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This weekend has been great! It was the first weekend we've really had here, or as close to a full weekend as we will have.
Yesterday we had a non-program day. Half of the group hiked Olosoito, a hill that we hiked earlier in the semester during one of our traveling lectures. The hill is in Kuku Group Ranch and is about an hour from camp.
At the top of the hill we explored the rocks, took in the view and ate lunch for a couple of hours. Tommy even saw a hyena running down the side of the hill when it freaked out over some falling rocks. It was really nice hike and the sun wasn't intense so it wasn't really hot at all.
Afterwards we went to Loitokitok and stopped at the bar for a drink. I played cards with some of my classmates. After a little while we headed back to camp and had another great dinner!
Today we had a community service day. We drove to Loitokitok and then beyond the town to a secondary school. At the school we planted trees. Each of us paired up with a Kenyan student and planted a tree. Then we marked the tree with a sign that had our name on it. Our partners are responsible for taking care of the tree while they are at school. We exchanged addresses so we can keep in contact.
I planted my tree with Emanuel. He is 21 and is a Form 3 student, the equivalent of a junior. He has 11 brothers and sisters and is Maasai. After he's done with secondary school he told me that he plans to go to the university in Nairobi and eventually become a broadcaster. When I asked him what his favorite subject was he quickly responded English because that's the language he wants to broadcast in. We walked all around the school grounds which include a couple of fields and a steep overlook of a river which was dried up given the current dry season we're in. We talked about farming since Emanuel's father is a farmer. They grow tree seedlings, beans and maize. They also keep a few cattle to support their family's meat needs. I really enjoyed walking around and talking with Emanuel. We don't get many chances to meet with pepole our age so it was really nice to talk and compare where we were from and what we study and what not. Emanuel also showed me where his home is, he lives only 1 km from school and you could see his house from the school yard.
Emanuel introduced me to his friend Jacquline. She is 17 and is a Form 4 student. Jacquline is actually preparing to take her exams on Tuesday just like we are. She too said she wants to study at the university in Nairobi. Her favorite class is geography and she wants to be a tour guide but doesn't want to stay in Kenya forever. I asked her if she'd come to the United States and she said yes and then asked if I could help her get there. I of course would love to, but it's an expensive journey for me as well as her. Who knows though, someday.
It was interesting to see the interactions between the Kenyan students and ourselves. For example Kenyan men/boys often will hold hands, hug, or throw an arm on the shoulder of their friend. Some of them held hands with male students from SFS and some with female students as well. The girls seemed to hold hands with one another and with SFS girls, but I don't remember ever seeing any hand holding between the Kenyan girls and boys. There were definitely some awkward moments resulting from our cultural differences and language barrier, but not too many. Emanuel and Jacquline both had stellar English skills and I felt like the fool since I know hardly any Kiswahili. Meanwhile both of them knew not only Kiswahili and English but also their mother tongues which for Emanuel is Maasai and for Jacquline (if I remember right) is Kamba. Nevertheless we carried on great conversation and I think we all learned something from one another.
After we were done planting trees we walked a little way down the road and helped plant tomato seeds at a nursery. Honestly it wasn't very different from planting tomatoes in the States except we had a ton of helpers and it went very fast!
We were scheduled to go to Loitokitok after our community service to visit the market since it was market day, but due to confusion only one car ended up going. Sadly I wasn't in it so I missed market day. :( Oh well I'll probably get another chance.
The next few days are going to busy. Tomorrow we have our last really full day of class. Monday is a study day and Tuesday we have exams. Wednesday we pack up and head to our site at Nairobi National Park! People here are getting a little crunchy (the Kenyan term for crabby) with all the exam stress and what not. So a change of scenary will be good!!
Just one more note, Conrad, our classmate from Michigan and the Univ. of Colorado had to sadly leave Kenya for the States. He has been in Nairobi for the past few days at the hospital, but he was discharged this morning. His dad will be accompanying him back home. We're all sad to see him go and he will be missed! So Save Travels to you Conrad, we'll keep you posted!
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