Raised By Five Brothers......: Kenya

So sorry this is so 6 months later but I am finally getting around to writing about my trip. What a BLAST!!!!! For those of you who don't know I went to Kenya(that's in Africa) for about 3 weeks!! My plane left July 14, 2009 @ 1pm. I was so nervous because this was my first plane ride ever- yes I was a plane virgin!! I flew to Chicago where I had to hurry to my next plane which was leaving for London, England. There I had a 12 hour layover so me and the lady I was traveling with left the airport and got to see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, St. Margaret's Church, The Royal Band marching down the street, the busy streets and how rude some of the English are.

These were chairs we sat in taking a break and a man came over and said we had to pay to sit there - OF COURSE we did cuz we already had our shoes off. We had approximately 2 hours to be there!

St. Margaret's Church- We couldn't go and see the big part cuz I had to pay and we didn't have much English money so we went in the part that was free!! SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!

The Buckingham Palace from a distance. There were many tourists there this is the good one with no people!

Big Ben- so much fun to see and the guards standing at the gates were also fun as well!

After London we got back on a flight at 8pm and headed for Kenya, Nairobi where we arrived bright and early at 6am but it was beautiful from the air. Fred(from Kenya) and Teresa(married to Fred) were waiting for us at the airport!! Me and the other lady were missing one suitcase- lucky me it was the one with all my clothes- girly needs- shower needs and so on!! We got them a day late which was fine except Me, Teresa, Fred and AK were off to Mombasa the next day! We stayed at Fred's parents house and got to meet the family- who are pretty great! Let me tell you though the driving there is crazy - I felt like I was driving with my dad and or brothers but this was a whole different story. Making up lanes, rear to rear, and I thought I was going to get Black lung by all the Black exhaust coming from these non-emission inspected cars, trucks, semis and Tuk Tuks and the burning garbage everywhere. Plus all the people running in front of cars because there is no crosswalks- Jay Walking is legal! Even on the highways. There was also people who tried to sell stuff while the cars were stopped. It sometimes gets so bad that they steal things off the cars. Fred's mom got her headlights taken while she was in the traffic jam! I didn't notice I was white until Fred asked if I was uncomfortable- then I notice how much they were staring at me- it is like they have never seen the sun!

The next day Fred's dad dropped us off in the middle of the street to catch the bus. Fred told us it was only 4 hours but come to find out 4 hours was the intermission where we could go pee in a hole if we wanted to!! Lucky us! It was really 8 hours! We did get to see some elephants from afar and zebras, baboons, wild dogs and such! We made it to Mombasa and it was raining so we caught a taxi to our Hotel which also was called a Restaurant and Restaurant's were called Hotels didn't know what we were getting in to- but ours had a pool and I was happy for that I hate HUMIDITY!!! What an awful thing I was so glad to go back to Nairobi to have dry air.

Anywho we went to Fort Jesus, Rugby game(that was fun to watch), the Ferry ride, a little bit of shopping, Played in the Indian Ocean(my first time seeing an ocean-yes I was a ocean virgin as well), Ride a camel- that was an experience, we went clubbing(my first time) it was so much fun and everyone was sweating like a pig I also got my first ever phone number from a guy who looked like he belonged in Jamaica and was high- he also gave me his necklace and told me that we were put in each others lives by God- It truly was FATE!! and then we took the 15 hour train ride back to Nairobi which was awesome we saw so many animals and the people we got to say hello to and we got to see the place called the "Slums" which was awful but the people were awesome. The train went from 7pm to 10:30am . I was lucky to be able to come a week ahead of our group to play before we cracked down and got to work!

Rugby Game

Fort Jesus

Boats on the Indian Ocean where we swam

When back in Nairobi I finally got my bag and was able to take a wonderful HOT shower!! It was like Christmas- really I am so serious I was so excited! I got to meet many wonderful people, friends of Fred's and his families. We went to the Giraffe park- my first time being tongued by anything, animal orphanage, a day with Fred's Friends and nights with his family!!! Then our group Rafikis flew in and we meet them at the airport- it was about 1am in the morning when they finally landed and got their luggage. All together there was 11 of us!!

Me and the Giraffe

The next morning we set off for Nakuru a 2 hour drive north- very beautiful scenic route! When we arrived we checked in to our hotel and met all the wonderful staff - got dressed in our school outfits(skirts) and headed to meet the students! We had to walk about 1 mile from our hotel to the school! When we walked in a rush of students at our feet, warm smiles, shaking of many hand from the little ones to the teachers! It was great going everyday to be with them- it was fun teaching them how to dance, help them write letters, playing soccer and other sports!

Everyday we got there we split for our duties and then around 10 am it was Tea Time where all of the students, staff and visitors gathered together to drink tea and have biscits(like Graham Crakers here) For us Mormons we went to the store the next day and bought us some Cadbury Drinking Chocolate-(hot chocolate) Then at noon it was lunch and we paid for ours so it was rude not to eat it. We had a lot of cabbage, and beans mixed with other stuff I didn't ask what it was, and oranges with really big seeds! After that the whole afternoon was to play with the students- it was kind of like finals at the school so testing in the morning and break in the afternoon-Really it was the teachers knowing the white people were here so they didn't have to watch the children. I didn't see half the teachers til the awards get together the second to last day- kind of sad! Not a fan of the teachers over there, don't think there all bad but most of them were.

A group of us(the 1st timers) got to go take a look at the old orphanage. Which was awful. And one Saturday all of us went to help build on the newer orphanage which is much nicer! The 1st timers also got to go visit the Nakuru Hospital where we donated a lot of items and got a tour and we were told we can not cry if we go visit. I was really good because I was interpreting for a Hard of Hearing lady that came with us on the trip, so I held my tears back for the whole time but after we left I cried so much because it was heartbreaking to see. I was so glad my nephew was born her and not there! The final big trip was Sunday we went to the Nakuru National Park( Safari) there was a lot of awesome animals- I am determined now to get to the Great Migration. On that Safari- my boyfriend, who was the van driver, asked me out. He has a wife and kid- I did consider- but I knew it was a no, no. My first time being asked out by a married man with a child. I had a very good laugh.

Just Born Twins

New born baby @ the hospital

Rafikis just getting done with a long day work at the new Orphanage

The new Orphanage

Some of the orphans at the old orphanage

The Bathrooms @ old orphanage (that is my boyfriends arm)

Midnight flight out of Kenya and we were on our 36 hour flight back to Utah. Arrived at the airport with my family there to greet me and had me a tall glass of ICE water that I missed so much. This was an eye opening experience I won't forget and I hope to go in 2012 again because I already miss the students! I had many firsts on this trip, more exposed than when I left. Good and Bad but had fun doing it!!! Any Questions let me know!!