Safari pictures galore!

While my sister and uncle were in Kenya visiting me for Christmas, we adventured to the Masaai Mara for safari. It was one of the most incredible trips I have ever been on, and it made me fall more in love with this beautiful county I get to live in. We stayed at the Fairmont Mara Safari Club, which I would recommend for any non-residents to stay at for safari, because you go in the conservancy and not the main park, which means you don't pay the exorbitant Mara fees for each ride. It was also just an incredible resort to stay at. It's a tented resort, right next to the river, with amazing staff and fantastic service.

Each day we had two rides into the park, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each one of our rides lasted two and a half to three hours. And it was simply gorgeous each ride, even when it poured rain on us. We saw so many animals on our rides: elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, lions, dik-diks, Thompson Gazelles, wildebeest, Topi, rhinos, hyenas, hippo, warthogs, impalas, ostriches, and so many more. 

All three of us wished that we had more time, but at least we have hundreds (if not thousands) of pictures to keep the memories alive. Without further ado, happy scrolling through the few photos I chose to share!

sister and uncle at the Fairmont main entrance

My sister and I shared this luxurious tent. #glamping

Our view from our deck

A lion couple resting on their "honeymoon"

We visited a Masaai village one afternoon

A tower of Giraffes

One of the two hyenas we spotted

Stuck and waiting to be towed out of the creek

Another day, another chance to interrupt the lion honeymoon

Buffalo country

Elephant sighting!

A gorgeous backdrop for the ostriches

White Rhinos - Queen Elizabeth and Kofi Annan

My favorite shot

Add caption

Sometimes you get a flat tire while on safari 

I spotted this hippo on one morning drive.

Wildebeests

A lioness hunting in the rain

She was not fazed by our truck

Queen Elizabeth

The ever elusive safari paparazzi

The end. 

2 Months Later...

Hello All! I am SO sorry for the two months I let go by without posting anything on my blog. I have many drafts of many different posts saved, but for some reason did not finish any of them. Being on a break from school gave me the chance to take a break from everything, including the blog. So I'll do a quick recap for each month that went by!

November

•  Our Christmas concert - this went so amazingly well. All of the ensembles did a fantastic job, and I am so proud of my students in string ensemble and choir.
• Finals and American Thanksgiving - yes, our finals week fell on Thanksgiving. I got to have two thanksgiving meals that weekend. They were delicious, and it was so nice of the staff here making sure that all the singles had places to go.
• Kuimba Pamoja - I took 8 students to a music festival in Nairobi at one of the high schools. There they had the chance to sing with 50 students from other schools and work with an amazing conductor from England - Dominic Peckham.

December

• AIM Eastern Region Conference - the day that students left for their December vacation, AIM missionaries from around Kenya and Tanzania arrived for the yearly conference. It was great to spend time with people from other teams and hear about what AIM is doing in different parts of Kenya and Tanzania.
• Many goodbyes - once conference ended, I said goodbye to three of my very good friends from the first 4 months living in Kijabe. Emily, Katie and Liz were all here just for 1st Term. I am so thankful for the time I had getting to know them and I am excited to see where God leads each one of them.
• A new friend and zombies - in November Cassandra introduced me to her friend Courtney Joy, who is a part of the Samburu TIMO (Training in Ministry Outreach) team. She was on her way to Jordan to explore a new ministry and area to serve in once her team is done in March. On her way back, she injured her neck, and had to stay in Kijabe for all of December to recover. While it was not great for her, it was awesome to have someone to spend time with during the month. And we may or may not have become hooked on a certain show about zombies, and binge-watched 5 seasons in three weeks.
• FAMILY VISIT! - The greatest part of my December vacation was having my big sister and my uncle come to visit. It was so fun showing them my life here in Kenya, and getting to spend time with them. The highlight of their trip was going on safari in the Masaai Mara. We saw 4 of the Big 5 - unfortunately there were no leopard sightings - and really felt relaxed and pampered at the Fairmont Mara Safari Club. I am planning to do a big post with pictures I took on safari.

January

• Choir Tour - this term - in March - we have our choir tour. It is a three-day tour, over a weekend, to different schools and churches around Nairobi. We have a lot of music to learn and there are a lot of details I need to coordinate.
• Interim - the last week of term all Juniors and Seniors go on a interim trip to explore cultures and communities around Africa. I am not going but will be taking care of a very large great Dane puppy and three elementary-aged kids.
• My birthday! Next Wednesday is my 27th birthday. A year ago, I would not have guessed that I would be celebrating it in Kenya, but I am so thankful that I am. Who knows where and with whom I'll be celebrating my birthday next year!

Whew! That was a lot to catch you up on...and those were just highlights! I promise to be more regular about posting and updating you on my life here. Look for a large post with tons of safari pictures coming soon!