Jambo!
One of the reasons I started this blog was to share my experiences with you, including my thoughts and feelings during each experience. This past May (2007), I embarked on a safari (journey) that changed my life. This 3 week trip in Kenya, Africa put passion and fire back into my life. I returned feeling empowered, ready to challenge myself, ready to conquer anything, ready to change.
To share what I truly felt during my days in Africa, I figure, what better way, than to post a few excerpts from my journal. Some of these are really emotional, some of these are just plain funny (to me anyway :P ). It'll give you a brief run-through of my 3 weeks and the rollercoaster ride of emotions!
May 18 (In Nairobi)
Pretty pooped right now...but today was cool. Woke up to dogs barking and birds chirping. Normally I'd love to wake up to 'sounds of nature' but NOT at 4am after my first sleep in a bed in 2 nights. Got to know the leadership group some more over some games and meals, and a trip to the Giraffe Sanctuary where I made out with 2 giraffes!! They are BEAUTIFUL animals!...
Landing here in Kenya & spending the day outside hasn't shocked me in any way yet. I mean, what I've seen so far is pretty much what I expected of Nairobi. But just being here, away from home, and cut off from a lot of technology is pretty eye-opening. I can do without a lot of what I have at home. Charlotte's right...it does take a special person to leave home and come here to do this work voluntarily. Yes, I AM doing other cool things like safaris, but my main goal and purpose for being here on this trip is to meet the people of these communities and learn about how they live and try to help them get some things they need while still preserving their traditions and their culture.
I'm in a really good place right now. I am mentally prepared for what I will experience when I get to the Maasai Mara and for what I wish to absorb (obviously everything). I'm not too sure I'm prepared emotionally...more so for those "happy-tear" moments. I know not everyone gets an opportunity like this, and I already feel so blessed to be able to learn like this without having gone out to the Mara yet. So, I can't imagine what I'm going to feel one I see those bricks rising up to complete that school, or once I see the children walk to school everyday.
I know on my way to making a change and can't wait to meet these kids and BE a change.
May 19 (In Salabwek)
... We pulled into our site and the greeting from the Kenyan staff was so LOUD! We were so LOUD and happy! Our camp is surprisingly comfortable. I'm so glad Kevin and Charlotte taught us about "Level 3" [refer to post: LEV3L). There clearly is a lot to experience while I'm here for 3 weeks, and with being exhausted at times, it's easy to miss out on things if I'm not LEV3L'ing it ALL THE WAY!
...I can't wait to go back home and describe my time here to everyone and get them aware and excited to so something like this AT LEAST once in their lives!
...The group with me is incredible! They're funny, loving, emotional, athletic, creative, filled with a lot of musical talent, and it's SO cool to be a part of them and share with them.
... I can't thank God enough for continuously bringing amazing people into my life for me to learn from, and share experiences with and teach. So, a lil' Asante Sana to the man upstairs!
May 20 (In Salabwek)
It's the end of a spectacular Day 5! I cannot find the words to express how I feel tonight because all I can do right now is cry tears of...happiness, gratefulness, joy, sympathy...and a whole lot more.
...At the church we were welcomed as warmly as we always are in Kenya and asked to feel at home. The energy and most of all the PASSION in every adult, youth, and child, is mind-blowing.
...There is so much extra material I live with to make my life more "comfortable" and here these 400 people gather as a community every Sunday to truly give thanks and praise God for the good rains they have had and for education they are able to give their kids. How often do we TRULY focus and keep real God-given/natural gifts at our center? We're all blessed with SO many talents that we change the world with everyday - and often don't realize it.
...We played with ALL the little children after our classroom talk. There were SO many kids running around. We taught them games, their favourite was 'Duck Duck Goose'....and MAN did I discover I was out of shape! HAH! And it didn't help that these kids are SUPER-FAST on bare feet! Even the papas were cheering the kids on to pick us to run against so they could get a laugh out of it! LoL! Incredible friendships and laughs! I met a cool kid named Johanna!
...I still can't get over how blessed I am to be in the presence of such people - my group and the Kenyans together. These people as I'm sure exist all over the world need to be an example to all of us to live in the present and enjoy what we already have.
...Like Peter mentioned, a lot of us spend our lives working to find ways to lengthen life and postpone death...but taking a lesson in living for right now, from special people like the Maasai seriously wouldn't hurt. We need to SMILE more, HUG more, tell people we LOVE them more. They're all really easy to do! We need to take a breather once in a while, and not worry so much about money and salary, paycheques, bills, mortgages....and just.... LIVE this LIFE you are given. Live TODAY, 'cause it's a gift! God Bless.
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END of Part 1
More to come...stay tuned.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
LEV3L
Here's one of the most AWESOME things I learned on my trip to Kenya. It's called Level 3 - "LEV3L"
Read it, and you'll feel SO empowered to go out and FULLY live each moment and grasp everything you can from each experience.
Here we go!
"Level 3 is a way of life.
It is the courage to dream, the passion to beleive, and the intensity to act
It is the energy that allows us as ethical global citizens to make the ordinary extraordinary, to change our lives, the lives of others and the world around us.
It resides in each one of us. It redefines limits. It is unstoppable.
Here's a few ways to live at Level 3:
1. Put passion and energy into everything you do. Level 3 is not about output, like the volume of your voice or the number of accomplishments you achieve. It is all about input - the energy and passion that you commit to the people in your life to the issues that are important to you and to the goals that you seek.
2. Give of yourself. Money and kind words are important and valuable, but they are also easy. Your time and your heart are priceless treasures that only you can give.
3. Be different. Participate and contribute in your own distinctive way. Give to the world your unique talents, style and ideas. Do NOT be help back by convention or custom.
4. Make people smile and laugh. Smiles and laughter are the most beautiful and powerfully positive sight and sound, respectively, in our world. They re real-life miracles: they magically wash away sadness, conflict, and stress. All it takes to make someone smile is to smile at them first - a simple, painless, and very powerful way to make someone's day brighter. Develop your sense of humour, and use it often - even in very tense situations. Sing a silly song, make a funny voice, and send a funny e-mail. You will live better and longer, and so will everyone else around you.
5. Laugh at yourself. This skill requires self-confidence, humility, and courage - a powerfully selfless act. When you make yourself the focus of ridicule, that burden is relieved off somoene else who feels it too regularly. Indirectly, you help others to dwell less on their own inadequacies, and to feel more comfortable with themselves and with you.
6. Be vocal and generous with praise and appreciation. "Great job!", "You're awesome", "It's so great having you around", and "I love you" are powerful phrases that make everyone feel good about themselves and about the relationship between you. Use these expressions sincerely and often. If criticism is warranted, be constructive, cautious, and quiet: seek improvement, not blame.
7. Understand people. Know that every person you pass on the street has goals, hopes, and dreams just as you do; everyone you meet has experienced pain, loss, and hardship just as you have; every human being has needs, wants, and emotions of equal value and passion to your own. Be aware of the reasons why people do what they do - very few people do bad things without cause. The key to healing the world is in showing compassion and true understanding to those who do not fit in, and finding room to include them in our common humanity.
8. Build yourself up instead of tearing others down. Search not for the weaknesses of others, but rather seek and develop your own strengths, and to know what you can contribute that is special. Competition is not always necessary - realize that we are all playing on the same team with the same goals, hopes, and dreams.
9. See the beauty in everything. It isn't hard if you try, it isn't always what you expected, and it is always worth the effort.
10. ACT. Talking and planning only goes so far - changing the world requires concrete action. Lead by example - live your message.
11. Life exists for experiences: LOVE and FUN. Don't work all your life to enjoy a few fleeting moments of happiness. Love and fun should always permeate everything you do. Seek them out; without them, life has little true meaning. With them lies your Power of One. With them, you are unstoppable.
AND 9 Principles of Level 3:
Read it, and you'll feel SO empowered to go out and FULLY live each moment and grasp everything you can from each experience.
Here we go!
"Level 3 is a way of life.
It is the courage to dream, the passion to beleive, and the intensity to act
It is the energy that allows us as ethical global citizens to make the ordinary extraordinary, to change our lives, the lives of others and the world around us.
It resides in each one of us. It redefines limits. It is unstoppable.
Here's a few ways to live at Level 3:
1. Put passion and energy into everything you do. Level 3 is not about output, like the volume of your voice or the number of accomplishments you achieve. It is all about input - the energy and passion that you commit to the people in your life to the issues that are important to you and to the goals that you seek.
2. Give of yourself. Money and kind words are important and valuable, but they are also easy. Your time and your heart are priceless treasures that only you can give.
3. Be different. Participate and contribute in your own distinctive way. Give to the world your unique talents, style and ideas. Do NOT be help back by convention or custom.
4. Make people smile and laugh. Smiles and laughter are the most beautiful and powerfully positive sight and sound, respectively, in our world. They re real-life miracles: they magically wash away sadness, conflict, and stress. All it takes to make someone smile is to smile at them first - a simple, painless, and very powerful way to make someone's day brighter. Develop your sense of humour, and use it often - even in very tense situations. Sing a silly song, make a funny voice, and send a funny e-mail. You will live better and longer, and so will everyone else around you.
5. Laugh at yourself. This skill requires self-confidence, humility, and courage - a powerfully selfless act. When you make yourself the focus of ridicule, that burden is relieved off somoene else who feels it too regularly. Indirectly, you help others to dwell less on their own inadequacies, and to feel more comfortable with themselves and with you.
6. Be vocal and generous with praise and appreciation. "Great job!", "You're awesome", "It's so great having you around", and "I love you" are powerful phrases that make everyone feel good about themselves and about the relationship between you. Use these expressions sincerely and often. If criticism is warranted, be constructive, cautious, and quiet: seek improvement, not blame.
7. Understand people. Know that every person you pass on the street has goals, hopes, and dreams just as you do; everyone you meet has experienced pain, loss, and hardship just as you have; every human being has needs, wants, and emotions of equal value and passion to your own. Be aware of the reasons why people do what they do - very few people do bad things without cause. The key to healing the world is in showing compassion and true understanding to those who do not fit in, and finding room to include them in our common humanity.
8. Build yourself up instead of tearing others down. Search not for the weaknesses of others, but rather seek and develop your own strengths, and to know what you can contribute that is special. Competition is not always necessary - realize that we are all playing on the same team with the same goals, hopes, and dreams.
9. See the beauty in everything. It isn't hard if you try, it isn't always what you expected, and it is always worth the effort.
10. ACT. Talking and planning only goes so far - changing the world requires concrete action. Lead by example - live your message.
11. Life exists for experiences: LOVE and FUN. Don't work all your life to enjoy a few fleeting moments of happiness. Love and fun should always permeate everything you do. Seek them out; without them, life has little true meaning. With them lies your Power of One. With them, you are unstoppable.
AND 9 Principles of Level 3:
- It begins with me
- It takes a child to raise a village
- There is no box
- Take a second look...again
- Ask questions and question answers
- 1 + 1 = 3
- Make ordinary extraordinary
- Nothing is impossible
- Act now"
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