Things have kind of been settling into a rhythm here at the orphanage, which is a bit of a mixed blessing. On the one hand, I'm getting a good idea of what the daily life here is like, how things are run, and all that jazz. On the other hand, rhythm makes for boring blog entries. One person's "rhythm" is another person's "rut". That's not to say I'm in a rut. But then, there is a sense of familiarity to everyday. I get woken up by a knock on the door for breakfast, I do some stuff, I get lunch, I do some stuff, the kids come back, I help with homework and play with them, I have dinner, I read to them, I do some stuff, and I go to bed. Thrilling.
Entry #014: Thursday, May 23, 2013 (Arusha, Tanzania)
Well, today is the third day that I have been working at the Samaritan Village orphanage in Arusha, Tanzania. Yep, my first volunteering gig, and it's at an orphanage. I don't remember why I chose to do an orphanage specifically. Perhaps I figured it's such an obvious choice for volunteering. Or maybe it's because my mother did something similar, and I figured "maybe me too!" If that were the case, I forgot one important fact, which is that my mother is a mother. With motherly instincts and abilities and all that. I most assuredly do not fall in that category, but screw it all, here I am! I'm still not totally sure about the whole thing; but even in the short time I've been here, I've learned a few things about myself.
Entry #013: Saturday, May 18, 2013 (Mombasa, Kenya)
So, today is the last day of the Kenyan leg of my journey, a bus ride tomorrow notwithstanding. On the whole, has this second half of my trip made up for the first half which got me so agitated? Um...kind of? It's definitely been the better of the two weeks, but it hasn't gotten me to a point where I can actually recommend traveling through the country with anything less than a baked-out plan. But let's not delve straight into my musings - it's too early to get too deep, and there's plenty to discuss regardless.
Entry #012: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 (Mombasa, Kenya)
So, you may have been unable to tell, considering my last blog
post was strictly about Italy, but I've actually been in Kenya for a bit now.
And so far, Kenya has been...welllllll...based on my experiences thus far, I
would say if you plan to visit Kenya, you should do so as a super-rich tourist.
Or at the very least, have your plans set from the moment you get there to when
you depart. I've tried going as a traveler (as that's been my platonic motto:
"I'm a traveler, not a tourist", though who knows how true that will
hold out) with the intention of winging it, and it hasn't quite worked out thus
far. Let's take a look.
Entry #011: Wednesday, May 8, 2013 (Nairobi, Kenya)
Wow, hi, it's been a bit. Sorry for the lack of posts the
last little while. To be honest, I did say upfront that I don't have a set
posting schedule, and there could be long breaks between posts, due to
activities, Internet connectivity, etc. Well, this time, it was more because I
was staying with family, and the time that I could be spent type-typing away, I
preferred to spend with my family. But now I'm super behind schedule, so let's
try to fix that.
So, Italy! I have to say, my time in Italy, compared to,
well, select days in Morocco, was been a cakewalk. Not just because I had the
opportunity to relax, but more people speak English, things seem a bit more
normal, and it's more expensive (hey, cakes are expensive, so the analogy
fits). Not as much really crazy stuff going on, but to be honest, I needed a
little decompression after Morocco. (And that's going to be something I learn
to build into my schedule from here on out.) I guess that would be pretty much
expected from a Western nation, but it was nice regardless.
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