Uganda

Graduation was last Wednesday and it took everything in me not to cry. It was really hard to say goodbye to the kids and the teachers. One of the teachers wrote me a love letter which was really akward. He is really nice but I had to sit next to him all during graduation and I wasn't sure what to say. Most teachers gave me their contact information and I hope to stay in touch with a few of them.

All of the classes prepared different things to present during the graduation. They performed poems, skits, and songs. One song that the choir sang gives me chills every time I hear it. I taped clips of each class so all of you can see how a Kenyan graduation works. Children here are forced to grow up fast and as a result many of them are extremely mature at a very young age. It's incredible how bold they are.

The kids will be back in school on December 1st for extra insturciton but I wont be on the farm anymore at that point. Julie, Hilary, TaVonna, and I leave to go to Mombasa on the 30th of November. After spending a week in Mombasa I will go with Julie to meet her family in Nairobi. From there we willgo on safari and then travel around Kenya for our last week. I'm very excited to go on safari and travel around for awhile. During my safari I may even be able to go on a hot air balloon ride which would be amazing.

This weekend I went to Uganda to white water raft in the Nile. It was INCREDIBLE! It was the scariest and most exhilarating thing I have done in my life. It was a 30 kilometer course with 9 different rapids. We did three level five's (the largest tourists can do), two fours, three twos, and a one. The silver back five is the longest rapid there is and of course our raft tipped. I really thought I was going to die under the water. You are only suppose to be under for ten seconds. They tell you to hold on if you fall off but the raft was keeping me under so I had to let go. I then got slammed into a few things and a few people and I fought my way to the top for air. I made friends with the rescue people before hand just in case. One guys name was Joseph and he was my favorite. He saw mego under and tried to grab me but he missed and flipped over in his Kayak. When he flipped back over he said I was holding onto my life vest with my eyes shut and he made fun of me for it later. He asked how I could see anything with my eyes shut, but I was too terrified to try and open them. Anyways I eventually opened my eyes and fought my way backto our raft. Very scary but really exciting at the same time. After that rapid we went over a water fall. There were seven different rafts and I was one of three that went over the falls. That was also really scary. We were suppose to go face first but we ended up going backwards and then sideways. I thought we were goners for sure. We made it though and everyone cheered. The groups who went a different route were called chickens. They video taped the whole thing. I bought one so I can show all of you over Christmas. You can never see my face close up but I know which raft is mine. The rafting and the view from our hostel were absolutely amazing. I just can't believe I get to experience things like this. Sometimes I get sad because I know that people in Kenya and Uganda don't even get to experience their own country.

Traveling to Uganda has been fun but I'm ready to get back to the farm. I enjoy the simplicity of life there and I miss the friends I've made. Tomorrow night I am taking Fred (my favorite Kenyan) out to dinner. I am really stocked about that.

I am grateful beyond words for this experience. I can't wait to come home to share stories with all of you. I hope everyone gets a small taste of what Africa is really like. Everyday I think about how I can get myself back here. Maybe some of you could join me :).

I probably wont get to a computer again for awhile. I hope everyone has an enjoyable and blessed Thanksgiving. I'm sad I wont be there to celebrate, but you'll all be in my heart.

Oh and the last time I can check the mailbox is on November 29th. Please do not write me or send me anything because I will not be able to get it.

I also need to give a shout out to Mo and D. Sorry neither of you can comment on the blog but I'm glad your enjoying it. Love You :)

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous Roman Candles exploding like spiders across the skies and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes awwwww!" Jack Kerouac