California Love

 Hello!

 A few weeks ago I jet to SoCal for some quality time with my family from the golden coast. I have loved California since I was a little girl. Other than Texas it is probably the only state in the US I could envision having a life in. The sunshine, beautiful beaches and laidback lifestyle hooks me every time.  I thrive on being active and outdoors, and the gorgeous weather makes a perfect playground for running, surfing and swimming. 

Although my stay was short, we managed to squeeze in some poolside time, shopping and a  beachside brunch in Laguna. I adore Laguna. Most might associate it with a certain unfortunate television show, but I like to imagine it as the charming artisan town adopted by landscape painters in the 1920’s. It’s a must go every time I visit. If you can stop by Las Brisas for brunch and mimosas. The ocean view is gorgeous and the food is delicious! More to come queridos. I promise I won’t be such a stranger this week. 

K.

Colombia, el riesgo es que te quieras quedar.

Holaaa. 

After Africa I had the opportunity to jet down south for some R&R in the beautiful country of Colombia. If you were wondering by now, yes. I only enjoy spending travel time in countries on the State Department warning list. 

Joking!  

Sort of? ;)

When many think of Colombia, kidnappings, Pablo Escobar & illicit substances happen to come to mind. 

But let's get this straight right now.

Unless you are running for public office or go wandering into FARC territory in the middle of the jungle, it is not likely you are going to be taken and held for randsom. You probably have a higher risk of being abducted in downtown Dallas. Yes, Colombia has had an unfortunate past, but it has made huge strides in security in the last two decades. The people are moving forward and not looking back. Their motto - "The only risk is wanting to stay". 

The country is one of the best kept secrets of Latin America, and I've been enjoying this hidden gem with a handful of non-fearing foreigners for years now. I have, however, been pleasantly surprised at the growing amount of tourist each time I return. As much as I'd like to keep it to myself, you should go book a ticket right. this. instant. 

Why?

The people are arguably the kindest on the planet.

The cuisine is divine.

The cities are full of life.

The natural landscape is breathtaking.

I could go on forever. 

A ridiculous amount of people in my life happen to be Colombian, so I might be biased. But I have been ten (yes, ten!) times and can't get enough. So get on it, people! You won't regret it. 

Kiki

"Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes." - Henry David Thoreau

 I really love the fact that in the Kuku language there is no word to be found for goodbye. I have spent such a memorable few weeks here in East Africa. My time has been filled with new friends, fun projects, exciting adventures, quiet reflection and lots of laughter. I have earned an impressive number of stamps on my passport since my late teens, and through my journeys I have been blessed to encounter a plethora of lovely, unique people. You might not always be able to keep up with every person you meet along the way, but at the end of the day you know when the time comes to cross paths once again, your conversation will flow as if time never really passed. And that, my friends, is what makes travel worthwhile.
  Love.

                  -Kiki

Boomer. ;)

Kampala

 We’re in Kampala today to have some fun before we head back! The capital of Uganda, Kampala is home to around one million. We are staying in a hostel called The Red Chile, which is rather quaint! To tell you the truth I was expecting much worse. You can meet people from all over the world, and the staff is friendly and helpful. Not to mention their brick oven pizzas are absolutely mouth watering.

Our first full day here we went white water rafting on the Nile in Jinja. Let's just say, I don't know why this wasn't on my bucket list before! I have been rafting in New Mexico, Colorado & Colombia, but nothing compares to the Nile. 3 words: LEVEL. FIVE. RAPIDS. Our raft flipped twice, and we feared for our lives, but oh- was it invigorating! The genius I am I volunteered to be our row leader with a just as crazy New Zealander. We had the pleasure of sitting up front and watch helplessly as eight foot waves crash over our heads. I cannot wait to do it again!

 Our last day here we visited some artisan markets for last minute gift shopping. We also went on a mad search for local tunes, which we had burned for us at an obscure barber shop. It made for a pretty entertaining story.

 I am sad to leave Africa tomorrow, but alas, all good things must come to an end. Some pictures from our adventures in Uganda -->

Love! K

Vision

Having 20/20 myself, I had never thought much about the pure inconvenience and difficulty that is caused by poor vision. Not having corrective eyewear prevents one from performing well in school, excelling in most professions, and even clearly seeing the faces of loved ones. The inability to see affects your capability of living a productive, happy life. It is startling to know that the majority of 

sub-Saharan Africans that need glasses are without access. 95% to be exact. 

Fortunately with the help of Eyejusters and Karmoie we have been able to make a change.  A new technology company based in Oxford, UK, Eyejusters is dedicated to providing their revolutionary self-adjustable glasses to the developing world. The product is brilliant, really. After inserting small knobs on both sides of the frame, the ajustable, double slide lenses can be fit to the exact prescription the patient needs. 

We have spent the past few days administering eye tests and prescribing glasses to as many people as we can. I can't even begin to describe the feeling of being able to help someone see clearly for the first time. It is really incredible! 

 
 

Karmoie

This week we welcomed some new visitors to Kajo-Keji. Lars & Kirsten Iversen are the creative minds behind Karmoie, a new luxury sunglass brand from Norway. Not only do they make some striking eyewear, but for every Karmoie piece sold a pair of Eyejusters glasses are donated to someone in need. 

Karmoie products are fair trade, eco-friendly and hand crafted in Italy. Everything you could want in a pair of sunglasses!

Kirsten and Lars have graciously agreed to partner with our organization, donating 270 Eyejusters and 300 pairs of reading glasses. In the next few days we will be working hard to bring clear vision to several communities in South Sudan. I have truly enjoyed getting to know such inspirational social entrepreneurs and have had a blast working alongside them during this project!

After Karmoie’s official launch I'll fill you in on how to purchase a pair. For now, follow them through their blog and on facebook. 

Gelatat!

Gelatat literally means white person. Gringo, if you will. Children scream it everytime they see me. It is followed by laughter, friendly waves, and usually a high pitched “how are youuuu?,” which makes it incredibly charming and not offensive in the least.

I’ve spent the past few days organizing at the compound, playing with little ones, learning how to drill water wells at a nearby school and SKIN a pig. Yes… I skinned a pig. It was horrific but I did it. And then I ate it.

Pretty proud of that one. Wish I had pictures but was too caught up in the moment to capture it. 

<3 Kiki