Kenya: expectations, hopes, ands fears.

I had never thought that I would be going to Kenya. In the constant thoughts and expectations that run through my mind, I never saw myself mentoring at a school, working with NGOs, or going on safari in Kenya, but that is what is going to happen. It is exciting, and terrifying. My plan is to take it one day at a time, one moment at a time.

I, along with twelve other fabulous women from Saint Mary's College, will be mentoring women writers at the Daraja Academy in Nanyuki, Kenya. I hope to get to know these Kenyan women, and to learn from them. I want to know what their dreams are, and what their daily life is like. I hope that I will become close enough with them that we can engage in conversations that will answer my questions. I want to learn from everyone I meet and everything I see. I want to be a sponge.

Throughout my adventure of being a sponge in a foreign country, I will be sharing stories on this blog. Again, this is exciting and terrifying. I never thought that I was much of a story teller. I always used to think that something big and grand had to happen in order for it to be worthy of a story. But through discussions during this first week of school, I have learned that writing can be prompted by anything. I know now that as a writer, every day situations can be the beginning of a story. I am excited to drink up my surroundings in Kenya, and to questions and take note of everything that I find interesting.

My fear is that I will get so excited and so anxious that I will miss the little things, the moments that turn into lasting memories. In order to not let my anxiety get the best of me, I have concocted a creed that I will hopefully stay true to throughout my journey.

My Travel Creed:

I will observe and I will question.
I will have an open mind.
I will be positive.
I will dance and I will sing.

I won't do the last one on the plane.

I might do the last one on the plane.