3 Continents To My Name

So, lately I had my facebook status set as "Mandy is remembering why she came here."  I will tell you why.  But first, understand that facebook is vital here.  Almost as vital as youtube.  Almost...facebook keeps me and all the other Abrams people (my fellow dormmates) connected and abreast of all our schedules, travels, and minute-by-minute updates.   Youtube is vital because our TV stinks here and we only get weird military channels that have weird military commercials.  Some of my favorite military/AFN commercials are the ever popular "Don't shake your baby" commercial or the "Do you know what a terrorist looks like?  Could look like me....me...me...or even YOU."  That one scared me for a full week.  But I digress.

I am remembering why I came here because I am in the midst of planning an 8 day trip to Kenya.  AFRICA.  Which would mean that I have been on 3 of the 7 continents.  And maybe if I go to Australia someday I will make it four!  Distant dream of mine....Well, here's how it all came about.  One day at work, I go into Staff Caf for a wonderful meal of wilted lettuce, rice, and mystery meat in mystery sauce and someone behind says, "Hey, sis!"  I turn around slowly, and see a very tall girl with long black hair looking at me expectantly.  "Heeeey," I say.  She then lets me know that we have the same last name, and ever since I got here people have been asking her about her "sister."  But we had never met!  And she freaked me out a little!  Long story short, we start talking, realize we have lots in common and she starts telling me about her dream trip to go to Kenya.  Then the invitation comes.  Can I go to Kenya?  Talk about total culture shock - lots of expenses and shots - my body becoming possible bush meat for wild animal - the fears go on.  Then Gina (Gardner) says, "Before you think anymore, you going to have to meet the Kenyan."

We leave for this great bar and restaurant called Glashaus and soon I am meeting said Kenyan.  Whose name is Jeffrey, btw.  That kinda threw me off.  But I got quiet and listened.  He starts talking about his homeland, the everyday dangers at the watering hole in his village where there are stampedes between certain hours of the day, and if you get caught there, it will mean certain death.  Remember the part in "Lion King" when Simba is almost trampled by wildebeasts?  Disney actually got that right.  Jeffrey also tells us about the time his auntie was killed by a run-in with an elephant.  She was walking down a path and around a bend and there is an elephant (equally surprised) about twenty feet away.  He charges her, picks her up with his trunk and throws her about several hundred yards away.  That's the end of that story.  Jeffrey has lived in the bush his whole life as part of the Masai tribe (the largest tribe in Kenya) and has had to kill two lions with a spear to survive.  That's right - a spear.  He tells us that he is known in his tribe and in Nairobi and that as our guide, we will be treated with respect and not be swindled by the Africans who see only our shiny light hair and our shiny money.  Some of the experiences we would have would be to feed wild giraffe out of our hands, drink blood in a village ceremony, eat crazy bush meat in a restaurant where we lift up a flag if we're hungry and they will bring us alligator, elephant, lion, etc.  But the best of all:  a SAFARI.  Jeffrey is friends with a man who will be our guide and take us on a real safari.  All of this sounds a little crazy, maybe a little dangerous, but I would be surrounded by two great friends (Gina and Kate, her roommate) and a very nice Kenyan.  So, Mom......don't worry, kay?

Ciao Ciao!