Not your everyday field trip: hiking Mt. Longonot

I mentioned last month on facebook that our class was taking a field trip. However, we weren't going to a museum or aquarium with our students. We took them to hike Mt. Longonot. This wasn't your typical field trip. This was an adventure with forty-one 9 or 10-year-olds to climb a dormant VOLCANO in the middle of the day near the equator in a specified time limit so that we could get back to school before the bell rang. It was a long day, but it was so fun!

Mt. Longonot...the kids were off!

Luckily we had a group of wonderful chaperones who were up to the challenge of keeping up with the youngsters and attempting to make it to the top. Since we were in a bit of a time crunch (we wanted to get back for a normal dismissal and our destination was an hour and a half away), we only had about two and a half hours to hike the mountain. We prepped our kiddos with this information and told them getting to the top probably won't happen. Our purpose in going, we discussed, would be to enjoy God's creation and admire the beautiful country we live in.

There they go!

Once we made it through the ticket purchasing stage (seems like nothing in Kenya is ever easy or goes quite like you plan) our student groups got together and began the trek up the mountain. It was very dusty and was definitely a climb. Along the walk up we could see zebra and antelope in the distance. With lots of feet moving quickly, dust was in the air. That plus the heat and direct sunlight made for a difficult journey.

We were kind of excited/scared there might be buffaloes!

Students knew they only had a limited amount of time, so they took off! Groups merged and changed as not everyone held the same pace and before we knew it, the first group made it to the top! We really were shocked that they made it, and not only one group, but most of our kids made it up there. I guess telling them it would be difficult and might not happen motivated them to really push through and put forth an amazing effort.

Making their way up the mountain.

Rochelle (fellow chaperone & friend) and myself brought up the rear of the pack and were able to join up with one of my climbers who was happy to enjoy the scenery of the mountain rather than make it up to the top. Another group was slowed down by heat exhaustion, so we took it slow and made our way back to the bottom to enjoy our lunch. Later I learned that we were just short of making it to the half way point.

What a view!

We made it back down to the bottom with only a few minor scrapes but were covered in dust! Kids took
off their shoes and poured out the dirt. Slowly the rest of our group filtered back to the bottom. We refilled water bottles and hopped back on the Rosslyn buses. I sat in the back of the bus with the kids and bounced high in the air as we drove over some major bumps- I had a couple bruises to prove it! I played a concentration/category/clapping game with some of the kids. Once I got the hang of it, I schooled them. We drove back past the Great Rift Valley and made it to Rosslyn's campus with enough time to take a fourth grade photo.

Some zebras we spotted on the way down.

It was a blur of a day, but it was a great bonding time for the students and a such a gorgeous day to spend out in Kenya. I'll be going back to Mt. Longonot to climb the mountain myself and make it to the top. I'm so grateful for such a unique opportunity!

Fourth graders and the chaperones.

Christmas Card Project

For a fun Christmas project my class participated in a Christmas card exchange with other elementary classrooms, mostly in the United States. Inquisitive and curious, my students were very excited to to know where our partner classrooms were located. It was fun to discuss weather during Christmas time and how a lot of people in the states hope for a "white Christmas." Thus went the week long round of asking Miss Idsardi, "Does it snow in...(fill in the blank with random location in the States)?" I was proud to say that in Florida we enjoyed a temperate winter, but did not spend time by the pool or at the coast as is customary here in Kenya. Talk also drifted to the crazy winter weather experienced in the States at the time and it was fun to hear students talk about their snow experiences or lack thereof.

For the project students in our fourth grade class signed up for a classroom or two, many based on where the school was located and if the student had any connection there. Some kids were able to make a card for a school from the same state they are from. Students designed the cards and wrote their own messages inside telling the partner classroom how they celebrate Christmas and a little about what life is like in Nairobi.

We also filled out cards with some data about our class, like how many boys or girls are in our class and an interesting fact. Many of the students wrote that our class is make up of kids representing 11 nations, that can speak around 17 languages. I can't vouch that they are all proficient in the languages they claimed, but we went with it.

The fun part was finally receiving cards.  With the crazy weather and the Kenyan post, some cards didn't trickle in until after Christmas. One just got here in February and was postmarked before the 25th! The kids oohed and ahhed at the various cards and got excited when their "school" sent us a card.

Our cards were posted on a bulletin board in our classroom for students to admire and read. It was a fun way to celebrate Christmas and to tell others about the joy of the birth of our Savior.

When my parents came to visit!

Over the Christmas break I had some special visitors: my parents! It was great to show them around Nairobi and take them to some of the places I really enjoy here.

Out in the Mara

The first day we visited the National Museum to learn all about the history, cultures, and animals of Kenya. There is a snake and reptile park so we visited that too. Ironically, they had crocodiles and even a North American alligator. That evening we went to Diamond Plaza to enjoy some Indian food.

Enjoying Indian Food at DP

The next day we took off for the Mara to go on safari. It was practically a different place than the one I visited in November after having the short rains. There was so much grass and so many baby animals! My favorite sighting was the lion cubs with their mom. They were too cute for words- tumbling over each other to play, scratching paws on trees, and just rolling over in the grass on top of one another. We spent Christmas out in the Mara and it was so beautiful (except for the safari ants)!

With our guide, Dixon

The next couple of days we visited the giraffe center, elephant orphanage, Masai Market, a fair wage bead factory/shop, and of course Rosslyn's campus.

Feeding giraffes

We also visited a funky glass place way outside of Nairobi. It was a good thing we had an SUV because some of the roads were ridiculous with crazy rocks everywhere, awful ruts, and terrible dips. We finally made it, although the glass blowers were not there. Still we got to see the amazing artwork and interesting displays around the property. We crossed a ravine on a cable footbridge to get to a restaurant on the other side.

Inside a Masai home

The last day of their visit we went to Karura Forest which is just around the corner from where we live. It has beautiful waterfalls and makes you feel like you are far from the city.  That night I dropped them off at the airport so they could return back home to Florida. I was so happy to share my life in Nairobi with them!

with some Masai ladies

Sports Day

So, the day after our fourth graders hiked a mountain they had Sports Day (field day). Our entire elementary participated in an all day event that included tug-of-war, three-legged-races, swimming, balloon tosses, egg relays, and running relays.

First graders at the water balloon toss

The kids were so excited about this day. All elementary students were divided into either the Green, White, or Red team. The teams were decked out their color and even created legit cheers. We traveled to activities as a fourth grade, but each time they participated and won, points were given to their team. Throughout the day the points were tallied- it was serious business.

Since we had an uneven number of players for some teams, teachers occasionally had to participate in events. So, I got to do a three-legged-race and the balloon toss.

We had a large number of parents represented as volunteers and cheerleaders. Some participated in the parent relays which were excitedly cheered on by our students.

fourth grade boys running

The last event of the day was a Fun Run that everyone (kids, parents, and teachers) was encouraged to participate in. It was two laps around the track and those who accomplished it were able to donate a point to the team of their choice.

It was fun to spend the day outside with the rest of the school in the Kenyan sunshine. After the the winner was announced it was time for kids to go home. A few of us teachers went to Java after school for a treat. After Mt. Longonot on a Thursday and Sports Day on Friday, I was one tired teacher!