TobyPiles of fruit in Malindi, Kenya. *** I’ve always scoffed at the concept of culture shock. I go somewhere; there I am. Okay. I go […]
Tag: travel
Lamu, Kiwayu and the Danger of Playing it Safe
For those of you who have been following recent events in Garissa, Kenya, and who were aware of the proximity of Lamu and Kiwayu Island […]
Making Art
I love when people ask me, “Are you an artist?” These days, it happens often as guests and staff at the Distant Relatives Ecolodge in […]
Kilifi in Words
[“Kilifi in Pictures” coming soon!] I have been in Kilifi, Kenya now for over 3 weeks. I think some (word) snapshots are overdue… Kilifi lies […]
Embracing Syncretism
When I first encountered the concept of cultural immersion, it sounded something like this: To understand—to truly understand—another place and people, you must eat, sleep, […]
When the Power Goes Out (a poem for quiet moments)
I wrote this during one of Kenya’s (frequent, albeit brief) power outages. Though inconvenient, I find they can offer some much-needed respite from the constant […]
That Sand in your Toes Feeling
Today was a gorgeous day at Diani Beach. For the first time in a long time, I felt poetry pushing at my fingertips. I hope […]
How to Take the Bus Everywhere
Jesus travels… and so can you! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise… there is always another way to get there. In October, I visited my […]
Time to Move
Once upon a time, nomads—largely hunter gatherers or pastoralists—knew it was time to move when the game animals moved on, or the fields became depleted. […]
Rusinga Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya
Here, I am Muzungu: foreign, white, outsider. Kids yell after us as we pass on foot (or, after realizing the walk from Mbita is at […]