Finding Happiness in the Himalayas: My week in Photos

We've just endured our last full week in Nairobi. (Noooooo!) We had our last day of Swahili class in which we had a party! Our prefects (Ally and Jack) planned our whole party which included all the goodies below. (Gingersnaps, chips, sweet potatoes, umbrella straws, chai, candies, juice, ice cream cake made by Addie and don't forget the CARROTS...which we're not touched...)

Our schmorgers board

Ice cream cake made by Addie--HODI!!!

My Swahili class with our Mwalimu Esther

Our gift to our Swahili teachers...we chose it because of the incredible use of English...
"Son, you make the ride of life much (?) smooth"
Karibu Kenya...

THEN later in the week we went to the Elephant Orphanage! This is where the Kenya Wildlife Service finds orphaned elephants in East Africa and brings them to the orphanage to rehabilitate them and set them free again. I am a bit skeptical to how this process works and how successful it actually is. We asked our Bio Professor, Sinnary and he was just as confused as us. Hmm..... Still I like the idea and the baby elephants were great. http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/
Side note: they do not feel like what you would expect them to feel like...they are hairy and rough..like sand paper! WOAH!

Each elephant has a "trainer" whom they follow around as an adjunct mother figure

Look! They really are rough and sand-paper-like

The older elephants (3-5 years old) can hold the bottles by themselves

Mud Bath

Cooling off

THEN on the weekend we went to a VERY FANCY hotel/restaurant called Rolfs place. http://www.rolfsplace.com/. We were wined and dined well not really wined, but I digress. It was some of the best food I have had in Kenya, yumm! Rolf passed away earlier this year but was a good friend of our Program Director Wairimu and so she was able to give us the whole scoop on him. He moved to Kenya as an orphaned child from Germany and started a restaurant business. When he died he left his (HUGE) estate and business to his third wife...when we met her she expressed she was slightly overwhelmed by the inheritance! ...I would be too...check it out!

Rolfs Place (his actual house)

Customers have to cross a bridge (over running water) to access the restaurant

My vegetarian meal...looks and was delicious. Potatoes, roasted veggies, mushrooms in a sauce, and vegetarian samosas!

Chloe, Kate, Haley, Emma, Conant and Sadie--Killing it

The "blue crew"--that's what Julia said as she was taking the picture

Eve's Advisees--holllaaaa

AFTER LUNCH, we went to a glass blowing factory and art gallery. I was blown away (pun intended) with the beauty and creativeness that was in this gallery. There was art represented by many different talented artists and we were also able to watch some one blow glass. Most of the sculptures were made out of recycled material. GO KENYA! This is by far one of the most under rated places I have been thus far in Kenya. I totally recommend it! http://www.kitengela-glass.com/

Our walk to Kitengala Glass through the cow pastures

Demonstration of glass blowing--yes he is holding that HOT BALL OF GLASS with newspaper....

I've really changed in Kenya (hehe)

Example of the beautiful work!

Incredible swing

Art sculpture--all recycled material!

THEN as the week progressed my friends (Julia, Emma, and I) wanted to check off a very big goal from our bucket list...visiting the TALLEST BUILDING IN THE WORLD! Jokes, isn't really the tallest building in the world...although it really feels like it. It is, however, the second tallest building in East Africa and in Kenya! This building is called the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC) and is about 29 stories high...crazy! When we got there we received a tour from the best public speaker and tour guide I have seen yet...Peter. He stressed that his office (which is really just the top of the building) is the best office of anyone in the world! What a funny guy. If you're ever in Kenya and want to get your barrings in Nairobi visit the KICC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenyatta_International_Conference_Centre

The TALLEST BUILDING IN THE WORLD...

Emma, me and Julia almost falling off! (Great photography skills, Peter)

If it were a clear day "you could see Mt. Kenya"....? Maybe if you have super vision hahah

We had a great adventure!

OUR LAST ADVENTURE was to the Supreme Court in downtown Nairobi. You're probably asking yourself...why does anyone want to go to the Supreme Court ever unless you have to... Great question! Well, we were waiting until we could go to the top of the tallest building (Newly indicted President Uhuru Kenyatta was greeting his members of parliament next door so we weren't allowed to the top of the building...thanks Pres Uhuru!) Anyhow, so as we were waiting, we went over to the Supreme court where we checked through security and then asked the guard there if we could go in. He looked at us and asked us why we would want to. Good point. We explained that we were students and had nothing better to do haha. He laughed and decided to give us a tour. Clearly, we were the first tour he had ever given (and probably will). He lead us to an office space and said "this is an office space...you can't go in there...is that okay with you?" hahah WHAT, yes of course it is okay with us. We then proceeded to convince him to let us into a real life court room. Sadly there were no court cases in session or else we would have been allowed to sit in on one...really he was going to let us. Only in Kenya. We then proceeded to take a photo shoot. It was an awesome spontaneous trip.

The Kenyan Emblem

The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court and statue of Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya's first president)

Mock Trial with Emma as the Judge and Abby as the wittness

Julia and Emma, looking goooood.

OUR MOST RECENT ADVENTURE was yesterday when we went to the Karura forest. The forest is located in the greater Naiorbi area surrounded by a spectrum of wealth --from the slums of Huruma but also near the wealthy neighborhoods of New Muthaiga. We planted 12 seedlings of indigenous trees. Guess I'll have to come back and see them in a few years from now! After the planting we walked to the waterfall which was a really awesome sight. The water was a vibrant red, orange due to the soil mixture in the water. The waterfall was flowing forcefully because of the rainy season...it was a really fun place to be!