Karibu Kenya #10: Water probs, Sokos and Sheldrick’s.

After a week long hiatus from blogging I’m back at the computer again. This is our second week without water which has brought about some very interesting smells and situations. Fortunately there is electricity so we’ve been able to heat the water from our excess water tanks to take even more enjoyable bucket baths. Today I am thankful for the electric tea kettle! At the beginning of the shortage grandpa started to give us the survivor missionary lecture on how to successfully bathe using a liter of water. Luckily we were able to escape this conversation before it got too detailed.  I may not use Grandpa’s suggested liter method but he should be impressed that I have managed to take one bath every third day. If that is too much information than I probably shouldn’t mention that my leg hair is more likely to be mistaken for the Ituri Rainforest.  In addition to the challenges of bathing there is also the small issue of using the restroom. The phrase “if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down” most definitely applies. Don’t forget to drag in your 5 gallon bucket of water if you want a successful flush. You’ll definitely think twice about how many times you decide to answer nature’s call once you’ve toted a few of those buckets across the compound.

We are reaching the end of extra water in our tanks and I think everyone is ready for it to come back on. Aside from the inconvenience, the Lord continues to provide. Yesterday one of the boys noticed a broken pipe spewing water near the end of our road. This has given us the water needed to do laundry and for all 13 boys to take their baths. It was quite comical to watch the youngest ones scrub their laundry in the wheelbarrow. Not sure whose idea it was to wash clothes in a wheelbarrow but no one seemed to find it out of the ordinary.

I had my own experience hand washing my mountainous pile of clothes this past week too. Let’s just say laundry isn’t all smiles and suds when it’s woman versus stains- it is serious work! This wasn’t my first rodeo but if you’ve been off the horse a while it’s a little more challenging. The following day, my hamstrings were killing me after only spending a few hours with my head in a bucket. Of course, Aimee had to run and tell Mama Sheila and Dinah about my washerwoman woes. This gave them enough fuel to make fun of me the entire day. This week I got smarter and found stairs to sit on while I washed my clothes. Aside from my hands being rubbed raw from wringing out my jeans and sweaters, it wasn’t so bad. After two hours of scrubbing and rinsing, the least fun part of this whole process is hanging the laundry to line dry. Of course the sun is deceptive. It’s all sunny while you’re washing and then disappears just as your getting ready to hang everything up. I started laundering at 10am and by 7pm my clothes were still wet. So here’s hoping they will finish drying today.

Apparently the torture of doing laundry didn’t quite sink in because Aimee and I decided to go to the soko (market) where we bought even more clothes-genius right?  I’ve always loved going to the soko. Mom and I used to go and spend the whole day bartering with people. My favorite part was seeing the vendors talk smack (thinking mom had no idea what they were saying). She would play stupid until the 11^th hour and then bust out her Swahili demanding the price she thought appropriate and not the mzungu price. During instances like these we usually walked out with the item at the discounted price in addition to a freebie gift for giving her such a hard time.  My Swahili isn’t so advanced so I let Aimee do all the talking. Now if you’ve never been to an outdoor market, you should know that they have everything from shoes to fish. It’s a great place! The smell is quite remarkable too....mixtures of roasted corn, charcoal, mud, fried fish and pineapple to name a few. After dodging puddles and pikis (motorcycles) we filed into an opening that took us to the belly of the market. We carefully walked the narrow and muddy path as each vendor we passed tried to get us to buy from their stall. Two guys sitting in front of a plethora of jeans shouted “Hello Madam, we have jeans!”. I couldn’t resist shouting back, “I have jeans too!”. They laughed after muttering something in Swahili. We continued walking through the maze of vendors until we made it to Elizabeth’s stall where Aimee usually buys her tank tops. We spent about 20 minutes sifting through the tanks until we found a few that we liked. Turns out that the favorite of the three I bought was actually a maternity shirt. Classy!  Anyway, we shopped and bartered at a couple more stalls before deciding to leave. I couldn’t help but pick up a small bag of cut sugar cane before getting in the car. For just 10 bob I was covered in sticky sugar in a matter of seconds. It’s the simple things that seem to bring some of the deepest satisfaction.

As I sat down in Grandma’s office today trying to finish my blog, Mim came in and asked me to go with her to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. With lots of traffic it took us an hour to get to Karen, an area which I barely recognized from all the development. We used to live near Karen which makes me want to pretend I’m Meryl Streep’s character in Out of Africa when she says “I had a farm in Africa at the foot of the Ngong Hills…”. Now our family never had a farm, but I like to think the guest house we lived in could have been one. Anyway, wee finally made it to Sheldrick’s which was surrounded by buses of local school children. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this organization, it is dedicated to the rescue of baby elephants and rhinos whose mothers and families have been killed by poachers. They allow one hour each day for people to come and see the baby elephants during their feeding time. I had seen them once before when I was little but haven’t visited since. They are the most precious and beloved little big creatures. The smallest of the babies came running in to the roped pen first, wearing Masai patterned blankets to protect them from the cold. Minutes later, another herd of slightly older babies came running in behind them. The care takers were armed and ready with a wheelbarrow full of milk bottles as they came charging towards. Each elephant was given two large bottles. As they wrapped their trunk tightly around the bottle, I was surprised by how they could guzzle the contents within less than 30 seconds.  After finishing lunch they took turns playing with loose branches lying on the ground. One elephant kicked around a soccer ball before finally deciding to step on it with both feet. Another baby drug his trunk through a pile of dirt as he flung dust onto his back after rubbing it around his eye. I couldn't stop looking at their expressive eyes with their long sweeping eyelashes- probably my most favorite feature about them. It’s was heartbreaking to hear how poachers threaten the lives of these docile yet playful babies. Fortunately, organizations like this one are fighting to protect the species and educate people around them about the gravity of the situation. I’m really looking forward to adopting one of these babies and being an active part of the movement to stop elephant poaching. If you have time, you should visit their website and be a part of it as well.

It is now almost 10 pm and I am still trying to finish this blog. Writing my 10^th post has been quite difficult, but I am trying to push through my writer’s block so I don’t forget the details of my adventures. As for the latter half of the afternoon, I took a lovely nap followed by a long walk with Aimee and Mama Sheila. Around 7pm Mim picked us up for another Habesha food run. We then spent the night cheering for Ghana over our vegetable platter and njera. To our dismay Ghana is officially Gone-a (punny) after losing to Portugal 2:0. Meanwhile, the three of us are still hopeful that Nigeria can hold it together and represent Africa well.  We shall see. Here’s to Africa bringing home the cup.

 

 

 

Karibu Kenya #9: The Safari

Day 1:

With the excitement of our new adventure in the air, Aimee, Mim and I were up early. By 6:30 we had made our way down to grandma’s kitchen to make coffee and peanut butter sandwiches for the 6 hour drive to Samburu.  Our driver and guide for the trip, Peter, arrived 45 minutes earlier than anticipated. We stuffed our sandwiches in a paper bag along with some oranges and mihogo and rushed out the door. The safari had officially begun. Two hours into our drive we made our first bathroom break at a curio shop that had several vendors selling artifacts and handicrafts that most tourists would be interested in buying. Of course, we were only interested in one thing-the WC! As we waited for Peter outside the van we could hear the vendors complaining about how cheap we were. I guess they didn’t think we could understand what they were saying. Ignoring the complaints, I decided to take my first trip picture with a gorilla statue outside the curio shop. He was quite big and chunky. 

We got ready to get in the van and I had forgotten I left my half-filled coffee mug in the back pocket of the seat in front of me. This was also the seat that we had to pull forward in order to get into the van. I’m sure you see where this is going.  The seat came slamming down and seconds later the coffee lid popped off as the brown liquid soaked almost every part of my body. Some people would call that an epic fail but I just call it a typical day in the life of Elisa. Let’s just say Klutz would have been a fitting substitute for my middle name. To quote my father when something of similar circumstance happens, “Hey everybody, Elisa’s here!”.  

Not to worry, my clothes had completely dried by the time we made it to our second stop at the equator in Nanyuki.  We again paid no attention to items being sold along the road and pissed off even more people. It was fun taking pictures at the equator line though. That moment was the beginning of several moments to follow on the trip where I found myself realizing this would be something I’d never forget-a memory I’ll exaggeratedly tell my grandchildren sitting in a rocking chair 50 years from now. 

After crossing the equator, the cold rains and cool temperatures of Nairobi were exchanged for the hotter and more arid climate of northern Kenya.  Needless to say, the terrain changed from red clay dirt with green vegetation to rocky, dry and sandy soil with yellowing grass. We didn’t hesitate to open our windows and take off our sweaters as the warm wind hit our faces.  Peter stopped at the last gas station on the way to our destination. I have to say I was a little freaked out as they filled up our tank with the car still running. Then they started shaking the vehicle to get the air bubbles out of the tank. Apparently everybody does it. No worries.

During the last hour of our drive I noticed more mud and grass huts. It was obvious we were now in Samburu territory. The Samburu tribe reminded me a great deal of the Masai tribe as they are both pastoralists and similarly dressed. As I continued to scan the flat plain I saw a large gathering of Samburu people. A group of men were jumping. Everyone was brightly dressed and decorated with beaded jewelry. To be honest, I wanted to stop and join the party when Peter told us they were conducting a wedding ceremony. I absolutely love weddings-especially when there’s dancing involved. Just throw me a spear and some beads- I’m sure no one will notice the tall mzungu (white) girl bouncing around the huts.

After a very long drive, we finally made it to the Samburu National Reserve entrance. We paid our park fees and Peter popped the top of the van so we could stand up on our 20 minute drive from the gate to our campsite. It was breathtaking to see the open expanse of land as we made the  bumpy drive down the dusty and sandy path. Yes, I’m having another moment. The moment my heart connects on an even deeper level with a country. A cheesy explanation but I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to countries.

In case you’re interested, the Elephant Bedroom Camp actually lives up to its name. We pulled into the parking area only to find the camp surrounded by elephants. We made our way up to the main tent where we were greeted by a hot eucalyptus scented towel as we wiped the dust off our faces and hands. After checking in, we were escorted by one of the guards to our room. We quickly learned that we would need an escort for each trip to our tent since Samburu and Obama, two male elephants, chose to live inside the campground. The path to our room was lined on each side with stones and lanterns. Vervit monkeys overpopulated the campground as they sat relaxed underneath the raised canvas tents. Some were sleeping on the railings while others were playing tag in the trees. Even though they tried to play up their sweet, big, brown eyes, you just knew looking into them that there was some sort of ulterior motive to rob you blind. On an Inappropriate but hilarious note: Vervit males have bright baby blue testicles. I don’t mean to be crass but they are just that obvious.  It just goes to show that the Lord has an extreme sense of humor.

Our tent was situated directly on the river which presented a gorgeous view from the wooden deck. The beds were accented in shells and beads. Everything was covered in white with khaki and hunter green trim. The stone shower proved quite refreshing as well with extremely hot water. It also had masai blanket robes hanging for use-a nice touch. To keep from rambling, it was simple yet exquisite.

After settling in we headed to lunch. We were seated alongside the riverbank where we ordered the best vegetable curry. The birds made no hesitation to join us: the superb starling, the white browed sparrow weaver and several ring necked pigeons. On the other side of the river, we saw different animals congregating for their afternoon lunch as well: Olive baboons, Grant ’s gazelle and Reticulated giraffe-an overwhelming sight for the eyes. As lunch came to a close, we found ourselves sipping our coffee and making profound statements that we would never leave this place.

Around 4pm we headed to the van to take our first game drive. We sat for almost an hour watching the elephants interact. There were several babies in the herd as well. It made us happy to see so many with their actual mothers. One of the tiny babies even tried to charge us in attempt to protect his gigantic mother. Sadly, Mim explained how one elephant is killed approximately every 15 minutes by poachers. It is heartbreaking to see the existence of a species threatened by the greed of humanity.

Our three hour game drive took us through miles of the park where we were able to identify a total of 25 animals. We arrived back at dark and were again greeted with a warm towel. We walked over to the chalkboard menu and ordered a different vegetarian dish. This time I had the Chana Dal with rice followed by cheesecake and coffee for dessert. The table was ornately set with more silverware than I ever dreamed of using. Beaded necklaces were used as placemats and a lit candle cast a glowing light on each of our faces. A full moon also helped light the sky as it situated itself high above the trees for the night. You couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable evening.

Since the camp is in such a remote area, generators were used for electricity from 6pm-11pm. Seeing as how we had about an hour before lights out, we decided to head back to the tent. We entered to find it completely turned down. The white curtains had been unrolled on either wall and were blowing in the wind. After each taking a hot shower, we all jumped into our beds. Somehow I got nominated to read aloud from Mim’s poetry book and 10 minutes later everyone was asleep except for me. Thanks guys.

Day 2:

We were greeted by a 6:00am wakeup call of coffee and tea biscuits on the deck. I quickly threw on some clothes and went out to take in the morning air. I love waking up with the morning. It’s so refreshing. Once we were all ready, we headed out to our van for the morning game drive. En route, we were cut off by one of the guards who said Samburu and Obama were blocking the path. Noticing the enormous creatures in front of us, we chose to wait patiently until they moved. After a 15 minute wait, we made it to the van to begin our drive. The possibility of a lion sighting had been talked about over the vehicle’s radio system so Peter quickly headed in that direction. The sunrise was indescribable as we watched it peak through the palm trees making its way over the horizon line. Two white egrets were perched near a pool of water as the moon could still be seen reflecting off its surface. We finally made it to the lions. There were two females and 5 babies sleeping on a large, flat patch of dirt. We watched as they casually got up to play with each other, biting ears and pouncing on their mom’s back. Annoyed by our presence, the lionesses soon led their pack of cubs into the shrubbery and disappeared.

Back at the camp, breakfast was ready when we arrived around 9am. A buffet style bar of potatoes, mushrooms, cereal, toast and fruit was laid out before us. A chef was waiting near a portable camping stove ready to fry hot omelets upon our request. After breakfast we spent the rest of the morning sitting on the outdoor couches that were placed on the sides of the riverbank. We watched as all the animals interacted with each other. Several of the baby elephants were swimming in the river. Some were so small you almost worried about them going under. About an hour or so later I traded my couch view for bird watching in the hammock.  By mid day the sun was beating down and we headed back to our tent to soak in the cold jacuzzi that was attached to our deck. The freezing water brought refreshing relief to the heat of the day. As we continued to watch nature unfold, we were greeted by Samburu as he walked by, inches from our tent, to meet his elephant girlfriend. He waded halfway through the river where he decided to escort her back to the bank.

By this time, lunch was ready to be served so we headed back to the main tent. We all decided on the curried peas with rice. We continued to lounge around until our afternoon game drive at 4. It came soon enough and we were off on another adventure. About halfway through the drive, word came in over the radio that there was a leopard sighting. All the guides were screaming over the radio system “Haraka, Haraka” which means “Hurry, Hurry” in Swahili.  I didn’t know how fast we could go in that van until we got word of the leopard sighting. Granted, we were only going about 40 miles an hour, but when you factor in crater like potholes, it makes for an interesting time. After being thrown around by the van, we finally made it to the other side of the park where the leopard was spotted high up in a tree taking his afternoon siesta. We took turns looking through the binoculars and could see his cute little face squished up against the side of the tree branch. His giant paws dangled lifelessly as he slept without interruption from the excitement going on below. Neither Aimee nor I had ever seen a leopard in the wild and were enamored with his every move. With the binoculars in hand, Aimee would continuously update us-- “his eyes are closed”….:”he licked his paw”…..”he moved his tail”.  These updates kept us oohing and ahhhing the rest of the hour.

We decided to leave the tree when we saw that the leopard wouldn’t be coming down anytime soon. Not long after, our driver had us assuming there was another animal sighting as he took off on another 40mph mission. By the time we made it to the riverbank on the opposite side of the park, we saw six canvas chairs next to a fire pit. All three of us looked at eachother and talked about how fancy it must be to have a sundowner next to the river. To our surprise, it was actually a sundowner set up just for us by our camp. We were completely shocked since it wasn’t listed in our tour package. Apparently it’s an accommodation they enjoy springing on their customers. Two other campers were also there, Kim and Eric, a couple from Seattle. After introducing ourselves, we fell into easy conversation and talked about everything from travel to wildlife conservation. With elephants grazing less than 200 feet away, we watched as the sun slowly tucked itself behind the hills. It was the most amazing moment. At this point, I’m thinking…Can I stay forever?

Dinner was again the bomb dot com. We even got to meet the head chef, David, who shared with us his passion for cooking. Being a very personable man, he kindly dismissed our offers to stay and work as kitchen hands washing dishes. We took time to savor our last 3 course meal before we were escorted back to the tent by our guard.

Day 3:

We were greeted by our usual wakeup call of coffee and biscuits on the last morning. Instead of taking it on the deck, we had to bring it inside the tent since the mischievous monkeys were already out and about. Once we finished, we met Peter for our final game drive before we leaving for Nairobi. Now Sunday, we quickly realized that all the animals must have gone to church. Nothing was to be seen and after a couple hours of searching we finally found some very beautiful birds: the Little Bee Eater, the Secretary Bird, the African Hoopoe and the Lilac Breasted Roller Bird.  My favorite of the four was by far the Roller bird who was covered in so many colors he could have been mistaken for a flying rainbow.

At breakfast we decided to count the total number of animals identified. We came up with a total of 53 which I imagine is quite impressive for a 3 day stay. If you’re wondering about the different animals we saw you can reference the list below.

After packing up, we piled into the van, this time heavy hearted. We  talked about how we couldn’t wait to come back and I’m hoping that in the near future we will. Our drive home seemed longer going than coming but we were able to break up the monotony of the drive by stopping at the Trout Tree restaurant, where you actually dine in a tree. The waitress led us up to the very top of tree where we were seated and later ordered a dish of their famous trout. You could look off the railing and see the trout tanks where they raised their own population. After enjoying their curried trout dish, we decided to take a small walk around the grounds. I noticed a group of Colobus monkeys playing in the trees. One of them jumped down and ran toward a man sitting on the ground who was dressed as the gardener. He seemed to have a familiar relationship with the monkey as it munched on fruit while sitting atop his knees.

The last four hours of our trip allowed us to see a clearer view of Mt. Kenya when passing by. On our way to Samburu the mountain top was so cloud covered that you would have never known such a view even existed. Its jagged peak added a feeling of grandeur to the surrounding area. Mim explained the different heights of each peak and informed us that the highest peak was 19,000+ feet and could only be climbed with a partner using ropes. I think I’ll just watch from the base of the mountain. You guys go ahead.

Needless to say, we made it back safely. It’s been three days since our trip and I’ve already typed close to 3,000 words attempting to describe this unforgettable experience. While there aren’t enough words to give you an accurate description of every sight and sound encountered I have to close with a quote from Beryl Markhem, a British born Kenyan aviatrix. She eloquently explains that, “There are as many Africas as there are books about Africa—and as many books about it as you could read in a leisurely lifetime. Whoever writes a new one can afford a certain complacency in the knowledge that his is a new picture agreeing with no one else’s, but likely to be haughtily disagreed with by all those who believed in some other Africa…Being thus all things to all authors, it follows I suppose, that Africa must be all things to all readers.

Africa is mystic; it is wild; it is a sweltering inferno; it is a photographer’s paradise…an escapist’s Utopia. It is what you will and withstands all interpretations. It is the last vestige of a dead world or the cradle of a shiny new one. To a lot of people as to myself, it is just home.”

 

Animal Sighting List:

1.        Dwarf mongoose

2.       African elephants and babies

3.       Cheetah and cubs

4.      Impala

5.       Grant’s gazelle

6.      Thompson gazelle

7.       Reticulated giraffe

8.      Oryx beisa

9.      Gerenuk antelope

10.    Kirk’s dik dik

11.     Warthogs

12.    Jackson Hornbill

13.    Grevy’s zebra

14.    Common zebra

15.    Olive baboons

16.    Vervet monkeys

17.    Drongo bird

18.    Superb starling

19.    White browed sparrow weaver

20.   Buffalo weaver

21.    Yellow necked spur fowl

22.   Cattle egret

23.   Ox pecker

24.   Ring necked dove

25.   Grey headed kingfisher

26.   Lioness and cubs

27.   African orange bellied parrot

28.   Go away bird

29.   Waterbuck

30.   Agama lizard

31.    African cuckoo

32.   Golden breasted starling

33.   Ground squirrel

34.   Egyptian geese

35.   Egyptian vulture

36.   Vulturine guinea fowl

37.   Lilac-breasted roller bird

38.   Speckled pigeon

39.   Hadada Ibis

40.  Golden palm weaver

41.    Secretary bird

42.   Crested crane

43.   Black bellied buster

44.  Grey heron

45.   Leopard

46.  D’arnaud’s barbet

47.   Black backed jackel

48.  Samali ostrich

49.  Common bulbul bird

50.   Raven

51.    Africa Hoopoe

52.   Little bee eater

53.   Chestnut bellied sand grouse

 

 

Karibu Kenya #8: Diamond Plaza, Deceptive Dinners and Yellow Fever Shots

Yesterday morning came early as Aimee and I braced the elements to go on a 2 kilometer run. At 6:15 the temperature was perfect—cool and crisp with a light drizzle. Considering I have been the worst at exercising this year, I was surprised to make it as far as I did before having to stop and walk. When we first left the house, hardly anyone was out other than the security guards standing watch at their gates. By the time the sun came up, the road was filled with children dressed in uniforms, heading to school.  Several of them stared as I passed- I think it had something to do with me breathing like a hippo. Nevertheless, I smiled, waved and continued on.

After Timothy and Dennis’ Spanish lesson, we headed to Nyayo House so Aimee could renew her work permit. Less than an hour later, her passport was stamped and we were on our way to Diamond Plaza, a small shopping center.  Before visiting some of the shops we decided to go to the food court and order some Bhagias (Indian-style fried potatoes). Apparently I didn’t hear when Aimee warned me, “Prepare to be attacked”—that would have been useful information. Seconds later, we were swimming in a sea of waiters who were shoving menus from each of their restaurants in our faces—everything from Chinese food to Barbeque. Let’s just say, if you’re the indecisive type, don’t eat at Diamond Plaza.

We meandered around the shops and found one run by an older Indian woman who sold everything from traditional to contemporary Indian-style clothing. After trying on several tops, I finally decided on a green and blue floral one that reached my knees. At first the woman wanted 1,500 shillings but she ended settling for 1,000 which is the equivalent of $11.50 US dollars. She also attempted to sell me a pair of matching green Peter Pan tights to go along with the top. I had to turn her down after seeing that they were about 5 feet too long. Thank you, come again!

A few hours after getting back from Diamond Plaza, we were visited by a family of Silvery Cheek Hornbills in the backyard. Mim and I rushed outside to watch this live-streaming episode of the circle of life. Staring up at the trees, we could see that the baby hornbill had grabbed something in its beak. The next sound we heard wasn’t the flutter of wings, but rather the crunching of a helpless chameleon that had been chosen as the a la carte special. Tragic fate for the poor reptile but c’est la vie. Birds gotta eat!

Once the bird excitement was over, Aimee and Mim decided to take Sammy out to eat at Oak Place (our old house) for his 14^th birthday. Kennedy (another one of the boys) and I tagged along as well. We specifically chose this restaurant because of the “all you can eat” steak special they were having that night. Not being meat eaters, the three of us girls ordered coffee and watched as the boys quickly put away 4 plates each. Sometime later, the waiter came with the bill. To our astonishment we had been charged double for the two specials we had ordered.  The waiter then explained that “all you can eat” stops after 2 plates. Mind you, none of this information was advertised so that the customer was aware. We asked to speak to the manager and 30 minutes later he presented himself. By this time, 3 other stories had evolved. First the manager accused us, saying that there was no possible way these two boys could have eaten a total of 8 plates. Once that was denied, he then said we were eating off the boys’ plates. Finally, seeing that we were not going to back down, he accused the waiter of misinforming him about the situationand writing separate tickets. But let’s get to the truth of the matter –false advertisement and shady service. After fighting hard, we made it out paying what was actually due. Teamwork!

We were more than ready for bed by the time we made it home around 10pm. I slept hard that night and woke up around 8:30 the next morning, an hour later than usual. I scarfed down some cold pancakes from the kitchen and poured a cup of kahawa (coffee). Grandma told me I was going with her to Sarit Centre to get her hair cut. I jumped in the car and we were on our way. Of course the morning wasn’t off to its usual start until I spilled my coffee down the front of my sweater.  I noticed grandma had done the same thing. What can I say? The apples don’t fall far from the trees. Once we arrived, we made the four story hike up to Nargas’ salon. The lights cut off the minute we entered the salon, but not to worry, a pretty typical occurrence. We waited for Nargas to finish with another customer before she came over to greet us. I decided to get my hair washed and dried since our water would more than likely be off for the rest of the week. I enjoyed a cup of tea in between the wash and dry and a couple hours later, grandma and I walked out prettier than when we had entered.

Once we had eaten lunch, our second outing was to Agha Khan Hospital. Grandpa was getting his routine checkup while I decided to wait in line for a yellow fever shot. A small stick in my left arm and 3,250 shillings later, I was finished. Not bad considering the $200 stateside cost for this same vaccination.

The cold air is rushing into the dining room, prompting me to hurry up and finish this post. Mim’s friend Miriam just walked in the door and we are all planning to go to dinner once they get back from walking Sweetie. I’m hoping the decision is Indian food—samosas here I come!

 

Karibu Kenya #7: Seminary Tests, Habesha and Poetry.

The morning started off with excitement as Aimee and I carried our laundry basket down to grandma’s house, only to find out that there was no water. I was surprised that it merely took a week to happen.  Needless to say, we weren’t able to do our laundry, but fortunately it was back on by nightfall, so you can guess what activity we’ll be involved in tomorrow.

After my usual breakfast of coffee and toast, I got a quick start on lesson planning. By 11:30, I had finished teaching the boys Spanish for the day. Seeing the perfect opportunity, Grandpa decided to enlist me in grading his students’ tests from seminary class. He must have known that grading papers is every teacher’s dream during summer break (insert sarcasm). Earlier on in the week he had shared how he was doing everything he could to motivate his students yet they had no desire to produce their own answers or study. Sounds familiar, right? Understanding the mutual feelings and frustrations of a teacher, I willingly got out my red pen and began to grade.  Not long into my third test, my blood began to boil. Mind you, these are not my students, but I have to say, if you are unable to spell words like Jesus, Jews or Gentiles maybe you should consider a different career path. Of course, this wasn’t the majority of the class, but I couldn’t help but share my immediate feelings.

On other notes, we finally got the Voxy van back from the mechanic! Aimee, Mim and I were singing the hallelujah chorus because at last we have our own set of wheels! After our ritual afternoon walk, we decided to celebrate by going to Habesha, an Ethiopian restaurant located minutes away from the US embassy. I hadn’t eaten Ethiopian food in years, so you can imagine my excitement. We seated ourselves across from a table of Marines- at least that was what we assumed by the stereotypical haircuts and an excerpt in the paper about security measures being increased. Our waiter was quick to get us our beverages and before long we found our hands full of injera (sour, spongy bread). The vegetable platter proved itself filling as we stuffed our faces, dipping the bread into the different piles of chickpeas, lentils and kale. After our big meal, we enjoyed a round of Ethiopian coffee. A tray with a clay pot of freshly boiled coffee, small ceramic cups and incense was set before us. Interestingly enough, there was also a small basket of popcorn to accompany our strong, bitter shots of coffee. If you know me well, I can’t help but follow up with my overused punch line "I like my coffee dark, like my men" (I think it's a hilarious thing to say, but you might find yourself shaking your head). Sorry, not sorry! Can't resist a catchy line! Our night wasn’t complete until we saw a couple of rats hanging out on the patio with us. Of course, Aimee freaked out almost falling out of her chair while Mim and I sat there laughing our heads off. Can I just say we will definitely be going back to Habesha and SOON!

As I sit and type, Aimee and I have been taking turns reading from a new poetry book called “Blankets of Sand” by Ararat Iyob. I’m in love with her words. Leaving you with her poem, dedicated to my anonymous person:

 “Aches”

Every time I see or think of you

Aches of eternity

Hang heavily on me

And yet I know the answer

That my fate with you

Has been decided by the past

 

(Habesha restaurant)

 

(Ethiopian coffee tray)

 

Karibu Kenya #6: Puddles, prime ministers and long walks

The last few days I’ve gotten into somewhat of a routine- teaching Spanish, reading in the afternoons, going to church and taking long walks outside the compound. I’ve really enjoyed the slower pace here. Of course, living a slower paced life is quite doable when you are not working full time and there are no distractions like a television or the constant questioning of 144 children, for example.

I think it is safe to say that rainy season has finally hit us. The nights are met with heavy rains followed by grey clouds and light drizzle in the mornings. It’s not a depressing kind of rain though. The temperature remains very mild while everything continues to bloom and turn as green as it possibly can.  

With rains, come large puddles-so large that you might consider swimming across when navigating by foot proves to be a challenge. The less than kilometer, puddle-dodging walk to church was very invigorating and made me wish I could walk to church every day. I even managed to find a puddle that was in the exact shape of Africa! I contemplated the walk to my home church in Murfreesboro, but quickly calculated that I would have to leave at least two hours early to make it on time.  Ridgeways Baptist is the name of the church I visited this week. It is where Aimee, Mim and the Ahadi boys attend.  The service was primarily in English but still had its own Kenyan flair with some songs and commentary in Swahili. After an hour of worship, the pastor began his sermon on “Conquering Temptation”. For some reason, I couldn’t stop taking notes. I assume the Lord had that message specifically in mind for me that morning.  Before service let out, I finally got an explanation for the 7 cameras I had seen filming the service. Apparently former Prime Minister Raila and his wife were in attendance, in addition to his political entourage. He was asked by the pastor to come to the pulpit and greet the congregation. Before I knew it, we were in the throes of an impromptu address to the Kenyan people. I have to say, this was a first for me-never have I seen a former president of any country during a Sunday morning service.

On other notes, walking has been one of my favorite pastimes here in Kenya. Yesterday, Robbie, Austin and James decided they wanted to accompany Aimee and I as we took Mim’s dog Sweetie (very deceptive name for a vicious dog) on a walk around the block. It was hard not to laugh when all three of the boys met us at the gate, each wearing only one roller skate. Somehow I missed the memo about it being the cool thing to do these days.  They made sure to stay within watching distance as Aimee and I leisurely followed, trying to take in all the scenery. Of course, a couple of times we might have lost them. But not to fret, after screaming their names, we would hear rustling in some bush or a banana grove. Sure enough, these little mischievous fellows would pop out holding a handful of berries or ground tomatoes. After two hours had passed, the boys had exhaustion written all over their faces. Robbie, the 5 year old, was carrying his skate on top of his head the last 30 minutes of the walk, feeling quite defeated from falling numerous times.

As I finish my post this Monday afternoon, the sun finally decided to make its way out for the day. We finished our weekly shopping for ourselves and the Ahadi Boys at Nakumat and later had a filling lunch of ugali (white cornmeal paste) and collard greens. Resisting another afternoon nap, I joined Aimee and Grandma as we went to buy vegetables and fruit at a local stand called Mana-just another day on the homestead. I’m off to make some afternoon tea. Only four days til our safari in Samburu...and who can forget, the World Cup!!! Óle!

                                      (Raila greeting the congregation at Ridgeways Baptist)
 

(Ridgeways Baptist Church)

 

(Puddle in the shape of Africa)

 

(Robbie, Austin and James out skating)

 

(Robbie carrying one skate on his head)

 

 

(The one roller skate fad)

Karibu Kenya #5: Rainy season, errands and exercise

The past couple of days have brought with it more adventures.  Last night, Aimee and I had our anticipated battle with Frederick (I decided to name our gecko) before getting settled into the apartment. Once Frederick was kicked to the curb, we sat on Aimee’s bed and read poetry from Maya Angelou before starting a novel called Americana that we will be reading aloud before bed each night. Aimee decided to go to bed after I kept dozing off halfway through chapter one. Of course after getting ready for bed, I no longer felt sleepy so I decided to finish reading The Fault in our Stars. Word to the wise, reading a book about two teenagers who fall in love while diagnosed with final stages of cancer never ends well. By 11:30 Aimee had already fallen asleep and I found myself drenched in tears while trying to finish the final chapters using the flashlight from my iphone. Fortunately, the arrival of heavy rains helped to muffle the sounds of my not so quiet sobs. A couple rolls of thunder later and the electricity went out. Not to worry, I was able to finish the book by the light of my phone as my puffy face continued swelling with the turn of each page.   

Once awoken by our friendly rooster this morning, I got dressed and headed down the pathway to grandma’s house. I try not to think about the 10 to 15 cobra holes that surround the sidewalk as I pass. I would take 20 Fredericks over a cobra any day. Aimee had French toast and coffee going by the time I walked in at 7:45. After finishing breakfast, I sat down in the living room for devotions, lesson planning and then started my second book called Cutting for Stone. I don’t think I’ve read this much since my summers in college. It’s been quite nice. Around 10:30, I headed outside to teach Spanish in the blue, metal container that is designated as a homework space for the Ahadi boys. An hour later lunch was on the table. A favorite dish: peanut sauce with rice and sweet potatoes. If I’m not careful I will end up gaining more weight here than in the States. Yesterday we had sombe which is ground up cassava or manioc leaves with tomato and onion.  I am very much enjoying the long awaited tastes of home.

After lunch, I was invited to tag along with Mim, Aimee, and Grandma as they headed downtown. Although many of the roads have changed for the better, the Nairobi traffic still remains the same-lots of honking or hooting as they call it, crowds of people walking through the streets, black exhaust coming out of matatu buses and everything from bananas to shoestrings sold in between the open road spaces. We inched along as we made the necessary stops: Sarite Centre, Nyayo house, and Village Market. Along the road I experienced again the bright colors and life that make Kenya a place that continues to inspire-woven baskets stacked in rows, fresh flowers, people coming and going, wood carvings, pottery, roadside food stands and the noise of bicycle bells and car horns. The rhythm of the street mixed with the nauseating car exhaust was a combination that overwhelmed me with more feelings of familiarity. We drove by West Gate Mall where the terrorist attacks occurred not too long ago. From the road I could see where the bullet holes had pierced the concrete walls. It’s hard to understand how people are able to commit such acts against humanity.

Our last stop at Village Market allowed for a quick cup of coffee at Dorman’s café. It was quite delicious. I walked grandma out to the car as we waited for Aimee and Mim to meet us. I was sitting with the car door open sipping my coffee when an armored truck and small, white vehicle pulled up to carry in money (It was the equivalent of our Brinks money trucks in the States). Two guards wearing green camo stepped out of the white car with machine guns, which was a little unsettling. I sat and watched as they unloaded the truck and took the bags of money inside. They watched ever so closely to see if anyone would try anything. As I continued to wait, one of the guards came closer to our car. I made eye contact and said “Jambo”. He replied with a hello and asked, “What are you taking?”. My first thought with him holding his machine gun was, “Well, not the money”. Of course, he was looking at my hand and I quickly responded with “Coffee”.

My obsessive coffee and tea drinking did not well prepare me for the run Aimee and I decided to take when we got back from running errands. Her grand idea to run 10 sets of sprints up a hill seemed like a good idea in the moment. After my third sprint up the hill I was seeing white spots and wanted to vomit. It might have had something to do with me not exercising in months. Anyway, the Indian guy jogging past us found it quite comical as I sat on the curb with my head between my legs. I will not give up though. The Indian guy will be in shock when I run past him before these two months are over.

We made it into the house before another torrential downpour hit. I heated up a bowl of beans and rice and joined grandma and grandpa for our nightly devotions. When Nzasu arrived (my aunt Chrissy’s caretaker) a swarm of flying ants invaded our living room. Grandpa jumped into action hunting down the flyswatters so he could enter into combat- quite a comical situation to sit by and idly observe. Tomorrow, we are planning to eat the little pests. In case you are entirely grossed out, I’ll have you know it is quite common to pick the wings off these flying insects and fry them up in a pan-and don’t forget to sprinkle them with salt. Delicious protein!

As for now, I am headed to off to my tin roof sleeping chamber to listen to the sound of the rain. On a side note, my speaking is improving. Maybe if I’m lucky I’ll dream in Swahili tonight- that’s when you know the language is taking precedence again.

Cheers for now!