Simien Mountains, Ethiopia I knew going in that I was taking a gamble. It was rainy season, and I had been warned that rainy season in the Simiens can be quite awful. Hiking in the rain anywhere can be quite awful. But as we drove into the Simiens, I was glad I had taken a … More Hide & Seek in the Simien Mountains
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia An Ethiopian man is walking down the street with the only other white person in sight. He spots me and excitedly says to his companion “Look! Another Faranji. Do you want to say hi?” She sheepishly says no and slinks away. He later passes me again, this time alone, and tells me … More Random Moment in Ethiopia
Nairobi, Kenya With four weeks left in my fellowship, I’ve been daydreaming about what I’ll be most excited about when I get home. Looking at my list I’m a little embarrassed. It’s official. I’m a total yuppie. Go ahead and judge. I cannot wait to embrace my yuppieness in a month! Tap water … More What Do I Miss the Most?
Kigali, Rwanda It’s impossible to go to Rwanda and not encounter the stark reminders of the country’s painful past. Genocide memorials abound. In 1994, around 1 million people (in a small country of only ~10-11 million), mostly Tutsi and some moderate Hutu, were brutally murdered in one of the worst genocides in the world. In … More Facing Rwanda’s Difficult Past
Kibuye, Rwanda
Kigali, Rwanda Every moto driver in Kigali now knows where I am staying, but none of them knows how to get there. Most of my first day in Rwanda was spent on the back of a motobike. Given how cheap it is and how amazing the views are, it wasn’t a bad way to spend … More Kigali from the back of a Motobike
Hell’s Gate, Kenya I spent the weekend, camping, hiking, biking, and rock climbing at Hell’s Gate, the park that The Lion King was modeled after. It’s one of the few parks in Kenya where you can walk/bike along side with the wild animals, because, despite what Disney says, there are no lions here. We … More Hell’s Gate: Picture Blog
Nairobi, Kenya This is not how I expected to spend my Friday night. In the dark, whispering with my roommates while peeking out one window to the next. I had heard about mob justice in Kenya. The guidebook even warns to be extremely careful before yelling ‘thief’. But I hadn’t expected to witness it so … More Mob Justice from my Apartment Window
One Girl's Wanderlust Adventures 