Katy, from Reno, flew in to Kenya the same night Stephanie and I did for a 2 week visit to Kitale, KENYA. The three of us girls shared a room together and many experiences during Katy's 2 weeks in Kenya. I had the distinct honor of escorted Katy on her journey back to Nairobi for her flight home. We shared a HOT and BUMPY....very BUMPY 10 hour bus ride before getting a taxi to the airport. I noticed she was writing a list of lessons she learned during her first trip to Kenya. It is always fun to watch peope experience this beautiful and somewhat chaotic land for the first time. Below is a list of her reflections. ENJOY!
Lessons I learned in Kenya, in no particular order:
1. Always carry tissue. Always.
2. "Community" is not a four-letter word.
3. Driving on the appropriate side of the road is optional.
4. Right-of-way is a fluid concept. If I am bigger, I win. I am not bigger.
5. Remove the word "napkin" from your vocabulary.
6. It is good to have a man by your side.
7. Sometimes, no water comes from the faucet. Sometimes, the water won't STOP coming from the faucet. Regardless, be glad that you have a faucet.
8. Don't lead your chicks into the trash pit.
9. Never leave your telephone lines unattended.
10. Always listen if someone will share his/her story. Be grateful when someone will hear your story.
11. "How are you?" "How are you?" :-)
12. Let the children use you as a jungle gym.
13. When you can't sleep, watch the sun rise.
14. If you have food & water, health & shelter, and someone who loves you, then you're ahead of the game.
15. Do NOT sit on a bus for ten hours! ;-)
For the record:
-"napkin" is a feminine product
-we waited 2 weeks for a plumber to come and fix the dripping faucet. 24 hours after her left the faucet would not turn off, so we had to wait for him to return to fix it again
-we lost power one day and the internet never returned, so while waiting for the problem to be resolved, our phone lines were stolen....literally, cut down and stolen
-there is a big trash pit at the neema house and a few chickens and baby chicks. one day i heard some commotion outside and looked to find katy and stephanie in the trash pit trying to rescue some chicks that were trapped in the trash pit. they were never successful at removing them, but the chicks have found there way out.
-and seriously.....avoid the 10 hour bus ride, or at least sit on the side with less sun :)
