Paul Phillips’ blog
July 25, 2009 – Masai Lodge in Nairobi to Masa Mara
Today was scheduled to be an uneventful travel day from Nairobi to Masa Mara, a game preserve in southwest Kenya. We awoke at 6, with breakfast at 7 – a buffet of fruits, meats, and eggs. We killed one of the cars yesterday returning from Shompole, so we met our new driver, Sam, and a new mini-van. We departed Maasai Lodge for the Karen Nakumat, where we loaded up on precious supplies for our trip (Toblerone, Coca-Cola, Pringles, etc.).
Our trip began as planned – uneventful. After a week in Shampole, we marveled at the paved roads from Nairobi to the bottom of the escarpment, and the quasi-paved roads from there to Narok – the halfway point. Soon after Narok, we went off road – the type of off-roading you would find in the American Southwest that would necessitate a 4x4 Jeep. Our Toyota 2x2 mini-van was a trooper, yet we still managed to break a control arm rod on the front tire. While McGyver (John Faulkner), removed the control arm, a few of us walked along the road and found all of the missing parts that had been strewn over the last ½ mile. With a wad of chewing gum, a zip tie, and a pair of nylons, we were able to repair the arm for the rest of the journey. Well, not really, but while McGyver worked, the rest of us played camp games with the Maasai cattle herders as they walked passed up along the road. They were especially adept at “Samurai and Lumberjack.”
Once our car was repaired, we kept driving along the “roads” until we entered the Mara. Here we were met with scenes directly out of the Lion King, or Out of Africa – miles and miles of open savannah, dotted with the occasional acacia tree. We saw Wildebeests, Hyenas, Harte Beasts, Impalas, Thompson Gazelles, Water Bucks, Zebras, and a few other critters.
The last two hours were spent driving, in the dark, along “roads” that would make a mountain goat nauseous. They were far worse than the fire roads in the Cascades. We were amazed at the skill of Sam, the driver, who was able to negotiate the road with our repaired 2x2 van. We found out later that this was not really a “road”, but more of a cattle trail that served only as a secondary road.
Upon arrival at our new home, Mara Timbo, we experienced culture shock. We had moved from the stark realities of traditional Kenya in Shompole, to the Kenya created for tourists. Our “tent camp” was breathtaking, and some even say it was worth the drive in. In reality, these are luxury hotel accommodation placed within the confines of bullet-proof (or at least lion-proof) canvas. Each “tent” had a king size bed, furniture, and a separate shower area. The canvas was equipped with roll down screens, curtains, and even floor rugs. The real treat was on the porch, where a writing desk, a porch swing, a sitting area, and a sunken outdoor tub sat overlooking the Mara River – with a herd of hippos lounging below the tent. After our jostling journey of 150km that took 10 hours, we feasted on Maasai beef and Tilapia, and then retired for the morrow, dreaming of the animals of the Mara.
--Paul
John Faulker’s blog
July 26, 2009 –Masa Mara
The morning began with Hippos make snorting sounds or was that Paul next to me in our king size bed? I grabbed my camera and Maasai escort to walk me to the river. The sun was rising above the trees revealing a group of Hippos relaxing on top of each other just below our breakfast tables. Is this real? Am I dreaming- no after a pinch – I’m awake.
My next move was to take advantage of the free massage waiting for me in a tall hut that overlooked the river. Those strong hands worked the soreness out of my neck and shoulders, the tension of the previous day’s hour under the van working with borrowed wrenches faded. I love the unexpected events that Kenya supplied in abundance. There were few days that passed without a delay or opportunity to learn about this amazing place. Imagine driving in a posh “camp” near the grasslands to find a full garage for maintaining a fleet of safari vehicles. It seems that in Africa everyone understands that helping with a problem is a group or village event. The word goes out and the men appear to help.
We began our safari about noon and began the visual feast of seeing (in no particular order): Zebra, Giraffe, Elephant, Lion, Water Buck, Topi, Impala, Thompson Gazelle, Grant Gazelle, Hyena, Crocodile (feasting on a Zebra mid-stream in the Mara), Wildebeest, Hippopotamus, Buffalo, Banded Mongoose, Silver Back Fox, Eland, Baboon, Monkey, Vulture, Eagle, Secretary Bird, Ostrich, Guinea Fowl, Grey Heron, White Heron, Yellow Horn Bill, Green Iguana, Fox, Jackal; and Spaniard, French, Japanese, Indian, Persian, British, German, and Swedish Tourists.
More surprises after returning to our camp, when we crawled into bed, a warm hot-water bottle had warmed the high thread count sheets under scores of pillows. Debbie Faulkner would have been in bedroom accessory heaven! Dreams began quickly as the animals noises drowned out the hummmmm of the generator. Too many stars to report……
Dina Marks’ Blog
July 28, 2009 – Relaxing in Nairobi
I’d never really liked long rides in the car; I could never understand why you would want to take hours driving somewhere instead of flying. What I’m starting to see is that my attitudes on travel, on work, on just about everything have less to do with experiencing and more to do with efficiency. If it takes me only two hours to get from here to there, then I have more time to do things once I get there. If I had flown, for example, from Nairobi to the Mara, then I wouldn’t have gotten to see John Faulkner fix yet another one of our vans, or seen Maasai children dancing with Lauren, Rebecca, Chris, John P., and Paul, or heard Michelle break down and laugh after four hours of Becca’s and Chris’ corny jokes, or seen how tenderly Sarah takes care of us when we seem to need it most, or prayed that Regina would let me take the first shower.
The Maasai are traditionally a group of people who live by experiencing, too. I remember that on one of our first days on the worksite, one of the Ensworth group said that it was a shame that we didn’t have a big machine to dig out the foundation for the school—that it would take a lot less time and we could get on with the actual building of the dining hall faster. Joel, our Maasai friend, looked at us and said “but that would be just one man alone digging; when we dig by hand, we dig together. Then, the dining hall belongs to all of us.” Our Ensworth group has been talking a lot over the past few days about sustainability—how do we keep the connections that we have made between Ensworth and Olokia, how do we make sure that the Maasai can maintain solar power to the dorms, how do we get our two groups of students together? And I think that the way we maintain that connectivity is by staying together and taking some of the “all in” Maasai spirit back home with us. The problems that you run into along the way don’t seem as scary when you have a group of people around you that you can depend upon.
So that’s where we are right now. Everyone is happy, soaking in the last few minutes of Nairobi before we’re off to the planes and back to our lives in Nashville.
See you soon,
Dina Sue
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Wildlife Viewing in Mara Timbo
Hello everyone,
I just received a phone call from Sarah Buchanan, who was calling at the end of an incredible day of wildlife viewing in the Masai Mara. The connection was not great, and she kept cutting in and out, but she told me the group saw a long line of elephants that crossed the road right in front of their vehicles, a herd of hippos in the water that made the water undulate in a sheet of gray, a lioness that was about 10 feet from their vehicle and hundreds of thousands of migrating wildebeest -- so many, in fact, that they had to turn the vehicle around and find a new way home as they could not drive through the herd. At one point, the wildebeest were crossing a river along with various other animals and the group saw a crocodile swim up and eat a zebra. In short, it's been quite an experience and the group has also been enjoying their stay at the Mara Timbo tent camp. Tomorrow they leave mid-morning for Nairobi in preparation to come home. It has been very exciting for us here at WLS to see the progress of the building and how this first-time program has come together. We really appreciate the flexibility of the teachers and their willingness to be "pioneers," as Sarah puts it. One final interesting note: Lauren Wyatts has been dubbed the "white Masai" not only because of her Masai-like height but also because of the kinship she immediately struck up with the woman of Shompmole, who apparently followed her wherever she went. She is returning home with a wealth of information on what it is like to be a Masai, especially a Masai woman.
That is it for now,
Ross
I just received a phone call from Sarah Buchanan, who was calling at the end of an incredible day of wildlife viewing in the Masai Mara. The connection was not great, and she kept cutting in and out, but she told me the group saw a long line of elephants that crossed the road right in front of their vehicles, a herd of hippos in the water that made the water undulate in a sheet of gray, a lioness that was about 10 feet from their vehicle and hundreds of thousands of migrating wildebeest -- so many, in fact, that they had to turn the vehicle around and find a new way home as they could not drive through the herd. At one point, the wildebeest were crossing a river along with various other animals and the group saw a crocodile swim up and eat a zebra. In short, it's been quite an experience and the group has also been enjoying their stay at the Mara Timbo tent camp. Tomorrow they leave mid-morning for Nairobi in preparation to come home. It has been very exciting for us here at WLS to see the progress of the building and how this first-time program has come together. We really appreciate the flexibility of the teachers and their willingness to be "pioneers," as Sarah puts it. One final interesting note: Lauren Wyatts has been dubbed the "white Masai" not only because of her Masai-like height but also because of the kinship she immediately struck up with the woman of Shompmole, who apparently followed her wherever she went. She is returning home with a wealth of information on what it is like to be a Masai, especially a Masai woman.
That is it for now,
Ross
Saturday, July 25, 2009
In the Masai Mara
Hello everyone,
I just spoke to Chris Lindstrom, who confirmed the group arrived safe and sound in the Mara Tima tent camp (http://maratimbo.com), where they will be staying for the next two nights. It was quite a long drive from Nairobi, and not without mechanical problems, but they at last made it and are now enjoying being in the midst of Africa's largest grasslands. I am also attaching some pictures taken from the work site over the last week.
Ross
Friday, July 24, 2009
Sarah's blog, contd.
Sarah's blog, contd.
July 22, 2009- Work Day 4
Hello again from relaxing Losijo Lodge. Picking up where I left off, our lunch at the school today had a surprise gift: three goats were roasted and some delicious African flat bread (Chipate) was fried - it was very similar to the Indian bread, Naan (not sure of that spelling). The teachers, education committee, and head of school, Rebecca, served all of us with huge smiles on their faces. Everyone had numerous servings and spent some good Masai "chillaxin" time in the dorm before heading back to the rock pile (be sure to ask Michelle about cranking up the truck with the right-sided stick on the column.
Boy can she rip through the sand in Oloika!). Our day continued with activities similar to those I described in Part I of my blog. However, a couple of things worth mentioning stand out: Chris Champion teaching a big group of kids to dance the Chicken Dance (Manooka Maryn in Masaai); don't worry, we have it on video! Also of note is Regina's ability to chuck rocks into and out of a truck - she is clearly the strongest, hardest-working person I have ever met. Another is Michelle Chang's sharing of tons of sports equipment with the students (thank you Grace, Rachel, and Julia Chang as well as the PE Dept. at Ensworth). Soccer, badminton, and volleyball on the Oloika fields with the kids was a great way to end our day.
As we headed to our van we bid farewell to John Faulkner, Paul, and Chris Lindstrom from WLS who were heading off to do a homestay tonight and will surely share their experiences on a later blog.
Sade,
Sarah
Chris's blog
July 23, 2009- Work Day 5
We all enjoyed a nice breakfast at the lodge before heading to the work site at Oloika school. By the many great conversations that have been had, the stories that have been shared, and the jokes that have been told, it is clear that this group is unbelievably comfortable and
close to one another. Our workday included more of the same and we
all worked with the enthusiasm and vigor as if it was our first day.
We were rejoined at the school by Paul and John F. after their exciting night at the boma home stay. Bricks were made (I actually became an official member of the "brick crew"), rocks were moved, trenches were dug, and other project items were worked on. Towards the end of the day, several of us had the chance to play some volleyball and football (soccer for you westerners) with the students.
I had a great time playing with a group of about 20 boys. One of them, Stephen, enjoyed quizzing me about some of the vocabulary he had recently learned in his English class. It was great, but the most touching part was when he approached Regina and asked her if she could take a picture of he and his friend. Regina assumed that it was another little school boy, but as they walked back to the group of football players, Stephen tapped me on the soldier and asked to take a picture with me. What a cool moment! Then he wanted to write his name down to show me how well he could write. I ended up with about 10 boys writing their names in my notebook. Funny thing was, their handwriting was better than some of my students. Once we returned to Losijo, we were excited to hear that a goat was going to be roasted in our honor and that we would be joined by one of the Shompole chiefs.
Good times were had by all.
John Picklesimer's blog
July 24, 2009- Last day at Oloika
We headed out of Losijo Lodge this morning - heading back to Oloika School for our last work day. On the way back we ran into some men traveling with four camels across the Masai land. Stopped and talked with them and they gave camel rides to those of us that were willing to get on. You are really a long way up in the air when these animals stand up. A very unexpected addition to our journey. At the school we spent about two hours working - helping them move sand, gravel, and concrete for the footings for the dining hall. We then said our good-byes to all our new friends at the school and exchanged addresses with each other so we can keep in touch. The crew that made bricks were particular favorites of John F., Paul, Chris, Rebecca, Dina, and myself. We spent a large part of our work time with them making bricks. We had a group photo taken with them. The most touching part of our departure was a song by some of the older boys and girls at the school. It was all in Masai, but the warmth and feeling was very evident. On our drive back we stopped at a hot spring to wash our face and hands - and some brave souls their feet! The water felt wonderful! The rest of the ride back was fairly uneventful - though I will never again complain about Nashville streets! The pot holes and dust here are truly amazing. One of the vans did overheat and part of our group was a little late in arriving, but we are all here at Masai Lodge awaiting our departure tomorrow morning for our safari experience.
July 22, 2009- Work Day 4
Hello again from relaxing Losijo Lodge. Picking up where I left off, our lunch at the school today had a surprise gift: three goats were roasted and some delicious African flat bread (Chipate) was fried - it was very similar to the Indian bread, Naan (not sure of that spelling). The teachers, education committee, and head of school, Rebecca, served all of us with huge smiles on their faces. Everyone had numerous servings and spent some good Masai "chillaxin" time in the dorm before heading back to the rock pile (be sure to ask Michelle about cranking up the truck with the right-sided stick on the column.
Boy can she rip through the sand in Oloika!). Our day continued with activities similar to those I described in Part I of my blog. However, a couple of things worth mentioning stand out: Chris Champion teaching a big group of kids to dance the Chicken Dance (Manooka Maryn in Masaai); don't worry, we have it on video! Also of note is Regina's ability to chuck rocks into and out of a truck - she is clearly the strongest, hardest-working person I have ever met. Another is Michelle Chang's sharing of tons of sports equipment with the students (thank you Grace, Rachel, and Julia Chang as well as the PE Dept. at Ensworth). Soccer, badminton, and volleyball on the Oloika fields with the kids was a great way to end our day.
As we headed to our van we bid farewell to John Faulkner, Paul, and Chris Lindstrom from WLS who were heading off to do a homestay tonight and will surely share their experiences on a later blog.
Sade,
Sarah
Chris's blog
July 23, 2009- Work Day 5
We all enjoyed a nice breakfast at the lodge before heading to the work site at Oloika school. By the many great conversations that have been had, the stories that have been shared, and the jokes that have been told, it is clear that this group is unbelievably comfortable and
close to one another. Our workday included more of the same and we
all worked with the enthusiasm and vigor as if it was our first day.
We were rejoined at the school by Paul and John F. after their exciting night at the boma home stay. Bricks were made (I actually became an official member of the "brick crew"), rocks were moved, trenches were dug, and other project items were worked on. Towards the end of the day, several of us had the chance to play some volleyball and football (soccer for you westerners) with the students.
I had a great time playing with a group of about 20 boys. One of them, Stephen, enjoyed quizzing me about some of the vocabulary he had recently learned in his English class. It was great, but the most touching part was when he approached Regina and asked her if she could take a picture of he and his friend. Regina assumed that it was another little school boy, but as they walked back to the group of football players, Stephen tapped me on the soldier and asked to take a picture with me. What a cool moment! Then he wanted to write his name down to show me how well he could write. I ended up with about 10 boys writing their names in my notebook. Funny thing was, their handwriting was better than some of my students. Once we returned to Losijo, we were excited to hear that a goat was going to be roasted in our honor and that we would be joined by one of the Shompole chiefs.
Good times were had by all.
John Picklesimer's blog
July 24, 2009- Last day at Oloika
We headed out of Losijo Lodge this morning - heading back to Oloika School for our last work day. On the way back we ran into some men traveling with four camels across the Masai land. Stopped and talked with them and they gave camel rides to those of us that were willing to get on. You are really a long way up in the air when these animals stand up. A very unexpected addition to our journey. At the school we spent about two hours working - helping them move sand, gravel, and concrete for the footings for the dining hall. We then said our good-byes to all our new friends at the school and exchanged addresses with each other so we can keep in touch. The crew that made bricks were particular favorites of John F., Paul, Chris, Rebecca, Dina, and myself. We spent a large part of our work time with them making bricks. We had a group photo taken with them. The most touching part of our departure was a song by some of the older boys and girls at the school. It was all in Masai, but the warmth and feeling was very evident. On our drive back we stopped at a hot spring to wash our face and hands - and some brave souls their feet! The water felt wonderful! The rest of the ride back was fairly uneventful - though I will never again complain about Nashville streets! The pot holes and dust here are truly amazing. One of the vans did overheat and part of our group was a little late in arriving, but we are all here at Masai Lodge awaiting our departure tomorrow morning for our safari experience.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Straight from Kenya!
Lauren’s Blog
Blog #1- We’ve arrived on African Time
Well, we’ve made it here safely and are enjoying the easy adjustment to “African time”- which means that schedules are flexible (lunch at 3:30), hours adjustable and timeliness unessential. In other words, we’re at ease and not too worried about anything other than rest, acclimating to this new culture and eating lots of yummy food.
Last night Shani and Jacob (Maasai men that are invaluable liasons with the locals) met us right as we walked out of the gate at Nairobi Airport. We quickly realized that certain concepts, like it’s not what you know but who you know, transcend culture as Shani greeted friends throughout the airport and quickly got us into a special Customs line for our visas. Once we were all through Customs, Chris and Becca (our WLS leaders) met us with juice boxes, the perfect refresher after 26 hours of travel.
We arrived at the Masai Lodge around 9pm and immediately enjoyed a local buffet. The Tusker beer, rice, goat, chicken, carob soup, salad, peas, tomatoes with onions, and ice cream made for quite a feast. After getting to know our leaders a bit and learning about a nightly ritual
A-Appreciation
N-News
C-Concerns
H-Hopes
O-Oddities
R-Reminders
We journeyed to our rooms, which are so much more than rooms. They are individual little houses with a porch and bathroom on each one. We settled in for a nice night’s rest under the mosquito net. Some of us (me and Michelle) overslept a bit before Becca woke us up for breakfast.
After breakfast today we had our first group meeting. Already the group was teeming with ideas about how what we are learning here can impact our classes. Even as we walked to our rooms last night Dina and I were brainstorming about students that we hope can have this experience next summer.
I’m very impressed with Kenyan hospitality. The wait staff and hotel crew are eager to do everything before you even ask. They speak lovely English, but the accent is decidedly British, making me all too aware of the occasionally thick Tennessee drawl I lend to my own words. This afternoon we went to the giraffe sanctuary and took a tour with Judy (also Khayeni in Lua) who told us the history of giraffes in Africa. Highlights included Rebecca “getting to know” a giraffe quite well andseeing hundreds of school children that were just as fascinated with us as we were with them. They were adorable in their school uniforms and loved watching the short video I took of them.
Kwahari (“goodbye”) for now. More news to come as we travel to Shompole Ranch tomorrow. Love to friends and family that are reading this. We can’t wait to share all our pictures with you! -Lauren
Rebekah’s blog
July 18-19: Arriving in Shampole and First Day of Work (Saturday and Sunday)
We spent Sunday morning preparing to transition from Masai Lodge to Shampole, our home for the next week. After several hours of errands (much longer than we expected…remember “Masai time”) we finally headed out from civilization. The 3 hour drive was GORGEOUS!! We passed several small bustling towns with markets and lots of people, and then descended down into the valley. The best stop was by a lake with flamingoes and several other birds, however we also had to make a stop Magadi, so that I could go to the doctor (mom, we tried to keep this a secret from you as I had a terrible sinus infection and fever the first few days…now I am totally healed and doing great, which we are crediting to the antiseptic saliva of the giraffe that I kissed!). We arrived to Oloika School right at dusk. We met Rebecca, the head of school, and several parents and community members. As the sun set behind the mountains and a cool breeze was blowing, we greeted our new friends and fellow laborers for the next week. We left the school at dark and drove across the desert to Losigo Lodge. Along the way, we got to see a giraffe (just wait until you hear about all the animals we have seen, and we haven’t even been on our safari yet). Losigo Lodge is amazing, I mean so hard to describe. We are staying in huts right along a river where baboons run around and play all the time. After a late dinner we fell asleep, ready to begin our week of manual labor.
Sunday morning we headed out to the school where we began two main projects- the building of a dining hall and the installation of solar panels in the girls dormitory so that they can have electricity for the first time. The chief of the village lead us in the groundbreaking of the dining hall, and then Matteus, the foreman of the project, and others helped give us work assignments. Some of us helped make bricks, a tedious process that takes weeks to complete. Paul really demonstrated his manly strength on the brick press, so much so that the Masai men were trying to find him the following day to get his help again (not sure why they didn’t ask for Michelle and I to come back?? ?) Others (Regina, Chris, Sarah) helped with the foundation of the dining hall, which involved intense digging of trenches and breaking up rocks with pick axes and sledge hammers. Lauren (aka “Nado” which means “the tallest” in Masai) unintentionally collected a sea of “groupies” who worship the ground she walks on….she is the biggest celebrity here and deservedly so with her friendliness, grasp of the Masai language, and killer work ethic. The solar panel team (lead by John and John, assisted by Dina and Paul in the afternoon) began prep work and kept great attitudes in the midst of numerous problem-solving challenges. Scattered throughout the day there was plenty of time for great conversations, volleyball games with the kids, and a few of us even got to attend church! There is so much more to say, but in summary, we left our first day of work understanding that this opportunity will leave none of our lives unchanged, and we can’t wait to share more stories with you. –Rebekah
Michelle’s blog
July 20 – Work Day 2
Lights-something we take for granted every day, but something that the girls dormitory at Oloika school lacked…until today! Can you imagine no reading at night?
We headed back to Oloika School in the morning after a quick breakfast at Losigo Lodge. We waved to the Masai who were up tending the donkey and goat herds as we drove the 40 minutes to our work site. We got a quick start to our work, dividing our team. John, John, Paul, and Dina worked on the solar panel installation. First they had to create scaffolding from bunkbed frames tied together, boards and rickety ladders gathered from nearby villages. Next they had to cautiously crawl onto the roof and secure the solar panel with limited tools and supplies. Then the wires were connected and the control panel programmed. Finally the LED lights were installed in a series on the ceiling between the bunks. We all were eager to see each step completed…more on that later.
Regina, Rebekah, Chris, Sarah and Michelle loaded and hauled endless wheelbarrows of volcanic rocks to level the ground in preparation for pouring the foundation for the new dining hall. Lauren continued to help digging trenches and also helped gather gravel that covers the ground as far as you can see. The gravel was loaded on a pickup truck and unloaded at the work site. Throughout the day our team made connections with the Masai people. We tried to learn the names of the women who helped us haul rocks, perfected our greetings “Sopa,” “Epa,” and learned simple words. Dina befriend a little boy, Soina, who later fell asleep on Lauren’s lap while she drove the pickup filled with gravel.
Now for the ending…
We were loading up the vans, getting ready to leave Oloika. The solar panel team had tested the lights and shown off their handwork to the Oloika teachers and our team earlier in the afternoon, but the real celebration began when the girls arrived in the dorms! The girls squealed with delight and there were the customary thank yous, but it didn’t stop there. The girls enthusiastically began a series of call and response songs, punctuated by the remarkable Masai jumping. The songs lasted for 15 minutes. (Wait until you see the pictures and video!) Our whole crew joined the girls jumping and singing, huge grins on everyone’s faces. The chief told us…
“They are thanking God for bringing you to us and asking God to bless you for coming.”
John P. said, “How cool! We started a project two days ago and now it’s complete. This is something that will really make a difference in their lives.”
Could there be a moving moment than seeing young girls cheer for lights!
Michelle
Regina’s blog
July 21, 2009- Work Day 3
Sopa! (For those of you who don’t know the language of the Masai people, this means greetings.)
Today has been an eventful day that began with a 5:00 breakfast. We then set out for an exciting game drive. What an amazing experience! We saw impalas, grand gazelles, baboons, giraffes, warthogs, ostriches, waterbucks, and many, many birds. We also saw the fastest domestic cat I’d ever seen. We wanted to see elephants and lions, but they didn’t make an appearance this morning. We did see signs of elephants, but this wasn’t quite as exciting as seeing the real thing.
Before arriving at school, we drove through the Shampole market, which is held very Tuesday. We saw many Masai cows and sheep. There were also
people there who were selling various items.
If it weren’t for a little van trouble, the morning would have been perfect. Luckily, John F., with his awesome mechanical skills, was able to save the day and fix the van.
At the school, the work on the dining hall continued. Paul and John made bricks, Rebecca, Michelle, Sarah, Lauren, and I collected tons of rocks and gravel. The highlight of the day for Dina, the two Johns, and Sarah was teaching in the Oloika School.
Our group of happy travelers parted ways at the end of the workday. Sarah, Rebecca, John P., Lauren, and Michelle went to the overnight home visit. They will be sleeping under the stars in bomas tonight. Chris, Paul, Dina, John F., and I returned to Losijo Lodge and ended our day with dinner and sparkling conversation.
Sere,
Regina
Sarah’s blog
July 21, 2009 – July 22, 2009, homestays with Masai families and Work Day 4
Part I: homestays with Masai families:
Sopa from Sarah, or make that Nameonyak, my new Masai name, which was given to me last night at my homestay in the Masai boma. Our group of six were distributed across three bomas where we had chai tea and dinner, spent the evening with the Masai families who live in the boma, and woke up to some more chai tea and a bit of experience with the daily life of these wonderful people. The huts that make up each boma home to one mother and her children – the huts are distributed around a large circle, perhaps 30 or even 50 yards in diameter – with an inner pen where their goats and cows and donkeys live. Surrounding each boma is a fence made of acacia tree branches, which are full of huge thorns. At night, the opening in the outer fence is closed to protect everyone inside from the African animals prowling the plains outside. While we slept, we could hear the noises of the animals in the boma as well as the distant noises of the African wild animals surrounding us. This was a truly amazing experience for all six of us (we’ll post pictures and videos as soon as we can).
Some of the special moments of our overnight visits were: 1) the children who surrounded us at every chance, sang and danced with us after dinner, and held our hands whenever they could get next to us. The respect that the children have for their elders, and thus also to all of us as we are “elders” to them, is remarkable. When first presenting themselves to adults, children of about age 10 and below put their arms to their sides and do a slight bow so that the adult they are approaching will place one hand on their head and say “sopa.” Then the children lift their faces and share their remarkable, radiant smiles! 2) the grace and nobility of the fine women who are living the life of a Masai mother during this horrible drought in Kenya. Their husbands and older sons are at times off with the cattle as far south as Tanzania in search of water and grass, and the women and children are carrying on without them. Their days consist of long walks to the river to fetch water, milking of the goats and cows (they let us help with this – be sure to ask Lauren about her goat-milking experience!), food preparation for their children and themselves, cleaning the dishes and laundry, and very little time for relaxation. In spite of this, they are serene, smiling, and delighted to welcome overnight visitors. Wow – we are all in awe. 3) the huts themselves – these are small (maybe 5 feet tall) structures made of straw, sticks, and mud. The mud is made from the dirt that is everywhere – blowing and sifting over everything – mixed with water and animal dung from their cows and goats. However, there is no smell at all – it is swept clean and the beds are raised from the floor with tied sticks that look like bamboo; fairly comfortable considering. The huts are shaped sort of like a loaf of bread – a thick, stubby loaf – with one bulge sticking out at the edge of a long side. This bulge is the entryway, thus creating a bit of privacy as one must make a u-turn to get into the hut itself. These are such efficient, environmentally appropriate homes for the nomadic Masai people! The homes, as well as the entire bomas, are often left by the families as they move across the land in search of food and water for their livestock. It is comforting and impressive to see these abandoned bomas and notice how they simply return to the earth over time, leaving no waste behind. What a remarkable night we all had with our hosts.
Part II: Work Day 4
Now we are back at Oloika for the fourth day of work. It will be another day of moving rocks – huge rocks that I can’t pick up alone – making bricks, playing with the children, and enjoying lunch together. John Picklesimer and I taught a math lesson together to a group of 14-15 year olds. A bit of algebra I (finding the mean, and solving a simple equation by substitution,) and the children were so very attentive, excited to see us, and eager to participate. Their classroom is a simple room about 12 feet by 12 feet, with about 12 double-seating desks and a chalkboard. There is not anything else in the room at all. The windows are open as the weather does not require protection from anything except the hot sun. During the lesson the children all sat and listened and worked through the problems in their heads as they do not have much paper or many pencils; they did a great job. The head of school, Rebecca, gave me a copy of their governmental math exam (a standardized test used for admission to the next level of school); I will bring it home and share it with the Ensworth math faculty – maybe our kids can do it and we can send a spreadsheet of their results back to Rebecca! Now we are having a great lunch, and later we will head back out to do more rock moving. I’m signing off now as we are about to try to upload the entire blog – more news later.
Sarah
Blog #1- We’ve arrived on African Time
Well, we’ve made it here safely and are enjoying the easy adjustment to “African time”- which means that schedules are flexible (lunch at 3:30), hours adjustable and timeliness unessential. In other words, we’re at ease and not too worried about anything other than rest, acclimating to this new culture and eating lots of yummy food.
Last night Shani and Jacob (Maasai men that are invaluable liasons with the locals) met us right as we walked out of the gate at Nairobi Airport. We quickly realized that certain concepts, like it’s not what you know but who you know, transcend culture as Shani greeted friends throughout the airport and quickly got us into a special Customs line for our visas. Once we were all through Customs, Chris and Becca (our WLS leaders) met us with juice boxes, the perfect refresher after 26 hours of travel.
We arrived at the Masai Lodge around 9pm and immediately enjoyed a local buffet. The Tusker beer, rice, goat, chicken, carob soup, salad, peas, tomatoes with onions, and ice cream made for quite a feast. After getting to know our leaders a bit and learning about a nightly ritual
A-Appreciation
N-News
C-Concerns
H-Hopes
O-Oddities
R-Reminders
We journeyed to our rooms, which are so much more than rooms. They are individual little houses with a porch and bathroom on each one. We settled in for a nice night’s rest under the mosquito net. Some of us (me and Michelle) overslept a bit before Becca woke us up for breakfast.
After breakfast today we had our first group meeting. Already the group was teeming with ideas about how what we are learning here can impact our classes. Even as we walked to our rooms last night Dina and I were brainstorming about students that we hope can have this experience next summer.
I’m very impressed with Kenyan hospitality. The wait staff and hotel crew are eager to do everything before you even ask. They speak lovely English, but the accent is decidedly British, making me all too aware of the occasionally thick Tennessee drawl I lend to my own words. This afternoon we went to the giraffe sanctuary and took a tour with Judy (also Khayeni in Lua) who told us the history of giraffes in Africa. Highlights included Rebecca “getting to know” a giraffe quite well andseeing hundreds of school children that were just as fascinated with us as we were with them. They were adorable in their school uniforms and loved watching the short video I took of them.
Kwahari (“goodbye”) for now. More news to come as we travel to Shompole Ranch tomorrow. Love to friends and family that are reading this. We can’t wait to share all our pictures with you! -Lauren
Rebekah’s blog
July 18-19: Arriving in Shampole and First Day of Work (Saturday and Sunday)
We spent Sunday morning preparing to transition from Masai Lodge to Shampole, our home for the next week. After several hours of errands (much longer than we expected…remember “Masai time”) we finally headed out from civilization. The 3 hour drive was GORGEOUS!! We passed several small bustling towns with markets and lots of people, and then descended down into the valley. The best stop was by a lake with flamingoes and several other birds, however we also had to make a stop Magadi, so that I could go to the doctor (mom, we tried to keep this a secret from you as I had a terrible sinus infection and fever the first few days…now I am totally healed and doing great, which we are crediting to the antiseptic saliva of the giraffe that I kissed!). We arrived to Oloika School right at dusk. We met Rebecca, the head of school, and several parents and community members. As the sun set behind the mountains and a cool breeze was blowing, we greeted our new friends and fellow laborers for the next week. We left the school at dark and drove across the desert to Losigo Lodge. Along the way, we got to see a giraffe (just wait until you hear about all the animals we have seen, and we haven’t even been on our safari yet). Losigo Lodge is amazing, I mean so hard to describe. We are staying in huts right along a river where baboons run around and play all the time. After a late dinner we fell asleep, ready to begin our week of manual labor.
Sunday morning we headed out to the school where we began two main projects- the building of a dining hall and the installation of solar panels in the girls dormitory so that they can have electricity for the first time. The chief of the village lead us in the groundbreaking of the dining hall, and then Matteus, the foreman of the project, and others helped give us work assignments. Some of us helped make bricks, a tedious process that takes weeks to complete. Paul really demonstrated his manly strength on the brick press, so much so that the Masai men were trying to find him the following day to get his help again (not sure why they didn’t ask for Michelle and I to come back?? ?) Others (Regina, Chris, Sarah) helped with the foundation of the dining hall, which involved intense digging of trenches and breaking up rocks with pick axes and sledge hammers. Lauren (aka “Nado” which means “the tallest” in Masai) unintentionally collected a sea of “groupies” who worship the ground she walks on….she is the biggest celebrity here and deservedly so with her friendliness, grasp of the Masai language, and killer work ethic. The solar panel team (lead by John and John, assisted by Dina and Paul in the afternoon) began prep work and kept great attitudes in the midst of numerous problem-solving challenges. Scattered throughout the day there was plenty of time for great conversations, volleyball games with the kids, and a few of us even got to attend church! There is so much more to say, but in summary, we left our first day of work understanding that this opportunity will leave none of our lives unchanged, and we can’t wait to share more stories with you. –Rebekah
Michelle’s blog
July 20 – Work Day 2
Lights-something we take for granted every day, but something that the girls dormitory at Oloika school lacked…until today! Can you imagine no reading at night?
We headed back to Oloika School in the morning after a quick breakfast at Losigo Lodge. We waved to the Masai who were up tending the donkey and goat herds as we drove the 40 minutes to our work site. We got a quick start to our work, dividing our team. John, John, Paul, and Dina worked on the solar panel installation. First they had to create scaffolding from bunkbed frames tied together, boards and rickety ladders gathered from nearby villages. Next they had to cautiously crawl onto the roof and secure the solar panel with limited tools and supplies. Then the wires were connected and the control panel programmed. Finally the LED lights were installed in a series on the ceiling between the bunks. We all were eager to see each step completed…more on that later.
Regina, Rebekah, Chris, Sarah and Michelle loaded and hauled endless wheelbarrows of volcanic rocks to level the ground in preparation for pouring the foundation for the new dining hall. Lauren continued to help digging trenches and also helped gather gravel that covers the ground as far as you can see. The gravel was loaded on a pickup truck and unloaded at the work site. Throughout the day our team made connections with the Masai people. We tried to learn the names of the women who helped us haul rocks, perfected our greetings “Sopa,” “Epa,” and learned simple words. Dina befriend a little boy, Soina, who later fell asleep on Lauren’s lap while she drove the pickup filled with gravel.
Now for the ending…
We were loading up the vans, getting ready to leave Oloika. The solar panel team had tested the lights and shown off their handwork to the Oloika teachers and our team earlier in the afternoon, but the real celebration began when the girls arrived in the dorms! The girls squealed with delight and there were the customary thank yous, but it didn’t stop there. The girls enthusiastically began a series of call and response songs, punctuated by the remarkable Masai jumping. The songs lasted for 15 minutes. (Wait until you see the pictures and video!) Our whole crew joined the girls jumping and singing, huge grins on everyone’s faces. The chief told us…
“They are thanking God for bringing you to us and asking God to bless you for coming.”
John P. said, “How cool! We started a project two days ago and now it’s complete. This is something that will really make a difference in their lives.”
Could there be a moving moment than seeing young girls cheer for lights!
Michelle
Regina’s blog
July 21, 2009- Work Day 3
Sopa! (For those of you who don’t know the language of the Masai people, this means greetings.)
Today has been an eventful day that began with a 5:00 breakfast. We then set out for an exciting game drive. What an amazing experience! We saw impalas, grand gazelles, baboons, giraffes, warthogs, ostriches, waterbucks, and many, many birds. We also saw the fastest domestic cat I’d ever seen. We wanted to see elephants and lions, but they didn’t make an appearance this morning. We did see signs of elephants, but this wasn’t quite as exciting as seeing the real thing.
Before arriving at school, we drove through the Shampole market, which is held very Tuesday. We saw many Masai cows and sheep. There were also
people there who were selling various items.
If it weren’t for a little van trouble, the morning would have been perfect. Luckily, John F., with his awesome mechanical skills, was able to save the day and fix the van.
At the school, the work on the dining hall continued. Paul and John made bricks, Rebecca, Michelle, Sarah, Lauren, and I collected tons of rocks and gravel. The highlight of the day for Dina, the two Johns, and Sarah was teaching in the Oloika School.
Our group of happy travelers parted ways at the end of the workday. Sarah, Rebecca, John P., Lauren, and Michelle went to the overnight home visit. They will be sleeping under the stars in bomas tonight. Chris, Paul, Dina, John F., and I returned to Losijo Lodge and ended our day with dinner and sparkling conversation.
Sere,
Regina
Sarah’s blog
July 21, 2009 – July 22, 2009, homestays with Masai families and Work Day 4
Part I: homestays with Masai families:
Sopa from Sarah, or make that Nameonyak, my new Masai name, which was given to me last night at my homestay in the Masai boma. Our group of six were distributed across three bomas where we had chai tea and dinner, spent the evening with the Masai families who live in the boma, and woke up to some more chai tea and a bit of experience with the daily life of these wonderful people. The huts that make up each boma home to one mother and her children – the huts are distributed around a large circle, perhaps 30 or even 50 yards in diameter – with an inner pen where their goats and cows and donkeys live. Surrounding each boma is a fence made of acacia tree branches, which are full of huge thorns. At night, the opening in the outer fence is closed to protect everyone inside from the African animals prowling the plains outside. While we slept, we could hear the noises of the animals in the boma as well as the distant noises of the African wild animals surrounding us. This was a truly amazing experience for all six of us (we’ll post pictures and videos as soon as we can).
Some of the special moments of our overnight visits were: 1) the children who surrounded us at every chance, sang and danced with us after dinner, and held our hands whenever they could get next to us. The respect that the children have for their elders, and thus also to all of us as we are “elders” to them, is remarkable. When first presenting themselves to adults, children of about age 10 and below put their arms to their sides and do a slight bow so that the adult they are approaching will place one hand on their head and say “sopa.” Then the children lift their faces and share their remarkable, radiant smiles! 2) the grace and nobility of the fine women who are living the life of a Masai mother during this horrible drought in Kenya. Their husbands and older sons are at times off with the cattle as far south as Tanzania in search of water and grass, and the women and children are carrying on without them. Their days consist of long walks to the river to fetch water, milking of the goats and cows (they let us help with this – be sure to ask Lauren about her goat-milking experience!), food preparation for their children and themselves, cleaning the dishes and laundry, and very little time for relaxation. In spite of this, they are serene, smiling, and delighted to welcome overnight visitors. Wow – we are all in awe. 3) the huts themselves – these are small (maybe 5 feet tall) structures made of straw, sticks, and mud. The mud is made from the dirt that is everywhere – blowing and sifting over everything – mixed with water and animal dung from their cows and goats. However, there is no smell at all – it is swept clean and the beds are raised from the floor with tied sticks that look like bamboo; fairly comfortable considering. The huts are shaped sort of like a loaf of bread – a thick, stubby loaf – with one bulge sticking out at the edge of a long side. This bulge is the entryway, thus creating a bit of privacy as one must make a u-turn to get into the hut itself. These are such efficient, environmentally appropriate homes for the nomadic Masai people! The homes, as well as the entire bomas, are often left by the families as they move across the land in search of food and water for their livestock. It is comforting and impressive to see these abandoned bomas and notice how they simply return to the earth over time, leaving no waste behind. What a remarkable night we all had with our hosts.
Part II: Work Day 4
Now we are back at Oloika for the fourth day of work. It will be another day of moving rocks – huge rocks that I can’t pick up alone – making bricks, playing with the children, and enjoying lunch together. John Picklesimer and I taught a math lesson together to a group of 14-15 year olds. A bit of algebra I (finding the mean, and solving a simple equation by substitution,) and the children were so very attentive, excited to see us, and eager to participate. Their classroom is a simple room about 12 feet by 12 feet, with about 12 double-seating desks and a chalkboard. There is not anything else in the room at all. The windows are open as the weather does not require protection from anything except the hot sun. During the lesson the children all sat and listened and worked through the problems in their heads as they do not have much paper or many pencils; they did a great job. The head of school, Rebecca, gave me a copy of their governmental math exam (a standardized test used for admission to the next level of school); I will bring it home and share it with the Ensworth math faculty – maybe our kids can do it and we can send a spreadsheet of their results back to Rebecca! Now we are having a great lunch, and later we will head back out to do more rock moving. I’m signing off now as we are about to try to upload the entire blog – more news later.
Sarah
Sunday, July 19, 2009
First Day in Oloika
Hello everyone,
I just had a nice talk with Chris who called me from Oloika to say that the group had a good first work day on the site. They were digging the trenches for the foundation, hauling rocks and working with sand. They have, after months of planning, started the work of building the Oloika Dining Hall. They have also started World Leadership School's leadership curriculum, which involves understand each person's "temperament." They also saw quite a few animals on the way back to the Losijo Lodge this evening -- giraffe, gazelle and what they at first thought, in the evening light, was a giant flock of yellow birds (turned out to be bats). Anyway, wanted to give an update that everyone is healthy and happy to be in Oloika. Do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions,
Thanks
Ross Wehner
I just had a nice talk with Chris who called me from Oloika to say that the group had a good first work day on the site. They were digging the trenches for the foundation, hauling rocks and working with sand. They have, after months of planning, started the work of building the Oloika Dining Hall. They have also started World Leadership School's leadership curriculum, which involves understand each person's "temperament." They also saw quite a few animals on the way back to the Losijo Lodge this evening -- giraffe, gazelle and what they at first thought, in the evening light, was a giant flock of yellow birds (turned out to be bats). Anyway, wanted to give an update that everyone is healthy and happy to be in Oloika. Do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions,
Thanks
Ross Wehner
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Hello everyone!
It's wonderful to be able to update you on what's been going on. We're sitting in an internet cafe in Karen while Becca is shopping for the rest of the food that we are going to take to Shompole. We've already had a full day of breakfast, packing the vans, and preparing for the next part of our trip, but I wanted to share what we got to experience last night.
When we returned from food shopping it was already pretty late (for those of us who go to bed at 9:30 back home...), but we were welcomed with wine by our hosts dressed in Maasai clothing. They led us through the dark down a candlelit path where we were given Maasai goat milk, braclets, and traditional wraps. Then, they danced and sang for us and led us to a fireside dinner in the bush under the stars. Already, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of this country and the kindness of our hosts, but this was almost to much to believe. We were treated to an all-out feast and ate until we felt like we couldn't move.
Then, the excitement took an unexpected turn. Becca and I were asked to join our hosts up front, where we were informed that we were chosen as wives for our host, who was a new elder. I apologize in advance to my dear husband, but what could I do? I didn't want to be rude... Paul and Jon were also brought up and offered to be married into the family--two daughters each, on the condition that they shipped a total of 44 cows over from Texas as dowry. I don't think that any of us have laughed that hard in a long time. It was all great fun. There was more singing, dancing, and fried flambed pancakes covered in ice cream (whoo hoo!). Regina had a dance party with several Maasai men and a lovely time was had by all.
We're preparing to head off to the service portion of our trip in Shompole, but everyone is having a great time and feeling so lucky to be here.
--Dina
It's wonderful to be able to update you on what's been going on. We're sitting in an internet cafe in Karen while Becca is shopping for the rest of the food that we are going to take to Shompole. We've already had a full day of breakfast, packing the vans, and preparing for the next part of our trip, but I wanted to share what we got to experience last night.
When we returned from food shopping it was already pretty late (for those of us who go to bed at 9:30 back home...), but we were welcomed with wine by our hosts dressed in Maasai clothing. They led us through the dark down a candlelit path where we were given Maasai goat milk, braclets, and traditional wraps. Then, they danced and sang for us and led us to a fireside dinner in the bush under the stars. Already, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of this country and the kindness of our hosts, but this was almost to much to believe. We were treated to an all-out feast and ate until we felt like we couldn't move.
Then, the excitement took an unexpected turn. Becca and I were asked to join our hosts up front, where we were informed that we were chosen as wives for our host, who was a new elder. I apologize in advance to my dear husband, but what could I do? I didn't want to be rude... Paul and Jon were also brought up and offered to be married into the family--two daughters each, on the condition that they shipped a total of 44 cows over from Texas as dowry. I don't think that any of us have laughed that hard in a long time. It was all great fun. There was more singing, dancing, and fried flambed pancakes covered in ice cream (whoo hoo!). Regina had a dance party with several Maasai men and a lovely time was had by all.
We're preparing to head off to the service portion of our trip in Shompole, but everyone is having a great time and feeling so lucky to be here.
--Dina
We've arrived...Kenyan style
Written 3pm Friday the 17th
Well, we’ve made it here safely and are enjoying the easy adjustment to “African time”- which means that schedules are flexible (lunch at 3:30), hours adjustable and timeliness unessential. In other words, we’re at ease and not too worried about anything other than rest, acclimating to this new culture and eating lots of yummy food.
Last night Shani and Jacob (Maasai men that are invaluable liasons with the locals) met us right as we walked out of the gate at Nairobi Airport. We quickly realized that certain concepts, like it’s not what you know but who you know, transcend culture as Shani greeted friends throughout the airport and quickly got us into a special Customs line for our visas. Once we were all through Customs, Chris and Becca (our WLS leaders) met us with juice boxes, the perfect refresher after 26 hours of travel.
We arrived at the Masai Lodge around 9pm and immediately enjoyed a local buffet. The Tusker beer, rice, goat, chicken, carob soup, salad, peas, tomatoes with onions, and ice cream made for quite a feast. After getting to know our leaders a bit and learning about a nightly ritual
A-Appreciation
N-News
C-Concerns
H-Hopes
O-Oddities
R-Reminders
We journeyed to our rooms, which are so much more than rooms. They are individual little houses with a porch and bathroom on each one. We settled in for a nice night’s rest under the mosquito net. Some of us (me and Michelle) overslept a bit before Becca woke us up for breakfast.
After breakfast today we had our first group meeting. Already the group was teeming with ideas about how what we are learning here can impact our classes. Even as we walked to our rooms last night Dina and I were brainstorming about students that we hope can have this experience next summer.
I’m very impressed with Kenyan hospitality. The wait staff and hotel crew are eager to do everything before you even ask. They speak lovely English, but the accent is decidedly British, making me all too aware of the occasionally thick Tennessee drawl I lend to my own words. This afternoon we went to the giraffe sanctuary and took a tour with Judy (also Khayeni in Lua) who told us the history of giraffes in Africa. Highlights included Rebecca “getting to know” a giraffe quite well (he gave her a smooch:) and seeing hundreds of school children that were just as fascinated with us as we were with them. They were adorable in their school uniforms and loved watching the short video I took of them.
Kwahari (“goodbye”) for now. More news to come as we travel to Shompole Ranch tomorrow. Love to friends and family that are reading this. We can’t wait to share all our pictures with you! -Lauren
Well, we’ve made it here safely and are enjoying the easy adjustment to “African time”- which means that schedules are flexible (lunch at 3:30), hours adjustable and timeliness unessential. In other words, we’re at ease and not too worried about anything other than rest, acclimating to this new culture and eating lots of yummy food.
Last night Shani and Jacob (Maasai men that are invaluable liasons with the locals) met us right as we walked out of the gate at Nairobi Airport. We quickly realized that certain concepts, like it’s not what you know but who you know, transcend culture as Shani greeted friends throughout the airport and quickly got us into a special Customs line for our visas. Once we were all through Customs, Chris and Becca (our WLS leaders) met us with juice boxes, the perfect refresher after 26 hours of travel.
We arrived at the Masai Lodge around 9pm and immediately enjoyed a local buffet. The Tusker beer, rice, goat, chicken, carob soup, salad, peas, tomatoes with onions, and ice cream made for quite a feast. After getting to know our leaders a bit and learning about a nightly ritual
A-Appreciation
N-News
C-Concerns
H-Hopes
O-Oddities
R-Reminders
We journeyed to our rooms, which are so much more than rooms. They are individual little houses with a porch and bathroom on each one. We settled in for a nice night’s rest under the mosquito net. Some of us (me and Michelle) overslept a bit before Becca woke us up for breakfast.
After breakfast today we had our first group meeting. Already the group was teeming with ideas about how what we are learning here can impact our classes. Even as we walked to our rooms last night Dina and I were brainstorming about students that we hope can have this experience next summer.
I’m very impressed with Kenyan hospitality. The wait staff and hotel crew are eager to do everything before you even ask. They speak lovely English, but the accent is decidedly British, making me all too aware of the occasionally thick Tennessee drawl I lend to my own words. This afternoon we went to the giraffe sanctuary and took a tour with Judy (also Khayeni in Lua) who told us the history of giraffes in Africa. Highlights included Rebecca “getting to know” a giraffe quite well (he gave her a smooch:) and seeing hundreds of school children that were just as fascinated with us as we were with them. They were adorable in their school uniforms and loved watching the short video I took of them.
Kwahari (“goodbye”) for now. More news to come as we travel to Shompole Ranch tomorrow. Love to friends and family that are reading this. We can’t wait to share all our pictures with you! -Lauren
Friday, July 17, 2009
First Day in Nairobi
Hello everyone,
I just spoke to our instructors Chris Lindstrom and Becca Brown. The group enjoyed a day in Nairobi today at the Masai Lodge. A group was trying to post a blog but was unable to as the hotel's cell-based internet connection does not always work. Today they did orientation, recovered from jet lag at the lodge's pool, visited a center for rehabilitating giraffes and participated in a Masai ceremony at the Masai lodge (which is owned and operated by a Masai elder). Another group went out and did shopping for the trip, which was a lesson I think in how long things take in Nairobi. Tomorrow the truck is being loaded with supplies and the group will have a chance to check email, and maybe sip a latte, before heading into the bush. Matias Bifani, our foreman, and his crew of workers will also be arriving on site tomorrow to site the building and begin work. John Faulkner and John Picklesimer, meanwhile, will be heading out in the morning to do final purchasing of solar panels and batteries needed for our small-scale electricity project at the girl's dorm.
All is well,
Ross
I just spoke to our instructors Chris Lindstrom and Becca Brown. The group enjoyed a day in Nairobi today at the Masai Lodge. A group was trying to post a blog but was unable to as the hotel's cell-based internet connection does not always work. Today they did orientation, recovered from jet lag at the lodge's pool, visited a center for rehabilitating giraffes and participated in a Masai ceremony at the Masai lodge (which is owned and operated by a Masai elder). Another group went out and did shopping for the trip, which was a lesson I think in how long things take in Nairobi. Tomorrow the truck is being loaded with supplies and the group will have a chance to check email, and maybe sip a latte, before heading into the bush. Matias Bifani, our foreman, and his crew of workers will also be arriving on site tomorrow to site the building and begin work. John Faulkner and John Picklesimer, meanwhile, will be heading out in the morning to do final purchasing of solar panels and batteries needed for our small-scale electricity project at the girl's dorm.
All is well,
Ross
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Ensworth Arrived!
Hello Ensworth Family and Friends,
Chris Lindstrom just sent a message to our office saying that all the Ensworth faculty are now back at the Masai Lodge having dinner. Apparently the trip went well, though clearing immigration in Kenya took nearly two hours (not uncommon). Hopefully the group will post something before heading out on Saturday to Oloika, the Masai community where they will be doing their community service. Otherwise we will continue to post updates received via the sat phone. Please call World Leadership School if you have any questions -- (303) 679-3412 or 1-888-831-8109.
Thank you!
Ross Wehner
Chris Lindstrom just sent a message to our office saying that all the Ensworth faculty are now back at the Masai Lodge having dinner. Apparently the trip went well, though clearing immigration in Kenya took nearly two hours (not uncommon). Hopefully the group will post something before heading out on Saturday to Oloika, the Masai community where they will be doing their community service. Otherwise we will continue to post updates received via the sat phone. Please call World Leadership School if you have any questions -- (303) 679-3412 or 1-888-831-8109.
Thank you!
Ross Wehner
It's time to Begin!
Becca & I have visited all of our sites, made mud bricks, purchased essentials and are on our way to pick up our Ensworth Faculty, yay! -Christopher
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Off to Africa
Hello Ensworth Family and Friends,
The Ensworth crew leaves tomorrow morning for nearly 24-hour flight around the world to Kenya. WLS instructors Rebecca Brown and Chris Lindstrom, along with WLS ground coordinator Shani Ole Petenya Yusuf, have spent the last few days in the Masai community of Oloika preparing. "It is absolutely beautiful here," said Chris Lindstrom, as he spoke with our office this morning via sat phone.
I have also had many conversations over the last few days with John Faulkner, John Picklesimer and Sarah Buchanan, who said to me this evening: "People from Ensworth like to be the pioneers -- that is our culture." That is the kind of wonderful spirit we really appreciate here at World Leadership School. We have an exciting project and a community that is eager to receive our volunteers -- there will be obstacles and glitches along the way but I am confident this crew can overcome them and learn a lot in the process.
Ross Wehner
World Leadership School
The Ensworth crew leaves tomorrow morning for nearly 24-hour flight around the world to Kenya. WLS instructors Rebecca Brown and Chris Lindstrom, along with WLS ground coordinator Shani Ole Petenya Yusuf, have spent the last few days in the Masai community of Oloika preparing. "It is absolutely beautiful here," said Chris Lindstrom, as he spoke with our office this morning via sat phone.
I have also had many conversations over the last few days with John Faulkner, John Picklesimer and Sarah Buchanan, who said to me this evening: "People from Ensworth like to be the pioneers -- that is our culture." That is the kind of wonderful spirit we really appreciate here at World Leadership School. We have an exciting project and a community that is eager to receive our volunteers -- there will be obstacles and glitches along the way but I am confident this crew can overcome them and learn a lot in the process.
Ross Wehner
World Leadership School
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