Adventuring to Crescent Island

Hello all! I have officially been in Kenya for two weeks now, and I have done so much! It has been great meeting some of the staff here at RVA, and getting my house set up. I have taken tons of pictures and done tons of things - too much to write about it all here.

I thought today that I would share pictures from my trip to Crescent Island on Lake Naivasha. Crescent Island is where much of the film "Out Of Africa" was filmed. And when they were making the movie, they brought in animals to make it seem more African. The animals were left at the end of production, and now it is an animal park that you can walk around on. 

Crescent Island on Lake Naivasha

We took a boat ride over to the island so that we could see some hippos along the way. So, without further ado, the pictures:

Katie and Carolyn ready for the boatride

Waterbuck grazing by the lake

A hippo checking out the boat as it passes 

I saw a hippo!

Crescent Island

Another shot of the island and the lake

A herd of wildabeests

Zebra grazing in front of acacia trees

More wildabeests and zebras

Can you find the giraffes hiding in the trees?

There they are!

1 month old giraffe

A couple more giraffes eating from the trees. 

Katie watching the giraffes

Me with Mt. Longonot in the background

An impala skull

Another shot of the lake from the island

It was a fantastic trip out to the island, and very fun to adventure before the craziness of the term begins. I am working on getting lesson plans ready and watching auditions to select the choir members for this year.

Thanks for reading, and I will post again soon with more adventures!

Day 1

Good Morning from Nairobi Kenya! After 20 plus hours of travel, I made it to the Guesthouse in Nairobi around midnight last night. A hot shower and a comfortable bed were such welcome comforts.

Courtyard at the Guesthouse in Nairobi

This morning I am feeling awake and refreshed and ready to head out to Kijabe and Rift Valley Academy. We will make a quick stop for some shopping before the hour and a half drive to the school. I will try and post a longer blog after getting settled and (hopefully) getting some good photos of the school and my apartment.

Thank you for the prayers for safe and easy travel. Love to you all!

The Final Countdown

You guys! It's August! Which means I am just DAYS away from boarding a plane and flying to my home for the next year in Kijabe, Kenya.

These past few months of preparation have just flown by and now I am checking the final few things off my to-do list. Last minute shopping, preparing my traveling documents, and mentally preparing for a huge life change.

The great news is:

I'm 100% Funded

It is such an amazing thing to have raised my full amount in just 2 months. And I want to say thank you for all the contributions and support. You are amazing people.

I have really cherished this summer at home with my family and friends here in the Pacific Northwest, and it has helped prepare me for this next year away from home.

All I can really be is excited for the adventure I am about to have and the people I am about to meet. Again, thank you for being with me on this journey, and I look forward to share my adventures and stories with you.

Please pray for:

• Safe traveling. 
• Good rest in these next few days. 
• That my luggage arrives in Kenya at the same time that I do. 
• Great time getting settled in to my new community before the students arrive. 

#KenyaBound!