Kenya Trip

Hello everyone,

I believe this will be my last post. I have trimmed my pictures to 1/3 of what I took and that was so difficult. There are quite a few duplicates, but please take a look and let me know what you think!

http://picasaweb.google.com/TStrain44/Online#

Thank you all for reading and your kind words throughout the trip.

Cheers,

Travis

Now that I’m back, I thought I would post the pictures from safari as I know there are many people who want to see them.

I’ve left the really gross ones out… (like the lion eating the insides of his kill).

I’ll also post once more with what I learned from the trip to Kenya.

Cheers,

T

Today was an action packed day, with a lot of driving.

Up until now we have spent our days mostly with the community around Bogani (sorry the proper name escapes me). Today we headed to a Masai community to visit with one of the mama’s there. She was gracious enough to show us through her land and take us through her home and show us her families herd (of goats and cattle). After that we were taught one of their pastimes of beading. We have seen their work in the markets and on all of the Masai Warriors that are with us, but we had no appreciation for how hard it was until we did it for ourselves. A few of the mama’s from the community sat with us in the shade of a giant tree and helped us to make key chains (or at least the start). It was challenging, but a lot of fun.

From there we then made the 1.5 hour trek back and after a short lunch, went on a nature hike. We found out from Jackson (a Masai Warrior) which plants are poisonous and which they use as medicines in his culture. From the top of the mountain we took some pictures including a group shot.

Then it was off to Masai Weapons training. We learned how to throw their hammer weapon (sorry the name of it escapes me) and got to shoot their style of bow and arrow. It was a great event for our last evening here. Now it’s off to a BBQ and time to depart to our safari tomorrow.

Cheers.

I have to say that this was one of the best days yet. It seems like every day just seems to be getting better and better.

Today I actually got up again and went on an optional hike with the group. We got so close to a pack of Zebra’s that literally we could throw a stone at them (even me and I throw like… well… let’s just say most girls throw better). Saw the sun rise as well (go and see the pictures)!

Then it was off to building. I have a few pictures (of others as I was taking them) just to give you a hint of what we were doing. I help out on the family farm quite a bit when I’m home, so I’m used to of manual labour (hard to believe I know). This was extremely tough. We had to mix cement for a foundation manually, with nothing but shovels. We first had to mix the sand and cement (28 wheel barrows full) then add 28 wheel barrows of large rock, then add water… all the while mixing it by hand with a shovel. It was back breaking labour, but the good news is that we poured all of the remaining foundation so now the walls can be started on! It was so amazing to see how quickly we can finish a task and see progress!

Then after lunch we headed to the area of Bogani where the harvest trees. These trees are given to schools that Free the Children builds so that they can be used there for food or whatever is needed. Their goal this year is 100,000 plants!

Lastly we went and challenged a grade 7 class here to a game of soccer (Football). The grass on the field was so long… and the ground so hard and slippery it was really hard to play. As I would expect the other players were so good with most of them playing in bare feet that … and we still could hardly keep up. But, the good news is, with a few good runs, some questionable refereeing (and it was their referee), and some amazing goal tending we managed to pull out a win of 2-1. The game was a lot of fun for both sides with huge smiles all around. It was an amazing experience.

Tomorrow is our last full day here, where we have some very exciting things planned… like training to be a Masai Warrior!

Cheers.

Today was a fantastic day! Have I said that before? We had a lot of fun and got to do my favourite thing… build the high school for the local girls!

So we started the day… travelling about 1 hour to the nearest market. It runs 2 times per week and it is where the locals get everything… clothes, food, cell phones… you name it… it’s here. It’s a bunch of local people selling their goods. So I purchased a Masai weapon… it looks like a club. If you listen to Jackson (one of our Masai protectors here) he used his to kill his lion (that allowed him to become a Masai Warrior). I thought it was pretty cool souvenir… don’t think I’ll be killing a lion any time soon though. As an added bit of fun (and use of our Kiswahili and bartering skills) we were split into groups, we were tasked with using about $15 to purchase gifts fitting for another group. Now that we have gotten to know each other a bit more we could be quite creative with our gifts. It was a lot of fun presenting each person with their gifts that we thought suited them.

Then it was off to building! We had a great day. I have pictures today of the build and everything that we did. I actually didn’t take one picture… Cameron (one of our leaders) took them all. The build is so rewarding and a tonne of fun as I hope that you will see through the
pictures.

Cheers!

Well I know that this will come as a shock to most of you but I voluntarily got up to go on a hike today at 6:45 AM! And it was great!
We hiked around the compound with one of the Free the Children staff, a Masai Warrior named Wilson, (they are always with us to protect us from preying animals) and we got to see many different things including Impala’s and Zebras. We saw a sunrise that was amazingly colourful and learned a lot about the areas surrounding the Bogani cottages.

After that we spend the afternoon with the mama’s of a nearby village. This was amazing. We met a mama named Jane (see the pictures) and she showed us the house that she is building (and has been for 3 years), explained to us how she has organized local women to enhance their personal positions and provide for their families, as well as explain in great detail how their traditions work and what has changed over the last 50 years. As a thank you we did her water walk for her and carried enough water to supply her family for 5 days. We did it once each (or less) and she would do it 5 times per day… and wow was it hard work! Meeting Jane was amazingly insightful and I can’t wait to share it with each one of you. She is such a powerful role model for everyone who meets her and the only thing that she wants is for her 3 girls to go to high school… which brings us to our build in the afternoon…

Next we went to see the new Free the Children medical facility, the first of its kind for the organization, as well as start to build on the high school project for the girls of the community here. I have to say that so far it’s been the most rewarding experience. We had a lot of fun and the experience of helping to make a difference in the world here was second to none. We will be doing more over the next few days and I hope to show you pictures then.

After that it was dinner, and up early again tomorrow to go hiking!

Ok, so I must write quick. Out here in Bogani (where we are staying) there is only power in the tents for about 4 hours per day and it’s usually during dinner. I just figured out that this will be the only time that I will be able to communicate with you and post pictures and such.
So much has happened over the last few days it’s been incredible. I’ll try to sum it up.

So as of last night we were in Nairobi and I posted right before dinner. In a relatively funny story, the place we were staying I was told by our morning breakfast server that the lady who lived beside me was crazy. She had many cats and dogs and basically lived at the hotel. At the time I didn’t think anything of it. Unfortunately when I returned, the door between our rooms was open… a bit afraid I went into her place but there was no answer… so I closed the door. Luckily nothing happened and nothing came of it, but a bit of an adventure when you are half way around the world. Just a bit troublesome when someone apparently has access to your room!

In today’s adventures we awoke and went in a 12 seater plane and flew in to the Masai Mara. It was a bit turbulent but nothing crazy… just left my stomach in a few places. Got here safe and took a walk to our cottages which are absolutely amazine! I will attach a few pictures of the tent that I am staying in. I had no idea that a tent could have so much to it. I didn’t take any pictures today… didn’t have the time.

The highlight of the day was heading to a school that Free the Children has completed most of their work in. We got to see what the community’s old school looked like (before FTC) and what the new school looks like…. the difference is night and day. We heard from members of the village, schools, teachers and the employees of Free The Children but the biggest joy came from a father who spoke about the differences the new school has made in the community and their children’s lives. It was amazing to hear. He was so heartfelt and thankful about the work we aer doing and the difference we have made so far. We then got a tour and got to play games with the children and see some of their traditional games.

I have to say the experience was amazing and everyone is so happy to be able to go to school. The children loved being able to go… something I know I wasn`t happy about as a child.

Then it was back down the rough roads back to camp for dinner. I will try to attach as many pictures as possible to give you an idea.

I will attempt to post every day! Cheers.

Please check to see the pictures attached to the last few posts as well.

My apologies in advance this is going to have to be a quick post and you are going to get 2 in a row here (yesterday as well)

Here in Nairobi this netbook won’t connect to the internet so I’m having to post from my phone… so I will post pictures as soon as I have a connection! Sorry!

Today we woke up to find ourselves in Africa. It was amazing yet nothing like anything I thought it would be. Personally when I thought about Africa I pictured the Savannah and hot weather… well it was cold and very green. Nairobi s about 1 mile above sea level so the mornings are cold and the afternoon sun is very hot!

We also woke up to find out that the ‘hotel’ that we are staying in is so clean and beautiful with immaculate rooms! (I say that we woke up to it as it was dark when we got here)

So today we headed out and went to an elephant orphanage and rehab facility. It’s a place where orphaned elephants go to be raised and sent back into the wild. They were very cute and playful.

We then went to a Giraffe facility where they are trying to build the population of a once very endangered species. At one time there were only 120 of this species in Kenya due to deforestation and killing of them for food. The amazing this here is that you can actually receive giraffe kisses… yes it’s as disgusting as it sounds… pictures will follow. Unfortunately I didn’t get a kiss as the giraffe that I fed doesn’t give them (or maybe she just didn’t like me).

Then off to lunch and a bead factory where a pre-requisite to work there is that you are a single mother. They pay their employees very well and sell their beads all over the world. Definitely a business that you’d want to support… and many of the women on our trip did!

Now off to dinner and into the Masai Mara tomorrow!

Elephant Orphanage - Feeding itself!

Now that I’m off of the European continent I thought that I would offer some reflection on some things that I learned from visiting Amsterdam for 5 days.

First is that they are extremely passionate about their football. Watching the quarterfinals for the World Cup Match there was an experience I won’t be forgetting any time soon! It reminds me so much of the gold medal hockey match between Canada and USA in the Olympics this year.
I also noticed that the Dutch seem to have us beaten on a few aspects…

Everything is so laid back. Although by our standards it may seem rude to make someone wait at a counter, or not deliver their bill immediately after they are finished eating… but it’s refreshing once you get used to it that everything just happens at a different pace. Life is meant to be more relaxed… the high paced speed of North American society could use some relaxing.

They use bikes for everything. They have such narrow streets, that can’t be expanded, so people make use of what they have. It was amazing some of the contraptions that people build to allow their bikes to carry what they need. In our world we just build bigger freeways to make bigger traffic jams (not to mention the environmental problems with that).

Their transit is amazing. You can get a tram/bus anywhere in and around the city, take a train to almost anywhere in Europe as well as within the Netherlands (and get lost trying to get around if you’re a tourist) and really I could see no immediate need to have a car if you lived there at all, except if your job required it. Makes me a bit frustrated living in Langley with a 2.5 hours of transit if I wanted to get downtown from home.

Lastly, i didn’t notice the flash that you see so often at home (bigger house, bigger faster car… etc) From my perspective it just didn’t seem to matter as much.

By no means am I saying that everything there is better, but those are a few things that we could learn from the Dutch (and I’m sure the rest of Europe). I know none of this is new… but you’re reading my post so now you know my thoughts. J

I’ll step off my soap box for now. I’m sure the speech after Kenya will be much more inspiring!

PS after I land (I’m writing this from the air) I will officially be on the other side of the world! Horray!

Now that I’ve landed update… just thought that I’d let you know that I’ve landed in Nairobi and am safely inside my hotel. Even got to watch the second half of the Spain game. The place we are staying is really nice, but it’s now midnight so I’ll attach pictures tomorrow.