Fin

So this is it. Erin is halfway across the globe on her plane now, and I'm sitting back at the coffeehouse we've made our oasis. I've had some time to reflect on the journey, even have a mock departure when I took Erin to the airport last night. It's absolutely surreal that this journey is coming to a close. I have about 7 more hours left before I'm in the airport waiting for my flight. Erin and I were talking last night about how even though we're beyond excited to get back home, this has been an amazing experience for us. There have been so many ups and still a few downs. I was talking to Colton last night about the whole experience. While it's been 6 long weeks here, when I look back on it, it's easy to consolidate it all and see really only the good parts, which makes this trip so worthwhile. I probably wouldn't do it again for another 6 weeks, but I would definitely do it over again for maybe a shorter time.

This time has flown by despite my bitching during the experience. I really remember quite vividly touching down at the break of dawn 6 weeks ago wondering what I got myself into. The drive from the airport to the hostel was a emotional one. I sat through an hour of traffic to go a few kilometers, watched hundreds of Kenyans walk on the dirt shoulder of the exhaust covered highway, saw motorbikes weave in and out of traffic haphazardly. Could I really do this for 6 weeks? Live in this place away from everything and everyone I know and love? 

Some of my favorite experiences of this trip include spotting my first zebra on the plains, seeing baby giraffes make their way lankily behind their mothers, watching gazelles sprint across the grass, seeing elephants up close and person all during my adventures with Stuart in Amboseli and Chyulu Hills. I got to see the Western oasis of Nakumatt Junction, the first time I realized there was more diversity to Kenya than I expected. I remember walking onto the critical care unit at Kenyatta for the first time, wondering what kinds of diseases I was being exposed do. My journey to Aberdares with Erin and my parents was amazing, despite the major hail storm we got stuck in on our game drive. Our walk through the Nairobi National Park was great, even if we got soaked in the process. Traveling to the Kibera slums was eye opening as well, seeing how so many Kenyans live off of mere shillings a day. 

I've also met some great people during this trip. Our first weekend here, Erin and I met Carol in Mombasa, who turned out to be a pretty amazing girl. She introduced us to Natalie and Nadine, who we enjoyed getting to know greatly. Nadine will be moving to NYC in June also, and I couldn't be more excited to have another friend there. Whenever we said goodbye to any of our preceptors, a small sense of sadness came over us knowing we would likely never see them again. Rossie, Irene, and Dorothy were amazing at Kenyatta! We also met and got to know Ann while at Flora. Definitely enjoyed her company during meals, as well as many others we had quick conversations with. The hospitality we received was amazing by the majority of people we encountered. 

This has been an amazing experience for me. I'm doubtful I will ever return to Nairobi, so I hope I will savor these memories for a long time. Even if I don't, I have a million pictures to remember them by. 

All that said and done, these next few hours will be painful until I'm riding up the escalator at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport to finally be back home. There is so much I've missed about home and so many people I can't explain how much I've missed. 

You might get one more post on here after this one, but seeing as this effectively ends my crazy time here in Nairobi, this might be it. Thanks to everyone who's followed it. Be sure to check my Facebook for all the pictures I haven't been able to post in the past couple of weeks!