Walk to Water Blog

On Wednesday the sixth and seventh grade met at Rocky Nook park to fill up water jugs to carry to school.  We did this because the seventh grade is reading a book called the long walk to water.  It is about the need of water in Sudan.  Our goal was to get an idea of what its like to have to get water and carry it for a distance.  We only walked about a mile and it was up to us on how much water we carried.  I carried about 4.5 gallons in a backpacking backpack and it was heavy! I had it easy because I had the backpack but for some I could tell it was really a struggle.  I think everyone in SB should just put in money to send the people there either backpacks or wheelbarrows or something because something so small can save lives.  I think we should have carried the water every morning for a week because that one morning was more fun than anything and I dont think that was really the point of the assignment.

My visit with Kibet Day 3

Today is my second and last day with Kibet.  I leave tomorrow very early so I want to make the best of my last day that I have with him.  Today Kibet is going to teach me how to carve animals out of wood.  We have breakfast and then we go for a short walk around his house.  When we come back he takes me into the small tool shed behind his house where he keeps his carving stuff.  He opens a tool box with a bunch of whittling stuff and immediately I know that I'm going to suck at it.  I tell Kibet this but says that no one can be bad at carving.  Once we start I prove him wrong.  I decide to make a pig because it seems easy enough.  Kibet shows me how to hold the tools and which one to use for what.  Every single one of the tools feels awkward in my hands.  At first it seems easy and that maybe I won't be totally terrible at it but as my "pig" progresses it takes a turn for the worse.  In the end I have a piece of wood resembling a smaller one of what I started with and Kibet has a perfect wooden cow.  He holds it out to me and tells me that it is mine to keep.  I thank him and as a joke offer him my "pig".  He looks at me not getting the joke and thanks me sincerely for giving him my first carving.  After the carving disaster I go back inside the house and carefully tuck the cow into my suitcase.  I go back out into the main room and Kibet and I make dinner.  We are both super hungry because we missed lunch for our carving.  We eat and then we go outside to watch the sunset.  As I am sitting there I am happy to have helped Kibet.  It feels good to have made it possible for someone to get what they need to live happily.  And Kibet is one of the happiest people I know.  After the sun goes down we go back inside and go to sleep.  Kibet is going to wake up tomorrow and drive with me to the airport.  I am not looking forward to leaving and saying goodbye tomorrow.  I wish I could stay longer but above all I am just happy to have met my friend Kibet Peter.

My visit with Kibet Day 2

Today is my first full day with Kibet.  I get out of bed, walk outside, and spot Kibet with his new dairy cow mwokozi, which means savior.  I go over and help him milk her.  While we are sitting there he tells me that his girlfriend Jata (star) is coming over today.  She lives about an hour walk away so she only comes every once in a while, but Kibet told her to come today so she could meet me.  He tells me that he plans to marry her and have a family with her someday.  I can tell by the way he talks about her that he really loves her.  We decide to make lunch for Jata so that we have a nice meal when she arrives.  We use the milk to make butter and we get some vegetables from his garden like carrots and potatoes.  We decide to make a stew because it is on of her favorites.  We make the soup and after we “set the table” which consists of laying a cloth on the floor and arranging all of the food on it.  Finally we are done and right on que Jata arrives. When Kibet sees her he runs up and gives her big bear hug.  He introduces us and shows her the meal we made.  “Wow!” she says in English.  We sit down and begin eating our feast.  It was fantastic! Afterwards feeling full Kibet gets up and offers to make us tea.  We both say yes and he comes back with it.  It is slightly awkward because Jata doesn’t speak much English and my Swahili is still on level 0.  Despite our language problems we manage to have a conversation.  After about an hour it is time for Jata to leave, because she wants to be home before dark.  "Kwaheri", I say, "I ni fahari kwa kuwa walikutana wewe".  (Goodbye, I am honored to have met you)  She laughs.  I obviously didn't have all the words down, but she seems to have appreciated the effort.  Kibet and I sit and watch the sun set then we go back inside and go to sleep.  

My visit with Kibet Day 1

Today I am leaving to Kenya to visit my new friend Kibet Peter.  I have not met him in person, but I gave him a $25 loan on Kiva so that he could buy a cow.  He seems very nice and I'm sure we will be very good friends at the end of my three days with him.  The flight is supposed to take about 14 hours and then I will meet my guide, Abasi, and he will drive me to Kibet's home.  Since there are no direct flights to Kenya I will have to first make a stop in Europe and then fly to Kenya.  The flight to Europe is 10 hours so I just sleep the whole time.  When I get there I have a 2 hour layover and then I leave.  The time comes to board the plane and I get on when they call my section.  It is a small plane because the Kenyan airport is small.  This plane ride is pretty uneventful, although I did get my first look of some Kenyan people that where also on my flight.  I slept pretty much the whole time and when I woke up I was disoriented.  I asked the woman next to me about how much longer we had on the plane and she said a little more than 2 hours.  Finally we land and I get off and meet Abasi.  He drives me for about 2 hours along a bumpy dirt road when finally we arrive at a little stick dome hut.  Kibet is waiting outside to greet us.  He looks much happier than he did in the Kiva picture.  He is very tall and his legs are about 70% of his hight.  He welcomes both with hugs and invites us both inside.  Abasi says he really should start heading back because he has another person to drive somewhere soon and he doesn't want to miss them.  Kibet helps me with my bags and we go inside.  It is quite roomy on the inside even though it looked tiny from the outside.  Despite my long nap on the plane I am very tired and after we talk for a little while I take one of the beds in the room and doze off.  I cannot wait for my next couple of days with my new friend.

My visit with Kibet #3

In Kenya they use Kenyan Shillings.

$1=83 kenyan shillings
$5=415
$10=831
$20=1,662
$100=8,310

100 kenyan shillings=about $1

My visit with Kibet #2

Ten phrases and words I think will be most useful in Swahili while I'm in Kenya are:

hujambo=Hello
ambapo na bafuni=where is the bathroom
jina langu ni Emma=my name is Emma
habari gani=how are you
je, ni=what is this
tafadhali=please
asante=thank you
yes=ndiyo/no=hakuna
nzuri ya kukutana na wewe=nice to meet you
jina lako ni=what is your name

My visit with Kibet #1

I will be going to Litein in South Rift Kenya to visit my new friend Kibet Peter.  I will be taking a plane.  There are no direct flights so I will be stopping in Europe and then flying form there to Kenya.  It is predicted to take about 14-15 hours of flying and a few more for layovers.

Hero's Journey

Once upon a time there was a kiwi bird named Anzac.  His best friend was a penguin named Ashana.  They had been best friends ever since they met at the Annual Wingless Bird Convention.  They were immediately friends from the moment they learned that they shared the dream to fly.  They were both yearning to fly however they were hesitant because they knew how dangerous this would be.  Also they would be missing the first couple weeks of there new job at the airport, which was very important to them.  Despite all of this they still decided to go to New York City and attempt to fly off the Empire State Building.  They said goodbye to their parents over the phone and got on the next plane (because they couldn't fly) and "flew" to New York.  They went straight to the Empire State Building......it was closed under earth quake construction.  They learned from a worker that it would not be opened for another three months! Anzac and Ashana were terribly disappointed.  If only they could get up to the top and just jump off really quickly, but they came up with the original problem of not being able to fly.  They were just on the edge of giving up when a seagull landed next to them.  Since they were in an awful mood and the seagull was only rubbing it in they were quite rude to the seagull and told her to leave.  She looked hurt and told them that the only reason she flew down here in the first place was to help them.  They apologized and excepted her advice.  She said that her and her friends could  help them, but she warned them that it was not a good idea to jump off something that high, because even though they could now get up there and jump off they still couldn't fly.  Of course they ignored her and impatiently waited for her to come back with her friends to fly them up to the top.  When they arrived they carried them each up one by one.  They got to the top and jumped off.  They both flapped their flippers and mini wings, but they just kept falling, obviously.  Thankfully a dump truck full of sand drove underneath them just as they were about to hit the pavement and die.  Next thing they knew they were in parallel hospital beds.  The first thing they did was ask the nurse if they flew.  She said it was more of a flop.  They were both very sad and became even more sad when they learned that they would have to stay there for a month.  During that month they became depressed.  When it was time to be discharged they got on a plane and "flew" back home to their parents.  For a week they just layed in bed, but then one day Anzac was spacing out his window and saw a small humming bird nosedive by when he saw that he suddenly remembered his need to fly and went on to his computer and looked up what he had been thinking.  After he found what he was looking for he called Ashana and told her his plan.  She was all for it so they "flew" to South Africa.  They got a jeep to the place, paid for their tickets and got harnessed up.  They stood on the edge of the highest bungee jumping platform in the world.  They jumped....they flew!.....and they were changed forever.

My visit with Maruge #3

Today is Sunday and Maruge and I have plans to go walking around Eldoret.  We will start by going to Maruge's secret spot to see the wildlife and then taking a tour around the town.  We left the house and Maruge led the way through his field and through some trees onto a huge open plain.  It was beautiful, but I didn't see any animals and I voiced this to Maruge.  He simply said, "wait."  So I walked over to a dead tree and sat down on one of the roots.  Five minutes later at 10 o'clock it happened; tons of animals came flooding onto the huge expanse.  I didn't understand where they all came from it was as though they had all just appeared.  I sat there speechless for who know how long watching the giraffe, oxen, elk, elephants, zebra, and vultures meander over to the water hole in the middle of the plain.  It was clear that they did this every single day and Maruge knew it.  Then I remembered that I had my CAMERA FOR A REASON!  I whipped it out and started taking pictures frantically.  I got tons of good shots and was just setting up for a really good one of a zebra when the predators came.  They came stalking in and all the other animals ran for it.  Luckily for me, but unluckily for the lions and cheetahs no one got eaten, instead they just looped back around to the water hole and I get to take a few pictures of them too.  After they left there was no more point in us hanging around so left for the tour station.  When we arrived we hopped on a tour bus and headed into the town.  It was pretty uneventful.  The only cool part was seeing all the different people and comparing it to Santa Barbara.  It was very ugly.  It was strange how nature here could be so beautiful while the town so not.  I think Maruge guessed how I was feeling and didn't make me get off.  Instead we just stayed on it and went back to his house.  Good thing too because there was an urgent message waiting on his doorstep for me.  It was from my sister Hannah and it had been sent three days ago with priority mail!  I hurriedly opened it and read it out loud, "Dear Emma, I know you are probably having tons of fun with Maruge in Eldoret, however we have moved our wedding from two days after you get back to Tuesday the 16th for several reasons and I need you to come home immediately if you still want to be one of my bridesmaids.  Love, Hannah and Brian."  I stared at the paper and then Maruge.  I knew right away that I was leaving as soon as I possibly could and I told Maruge this he wasn't hurt just a little sad.  I went inside and found a flight on Maruge's old computer that was leaving from Eldoret International Airport in four hours.  It had one seat left on it.  I bought it.  I packed as fast as I could called my sister that I was coming home called the bus company to see when the next bus was coming and then it was time to say goodbye.  I hugged him and told him that I was very sorry for having to leave so abruptly and that I really appreciated staying with him.  I also told him I would pay for him to visit me in Santa Barbara one day if he wanted.  He seemed to like that idea.  Then the bus arrived and I was off to the airport.

My visit with Maruge #2

Today is Saturday, I could not write yesterday because Maruge and I were so busy all day yesterday, swimming and hiking and when we got back I fell straight to sleep.  Today we are planned to go to see Maruge's school.  We wake up eat a breakfast of goat products and leave on the two bikes Maruge had recently procured.  We rode on a winding, up and down road for about half an hour and then finally we were there!  It was beautiful, well from the outside it was quit plain and actually sort of boring looking, but it was wonderful to see all the little kids running out to greet us.  They were sort of scared of me, but after a while they got used to my white skin.  We went inside the school house and since Maruge was there it was GAME DAY! The kids were so happy,  I knew it wasn't just because they got to play games all day, it was clear that each and every one of them loved him.  We played many games.  I did not know how to play any of them so we stuck to the more basic ones so I could play too.  A lot of them involved shouting.  When it was time to go all of the kids held on to our legs so we couldn't leave it took a lot of persuading to at last break free and ride off on our bikes.  When we got back to Maruge's house we milked his goats and went to sleep.  I was excited for the next day of fun.

My Visit with Maruge #1

Today is Wednesday the 10 and I am flying to Eldoret, Kenya to visit Maruge and his school.  My flight is at 11:00 pm tonight, so I am checking over my packing and plane ticket.  ....Four hours later.....  I am safely on the plane and heading off to see Maruge.  I fall asleep for most of the journey, I only wake up twice which is good because I want to be fully awake for my seven days with Maruge.  I finally arrive in a small village near Eldoret and pay a Kenyan man to drive me to Maruge's hut.  When we arrived Maruge came running out to greet me cheering.  It was clear that he had been waiting for me very excitedly since I accepted his request to visit him in his village.  He hugged me and started dancing around and cheering more.  "Hello Maruge", I said.  He just kept cheering.  When he was finally done he invited me into his house and I got settled.  While I was "making myself at home" he told me of how the little tiny hut that he used to live in had collapsed so he decided to move to a greener place nearer to his old school.  This one had many more rooms, but was not too big and a nice field for a garden and his new goats.  I was super tired so I fell asleep on Maruge's spare bed and did not wake up for about 14 hours, which was strange, because I slept so much on the plane.  When I woke up I wasn't quit sure what time or day it was so I quietly tip-toed into the main room in the house, but didn't see Maruge anywhere so I went outside to go for a walk.  However when I walked outside I saw Maruge sitting on a huge rock watching the sun begin to rise.  This answered my question about what time it was, so I walked over to the rock and sat down next to him on the rock.  It was nice, we just sat there for who knows how long until the sun was completely up.  We had been silent for so long it was strange to hear him speak, "I do this every morning, ever since I got an education and learned that I didn't have to struggle finically anymore I have been so much more free.  Before I was just so angry all the time, for what the British had done to me."  I tried to imagine how it would feel to have everything you loved torn away from you.  I was certain that the money and education were little compensation for what he had gone through, but at least now he knew that he had been recognized for the sacrifice he made.  After that Maruge wanted to show me his garden and his goats, so we climbed off the rock and went behind his house into a huge dark green field that I had missed when I arrived in the dark.  Two parts of it were roped off; one for his two goats who Maruge called Baya and Bashira, and the other was for his little garden.  He showed me how to milk Baya and then let me milk Bashira.  We set down the pails of milk and he had me taste some of the vegetables and fruits in his garden.  Then we went inside and used his butter churn to make butter, then we took the rest of the milk to his "cheese hut" and he showed me how to start making goat cheese.  It was almost dinner time so we got some "ripe" cheese, a loaf of bread, the butter and some leftover milk and took it out to the field by his house.  It was amazing! We ate all of it, lay down on the green grass and waited for the stars to come out.  When they did it was magical.  I had never seen anything so beautiful before, they were so clear.  Finally I was tired enough to leave the wonderful view and go to bed.  It had been a great day.

  

My stop in Eldoret, Kenya

After visiting John in South Sudan, I stopped in Kenya.  I was invited to the village of Eldoret.



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