Day 6 & a quick update – I’ve been in touch with Safi (the student who was refused permission to travel. Naturally enough she and her children are devastated but I will discuss everything with her when I get back and see what can be done for them for a future visit.

Well as day 6 was a Saturday I had planned on taking them to the Maasai market in the centre of Nairobi. It is a really intense experience and great fun. However, there were final tweaks needed in the editing of both the video and audio projects. As the guys were happy to stay behind and do that I arranged for our tour operator to accompany the girls to Nairobi City Centre whilst I stayed with the guys (and finished the small audio edits and exported it to MP3 format. No small task when you’re not used Macs, which don’t recognise the version of Lame we use. Anyway, I managed it eventually but it just confirmed my dislike of the Mac environment – oh and Keji your Mac is sooooooo slow 😉

Eventually all was done; the girls returned having had a good time and we were able to get to the exhibition just in time. In the event, as nice as it was for the French Embassy to give us the space for free, it didn’t really work out for the audio and video projects. The photography exhibition was OK although I think the photographers wished they’d been there a tad earlier to organise the actual presentation of pictures and accompanying narratives. There were a number of celebrations going on in the building and the noise from these made it impossible for people to take in the audio aspects of the podcast (everything) and the video projects. This was a shame but I think everyone enjoyed the exhibition as a social gathering at least. There was some nice food and drinks, speeches (well done Lola & Lewes) and before we made our exit there was dancing and a flurry of crazy selfie shots.

After some sad farewells and promises to continue the collaborations which we will do (I have extended an invitation for the Kenyan partners to submit content to the CM4K Exhibition in April. So watch this space). Everyone is having a bit of a lie in this morning ahead of a long trip to Rongo. Internet connectivity will be problematic there in all likelihood so expect blogs as and when, or as a great flurry on our return.

Well, that’s the first week done and dusted. It is been quite amazing. The students have worked harder than any group I can remember – very proud of them! Each year’s cohort have their own personality – not had a bad bunch yet (and fingers crossed it stays that way). Whilst not as manic and boistrous as last year’s bunch these guys are nice and I am enjoying working and socialising with them.

PS I’ll post some pics to this when I get a moment but for now it’s breakfast, final bits n bobs of packing and getting the sleepers up and about. 🙂