A Month of Reflection

Today marks the one month anniversary since I stepped foot in Kenya.  It is currently 11:20pm here but my computer reads 2:15pm- it’s still on Rocky Mountain Time.  Oh to be in Colorado for the changing leaves and the snow.  I’m sitting on my bed now with a nice sheen of sweat on my forehead and I’m surrounded by mosquito netting. My bags are packed and I’m exhausted but can’t fall asleep.  We leave at 6am for Lake Nakuru.  Today was a flurry of preparation:  a morning field exercise, lunch, finishing and turning in assignments, a travel and camping debriefing, group chores and preparations, packing, and forgetting to make time to eat. 

However, during RAP our student leader for the day led us in an exercise that made me forget the immediate events of the day and remember the past events of yesterday, last week, and the last month.  So much has happened.  It feels like I’ve been here forever and then I think back on our first day here and it feels like yesterday.  What our student leader asked of us was to share one way in which we’ve changed since coming here and to share a new goal we have for the rest of our time in Africa.  Many people said things that are probably only funny to someone who has ever lived here.  For example I said I’ve changed in that I’ve become addicted to Maasai chai (today I had one or two or thirteen cups.  Who’s keeping track anyways?) and that my goal is to be able to poop comfortably while other people are in earshot.  (I’ll save the poop conversation for another blog post but know that bowel movements are very important here and are talked about regularly and with great fervor.) 

Though both of those things I shared are true, I want you to know the serious changes as well.  I’ve surprised myself in my new found patience and compassion for people.  I’ve never been one to be good at either of these and so, before coming here I made those characteristics a goal for myself to practice. Slowly but surely I feel that I’m coming to embody them.  I see it reflected in the responses of those around me and it makes me very happy that I can be that much better at being a part of a group, a team, a family.  My serious goal for myself is to turn that patience and compassion on myself.  I’m usually much harder on me than I am onx other people and that’s not really beneficial to anybody.  Holding myself to high standards, I’ve come to realize, is much different than being hard on myself. 

So there you have it.  Thirty days in Kenya.  Thirty days of new experiences, challenges, and change.  Thinking about it only makes me realize how much more awaits me and though that thought can sometimes be daunting, especially when I think about home and how much I miss it, it is also always exhilarating.

I will have more for you when I get back from expedition in a week.