Meaghan the Mzungu: Goodbyes, Hellos, Safaris, and Schools!

Wow. This is probably the worst I've been at blogging since I started grad school, haha. Can't believe its been over a month. I really do miss blogging when I don't do it, so I am going to try and get back into the groove of updating more often.

This entry may not be my traditional second-by-second replay of what has gone on in my life (ain't nobody got time for that) but I will provide the highlights to bring us up to last weekend...which deserves a post all its own.

Part of the life of an expat is that things are always in flux. People are coming, people are leaving, days are each different from the last while simultaneously being the same. I cannot believe that I've been here almost five months already...though sometimes days go really slowly, months flash by in the blink of an eye. It is pretty ridiculous.

Since my last entry, we've said goodbye to two friends, and welcomed two new arrivals to Nairobi. First, Connor (Elaine and Chris's lovely roommate) left Nairobi to move back to the states for a new job. We sent him off with a delicious dinner at Talisman, and then headed out for a night on the town. Let me just say, I am not a huge fan of the Westlands area of Nairobi (too busy, too congested, too many expats of the sort I don't like, haha) but we had a pretty amazing night, and ended up staying out until 4:00am. That is...not like me, haha. But it was a really fun time, which balanced out the sadness of saying goodbye.

Jamie, Liz, Tyler, Zach, Me, Connor, Elaine, Sunil, Farah, and Chris at Talisman.
(Photo credit: Elaine)

Oh, Treehouse.
Me, Chris, Jamie, Liz, Tyler, Farah, Connor, Sunil, and Elaine.

A week later we were out celebrating the birthday of one of my Nairobi favourites, Chris. We went out to dinner at the new Seven Grill & Lounge at Village Market. The meat was amazing, and though it was one of the most expensive dinners I've ever eaten, it was really delicious. I want to try the old Seven, at ABC Place, because I hear their seafood is really phenomenal. Afterwards we headed out to Mercury, a bar at ABC Place for a night cap, and then home for the evening. It was also a great opportunity to welcome Katie, the Scottish girl who took over Connor's room in Chris and Elaine's apartment. She's all sorts of lovely.

Waiting for others to arrive at Seven.
Sunil, Kelly, Chris, Elaine, Me, and Katie

Yup. Fishbowls. Because we are still in college.

Celebrating the birthday boy!

Ta da!

Yeah, they put sparklers in cakes here. Interesting.

Sunil also got a cake because it was almost his last day.

On Sunday, we gathered at Chris and Elaine's apartment for a dinner to wish Sunil safe travels. I think we all already miss Sunil's dry sense of humor and words of wisdom, haha. We ordered delicious Indian takeout, and stuffed our faces before having a few drinks and playing some games. It was a nice relaxing evening.

That night, I also took this opportunity to attempt baking a pecan pie for Chris. I love baking, and so my plan here has basically been to ask people what their favorite baked good is so that I can make it for special occasions. For Elaine's last day, she requested "soft pumpkin cinnamon cookies with dark chocolate chips," which was a fun challenge. Chris requested pecan pie. I think it is important to note that I don't think I've ever made a pie from scratch, or anywhere close to it.

The pie LOOKED pretty.

Until you cut into and and OH GOD WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT?!

Bowl of vom, or bowl of pecan pie soup?

The pie TASTED okay (I mean, its all sugar and butter, how could it not) but it was so laughably far from a success that I knew I'd have to try again. Pecans are worth their weight in gold here (read: exceptionally expensive) but thankfully I had overbought, so I had supplies enough to try the following week.

April 20 was a momentous occasion. It was the first big dinner party we had in my new apartment and it was SO much fun. We did a dumpling night, during which we cooked a TON of food and had a really good evening. We made pierogies and Chinese jiao zi (pork dumplings) all from scratch. Including wrappers! We also made apple cinnamon empanadas for dessert, and I took attempt #2 at pecan pie. Better...but not great. By the time I do my third one, I think I'm going to be a professional. As a group, we packed away a LOT of food that night. I look forward to repeating dumpling night in the future.

It looked grotesque as hell coming out of the oven.

But when it was sliced it wasn't TOO bad. Just burnt on top. Take 3 is going to be amaaaaaazing.

Elaine and Chris stuffing some Chinese dumplings.

Kelly was the master of rolling out dough (with my super sketch seltzer water "rolling pin").

Dumpling filling on the left, pierogies ready to be sauteed on the right.

The filling for the pierogies was OUT OF CONTROL. It was basically half potatoes and half butter, with a couple of onions thrown in. SO good.

Everyone hard at work.
Annie, Eugenia, Chris

Liz and Tyler...with a side of Jess.

Gaaaah deliciousness.

Everyone digging in!
Farah, Tyler, Liz, Kelly, Annie, Jess, Eugenia's back

On Sunday, I started volunteering at a local orphanage. New Life Home Trust operates a children's home right down the street, about a two minute walk from my apartment. They have 42 kids there, including more than twenty under the age of two. I go and volunteer in the baby room, where you literally walk and and are handed a baby 10 months or younger to hold, feed, and play with. Its amazing.

One of my favorite little ones.

He has just about the softest hair in history and is just too sweet.

The following week Theresa and I spent a lot of time at various schools...and a lot of time trying (and failing) to find one school in particular. The Kangemi slum of Kenya has bested us twice, but we are planning to take another stab later this week and I have SUPER high hopes that we will find it. It was great to be back out, seeing the kids and watching them take part in some innovative new lessons that we had designed for them.

Theresa, playing with some of the little ones.

All smiles.

Hahah, relay races. Run, Theresa, RUN!

Sassy and stylish. Love her.

One of our newer schools.

Rainy season makes things juuuuust a touch muddy.

Rain is the worst.

Our schools being painted a distinctive green sure helps when you are searching for them!

Talula, Theresa's car, got a liiiiittle stuck in the mud.

Thankfully, these lovely teachers and local guys helped push us out of the mud.

Prepping for a new lesson.

Teamwork.

Playing our version of review Jeopardy.

Focused on the game.

Playing My Mother Told Me.

Made it to the final round. Lost to a fifth grader.

That same week we welcomed Clayton, a new finance guy at work. Instant besties. He slid pretty seamlessly into the group and we have seen or talked to each other almost every single day since he arrived. He also moved into an apartment right down the street, which is great.

April 27th was Katie's birthday, and it just made me have flashbacks to my first birthday in Korea. It was just the worst. I hadn't been there very long, and I was still feeling out new friendships. I just remember it being so lonely and awful, and I didn't want the same thing to happen for Katie, who had just arrived a few weeks earlier. I ended up throwing together an early morning game drive through Nairobi National Park, and a dinner at a local Italian restaurant later. I had only been to the outskirts of the park before, to visit the baby elephants, so this was m first foray into the actual park itself. We had some extra seats in our safari van, so I posted on the Nairobi Expat Social Facebook page, and an English girl named Eliza responded that she'd like to join us. It was the beginning of a beautiful, friendship, haha. Also, we had phenomenal luck. The pictures below barely do it justice.

So excited to get in there!

Even though it was overcast, it was a great day for a safari.

Taking the road less traveled.

Birds!

Just after we got there, we saw this gorgeous lion.

We drove closer and watched her walk around for a bit.

Cranes could not care less. Until....

AAAGH, two little lion cubs!

There aren't that many lions at NNP, so this was a big deal.

Almost too cute.

look at that little face.

Walking off.

Love the crowned cranes in the background as well.

Perfect.

Come on. That front cub is totally smiling.

Looking right at us!

Heading on their merry way.

Beautiful day for a safari.

Super fun cranes.

Mr. Buffalo, why do you have grass sticking out of your ear?

Checking out some hartebeest.

Hey guys.

Secretary bird. Kind of a big deal.

You can really see in this shot how close to the city the park is.

This little bird practically posed for this picture.

So speckled. Love it.

Ostrich, looking judgey.

City in the distance.

Whaaat?

McDonalds butt.

Gorgeous colors.

Peek a boo!

After the morning game drive, we went straight to the Giraffe Centre in Karen. The Giraffe Centre was started as a conservation area for the rare Rothschild giraffe. It now provides education programs (for school children, tourists, and the public) and it gives you an opportunity to feed the giraffes which is just about the coolest thing ever.