VWB/VSF Student Project: Kenya Dairy

The time approacheth! The Kenyan odyssey is drawing near. I can hardly believe it really. I think the best setting for this adventure is to describe my thoughts as they stand right now for posterity's sake. So that I can compare the person I am now with the person I will be when I get back. At the moment I feel like I know absolutely nothing that could possibly be considered even remotely useful to anyone, and I'm more than a little worried that when I arrive in Kenya this will be painfully obvious. So many people have helped me get to this point. My VWB support team, my Mum, and of course my wonderful family and friends. I know that I will not be alone in my travels or my work either. But surely at some point I must contribute something useful. Something in the way of a unique talent that could buoy and support my team. Now what shall that be I wonder? Hmmm... I have it! I'll make sandwiches! I make a delicious peanut butter and banana sandwich, and since both ingredients are plentiful in Kenya, surely this is a task at which I cannot fail? Brilliant!

Oh dear, the bar for personal growth has been set quite low hasn't it? I believe a wise person (likely of asian descent) once said that to learn something new, one must empty their cup (cup = brain) of all preconceptions and prejudice and allow it to be filled again with the truth of real life personal experience. Or something along those lines. Anyway, the point is that I feel as though my cup is as empty as it can possibly be. I'm hoping that my travels in Kenya will help me understand my world and the people who inhabit it a little bit better, and possibly fill my cup with something useful. Well, more useful than peanut butter and banana sandwiches anyway. I know this may sound selfish, especially when considering that my mandate is one where I'm to be a volunteer working to improve the lot of the farmers and dairy cattle of Kenya. I can't, however, deny the very real possibility that I will benefit from this experience more than the wonderful people I will be working with in Kenya whom I cannot wait to meet.

I think I will sign off now. It is late and I'm getting more foolish with each passing minute. I will write again soon with details concerning itineraries and flights schedules.

L