On Saturday after our regular group meeting, we all piled into a vehicle and headed out to Iten for lunch at Kerio View. I thought this would be a special treat since all of the girls live in very congested urban surroundings and had never been outside of Eldoret.
When we got to Iten, I was just planning to take the girls to the restaurant....but the driver had other ideas and shot right by it. There is an overlook on up the road that he always takes people too first, so he just assumed that we would want to go. I trusted that the driver new best. We got there...and the girls run up to the fence to peer out at the wide open view of the valley below. I am sure that they have never seen that much space in all their lives. After several minutes of taking in the view they were off taking pictures of the surroundings and posing for shots.
When we got to Iten, I was just planning to take the girls to the restaurant....but the driver had other ideas and shot right by it. There is an overlook on up the road that he always takes people too first, so he just assumed that we would want to go. I trusted that the driver new best. We got there...and the girls run up to the fence to peer out at the wide open view of the valley below. I am sure that they have never seen that much space in all their lives. After several minutes of taking in the view they were off taking pictures of the surroundings and posing for shots.
After a while, they all meandered back to where I was standing and after rounds of pictures with each of them individually and in various combinations, we were off to Kerio View for lunch. Of course when we get there the girls start taking pictures and within ten minutes a couple of them were already coming up to me saying that the memory was full. -- go figure! So I tracked down the driver, retrieved my lap top and set up camp on the restaurant table as we order beverages and lunch. Coca Cola cold and especially Coke light are tourist beverages -- Most Kenyan's drink Fanta (orange, citrus, or black current) or a Stoney - like a ginger ale.
They would bring their cameras to me as they filled them and one by one I would upload the pictures until the last camera came in -- the CHW's who were having as much fun with it as the girls. We looked through all the pictures on the computer until lunch was served. Lunch itself was pretty plain as far as the meal itself goes -- the restuarant is obviously geared towards tourists so even some of the familiar Kenyan items were served or made slightly different. So the girls got to try new things -- like ketchup with their chips (fries) Some liked it some didn't. They struggled to eat their chicken and chips with utensils until I assured them that in American we eat this meals with our fingers. Some of the girls continued trying so hard to be 'proper' (bless their hearts) trying to navigate their utensils before finally all giving up. But as soon as they were finished they headed back outside to take more pictures.
They would bring their cameras to me as they filled them and one by one I would upload the pictures until the last camera came in -- the CHW's who were having as much fun with it as the girls. We looked through all the pictures on the computer until lunch was served. Lunch itself was pretty plain as far as the meal itself goes -- the restuarant is obviously geared towards tourists so even some of the familiar Kenyan items were served or made slightly different. So the girls got to try new things -- like ketchup with their chips (fries) Some liked it some didn't. They struggled to eat their chicken and chips with utensils until I assured them that in American we eat this meals with our fingers. Some of the girls continued trying so hard to be 'proper' (bless their hearts) trying to navigate their utensils before finally all giving up. But as soon as they were finished they headed back outside to take more pictures.
I simply sit down on a rock and enjoyed the view -- the view of the girls and the view of the valley. At one point I could hear a few of the girls and the CHW's laughing and giggling but couldn't see them (they were down in the valley). Slowly the voices got closer -- and then they started singing -- and dancing -- although I still could not see them it was certainly some of the sweetest music I have ever heard. I resisted the urge to get up and go watch them because I thought it was more important to let them have the enjoyment of this day to themselves as much as possible.
We could not have asked for a better day. It was the only afternoon in I don't remember how long that has been mostly sunny and rain free. Eventually they all started coming back up to me one by one with their memory cards full. it was obvious that we were not going to leave until every camera had taken every possible picture it would hold -- over 1500 pictures! I am sure it was a day that none of us will ever forget.
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We have ben missing your updates. lease let us know how you are. Is anything wrong?
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