Settling in the Samburu Groove

Wednesday, January 2^nd

 

Things are in full swing here in Samburu (said in a british accent, as seems to come out constantly on this trip. Why? none of us know.)

 Hiking, girls’ conservation club ecology lessons, game drives, beading and playing with kids have been in full force, as Samburu life for the group has become comfortable and soaked in. Despite some hot afternoons, we are  enjoying the experience, and the growing relationships are growing within the group and with the Samburu people.

We passed around the computer, and the group members posted personal comments (note: some of our group members are beading with women right now and aren’t here to comment. They are fine!):

We traveled on a game drive yesterday and were joined on the road by two lions and many elephants through the drive. The last five days have flown by, but this experience has already been so amazing it is hard to put in words. I can’t wait to share these moments with you when I get home. I love and miss you all.-Kristin

 

Mom, Mal, and Dad, I hope San Fran was fun. Maddie, I hope you played well in Florida. And Brent, I hope you’re enjoying the snow in Steamboat. And hello to everyone else!  I love you all and miss you! Yesterday I was a few feet away from 2 lions and an elephant!! I’m having a wonderful time but I can’t wait to see you soon! –Meghan

 

Game drives, teaching math, making beads, these are a few of my favorite things…… A great time so far in Samburu. A world wind of long days make it feels like I have been here a week already. I know that by the end of the trip I will have felt like a have spent a lifetime here and spending a life time here would be one filled endless parades of smiles, laughs and compassionate embarrasses. I now know mom why your connection here is so strong, it is impossible not feel your soul warm with those here. More information to come with further blog messages.----Bo

 

Sopa! I hope everyone is doing well over there in the US! I am having such and awesome time and I cannot put into words how beautiful the people are here. They are so welcoming, loving and accepting towards us, their hospitality has been phenomenal. On another note, Grammy HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I am sorry I can’t be there but I hope you have an amazing day and have Grandpa take you somewhere really good for your birthday. I miss and love you all so much I wish I could teleport you over here with me  but I cannot, so I hope you have a great rest of your week and I love you soooooo much!! –Cori

 

 Hello! Kenya is amazing! Everything is so much greener than I thought it was going to be and there are so many trees! The welcome we received from the Umoja and Unity villages was breathtaking. Everyone here is so friendly and you are instantly welcomed into the Samburu family. The children are all adorable and there is constantly songs being sung and games being played. I want to learn them all before I head home. I did see a dik-dik. J Yay! Oh, and Mom * I am doing just fine.  I love you all a ton! Kasham ntae! – Courtney

Habari ya mwaka mpya (Happy New Year) and sopa (hello) to all!  I hope our blog finds you all so swell. We are doing beyond great here, being sponges and taking in the Kenya and Samburu experience every day. I am not quite sure what we have all covered in the blog so far, but the days are sweet (like the air) and the sun never fails to remind us of its presence, but we are befriended by the shade often as we bead under the acacia trees with the women and children. Regardless, I am sure I can speak for all of us when we leave the days full of gratitude from the experiences we are sharing with the wonderful people here. The moon indeed has been full and is waning away heading towards another cycle and I hope you all feel my hugs headed your way. We wake up and we do our best, see you all eventually! Love, Colie

I knew it would be so wonderful to come back and see the women and children of Samburu, but I never imagined how incredibly welcome I would feel. Enormous smiles and minute-long hugs from my nganache (sisters) and lalache (brothers) and yeyos (mothers) made my heart sing. Yesterday we went on an afternoon game drive with kids from Unity village and saw two, TWO lionesses walking right past us on the road! Then some elephants got so close to the safari car I couldn’t believe it. Mom, Da and Spencer I love you all! ~Peace love happiness, Karina

Hello Everybody! Everything in Kenya has been amazing so far; The first evening spent outside of  Nairobi gave us all a much needed nights rest and the six hour drive the next morning to Umoja and Unity villages was an eye opening experience. Throughout the last few days in Samburu the hospitality we have been met with is overwhelming and I have never seen so many people with smiles on their faces. Every time we get to one of the villages we are all mobbed by smiling laughing kids wanting to hold your hands and talk. I don’t think I will ever get tired of that. I got to go on a game drive the other day and saw giraffes, elephants, crocodiles, and countless other animals. It was incredible to see these animals first hand and I can’t wait to show all the photos to everyone! Peace out, Mark

HI Everyone! I am having a phenomenal experience here in the Samburu area.  It is truly impossible to translate for you what I have experienced thus far in Kenya.  I have only been here for a few days but it feels like weeks.  The people are unbelievable.  They radiate happiness, positivity and warmth as well as strength.  So far in our time here we have been  with the women and children of the two women’s villages Unity and Umoja, making beaded jewelry and building relationships, we have been on game drives and seen unimaginable wildlife, visited primary schools where we will assist by painting classrooms, and tons more.  Can’t wait to share with you all when I get back home! Also it’s pretty crazy to think that you are all asleep while it’s mid-afternoon here.  Lots of love from Kenya, Wes

Happy New Year from Kenya! As the theme seems to persist, it is very hard to fully describe what it means to be here. So far this has been such a wonderful experience that it really is still hard to comprehend. The plane flights went faster than expected and everything has been extremely smooth. I feel so very blessed to have this opportunity to be here and learn and expand on my perspective of this world. The community here is just that: a community. Everyone is welcoming beyond belief and it is fun to be around so many happy and joyful people. I do have to say that teaching children math is much harder than I thought. I have so much more respect for my first grade teacher and all nannies out there who work so hard to teach little kids. I cannot wait to show you all pictures and stories, as so many have already been made. Oh, and the sunsets are unbelievable. I hear Elton John singing every time. I love and miss all of you and everyone that has helped me make this trip possible. I am so very thankful. Love you Tanya, Mom, Dad, Siennah, Jordan, Katrina and all family! Kyle

There is a lot of growing happening on the trip, as the value of education, resources, and opportunities felt in my life is humbling. My passion for culture and experience is being fed well, and I am grateful to be able to experience such diverse ways of life and I am excited to bring the positivity I feel here back to my daily life back home. Missing the fort, yet loving Samburu experience and the goofy time spent with group members. Dad—saw some cook stoves in Archers Post and found myself checking them out. Brett says they have brought some into the villages, yet they do not seem to be in use. Some tuk-tuks here too. Miss you all fam and friends, Mar.

Hey yall!! HAPPY NEW YEARRRRR!!!! I hope you guys spent the new year with bottles of rum (not you mom because you were at work lol) I’m pretty sure you guys miss me as much as I miss you. I’m having an amazing time here in Samburu. This village is amazing. It reminds me so much of kumusha. The women and children are so friendly. I have sooo much to tell you about what I’ve been through. If I tell you guys half the things that I’ve done, you wouldn’t even believe me because you wouldn’t think I would do something like that. But the new experiences that I’m getting here are amazing. So the first night we got here I was exhausted. The plane ride was sooooo freaking long and tiring. I got sick on the plane a couple of times but I was better the next day. We stayed in Nairobi for the night and then headed up to Samburu the next morning. Every day I have to wake up super early. It’s crazy!! Knowing how lazy I am, I’m surprised I’m actually doing it. That drive from Nairobi was about 6 hours long (YIKES!) but we got here safely. Next, we headed to the villages and that is when the REAL fun started. We were “serenated” by the women when we arrived. They stood in lines and sang and danced around us. It was amazing. I don’t even want to get started on the children. Mom, don’t be surprised if I come home with a little African baby because I might just have to take one of them LOL they are just so cute and amazing. We spend most of our days in their village which is just like kumusha and we help them bead jewelry, play games with the kids, and talk to the women of the village. We went on a safari ride yesterday which was AWESOMEEEEE!!! Guess how close I got to an elephant? Mom when I tell you this, you’re probably going to freak out because I told you I was going to get as close as I can…But I’m still alive so the must like me J The pictures I took of the animals are tight! Like, they can probably be framed for the living room. (Thanx for the camera again mom) Guess where I’m staying? Oh my goshhhh I have stories to tell you about it. I’m camping…. Like actual chirungu CAMPINGGG! I’m sleeping in a tent outside and everything. It’s making kumusha huts look like the Hilton right now. It’s funny how I went from sleeping at a resort to sleeping outside in a tent in two days haha that’s funny. I MISS YOU GUYS!!! Mom I love you and I miss you. I hope work is going good and you’re taking it easy. PLEASE make sure you cook me sooo much chicken when I come home. I haven’t had chicken the whole time I’ve been here and you already know I’m losing my mind. I want you to cook every type of chicken: chicken stew, fried chicken, chicken wings, AND chicken curry. I want it ALL!! We haven’t had the chance to eat goat meat yet but I hope we get to because I could use some good old fashion African goat meat. Tell Maiguru, Jackie and Gari I said hello. Hopefully they’re reading this too. Jackie my love: how are you? What have you guys been up to over there? I’m sad you’re leaving before I see you. Gari: what’s up brother man! How’s the new job? (Finally you have a job) At least you can start buying me birthday presents now and stop mooching off of mom and taking all of our money J SARON!!! How are you boo?? I kind of miss you…kind of…its whatever man. I know you’re over there thinking about me ;) please tell me you’ve changed because it’s a new year, new me, you know how it is!! Tell soul I said hello L Lmao just kidding don’t do that….new year, new me. WAHHH!!! I miss Honey. Go over there and see how she’s doing. Put a tweet about me and let people know what’s up BIZNAYEEEZEEEE!!! So anywayssss…. The fruit here is amazing! I’m saying that because I’m eating a passion fruit right now. Mom I wish I could bring you back a mango because they are probably the best mangos in the WORLD! I can’t wait to talk to you guys. This isn’t the last time that I’ll be writing you guys but it’s the first time I got to say something special to yall so that’s why it’s so long LOL I’ll talk to you guys soon! Keep checking in to make sure I haven’t been attacked by a hyena yet. LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

-FADZAI MASAWI <3

Sopa (Hello)!! I was beading in Umoja earlier so I think I am one of the last to add to the blog. I am absolutely having best time of my life in Samburu. The women and kids here are the happiest people I have ever met, and everyone is so welcoming and kind. It takes some time, some blank stares, and quite a bit of confusion, but I am able to communicate sufficiently with everyone here. The camp is wonderful! The guards actually cook for us and take care of the dishes and the fire, so it is probably the easiest camping I’ve done (no need for extra security, Dad). The kids here are the best, I love them so much. Yesterday we went on a game drive with some of the kids which was awesome and most of the kids in the village have never been able to go on safaris even though they live right next to the park. I held Janet the whole time and we saw everything except for lions. Giraffes are still the coolest animals in the world. I’ve been to Umoja and/or Unity every day and I plan to go every single day of the trip. Today in the village I made a beaded coaster with one of the women, sang a song that had something to do with a goat, learned to count to 5 in Samburu, and crossed my eyes at the kids which none of the kids or women had ever seen before- so I had to do it about 30 more times. To Mom and Dad- I am very safe at all times, the water is treated, the people are wonderful, I’m not sick or sunburned or getting eaten by bugs, I’m taking my malaria pills, and everything else that you are so worried about is also fine. Tell Izzy I say Hi. I LOVE YOU!!!- Logan

Hi everyone!!

Several people asked what the camp site will be like, so I will start with that.  We are in the middle of the reserve in a series of tents.  We are accompanied by several Samburu men who serve as cooks latrine builders, drivers,  guards, and if you are open to it, story-tellers and companions.   The guards are there to protect us primarily from the animals.  We are asked to have one of them accompany us to the latrine after dark.  The most akward part of this is when the man with the riffle and large flashlight asks “may I assist you.”  Ah, no.  I got this one.  Thanks.   Our activities during the day have included game drives, making bracelets, playing hand games with the children, and chatting/singing with the women on the women’s collective.  So far I have learned why the elephant and the women no longer live together, that wart hogs have no memory, how to count to twenty (er, still working on that), how to make a small bracelet—put in your requests for colors;  and lots of new songs and hand games.  Hope everyone is well.  Love, Karen