Habari Gani?

Oops, it's been nearly two weeks since I last updated the blog. Life in Kenya is quite often 'pole pole' or 'slowly by slowly', but not for me. I've been wrangling baboon poo, avoiding elephants, getting poked by cacti, enjoying the gorgeous scenery, and playing lots and lots of volleyball.


After the 3 hour ride from Nairobi to Nanyuki, full of smiles and catching up on the past year as we passed dusty shops and shambas (gardens). We made a pit stop in the local grocery store for the essentials, wine, chocolate, and wine... and had lunch in town before we made the trek in a rickety matatu up the to the highlands of Mpala. Once we arrived, we unloaded our things, got settled in and met up with old friends and new at the dining hall for chapatti and vegetable stew.

The following morning Anne-Marie took us out into the field to get oriented with the project a bit more and to see the field sites. We went to a place called Baboon Cliffs, named because they are a common roosting site for one of our study baboon troupes. We couldn't actually go our to the cliff because they were apparently at the time, "Elephant Cliffs". It wasn't the worst timing in the world because the second we got back in the car, we got a call from the head of security about a wild dog sighting. So, on our first day in the field we got to see a fairly elusive and ferocious top predator. (check out my Mammal Crush Monday blog post on Lyacon pictus for more info!!)

Samson

The rest of the week we saw a variety of animals while we were out working, collecting baboon scat and measuring cactus. We also have the best field techs in the world, Samson and James who have definitely saved our lives from buffalo multiple times. Rule #347 ALWAYS trust your field guide. Even when doing something as mundane as walking, just follow them, or you will end up being laughed at as they pick you out of acacia trees, scratch free.

We were doing cactus surveys one day when my boss sat on a dying cactus paddle. As I picked it out of her posterior, she exclaimed "Aye yei yei", to which Samson absolutely died laughing. We found out two days later that "Wai yeiyei" means "oh my mother" in Maasai. They have a sense of humor too.

  On weeknights, the staff play volleyball in the village, and Samson invited us wazungu to come play too. So for the past week at 5pm until dusk I have found myself up in the village, bruised arms and all playing volleyball against our Kenyan staff who have figured out I am good at serving and receiving the ball, but not so much spiking... or jumping. Regardless, I am learning lots of Kiswahili slang and, most importantly, getting to know our amazing staff even better.




 We also took a trip to the equator, so I was back in my home hemisphere for a few :)












Unfortunately, in field work there are many 'unpredictables' which left us with a broken vehicle and therefore we HAD to go into town a few days last week for drinks... I mean to make use of our time and acquire field necessities. Like goose wire and PVC pipe to build a bunny cage. Because as professionals, we still can't handle the cuteness of baby bunnies. My friend Arnold is raising them for meat and my boss decided she needed one (no, mom I haven't bought a baby bunny.... yet) soooo Latte now has a home.






But I named this little guy Mzee, or old man.

Sooooooo updates on bunny ownership status coming soon :)

At least I'm not trying to bring home the wild ones, right?

Niko Hapa

I'm here! After over 24 hours of travel, I was greeted at the St.Lawrence KSP compound in Karen, Nairobi with true Kenyan hospitality. KSP driver na rafiki wangu sana, Njau, picked me up from the airport after we discovered that the airport now has 2 completely different international arrival terminals, neither of which were there 2 years ago. We began the drive on the newly constructed bypass into Karen, catching up on the last 2 years, including being quizzed on whether or not I remembered or could tell where I was. Most of my uncertain nods granted a "no, you don't know where you are". The construction of the bypass and added airport terminals had changed the scenery, the all too familiar sounds and smells of rich spices mixed with fumes from the industrial section, confirmed that I am, in fact, back in Nairobi. Finally we turned onto the familiar gravel driveway leading to the gate into the compound, sparking another bout of nostalgia. Njau and I went into the main house, greeted by the smell of roasted chicken, sukuma wiki, githeri, tumeric, and gravy from Seth's cooking, and a huge hug from Lina. As we ate, we visited with Lina, talking about the years activities, reminiscing from KSP spring 2014, and the 40th anniversary of the Kenya Semester Program when they were able to come to the US and we were able to flip the card and show them around our home. It's moments like this that make you realize the truth behind the term "laurentian for life".

This morning I was up at 5am, I'm not really sure where my brain thinks it is, but it definitely is not on Kenyan time. After messaging home a bit more, and letting out some more excitement, I slept another hour or so, got ready for the day and went to find Sinnary, surprisingly in his office. We sat outside had a refreshing conversation about what everyone has been up to, the environment, future plans, religion, and politics over coffee and cigarettes. There are always conversations to be had, I love this place and these people.

Nothing is more liberating than travel. I am never more at ease than I am when I'm on the road, or in the air. I have already met new people, and learned a little more about the world.

One, the Alps are freaking AMAZING;

 

And Two, a smile and 'beer' are understood internationally.

Nitarudi Kenya

Well, it's official! Nitarudi, I am returning to Kenya this summer!! Words cannot express my excitement to travel back to my "home across the globe". It's been two years since my adventures in Kenya came to a bittersweet end, TWO YEARS! It really was the experience of a lifetime and opened so many doors for me, including a chance to return to work with amazing scientists.

I will be headed back in May as a field tech for Ph.D. candidate Anne-Marie Hodge. Her research lies broadly in the realm of carnivore community ecology. Let her explain more here; Anne-Marie's Scientific American Expeditions Blog .  This summer, I'll be assisting with field work and collecting data involving an invasive cactus and it's impact on the Laikipia Plateau carnivore communities.

During my study abroad experience, I completed my independent study (*see IDS post!) at the Mpala Research Centre  which, coincidentally, is where I will be again this summer! Mpala is located just north of Nanyuki, Kenya on the Laikipia plateau, 200 kilometers north and slightly east of Nairobi. The Laikipia Plateau, sits between Mt. Kenya and the Great Rift Valley and is composed of savannah habitat, home to elephants, lions, reticulated giraffe, African wild dogs, hyenas, cheetahs, Grevy's Zebra, and black rhino, just to name a few :).

Having been there before and having frequently partaken in what ecologists refer to as "sundowners" (Finding an escarpment or any high rock/boulder/mountain to sit on, enjoy a beverage, and be in the stillness of the sunset) I can attest, it is truly a beautiful landscape.


The initial draw to visit a place like this is the wanyama na mazingira, or the animals and environment, but the reason you go back ni watu wote. The people of Kenya are very much alive. If you take time to listen, you will learn much more about life than you expected, and probably ingest more chapatti and chai than you bargained for. Although I know this experience is going to be much different than the KSP, and am maintaining an "expectation-free" mindset, I am excited to see what Kenya has to teach me this time around.

Karibu Nyumbani

Last Wednesday, I hopped in a taxi at midnight to head to Nairobi International Airport to catch a plane back to the USA. Before I could leave however, our now tight-knit group had a campfire and small wrap up of the semester complete with paper plate awards, many laughs and goodbye tears. Its so hard to believe we were once a group of eighteen strangers, awkwardly saying hello in the airport just four months ago and now we have become so close that we melt to tears when it's time to go. I feel so lucky to have met these crazy kids, I know they will all go out to do wonderful things and they have shown me what I am capable of as well.

I am so grateful to have been able to go to Kenya, and to come back with a new lens on life. 
Sitting around, telling my family about all my adventures has really started to bring my experiences full circle for me. You know, when you are there, you don't really realize how much an experience has changed you, its only until you can share it with someone back home you notice the difference in yourself. I am starting to see the difference in my way of thinking, along with the occasional Kenyan habits that come out in action or conversation, like saying "sawa" (Okay) in response to a non yes-or-no question. This experience has really impacted my life in so many ways. I have a new respect for other cultures and a deeper respect for my own upbringing. I have learned to appreciate the comforts of home, but understand that it is okay to leave them behind.

Its hard to believe that my time in Kenya has come to a pause, a pause because I have other things to do, like graduate college before I can go back. I am so thankful for having an amazing group of people to travel with and to have met some absolutely inspiring people along the way. My host families really helped me to feel like family, and we will have that bond forever. Mama Maggie with Dorobo taught me to ishi sasa. I have hiked across the Great Rift Valley, hunted with the Hadzabe, lived with multiple different Kenyan families, played with orphaned elephants, became close friends with pro rugby players, gained insight to who I am, and most importantly, made a difference. 

The most beautiful thing that I have witnessed on my trip, and the one thing that really stuck out to me, was the genuine happiness of people who have absolutely nothing. Here in America, we have so much pressure to grow up, be responsible, go to school, get a job, go to more school, get a high-paying job, pay off your loans, pay for a house, have good insurance so you can what? so you can rush through life and FINALLY retire and be happy when you're 65 and halfway out the door? I am not saying I don't appreciate the opportunities I have and I am certainly not saying don't go to school and don't work hard, I repeat, STAY IN SCHOOL. What I am saying, however is find something, even just one thing in your life that makes you truly happy all the time, and use that one thing to inspire yourself to not only better yourself, but try and give other people a reason to be happy too, and maybe we can make the world a little bit brighter. I am so privileged to know what it feels like to be completely genuinely happy with what I am doing and where I am in life and I understand that not many people get that chance, but I think that if you can find at least one thing that makes you genuinely happy, you're doing pretty well.

Tutaonana

The Big Five

"The Big Five" was a term given to the five most dangerous, and therefore most desired to hunt. Although there is still a significant amount of poaching, and it is again on the rise, The Big Five is mainly a tourist term.

Last Thursday I finished my Big Five checklist which was super exciting!

So who are the Big Five?

The Cape Buffalo, Syncerus caffer

These animals are known for their unpredictable nature, sometimes they'll run away and sometimes they'll run you over (in which case, you better be a good tree climber). They can weigh between 1,000 and 2,000lbs and their horns can't always be penetrated by rifle bullets.

Leopard, Panthera pardus pardus

Classified as vulnerable on the IUCN red list, these gorgeous cats have faced excessive hunting for their pelts and skulls as well as habitat loss and fragmentation. They have incredible adaptability and have a wide range of prey that they drag into tall trees to consume.

African Lion, Panthera leo

Otherwise known as "simba" the swahili word for lion, these cats are one of the biggest faces of African wildlife. Currently lions are threatened by human wildlife conflicts occurring due to lack of land for pastoralists. The Living with Lions project works to maintain peace between communities and lion populations by warning people when the lions are near.

Black Rhino, Diceros bicornis

Critically endangered because of magical properties in ivory horn which, if within your possession, can cure hangovers, act as an aphrodisiac, bring back the dead, and possibly allow you to fly. This of course is completely idiotic, but rhino poaching sadly, is a huge issue still today. SAVE THE FAT GREY UNICORNS!

African Elephant, Loxodonta africana

A member of the big five as ivory tusks are of huge value, actually, they are worth more than any fine for poaching. These charismatic megafauna are incredibly intelligent, being able to remember individuals for over fifty years, which paths to take during droughts, and even feel grief of loss of loved ones.




So that is the Big Five, some absolutely incredible animals. I am so so so happy I got to see them all!

Workin' Hard

As the second week of my independent study comes to an end, I realize that I only have 3 weeks left in Kenya! Ahhhhhhh. Where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday that I was sitting on my bed, wondering if my suitcase was going to actually close and if I really needed that extra pair of shoes. I'm very much excited to go home and see my family and friends again, but I really really don't want to leave.

I've been working hard here at Mpala... I have successfully watched 3 seasons of Game of Thrones in two weeks. Seriously though I have been able to go out into the field and learn a lot about surveying and fecal collection, all sorts of fun stuff going on! I really am enjoying research, and am going to miss the views. How can you hate your job when you see at least 5 species on your walk to work alone, when a hornbill visits you on a daily basis, when you get to watch the sunrise over Mt. Kenya, and the sunset on the cliffs with the baboons.

Yesterday I went out to help with giraffe surveys and I was pretty excited to see Tatu, a young male leopard, sitting in a clearing, only 10 yards from the road.

1 more of the Big Five to go :)

Hippo Easter!

So as the first week of my independent study comes to an end, I can definitely say I have learned a ton about research in Kenya, ecology, hippos, myself... lots of brain usage this week for sure. I have been able to go out into the field and see the hippo pool which is a mini paradise. We saw elephants and giraffes at the edge of the river and the crocodile. I used telemetry to chase lizards on the river edge and had an official sundowner on baboon cliffs and have gone on a few game drives on the property. This past weekend we went into Nanyuki and had dinner and dancing, then today we hung out at the pool at a ritzy hotel and walked around the rose gardens with the peacocks. Life here at Mpala really isn't too shabby :)

I moved into my banda...

 I've made new friends...

Accidentally killed my roommate...

Before it killed me.

 Went on a few Game drives...

 Was in two places at once...

Attended my first passover ceremony...

Strolled through a rose garden with the peacocks...

After spending the day sitting by the pool...

Which was awesome until this guy showed up,

I hate clowns.




Saw this full moon:

  And watched the sun rise from my front door...












So in brief, that's what I've been up to this past week. Hippo Easter Everyone!