Blissfully Unplugged in Kenya
Mom and I went camping in Kenya! We exchanged stories with Maasai warriors around a blazing campfire, learned how women are providing for their family by collaborating on micro-finance initiatives (yay!), and watched lions drag a flailing buffalo to its death.
15 Thoughts on the Last Day:
- Nature won’t pose for you – stop asking the elephant to turn around!
- Looking to add texture to your hair? Simply add one day of 100% pure African dust and wind – a fool proof combination.
- I didn’t look in a mirror for a week – and it was fine.
- Close living proximity brings people (and communities) together.
- My way of life is my normal. Their way of life is their normal.
- Chapatis are reserved for special occasions only (like Sunday) because they are relatively expensive AND take deliberate time/effort to make (Chapati ingredients: flour, water, salt, sugar, animal fat). When you make a chapati for someone, they must be special, a good friend.
- I didn’t miss the Internet. At all.
- Nothing refreshes and re-energizes you better than a hot hot shower. I want to cherish them more. They’re a privilege and a luxury.
- Same takeaway as before – I don’t want to waste the opportunities I have back home. It doesn’t mean I need to do something significant or monumental, I just want to keep moving, creating, sharing, connecting. Keep paddling forward.
- Look up. Look around. The sky, moon, stars, sun, and wind are always showstoppers!
- Cooking can include simple ingredients. Cooking can be fresh and healthy and diverse. Notice I didn’t say cooking is “easy.”
- “Eat what you need, never in excess.” That might be an interesting approach to try.
- Take time to slow down time for yourself.
- Beer is fattening.
- Change is inevitable. And sometimes even education appears to be bad because of the resulting outcome. But change is inevitable.
Trip Highlights:
Pippa: “I can’t wait to read your book!”
Jambo, Jambo bwana,
Habari gani
Mzuri sana
Wageni, Wakaribishwa
Kenya yetu Hakuna Matata.
Jackson: “Write 4 pages of words! Keep writing! Write more! What words do you want to learn?”
Jackson, a Maasai warrior, and I exchanged words in English and Maasai. We created a mini dictionary together. It was really interesting to see which words he prioritized to share, and which words I prioritized to learn.
I met some of the most inspiring couples from Australia, especially Jackie, Marty, Brenda, Bridget, Mick, and Mick. They inspired some new ideas on love, service, and humour.
Ate (spicy) chili lemon chips – yum!
Inscribed on the window of a local bus: “Relax, God is in control.”
Lucy: “Taylor, what makes a great writer? Someone who can write like how they think and how they speak.” If you can do that, you’re golden.
At Lake Nakuru, a young boy placed his hand out and asked me: “What do you have to give me to remember you by?”
When a Maasai warrior was asked if their culture was changing, they responded no.
Eng’eno e puaan = Knowledge is prosperity
– Maasai Mara University motto.
The Swahili word for wildebeests is “pumba” (think Lion King), shorthand for stupid in Swahili because of their short term memory.
2/2 of the sand-colored dogs I met one day were named Simba.
We watched these two cubs and their mother for several hours, as they played, killed, and rested. Since nature doesn’t pose for you, all you can do is observe.
“Ask me about temporary love.”
American → British words
Pants = Underwear
Underwear = Knickers
Jacket = Jacket
Thank you Chloe, from Oxford, for the clarification.
Adding the word “Brilliant” word to my list of Favorite Words. Thank you, Aussies and Kiwis.
Mom: “You and me camping, we’ll have this memory forever.”
Nothing lasts forever.
