Liv in Kenya

 Last Sunday I moved in with the Kimani family for our three week urban homestay component. Both my host parents work for a marketing company, my host sister Ciku is 11 and on the swim team, my host brother is 16 and part of debate club, and my host cousin Kevin just graduated university where he studied physical sciences. My family also hires Jackie to live in the house and do the cooking and cleaning. Jackie is the sweetest and I've really enjoyed getting to know her. Part way through the week Elle, another SLU student, joined my homestay after hers didn't work out. Another sister!  During the week we've been traveling to The United Kenya Club in the center of Nairobi to take classes. All my classes have been interesting, but I'm especially enjoying the biodiversity conservation class, no surprises there.  On Friday we visited Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) which is an organization dedicated to community development through sports. MYSA has youth football tea...

 Longgg post coming up! We just returned from a week spent camping in Tanzania with Hadzabe people. The Hadzabe population is estimated to be around 1500, and they are one of the few remaining tribes of hunter-gatherer people in the world.  The Hadza are nomadic, staying at one camp for only a few months at a time. If water or game grow scarce, they move to a different location.   During our trip we traveled with Dorobo safari company, who have been partners with the Hadza since the 1980s, assisting them in securing land rights. This experience was absolutely incredible and has given me lots to think about.  The first night we camped at the base of the Eastern edge of the Great Rift Valley by a gorgeous waterfall.  The water was filled with silt from erosion.  The following morning we hiked up the escarpment of the valley to reach the highlands. The highland region is inhabited by many Iraqw and Maasai people. In the distance we could see Iraqw houses built...

 This week was bookended by food poisoning (and a trip to the hospital), but in between there were some good times. We hiked up Mt. Longonot which overlooks the Great Rift Valley and Lake Naivasha. During the hike we saw giraffes, buffalo, gazelles, and feral cows. A section of trail had been burned in a recent forest fire, making the air smell of burned sagebrush. After the hike we camped at Lake Oloiden, where we saw hippos from our campsite! Later that night is when food poisoning 2.0 struck, but I'll spare you the details...  Longonot last erupted in the 1860s, but still has some geothermal activity which the government harnesses for electricity. This picture was our first view from the rim of the crater.  On the way to the peak! Some very rugged hiking, lots of sand and dust.    At the top! 9100 ft of elevation - the highest I've ever been by far.   I absolutely loved all the acacia trees. They have little seed pods shaped like moons, and small yellow ...