Meet More of Our Students!

Hesborn Angwenyi

About myself
My name is Hesborn. I am fourteen years old. I was born in 1996. I have been studying since that time but it reach time when my parents past away. Since that time I have been at Hamomi but I have seen some changes. Hamomi has helped me in many ways and I wish if you will continue with that spirit we will be happy.





What is your full name?
My name is Hesborn Angwenyi.
How many years old are you?
I am fourteen year old .
How many years have you been studying at Hamomi?
I have been Hamomi studying for three years.
Who do you live with?
I live with my uncle.
What is your favorite subject to study?
My favorite subject is maths.

I love Hamomi
I like Hamomi because of donation like clothes and shoes. Also teachers they also help us in our studies they are open. I like it because of games, and programs like computer, matches like soccer and other games.
　



Moses Ruzigi

Personality
My name is Moses Ruzigi. I am thirteen years old. I like to study Computers. I am not a stubborn boy. I like playing Music and writing compositions. I am always clean and hardworking. My favorite subject to study is science. My teachers love me so much. I am not a hungry boy. I am a handsome boy. I like to wear a black shorts and a white shirt. I am brown in color. I am short but so active.


What is your full name?
My name is Moses Ruzigi.
How many years old are you?
I am thirteen years old.
How many years have you been studying at Hamomi?
I have studied at Hamomi one year only.
Who do you live with?
I live with my Mother.
What is your favorite subject to study?
My favorite subject to study is science.

Learning At Hamomi
I like Hamomi because it is good in academics. It is a good school at sports. I like the students because they are hard working pupils. They are always clean. I like eating rice. I like playing soccer at Hamomi. They are hospitable and welcome visitors.
　
　
Ann Wangoi

MYSELF
I like myself because I am beautiful girl in our class. My body is always clean and many people like me because of that. I like playing net ball that is my favorite game in my life. I like eating rice, meat and cheese.









What is your full name?
My name is Ann Wangoi.
How many years old are you?
I am 12years old.
How many years have you been studying at Hamomi?
Around one year.
Who do you live with?
I live with my Aunt.
What is your favorite subject to study?
My favorite subjects are English and Kiswahili.


MY SCHOOL
My school is Hamomi Children Centre. I like My school because it helps me in many ways, like giving us shoes and other many thing. It is the best school I ever seen in my life. When you are hungry you can get something to eat. It is a helping school. I like it so much.　


Isaac Amboka

Myself

I like my self because I am active all the time. I like my self because I am handsome. I am playful. I like playing soccer and funny games. I am sixteen years old. I am honest to my teachers and my friends.

What is your full name?

My full name is Isaac Amboka.

How many years old are you?
I am sixteen years old.
How many years have you been studying at Hamomi?
I have been studying at Hamomi for one year.
Who do you live with?
I live with my mother.
What is your favorite subject to study?
My favorite subject is Kiswahili.

My School

My school is Hamomi Children's Centre. I like my school because it looks smart. In school we learn how to use computer and many good things like writing story and letter. Hamomi is the best school to me but I don't know others. In Hamomi we have all things but we need more classrooms.

　

Meet Our Students!

Clyford  Muhembi.

                                              my self

                                               My name is Clyford. I am 15 years old . I am short and a trustworthy boy.  I am always happy .and respectful to my fellow children. I love my self and also I thank god for the way he made me. Also I am confident and kind. I am a brave boy and I trust my self that I can make it. I love my self and my school hamomi and all my teachers and also without forgetting my computer teachers.

What is your full name?
My full name is Clyford Muhembi.

How many years old are you?

I am 15 years old.

How many years have you been studying at Hamomi?

I have been studying at Hamomi for ONE year.

Who do you live with?

I live with my DAD.

What is your favorite subject to study?

My favourite subject is Kiswahili.

Hamomi

I like hamomi because it is my favourite school I have ever come across. It also provides for us food, clothes, and shelter. Also I like the Hamomi teachers because they teach us very well so that we can understand well. They are very good and trust worthy to us. Hamomi has beautiful classrooms and good performance during examinations. Hamomi always takes the lead. I like Hamomi because of its good environment.

Eunice Undisa

 

What is your full name?
My name is Eunice Undisa.

How many years old are you?

I am Twelve years old

How many years have you been studying at Hamomi?

I have studied at Hamomi one year

Who do you live with?

I live with my grandmother

What is your favorite subject to study?
My favorite subject is computer.

My school

My school's name is Hamomi at Nairobi. We have ten teachers . I'm in class six at Hamomi. I like our teachers so much. Our teacher are very good. Two teachers are teaching us Computer everyday in the morning. They normally ask us questions about what we have learned in the computer class everyday. They normally teach us how to put pictures in the computer.


Godfrey Gudah

My self.
My name is Godfrey. I am 10 years old. I like Hamomi School so much. My favorite subject is math. I like math so much. I could like to be an accountant in my future, and I will like it. And when I am old I will help my teachers and pupils.
　







What is your full name?
My name is Godfrey Gudah.
How many years old are you?
I am 10 years old.
How many years have you been studying at Hamomi?
I have been studying here at Hamomi for 5 years .
Who do you live with?.
My brother and sister ‘
‘What is your favorite subject to study?
My favorite subject is Math.

Hamomi 
I like eating rice at Hamomi. Our teachers always buy 20 buckets of rice. Rice builds our bodies to be so large. It also has proteins. I always learn good things at Hamomi. I am so blessed at Hamomi. I am always happy at Hamomi. At Hamomi there are10 teachers. My teacher loves me so much. At Hamomi there are two office and 6 classes.
　
　
　
Clarence Lutiku　　
　

myself.
I am thirteen yeas old and am in class six. I like playing football. When I will grow up I will be a soccer player. My favorite subject is science. I like swimming like a fish.  I am very fun in class. When I play football I will play like Ronandino.I would like to say one day I will visit America.

 

What is your full name?
My name is clarence lutiku francis
How many years old are you?
l havve thirteen years old.
How many years have you been studying at Hamomi?
l have studying at two years only.
Who do you live with?
l live with my mother.
What is your favorite subject to study?
my favorite subject is science.


school
I love my school. It is called hamomi childrens centre. I love my teacher so much. It is a good school. We eat rice and beans. We also play football. My school is good. In school they teach us computers. In school we learn how to obey.
　
　　

New Year Adventures!

After a much needed relaxing vacation, we are back to school, with a somewhat motivating panic to put in, and get out, as much as we can at Hamomi while we are still here. Everyday that passes brings us one day closer to leaving, and the thought of our time here being over is quite terrifying.

The start of the new school year has brought many new things about, and has kept us very busy. This entry is less about what we've actually accomplished, and more about the adventure it has been trying to accomplish said things. It will be proof to the statement that nothing here is done efficiently especially when relying on public transportation. Additionally, after having read over this post, it may not be the most entertaining on our blog, but we felt it is important to keep everyone updated on how we're spending the majority of our time here.

I must first begin by saying that nothing we have been able to do for the school can be attributed to us, as it is only because the generous and loving hearts of the people supporting us back home that has made these wonderful blessings possible. We are truly overwhelmed at all of the support people have given us to funnel into the school and it has been our pleasure to do so.

As we started the new year, we had a specific and ambitious agenda. We have been working for some time with the students on the basics of typing and other primary functions of the computer. Our goal now is to educate them about the internet and to create a student blog, one which they can write on to give people a unique perspective and insight into everyday life at Hamomi straight from the students' mouths. That being said, our first order of business was to buy an internet modem, which is a prepaid internet card through a cell phone company that is plugged in through the USB and can be used anywhere. We were quick to realize that it would streamline the teaching process if we bought two, one for each computer, so that students could work simultaneously on the same lesson. Luckily, they are quite cheap ( about half of what they were a year ago when I was studying here), so we bought another one and they have been a great teaching aide and a much more productive alternative to organizing trips to the cyber cafe.

Aside from the modems, we had some leftover donated Christmas money that we hadn't yet decided what to do with. The second day of the year answered that question, when we had a meeting to discuss the lower than expected English and Science scores from the students on the National Primary exam. Eric and I knew immediately that we wanted to help boost these scores by investing in some books for the students to have to enhance their comprehension. Thus started the week and a half long journey of errand after errand after errand.

In the U.S., when we want to buy something and something in bulk it is usually second nature to hop online, check the website and local store for availability, perhaps call and put them on hold, and off we go to the store, a one stop shop and we're done. Thinking about that process is almost laughable here. Once we decided we were going to get books, our first order of business was to go the major bookstore in the Nairobi area to check out their merchandise. So, after leaving Hamomi one afternoon, we walked home, dropped our stuff then walked to the matatu stop that would take us to Westlands, a higher class neighborhood about a fifteen minute ride by matatu. Once there, we skimmed over some books, and found one that we thought would be a great teaching aide. We even brainstormed doing a storybook class, with exercises, vocab lessons, etc etc etc. The store only had three copies, and we were in the market for 25, so we placed an order and were told they would call us in a couple days when they were ready to be picked up, as they had to be shipped from the publisher. No problem.

Next order of business was to stop at the Nairobi Sport House to check into buying new soccer uniforms for the team, along with new balls and other P.E. equipment. Our wonderful friends Charlie and Theresa donated money specifically for this, and we were thrilled to be able to get the school quality equipment that should last for a long time. We had a contact there, as we had used this company to buy a majority of the backpacks for Christmas, and knew we could get a good discount. After exchanging familiarities with Sanjay, our guy, he told us that branch didn't carry any uniforms, or a catalog with their stock, and that we'd have to go to town to their main store. Sigh. Now, this isn't a huge deal, but by the time we leave Hamomi in the afternoon, we only have time for one trip, either Westlands or town, certainly not both, because trying to get home in the middle of rush hour would most certainly put our arrival time home well after dark, not to mention guarantee us at least an hour sitting in the jam.

So, already, we knew we had two more days of errands, one more to Westlands to pick up the rest of the books, and another to town to order uniforms. Upon arrival at home, we quickly realized the book we ordered would not be the best book for our teaching purposes, not to mention, it wasn't quite the kind of book that would best help the students. Having no phone number to call the bookstore at, we had to wait for them to call us before we could tell them we wouldn't be needing the books.

Fast forward to the next day, Thursday of last week, we head to town to go scout out uniforms and equipment. After weighing our options and taking picture of various varieties, we decided it would be best if we took the options to the Coach to make sure that's what he wanted ( after all, it's his team, their uniforms), and we wanted them to be part of the decision. We asked if there was a number or an email we could use to place the order to avoid having to come back down to town, a trip made only when necessary. No such luck. Oh well, another trip it was. Friday morning our uniform research was accepted excitedly and we were thrilled they liked the uniform we had liked the best. But, we couldn't place the order until Tuesday that next week because we had a barbecue to go to Friday afternoon and Monday was committed to book shopping. Fast forward over our weekend and we're back on the move Monday afternoon, back to the bookstore, where we returned the books we bought and, much to their dismay, rejected the order of the other copies that had come in. It was at this time we shifted our focus from buying merely a story book to buying a book of short stories, ones that could be easily read and discussed in a short amount of time. Failing to find any such book that would be suitable to their reading level we stumbled across the English section of curriculum books and were intrigued by a few that not only had short stories, and by short I mean a page and a half to two pages, but it also had vocabulary lessons, comprehension questions, the whole kit and kaboodle. While this was not what we had told them we would get, we started thinking that this might be the best option for the students to really improve their test scores, not to mention it followed the national curriculum. However, we didn't want to impose a book on the teacher that wasn't what they wanted, so we gave the head teacher Edwine a call to report our findings. Unfortunately, he wasn't available and we contemplated our next move. Now we knew that the teachers and students would be thrilled with any new book, especially because we were buying one for each students, a luxury they are deprived of due to limited finances but as stated before, we didn't want to barge in and force a book on them. So, quite begrudgingly, we figured it was best to go back to the school the next day, see what book they currently used and talk to them about what we were thinking. That was bookstore trip number two.

Tuesday, as scheduled, we went back to town to order the uniforms. We didn't want to delay because they take three weeks to order and we wanted them to arrive well before we leave, so we can see the team don them for at least one or two matches before our departure. We had a hefty order, and were assisted by more than one person grabbing the various soccer balls while the other tallied up our rapidly increasing tab. Having finalized everything, the jerseys, sizes, screen printing, etc., we then headed to the manager to discuss the discount. One of the best things about Nairobi... everything is negotiable. The more you buy, the more you save. Plus, explaining we work at an NGO in a popular slum doesn't hurt either, not to mention we spent hundreds of dollars at the same store just before the holiday. We watched in anticipation as he crunched the numbers, with a specific number in our heads that we were shooting for. We were utterly shocked when the final price he came out with was a solid 5,000 Ksh ( 62 dollars) less than what we were prepared to shell out! Now, I'm fairly certain we could've bargained more, but we had the money, and a 25% discount, so we shook hands and gathered up our loot. With money to spare, we were able to purchase a set of 16 uniforms with "Hamomi" screened on the back and a number for each jersey, plus five new, high quality standard soccer balls, and three smaller soccer balls for our various P.E. games like kickball and handball. With the leftover money we are going to buy a new goalkeeper uniform, plus gloves, and perhaps matching socks for each player. When the uniforms come in, it will be like Christmas all over again. Oh, and we are also getting the current uniforms screened and numbered as well, which will then be handed down to the girls and the boys will get the new ones.

That was Tuesday. Wednesday morning, the coach, teachers, and students were so excited about the new balls we brought. Clyford, the goalkeeper, came into the office, checked them out, nodding approvingly, and told us we had done a great job. The coach, teacher Daniel, and Edwine showered us with praises for a job well done, which we assured them we were not the ones responsible for such a gift. Thanks Uncle Charlie!!!
After spending most of the day breaking in the new balls, bookstore trip number three was on the docket and we headed back out to Westlands to pick up the agreed upon curriculum books for standard 7 and 8, vowing this was our LAST trip there. LoL. silly us. Upping arrival, we marched straight to the aisle, determined to make a quick getaway. NO WAY!!! The pile of Standard 7 books had diminished and there were merely two copies of the needed book on the shelf. Less than excited about the inevitable fourth trip to be made, we picked up the eighth grade books, the two 7 books, and went to the counter to order the remaining ten books, with the worker who had become pretty familiar with our faces around there. Assured they would be there the same time the next day, we didn't want to take any chances, and asked for a card with a number we could call before making the trek there only to have the books not be there, a very real possibility here in Nairobi. Thursday morning was a similar scene to Wednesday, with teachers coming to admire the brand spanking new books, and very excited about the quantity of them. We were once again congratulated for all of our efforts and were assured we have made an impact bigger than we could understand at the moment. It is both utterly satisfying yet a bit undeserved being thanked for doing something that was only made possible by someone else. Assuring them the donated books were a product of alot of people's hard work, I told them I would pass the thanks along to those who most deserved it. So, from the students and teachers at Hamomi, the biggest and most sincere THANK YOU goes out to all of you who have support them during our stay here. Your money is helping improve the education level at the school and has put a lot of smiles on a lot of faces.

A short while later, Edwine appeared with a post-it and asked if we could spare a few minutes. He then again acknowledged how much we have done for the school and how grateful they are for everything. He went on to say he didn't want to "push us against the wall" or ask anything of us, but was wondering if there was a possibility of us helping other teachers by getting some much needed guide books and teaching materials for various grades and subjects. Now, the way we've approached donated money is that we have X amount to spend on Hamomi and are happy to use it any way that will benefit the school and provide a better learning environment. I think sometimes as donors, we get an idea of what we want to see happen at the school and it may or may not be what the school needs most. That being said, we were more than happy to take the list, and told him we would get as much as we could with what we had. Bookstore trip number four had us employing the help of three bookstore workers, roaming the shelves finding the books we needed, while we waited, somewhat impatiently for the books that were guaranteed to be there, to arrive. I must back up and mention that before we went to the store that day, we called the number on the card given to us four times, with no answer. Typical. All too typical. Anyway, we were assured upon our arrival that the shipment was actually en route and it would be a matter of minutes until they arrived. After an hour or so, we left the store, with the ten remaining English books, along wit a dozen of other teaching materials. Friday was yet another joyous day, with us handing out books left and right, and teachers and students nodding approvingly, showering us with still more thanks and gratitude. And thus concluded our shopping adventure...... or so we hoped.

 But, of course, it didn't. Because, naturally, a few of the guide books we requested needed to be ordered, and would be available on Saturday, however, having committed our Saturday to relaxing and a date, we told them we wouldn't come to get them until Monday, forcing the fifth and ABSOLUTELY FINAL trip to Westlands, to the bookstore. Or so we hope.

-Laurel

Lamu Getaway

The first of a series of posts about our trip to Lamu!

The holidays are usually a time to gather with family and friends to celebrate, so when we were faced with spending Christmas without either for the first time, we knew we had to plan something fabulous to make up for the missing company. We settled on Lamu, an island off of the coast of Kenya, known for its pole pole “slowly slowly” lifestyle and overall calm, as it is an island that is home to just two cars, leaving donkeys as the main mode of transportation. Knowing this would be an absolute contrast to the hustle and bustle of Nairobi, we couldn’t have been more excited for the break, and seeing as how we booked the vacation in October, we had plenty of time to anticipate the trip. The last couple of weeks at Hamomi wrapped up nicely, and before we knew it, we were on holiday. Not only were we faced with packing for a 9-day reprieve, but we were also moving houses, and had to pack up all of our stuff, reminding us once again about how much we over packed. Luckily, thanks to our wonderful friend Caitlan, who was also joining us to Lamu, we were able to stash our stuff at her place until we returned and set up shop at our new place ( more on that later).

We took an absolute quality night bus to Mombasa, an 8 hour trip from Nairobi, and were treated as though on a flight, complete with drinks and snacks at various points throughout the trip. Off to a great start. We arrived in Mombasa just before sunrise, around 6 am, and while our original plan was to spend the day there to break up the full 15 hours of travel, our excitement got the best of us and we decided that, since we got in early enough, we would catch a morning bus to Lamu, which is supposed to be around 6 hours. Let me emphasize the supposed to be, as you’ll soon see why. Taking a tuk tuk, a three wheeled cart, we asked the driver to take us to a bus headed to Lamu, as we didn’t exactly know what bus companies made the trip and hadn’t scheduled any bus yet. He dropped us at the first station he saw and we were thrilled to know there had room on their 7:00 bus. The hour passed quickly and soon we were en route to our island getaway.

It took about 15 minutes into the ride for us to realize we may have made a hasty decision taking this bus company ( although we had no way of knowing how bad it would be). The Indian music that blared at an inappropriate volume promised there would be no sleeping on this trip. A stop in Malindi, about two hours north of mombasa, only vereified the 9 hour misery we were about to endure. First, the bus oversold seats, didn’t enforce the assigned seats on the tickets, and resulted in people standing, sitting in every nook and cranny of the bus. I even shared my seat with a little boy about 4 years old because I couldn’t stand the thought of him having to stand for the remainder of the trip. Just miles out of Malindi, the semi paved road disappeared and we continued on a gravel/dirt road that was so bad, the entire bus vibrated for the next six hours. Eric’s window at one point started falling out, and the seat in front of him was half on his lap, as it was hanging off by its hinge. On top of that, the music was still blaring, and we were still stopping at random points to pick even more people up. Surprisingly, we were able to stay in good spirits, as nothing could detract from our excitement. One other highlight that should be mentioned about the trip is that we had to stop and pick up two armed guards for a few hours of the trip, as that road is notorious for carjackings. Another thing worth mentioning about the trip is the unusual, or maybe not so in Kenya, pasasengers we acquired about 30 minutes before we got to the ferry. Chickens. Live ones. Half of a dozen of them. We had the good fortune to have two placed right under the seats in front of us, so we entertained ourselves by sticking our toes out to see if they would peck them. They were quiet for the most part, with the occasional squawking coming from the rowdy ones on the back of the bus. Only in Kenya. Speaking of Kenya, we got the rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of life in the bush. And by glimpse, I really mean glimpse, as we could only observe from the moving bus, but what we saw was quite incredible. Every village we passed had a different style of hut, and was completely lacking anything modern. Had we not been on a bus jostling by, we could have easily been there a few hundred years ago and nothing would have changed.
We started our journey at 7 a.m. We finally arrived at the ferry at 4 p.m.

And by ferry, I mean a jerry rigged wooden boat with an engine that undoubtedly dated back to pre- WWII. But, seeing no other options, and embracing the adventure we hopped on, squeezed in and went with it. It was a quick 20 minute ride, and while we enjoyed the fresh air and cool breeze, we were on high alert for pirates. As Lamu is only about 50 miles from Somalia. ( Lol, okay so there aren’t actually any pirates so close to land, or in that area, but it was still something in the back of our minds).
As we made our way around the northern point of the island, we began to see boats docked, untamed beaches, and old style Swahili buildings. We had arrived.

Now we could ramble on an on about every little detail, but this post would go on forever, much longer than the average reader’s attention span, plus there was so much that couldn’t be explained, even by the best of writers, so I will try my best to go over some highlights.

The first thing that must be written about is the place that we stayed. A budget friendly guesthouse frequented by many backpackers, Casuarina sits on the harbor, just right off the main jetty. I don’t know if we fell in love with the place for the rooftop terrace or the staff that ran it, but either way it was the perfect place for us. No fuss, the rooms were clean and simple, a bed with mosquito net, a dresser with a mirror, and windows that caught the constant breeze off the ocean. A windy, Harry Potter like staircase led up from our room to the rooftop, which was an open space with tables and couches, sheltered only be a high thatched roof. The breeze up there was overwhelming, the atmosphere so calm, and the company of the resident turtles and kittens made it our favorite place to go, and a place where we spent a majority of our time. Whether it was enjoying morning breakfast, a nightcap, or serving as our evening entertainment, we always knew where to find people, it was our go to spot. Feeding the turtles, and much to our excitement, watching them fight over the flowers, then…. How do I say this delicately, watching one get rid of its lunch ( a first for all of us) was our daily routine. We also made friends with the two kittens that lived there, namely one, Shuna. She absolutely fell in love with Eric and we soon found her sneaking into our room at night, trying to get into our mosquito net, and, when unsuccessful, would settle for our chair, where she would curl up for the night until we woke her up in the morning. She honestly followed us around whenever we were on the rooftop and found a permanent spot in Eric’s lap.

The staff there, as said before, really made our stay special. They were young guys, as nice as could be, and they really helped us get into the island mode of relaxation. Any question or request we had they were more than helpful. But beyond that, they became our buddies, and would join us on the rooftop and waste the night away chit chatting and relaxing right along with us. Caitlan especially became really close with the staff, along with a boat captain who was relatives with the owner of the guest house, so we had connections everywhere we went.

Lamu town is a maze of alleys and walkways, with only two main roads, and the only roads in the town that had actual names, not that anyone used them. Along the seafront were local restaurants that served the freshest seafood and best fresh squeezed juices, we tried as many different places we could, and enjoyed every single one of them. Of course, walking down the seafront, one must be on the lookout for the oncoming herd of donkeys, who walk diligently and without guidance up and down the boardwalk, carrying bundles of various goods. What is so great about Lamu is that it isn’t a tourist place. While scores of tourists go there for vacation, they haven’t disrupted their way of life to accommodate the tourists, giving the town a real feel. People go about their business as usual, but are the most friendly people I have ever encountered, which was a great surprise coming from the sometimes aggressive nature of Kenyans in other parts of the country. Every morning, walking down the street, people passing by stop and say Hello in a genuine way, wishing you a good day. Even the beach boys who try to sell their dhows trips to you were friendly, a simple no to them would be sufficient, and they would wish you a good rest of your stay and go on with their day. It was the most free, laidback environment I’ve ever been in. As stated, the town isn’t made for tourists, there is still garbage some places, and you have to watch where you’re walking or you might step in a trail the donkeys left behind, but it was so full of life, wandering up and down the seafront and parallel street offered so many options for food and shopping, or just people watching in general.

The beach, also a big reason for our trip, was about a 45 minute walk down the seafront and passed what we would call a shipyard, where ships were being repaired or made. We could opt to take a quick dhow ride down to the beach, but we liked taking in the sights by walking along the ocean. Shela Beach, is a separate town, or rather village, and is quite built up by expats who have homes or businesses there. It still has the narrow alleys and Swahili structure like Lamu town, but is much quieter, peaceful, and a bit more exclusive, not to mention expensive. The beach itself is like the rest of the island, untamed and non-commercialized. The first day we walked way past the groups of beach goers and opted for a sandbar that required us to walk through the ocean a bit to get to. The tide there was unbelievable. It would go out so far that we could walk out for almost half a mile and still not be in waist deep water. But, when the tide came in, we could barely walk a few feet before our feet would slide downhill and we’d be chin deep. During low tide, there were amazing sandbars that went on forever. There was no designated beach, nor rules to follow, so the coast was our playground. We spent the afternoon walking around the beach, enjoying the slightly cooler than bath water temperature of the water. When we were sufficiently water logged and sunkissed, we would make our way back to town to scope out a new place for lunch. Whereas other vacations would have found me beachfront from 10 to 4, a mere couple hours was more than enough for a day, as the intense current and hot equatorial sun tired us out.

I’ll stop here for now and continue to add highlights form our trip as the days go by.

Till next time,

Laurel

Mount Kenya Day Two

DAY 2

Unfortunately, that night I wasn’t able to sleep as soundly as I‘d hoped, I knew we had a 25km hike ahead of us so I was less than thrilled to have been woken up at various times thought the night number of reasons. First, Musumba woke me to ask for help getting out of his sleeping bag because he had to use the rest room. After obliging his first request, I was less than enthused to hold the flash light over the stall door for him. This chilly break from my cozy bed was concluded by once again tucking Musumba into his sleeping bag. Ahhhh, back to sleep… but not for long.

“Eric… Eric….. Eric… ERIC!!!” “What?” I replied to Edwin what couldn’t have been an hour after Musumba’s bathroom break. “I need to pee.” Ugh, out of bed I crawled and repeated Musumba’s requests, only this time for the other teacher. After zipping Edwin into his bag, I once again crawled into mine, sure I would be able to sleep peacefully for the rest of the night.

Wrong! Only this time nature was calling me. Returning from my third trip to the bathroom I said a little prayer for a restful remainder of the night. Unfortunately for me, the Big Guy upstairs must have been doing more important things and I was once again awoken by Edwin. “Eric, torch please. I’m stuck in the bag. I can’t move.” Out of bed I crawled yet again to assist Edwin with his issue.

My sleep was interrupted for the last time at 5am when the students, who are used to waking up early, began talking quite loudly in anticipation for the day to come. I again got out of bed after Laurel asked me to talk to them, insisting the students respond better to male teachers. Yeah, sure they do lazy-bones. I went over to the rooms where the boys were sleeping, or rather, not sleeping, and told them we would be sleeping until 6:30. Surprisingly, they kept fairly quiet and I had the most restful hour and a half I had that whole night.
Waking up for me is always rough, and that day was no exception, but I was excited for the day to come, so I was running on adrenaline. We munched on a delicious breakfast prepared by the porters and were once again hiking by 7:30. The scenery on the mountain was quite incredible. It reminded me of the breathtaking scenery in the Lord of The Rings. There were rolling hills all up the side of the mountain, with the majestic peaks in the background, looming over us our entire journey. Then, to turn around and look off the mountain into the vast plains of the Rift Valley was amazing. I’m sure we could see at least a hundred kilometers, through the haze of the warmth below. However, it was still quite cool where we were. I was very excited to see that the evening’s weather had brought frost. As we were hiking from 11,000 feet up to 14,000 feet, we could definitely feel the altitude taking a toll on us. At one point, I was hiking behind Laurel who was walking like a frat boy stumbling out of a bar on St. Patty‘s Day. She was definitely becoming a bit ataxic so I decided this would be a good time to stop and rest to take an Oreo break. (Thanks for sending those Mama Bear!)

As we continued, the students began to ask questions about home. Many of them focused on snow, what it was like, and how we coped with it. We also talked about transportation, languages we spoke, and different laws we had. Bruce wanted to know if most people traveled by matatus in America like they do here. We found that quite funny. I really liked watching the kids play with the frost and the ice sheets from the tiny pools of water as we hiked up. At one of our rest stops, I took some of the ice and much to the students’ amusement, put it down Edwin’s back. This started a trend, and Edwin soon retaliated, much to my dismay. As we continued toward our destination, I was surprised and interested to learn that during the dry season, the elephants in the area come up to where we were to eat the mountain cabbages. It is really amazing to think that an animal so big is able to make the trek at such elevation.

Finally, we made it to our stopping point. It was on top of a beautiful ridge, overlooking a valley with the peaks just beyond. Had we had time to hike another two days, we could’ve been on Point Lenana, the highest one can climb without technical climbing skills, but where we stopped was just fine for this trip. I think what we experienced, the different vegetation as we got higher, and the extremes in temperature and elevation, are things these kids, and I for that matter, won’t soon forget.

- Eric

Mount Kenya Trip: Part Two

Day Two

Ok, so where did I leave off? Oh yes, night time on Mount Kenya. Around 5 o clock, we heard quite a bit of ruckus coming from the students' rooms, so Eric was given the job to inform them that it was only 5 am and that we would all be sleeping for another hour and half. That seemed to work ( they're not used to us wazungu being stern with them). When we woke up, the second time, Eric and I were delighted to see frost on the ground! Not because I'm a fan of the frigid conditions required to produce the layer of ice, but because the students would be able to witness such a phenomenon for the first time. They ask us alot of questions about snow ( more on that in a moment), so we were really excited to be able to show them the closest thing we can find to snow in Kenya. The sunrise over the valleys and towns below us was breathtaking, but unfortunately, no picture could accurately capture the moment. After a good breakfast, we bundled up and headed out for the first 8 km of our 25 scheduled for the day. We were able to leave our backpacks at the camp for this leg since we would be returning for lunch and the climb was significantly harder than the previous day. Not that you'd be able to tell by the pace of the students. While they bounded up the mountain, I struggled to put one foot in front of the other. Bruce actually told me that his legs felt stronger!

After a little ways, a good chunk of the students slowed down significantly while Musumba, Edwine, and a few boys took off without us. Eric and I decided to play with the frost and encouraged the students to pick it up and play with it. They were hesitant at first, and they kept exclaiming how cold it was, but after a bit, they were intrigued by the icicles. Eric decided it would be a good idea to show them how to make a "snowball" with chunks of icicles and thus commenced a one sided snowball fight, with Eric scooping up piles of ice and throwing them at students at random. That sure got them running up the mountain! The students also got curious with the layers of ice that were residing on top of the streams and pools of water. Before long, every sheet of ice was picked up by a student and either used as a cooling system by placing it on top of their heads, or by licking it like a popsicle. We also had the opportunity to talk to a group of students about Winter and the US. They are so interested to learn about how people survive in cold temperatures and ask alot of questions about it. They were really curious about snowplows, so Eric and I did our best to explain to them what they were and how they worked. I really enjoy talking about the States, and home, so I welcomed all of the questions. Talking about it makes it easier to be gone, especially around this time of year.
After almost three hours and a hundred stops, we were at the bottom of the ridge that would be our final destination. The high peaks of Mount Kenya in the distance were the only things keeping me going forward. A quick 20 minute uphill climb and we were there! We were greeted by students sitting at the top, with their legs dangling off of the rock that led to the deep valley below us. The view was absolutely amazing! The valley continued forever, then another ridge jutted up, being the only thing seperating the valley and the highest points of the mountain. At 4000 feet, the air is so fresh, so clean, and you really realize how small we are in the grand scheme of things. As soon as we reached our final stop, clouds started rolling over the mountain, hiding the peaks from us. We quickly assembled each student in front of the peaks, so we could have a picture of each of them documenting their accomplishment. After some group photos, we had to start the descend so we could stay on schedule. The way down went quick, although I beg to differ when people say that going down is easier then going up. I must be getting old, because my knees were really upset with me every step I took. We reached the campsite and had a great lunch of soup and sandwiches, and then continued our final 9km trek down to the park entrance. I was more than okay to be bringing up the rear of the group, as the students literally ran down the mountain. I would use the age excuse again to justify my snail pace, but the teachers were putting us to shame as well. Oh well. We had an absolute gorgeous hiking afternoon, sun shining, with a cool breeze keeping us from overheating. I could never get enough of the beautiful trail that took us through the rich forest of the mountain and offered wonderful views of the hills and valleys in the distance.

I couldn't have been more relieved to see the park entrance building in the distance, signaling the end of our 34 kilometer journey. The students were already on the bus, clearly ready to rest for the ride home. We didn't tarry too long and soon we were on our way back to Nairobi.

Of course, we were greeted with atrocious traffic that only Nairobi can garauntee, which put our arrival time ridiculously behind schedule. When the last teacher was dropped, we headed for home, not to go home and relax and hit the sack like we had planned, but instead to rush and get ready because we had friends anxiously waiting to hear about our adventure.

Sitting with them and recounting all of the little moments and stories brought fits of laughter and an incredible sense of accomplishment. When I was here last year, my ultimate goal for my return was to be able to organize a trip to Mount Kenya, and it is only because of the amazing support and donations we recieved form our family and friends that made it possible. I only wish all of you could have been there with us to witness the splendour of it for yourself. It wasn't something that was said outright or overly expressed, but rather it was the subtle, simple things and expressions that assured us what you all helped us do was change these students lives. Together, we all allowed them to open their minds to a whole new world that has always been in their backyard. As with most gift giving, I truly feel like I was blessed the most out of the trip. This is something that I personally will never forget and will always look back on as one of the best things I've ever done. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has supported us, in every way possible. This trip meant the world to me, and I know it is something that the students will cherish forever.

-Laurel

Mount Kenya Day One

This past weekend was definitely a highlight of our time here in Kenya. When I think back to the initial talk Laurel and I had about coming to Kenya our main goal was to be able to take some of Hamomi’s students to on a trip to Mt. Kenya. We knew even before we officially decided to come here that this would be our foremost aim. However, before I write about the trip I would like to take this time to once again thank those of you who made this once in a lifetime adventure possible it was truly amazing!!!

On Friday morning Laurel and I were picked up by a very comfortable 25 passenger van/bus and we headed to Hamomi excited to meet the standard 8 students, Edwin, and Musumba. When we arrived at school all of the students were crowded around with a number of teachers, all with big grins on their faces, excited for the luxury ride we were about take. I collected some first aid supplies, and after making sure everyone had packed the warm clothes they needed and the hats, gloves and socks we had given them, we all boarded the bus and were off. The students were bouncing off the walls with excitement, or maybe it was just the terrible Kenyan roads. After a stop at the Equator and a lunch break at a nyama choma (grilled meat) place, our long drive finally came to a close. The last hour of the trip was spent gazing at the at the mountain we were about to climb. Mt. Kenya, like all of the Rift Valley has a very interesting geological history. It was once a strata-volcano and is shaped like a gargantuan dome with huge peaks shooting out of the center from its eruption ages ago. At 17,058 feet, the peaks are the only place in the country that sees snow and it covers them year round.
 

We finally arrived at our destination, Sirimon Gate, and were immediately greeted by a troupe of baboons. It was getting to be later in the afternoon, so Laurel and I were getting a bit anxious at the prospect of getting to camp after dark. So, we immediately headed out for our 9km hike to Old Moses Camp, which is at an elevation of just under 11,000ft. I explained to the students a number of times that the air is less dense at this altitude and that hiking slowly and drinking plenty of water was the best way to cope with the elevation. However, they preferred to run up the trail until exhaustion set in, then wait for Laurel and I to catch up before repeating the process again.

We finally made it to our camp just before sundown where it was a bit chilly. The students and teachers promptly put on all of the clothes they brought. When advised them to take off any under layers that were damp from sweat then to bundle up, one of the students asked me how and why I was only wearing a t-shirt. Laurel and I laughed and told them the temperature was similar to an average fall day for us and that I was quite used to it. As it got darker outside the temperature continued to drop and settled in the mid-30s. When it was apparent the students and teachers were uncomfortably chilled, we decided it was definitely time for some of my NOLS games and some of Laurel’s STLF games. We taught the kids a dancing game, human knot, a game where you stand front to back in a circle and all try to sit on each others laps at the same time, but the absolute favorite was Big Booty (a chanting rhythm game). I’m not sure if the movement warmed up the students and teachers or if their minds were just taken off the cold, but the hour before dinner was an absolute blast and even though these were the coldest temperature the students and teachers had ever experienced nobody seemed chilled at all.

After enjoying a delicious and plentiful dinner, I began telling everyone about yetis. I started out the story telling them about the size of these creatures, a few of their commonly know traits and told them that these creatures are reported to live at high elevations, similar to where we were camped. I then explained that these beasts were known to help stranded hikers who respected the mountains they hiked. It was at this time I decided to stray a bit from the myths I’ve heard and make my own. At one point in that days hike I scolded a few of the boys for throwing stones at some birds. So, I added that although these creatures are usually good to hikers, those who disrespect wildlife and the mountains they climb have been know to be taken by yetis in the night and never seen again. The boys immediately decided that it was too cold to sleep alone and they would be sleeping 3 to a bed.

After the story and a cup of tea, everyone was ready for bed. The only problem was no one was quite sure what to think of sleeping bags. After demonstrating how to get into one, Musumba asked "so its like a giant sock?" "Yeah, pretty much." we responded. Laurel and I zipped up the sleeping bags for everyone, including the teachers and everyone, bundled from head to toe in anticipation for a cold night, soon fell asleep.

Day Two tomorrow!
- Eric