It seems rather ironic that I'm writing this blog post during a snowstorm that's been going all day, but that's life sometimes. Getting back to blizzardy Alberta after being in Nairobi is a little sad, but still theres something about the relentless snowfall that makes it feel like home :).
But that is the end of the adventure.
This is a recap of the last few things I did in Kenya and what I learned while I was there, so, lets begin.
First off, the reason I went in the first place, work. Overall I designed, drafted, and sized the 16 patterns that I was able to complete (out of 18 that I had planned) as well as designing some shoes for infants which were a wonderful treat to make. Here are some pictures to give you an idea of what the collection looks like.
I have to say I really loved being able to work with these Kenyan girls, it was really wonderful to see my designs being worn by actual children before I left. The one above is called the Pocket Tunic.
This one was probably the hardest to design because of the multiple layers of colour and the appliqué design. It was so worth it though when I think about how iconically Kenyan it is. It just turned out beautifully.
This is the Katie skirt! My favourite piece in the collection, it's been in my head since last September and it was so rewarding to be able to have it finally done and designed!
This was the first dress that I designed and drafted for Amani, I love the colours and the floral batik, it was a great way to get started!
And of course, the shoes! These were so much fun to draft and design, and it was so rewarding to see them completed!
So that's a short recap of the work that I did. I have to say I have never felt so excited to go to work everyday. It's amazing how encouraging and excited the women were to have me there helping them. They had such a desire to learn how to make the different pieces, and while it can be frustrating trying to get things done when people do not move as quickly as expected I would have missed out on many rich interactions and blessings if I had not taken the time to walk them through the steps and I doubt I would have been anymore productive at the end of the day. Amani Ya Juu is a very special place with very special women and I only hope I was able to bless them as much as I feel blessed by them.
But work is not all encompassing of any trip, and while I sadly was not able to go to the Masaii Mara I was still able to have some good mini adventures, and now I just have a good excuse to go back to Kenya!
This is a photo of one of God's most wonderful creations... TEA! That's right, turns out Kenya is one of the places that grows and exports the most tea in the world, delicious delicious Kenyan tea! Not only is it a wonderful crop to grow because of how wonderful it is, it's also very beautiful, turning miles after miles of hillsides into this deep green colour. Very beautiful.
Also beautiful is Brittany, the other Amani intern while I was there, she is in charge of their social media (you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter if you are interested) as well as doing many other odd admin related work for them. We went to the tea plantations together and had a very lovely day :).
And just one more picture of tea (can you tell I love tea?) :). It really was delicious.
I was also blessed with the opportunity to go to one of the local churches for a worship concert Sunday, they had some really amazing local artists perform as well as an extended time of praise and worship. This picture is of the worship team, who decided to coordinate their outfits for the special Sunday, looking pretty sharp!
And what's a trip to Africa without a Safari? Crazy! This time around my host family recommended the walking Safari, as it would be more time conscious and I would get to see the animals guarenteed, which is not the case on a game drive. And did we ever see some animals! I went with my host-sister Dorothy and it was a really spectacular trip!
First we got this close to a pygmy hippo, SO CUTE.
Then we got this close to a rhino, there he is, just eating hay and chillin'.
Next we got as close to lions as I ever want to be! It was rather unbelievable how close we were, they're such beautiful animals.
Maybe this one was a little grumpy...
The walking Safari has a random assortment of monkeys who just wander around, they were very cute and again we were able to get very close to them for some pictures.
This is a water buffalo, as you can see, they ARE very different from bison, 12 years of Canadian education has not failed me (I remember that being emphasized often in elementary)!
And this is a cheetah, it was acting just like a house cat, which was adorable to watch. So beautiful!
And that is the pictures of the walking safari that are worth showing off, it was a great way to spend the morning and I did get to see some wonderful animals!
Thus ends my five week adventure to Nairobi, Kenya. It was an experience I would not have traded for anything, both as a person and a designer. I feel as if the experiences we have and the cultures we visit open us up to learning more about ourselves and humanity in general. It is amazing how small the world can seem until you take the time to go somewhere, and experience something you had never really even thought about before. I would recommend anyone, artists and designers especially, to at least get to know someone from another culture if not to visit one for a while. It's such an enriching experience.
I hope you all enjoyed these Africa adventure blog posts, I'll put tutorials for craft things on here eventually, I promise!
Katie <><
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