “Mzungu! Mzungu!” For many of the children we past this was probably the first time they had come into contact with a mzungu (white person). They all stopped and stared in bewilderment as we went past. I guess this is a little like how it would be if I was a celebrity.

The best part of our journey to Kisii was when we stopped to give a soccer ball to a group of kids playing soccer. I have never seen so much excitement as a soccer ball fell out of the sky and onto their field. They ran around the field yelling and cheering over their “gift from God”. It brought tears to my eyes as I watched them celebrate. I don’t think I will ever forget that sight and I know that those kids will never forget it either.

My day as a Tourist

While staying in the Mara last week, I was able to become a real mzungu tourist and go on a game drive to see the animals. Early in the morning we headed through the gates into the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. The Game Reserve is not fenced in so animals are free to come and go. During our drive I sometimes felt like I was watching animal planet. I had to pinch myself to confirm that what I was seeing was real. Imagine a deer crossing the road in front of your car….now, change the deer to Zebras, elephants, wildebeests, lions, or buffalos and this was what I was seeing. The animals were just a few feet from the car! Here is a list of animals I saw while on the game drive. I can’t wait to get home and post some pictures for you!

1. 5-6 elephants crossing the road in front of our car.

2. One lone Gigantic Elephant with huge tusks crossing the road very slowly.

3. Thousands of wildebeests migrating to water.

4. Hundreds of Zebras mixed in with the wildebeests

5. Two male lions hanging out

6. A cheetah walking through the grass

7. A family of Giraffe’s feeding

8. Wild Boars

9. Okapi grazing

10. Many hippos hanging out in the water

11. Crocodiles sunbathing

12. A black Rhino walking across the field (this is a rare sight, many tourists come back for days looking for a Rhino. I was very lucky.)

13. Buffalo grazing

14. A family of lions waiting for the lion to bring its kill of a wildebeest to their den.

…I am sure there are others but I saw so much it is hard to remember them all!

I was very, very lucky during this game drive. I was able to see the big 5-Elephant, black rhino, cheetah, lion and buffalo- all in one visit. It is very unusual for this to happen. There are some Kenyans living here that have never seen some of those animals. If you ever have the opportunity to travel to Kenya, you must visit the Mara and go on a game drive. It is fantastic!

Kenyan Drivers

For the first time since arriving in Kenya, I found myself fearing for my life. No, it was not because I came into close contact with a wild animal or got harassed at a police checkpoint. It was because a Kenyan was driving the car. I hope I do not offend any Kenyans with this post about driving. I know that there are some Americans that cannot drive either but the driving I witnessed yesterday was unlike anything I have seen before. During the day, this Kenyan driver who will remain nameless, does a fair job of driving with only a little problem with backing up. But, as the sun set the Kenyan’s driving took on a new look. Instead of driving on the left side of the road he would swerve almost all the way over into the other lane. Then as a car approached he would flick his lights several times and then gradually move back into his lane. Unfortunately he would never quite make it over into his lane but instead would ride the centerline. Many times, Jamey and I would tell him to get over into his lane but he would not listen to our advice. To make matters worse, he would slow down almost to a stop as he passed a vehicle. You must remember that there aren’t any streetlights lighting our way as we drive so it is almost pitch black out except for the headlights of cars. I felt so bad for the people in the cars coming toward us. I am sure they thought some maniac drunk was behind the wheel. As you might guess, his process of swerving to the other line, riding the center line and slowing down almost to a stop created a very long and nerve-wreaking journey for the two Americans in the car. When we finally arrived at our destination both Jamey and I exited the car very quickly, wanting to kiss the ground in thanksgiving that we were still alive, and approached each other with the same thought in our heads – I need a beer! I have warned Jamey that if we are driving at night I will refuse to get into the car if a Kenyan is behind the wheel. One night of fearing for my life in Kenya is enough.