Thursday June 18th
Somehow the week has already passed! The transition to BIOGI has been challenging. The sleep deprivation has set in and the adrenaline has worn off. Here at BIOGO there is less space to roam and find your place. I truly do miss playing soccer everyday and when I first arrived here I wasn’t ready to mingle with the new staff. Arriving at BIOGO, I realize that the locals fascination with mazungus has become less amusing. It is common to shake many hands, smiling for various selfies, and ignoring requests for my phone number throughout your walk outside the gates. I have a hard time saying no knowing that it is just curiosity and excitement. I can’t imagine what it may look like from their perspective living in a small town and never experiencing ethnic diversity.
Now that I have cleared my thoughts of my struggle, I want to touch on the beautiful parts of BIOGI. It is 6am and I am sitting in front of a fire made right off of the front porch. It’s a bit chilly here in comparison. In the mornings and evenings I bundle up in my sweatshirt. It feels like a chill summer night on the lake. In the mornings water evaporates off of the grasses along the river creating humid air. The area is mountainous and covered in a lush landscape. It is much more tropical than the DNRC.
Yesterday, I woke up early for a short body weight workout before going out for a stroll to the river. I watched the water evaporate off the banks of the river as I watched the sun rise over the topical trees. The experience was slightly tainted by a man in is corn field speaking to me in Swahili and asking me to join him. But sometimes you just have to laugh and at the unfamiliarity. Everything that bothers me here will be a memory I miss. Gracie and Holly met me at the water after their run. We walked back up the hill together. Sometimes I feel like Holly doesn’t like me which probably isn’t true but it stresses me from time to time. I want to get her better but she’s not always the warmest. She has a lot of people to keep track of.
Ferdanan, the site host, was our teacher for the day as we learned about bio-fertilizers. We spend the day mixing up natural materials rich in minerals, microorganisms, and organic matter. It may not sound amusing but Ferdanan is a funny man passionate about soil. He made the lesson interesting and engaging. Often when there are hands on tasks, I take the back seat but yesterday I decided to join in. It was fun that Holly was rooting for me as I was shoveling cow dung and ash into the pile. I appreciated that.
In the evening, I played some kickball with Blaise, Holly’s 10 year old son. I absolutely love his whimsy and imaginaton. I love to play, maybe more than Blaise. Even when I am tired my body is ready to run. We had a good laugh while I waited for Riley to go for a run. Riley and I went on an evening ran. Mumbi walked so I met her on the way back to chat. The evening was peaceful sitting around the fire with everyone. What a blessing to have good food and be surrounded by good people. What a time to be alive roaming around Africa.
At least once a day I have to stop and pinch myself. It’s hard to fathom I am on the other side of the world floating through life. It feels oddly normal to be here. Sometimes I feel more comfortable with the locals than I do figuring out group dynamics. Big groups have always been a bit difficult for me. Especially after some bad experiences traveling in the past in Puerto Rico and Ireland. I am easing into it. I know everyone is fantastic though and being in tight quarters is pushing me to be present with them.
Today is another beautiful day in Kenya. This is the experience of a lifetime. I don’t plan to take a minute for granted. I can be tired, crabby, and upset at home. Before I know it I will be back home, so why waste my time here? Gratitude with deliver a day of greatness.
Wired to Wonder 