Asante and See You later Kenya

I'm sitting waiting until it is time to head to the airport onto my next adventure and then finally back home.  It's funny how I knew that despite all the pre trip anxiety that when it came to leaving I would have a hard time, it is much harder than I ever imagined.  Part of me thought I would come here and be so incredibly disappointed or just not enjoy it in Kenya and Africa.  I am shocked by how much I have come to love this country and the people I have met. I felt as though it was my home and as I sit watching the clock count down(4hrs until heading to the airport) I have nothing left to do but accept it is time to move on.  Perhaps it is the butterflies of a new exciting place but I feel as though I have found a place that brings out the passion and good in me again.  All the drama, BS, and stress of the life I live back home is gone when I'm here.  Today visiting with my new good friend I had a hard time keeping emotions in check trying to imagine what it is like living just to survive.  So many people around the world are surviving, they get to wake up each day and make it to the next morning often times hungry, sick, or alone.  In many ways I feel bad that I have grown up as I have but at the same time, I never knew anything else. Sure I have always tried to be conscious of other people and always knew how other people lived but seeing it and becoming friends and caring for people in those situation totally changes how you think and feel about things.

I thank each of you who has invited me into your homes and lives. Thank you for the love and friendship and making sure i am comfortable and safe and happy.  Despite keeping my emotions shockingly in check for the most part, know that today my heart is a little bit broken as I leave and I promise you I am trying to come back for graduation in July but i am trying hard to be back sooner rather than later.

Junior

Today I arrived back at my temporary home to my wild boys to some truly horrifying news. One of the wonderful boys i have lovingly dubbed my Wildboys, died on Thursday.  Junior and his two brothers were staying at the home I am been in and spent a wonderful day adventuring in Hell's Gate last week.  These boys and their family had truly sparked a fire in me for future trips to Kenya and Kibera.  Junior was young(11 i believe) and very sweet and fun loving.  My time spent with them brought so much joy to my life and I missed them as soon as I left knowing I wouldn't see them.  Tragically he died from cholera Thursday.  This is such a shocking and preventable death of someone so young that I am equally heart broken and angry.  There is no one to blame, and nor should there be at such a sad time.  My heart goes out to his brothers and his mother and to Jimmy who has worked so hard with these boys.  I cannot imagine the sorrow they feel if I am so touched by this boy's life and death.  I am so honoured to have known you Junior and so thankful for the impact you made on me in such a short time. I only wish I had gotten a chance to be with you more and to help you more.  May these life inspire others to be the change we need and to ensure all children can live to grow.

Junior enjoying the trip into Hell's Gate(blue shirt)

Junior giving me the cutest pre trip pose

Wild Kenya

I have clearly not been showing this blog an TLC at all while in Kenya but what can I say, I have been to busy being alive, taking in every single moment.
The only downside of being here is that I have to leave in 6 days.  The more time I spend in this incredible country the more I am falling in love with it.  May 1st I was cone my internship which I spent with the remarkable women of Living Positive Kenya.

I cannot say enough about how much I love and respect Mum and LPK's work.  The women who are accessing the program continue to lift my spirits every single time that I am around them with their determination and positivity in life no matter what they have experienced.  I want to take a moment to shamelessly plug one of their awesome programs which I 100% back and guarantee.

 I say again, i am a skeptic and I tend to not trust organizations I don't know or haven't had recommended by someone I trust but the Educational Sponsorship is fantastic.  There are 110(ish) kids who are currently being sponsored by individuals around the world, including the incredible Stephen Lewis Foundation which currently sponsors 7 kids in primary and secondary classes.  If you have ever wanted to support and help someone I really recommend you contact LPK and see the kids who need a bit of help( www.livingpositivekenya.org livingpositivekenya@gmail.com )
100% of the money you give is going directly to the institute which they are attending.  The money will provide housing, food, supplies and most importantly education.  If you need/want to do an internship consider LPK.  You will safe, welcome, loved, and you will learn a lot more than you expect about life and yourself.  You have many options from helping with their farm, the day care, social work, fundraising, or you can fundraise and conduct your own project.  Lord knows if I could afford to I would not leave i would just be an intern for life!  I had to do my pre-goodbye last thursday as I am no longer living in Ngong but I cannot wait for my visit before I leave Kenya.

I spent the weekend on Safari, enjoying the tourist side of Kenya and I was baffled by the amazing things we saw.  21 lions including 7 cubs in one morning alone, the elusive leopard, a cheetah with her cubs, countless giraffes, zebra, buffalo antelope, impala, elephants... Need I go on?  There is nothing like seeing these animals hunt and play in the wild as if you aren't even there watching them. It was a really incredible experience and good to have a break from working although those are some early mornings!  I was lucky to have a very diverse and interesting Safari group and of course makes another reason you want to stay to continue meeting new people.

I am being utterly spoiled in my currently lodgings where I am eating delicious food cooked by a wonderful young man I am calling my personal chef, my host is introducing me to life in Kibera at his awesome library project and a nearby daycare where I feel like all i am doing is being loved to death.  I could spend all day sitting holding toddlers and smiling at them.  Everyone needs a bit of love sometimes!

The daycare is run by a really wonderful husband and wife who seem to just be so kind and patient and who I think really want to look out for these children and I wish I could stay and help out because they really have their hands full but soon they are getting some funding and remodelling to make it a bit safer, cleaner an environment for the little ones.  I cannot wait until I come back and see how it looks.  The kids and people of Kibera are really remarkable.  My teacher had told me that it was not at all like you expect it to be.  She was right, it is an organized busy community with a neighbourhood feel, I didn't feel in danger or unsafe, perhaps I felt stared at which is to be expected but I really like what I have seen and all the further potential in the local people who are working at it.  I am looking forward to spending another day helping out as I can.

This week I am also extremely excited to spend two days with a local doctor going out to some masai villages to help in his clinic.  It has been very important to me to get my hands into health care where i am able to see where my heart lies for my future endeavours.  I am hopefully that I am able to come back in a professional context, or at least able to come and make enough money to live on.  My head is already going crazy thinking of all the projects I could help with or maybe expand etc.  I am hopeful for what the future holds for me!