Day 7, fever reflections

We are now in Kimana, Kenya, in the Amboseli park region. Tomorrow we leave for Sinya, Tanzania!

'Amboseli' means 'dust'. Inhaling it all day probably inflamed my airways so I stayed back at camp today with a fever. Yesterday I was driven to a local clinic, together with some students with poop-problems.... Afterwards I joined the trip to Kimana Sanctuary (overstretching my energy but very worth it!), where the non-profit organisation Big Life Africa gave lecture. After the lecture we went on a walk with local rangers. I felt amazing, in the beautiful open space, filled with zebras, gazelle, elephants, warthogs and monkeys - a sunny, green, dusty expanse with mt. Kilimanjaro on the horizon.

The strange thing about this experience is that we see so many amazing places and meet wonderful people, yet are also confronted every day with the issues the region faces. Human-wildlife conflict killed a mother and a teacher only a few weeks ago, Big Life told us. Also, Corey said he never saw Mt. Kilimanjaro so snow-less. The ongoing drought is already causing problems with water supply and increasing incidents involving humans and animals. 

While being alone on my sickbed today I actually missed the people from the informal settlement. Our guide Lucy told us life is not unfair, there are just differences, like how her fingers have different lengths. But still I feel I carry responsibility for the difference between her enviroment and mine. through global supply chains and global warming, our actions are interconnected. The Nivea shampoo I buy may be produced in the factory that pollutes the rivers of Lunga Lunga - where I have now seen children play and young people my age try to live their life and chase their dreams. Dreams of going to university, becoming a photographer, breaking through as a model... If I don't go on to become a change-maker, will the university's effort to bring me here and show me these dilemmas have been a waste? The greenhouse gases emitted by my flight to Nairobi contribute to the melting snow on Kilimanjaro...

Anyway, for now enjoy this picture of a giraffe. Facing these beautiful animals definitely shook me back into the wonderful present moment!