Monday, June 18, 2012

Final day in Oloika


Today was a bittersweet day because it was our final day in Oloika.  We traveled our usual path to the worksite and added the finishing touches to our wall.  This included mortaring countless stones and mixing excessive amounts of cement.  Before we knew it, our work was over, our project completed, and our stomachs grumbling for a tasty lunch.  We ate traditional Kenyan ugali (balls of dense corn meal) and used our artistic skills to braid and knit bracelets and decorate cards for the children in the community we had befriended in the past six days.  By the end of our lunch break, we began to pack and braced for the closing ceremony and goodbyes we had to say.
The closing ceremony was comprised of a number of heartfelt speeches made both by members of the Maasai community and our group.  We were also treated to some traditional folk songs and dances performed by the students of Oloika primary school.  As always, the costumes, singing, dancing, and smiles on the performers’ faces warmed our hearts and sent us off with a joyful memory.  The women in the community then presented each of us with gifts of intricate, handcrafted, beaded jewelry to express their gratitude for our services.  In exchange, Brandon presented them with a book of photos of the construction Berkeley Carroll has done alongside the Maasai community in the past couple of years.  Following the closing ceremony, the Maasai women held a marketplace full of traditional Maasai objects and accessories where we tried our hand at bargaining in order to find the perfect souvenirs for ourselves as well as all of you.  The hardest part was our final walk down the rocky, dirt path with all of the friends from Oloika whom we had formed such strong connections with in such a short amount of time.  After taking multiple photos, exchanging bracelets, and repeatedly sharing warm embraces and handshakes, we had to come to terms with the fact that we were leaving this remarkable community and that this amazing experience was coming to an end.  The atmosphere during dinner and our nightly ANCHOR session left us all sad yet appreciative that we had gotten to enjoy such a once in a lifetime adventure.  We want you all to know how grateful we are that you sent us here, and we’ll see you soon.

Much love from Kenya,
-Jada and Sophia