First 2 weeks in Kenya

So, as I sit outside of my new “house” watching the sun set over the lake and the mountains reflect that amazing orangey/pinkish color while typing up the information we gathered today in the near by village the song “dreams” by Yonder Mountain Band comes on. The song, in a fantastic chill, folk twangy sound that fits the mood perfectly, states in its chorus over and over again “all your dreams come true” and I can not agree more.

WOW. Can life get any more perfect?

I tell you the past couple weeks here in Kenya have been a roller coaster of emotions. I first was in the big capital city of Nairobi for about a week and that was super high. Nairobi is really comfortable, reminded me a lot of Houston. Always things to do, good food, even got to watch some rugby last Saturday. There are plenty of white people around (mazungos they call them here) so while I still stand out, it’s not that big of deal. I met my work team, got to know the WSUP office, stayed with a co-worker from the states (strangely also from Houston) at his house in Nairobi which is a Start- Up house. Meaning a couple of American guys about my age are running a start-up company out of the house and they rented a couple of the rooms to other ex-pats all about my age. It felt just like Chile. People from all over the world, working on various projects, always cooking together, always things going on, always invites to go and do something. There is also a HUGE couch surfing group in Nairobi that took me on some great tours, even took me to this huge concert call “blankets and wine” where just that, everyone brings their blankets and drinks of choice and sit out on a huge hill and listens to live music. There is also a huge Hashing group that I went running with, and a huge ex-pat community that were so very welcoming to any new people. Nairobi was fun, comfortable, and I felt right at home. 

 New Friends at the Blankets and wine concert in Nairobi

This was walking back to our car after Blankets and Wine, this guy 

litterally just came right over the fence at me. 

Then I came to Naivasha. Naivasha is a town about 1.5 hours north of Nairobi. It is based near to Lake Naivasha where the biggest industry are the huge flower farms surrounding the lake. Naivasha is so different than Nairobi. Small, not very developed, still crowded and dirty, it has grown to fast to really accommodate, so power goes out all the time, most places do not have running water but it is still apartment complexes and huge compound/slum areas. I was shocked by the poverty, I forgot what it was to see people starving on the street, I forgot what it was to be stared at where ever I go because they rarely ever see Mazungos (white people). I don’t think I have ever spent time in places that were unsafe for me to go out by myself at night. So with work during the day, and it gets dark shortly after 6pm here, I really couldn’t meet anyone or explore where I was. And I was just stuck in the hotel until I found a place to live. It was a hard week. Then I got really sick, I am sure it is the food and my stomach adjusting. And I was alone, and nothing I could do and just in a really hard adjustment period.

But our God is good. And with prayer, and a positive spirit I firmly believe we can see the beauty in any situation. So Saturday I got out and really got to see the south part of Lake Naivasha. And WOW- it’s beautiful. Mountains, which are really old volcanoes, the lake, zebras, giraffes and even hippos out on the lake. I saw 3 types of monkeys the coolest are Columbus Monkeys . I went Kayaking out on the lake by myself and decided that I am going to embrace a bit of solitude for the next few months. I will still have great adventures on the weekends with great friends, and still love my job working in the villages but most my evenings should be spent out here, in nature, just enjoying some alone time. 

 

 

 (right)  Colombus Monkey one of the types of monkeys around here. crazy, i know.

(left) is me on my kayak trip around the lake

So I found a place to live, and PRAISE GOD for that, because it is out here in nature. And I couldn’t be happier with my “house.” It’s not really a house, more of a 1 room cottage in the mountains with a bathroom about 20 ft walk. But the view can not be beat. And I have a lovely front “porch” with tables and a fire pit and I am going to hang my hammock. And my backyard is Hell’s Gate National Park. Complete with all your standard African Animals, mountain biking paths, rock climbing, roaming groups of the Massi Tribe, it is also THE place that Lion King was inspired from! In fact Pride Rock the formation is mirrored after a natural rock tower in the park that you can rock climb up- how cool is that?!?! I went running this morning along the lake it was so perfect, I think I will go kayak out with the hippos tomorrow morning…

My front "porch" - what a view!

 Inside my 1 bed room cottage

 I call my place "cozy", and I LOVE IT!

Next update I will tell you a bit about my job and working in the villages.

And what you have all been waiting for: the winner of the free Fecal Sludge Management  t-shirt goes to…. Drum roll please….

PATRICK LINTON

While it wasn’t really a poo pun, and wasn’t really your story, and actually wasn’t about shit but about pee… it still made me laugh really hard. So congrats buddy. Send me your address and I will pop ya a present in the mail.