Coming Home!

Well folks... my journey here in Kenya has come to an end as of 8:50 tomorrow morning when the plane jets off the runway. To say that this journey has been life changing is a complete and total understatement. Little did I know just a short 3 months ago how Kenya (Kapsowar) would change my everyday thinking and actions in my life. You might say "oh yeah right!" And granted 3 months ago I would have said the same... but what I've learned from these people is invaluable. 

Like did you know that:

• Women and children spend over 200 MILLION hours carrying water in a single year. Notice that I didn't say men, and notice that I didn't say eating, collecting and carrying firewood, cooking, bathing, playing, going to school, etc... Also note that, that water is not clean water.
• That girls at age 12 are being circumcised? And now that it is "illegal" they are now becoming younger and younger. Who circumcises these little girls? The "grandmother" in the village. It's up to her what she chooses to take. 
• That women are often left to be housewives or birthing machines I call them while the men go away to the bigger cities and work. The majority married couples in Kenya don't live together. Ever. He comes home on leave once a year, and at Christmas. If he has a better job and a better relationship with his wife he may come home once a month or every few months... but money is everything in poor country.
• Cows are worth gold here. You can sell a milk cow for around 40,000-50,000 schillings which in Kenyan terms of living you can do a whole lot with that... except they don't... they only sell them when someone gets sick to pay hospital fees. They have no idea how invest money. And cows are cultural. So it works for them.
• People in Kenya ARE NOT STARVING. Thirsty and dying of back pain from fetching water? Yes. But not hungry. That was one of the biggest eye opening things. I thought they would ALL be near death due to starvation. No. They know how to farm better than most people in Mississippi Delta, because well it's all done by hand and not machine. They live by means of survival. No they may not have a lot of money, but they aren't starving.
• They have a certain way of doing EVERYTHING. Mostly because it's all cultural, and it's ALL they've EVER known. From cutting vegetables, washing their hands, and dishes, cooking, everything.You will find very little kenyans who want to change, and if they do good luck!
• In a hospital setting never trust anyone. You can't sadly. Not the patient, not the nurses. I keep wondering why the nurses don't listen to americans or white people, I mean for the most part they did actually listen to me -- is this me bragging? No. But it's because I took my fathers' advice from the beginning and shut my mouth, listened and watched for a good solid month. I never questioned their motives or said lets do it my way because I'm the white superior girl from america! No, I just politely said oh you know what is even better!!! And they looked at me like I was the smartest gal on earth. So we both won in my opinion! : )

There is so much more I just know Im boring the heck out of you and you probably stopped reading this already, but whatever... facts are facts, and facts are good I think. 

 

Here are some pictures of the "station" as we call it... This is where I called my home for last 3 months.

 From my hostale you take a left and this is your view. Takes you to other houses in the station.

 Straight ahead view. This is the way to Bill and Laura's house.

 You turn from my hostale to the right and this is your view. This is the way to the hospital.

 Beside our house. Some of the hospital workers live back here, and the little kids play out here... the women wash clothes out here as well because there is a tap right next to this.

 Field goal that Zeke built for Jude to kick on.

Basketball court

 Basketball courts that the Rhode's kids did one year at christmas... it's only half way done because they ran out of money to finish it. All the nursing students come here and have big games all the time!

Bill and Laura's house!

 The lovely water tanks!

 Shadrack's house. He manages the whole station, and also has a matatu that we rent out A LOT. Fun Fact: His wife is a teacher at Kapsowar girls school (which just became a National School = more gov. funding, better teachers, better education etc...) and she was the first woman in Kapsowar to have her Masters degree and will be the first with her PH.D. 

 More houses at the station... the red roof house is the Medical Administrators house.

 Where all the kids play, and the school at the A.I.C. church uses this for P.E.

 Entrance

 Outside of our hostale from the dirt road.

 Window 1. Hot H20 heater. 2. Shower. 3. Sink 4. Toilet 5. No clue.

My Room from the outside... The room from the inside is still on my camera... which is already packed away in backpack. So, Ill show that to y'all later. I shall be leaving the guest house at 5:45a.m. so, add 8 hours and thats when I'm leaving america time. Please pray that my baggage is at adequate weight!!! Because if not then I'm SCREWED! I gave away everything, but i somehow managed to replenish it with gifts to bring back home to the fam! 

Can I tell you that it's seriously going to take EVERYTHING in my body to get me out of this twin bed and head to the airport? If it wasn't for me being here illegal after tomorrow, and chocolate chips calling my name when I get home... (Its so the little things) I would so stay here forever. This country is amazing. They (mainly the women...some men) know the true meaning of hard work. They love harder than anyone I've ever known, and that is what is going to bring me back sooner rather than later.

The blog won't stop after this post... I still have SO much to show and tell from going to the Mara and life in the Trama room. I just finally felt good for a few weeks so I could really work and see a whole lot of stuff. 

Home girl Jelimo gone and done brought home the GOLD!

So did anyone catch the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Istanbul, Turkey this past week??? Well, I didn't because I don't have a tele, but I do live in Kenya where my home girl Jelimo is a house hold name. Well, home girl went and came home with the gold medal in the 800m race!!! Thata girl! She is the first woman in Kenya to ever take the gold in the 800 meter race. Oh snap! I cannot wait to watch her smoke all white girls and american black girls in London. Because she is kenyan. And she is Jelimo. She trains on dirt clay roads. Dodging cows, chickens, sheep, goats, matatu's, and on lookers all day long.  She's not in fancy smancy training centers like most americans. Yes, I love america home of the free, but most need to be humblized every once in a while. When Jelimo runs in August, the kenyan t-shirt, jacket, and inner Jelimo will be coming out. You can bet your money on it. I cannot wait my friends!!!!

You tellem girl, you tellem!!

Picture (via)

And then just maybe I can upgrade my status from "Team Manager" to Runner. I am Jelimo too after all you know.  

But with the looks of this picture... I'd say... I have a long way to go from being the "Team Manager" to Julie Jelimo the runner. But whatevs... as long as I have a dream.

Nakuru, Nakuru, Nakuru...

After being in (Bobo) Bolgoria for the latter part of the day, we journeyed what we were told was only going to be a short drive of maybe an hour to Nakuru. HA yeah to the right. 3 hours later we arrived at our hotel just before dark. (Never listen to a Kenyan when it comes to time. Ever. Unless you are at a hotel that costs big money, you see lots of americans, and the kenyans english is impeccable, then and only then are you able to trust them on time. Otherwise just go with your instincts.) Thankfully I did and argued not to stay in Bolgoria. Obviously my case one, and we ended up in a nicer hotel, better food, 5 minutes from the park, and we got the resident rate. Boo-ya! 

Nyways. Lets talk Nakuru. Now folks I have traveled quite a bit in the last 3 months believe it or not, and this was not worth the $80 I had to pay to get in. Thats also not including the car fee or food. Nakuru National Park is like a big riding zoo. It's gated, you can see the city in some parts, and there are huge power lines throughout the park. You also must stay on the roads, there is no off roading which is a total bore. The animals also remain in packs. Meaning, you go to the "Rhino Point" you see rhinos. Then you go to this and that and there are the animals. They aren't just freely around. So there's not a "chase" to game. They do have a heavy population of rhinos and flamingos-if its flamingo season which is around September-December. Other than that they migrate to Bolgoria. Nakuru isn't known for cheetahs, lions (we saw a damn injured one), or leopards. So yeah, good luck on seeing the "Big Five" there!

But without further a due... 

The sunrise. I have found that the sunrises are much prettier than the sunsets.

Sleeping rhinos. It's actually 4 they are just side by side.

Cape Buffalo

The herd of the Cape Buffalo and there are also Zebras out there also.

Baboon. They are so much fun watch! But man are their butts ugly!

The water hole

The White Rhinos. They are called the White Rhino because of their mouthes.

The older one was telling the younger one that he was "more superior" or "bullying" as you will.

nerd.

The injured lion. She stunk so bad.

Out of Africa look out point. It was so beautiful except I was not really able to enjoy it because well, the attack of the amoeba happened right here. There was a "bathroom" but lets just say I became sick as a dad-gum dawg here! Oh it was so horrible and the road were awful. They decided to drop me off at the front gate to be sick so they could go see more things for an hour. Thankfully my bestie here Hilda stayed back with me. Praise the Lord for her!!

Thankfully the rains came and it cooled everything down a bit.

And well, thankfully I had through some medicine in bag last minute right before I left, but that incident was only the calm before the HUGE storm with my amoeba. More to come... on that because amoeba's are a very serious thing. And mine was not treated like it was. More details on that later. 

But my overall thought on Nakuru... naahhh it seriously is not worth all the money unless you are a serious flamingo lover. Other than that... Just wait for the Massai Mara blog!

(Bobo) Bolgoria

Well hello there! Sorry again for the lack of posts. I had such grand plans to update you all on all my past adventures, but my poor little health went spiraling down the drain. More on that later, as I like to do things in a more chronological order because I'm OCD like that. However, the trip to Bolgoria, was really the calm before the massive storm-as far as my health is concerned- broke out. Now you may be wondering why I have titled this blog "Bobo Bolgoria." Well, maybe because it was just that. Bobo. If you are EVER in Kenya, and a kenyan says "hey lets go to Bolgoria!" Kindly decline and go along on your merry way. Now, my pictures may say otherwise, but let me tell you... I have really learned to love and take very good pictures with my new camera, but just take my word for it. It is extremely hot, and costs A LOT of money to see hot water, dryness, and dust. Thankfully Hilda (a kenyan resident and intern at the hospital) was with us and bribed the rangers. She said we were missionaries (which we are) and didn't have enough money to pay to get in because the fee was too high (we did have enough their price was just so freaking absurd. Like $40 per person.) I winked at him, smiled, Hilda bargained some more and he so kindly caved in, and the rest is history. So yeah, dressing cute and smiling helps. Try it. ; )

On our way to Bolgoria at a lookout point in Iten.

Taken from the matatu

Still on our way... at another "look" point

YES.

The kenyans in the background were bottling the water up to take home with them. It was hilarious.

niiiiicccceeee......

I think maybe their version of "Morning Glory" in Yellowstone National Park...? 

The infamous Geyser that we drove 5 hours to come see. UnFaithful?

As I was about to have a heat stroke, the clouds rolled in over the mountains turning the red clay pink. They aren't normally pinkish like this.

The lil white specs are flamingos that had migrated from Nakuru

One side was dry as desert and extremely dusty, and the other was mountainous with some green and a lake.

 

 Zebras walking in the middle of a dust storm... see how dry and dusty it is...

and that my friends was ALL to Bolgoria. Trust me. Not worth it. But I feel as Kenyan resident/touree for  3 months, it is my job and duty to give you the good, and not so good. So there. The not so good.

 WATERMELON. The only good thing about it being hot and dry is that in Bolgoria, they are know for watermelon! I literally tears welled up in my eyes when she told me she could make me a whole plate of it. Needless to say, My lunch was an entire plate of it, and I ate every bite!

 Monks fighting and another stuffing his face

 This monk looks all cool and what not, but as soon as this picture was snapped it bolted straight at me and chased me. Oh I was so freaked because there was NO WHERE to go.

Where they make flour. (They use TONS of flour.) They use it in just about every meal they make.

Think Libya will wana share some of dat oil with the U.S. of A?!?! HA. PSYCHE!