The Next Chapter - Kenya

The next chapter of this epic trip begins after an unbelievable month spent in Morocco with Aaron and a week in France. Highlights of the trip so far have included hiking in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, enjoying the Moroccan cuisine and learning how to cook it, meeting the beautiful locals who invited us into their homes and just soaking up laughter and quality time spent with my brother! I feel ready to embrace the next leg of this journey and join my friends from the Kenya Ceramic Project (KCP) in Kenya for a seven week adventure of an entirely different kind!

On June 3, I landed into the Nairobi airport late in the evening. Immediately the scents and sounds of Africa hit me and the excitement set in! After the minor setback of my bags being lost (how baggage gets lost on a one way direct flight, I'll never understand!), I look over and Abdullah had found his way past security to help me out! Only in Kenya can you manage getting through security with nothing more than a charming conversation! I was so delighted to see the familiar faces of Badeia and Abdullah. After being away for a month, it felt like a little piece of home. We dealt with the lost bag department circus and headed to the famous Upper Hill Hostel. This hostel has a great open gathering area with fireplace, lounge and amazing food! Before long I found myself crawling into my mosquito net covered bunk in a donated shirt from Abdullah and shorts from Badeia. (And, yes, I know...I feel like a rookie traveller as I didn't think to bring any essentials in my carry on bag and with my bags lost I had nothing!). I feel into an uneasy sleep, unsure of how I would manage (and for how long) with no belongings or malaria medications, and what the next seven weeks would hold. No matter how jet lagged and unsure I was, I knew what my heart felt. That was a resounding feeling that I was home. There is about Africa that is truly unique and difficult to describe. Its something you feel when you are there. A sense of humanities history, a realness difficult to find elsewhere, calmness yet an electric energy. My adjectives do it no justice but overall I couldn't have been happier to once again be under a mosquito net and be granted the opportunity to return to this continent I love so much.

The next morning we headed to the "EasyCoach" office and boarded a bus for Kitale. It was a ten hour bus ride from Nairobi. A smile remained constant on my face as I peered out the window and set my eyes on the magnificent scenery of Kenya. Seeing the people, hearing the music, trying out my first Swahili words, tasting the food, and seeing the new beautiful scenery of the Rift Valley Region of Kenya felt like a dream.

On our arrival to Kitale we were greeted by Grant (the KCP operations manager) and caught a cab to Kiminini (another 45minutes east of town). Kiminini is a small farming community where the Kenya Ceramic Project and factory that produces the water filters is based. I soon saw Jessica coming into the view of the cab and I knew we had arrived to our temporary home!

2011 included seven Edmonton volunteers with KCP over the summer in Kenya: Jessica, Badeia, Grant, Justin, Andre, Abdullah and myself. The three ladies shared a hut and the guys occupied two other huts. In a blur I was introduced to all. Between the workers (cooks, cleaners, seamstresses, builders, carpenters, etc!), the family (Momma Sandra, Joshua, Sandra, John, Tracey, Channa, Emmanuel (lovingly nicknamed Manu)) and the animals (chickens, cows, dogs, cats); there was no lack of people, noise or activity in this place!! The big hut in the middle was Joshua's family's home with the dining room where we took our meals. Joshua is the founded/owner of the school (pathfinder academy) and CEO of the Kenya Ceramic Project. He is a proud man, full of drive, passion and intelligence. In addition, he has a vast array of local knowledge of how to get things done in Kenya! Momma Sandra is Joshua's wife who gets the respectful title of Momma for a reason! She is one of the charismatic, kind and joyful people I have ever met. Her laughter and hand clapping became a part of our everyday life here and remains one of my most fond memories of Kenya. The property has a fence, a security guard at night (with a real bow and arrow!), hot showers, flush toilets and three great meals (and a tea time) a day! We are very fortunate to not only have the fine company and support of the family but also wonderful food, shelter and all we need to get our work completed. Let the adventure begin!!