12. Friends
The constant influx and outflow of people is something you have to get used to here. People come for a few months or a few years and then set off for the next place. The beauty of this is there is always people around to do activities with and get together for dinner. The obvious down fall is that nothing is guaranteed You always have to be prepared to say goodbye and sometimes that's pretty hard. This makes my list because, despite the goodbyes, you can't beat the memories we have made with our friends here. We have gone on adventures in the National parks and just hung out on a lazy Sunday. We play Frisbee in the park and head out to a local restaurant on Wednesday evenings. We complain about the lack of resources in Kisumu and marvel over the beauty of the quietness of this fishing town. We make the most of out time here and forget about that thing called leaving.
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| Elise and I. We miss her terribly! |
In May Josh and I went to Rusinga Island, a small island near Mbita. You can read more about our trip here. We basically needed a few days away from it all and jumped at the opportunity to check out this local lake resort. This trip is one of my favorites from this year because all I remember is getting to relax with Josh and enjoy his company. I feel like sometimes we take for granted time that its just the two of us. We got to enjoy amazing food, a beautiful sunset on the water, check out some cave art and watch Josh water ski. I'd love to get back out here before we leave!
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| Overlooking Lake Victoria |
Over Easter a group of us headed to Tiwi Beach on the South Coast to participate in the East Africa Frisbee Sand Tournament. We spent two days playing teams from Nairobi, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and Ethopia. We had a blast getting to know the other teams and learning more about the sport. Here is a little more about our adventure. I'm hoping 2013 will bring another tournament and maybe this year we'll do a little better than our 10th place finish :)
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| Kisumu Team |
Instead of going into all the details of this trip, I recommend you read about it in this post. The Aberdares was a test of our patience and creativity in getting out of a few tight situations. We managed to get the car stuck, get it unstuck in the middle of a downpour, get rained out of our campsite and have to get the car serviced all in one trip. We also saw an environment we had never seen before, explored some amazing waterfalls and saw a ton of antelope, many of which came right up to our campsite. The Aberdares were breathtaking and despite the trials of the trip it still makes my list.
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| Us trying to capture the waterfall in the background |
8. Continuing to Work for KEMRI/CDC
2012 marks the last year of my time with CDC. Its been a great experience filled with challenges and trimphs. It has been such a blessing to have had this opportunity straight out of grad-school. I know the lessons I have learned will only benifit me in the future as I begin my career. I am so thankful to the staff here who not only allowed me to come back but have made me feel so welcome at every turn. Its bittersweet to leave at the end of this year but I know I am only off to bigger and better things!
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| The view from my office. |
This July we headed back to the states to finish up a few wedding things and be a part of my friend Mal's wedding. Although busy, July makes my list because it was a lot of fun to run around and do wedding things with my mom. Before then all of our wedding planning had been online and July was the first time we were able to do things in person. We bought my dress, met with the DJ, ordered flowers, bought rings and selected tuxes. We also got to fit in some fun time as well. My mom and I headed north to do some shopping and I went into Chicago to meet up with friends and attend my amazing bachelorette party. Our time in the states is always pretty short and packed with visits and errands and sometimes I'm a little relieved to head back to Kenya. Despite the craziness that comes with US visits, I wouldn't trade them for the world.
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| Arthi and I at my bachelorette Party |
Josh and I got engaged on February 6, 2012 on a small island off the coast of Zanzibar. We spent the day snorkeling and being lazy on the beach. After watching the sun go down we headed over to a table where "Jennifer heart Joshua Forever in love. He got down on one knee and I said yes. Find the details here.
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Mal's wedding makes my list as I was so excited to be a part of it. Living half-way around the world from my friends has its disadvantages but its days like this day that make up for it. Josh and I celebrated with Mal and Patrick as they started their lives together. It was a beautiful ceremony followed by an even better reception. The best part of the day was seeing how happy they were to be starting their lives together.
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| Aren't they cute? |
In February, Josh and I took a two week vacation to Zanzibar. We spent our time exploring Stonetown, diving the Mnemba Atoll, relaxing on the beach in Pemba, and exploring the forest in the South. We sampled fruit and spices on a spice plantation and ate as much fresh seafood as we possibly could. This trip was the first large vacation we took together and the first that we were able to do some serious diving. (We also got engaged on this trip). Zanzibar holds a special place in our hearts and although we won't likely visit again soon, we will always remember our time there.
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| Dressed in our banana leaf attire. |
This Christmas Josh and I decided to get out of Kisumu and do something fun. We headed to Uganda to go paragliding and white water rafting. Despite my nerves over both activities, I had a blast. Usually I'm all about Christmas traditions but it was nice to get out of the norm so to speak. The best part of the actual day was watching the sunset over the Nile river and enjoying a delicious dinner together. This first Christmas as a married couple is always going to be really special to me!
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| Going over one of the rapids |
2. Thanksgiving in the USA
This year we were able to celebrate Thanksgiving in the US with both my parents and Josh's. It was such a special time for us because it was the first time that all of the parents got to meet. With the wedding around the corner, it was such a blessing to be able to relax over the holiday and share a meal with everyone. I loved getting in the kitchen with my mom and helping her make some of our favorite dishes. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I was so happy to be able to spend it with family.
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| At a small coffee shop enjoying the morning with Josh's parents |
By far, without any doubt, my top memory this year is getting to marry my best friend. 2012 will always be the year where we took that next step and decided on forever. The day was filled with so much joy from the very beginning. Family and friends flew in from all over the world to share with us. We got to spend some quite time with them before the ceremony and then some time just the two of us taking pictures. The rest of the evening was filled with vows, celebration and dancing. Looking back on the day I wouldn't change
anything. It was not only the best memory of 2012 but was one of the greatest days of my life. Here's to many many many :) more years of happiness! Love you forever!
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| Lighting the Unity Candle |
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