Day 1 Kenya Team

Our hotel in Ethipoia
Who knew flying could be this boring. We are somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean right now, about 2,000 mile out of Rome, where we will stop to refuel and continue on to Ethiopia where we will spend the night. So far, everything has gone relatively smooth. Everyone arrived at the airport at 6:45, bushy eyed and of course looking their best. We left Salt Lake, arrived in Denver, then caught another flight to the Washington Dulles airport. We all nervously checked in at Ethiopian Airlines before breaking off to find a bite to eat. That brings me to where i am now, sitting on a plane, anticipating our arrival in Kenya, uncertain of what to expect, and super excited to begin what i know will be the experience of a lifetime. I have already began to feel a little bit of home sickness, missing me family and friends, but I'm sure once things get going and projects get put into plan, all thoughts of home will dissipate and I will be able to fully immerse myself in the Youthlinc experience.
So i thought i was done for the day, but our first night in Africa was definitely one to remember. We landed in Ethiopia and go on a bus to take us to our hotel for the night. We got to drive through Addis Abeba and see the night life; homeless people lined the streets, dead animals hung insdie shoes. Another thing I have never experienced is being a minorty. We landed and got off the plane, and that's when iI realized we were no longer in America. It was intimidating, not gunna lie, but every single person we have come in contact with has been very nice. At the hotel, we got caught in a thunderstorm and the power went out. Once the got the generator running, we had power again...until it ran out of gas. Throughout the night, the power continued to come on and off, while a raging slum party went on next to the hotel. Anyways, that sums up the first blog. I cant wait to get into the village and get started with everything we have worked all year to plan for.