Safari Time

Hamjambo!

(if you haven’t noticed, there’s about 3,001 ways to say hi in Kiswahili)

So this is a little late, but two days ago I had the kind of experience that made me realize I was actually in Africa, doing something I never thought I would have done a year ago. I found myself standing up through the roof of a Land Cruiser with two subadult female elephants play-fighting with violent tusk collisions and trunk slaps (not scientific terms, but still accurate).  So this is what my first safari is like? What’s going to happen on the other ones??

Two days ago, we drove about 45 minutes from camp to Amboseli National Park to go on our first safari (which means adventure in kiswahili). This is a relatively small park, especially compared to Serengeti National Park. It is situated in southern Kenya, very close to the Tanzanian border, with magnificent Kilimanjaro creating a stunning backdrop to the herds of wildlife, which migrate here for the dry season. Amboseli has several year-round wetlands that are able to sustain large amounts of classic African animals, like wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, giraffes, lions and of course elephants!

There’s no words to describe how you feel standing up on a seat with your body halfway out the roof of a Land Cruiser, braced against the roll bars and scanning for wildlife as the sun beats down on you and large dust twisters form and reach upwards all across the horizon. It’s probably the most adventurous I’ve ever felt.

We drove through the park and walked to the top of a small hill overlooking one of the swamps and sweeping views of the dry and barren plains of Africa. The amount of vegetation, especially the ever-present Acacia trees, has never ceased to surprise me. Even in the driest conditions, life seems to find a way in. From the hill we could see different herds going about their elephant activities: Eating. Sitting in the cool mud and eating. Standing and contemplating things.

Just from observing, you would get the impression that these creatures hold more knowledge than any one of us could ever hope for. You can tell just by watching them move. Careful, slow and deliberate movements that suggest a wise old man who knows a lot about the ways of the world. They understand the Flow.

This was proven shortly after making this observation, when I became fortunate enough to witness an elephant greeting ceremony. I watching through my binoculars, ignoring the fact that I’d been holding them up for over an hour and not wanting to miss a second of what was about to happen. They walked towards each other steadily, trunks extended in greeting. As they connected, they began to feel each other, recognition and affection flowing between them. They began to circle around on another, keeping in constant contact. You could feel the love. Sense the beauty. And see the majesty.

Hamjambo!

Hamjambo!

After just a week in Kenya, I’m already starting to get more confident and comfortable. My Swahili, while still not good enough to have a meaningful conversation with anyone, is decent for a friendly greeting with locals in the market. Today I even talked to a guy about Bush and Romney. Then he sold me some carrots. They were delicious. There was also a baby crying because a herd of white people were walking by. 

The most stressful part about going into a market place is the Maasai Mamas, who sell their intricate handmade beadwork and tend to flock, surround and overwhelm the unsuspecting white visitors. All you can do is tell them “no thank you please” (Habana Asante), but that usually does nothing, and when others see, they move in for the kill. I feel rude telling fragile old women to back off. but seriously. Give me some space.  

On a more serious note, today was our first day off from class and we went to visit the VCT. It was a center for women with HIV/AIDS, and they help spread awareness to reduce the stigma surround the disease in the country. We met four women that told us some truly heartbreaking stories about their experience with diagnoses, the struggle they faced at home and finding and receiving treatment. All but one of the women were abandoned by their family because of the stigma, and left to care for multiple children while seeking treatment for a debilitating disease. In a country like Kenya, where finding transportation to major city centers like Nairobi is difficult, it becomes exponentially harder when you lack resources like money and childcare.

Looking around at the group, I could see everyone felt the same as me. Disheartened. Sorry. But also we all realized how brave they were to tell these incredibly personal stories to educate others. 

The most heartwrenching story was from a Maasai women who had received HIV unknowingly and given it to her mentally challenged son through the sharing of a razor blade. The pain, suffering and guilt must have been unbearable, but because of the lack of testing resources and education on the disease, there was no way for her to know until it was too late. It really put a lot of things into perspective for me.

Habari za jioni

Jambo!

Let me start off by saying that I’m having food cravings like a pregnant woman in her third trimester. That’s not to say that the food here isn’t good. It’s amazing. I’ve never had more delicious pineapple in my life! Every meal has a lot of starch. Potatoes, plantains, rice, beans , lentils and fruit. It’s all made with local ingredients. And by local I mean we’re surrounded by Maasai farmland where many of our fruits come from.

Just going on a run here is an experience. Little kids want to touch my beard and give us all high fives. You have to weave through herds of cows, and shout Jambo! as you pass by locals.

There’s something about this place that has everyone in an incredibly good mood. Swahili itself is a language of good vibes and love for one another. A traditional greeting of “Habari!” could be translated as “How are your troubles?” and a typical response might be Safi (I am clean in heart and mind). They haven’t taught us the word for “I’m alright” or “not so well”… I’m starting to suspect there might not be one.

Also, Jamba Juice can be directly translated to Fart Juice. No joke.

I have to say, the moment I truly appreciated where I was came just yesterday, 3 days into my African adventure. We were in our first lecture and I was trying hard to pay attention, but the sounds of constant bird calls and the sight of a family of Baboons attempting to break into my Banda (my hut) was keeping me preoccupied. A little different than the typical classroom distractions!

The raw ruggedness of this environment is incredible, and seeing Kilimanjaro towering above us everyday is always humbling. Sunset has regularly left me speechless, as there is a certain epicness of seeing dust rising from a dirt soccer field, framed by Acacia trees, Kili and a sky overflowing with reds, pinks and oranges.

Eventually I’ll have the patience to wait for pictures to upload and then you all can see what I’m talking about.

Badai! (See you later!)

It's Almost Time!

Well I guess I have a blog now.

So after an incredible summer ended in bloody thumb tragedy, I have been sitting at home surrounded by nothing but boredom. That's ok though, because tomorrow I will wake up at 3:30 am (yayyy) to begin my incredible journey into the unknown.

Sigur Ros pretty much sums up my feelings at this point. A little bit of epicness, a little bit of mystery, but also somewhat calm. It makes me feel like something life changing is about to happen..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJFUNiJw5xI



I'm not sure why, but for some reason I feel completely unprepared for what's about to happen... That's not true. I know why. I never wanted to be prepared. Not in the sense of having my travel documents and packing all the right stuff. I mean that I don't want to think about all the stuff that could or could not happen. I just want to be there and then DO. Wow I hope that didn't sound overly cheesy.

I think it stems from an idea I've been living with for the last year. The idea of Flow. I want this study abroad experience to be an adventure where I live in the now, fully experiencing whatever it is that's happening around me at that moment in time.

That being said, I also want to share some of the cooler experiences with whoever has time to read it.

Ok that's plenty long for a post where I've said nothing. Till next time friends! (where i'll be on the other side of the globe, hehe)

Oh yeah, I'm gonna climb that mountain too!