On a more positive note, while I was in Sinkiraine, I spent quite a bit of time with a Maasai guy named Nixon. He gave me a maasai name, which I still can't quite pronounce: Olamunyak. It sounds like a mix of "almanac" and some name you'd hear on Star Trek. Nevertheless, it was really sweet for him to give me a name, particularly because "Olamunyak" means "the luckiest person." Not that I am already very lucky but that I will be with this name. But I actually do feel like the name already applies to me.
I've met so many wonderful people over the past six weeks. I've learned so much and seen so much. Every moment has been a gift. I've just been so lucky--or is it blessed?--during this leg of the trip. Blessed to have visited the projects I did, to have survived the illnesses I had, and to have spent time with the people I met. And the circumstances surrounding my first contact with IROSS in 2005 were pretty providential as well. (Getting Miek's e-mail address through a friend of a friend and then meeting Mike for lunch at Duke, where he just happened to be for a conference. Crazy.)
I am blessed/lucky/fortunate/whatever to have ICROSS in my life. Olamunyak indeed.
PS- Nixon also told me that he'd give me a goat the next time I came to Sinkiraine. Um, thanks?
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