I’ve been in East Africa a little over twenty four hours; I’m the happiest I’ve been in months. The biggest change is I am hungry to learn again- everything is new and exciting. In Kenya, however, patience is the way of life. Everything– from travel, to cooking, to connecting to the internet– involves a lot of waiting. We visited the small town of Kimana today, and the locals gave funny looks to the students who walked and ate at the same time. They do not multitask like we do. Freshman year for me was filled with anxiety and stress. Even when I had nothing to worry about I invented something. Here, all around us, from the red dust fields to the open wide sky everything cries “slow down.” After all, Africa has been a patient witness to all of human history.

My story here began with the four hour car ride from Nairobi yesterday. You might think this is boring, but I could barely stay in my seat. I pried open the SFS van window and stuck my head out- scouting for giraffes (“twiga”), goats (“mboozee”), gazelle (“antelope”), cows (“ngombe”) and donkeys…  (I forget). Swahili words are like little treasures I find and stuff into my pockets. I am so eager to speak to all these people. In Kimana today I tried my best (earning a few friendly chuckles). It is like being a child again- a “matoto.”

Kilimanjaro Bush Camp site is tucked in Kimana Park.  It’s surrounded by a (dare I say flimsy) chain linked fence and carved wood poles. As Tara, our Student Assistance Manager reminds us, lions, water buffalo, elephants, baboons, pythons, and other animals cross through here when they please. We are the guests.

Today- my second day- involved a lot of orientation.  Not grading systems or attendance expectations (which by the way are A, B+, B, B-, C etc and mandatory respectively ), but rather covered the Kenyan legal system, camp curfews, health hazards and local wildlife. We walked around the “Outside Running Route”- a 3K loop outside the camp. Every so often Jackson, a program assistant, would jump out of the bush pretending to be one sort of animal or another. We covered how to react to each different species. I’ll break it down. Predators- maintain eye contact and back away, maybe stick out your elbows to look big- just don’t turn and run as their normal prey would. Herbivores- run. Climb up a tree if you can. (Except for elephants- they push them down so hide in a bush instead). And monkeys, watch them and give them space- the more the better. And never get between any type of mother-baby combo.

Everywhere I turn here there is something to learn. After our walk, I signed out a book called “Tracks and Signs,” by Chris and Tilde Stuart. There are tacks crisscrossing all the walking paths here! Between this, Swahili, animal calls, the cooking, camera skills and not even to mention our actual curriculum, there is sooooo much to learn. I have to stop often and pause, remembering again- “patience.” 

Location: Kimana, Kenya