in a world of chaos-i'm finding stability

So I initially sat down to start my grad school essays, but now I'm writing a blog-oh priorities in my life... 

First thing: I am currently watching a salamander climb up the wall-I love Kenya. 
That is just one example of things that are becoming normal to me...others include: being referred to as "mzungu" (white person) or "china" in the streets, the smell of burning trash, being surrounded by exhaust from matatus, muddy shoes, horses in the streets, playing frogger to cross the streets, cars driving on the wrong side of the road to pass traffic, new mosquito bites every morning, 'kenya time' aka everyone is late, houses without plumbing, slums, and the list continues...I must admit that the things I'm getting used to are a bit odd, but each one of these things I've listed are making my experience awesome. I like to think I've been a pretty open person up to this point in my life, but believe it or not, Kenya has opened me up even more. I am so much more flexible and able to go with the flow since I've been here...Kenya has opened my eyes to so many new things and I can't get over how much I've been exposed to in such a short amount of time.

"Be contagious"
These are words that I have heard/read many times in the past few days and it has really spoken to me. I'm noticing that the people I've been meeting through AYP live through this quote everyday. In their presence I can feel their energy and it is so powerful. They are constantly sending out positive vibes through smiling, laughing, encouraging one another, supporting one another, and just being present and open.

Friday I took another trip to Kangemi to hang out with the 10 or so boys who are from there. They are part of this club called Ghetto Arts Collective and the art they produce is pretty amazing. They paint, make cards, and bead together-they have used it as another way to stay out of the streets-and it truly is amazing. They invited me to come and learn how they do all of this, and even though my artistic skills are lacking, I decided to go. As soon as I got there they placed a paint brush in my hand and put a large piece of poster board in front of me and said to just try...such simple words coming from them. But putting my fear aside, I tried...and surprisingly I didn't suck!! They showed me some techniques that work for them, and they just happened to work for me too and I made 2 cards!! The support they provided me and the reassurance that they wouldn't laugh at me made me feel so comfortable. Their openness to everything in life is really inspiring and contagious. After the afternoon with them I headed home and received a text from one of them saying, "thanks 4 havng a heart to learn our artistic way of lyf gdnyt" Now how sweet is that...melts my heart.

Saturday's class was incredible. The room was absolutely packed and the heat generated was close to unbearable...but I loved it. There's nothing like starting the day off with a 2 hour really hot yoga class with a bunch of Kenyans. I have attended a countless amount of classes, but nothing compares to this Saturday morning class. I practiced next to Patrick and Francis this week and I think that kicked the class up to another level. These 2 guys are amazing yogis and really pushed me through the class. When we were holding the poses I could feel their energy surrounding me and it helped me hold out longer than I thought I could. At time I felt like giving up and dropping to the mat to childs pose, but they kept breathing and holding so I did too...During the balancing poses everyone in the room was roughing it...I could tell. Moses started asking people 'what is possible right now' and people just started shouting out answers-it was amazing. I heard 'freedom,' 'acceptance,' 'change,' 'power' and many more similar inspiring words. I liked how this was incorporated into the practice-people were shouting out answers that everyone could relate to...


At the end of each class, Moses reaches out to the students and asks, 'what opened up for you today' and I love this. It reminds me of being back at level 1 with Baron. I think it is so important to share and get in the habit of sharing things like this. Part of the yoga mentality is to face your fears, stand in front of a crowd, and share your experiences/thoughts, and this exercise forces everyone to do so. It creates a space for people to feel comfortable with opening up-it provides a safe haven. I haven't shared yet, but this week during my practice I was in warrior 3 and I wanted to give up so badly, but then I started thinking...."I'm in KENYA, practicing next to some of the most amazing people I have ever met, and they're all feeling the exact same way that I am...so why should I give up." So I didn't...I held a little bit longer, and then it was over. Moses had us release into a forward bend and I was ok...so basically what opened up for me was the idea of unity; this community I have tapped into has welcomed me with open arms and there is such a sense of togetherness-if you can't tell, I'm really enjoying it!


After the class, Emily and I hosted a small workshop geared towards improving English writing and also how to answer questions about themselves with hopes that this will build the necessary skills for communicating with their sponsors. We had questions varying from general personal information including age, relationship status, tribe, etc. to fill in the blanks similar to "for me yoga has made me a better person, now I am ______." The questions were provided by the people who are writing the book about AYP. Each teacher will have a profile with the answers displayed under their pictures.

This workshop turned out to be quite a challenge. Although some of them boast fluent English, their writing skills are lacking. Moses was standing at the front explaining the prompts in Swahili while Emily and I walked around and provided guidance on how to answer. I'd like to say it was effective and an educational experience for everyone, but I felt resistance from a lot of the instructors and I couldn't help but get the sense that some of them were annoyed with the whole exercise. Oh well, I mean it is essential that they strengthen their communication skills because the people providing the money for their meals will definitely want to be in contact with them...and they have to be able to speak/write in English in order to do so. The main thing I'm taking away from this experience is that there is a HUGE need for some tutoring with these instructors...which leads to my latest development...it's looking like I'm going to relocate myself to Kenya for a while. I will be returning to the states to take care of some things, but I intend on purchasing a one way ticket back to Kenya and will hopefully put together a plan with Paige on how to further educate/assist the instructors with their communication skills...


Continuing on with my Saturday...I ventured home after class and rested for the afternoon-Emily and I skyped with Paige for about 45 minutes about the next coming weeks and how we're going to tackle everything. After this I hopped in the shower and my night began. Billy, Paige's fiance, invited me to the Tusker Project Fame (TPF) show for the evening...TPF is the equivalent to American Idol but for East Africa. Conveniently, Billy and Billy had choreographed some of the dances for the show that week so we got tickets...well this was quite the experience. We got stuck in traffic on the way there so we were fashionably late...like the last people to arrive late. Ha-oh well we still ended up with pretty good seats and I mean we still made it in time to catch the whole show. Similar to any live show, there was an emcee to hype up the crowd, cameras everywhere, loud cheering, signs with the contestants names decorated on them, etc. Pretty standard-very similar to something you would find in the states...


So this night specifically was a night they were sending someone home-big stuff! The people who were placed on probation the week prior performed and were critiqued and then the decision time came. It was clearly down to Gabiro (a male from Rwanda) and Gaelle (a female from Rwanda). They both sucked-end of story, but only one was going home. My personal opinion-Gaelle should have been sent home; she has a horrible voice, terrible stage presence, and just lacks performing skills in general....BUT she's pretty good looking and a female-so OBVIOUSLY she didn't go home...poor Gabiro was sent home in tears...


At one point during the show they had a guest star perform...a child soldier from southern Sudan. Intense is an understatement. He sat about 5 seats to my right and I was intimidated by just looking at him. He was wearing combat boots, camouflage pants, a beater, and a hat and his outfit just screamed "don't mess with me." This man has seen things I can't even come close to imagining...his name escapes me now, but apparently he is an up and coming artist and starting to make a name for himself. His performance was just as intimidating as sitting 5 seats away from him was...there was just something about him-maybe it was how mysterious he was, but I just felt really intimidated in his presence.


After the show we went to the after party with Adu (Billy and Billy's friend who works for TPF). The party was eh, but the Billy's provided me with entertainment by making fun of people and randomly breaking out into dance moves. We left after having  a drink and ended up at Pizza Garden breaking it down to a live band and feasting on some pizza...needless to say it was a fun night out in Nairobi.


Sunday went a little something like this: woke up exhausted, blobbed around the house for a bit (which felt amazing) then headed to Emily's dad's hotel to the pool. AMAZING. I think this is the first day I actually didn't work-it's been a hectic past few weeks and it was really nice to relax by a pool and surround myself with good company. Emily's dad is in town for business and invited us to come enjoy the side of Nairobi I had yet to see...it was wonderful-beautiful pool, lounge chairs, fresh squeezed juice, and sunshine. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend the day. Then to top it all off-we went to INDIAN for dinner....my comfort food! It was obviously delicious and I went home with a full tummy and slept like a baby...


On to today...Monday. Unfortunately aerobics class just didn't work out today-the whole Kenya timing is inconsistent and left Emily and I sitting in the dance studio for 45 minutes with not even the slightest hint of anyone taking authority and starting class-we think that something might have been wrong with the sound system, and what is aerobics without some tunes...so we didn't end up doing aerobics today.


Buttttt we're in the process of figuring stuff out for the Emmanual Jal concert/yoga session on Saturday so it all kind of worked out. We met with some people and had Moses help us out a bit and it looks like we're going to have an awesome space for the class/concert on Saturday. Everyone should google Emmanual Jal-he is a child soldier who has really kicked off his singing career using lyrics that speak to his experiences-he has a pretty amazing album and his documentary is extremely moving-I strongly suggest that everyone check him out! SO yea, he's coming to AYP on saturday!!!! We're all pretty excited!


After some housekeeping stuff we had some more instructor interviews and then we started transcribing the workshop journals onto the computer-and this is where it started to get difficult. I know I mentioned how Saturday we realized the English skills were lacking, but the journals brought it to another level. Transcribing their handwriting and answers into coherent sentences is pretty difficult-I mean, we can understand the message they are trying to relay, but putting it into words that make sense is time consuming and tiring. BUT, we are finding a lot of interesting insight and inspiration within the lines of their writing...

Yoga has given me the opportunity to see the world in a new way. Now I see the world as a lesson and also as a teacher to every experience. The world is a very good place and we should all share it equally and make it safe for each other.

I feel connected to everyone in the world who practices yoga. I feel we all have one goal, one aim, and one destiny. We all want to make the world a better place, more like a paradise.

As a yoga instructor I have learned more about who I am. Now I am unmessable in life because I know how to create space before deciding anything no matter what the situation is. Also, I am healthy, loved, and comfortable with myself.

Francis' words are so moving and powerful...even on paper-so imagine him in person. I think his words have given me the chills more than I can count in the past 2 weeks. He has really used yoga to transform his life and it is quite inspiring.

One last thing I'd like to speak to/discuss is the fact that most of the yoga instructors are guys!!?? It is completely opposite in the states-I was having a conversation with the boys from Kangemi and they were all blown away when I told them that at my teacher training there were about 100 women and only 11 men. They all howled and couldn't believe it-they all started gabbing on and on saying they will come to the US and go to a yoga studio and find a girlfriend-haha. These boys are hilarious and I'm really enjoying getting to know them!

So that is all for tonight-I'm trying to stay true to my commitment of writing more often and so far I'm following through with it :) YAY for me!
I'd like to wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving and really think about what you are thankful for this year. I'm spending the holiday in Kenya with people who have next to nothing and I'm really learning what to appreciate and be thankful for...so I'm encouraging you all to do the same!
Until next time, Namaste-much love

Oh and again, the internet connection doesn't want to upload my photos so the fb link is:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2494631&id=14229274&l=9d3c91efd6
there's some really good ones-enjoy!

Creating space for Kenya

First thought/note to self: I really need to start writing more often because every time I sit down to post a blog I feel overwhelmed by how much I have experienced...

Current location: Java Coffee shop-aka free wireless-day 3...this blog has taken me longer than I'd like to admit-but I'm finally getting to it...also due to lack of fast internet I wasn't able to upload all of the pictures that I wanted but please visit: 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2494631&id=14229274&l=9d3c91efd6

to see all the wonderful people i've come encountered!

So it's been a few days since my last post and I wish I could throw each and everyone of you into the experiences that I have been going through-I think that would be the only for you to really understand exactly what I've seen...

Ok, so every Saturday there is a 2 hour community yoga class at Sarakasi (where I work)-all of the instructors are supposed to attend and anyone else is welcome to join. I would like to note that this was the first yoga class I have attended since the states (I've practiced, just not in an organized manner) so I was a bit nervous before class. The energy in the room was flowing while Moses guided us through the poses. Using various phrases like "the past does not exist," "where are you-if you are not here you are nowhere," "focus on your strength not your weaknesses" etc. I was able to keep up with the class-the class was intense in more ways than one-physically challenging and mentally cleansing, after 2 hours I was feeling pretty good. Practicing with everyone for the first time felt really good-I mean my entire time with AYP up to that point had just been interviewing the instructors, so to finally see them in their own element was pretty amazing. This may sound a bit weird, but practicing yoga together forms a unique bond-it's something about sweating and pushing yourself through different poses and going through the same thing that brings everyone to another level of understanding. Savasana was the best part of class-Moses had us pair up with partners and then he talked us through quite a relaxing/hands on final relaxation. We were pushing down on shoulders, walking up and down each others backs, applying pressure to certain muscles, and pretty much giving each other a "yogi" massage-it felt incredible...

After class everyone went across the street to a "hotel" aka a restaurant-and we had lunch. My lunch consisted of Skuma (kale) and chipati (similar to a tortilla) which was delicious! Every Saturday after class there is a free lunch available-usually it is an Indian vegetarian spread, but this week we went to a nearby restaurant. Following lunch I headed home, had a shower and then Kristina and Emily came over. We sat and chatted over a bottle of wine and then went to an Indian restaurant within walking distance of my place. YUMMMMM-Indian food has become quite a comfort food for me, and I must say the chicken tikki masala and garlic naan really hit the spot. Similar to the last meal I had with these 2, good company, good conversation, and AMAZING food made for a wonderful evening.

Sunday: The morning started out at the Maasai market at Yaya-the craftsmanship put into everything the people were selling blew my mind. Paintings, leather goods, jewelry, purses, shoes, wooden sculptures, key chains, literally anything you could possibly imagine was available at this market...and it was all hand made.

After strolling through the market for a bit we headed to Kibera (the largest slum in Nairobi) for another market. The Toi Market is a HUGE 2nd hand market that was quite an experience. A pathway winding through the market was a disaster-mud lined the stalls and a various rivers of water streamed through the center...no cars would even imagine passing through there. Each stall sold something different-women's clothing, under garments, sheets, curtains, baby clothes, jeans, sneakers, hiking shoes, you name it and it was there. The unique part of it all was that all of the stuff being sold is clearly from donation-everything is 2nd hand and brands were from the US and Europe...we sifted through some stuff but it felt weird to even think of buying something from here-even though it was super cheap and some of the stuff was cute-the stuff is there for people from Kibera and Nairobi, not for girls from the US who are looking for a good deal...

We eventually made our way to The Children of Kibera Foundation Girl's Club-every Sunday a girls club is sponsored for students from Red Rose School in Kibera (also where liz worked). This past Sunday was focused on teaching the girls how to bake cakes...and teach them some yoga. First off-most of the homes in the slums do not have ovens and so the lesson focused on teaching the girls how to bake a cake using charcoal instead...

These pictures don't capture the amount of life these girls were radiating. Amidst a life of chaos, crime, poverty, and mayhem, these girls were so happy to put all of that aside and hang with us for the day. It was so inspiring to spend a day with these girls...the power and energy I felt from them is indescribable. They are some of the happiest and most appreciative youths I have ever met and their love of life and learning was like something out of a movie. 

Leaving the girls was probably the hardest-they were pulling, hugging, and clinging to any sort of affection from me. I felt sad, needed, and happy that I had made such an impact in such a short time, but it was time to leave. I couldn't help but promise to return the next week and I have found myself really looking forward to it! So, Sunday I will be heading back to Kibera for an afternoon with the girls again!

Ok, so back to AYP...

Since we've started conducting the interviews of the instructors we've really gotten to know some of them and they are just as curious about us as we are about them...our conversations are now more of a dialogue...instead of us just asking them a ton of questions they're now asking us more. Thinking about it, it makes sense-why wouldn't they be interested in how we got into yoga and how we ended up in Kenya, what our lives are like in the US, how many siblings we have, etc. Needless to say, getting to know one another has resulted in some of the most intense conversations I have ever had. Conversations about religion, poverty, and politics are reoccurring and lead to some heated debates and are really making me thing-I love it.

One question I have been faced with more than once is: do you think yoga is a religion and if not, how do you convince others that it isn't? Initial answer: NO WAY...but after multiple times of trying to defend it and make a point, it kind of does start to sound like a religion and I can see how other people see it that way. I still firmly believe that it is NOT a religion but a way of life...people in Africa are used to having people/charities/aid coming into their countries and preaching religions and so when people come and start teaching yoga and saying it is a way to feel better and create a new lifestyle-obviously their automatic reaction is to resist it and assume it is a religion. Yoga is a way of life: it transforms and changes people in different ways, but it is definitely a good addition to anyone and everyone's life...

After a week in Kenya, I'm really starting to get a grasp on how yoga has changed these people's lives...for me to completely relay the impact is impossible but bare with me as I try to put it in writing...

"I would buy ganja and sell it to make the money. But with yoga I found using my hands and my mental mind I don’t need to buy ganja and sell. Now I do yoga and get money-so its like something that has changed and improved”

"Yoga is about giving and receiving...yoga is it, it is about one love, one unity, one connection for everybody."

"I want people to see me as a changed man...not the man I was before-I want to give back to the community what Paige and Baron have given me...hope. There is always hope and the community needs to look into the future and not get stuck." 

Survival of the fittest-people in the slums will do anything to make money. Stealing, hustling, gambling...you name it-they've done it...Yoga has provided these instructors with an out-they no longer have to do all of these illegal things because yoga has given them the opportunity to change their lives, to be good. This is where it starts to sound a bit preachy, but since I've been through the same teacher training that all of these instructors have, I get it...transform your life and you can transform others...it is a contagious way of life if people let you in. I see it in all of these instructors-they're all wiser than words and in age younger than me. They have lived a million lives more than I will ever live and yet they tell me "you're in inspiration for us." Excuse me...when they tell me that I don't even know how to respond-here these people are living in some of the worst conditions in the world, trying to change their communities telling me I'm an inspiration...lies-with 1 week under my belt, the amount of inspiration I have received is immeasurable. The way they strive for a better way of life is hands down the most inspiring thing I've ever felt.

I'd like to share one specific story that really brought up some intense emotions. We interviewed one of the female instructors (I'm not going to mention names for privacy reasons) but her story left both Emily and I on the verge of tears...what was your life like before yoga?

"I was not that good in books-like reading books and school, but in sports I would normally become the best. I was on a futball team and I was the youngest kind in the group. I was only 13 and the others were 19-24 and there was a huge difference. I wanted to play soccer but this group was not showing direction in life. I was about to start using drugs and they all did those like cocaine, injections, like all of those. I found I was always lying...to my mom like I was supposed to be home at 6 and I wouldn't come home until like 9:30 and I would tell her I had practice but our practice always ended around 4. It came to be a big issue of which my parents started knowing it and they started to say no. I found my group mates wanted to give me a boyfriend a I did not know what to do...I was like 'yes, no, yes, no, no, no, yes...' and I was just not sure. I was only 14. One day I was about to be raped...and those girls from my team arranged a group of 6 men who wanted to rape me. I was even locked in a room and I screamed and screamed...the neighbor heard me and he called all the other neighbors. I was even naked-this boy had torn my clothes off and they were ready to rape me and as the first person came towards me the door opened and the neighbors came. They were all caught and the police came and I was ok."

Her choice of words and the fact that her voice didn't crack once was amazing. She really lives by the idea that "the past does not exist." This is just something that has happened and she has moved on and become a strong and powerful woman. During the story both Emily and I teared up and at one point I almost lost it; her confidence in telling the story paired with the honesty was so real and left me with so many emotions-it was a sensory overload. Her attitude about the situation snapped me out of any tinge of sadness-something about her confidence and power to overcome such a traumatic experience was contagious and inspiring. 

One thing that's really opened up for me with all of this is the idea that these stories are no longer in the books or news for me. I've read countless articles and books laying out life in places like Africa, South East Asia, India...etc. but nothing can even come close to the emotions that arose from sitting in front of someone who has lived through it. And to see someone pull through such occurrences really makes me appreciate where I come from and the life I've been so lucky to have lived thus far.

Yesterday I ventured to Kangemi (one of the slums) to hang out with a bunch of the boys who are acrobats and yoga instructors. Brian picked me up at Westlands and escorted me via matatu to where they live. First thing: I stupidly asked if he still lived with his parents and then he very nicely explained that he never met his father and his mother passed away when he was younger...WOW I am an idiot-lesson learned...he further explained that his cousins, Walter and James (2 other instructors) are like brothers to him and they all live together at the same compound. To understand how these boys have influenced their community is impossible unless you walk through the streets of Kangemi with them. While walking to their compound we ran into SO many people he knew...he was constantly high fiving people in the streets and he would introduce me to them-most of them were their yoga students-amazing.

Their house/compound is indescribable...muddy walkways, just wide enough for 1 person, are the only way to access their place. Once we entered their compound I was instantly greeted by their grandfather-"Mambo!" and I gave him a quick hand shake and we continued through the narrow alley where we encountered Walter and James' mother next-she was beautiful...she asked me how I've been enjoying Kenya and told me that next time I would have to stay longer so she could cook for me-everyone I have met so far has been SO accommodating and welcoming-it is quite inspiring. We continued walking and ran right into Walter's room which was located next to Brian's. Tin roofs, wooden doors, single rooms, un-even floors, sharing a bathroom/kitchen area with multiple families-this is all the norm for them...and yet they are some of the most appreciative/happy people I have ever met.

My main motive for going was to watch them practice their acrobatics but it turned into a bit more than that...first I got to see where they lived and then I actually participated in some of their practices...

The place where they practice used to be a big open green area, but unfortunately the government has started digging a sewage/drainage system and their space has decreased significantly. The session began with a jump rope session-they told me to line up and just follow the person in front of me....UM okkkk-so the line started to jump into the jump rope and they were all counting...you had 2 counts to make it through the swinging rope. Great. It has probably been close to 10 years since I've jumped into a swinging jump rope, and I was pretty nervous. The first time I ran into the swinging rope, yelped a bit, but surprisingly came out without hitting the rope. After 2 or 3 times I actually started to feel comfortable and relaxed a bit...thennn they started doing tricks while jumping rope and that was my que to pull out of the line and play photographer. 

The talent that was displayed beats that of acrobats I've seen in the states. Flips through the jump rope, hopping in high push up position, juggling while jump roping, hand stands here, human towers there...ya know, a normal afternoon with friends.

**pictures**

Unfortunately it started to rain after only an hour and we ran to a nearby primary school for shelter. The school was a tin building with no electricity, a tiny chalk board, and close to no desk space...

Once the rain passed we made our way back to Walter's place where we hung out, watched some tv, listened to some reggae, had some tea and a snack, and chatted. It was such a good time and I'm so glad I decided to go.

Kariobangi…this was probably one of the most overwhelming/intense/eye-opening experiences I have EVER had. The morning started with Moses sending us off on a matatu-Emily and I made the mistake of forgetting to ask Moses the name of the stop we were supposed to get off, so we were riding blindly into the day. We eventually got off at the main stage at Kariobangi and we stuck out so badly. We were THE only white people in the area standing on the corner waiting for Patrick to come meet us. After a few phone calls and some confusion, he finally found us!

We followed him to the social hall where he was teaching a yoga class. The space was surprisingly much better than I had anticipated…the class began around 10:30 and started with 2 women and their daughters. The class eventually grew to 4 women, 1 man, and 3 little girls. His words guided them through a pretty intense practice but they were strong…we later learned that these women were his regulars and have committed to attending yoga classes. Distractions during the class included children crying, walking around, climbing on their mothers, and attempting to escape the room, but the students remained focused throughout the entire class. This was the most inspiring part-despite the challenges of space, childcare, and transportation, the students stayed committed to the practice and performed amazingly.

After the class we walked to a small fruit stand where Patrick bought the ladies a snack before they began their journey home. He told us that many of them come from far away and so he usually buys them a snack and provides them with transportation fares. One of his students is over 50, has 10 healthy children, and comes to class almost every week even though she lives over an hour away-that is dedication…

So our next stop was to Patrick and Catherine’s house. Catherine just gave birth to Tully last week-and wow was the baby little! We walked up 4 flights of stairs to their apartment in Kariobangi to find a tiny little baby girl wrapped up and sleeping soundly on the bed and Catherine hanging out. Catherine and Patrick met at the level 1 in Mombasa with Baron, and since then they’ve started a family!

Their place was overwhelming-and that might be an understatement…a tiny room maybe 10x10 with a full size bed, a crib, a small kerosene heater, speakers playing reggae, and some small bins storing rice, ugali mix, and beans. Culture shock: this was their home. There was no tv, no bathroom, no sink, no kitchen…nothing. Here was this brand new yogi family living a life I could never even have imagined. But their happiness and attitude towards life was inspiring. They were proud and excited to have us see their home…they showed us pictures of their families, their acrobatic groups, and their yoga accomplishments-the amount of life in that small room was thriving. The part that really warms my soul is when Patrick asked us to take a lot of pictures for them because they didn’t have a camera…they have this beautiful newborn baby and they had no way of showing her to the world. I was so happy to play photographer and snap away-they are such a beautiful new family and I am so glad I could help them out…

I have to admit, I almost couldn’t handle the situation. Patrick was heating water over the kerosene heater for his SHOWER!! A small baby was lying on the bed completely wrapped up, and we were just there. I’m still unsure as to how to process the whole experience, but it really opened up my eyes. Articles I’ve read have become so real for me since being in Kenya. It’s so easy to picture different places in your mind, but there is nothing like really being exposed to it. After we left and returned home I had a break down…from the story about the rape to seeing the house in Kariobangi, I just couldn’t handle it. I was skyping with my mom and while explaining everything to her I just broke down in tears. There’s no way I can fully describe the situations to you, but the impact it has had on me in such a short time is what I want you to realize. I couldn’t make any of this up and crying was my only out…I don’t want to feel bad because these people don’t want sympathy, but I honestly have no idea how else to express what I’m feeling. It’s sad, frustrating, overwhelming, exhausting, and leaves me feeling useless at times. My mom sent me a quick message saying, “Don’t carry the world on your shoulders! We all do our best to change the world but it is not easy or simple.” This is so true but its just so hard because I feel like any contribution I make isn’t as significant as it could be-but that is neither here nor there-I mean I am in Kenya…

So after an emotionally exhausting few days filled with processing that experience, I’m finally feeling better today! (By the way, this blog post has taken me like 4 days to post-my apologies!)

So this morning I went to a yoga class in a park…Walter and Azi were the main instructors, but it was really interesting because they incorporated some of the newer instructors in the class. So Walter began the class, Azi taught a sequence, then Brian, Sadick, and Francis each taught different sequences then Walter wrapped up the class. I find it so amazing to see this because it shows that Azi and Walter have really taken on a leadership role…they’re helping the other instructors by allowing them to teach parts of the class-Walter told me that they’re really trying to get them to feel more comfortable teaching adults because most of their classes are to children, and this is such a great way to do so. Seeing them helping one another is such an inspiration-it is just another thing to add to the list…they’ve got the whole yoga mentality down and they’re clearly in it to transform their communities and each other.

The class was hard, long, and left me feeling pretty good-at the end of class some people shared how we felt and I made a point to let them know how amazing it was that they worked together to teach the class. With changing instructors that frequently it is easy for a class to lose its flow, but it really worked for them…they have the system down and there wasn’t a disconnect at all.

“open your chest for the breath, open your heart for love, and open your hand to receive help” Francis was the last to share and his words left me with chills-here is this person, younger than me, spewing out these words of wisdom. I am so thankful that I am getting this exposure-I know I cannot fully understand the impact these people are having on me right now, but I know I will carry this experience with me for the rest of my life.

Ok I’m finally caught up…but I would like to write a bit about my living situation. When I first found out that Paige wasn’t going to be in Nairobi for the first 2 weeks of my time in Kenya I was a bit nervous…but there was need for that initial feeling. Billy and Billy have been awesome roommates. I’m starting to feel like their little sister-each evening we hang out, catch up on the day, and eat dinner together. We listen to music, watch tv, watch movies, have intense discussions about the world, and I’ve just really been enjoying getting to know them. As much of a culture shock living in Kenya has been, they’ve really helped me process a lot of what I’ve been going through with discussions and I’m thankful that they’re so open to listening to me and my experiences!

DONE-promises of a post sooner than later-and as always if you can, please donate to my fundraiser for AYP! Now that I’ve documented some of my experiences and shared them with you, I hope you can get an idea of how much fundraising helps…Namaste!

https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/ayoga/campaign.jsp?campaign=7

Oh and Paige, we're looking forward to your return! :)

the time is NOW-Adjusting to Kenya

I've made it!! I am settled and well in Nairobi and it feels good to be here. I feel like my entire trip thus far has been leading up to Kenya, and I'm finally here-its crazy! Unfortunately I have not uploaded any pictures yet and my camera cord is lost in the mix of my unpacking...so my apologies but no photos yet-hopefully next post!

So I arrived on Sunday and SO much has happened...obviously. And from the beginning...

My flight landed around 4 am Kenyan time-the flight was tolerable besides the fact that I actually fell asleep and then 3 hours later was woken up for the landing-customs went rather smoothly and I now have a pretty sweet Kenyan visa taking up an entire page in my passport. As I walked out of the baggage claim area I spotted James with a sign saying "AYP Krissy" and a huge smile came to my face-even though it was 4 in the morning, James was there to pick me up and man I was SO happy to see him.

The journey to Paige's house was about 10 minutes without Nairobi traffic...we had to ring the door bell a few times before they woke up to let us in the house but I finally got to a bed around 5 am and fell asleep for a few hours.


Around 9 Paige woke me up and we were off to a volunteers meeting...conveniently, Danielle (another volunteer) lives in an apartment complex right next door and so we met her at the top of the driveway and walked to the matatu stop with her. Matatus are the privately owned little shuttle buses that are a really cheap way of getting around the city. They look kind of sketchy but like I said, they're really cheap and once you get the hang of them they're pretty easy to use. But I am in yet another country where there are no driving laws. They will jam over 12 people in the matatus no problem-and there is one person collecting the money sitting in the back who manages the door and makes the deals with the passengers. So the ride from Westlands (where I'm staying) to Ngara (where I'm working) is 20 shillings-hmm about 25 cents...yea that's pretty effing cheap. The trip takes about 10 minutes with no traffic but from my experience, traffic is really inconsistent and the trip can sometimes take up to 40 minutes.


Nonetheless, we arrived at Sarakasi Dome and met up with Emily (another volunteer) and some of the yoga instructors. Here we chatted and made a plan for what we're going to accomplish for the month. Emily is here studying abroad and is interning for AYP and we are kind of partnering on a project...

AYP is starting a mentorship program in January where either individual people or yoga studios will sponsor the instructors here to give them a monthly salary of about $110. (Email me if you're interested in getting involved!!) and basically, Emily and I are collecting information on each instructor...i.e. where they're from, how old, how they got into yoga, what yoga has done for them, their biggest challenge in life, where they would be without yoga, where they want to be in a year...etc. All of this information will be put onto the AYP website with a podcast of them talking about their lives a bit and also a podcast of them teaching a yoga class. SO needless to say Emily and I have quite a lot of work to do in the next month or so because there are close to 40 profiles we have to create and also go to close to 40 yoga classes to record them...

After we laid out a plan/idea of how we wanted to approach this, we went up to the dance studio and had Margaret (an instructor) teach us a quick class of yoga to help her prep for her first private class the next day. She is amazing-Margaret is 20 and just got back from Mexico Level 1 with Baron Baptiste (the same teacher training I did), and WOW she's an amazing teaching. Her story is incredible-she grew up in the Kariobangi (one of the slums)...When asked "What has yoga done for you?" her response was:

"For me, yoga has made me a good girl-I don't have to steal anymore, now I can stand in front of people and not be shy-I can look people in the eyes"

It's hard to explain in writing how powerful this girl is, but in her presence you just feel her energy. She has changed her lifestyle drastically and yoga has given her an opportunity to get out...to change her life and help others in her community.

After her short class we headed back to the house-after unpacking a bit and getting somewhat organized, Paige, Billy (her fiance), Jacob (the Maasai warrior who was staying at their house for a few days) and I went to a shopping center to get some groceries and a sim card for my phone. The shopping center was very westernized-it looked like a mall I would go to in the states. First we had lunch-food is always a priority. We ate a cute cafe style place that was one of the most diverse places I have ever seen: Indians, Kenyans, Americans, Europeans-it was quite a mix of ethnicities which was interesting. I learned about Jacob's tribe and he ended up giving me a necklace (which I later found out was an engagement necklace?!?) The Maasai people are one of the largest lasting tribes who reside in both Kenya and Tanzania-there are warriors, herdsmen, and the women are known for their beading skills. Jacob told me a lot about them which is too much to write, but what I found really interesting is that they hunt lions and elephants for fun. I asked him why/what they do with the carcasses, and he simply replied there was no reasoning for killing them, just for fun and they usually leave the bodies for the vultures. I have done some reading up on the tribe since our conversation and found out that the government is trying to convince them to stop doing this, but how can the government change a way of life that has been instilled in these people forever? But that is a whole discussion I don't want to get into...

So we shopped a bit and then James picked us up and took us home. At this point, I was exhausted and Paige needed to pack for the states-she was heading home for 2 and half weeks to lead a workshop in Boston-so we all kind of just chilled out for a while...

Around 8ish we headed out to Pizza Garden for dinner. We met up with a couple that Paige knows from the states-they're here on a project mapping all of Kibera (the largest slum in East Africa). The food was good-ambiance was good-and music was amazing. Paige and her friends discussed the different difficulties they face on a daily basis trying to run an organization in Kenya...i.e. the corruption factor-visas-getting funding etc. It was really interesting to listen to because these are the people who are living/working in the field that I am probably going to get into.

After we finished eating, Billy and Jacob went to the dance floor and started jamming out pretty hard to the reggae/hip-hop tunes that were blasting from the speakers. (Oh, I forgot to mention that Billy is a professional dancer... ) Obviously I jumped in and started dancing with them and this was hands down one of the best dance sessions I have EVER had. Words cannot describe how much fun I had-there's nothing like a good introduction to Kenya with a solid night of dancing-and WOW Kenyans know how to dance...

Hmm-next we had James pick us up and when we got home I took a shower then said bye to Paige (her flight was at 4am) and went to bed...

Monday-so everyday there is an aerobics class at Sarakasi (where I work)...the dancers and acrobats who train there all participate in this class that is a mix of kick boxing, dancing, zumba, step class, and some yoga-basically it is a ridiculous work out session that gets really sweaty and has left my body sore for the past week. It is amazing.


So each day this week my mornings have gone something like this: aerobics class (kicking, punching, jumping, swaying our hips, hopping around, dancing...you name it-we did it) then interviews/editing interviews and my evenings have been varying...The interviews is where the reality of Kenya hit me...


I explained the types of questions we were asking all of the instructors, but to begin to explain the answers we received is impossible. The answers we got went something like this: "without yoga I would probably be dead" "yoga has inspired me to transform my community" "teaching the children and seeing how yoga gives them hope makes me feel good" "the most important thing yoga has taught me is to spread the love"-and these are just a few of the quotes we have received throughout the week


It is really amazing to see how far these people have come and the opportunities that yoga has given them. It is hard for me to relay the feeling I got from the interviews...the stories that each person told were amazing-I consistently got the chills-the way they spoke to us was so raw and like nothing I've ever experienced before. Yoga has given these people so much more than you could imagine-they have completely changed their lifestyles to a way that is giving instead of taking...and the most amazing part about it is that they recognize now why they need to change their community. A majority of the 17 people we have interviewed this week have talked about how they used to steal, gamble, drink, do drugs, etc. and now they are healthy-physically fit-and reaching out to their community trying to help the people that are stuck. I wish I had the energy to write each individuals story here but thats just not practical-eventually each instructors story will be posted on the AYP website and I will be sure to post that on my blog whenever that happens so you can read for yourself the amazing progression of these people's lives.


One specific conversation I would like to share is one I had with Basilio...we were chatting after our interview and he started to ask me a bunch of questions-he was kind of doing his own interview on me...I was getting questions like "what is it like int he US" "how much do yoga classes cost there" "how many people do yoga" "how different is it from Kenya" "what do people our age do"
WOW-answering these was really hard...where do you begin to explain a life that is SO completely different than that in Kenya. I started with an explanation of how most people our age go to school-not just primary school-but high school and college-then I told him how yoga classes can cost up to $25 a class and he couldn't believe it...I explained the idea of a yoga studio and how you can basically find yoga in every city/town in the US-then he proceeded to ask me if I had a car...I was starting to feel like quite a brat at this point...Yes I have a car-yes my parents have a house-yes I have my own room-yes I went to college-and the list goes on...I know I can't feel bad for this kind of stuff, but it really puts things into perspective-the lifestyle we live in the US is so hard to explain to people...it's almost embarrassing to be honest...


OK-moving on...so Monday night I went home and I hung out with Jacob for the evening...he told me more about the Maasai people and his life (he has 2 wives, 9 children, 20 cows, over 150 goats...he's killed many lions and elephants and is proud of it, etc.) We sat around did some handstands then he made dinner for the house-dinner consisted of ugali (a Kenyan starch? tastes interesting-basically is kind of tasteless and takes on the flavor of whatever you eat it with), spinach, and a meat dish-to be honest I actually really enjoyed it...I'm not a picky eater but I was still pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. Hmmm-we watched some tv, chatted a bit more then I went to sleep.


Tuesday afternoon-returned home thankfully before the rain (conveniently I have arrived during the rainy season-awesome) to an empty house. I hung out for a bit-blogged for a bit-then Billy's sister came over. Edna was awesome! She is 20, lives in Kibera, and is studying PR and communications at the University of Nairobi. She didn't know if anyone was home but showed up anyway and I'm really glad because we had really conversation and now I have a guide for when I go to Kibera this weekend...we talked about various things like school, her life, my life, things we enjoy, etc. She was beautiful-I really enjoyed her company and am so glad that we met. We exchanged numbers before she left and we have plans to meet up this Sunday when I go to Kibera...


Wednesday evening-Emily invited me over to her apartment to make dinner and hang out with her and her roommate-YAY friends :) so after work we walked to her place...she lives in city center and in close proximity to everything. She is a junior at Colby (in Maine) and from Baltimore originally and is in Nairobi studying abroad through the St. Lawrence program-what a small world-same program miss Lizzie Bogosian is on. Her roommate, Kristina, actually goes to St. Lawrence and knows of Liz, and knows Grace and Scotty-weird how small the world is...and its funny now that twice on my trip miss Bogosian has been a common connection for me and various people I have met-I love the randomness of life...
So Emily gave me a brief tour of the city while we were out buying some stuff to make for dinner. I'm so thankful for meeting her-she's a really cool girl and definitely someone I will be friends with for a long time. After the grocery shopping we went back to her apartment and hung out until Kristina came home-Kristina is also a very cool person and I'm glad to have been introduced to her...the 3 of us have made some plans for the weekend that I'm really looking forward to...I'm going to Kibera to the Red Rose School (where Liz worked when she was here) and we're also going to shop and walk around various markets...
In a joint effort we made rice and stir fry-how Asian of us-and sat down to eat like a family. It was great-we had some really stimulating conversations as well. We talked about various religions, how women are treated around the world, the craziness of Kenya, the corruption within countries, and different educational obstacles that the world faces. Their company was amazing and I can't even explain how happy I am to have met them...


Ok onto Thursday-today was interesting...the people we interviewed were very well versed in English and began to explain a lot about their ghetto and how things work. Brian (one of the instructors) told us about how this one man-some sort of police official-has come into their slum and his way of dealing with thieves is just to kill them. The thieves receive one warning and then if they are caught a second time this police man hunts them down and literally will shoot them right there on the spot. He will go to their houses, their hang out spots, basically if he sees them he will shoot them right there point blank. Brian said he has killed over 500 criminals in the past 6 months!!! I can't even really wrap my mind around this, but he explained to me that now their slum is much safer and even though it is a really unconventional way of dealing with crime, the official is the one who can take the credit for this. WOW 500 people in 6 months...that's ridiculous-I cannot even comprehend that, but it's their reality...that is what goes down here in Kenya...so yea-let that one soak in and my next blog will consist of my observations and descriptions of their slum because I will be visiting it/attending a yoga class there in the near future.


alright-enough blogging for the day-I think I've sat long enough at this coffee shop-but hopefully I will be able to upload some pics/write more soon! AND as always, it would be awesome if you could donate if you haven't already!! I've written only a brief description of what goes on here, but clearly the money would be going to a good cause!!


https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/ayoga/campaign.jsp?campaign=7

Salam-a taste of Egypt

Egypt.

Where to even begin…I had 3 days in Egypt and boy did I see a lot. Like I said in my previous post, I initially just planned this segment of my trip because Basel had suggested I stop in Cairo, but it turned out to be more than I could have ever imagined.

Starting with my hosts-Basman and his wife Reem are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. Welcoming me into their home and being my tour guides-I could not have asked for more. So since my last post I swear I have walked through thousands of years of history…

First were the pyramids-obviously. Coming to Egypt my main motive was to see the pyramids-I remember learning about them in grade school and being amazed by the fact that the Egyptians were able to build such large structures without the machinery we have today. I must say, seeing them in person was breathtaking…

Reem and I were driven to one gate where we were bombarded by school children…the driver handled the situation very well-I mean if it was me driving I would have freaked out and probably ran a kid over. I am not kidding when I say we were surrounded. Kids in their teens were everywhere and as soon as they saw a foreigner (me) in the car, they started banging on the windows, screaming “HELLO-What is your name” and any other phrase in English they knew. It was kind of scary to be honest; there were people/children every which way you looked and there was clearly a lack of authority of the area. So after being bombarded and refused entrance with a car, we turned around and went to another entrance…we finally arrived at the gates around 10 am where we quickly decided to hop on a horse and buggy ride around to avoid walking the entire tour (yes we are lazy) and the crowds. The area where we loaded the buggy was disgusting…trash combined with camel and horse feces gave off such a foul odor I had to cover my nose. Reem quietly told me to ignore the mess and that we would be on our way shortly. After she discussed the price (I have found that all of Egypt is a constant negotiation) we were off.

The Pyramids of Giza consist of 9 pyramids total. The largest one standing 146 m high, with over 3 million blocks strategically put together, it was incredible. There are 3 large pyramids and each one has 3 smaller pyramids for the sons of the kings. The whole process of building these structures will never cease to amaze me. With each block weighing close to 3 tons, and each pyramid consisting of more than 2 million, I still cannot believe they pulled off building them. According to history it took close to 10 years to transport the stone up the Nile, 10 more years to carve each into a block like form, and 10 more years to build the pyramid. 30 years for one king-that’s commitment/he must have been preeeetttty important. What I found really interesting was the burial sites that lined the road side; thousands of workers were buried here during the construction of the pyramids. Mass graves always kind of weird me out, but I still think it is really amazing because the Egyptians hold it as an honor if you are buried here. 

The tour guide leading our chariot was pretty informative and made sure to stop every so often for us to get some good pictures and to allow us to take it in. Although Reem only lives 5 minutes away, she said the last time she had been there was when she was in grade school!

The pyramids were obviously incredible but I still think they are a huge tourism money maker for the Egyptian government. Either way I did really enjoy finally making my way there and seeing them in real life. After about 2 hours on the carriage, we were finally done and hopped in the car and headed home.

I rested a bit in the afternoon before the kids were brought home from school. I played with Nazem and Nadim for about an hour just tossing/kicking a beach ball and running around the flat. After this we loaded up the car and the kids and Reem went to her mother's house and Basman and I went off on quite a tour.

Our first stop was a beautiful section of Cairo. One of the oldest sections of town, we walked through small alley ways, through old gate doors and stumbled upon so many historical sites.

We toured a beautiful mosque that was lit up so beautifully at night. The intricacies and details of the patterns engraved in the mosque are unlike anything I have ever seen. Islam does not allow pictures/paintings, so unlike European chapels and churches from this time, there are so many patterns and designs used to decorate mosques. It is interesting to try and understand the reasoning for no paintings and such for artwork, but due to this beautiful patterns were developed and displayed through so many mosques.

The next place we went to was one of the oldest houses in Cairo. It consisted of close to 360 rooms for all of the wives and servants of the trader who owned the estate. The place was absolutely incredible-a large foyer/courtyard area where all of the rooms looked over. The space has since been restored and is now used for artists space. The border opened up one of the rooms for me and showed me through this windy staircase up to a beautiful studio for an artist. If I was at all artistic and lived in Cairo, this is where I would definitely want my studio. The architecture was so unique and would be an inspiration for any type of artwork.

After walking through this we made our way to the Bizarre. Dating back to the 10th century, this has to be the first form of a mall. Vendors lining the alley ways selling various goods from scarves, hookahs, jewelry, papyrus, tourist gifts, and many other little things. This area reminded me a bit of the old city in Jerusalem. Probably dating to around the same time with similar influences, they both held a very interesting character that I've never experienced. The bizarre gives a new definition to outdoor market for me. People grabbing at me, saying anything in English to get my attention-everyone was trying to sell their goods to Basman and I.

We walked around here for a bit and ended up on the 2nd floor of a building in the jewelry section to meet a friend of his parents. At the top of the steps we found a fragile old man waiting there with 2 cups of tea for us. He was adorable-he has known Basman's family for over 50 years and has designed a large amount of jewelry for his family. Basman and the man chatted for a while and I sat and took in all of my surroundings. I was still in awe with the history within this part of town. After they were done chatting he walked us out and down the steps and concluded our visit telling me "you are walking down a set of stairs that are over 1000 years old." WOW.

From here we called Ali to come get us and we picked up Reem and went home. I prepared some things for the next day and passed out in a heart beat.

OK-next day in Egypt-traveling to Alexandria.

So Basman felt that I needed to see Alexandria and the more Grecian influences that Egypt has had in their history so we woke up pretty early and headed out on our journey. Ali picked us up around 9 and we started the 2 and half hour drive.

The first stop we made was at the citadel. This was built during the crusades to protect the city and the port. The building itself was amazing and the surrounding views were even better. Looking out on the Mediterranean, the archers and protectors of the citadel definitely had a beautiful view while waiting for an attack.

We walked through the entire citadel and chatted about the history and significance of the place. Basman made sure I saw each and every nook and cranny of the place-from the archers stake out places to where the grounds men rested-walking through a structure such as this that holds such character and significance was out of a book or movie. 

Our next stop was to the library of Alexandria. Built in the past 10 years or so, it has a very unique architectural design. At first I was like “why are we going to see a library” but once I entered I realized how amazing it was. The interior was strategically designed to allow light in at all times of the day. With close to 8 floors, the place was massive. Housing probably 4 museums ranging from textiles, artwork, history, and manuscripts, we did it all. Taking us over 2 hours to scrape the surface of the information and displays available, I definitely got to see a lot. I saw artwork and clothing from the first centuries-I also got to see copies of the Torah, Koran, and Bible from the 3^rd and 4^th centuries. These documents were in dialects I have never even heard of or seen before-needless to say it was really impressive to walk through the manuscript museum and look at these historic documents.

Making our way to the rare book collections, Basman showed me a book from the 18^th century that was published and created by Napoleon. Napoleon traveled to Egypt in the 18^th century and brought with him 3 artists who documented everything from various historic sites to the types of reptiles in Egypt at the time. It literally is an encyclopedia for Egypt and the pictures are on a level of detail that I could never describe. There are 3 copies of this and it is a very important thing to Basman because his father actually restored one of them. It has since been donated to the University of Cairo and no longer remains in his family, but he is very fond of it and I could tell he was really proud to have once been able to claim it as his own. 

Around 4:30 pm we left the library and called Ali to pick us up. At this point we were starving and couldn’t wait to sit and get some fresh seafood. Basman asked around to find out the best place for fresh fish and after some navigation difficulties, we found it. After we were seated we were instructed to walk up to the counter and literally pick out the fish we wanted to be cooked. Considering I had no idea what kind of fish each one was, and Basman was having a hard time translating to English the types of fish, I pointed to one and told them I wanted it grilled and hoped for the best.

Absolutely delicious-the fish came filleted and whole. It was grilled on an open fire and then doused in a tomato based sauce which was fantastic. Basman was surprised that I actually ate/liked the fish-he made a few comments on how people from the US think fish come in patties and thats it...so needless to say I proved him wrong as I devoured the food!

After the meal we hopped in the car with Ali and made our way back to Cairo. I fell asleep for most of the ride and when we got home Reem insisted we have some dessert before bed. Obviously I could not decline...the Egyptian delicacies she got were amazing. The fluffy little puff pastries dipped in honey were to die for! So I ate like 4 of them and then went to bed.

Next day. 

SO Saturday was kind of hectic and had to be planned carefully because I had to be at the airport around 7 pm for my flight to Nairobi. I woke up in the morning and had breakfast with Reem and Basman and we were off again.

Basman decided to take me on a tour of the historic religious sites of Cairo for the morning. The first place we stopped consisted of a synagogue, a Greek Orthodox Church, a Roman Catholic Church, and the first mosque in Egypt. Each of these places was built between the 2nd and 12th centuries and consisted of such unique architecture. To explain each in detail will take me hours upon end, but I do want to make sure to acknowledge the fact that each religious site I went to in this area was more amazing than the first. The history that was present throughout the area blows my mind-thousands of years within a few square blocks...nothing that I write could ever do the descriptions justice. A few things to note about this is the fact that Jesus Christ hid from the Romans for a few weeks in this section of town and also, the place where Moses arrived is right next to the Catholic church.

the Greek Orthodox Church

Roman Catholic Church

The First Mosque in Egypt

After the morning at the religious sites, we made our way to the citadel in Cairo. Unlike the one in Alexandria, this one was actually never attacked. They built a huge fortress and it was never used as a site for battles-which I suppose is a good thing. The area was used by leaders in the past as a place of residence and also a place to pray. There were multiple mosques on site built from the 4th century to the 10th. Again, these structures were immaculate and kept in very good condition. Mohammad Ali (an Egyptian king) actually built the largest mosque on site in the 18th century. It was absolutely beautiful...he brought more of a European influence to Egypt and the mosque shows the influence.

Similar to before, no words can describe the intricacies and details that were displayed in the citadel. The place was absolutely humongous! After about 3 hours of strolling through different palace wings, museums, and mosques, we finally headed back to the house.

Here I quickly packed up my things, had a final meal with Reem, Basman, and the boys, and Ali was there to take me to the airport. 

I hate to say this, but I had heard from people that you could do Cairo in a few days and there was no need to spend that much time there, but after my experience and having amazing guides, I will have to take a trip back. I did not have enough time to explore as much as I would have liked, and I definitely did not get enough of the food-which was amazing! Needless to say, Egypt is full of culture and history-a lot more than I was aware of, but now that I know I will make a point to return at some point in the future.

As of right now I am actually on my 3rd day in Kenya and have TONS to write about, but I feel as though this post is plenty to take in. I will start my next blog in the next day or so-but in short-Kenya so far has been amazing! I started my volunteering yesterday and it has already been quite an experience. The type of exposure that I am getting to the Kenyan culture is indescribable but I am sure I will try in my next post!

Again, if you can-and now it is more real than ever-donations are still being accepted on my page. Once I get more into my volunteering I will be posting more photos and descriptions on exactly what I am doing so you can have an idea of where the money goes!

https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/ayoga/campaign.jsp?campaign=7

Promises of a post soon!!