Goodbye Kenya

We are waiting to board our flight in Nairobi. It has been a amazing three weeks and we'll post a few more photos when we land. 

Tuesday Photos

July 23, 2013

Tuesday

Today was our second day on the worksite after Losiijo.  The morning was unusually cool and cloudy.  We walked over a little before 8 and got straight to work curing the walls.  It was great having the primary school kids back in school and there were much more of them today than there were yesterday.  They all gathered around and watched us work when they weren't in class.  After curing we continued working on the foundation for the veranda, filling it with mortar and foundation stones, and laid more lines of bricks on top of the lentil.  The walls are so high we've had to make the tables higher and use a ladder to climb onto them. 

We broke for tea at 10:30 and got back to work right before the kids were let out for break.  Marianna and I (Thea) sat in on a class 3 class (3^rd grade) and read and acted out the book “Animals Nobody Likes.” We walked back for lunch at 12:40. Most of us napped or read before we headed back to the worksite because we were quite tired and the afternoon seemed hotter than usual. 

When got back to the school at 3, the kids were still in class. We waited until some of them were let out so we could play duck-duck-goose with them.  They had a hard time learning to say “duck” and “goose” so we used the words “endep” (hand) and “eckiemoji” (fingers) instead.  One little girl was so afraid of Ycar (we think it was the braces, but can’t be sure) that she sprinted away from him when he got to close and wouldn’t let him touch her head in the game.  More kids started joining in and we decided to try another game.  We played follow the leader around the worksite with Charlotte as our fearless leader and then formed two circles to play other games we knew including wah.  The Olokai kids taught us a game they knew and we played that until we had to leave. 

Instead of going straight back to camp we walked to the health clinic nearby where Shani used to work. John, the man who runs it, talked to us about vaccinations, the scarcity and inconsistency of supplies, and just how hard it is for people to access the health care that is available.  He said that their only way of getting pregnant woman in labor to the clinic is on the back of motorcycles.  That was crazy to think about.  Marianna and Laurie, who went to the clinic two years ago, said that is greatly improved from what it was like then.

We walked back to camp around the school and met an adorable little girl alone on the road.  She was the same girl who came running up to us during our walk this morning and fell right on Charlotte’s feet. We walked her into town and then took tea and showers at camp.  We watched the moon rise over the mountains before checking in.  It was a long, tiring day, but a good one.  It’s sad to think we only have two days left in Olokai before heading back to Nairobi and then home.  

Thea

Reflections from our weekend at Loisiijo

“My highlight during my three-day stay at Loisiijo was waking up at 4: 38 am in the morning when it was pitch-black to see a pack of 14 lions on the safari. I also enjoyed the view outside of my room. I could see a group of baboons across the river, chattering loudly. The flowing river was so peaceful to watch. And lastly my highlight was the mosquito net blocking out the bats.”

-Zhamoyani

For me the highlight of the trip was definitely getting the chance to sit down and write some poetry. Using lines taken from a previous exercise we created short poems. Its not something that I get to do every day; very calming and introspective.

-Eddie Lee

My favorite part of our incredible weekend at Loisiijo was watching the beautiful sunrise and sunset over the mountains. They’re the most beautiful times of day; we could see outlines of each other but no details, the air is crisp and breezy, and there’s a red circle of light showing where the sun is hiding behind the mountains. Being awake at sunrise is exhilarating and beautiful, in a way that makes you feel as though you are truly alive.

Jessie

I can’t stand mornings.  I am a witch. However, the first few hours of “morning” at Loisiijo today were my favorite.  After tearing myself from my blankets at 4:30 in the bridal suite, the rest of the girls and I walked to the main lobby.  We drank fresh coffee, hot chocolate, Masai tea and ate cookies before walking over the footbridge to the other side of the river and our two landrovers to start our game drive. Before the sun had even risen we saw fourteen lions. Nature’s neat. 

Thea

This weekend, all the girls stayed in the bridal suite at Loisiijo which was awesome.  It not only had a flushing toilet and an outdoor shower, but also an amazing porch overlooking the river.  During our resting time, we sat on the porch and looked out at the baboons drinking and playing on the riverbank.  It was so peaceful to sit and just look out.  There was plenty of resting overall this weekend which was much needed by all of us.

Charlotte

Rest in a cooler climate has made all the difference these past two days. I would also like to provide a brief synopsis of Oloika, the Musical, which was largely put together this morning in the fancy-van-that-has-more-room-in-it by the girls and Laurie. Here is a basic skeleton of the plot: We begin with the journey from JFK to Kenya via Rwanda, cover several days on the worksite and at camp, Act I closing before we leave for Loisiijo lodge. Intermission is spent in an overheated safari vehicle.  Act II for the most part covers our two days here, and the week we have remaining will hopefully provide some new inspiration. So far, we have several songs ready, including “Is It a Road?,” “Moving Bricks,” “Moving Bricks (Reprises 1,2 and 3)” (we’ve decided that all stage transitions will include a segment of moving actual bricks across the stage to various locations), and a “Safari Montage,” a tap number featuring a pride of fourteen lions, with Laurie eventually heading the pyramid for the time step. Other songs include “What Isn’t Happening (On the Worksite),” and a series of vaudevillian vignettes featuring Thea and me singing thirteen different variations of the classic “I Have a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts (deedleedee),” a song we’ve shared over many a cup of evening coffee. We are tentatively in the process of inserting a final duet between Ycar and me, the two star-crossed lovers of the musical. I am forced to choose between Ycar, Groton student turned warrior on the African plains, and my love of home. At the crucial moment  before my decision, Thea’s voice is heard over the audience singing our song, and tearfully I join in, recognizing that even with my love for Ycar, staying would be impossible.  Stay tuned for the finale.

Marianna

The. Fighting. Giraffes.

(P.S. We’re all exhausted, so this is our freebie blog. Forgive us.)

Racy

Waking up at 4:40 in the morning (well for me that’s the middle of the night) was not the easiest to say the least. But it was so worth it after seeing a pride of 14 lions! Even Shani said it was the most lions he had ever seen together at once. Another exciting part was when we chased a hyena around and made it drop its prey. Can’t say I’ve done that before. Coming back after our morning game drive and resting in our luxurious bridal suite was so nice! It made me realize how much I love running water and how much I take it for granted.  The weather was beautiful and we all had a great time.

Varsha

14 Lions

We are back after a wonderful weekend at the amazing Loisiijo Lodge. We rested and relaxed by the river and oh yes we saw 14 lions on a early morning game drive.

Click to see more!

Bricks and Spears

Click for bricks and spear throwing!

Thursday report

Sopa!

Charlotte and Varsha here… back from our homestay! We set out Tuesday night to go experience the Masai life. We headed by Jeep to a nearby boma. For those of you who don’t know, a boma is a small enclosure surrounded by spiny sticks where the Masai live and keep their animals. After being greeted by the host, we were given delicious cups of Masai chai or tea. Following the introductions, several of the Masai girls and women entertained us with lovely singing and dancing. We ate some oogali, cabbage, and potatoes, underneath the lagir or stars.

As we were brushing our teeth behind the hut, a few young Masai boys decided to watch us. For some reason, we burst into laughter with Brooke and could not stop laughing for the next 25 minutes. We aren’t exactly sure what was so funny but the situation was so foreign and bizarre that we couldn’t help laughing at anything and everything around us. All three of us were literally crying as we made our way onto our cowhide and stick mattress where we were sleeping. We finally managed to calm the hysteria and fell asleep.

We awoke to the sounds of screaming goats and barking dogs. All throughout the night, we thought we heard a goat giving birth because we had met a very pregnant one earlier. We were disappointed to find out that we were wrong. L Brooke left to head back to camp with Shani and we were given Masai names. Charlotte’s is Naserian which means peacemaker or safe place. Varsha’s is Nawuosopat which means one who brings blessings. It turns out that this name proved to be accurate when a 2-day old sheep pooped on Varsha while she was holding it. In Masai culture, this is a blessing.

After morning chai, we headed with our translator Benjamin (who was also the preacher whom we had met on Sunday) to see our host’s sheep which were being cared for in another boma. After another cup of chai there, we walked a little with the sheep and the Masai men who were herding them. They even showed us their intense-looking spears which they use to kill lions. It was very cool! When we returned to our original boma, Charlotte had brought some coloring books and crayons for the children so we spent the rest of the morning coloring with them. All of the little kids enjoyed this a lot. We had another cup of chai (lots of chai here!) before our lunch of rice and beans.

We rested for around 4 hours in the afternoon because it was too hot to do anything. We stayed inside where we had slept. We planned to journal and sleep but were unable to do so because of the children who seemed to really enjoy our company. They would come inside and we would entertain them for a little bit and then we would tell them we wanted to sleep (we actually just wanted some alone time). However they kept on coming back inside! So after a while we developed a tactic of pretending to sleep whenever the children came in. As soon as someone opened the door we would drop our journals on our faces and pretend that we were sleeping. Now they probably think that all Westerners sleep with books on their faces.

Around 4, we went for a nature walk with Benjamin where we saw an antelope! After that, we had more chai (like actually, more chai) and talked to our host while waiting for Shani. He came and checked on us and made sure we were still alive before he headed back to the camp. Varsha brought out the Jenga game she had brought for the children and we played several intense games with the Masai kids and women. Benjamin turned out to be a Jenga master and won every single game except the last one where we all chanted, “Benjamin should lose! Benjamin should lose!” Then there was more singing and dancing by the Masai kids and women except this time we joined them. They kept asking us to sing American songs, and had a hard time understanding that we don’t dance the same way to these songs. We tried though. After failed attempts at Row, Row, Row Your Boat, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, and Thrift Shop, we decided to do some American dancing. Naturally we chose the Macarena and the Cotton-Eyed Joe. They were not impressed; we finished our moves to blank stares. We decided to give up the thought of American dancing and stuck to the Masai stuff. For dinner we ate some more rice and beans then went to bed.

The next morning we woke up and had a gift exchange with the host before heading back to camp. Bucket showers and drop toilets have never felt this good! It was a really amazing experience, living as the Masai do. We returned to camp and had a nap before joining the others at the worksite. After work today we learned how to throw spears from the Masai warriors. Both of us were not very good at all, especially compared to the warriors who could throw practically the whole distance of the soccer field. They were having a competition among themselves and their sons to see who could throw the farthest. Whenever they threw really well, they “killed the lion.” Among us, Ycar was the only one who had any potential to “kill a lion.” We were not even close.

The boys left for their homestay today, and Laurie and Brandt joined them for an evening of dancing. We can’t wait to hear their homestay stories this weekend at Losijo, where we are spending our vacation from work. All of us are very excited for real showers and refrigeration! Looking forward to a well-deserved break!

Love,

Charlotte and Varsha

Quote of the Day: “I am a man of fixed and unbending principles, the first of which is to be flexible at all times.” Everett Dirksen

Hi Mommy, Daddy, and Varun! Varsha here. I’m fine and I’m having lots of fun! I almost brought home a baby goat except it pooped on me and I didn’t like it anymore. Hope all is fine with you guys. Can’t wait to see you when I get back!

Love, Varsha

Hi Mom, Popi, and Syd… it’s Char.  Someone asked me to marry them today for 30 cows.  I said we wanted more.  Hope all is well with you! -Char

Greetings from Wednesday

 Greetings all!

Marianna here. . .wrapping up another full day on the worksite. The pace has certainly changed, however, since we finished building the actual structure of the library. Today was spent mostly in the shade, cutting steel cables into long strips and wrapping them into neat squares in order to prepare the inner structure for the lintel we’re beginning tomorrow. Lots of sitting in the dirt bent over stiff and sharp objects, twisting and working the cables into position. A dozen or so older students from Oloika who were hanging around the school during the afternoon came over to help us. We partnered up with them after a quick name game and finished the lintel cables ahead of schedule! My partner’s name was Rama, a fifteen-year-old eighth grader who actually attends school with her brother and sister in nearby Magadi. She lives in Oloika, though, and has been home while the public school teachers have been on strike.

click for more

On that note, we go some very happy news from Shani tonight at check-in! Apparently the leader of the teacher’s union and the Kenyan government have arrived at some sort of agreement, and the teachers will begin teaching their classes again within a couple of days! Of course, with Oloika being fairly isolated, a couple of days could stretch into sometime a bit longer, but I’m sure we’ll see some serious changes in the classrooms long before we leave for home.

As we did yesterday, we ended the afternoon session with a very humbling game of soccer. I honestly can’t even begin to explain how vast and open the landscape is, stretching for miles and miles around each side of the dirt field, across this valley to the mountains beyond. My team lost. . .again. . .but the fact that these extremely agile young boys, some not even wearing shoes, would honor us by passing the ball our way once or twice during the game was enough to make it all worth it! My hiking boots were definitely not constructed for this kind of activity. They’re well broken in by now, Mom!!!!

I guess I forgot to mention the fact that it was only yesterday morning when Thea, Jessie and I got back from our homestay. I hope one of them gets to blog soon, because I think it’s only fair for some of the parents, who probably are experiencing Kenya for the first time through a child who is also experiencing Kenya for the first time, to hear it from their own unique perspective. I’ve been lucky enough to have now been on three homestays, totaling to nearly a week in a Masai boma. Zhamoyani did get a couple of things right though: jump rope, flying kites, coloring books, and plenty of snooze time in the heat of the day. I will also add that we took a stroll after evening tea, around 6 pm, that can only be described as spectacular. The light, the landscape, everything! How can a place on a map that is so small be so big in reality?!?!?!? Mind blown.

I have also continued my obsession with Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire and hogged a considerable portion of check-in reading the author’s introduction. I encourage you all to look this book up. . .there is a lot to think about in it that is extremely relevant to Oloika. Overpopulation, climate change, the difference between preservation and “improvement,” desert landscapes, and that genus of tourist, Slobivius americanus, restricted to vehicular types of travel and without the patience or cardiac health to remove themselves from a car. Being back here has also got me fantasizing about one of my favorite places on earth: the Carl Akeley Hall of African Mammals at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. Carl Akeley, besides being a fascinating scientist and explorer who revolutionized museum taxidermy and display practices (taking a moment to geek out, here), also recognized a simple fact that was years ahead of his time. Some of his motivation in replicating the landscape, flora, and fauna of the African wilderness so accurately (please please please check out the dioramas in this hall online because they truly are unmatched in the world) lay in the truth that the Africa he knew, even in the ‘20s and ‘30s, was rapidly disappearing. Victim to development and restructuring after the calamity that was “the Scramble for Africa.” Even then, he knew and he understood that he was preserving an idea that was almost already gone. 

From the Author’s Introduction to Desert Solitaire:

Finally a word of caution: Do not jump into your automobile next June and rush out to the canyon country hoping to see some of that which I have attempted to evoke in these pages. In the first place you can’t see anything from a car; you’ve got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk, better yet crawl, on hands and knees, over the sandstone and through the thornbush and cactus. When traces of blood begin to mark your trail you’ll see something, maybe. Probably not. In the second place most of what I write about in this book is already gone or going under fast. This is not a travel guide but a elegy. A memorial. You’re holding a tombstone in your hands. A bloody rock. Don’t drop it on your foot—throw it at something big and glassy. What do you have to lose?

Just food for thought…

Xoxo

Marianna

Quote of the day: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” –Margaret Mead

Did you see these? Let us know.

It's possible this album was not set for public viewing, please check out these oldies but goodies. http://groton-kenya2013.blogspot.com/2013/07/day-1-photos.html

July 9, 2013

Tuesday report photos from Sun/Mon

Quote of the day from Zhamoyani: “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door” –Milton Berle

Sopa!!

Today the group continued building the library. Shani was able to bring Marianna, Thea, and Jessie from their homestay to the work site in the morning. They were dirty and tired, but eager to work and see what they missed while they were with their host family for a couple of days. We were glad to have them back this morning. A day is longer here than it is in the U.S. so I missed them too.

Since the corners for the building were completed yesterday, we were able to fill in the inner rows. The day seemed to be going slow, but we were able to finish the nine rows, leaving space for windows, and beams tomorrow.

Click for photos of Sunday and Monday.

I heard from Marianna about their wonderful time with their host families. She mentioned jump-roping, flying kites, herding goats, and more. I can’t wait for when I go on my homestay on Thursday, which is in two days.

During our work time in the morning, Edward, the man in charge of the construction, told us that two trees had to be removed since they were leaning over into the building, and interfering with the project. We were given two pick axes and a thin, heavy metal, sword-like object to chop off the tree roots and bring down the invasive species covered in thorns. Sure enough, Eddie, with his brute force and massive size, was able to chop down the first tree within a few seconds. I was no match. The second tree was a lot harder to bring down since the roots were much thicker, but Brandt, Eddie, Ycar, and I were able to bring down the thorn-covered tree, after about ten minutes. It was also my first time using a pick axe so I felt so good with it in my hand. The Masai warriors came to our aid to help us carry the tree away.

During our lunch, Laurie explained a project to us. A couple of days ago, we did an exercise with the Rusinga kids, where we would have to listen to each other speak, and write down important words that they said. With those words, we have to create a poem. We can change the words to fit our poem, but at the end, we will send our poems via email to the Rusinga kids. I look forward to my finished piece.

Later on in the day after our afternoon work, we played a game of soccer with Charlotte’s ball. I was so intimidated by the kids. I thought they were going to be so good. And they were. When were separated into two groups, I was on team nabo (one), which mostly comprised of Groton students. I was a little bit worried about how well we would do, but when we started playing, I became more confident. The little kids were really fast. Some kids hit the ball across the field. Others were able to keep the ball between their feet while people tried to steal the ball. It was an amazing game. I was busy running up and down the field. Eddie head-butted the ball; Varsha and Jessie blocked many. And after about twenty minutes of playing, team nabo won 2-1, surprisingly. Everybody was worn out. We returned to our compound, looking forward to tea time and the showers.

Charlotte, Varsha, and Brooke left the camp tonight to go on their homestay, so it will be a small group tomorrow on the worksite, but it will be fun to work on the roof.

Best,

Zhamoyani

P.S: Hi Mum. You are probably worried right now, but I’m fine. I remembered to take my malaria pills. J

Monday

Sopa!

After a restful Sunday, our group got back to work.  With Rusinga gone and Marianna, Thea, and Jessie on their home-stay, it was quite lonely.  However, we managed to get a lot done.  I got to work very closely with James our mason today as we constructed the final corners of the building.  I had not done that much work with James, but by the end of the day, we were buds.  Whenever the Groton group decided to take a water break, James would yell at us, “Work is not happening!”  He also had a lot more faith in me than I had in myself.  By the end of the day, he told me to try making corners on my own, but I refused for the library’s sake.  We also bonded over not knowing Masai since he is from a different tribe.  I think he knows even less than I do which is always comforting.  By the end of the day, we finished all 9 courses of one full wall and all the corners.  We probably will finish the rest of the walls by the end of tomorrow.

Today also involved a lot of fun activities with the people around the worksite.  We brought a few books along with us today which provided endless entertainment for the day.  At tea time, every single person on the worksite was looking at a book.  I looked at an animal book with James and one of the Masai men who helps on the worksite.  As we worked through, we went over the names of the animals in English, Swahili, and Masai and where they all lived.  Once we got to the underwater section, the men had a difficult time understanding what exactly whales and dolphins were.  James also kept asking me how one would catch a narwhal, “Do you grab it by the horn?”  It was so amazing to see how much joy a book can bring.  Books are such a simple thing for us, but here they are the greatest thing in the world.  It was really cool to see.

In the afternoon, Brandt performed a little science demonstration for all of us.  This experiment involved heating a Coke can with a little bit of water in the bottom until the can was full of water vapor.  Then he turned the can over into a bucket of water and it was crushed by the air pressure.  The students and adults alike were amazed at the sight.  James let me take a break to go see it and he himself was dumbfounded.  He kept asking, “How can we make it go back?”

To end the day at the worksite, we played a game of “Wah” with some kids.  It was a little confusing to explain, but by the end, most people got really into it.  Tomorrow we are planning to play the more universal game of soccer with some Oloika kids.  After that, Varsha, Brooke, and I are headed off on our home-stay!  It should be really fun to experience boma living.  Shani (who says hi) has reported that the other group loves their home-stay and is having the greatest time.  Hopefully we will have a similar experience!

Now it is time for bed to prepare for another full day!

Xoxo,

Charlotte

P.S. Mom and Popi- I hope you are surviving without me and Syd! Miss you guys! 

Friday and Saturday with Rusinga

Sopa!!

Today was basically another hard day of work at Oloika. We left the compound at around 7:45 in the morning to take our usual stroll through Shampola into Oloika. I always enjoy the walk because I get the opportunity to greet the Masai. We worked at a much faster pace compared to the other days. We put up many rows of brick, used around six loads of sand, and threw mortor at the walls. The building is coming along nicely. Now, instead of working outside the foundation, we have to go in the building to work. Today was the Rusinga students last day here in Oloika, so it was sad to see them go. As a group, we played zip-zap-zop, which was really fun. We also had a few leadership temperament activities with the Rusinga kids hosted by Brooke, which made us understand ourselves and our personality better. One of the questions we had to answer was “What makes a perfect utopia?” And by using the nineteen UN Millennia goals, we worked together to form a perfect world by prioritizing the significance of each goal.  It was interesting to see how our perspectives differed. Through this activity, we were able to identify people’s leadership roles, and our own. It was fun working with the Rusinga kids, and we are all going to miss them. We took a picture at the end in front of the future library with the Rusinga kids and the Masai workers. Hopefully, the relationship between Groton School and the Rusinga School will continue! We did exchange Facebook and instagram names so we look forward to seeing pictures of Nairobi when we get home. 

click for the album

We walked back to camp around 5:30 escorted, as always, by a group of six or seven Masai warriors.  The showers we took when we got back were very refreshing.  We took tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cakes (banana this time) while the sun set behind us. By the time dinner was served lanterns were set out around our camp and we couldn’t see the food without a headlamp.  We all, well half of us, were delighted to find burgers and fries for dinner.  We made buns out of the fresh rolls they always have at meals.  Four members of our group are vegetarians or don’t eat red meat and there were only two veggie burgers, but there was plenty of salad, vegetables and fresh fruit so no one went hungry. Now the kitchen always has enough vegetarian options.  We met Shani’s wife and sister during check-in and look forward to seeing more of them in the coming weeks.  Before going to sleep we heard zebra calls from the savanna.  We all look forward to seeing them when we go on our safari next weekend, but we are looking forward to the sleep in on Sunday the most. See you all soon!

~Zhamoyani and Thea

Day 2 in Oloika

Today we had our second full day at the worksite. After a beautiful breakfast of eggs and bacon as we watched the sun rise, we did a quick energizer and headed out to the school. We completed the 15-minute walk through town, greeting everyone cheerfully as we went. We spent our morning with part of our group working on the next layer of the walls, and the rest tutoring younger students in math and science. Our morning work was interrupted by a short break for tea, coffee, and cookies, after which we returned to work again, fully caffeinated and re-energized. During the second part of the morning, Laurie, Thea and Varsha began a conversation with six Moran (Masai warriors). The Moran, who spoke impressive English, taught them a plethora of useful Masai words. They were enthusiastic in their instruction, and the lesson was very much enjoyed by their students.

During the hottest part of the day, we headed back to camp for lunch and a short break (shoutout to the delicious potato salad). We returned to the worksite in the afternoon, where it was considerably cooler and much more pleasant. We continued our progress, finishing the fourth layer and beginning the corners for the fifth. Following the afternoon session, we and the Rusinga students played a fun, mentally challenging game which seemed much harder after our long day of work, then had a discussion about leadership types and how to find balance in leadership between different personalities.

We finished the day with a delectable dinner of chicken curry and chapatis, and then circled up for check-in under the stars, where Shani shared his incredible life story. Born and raised as a traditional Masai, he has dedicated his life to preserving the Masai culture and empowering his people especially through education.

Learning about this culture has been a fascinating experience so far, and we can’t wait for the rest of the trip!

Love,

Varsha and Jessie

Comments are welcome!

Hey friends and families out there- we'd love to hear from you so leave your comments and questions!
Much love from Oloika,
Team Kenya 2013

First day at the school

Sopa!!!

                Marianna and Ycar here. . .today was our first official day on the worksite. We were woken up by the gentle “Good morning!” of one of the men who works at our camp, and sitting up in our beds we could see the sun beginning to tip over the mountains. After a hearty breakfast of eggs, cereal, fruit, toast, and plenty of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate, we shouldered our bags and walked through town to the school

                The first thing we did on the worksite, after introductions to the masonry team from Edward (the site coordinator), was mix mortar for the walls of the library we’re building. We shoveled four wheelbarrows of sand and one pack of cement mix into a pile, dry and then wet mixed it, and began laying the mortar down on the edges of the building floor. Shortly after, the students from Rusinga School in Nairobi arrived on the scene. This school has been sending teams of students to Oloika for three years now, and we’ll be sharing the worksite with them this week. Their English was spectacular, and it was amazing to see how similar our two groups of teenagers were. We fell easily into conversation about Justin Bieber, the Fast and the Furious film series, classes at school, the dry heat in Oloika (it’s much cooler in Nairobi), and we played fun games to break the ice. Working side by side with them was effortless, considering how much of a relief it was to lower the language and age barrier by a lot.

                While most of us worked on the site, some Groton students went to tutor Oloika students in their study sessions in the school before lunch. Connections and friendships were made and have become a frequent topic of conversation on our own campground. What are some new things or who are some new people we’ve met today?

                After a very filling lunch and a refreshing quiet time during the hottest hours of the day, we returned to the worksite to meet the other half of the group of students from Rusinga, finish the second row of bricks making the wall, play more games, and visit the classrooms.

                Ycar here. Dinner consisted of a wonderful potato and leek soup and spaghetti and meatballs and after filling ourselves to carrying capacity we went outside to talk about our day under a very beautiful night sky. There we chatted about the differences between our culture back in the United States and that of the one we encountered in the Oloika village. You cannot imagine how different some aspects of our cultures were, even something as small as speaking and listening to one another. We cannot wait to see what tomorrow holds for us, but what we do know is that whatever happens will still be fun and enjoyable. Ycar out.

                Marianna here. . .hi mom. . .it’s been quite surreal to say the least about being back in Oloika after two years. I felt the excitement building as soon as I finally caught sight of the mountains that dominate the skyline east of our tents. Their image has honestly been burned onto my brain, an iconic fixture in an otherwise barren landscape. Barren but full. Thea said something extremely profound at check-in today, about the empty vastness of Lake Magadi. She said it reminded her of Oloika, in that in a space that seems so useless and lifeless, there are spots of color still (provided by the occasional pink flamingo in a throng of white). In a brief break from reading Ovid’s Metamorphoses, I picked up a book that we were going to read in Natural History class but never got to: Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey. I’ve only read the introduction and a couple of chapters, but Abbey’s memoir of a season in the Arches Natural Park in Moab, Utah so brilliantly captures the texture of the place. He even talks about how his main goal in venturing into the wilderness is to accept all aspects of his environment at face value, without romanticizing and anthropomorphizing the landscape and the creatures in it. To see and to accept. To listen without necessarily needing to respond (like an exercise Laurie ran tonight at check-in). Though he was speaking about a desert in Utah and not a savannah in Kenya, his mission spoke to me. One of my goals in returning to Oloika a third time is to clarify and codify some of my core values. To think about what I think, to not judge myself, and to begin to strategize and plan how I want to use this accumulated self-knowledge in my journey away from Oloika, away from Groton, and into the greater world. I mentioned this to a couple of people several times throughout the trip, but I fear that since we, as young people, care so deeply about so many different things, it’s far easier to just stop at caring about them because picking two or three to act upon is just too hard. I’ve realized I need to choose now. That time is upon me whether I want it or not.

                Abbey begins his book with the line, “This is the most beautiful place in the world.” I’m here, I think. . .Marianna out. P.S. Remember to send the Moby Dick package to Mr. Goodrich with my letters in it. It’s on my desk. If you haven’t already. THANK YOU!!!!

Catch ya on the flipside,

Love Ycar and Marianna (the most love from Ycar. Hugs and kisses).   

Photos from Thursday

click here!

Work Site

First day in Oloika

Sopa!

Today we left Masai Lodge around 10 o’clock and stopped in Karen to run some last minute errands and get coffee.  After that, we started on our journey down into the Great Rift Valley.  Even though us two and Marianna have seen it before, the view was still breathtaking.  The road was bumpy which some people liked and some people didn’t.  After about 3 hours of driving, we made it to Lake Lipati in Magadi for a lunch break next to the flamingoes and salt.  Magadi is the largest baking soda producer in the area. 

After lunch, we had a little adventure.  As we headed on the final leg of our drive, we became stuck in the sand.  After a few tries, Shani and Brandt decided that we should all get off the bus and push.  It took a few tries with the bus moving forward a few inches and then rocking back, but on the last try, everyone pushed and we got the bus rolling.  It was our first team effort and the highlight of the day for a lot of people.  It bodes well for our future projects. 

 

Soon afterwards we drove into town.  It felt great for the two of us to be back and to see the camp with some big changes both good and bad.  The first thing we noticed was that the giant pavilion we normally eat under had collapsed due to heavy storms during the rainy season.  On the other hand, the camp had expanded.  There are at least twice the number of tents and showers than the last time we were here.

We spent a little down time unpacking in our tents before heading into town to see the school and future library site.  It was awesome to see the dining hall, our previous project, completed and being used.  In addition, the cistern that had barely been dug before our arrival two years ago was now finished and full of water.  We also saw the foundation of the new library which was conveniently located underneath some trees and near the water tank.  One of the best parts of the visit was seeing some old friends at the school.  It was striking to see how some of them had grown up especially Moses, one of our favorites from the last trip.

We walked back from the school and had a rest before dinner.  One of the best parts of using this safari company is definitely the food.  We had pumpkin soup and fresh bread rolls followed by beef goulash, rice, carrots, and broccoli.  It was delicious. Immediately after dinner, we reflected on why we are here underneath the stars.

We are looking forward to starting on the worksite tomorrow.  It should be a lot of fun.  We can’t wait!

-Charlotte and Eddie

Arrived in Oloika Safely!

After a long and scenic drive into the Great Rift Valley we've arrived at our tent camp in Oloika. 

Day 1 Photos

Click for slideshow

We've Arrived!

Jambo!

We arrived in Nairobi late last night after a full 36 hours of travelling, drove along a bumpy road for an hour to the Masai lodge, and fell asleep immediately once we set up our mosquito nets. Five hours later, still trying to fight ten hours of jet lag (having personally come from the West Coast), our alarms shocked us awake. Still half asleep, we trudged to the dining room to find immaculately set tables with origami napkins and a custom omelet bar—our first substantial meal in a few days, and very much appreciated by eight hungry teenagers.

                Laurie prefaced our breakfast conversation with a question: “So, who here is afraid of heights?” I was slightly worried, having never truly recovered from my childhood acrophobia, but seeing her cheerful, excited expression, I tentatively raised my hand. “Okay, well, you may have to test your limits today.”

                After breakfast, after taking several group photos on the first of many picturesque bridges of the trip, we headed to an Elephant Orphanage, where we saw a group of about twenty elephants, all three to eight months old, feeding and playing in front of a group of enthusiastic, Safari gear-clad tourists, eagerly snapping pictures. Our group may or may not be included in this description.

                One particularly lively elephant, captivated by all the attention he was getting from the enthralled visitors, decided to run straight into a row of American and European Safari-goers, while absolutely caked in wet mud from all the dirt and water they had been throwing around. He missed most of the crowd, but succeeded in getting my shirt as well as Charlotte’s backpack. Oh well. I signed up for this trip knowing I would get muddy.

                After another beautiful meal, this time by the pool, our group set out on foot for the glass factory across the street. We walked for a few minutes on flat grass, wading through herds of goats, then descended into a gorge, at which point my “mild childhood acrophobia” turned into a full-fledged terror of heights when I saw the bridge we were expected to walk over. Two cables, about two feet apart and suspended 150 feet above a narrow, muddy, and probably shallow, river, supported what looked like a weaved mess of wires.  Steeling ourselves with the truthful cliché that we had come to Kenya to test our limits and push ourselves, we stepped across, one foot at a time, hanging on to the thick cables.

                As terrifying as the bridge was, the glass factory was absolutely worth it.  We could have spent hours exploring the endless maze of small buildings, decorated intricately with patterns and designs made, of course, from glass. We saw the process of creating a glass bowl, a tiled mosaic of a pool complete with a sea serpent statue spitting water from its mouth, a territorial ostrich, and a bridge with a stained glass floor leading to the roof of a house. A sign said “beware of dog,” but personally I felt a lot more threatened by their geese than their friendly little dachshund. Charlotte and I (who are roommates at school) had trouble deciding between an ornate chandelier, a comfortable hammock, and our own personal swing chair for our room at school. However, we soon realized that each of these presented problems with transportation.

We tore ourselves away from the glass factory and completed the same journey back to the Masai Lodge for dinner. After such an exciting first day of our trip, I look forward to the next few weeks.

Asante sana (thank you)for reading, and enjoy the pictures!

Jessie

Kitengela Glass 360

Click to view interactively: http://360.io/ArrFgK

Click to view interactively: http://360.io/4y8VfE

Kenya trip starts on July 7th

This trip departs from JFK on July 7th. Watch this space for postings.