Everything in its right place

So we got to Nairobi yesterday. It was a better journey. But leaving the village was hard. Guys, i think i was sweating as i walked through from the house to the school for the last time. I really don't know when id ever come back. This journey had so many trials and tribulations. All of them seemed so avoidable. But really I'm glad i had so much trouble. I said this many times before i left and when i had to step up to the plate, i cowered. But "the harder something is, the more you get out of it". This journey has no regrets whatsoever. We looked into so many windows of life and i've come to realize who i am and what i want. Much more than ever. Although ill have ALOT of trouble from my friends id like to be vegetarian and to stop drinking altogether. Lets hope i can fight the forces of bbq! But its been good. I could not have made it through this journey without the love of my family and friends. I know what matters too. Its you. You help put everything in its right place.

I wanna live in a wooden house

So this is our last weekend at the village. The students have been out on summer holidays but the school is running tuition for those who can afford it. There really isnt much to do but we kinda float around helping students in areas that they are weak and giving counselling. Theyve been asking alot of questions about Canada and "america". i dont really see the boys anymore. robert has gone to visit his mother and edwin is helping his uncle with herding cattle. only one more week left. i go crazy at times just wanting to go home, especially after i got a taste of the city life in nairobi last week. That one week at the gym felt ggrreeaattttt. But im doing what i can now to keep my hopes up. Maggie really acts as a crutch when i trip out. she tells me to put things into perspective and it makes it alot lighter. I think about how i was tripping out when i first arived, during my first week. We have accomplished so much so far. three months, flown by. and now we only have one week left and we come home. Theres been some concern with my appearance though. I heard that some canadians were given a hard time by kenyans at the airport so it looks like i may have to shave my beard off. But im gonna try to bypass it. I never had a chance to check out the manufacturing zone and with only 1 day in Nairobi next weekend we will be packing and doing some last minute errands (gifts etc.) Each day goes by and more of my clothes are gone. Right now im living off one pair of jeans, shorts, 3 tshirts and a hoody. its hard, but easy. I dont smell which is good. I keep thinking about my arrival home. I cant wait.

Strawberry Swing

So im in Nairobi now. ALOT has happened. After our trip on the safari we heded back to Mombasa. The town is an arab-flavored port along the coast. its like we were in a whole new world. The macadamia nuts here are cheaper than water(not really) and the size of gum balls(true story). we stayed at the bamburi beach hotel where we spent most of the day dozing on the beach and eating. and then jammed out at night. we met some americans who are doing digging up north and so we hung out with them a bit. btw mombasa has the most hookers ive seen in my life. thank god maggie is around, she works as my stand in girlfriend. but at times it works against me. its like shes the best wingman/cockblock. two sides of every coin. But it was a relaxing visit. i got even more bloated. but its all part of the fun.

i arrived at the village last monday. we had closing which was a nice. I planned to leave to go back to Nairobi on the thursday, which gave me 3 days in the village. i know its kind of rushed but i had my ideas. if it was fast id still have attachements with Wikondiek. rather than dragging it out and letting go, i wanted a part of me to stay behind. On wednesday when the schools had closed some of the boys from my form 2 art class/football team came to the house. we went on a long walk where we talked about girls, sex, the spread of HIV/AIDS, theire future. Words cannot describe the friendship i made with these boys on my last day in the village. Robert, Edwin, Kennedy, & Duncan. They will be somebody. I found out that Duncan was a full orphan, living by himself in a hut. i had to give him something. so my shoes and two shirts left my luggage. My departure was perfect. short and sweet with a memory that is long lasting.

Onto Nairobi. Took the Nyamira Express. This is the craziest journey of my life. but i lived it. by myself. Bus left an hour late, stopped every ten minutes for the first two hours, some lady sat very closely beside me (while the bus was empty), we over packed the bus, some drunk guy threw up beside me on the floor (at 9 am???), had to fight people off for my luggage at Machaka station (notrious), had my luggage searched by a cop while people huddled around me and watched what i had, couldnt get in touch with my pick up person while my phone was almost dead, had some shady guys trying to get me ito an illegal taxi, men just saying hello and asking for me, took a LEGAL taxi to mom;s house in hurlingham. ALL of this was done by MYSELF. I AM AFICA! oh and i signed up at a gym the same day, back at it and jeans fit again. eating is good, likfe is good. im looking into climbing mount kenya next week, 5 day journey (mom and dad please help fund this once-in-a lifetime chance) and im going to check out the export manufacturing zone soon. big things? lets only hope.

A picture speaks a thousand words

I know i haven t put any pics up but here they are. this is a mash up of everything that Ive blogged about. Try and put the pieces of the puzzle together yourself.

The Circle of Life

We finally did the safari thing. Took a Mutatu(mini bus) to Narok town where we would meet with our safari driver. I think we did the record, 22 people in a 14 person bus. The other people that were supposed to come on the safari with us cancelled. So it was just me Maggie and Peter in a 12 person safari van. Make it rain.

Peter looks like Stevie's dad from Malcolm in the middle. Seemed nice, but oh how the tides turned. Its high season in Kenya right now which means prices are almost 60 percent higher, on top of the non-resident fees. But our boy Leslie hooked it up...i think. We managed to score three nights at the Mara Simba Lodge for 550 bucks. That includes three BOMB meals two safaris a day, and 3 nights in a luxury tent. Ok when i say tent i dont mean what you take up to Algonquin. This thing is nicer than a hotel. Peep this. The thing has wood flooring, a three sectioned bathroom. Hardwood furniture and a balcony that overlooks the Talek River, which in turn houses crocs, hippos, and baboons. I feel asleep to the sound of hippos in the night. Our first game drive was the best. It was in the evening and we saw lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeast etc etc. We saw the beginning of the wildebeast migration. If youve seen Lion King, the time where the bad lion gets all of the wildebeast to run and kill simba's dad is sorta what we saw. The large heards hadnt arrived but we did manage to see about 300 of them crossing the Mara River. It was like a floodgate had opened when the first one deicded to cross. The food at the lodge was great..yumm paneer. As we were leaving our "homeboy" Peter tried to pull a fast one on us by telliong us that the office is charging us 10000 kshs to get a ride to Nairobi. First off he never spoke to the office and second thing the trip to Nairobi was part of our cost.This really pissed me off cause this elderly man KNEW that we were students travelling on a budget. Not cool. Even though people are trying to make a living does not mean honesty should go out the window. Stevie's dad...how you disapointed me.

Next stop Mombasa.

With a Little L

My body is messed. Ive been constipated about 7/4 of my trip, my nose bleeds from time to time. ive got a bad case of water retention. Children scream and run from my beard. Ive gained like 10 pounds, joints hurt. The list goes on. But her...THIS IS AFRICA!! You would not beleive what i have just seen. Let me start off with what has heppened at the school. The day is July 21.

I started wrapping up with the school since they are beginning exams. One of Mama Asiyo's daughters had come from Germany with her family and a a colleague from the SEQOUIA. They were visiting and doing some research work for their german patrons. I managed to speak to Mary and she brought over 40 jerseys and shorts for the students!! so on tuesday we had a game and presentation of the jerseys to all of the students. Some guests, students, teachers attended and it was great to see students become so excited about the jerseys. Especially after they found out that they were for them to keep, and not return to the school. There was a formal presentation ceremony at the field. I dressed like a coach. We took a team picture and halfway through the game i gave out an award for the player who i felt deserved the Captain position. A boy named Samuel who they all call Engineer. Hes got great ethic and determination, not to mention skill. These boys arent just my students anymore. They are my friends. AT night Mary broke out some Vodka and beer...it was a late painful night. I cant drink anymore. I actually dont like it especially since im not active. My jeans are tighter and my thighs rub together. The sadness.

The next day was another LONGGGG day. Mary had also come with her neice, Sheila to set up a medical clinic in the compound. Along with the nurses from the area, there were areas set up for vision, mens testing, womens testing, childrens testing and a pharmacy. It was so packed that people had arrived at 6 that morning, even though the clinic began at 8. This was the only real medical experience ive had thus far in Kenya. We saw people in real need. But thats how life is and people like Mary are a God send. By 11:30 i was at the school prepping for the art show that the students were to be having. We set up the tissue paper flowers in the shape of a flower on the floor, to emulate a garden. This in fact was their idea. All i did was fascilitate the questions for them to find it within themselves. The other two assignemtns, graffiti names and self portrait using words were then lined up along the walls. While we set up i taught my students a thing or two about art gallery prep. And then it began. Caesar, Mama's son, visited. All were very impressed with what the students had come up with. Then the students talked a little about how they felt about learning art for the first time. This really had me choked up as they thanked me for exposing them to this world. It was a very touching moment and well, you dont know what youve really accomplished until you hear it come from someone else. I have leanred and experienced more here than i had ever imagined. To top things off, i bought some biscuits and juice for the students. But the real icing on the cake was when Ceasar decided to donate 4000 shillings for more art supplies for my students!!! more pencil crayons coming right up.

Flashing Lights

Alot was accomplished in Kisumu. Heres a quick run through:

1) squeezed into a 14 seater van..with 20 ppl. Sat on a ladys lap while she breastfed.
2) Stood dead centre on the equator. To my left the toilet swirls one way, on my right it swirls the opposite. According to the Simpsons.
3) Saw the Bollywood movie NEW YORK. Only 6 ppl in the whole theatre. We brought meat pies, chips, drinks, and a mickey of Kenya Kane spirit. Got drunk in the theatre. I almost cried seeing Indian drama again. How i love it.
4) Climbed huge boulders, overlooked a valley. Great photo op.
5) Had amazing Indian biriani at the restaurant downstairs.
6) Realized Indian people run Kisumu...don.
7)Saw Maseno University and their monkeys.
8) Saw monkeys doing it.