Amboseli Orphans Project

The last couple days have been really relaxed as I gear up for the final. Yesterday some of us went to one of the local staff's (Wiper) boma for the Official Launching Day of the Amboseli Orphans Project. One of SFS's past students, Seth, is collaborating with Whiper to improve the education, health, and nutritional intake of orphans in the area. This is a local grassroot organization I can definitely see myself getting involved in! The community based organization focuses on serving and providing for Kimana's orphaned children. The day's program started with everyone greeting each other. This has happened at every event I have been to in Kenya and usually involves either shaking hands with everyone in attendance or standing in a circle and introducing ourselves. It is a really great way to immediately feel welcomed and included! Also, it is very typical for the beginning and end of events to take a long time in Western standards with many, many thanks being given. When I went to the church service a couple of weeks ago, the pastor and other people in the congregation thanked God and us for our presence for almost 30 minutes!

Anyways, the visit to Wiper's boma was probably one of my favorite events so far. About 25 children are involved in the program. Almost all of the children are siblings and everyone has a caretaker such as a grandmother, older brother, aunt, etc. Each family shared their story of how the program has helped them. One woman's husband was killed by an elephant and she could not care for her children without help. Another mother committed suicide so a family member takes care of the children. It was all very touching and real. This wasn't just a commercial with sappy music that I could flip through to find another entertaining channel. This was so real that one of the children came over and started playing with us during the speeches! I am certainly going to pray and look into pursuing this organization. I really liked how Wiper, a local Maasai, started this; it isn't a massive NGO from the States.

The link to their website is: http://www.amboseliorphans.org/

I also got to write the News from the Field article for SFS, the program I am studying abroad with. A student is chosen each term to write a little piece on how their experience has been so far. You can view it at: http://www.fieldstudies.org/blog/?p=11

Tsavo Maneaters

Home sweet home for a week.

Well my six day long camping trip in Tsavo West National Park is over. For my first long camping trip, I’ve got to say, it left a great impression! There were six of us in a tent- a tent with so little room even our sneakers stayed outside! We did have bathroom facilities that consisted of drop chos (toilets). If you have ever seen the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” then you know what I mean. At night, we need an armed guard to take us to the drop chos because of lions (maneaters) and hyenas. There was also a bat that lived inside; always an adventure! The view was absolutely breathtaking with wide vistas of various habitats and animals! I got to see some hippopotamuses and crocodiles a couple times during the week. We saw a leopard the very first night on a game drive and, when a tourist van got stuck in the sand, our driver, Jackson pulled it out. Silly tourists ;) We also saw a hyena!

Lion print! Lion print!

The next day, Jackson heard about a fresh kill a lion had made in the park so we all jumped in the car and sped off to try to find it. Even though we didn’t find it I did get to have the best car ride of my life standing on the seat and trying not to fall out as we sped around the park at 80 kmh (over twice the park’s speed limit). It was one of those moments when I thought to myself, “I can’t believe I am in Africa chasing down lions right now!” Tsavo also has some very cool lava fields and we did a small hike- but a very steep one!

Later on in the week, I woke up early (even though we usually wake up at 6am) and watched the sun rise. From my viewpoint, it was framed by an acacia tree and was so peaceful and vibrant! Then about 20 impalas came out of the dense shrubland and started grazing under the tree. The sun burned red in the sky. So beautiful; God is good! We had a guest lecturer from Tsavo National Park come and share information about the area with us. Then we worked on presentations. My group discussed research opportunities, benefits, and issues facing wildlife conservation. Opportunities include animal and vegetation censuses, human/wildlife conflict, and habitat research. Issues include western technique vs. local knowledge, funding, permits, and empowerment!

Even later in the week we went to Chuylu Hills National Park and got to see some more amazing views. We drove through some small communities who were so excited to see us mozungus! Kids ran in the dust behind the car while everyone came out to wave and smile! It isn’t uncommon to see children hold out their hands asking for money, but these children just thought we were the oddest thing: white and in a vehicle! Then we got to some very bumpy roads and went over rocks, tree limbs, and even bigger rocks. After the Chuylu Hills lecture and hike we stopeen in for some roadside shopping at a place called Mito Andia. It is literally halfway between Nairobi and Mombasa, the two biggest cities in Kenya. Everything there is a gas station, a bar, or a roadside stand with wood carvings being made in front of you.

Gorgeous baobab trees in Tsavo!

The last full day I got to go to the Black Rhino Sanctuary, but I didn’t get to see any endangered black rhinos. Did you know the main difference between a black and white rhino is a black rhino is a browser while a white rhino is a grazer? Their coloring is the same! After the lecture and a game drive we went to Sorena Lodge. Oh. My. Goodness. It was an entirely different Africa experience! We got to do the lunch buffet and I must admit I had three plates of food! It was fantastic! Afterwards I went swimming with some of my peers and “burned off” the extra calories.

All in all camping was incredibly dirty and crowded (no tent space remember?). BUT who can say they went camping in a National Park in Kenya? All in all, it was a great experience but I sure am glad to be back at Kilimanjaro Base Camp (KBC)!

Check it out: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Man-Eaters-of-Tsavo.html

"Wait, we have class here?"

The last few days have been FULL of academics! So much is based in wildlife management (duh, that's what I signed up for) along with statistics! Statistics = math + computer knowledge. I'm actually holding my own though, so I'm happy. The day before yesterday I almost broke down while working on a presentation. I had been working on it for about 6 hours and it hit me that I am in Africa stuck, crunched over an excel spreaksheet, looking at numbers! I took some time outside and felt better but realized next time I come to Africa I do not want to come for school!
The peer dynamics are becoming interesting as well. I came into this trip knowing I did not want to gossip or anything; it just breeds negativity! It is not something Christ does and really does drain happiness and love out of a conversation! There is a lot of it going around though, or at least a lot more than I am used to. I guess that is to be expected in a group of 16 girls and one boy! I have figured out who relies on gossip and negativity and who is avoiding it. Of course that led to cliques but, all in all, everyone here is really interesting and driven. It is enjoyable to hear about their homes and the different experiences everyone has had.
I'm starting to get a form of cabin fever since we have not left the camp very much in the last four days. Tomorrow though, we leave for Tsavo National Park! We will be sleeping in tents in a national park without any fences or anything. We will have some armed guards (Momm and Dad- don't worry) for the drive there and our duration at Tsavo. In the past some tourists have been robbed by bandits on the road to Tsavo. Also, two people were pulled from their tent by lions one year. It is guaranteed to be interesting and exciting! I'm ready for a new adventure!

Hike, Clinic, Orphanage, AND Safari

All the students

Busy, busy, busy! I am emotionally and physically drained! Yesterday we went on a hike to the bottom of a beautiful waterfall! It reminded me of the Willamette Valley's lush foliage with moss and green everywhere! There were vines, banana slugs, and tons of rocks to climb downriver on. We had a grand adventure just playing around.

Next we went to an HIV/AIDS clinic in a neighboring town and that was very interesting to see from a health perspective. The Kenyan government provides free testing and treatment for those who qualify which is more than the States does! The clinic focused mostly on providing tests and being a source of support- both counseling and group support. It was nice to hear that people are becoming educated on both the prevention of HIV and how it is spread so there is not as much prejudice of those who have tested positive; the rate of those with HIV is also going down!

Then, after all of that, we went to a local orphanage. This orphanage focused on helping children become educated and being able to sustain themselves as adults in Kenya. They had never had an adoption. Some of the children still had families nearby, but the families could not care for them. There were about 50 girls and boys- I bonded immediately with Neema and Dina. Neema is a 13 year old girl who loves science. Dina was a little boy who didn’t speak very much English but help my hand almost the entire time.

The orphanage was very sad to see. There was a guest house with comfy couches, coffee tables, etc. It reminded me so much of the States! But where the kids slept was devastating. They slept four to a tiny room with bunk beds built into the walls. Their mosquito nets had giant gaping holes. It was cramped and dismal even though a volunteer group had obviously come through to paint the walls a nice aqua color. The paint was chipping. I was really upset that volunteers or donors had a nice house to stay in while the children were subjected to these conditions. I would not have felt comfortable staying in the guest house knowing how the children were sleeping. It was also very uncomfortable to know these children, especially Neema and Dina, were going to connect to me and then I would never see them again. It must be so hard to not live with your family and meet volunteers who never return. I can’t imagine. I cried when we left.

Today we went to Amboseli National Park to participate in a quaterly animal count of the entire park. We teamed up wih a few other groups and the KWS (Kenyan Wildlife Service) to ground count all of the animals in the park. This was split up via sector and we went off roading. Off roading is only done for these counts; quite a priviledge! We saw so many giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, elephants, and warthogs! It still amazes me that I am in Africa, that I am seeing these animals, and that my calculations will be part of the history of Wildlife Management in beautiful Kenya!

Sitting on top of the land crusier watching giraffes. Hakuna Mutata!

Tree Planting and Nap Time!

After a class this morning to prepare us for our wildlife count later this week, we went to plant trees in the community! The goal is that these native plants will grow much bigger than the seedlings they currently are and will help with erosion in the area. At one point we ran out of plants and two of the interns went to get more. They returned with plants and children! My favorite! Imagine two white girls carrying seedlings coming around the corner when a loud noise reaches your ear. Is it baboons? Is it screaming? No, it's children yelling hello! Insert some happy, climatic music! Two dozen children followed, skipping along behind the mzungus (white foreigners). Their smiles were so big that we immediately abandoned the holes we were digging and water we were pouring to shake their hands and say hello! 

Then we ate lunch and went back to camp. I took a shower and had a great nap. I woke up a couple hours later and sat on the back porch, taking in the Africaness of it all. All of a sudden, a gigantic male baboon comes gambling up to the porch! I freaked out, grabbed my bag, and fell back into the banda, waking my roommate in the process. We waited until the scene seemed safe to grab my shoes where I had literally been scared out of them! I'm starting to miss a few things from the States like diet Pepsi, long hot showers, and new socks. Surprisingly, I don't miss my cell phone at all. I love driving around here- it is always an adventure and I really cannot describe how friendly everyone is. Relationships and friendships mean so much.

Church and School

Habari? Mzuri! How are you? Good!
Yesterday was a free day, meaning no classes! A dozen of us went to an Assemblies of God church and it was so cool to compare it to the one I attend in campus. The church was made of plastered brick and cement with a metal ceiling. Plastic chairs created the seating and an array of fabric hung behind the glass alter. The music came from an old keyboard with two microphones and, as the usual keyboard player was travelling, young boys played the songs. It reminded me of karaoke! The service started similarly to the ones I am used to except the music was very loud and all in Swahili and Maasai. Oh, and a stray dog tried to enter the building so one of the elders ran out to hit it with a rock. A giant lizard kept climbing up and down the walls as well. The service lasted over three hours and included a lot of dancing, singing, and talking by multiple men. Of course, we were also introduced and asked to a song.

After church, we made bracelets with some Maasai women. This is their way of life, making ornamentation for members of their family and to sell. I made a bracelet for my mom (shout out!) and it took forever! I have so much more respect for these women and how diligent they are with this form of art! Then, I went to the local secondary boarding school with Greg and Moriah as well as the interns Jenna and John. We got lost along the way and ended up trudging through the jungle, crawling through a fence, and surprising some male students who were showering! Finally, we made it to the sports field and spent the rest of the time being asked a ton of questions about if I was married, how much I payed to come to Kenya, and why I didn't know Swahili, etc. The people here do not tend to have a personal bubble so sometimes I feel like I'm being suffocated by the crowds, but it was a really good time!

Today we spent the morning surveying group land. In groups of three with a Maasai guide, we plotted five 30 x 30 meter areas 200 meters apart. In these areas we identified all the vegetation as well as the possible effects elephants and humans had on it. This included pulled bark, missing branches, etc. Basically we walked around the African Savannah for almost three hours looking at bushes and trees! It was cool to hear the guide tell us about different plants and such as well as seeing a herd of zebras almost 20 feet away!

On our way back, Jackson was driving and I told him to keep his eyes out for a Swahili Bible. Immediately he did a u-turn, jumped out of the car, and went into a shop on the side of the road. He beckoned me in and I was able to get a Bible for 600 shillings (about 6 USD). It is gorgeous! I was so excited! This afternoon we are completing data analysis.

I am really enjoying the people here, both those from the States and the locals. Asante! Thanks!

Boma Visit

Jambo! Today has been amazing. We spent the whole morning of class in field lectures. Without even entering a wildlife management area we saw zebras and a bachelor herd of elephants! It is really hard to focus on lectures when a herd of elephants is behind me.

The afternoon was spent visiting our neighbors at their bomas. I am still trying to process the whole experience. My study abroad program has fostered a really good relationship with the local Maasai community so I am able to do things that most tourists will never experience: bomas.

The bomas, homes, are built from cow dung and sticks. Each woman has her own boma and the husband moves between them. Inside is two beds and a campfire (this one consisted of three rocks and a pot). It was extremely dark inside and the roof is very short. I sat on a bed with Nasha who played with my hair and welcomed me to her home: a HUGE honor!

The mamas sang some of their traditional songs and we danced with them, this consisted of a rhythmic jumping. Then, to reciprocate, we performed the hokie pokie. Not a fair trade at all, but it made them laugh! The children were so nice. Every single child I have met has been kind, considerate, and happy; so different from the States. It was obvious that these Maasai people lived in poverty and were surviving with minimal resources and that is what they are accustomed to. Too often I think that those in developed countries feel that Africa is full of problems and if we throw a few dollars their way, these problems will be resolved. Not true! Yes, there are health disparities and sickness, but they have such a wonderful culture and so much for us to learn from!



I felt sick to my stomach taking some of these pictures, it felt as if the children were on display. I talked about it with one of the interns here, John, and he explained that they are taking mental pictures of us as well. White people, especially Americans, are such a rarity in this area that we truly are like celebrities. Except we are also taking pictures- so I'm like a celebrity paparazzi!