Thursday, June 17, 2010

The Crew (I couldn't have asked for better people!)

Habari! My name is Jami Strapple and I am from Hawai’i. Here in Kenya, I have been called “the lady from the waters”. I think I am called this because people cannot remember my name or pronounce it. I am here in beautiful Kenya along with my wonderful classmates from Pacific University PA program class of 2010. We have been looking forward to this unforgettable opportunity and experience for 1 year and it has finally come.

I was born and raised in Kailua, Hawai’i in a quiet, little beach town where everyone rides bike around town and to the beach, hangs out at the beach and goes for morning beach walks. I have two happily married parents and a dear younger sister. I have a warm hearted, loveable boyfriend in Hawai’i named Kamaka who has been by my side every minute through this journey through PA school. Love him! I have one poi dog (many mixed breeds) named Ziggy. I enjoy anything water related: surfing, canoe paddling, kayaking, boogie boarding, swimming. There is something magical and mystical about being in the ocean. That is one thing that I can say that I miss the most right now, the ocean. I love sushi and bubble tea!!!!

Being in Kenya has been eye-opening and life-changing. There have been so many different emotions everyday! It is hard to explain. I think my classmates know what I mean. I have learned so much about the people, culture, language, land, food, and tropical medicine. The people here are overwhelmingly friendly and I have never felt so welcomed and cared for since being here in Kenya! In fact, let me share an experience J-dub and I had with a lady from the hospital (keep in mind we had only met her 2 days prior). She approached us with the earnest handshake, hugged us and told us how much she wanted us to stay in Kenya forever, work here and that we should buy a piece of land, build a house and live in Kenya forever. Super nice!!! This made me feel so happy inside. I will take each and every one of those experiences with me home and hold them deep down in my heart.

We are headed back to Portland, Oregon next week, graduate in 6 weeks, take the PANCE (PA national certification exam), find a job and settle into our lives which have been on hold for the past 26 months. I can’t wait!!!! I plan to head back to “the waters” to work and live. Until next time….Aloha!

My name is Jessica Wright, I’m 32 years old. I live in Portland, Oregon and I’m in my final couple of months of a Pacific University’s Physician Assistant program. I grew up in Oregon but spent a good portion of my adult years in California. I live with my girlfriend and several cats (of course) and I love rainbows and ponies. My collegiate background is in biopsychology and mental health, however, I’m hoping to only use those skills to subtly influence people, not to use them as my professional focus. In all seriousness my professional goals are to help a lot of people, particularly old people and buy some nice skirts. I’m hoping that upon graduation I’ll be able to land a hospitalist position, or potentially a general surgery position. I have thoroughly enjoyed Kenya and the comparison to our medical system has been eye opening. The people of Kenya are like no other I have ever met. They are truly the most kind and welcoming people. The culture and the land are amazing and I will truly miss these things as well as the culture.


For those of you that just read about J. Dubs (aka. Jessica Wright), I just want you to let you know that in real life, she is one of the wittiest of people that I know. She’s the comic relief of our group, and can dance like you wouldn’t believe. I’m Michelle, hailing from Corvallis, Oregon. Here, I’m known as Michelle Obama, or just Obama for short. Having Obama as President has really gotten us quite far. I was born in San Jose, CA and I’ve got two wonderful parents and one older brother who I love dearly. I too, am classmates with J. dubs. There are six of us from Pacific University, here for our ninth (of ten) rotations before we graduate this August. It is really hard to believe how close we are to graduating. PA school has been quite a ride, and we’ve been looking forward to this time in Kenya for one year. Being here in Kenya has been more than I could have ever imagined. We’ve seen manifestations of diseases we’ve only read about, and become more astute in the art of tropical medicine. I definitely heart Kenya. Traveling has and always will be a part of my life. It’s the kind of experience that always exceeds whatever expectation you had -- the people have been more gracious and genuine, the country has been more beautiful, and the food has been amazing. I couldn’t have asked for better travel buddies, and J. biddle has been a great addition to our group. Though we only have a few weeks left, I know J.biddle will try and retro-chronologically keep you updated on what I have failed to do with my family and friends. Cheers!


adding to the pot here…

I am still figuring out biddle, so I will freely write about myself instead in a shameless act of self-promotion. my name is nikki mcleod (yeah, I know the punch line) and am part of the kenya 2010 crew from pacficu.edu. born in delaWHERE? (biden is my homeboy), raised on a boat in the chesapeake bay (I sure know my crabs), transplanted to new hampshire (it’s like old hampshire but new), then to tahoe (keep it blue) for a few years of ski, climbing, and world travel related hedonism before settling down back in new hampshire with the love of my life, only to recently find myself back on the left coast for grad school. i’m really good at run on sentences and inappropriate punctuation, laughing at irony, drinking tea, and napping. the list of things i’m no good would dwarf the magna carta.

i have 3 boys, ben, liam, and camper- who truly are the most amazingly weird and fun creations ever. we like to ride bikes around pdx and picnic at the neighborhood beach, go to the park for some crazy see saw action, and share a pint of beer (the adults, not the kids…i mean as liberal as i think i might be, i would not share a beer. with anyone. period.) and chess on sundays at the pub 3 blocks down. It’s a good life….one that I finally plan on really participating in after graduation. august 14th.

in the meantime, am just reveling in traveling like i mean it. to a crazy place in a fantastic time (woot woot obama and world cup) and soaking up experiences like there’s no tomorrow. an escape from my norm, but a place I find nostalgically comfy. good times with good peeps. fo sho.


Jambo Sana! Joshua now on the keyboard.

Sugarcane by the meter and our own perpetual group of under 7 yr olds constantly in tow. These children free to roam, or come and go as they please find something supremely interesting in all of our movements and activities. Finally one of them gets the nerve up to approach us - sticky little hand extended for a hand shake…. Once the others see the exchange of handshake and smile they all converge.

I am shooting from the hip here blogosphere world.

A few weekends ago – walking between homes in our rural Kenyan community –Bware- with members of the Buchwa women community heath workers who have identified those in the community with medical needs and acted as guides and translators. I visited 24 patients in one day seeing everything you could ever imagine… . These rolling hills of dark red earth spotted with single-track trails, mud huts, brick houses, and fields of corn, sugarcane, pineapple, beans, peanuts and rogue goats, chickens with chicks in tow and cows that are elated in their escape – long rope in tow tied to one of the front hoofs. Small children 1/3 the size of their cows keeping them in line with a small branch in one hand and a piece of sugar cane in the other.

Babies tied to mothers backs in bright colored fabric that makes the small faces that peek out over these improvised slings irresistible.

What a time for an American to visit Kenya : we have a Kenyan man in the president’s office. Obama is the default conversation piece that can bring any of us together with our hosts. Saying “my vote helped put Obama in office” wins the hearts of any Kenyan.

My only question – why no hammock culture here?

On a final note I was one of 12 people in a run of the mill Toyota station wagon today. 2 full sized people in the drivers seat – let the imagination figure out the rest.

A bit about myself, to help frame this conversation and blog– sparing the diapers to degree timeline, I will give the last 10 years. Once I completed my undergrad degree I began seasonal work in the Frank Church Wilderness (Idaho) and Northern Italy. Summers were spent guiding 7-day river expeditions on the Middlefork of the Salmon River; the other 8 months living with an Italian family I befriended while studying abroad. Happily studying medicine now with some of the most genuine people I have ever been with.


Greetings from beautiful Kenya! My name is Jeanette Nelson. I am also a PA student at Pacific University. The men in my life (hubby Matt and sons Ian and Grady) are currently residing in Salt Lake City, Utah while I am off globe-trotting. I have always had a desire to come to Kenya to do medical volunteer work and I consider myself very fortunate to be here with such a great group of people. This has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I have had so much fun getting to meet with people in their homes, play Frisbee and jump rope with school children, sing and dance with the locals, laugh with my friends and the hospital staff and watch the beautiful Kenyan sunsets as each day comes to a close. The people here frequently tell us not to forget them; I don’t think that will be a problem.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for sharing Josh. Jambo Sana to Joshua! His mini blog here is so random and fun. why hammock?

    ReplyDelete