My American Experience.

#LEAPOFHOPE

First of all, I would wish to thank all of you-the millions following us through YALI Networks across Africa, the Kenyan Youth looking upon us to borrow a leaf on how to model themselves into civic leaders, American friends we’ve known and worked together even before this program, the good friends we’ve since come to appreciate and learn from here in U.S and at the U.S Embassy in Kenya, the two governments of U.S and Kenya through their Departments of State and Foreign Affairs respectively.

Indeed June 18^th will remain a special day for me personally and I think to most of my Fellows too. It was indeed that day you wish to experience. I had just given out money from Hifadhi Africa fund a community based organization called Pokot Education and Peace Support Organization (PEPSO). Hifadhi Africa and PEPSO program coordinator David Lomoywara had agreed to initiate a number of community projects starting with “Smile A Feet”. This is a project seeking to donate shoes to school going children in Kenya from less privileged background. Hifadhi Africa Organization had no money but we knew what such a project will impact admission intake in the Country especially among minority communities. My Directors Charles and Jovenal agreed with me that small efforts go long distances and that this partnership will transform lives bottom up. Coincidentally, Eric Legg, an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University would yesterday teach us on the importance of focus on community recreational sport and youth development.

 

My first flight would take me to Brussels airport in Belgium. I had left Nairobi at 10:45p.m only to touch ground the following morning!. I was fed, given warm sheet and head phones. Kenyan Matatu crew should have been on board with me, they would have learnt something on customer care. There were no major happenings at Brussels apart from admiring planes alighting, boarding and taking off open mouthed. I moved around classifying them according to their brand companies. I was also fascinated seeing crowd of 80% white people. In Kenya, we usually have small number of white people at any given time. I left for Washington that afternoon. I had gotten used to the security check in system and terminal gates. Peeping down from above the clouds, I saw oceans below me. (I wasn’t scared, Pokots don’t fear water. We need water for it’s the most mysterious thing after God Himself). It hit me that we’re actually crossing to the great America. It never happened in my wild dream that a son of a Pastoralist could do that?   

  

I had already made friends. Stephen, the first person to welcome me to USA (albeit 13,000 meters high!) wished me well. He was seated beside me from Belgium. The feeling when you realize that you are actually entering USA!

We landed and proceeded for the security check in. No petrifying search and scanning as I was expecting. No Marines everywhere as I was contemplating. No hard YES/NO questions as I had been told. In fact, I was addressed as a SIR. That was a shock. After claiming our bags, I wandered around to familiarize myself with the airport area-Washington Dulles International.  

It later took me 4 hours’ flight from D.C to Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix, Arizona State. I had gotten used to both on a plane and security check in processes, so I afforded to sleep. At the airport, a team from Arizona State University-who were to be my host were already waiting for me. 

Don’t make me describe the car I was put in. And I mean “I” because the car was exclusively to ride me alone. Among those who picked me was a girl from Nigeria while my driver was a guy originally from Somalia.  

To be continued……….