Day One: Rosslyn School, Kiambethu Tea Farm and Amani A Juu

We woke up to blue sky, birdsong, and warm breezes at Rothem House, a guest house and place of retreat and rejuvenation for local pastoral leaders, run by the gracious and welcoming Moser family. After a short before-school visit with the charming and entertaining Annabel (12) Siddaly (10), and Callulah (6) we enjoyed breakfast with their parents, Greg and Rebecca. We had an opportunity to tour Rosslyn School, a K - 12 school serving the children of diplomats, missionaries, and business people, an interesting contrast to Compass School which we will see tomorrow.

Lois kindly scheduled a relaxing (well, if you don't count the speed bumps and potholes) day to help us recover from some pretty serious jet lag. We visited the first Kenyan tea plantation, started around 1910, Kiambethu Tea Farm. 

Fresh-brewed tea, a tour of the grounds, lunch made from produce grown right on the farm, and lessons from Julian on traditional medicines found in the forest property. Although it was a great sacrifice, we also forced ourselves to eat the delicious home-made ice cream made right there.

Then it was off to Amani A Juu where we had a chance to tour the workshop and purchase  some beautiful hand-made items made by refugee women from all over Africa. It was our good fortune to meet a Saultite, Julia Clark, who now works as a coordinator/manager of special projects and the restaurant at Amani.

After another bumpy and harrowing journey (thankfully our driver Faraj is highly skilled), we returned to Rothem House to share a homecooked meal and interesting conversation with our hosts. Educator-alert: We can't wait to tell you all about a most amazing international program/contest called Odyssey of the Mind! 

Tomorrow, we head to Compass School - can't wait to hug our kids, principal Annastacia and sewing teacher Flora.

Tuonane baadaye!