I awoke at 6:40 to the sound of the rooster crowing and decided to stay under the mosquito net and watch the golden light of Kenya become brighter as I took in the voices of morning around me... In addition to the roosters... Cows, birds, dogs, children singing Swahili, dishes in the kitchen.
After sharing breakfast at the dining room table with another American girl visiting, I spent some time with the two youngest children of the house, William and Junior. When Uncle Steve (my driver) arrived we set out for our touring day. The drive to all the places was one of my favorite parts... a woman cooking and selling fish on the side of the road, another woman with a huge bunch of sticks on her back, a baboon, a herd of Masai cows, a road blocked off with just a few small rocks instead of big flashing signs. Everyone was out and about doing their thing.
My thing today was acclimating myself and we started at the elephant orphanage. Many of the mothers had been poached. Next stop was the giraffe center where I had my giraffe kiss! We also visited the bead factory to see the process of making the clay beads that are now shipped all over the world. Then we spent time the Karen Blixen Museum to see where the author Out of Africa lived.
After lunch and shopping at a Wal-Martesque store we came home. The power was out and all the foreigners were inside chatting. I chose to go to the courtyard and chat with Steve, the children of the neighborhood, and hang out with mama and her puppies. So far the far most interesting thing I have done is conversing with my new Kenyan friends. I have started to keep a journal of the wise things they have been telling me.
Probably one of the most interesting conversations today was regarding traditional initiation ceremonies for boys and girls at the age of 12 (usually). Another interesting fact is that about 80% of Kenya is Christian and only 15% Muslim. Schools get out from November until the first of the new year and also they get the whole month of April for Easter. Although Santa is at the malls here in Kenya at Christmas it is not a focus at Christmas. There are so many beautiful things about the people here and the way they live. It seems there is more of a priority on relationships than with the things one has.
After sharing breakfast at the dining room table with another American girl visiting, I spent some time with the two youngest children of the house, William and Junior. When Uncle Steve (my driver) arrived we set out for our touring day. The drive to all the places was one of my favorite parts... a woman cooking and selling fish on the side of the road, another woman with a huge bunch of sticks on her back, a baboon, a herd of Masai cows, a road blocked off with just a few small rocks instead of big flashing signs. Everyone was out and about doing their thing.
My thing today was acclimating myself and we started at the elephant orphanage. Many of the mothers had been poached. Next stop was the giraffe center where I had my giraffe kiss! We also visited the bead factory to see the process of making the clay beads that are now shipped all over the world. Then we spent time the Karen Blixen Museum to see where the author Out of Africa lived.
After lunch and shopping at a Wal-Martesque store we came home. The power was out and all the foreigners were inside chatting. I chose to go to the courtyard and chat with Steve, the children of the neighborhood, and hang out with mama and her puppies. So far the far most interesting thing I have done is conversing with my new Kenyan friends. I have started to keep a journal of the wise things they have been telling me.
Probably one of the most interesting conversations today was regarding traditional initiation ceremonies for boys and girls at the age of 12 (usually). Another interesting fact is that about 80% of Kenya is Christian and only 15% Muslim. Schools get out from November until the first of the new year and also they get the whole month of April for Easter. Although Santa is at the malls here in Kenya at Christmas it is not a focus at Christmas. There are so many beautiful things about the people here and the way they live. It seems there is more of a priority on relationships than with the things one has.