Woke up feeling significantly less gross – the power of a good shower is astonishing, seriously, they should write books about it. We went to uni fairly early, although we were supposed to leave at 9:00 and we left at 11:30.

I don’t know if I’ll get tired of looking out the windows; there’s so much to look at, everything is a picture. The bus ride was short, which was nice after so much travel yesterday, but our room at the uni was occupied so we had several hours to wait around.

Emily, Anya and I started doing cartwheels and acroyoga much to everyone else’s entertainment. I did get unnecessarily sweaty when I could’ve conserved my energy by jointing those in the shade, but it was so fun it was worth it. Most people got involved in the end anyways.

In the afternoon, we had our first lecture. We did icebreaker games with the University of Rongo students. If I thought I was outgoing, I clearly had never meant a Kenyan. They are so loquacious and genial that getting to know them felt so easy. We played games right up until we had to go back to the classroom.

They wanted loads of photos with us – I seriously lost count of how many we took. Finally we ate dinner and caught a glimpse of the sunset before went back to the hotel. We all had a drink and played games by the pool. I don’t know why we didn’t go inside because we were all huddled around one single light.

I realize that I never got that bonding experience that studying abroad with others gives you, because I’ve been studying abroad alone since I moved to Brighton. But now, doing this trip, we’re all in this together and learning new things together. I just feel so grateful that I’m able to get this experience with these people.

Today was our first trip into the community of Cham gi Wadu. We were to set up cameras for photography and videography and audio to capture the speech we would be given by 3 social workers involved with the Cham gi Wadu community. They spoke about modern day slavery and how it was affecting their people. We heard stories of child pregnancy and incestuous abuse, female genital mutilation and how control over someone involving an abuse of power is modern day slavery. Often when these things are reported to the police, they do not see any justice as the police are bribed.

The three women were extremely passionate in what they had to say and what I found particularly powerful was the fact that a lot of the community, women and children don’t know their rights. They told us that community Radio would have a massive impact and help to educate the people, so that they can make their own minds up as to what is right and wrong, so they know their rights and can band together to make a change. We’ll be meeting the Chief of Cham gi Wadu and the rest of the community tomorrow. I’m looking forward to speaking with them and hearing their stories and assisting the Kenyan students in collecting some quality content.

Thursday: We have FINALLY arrived in Rongo after 27 hours travelling. I got a total of 40 minutes sleep in that time, my bag did not arrive in Nairobi so I’m without all my clothes. It’s a bit of a nightmare but there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it so I’ve just got to carry on. I’m like a zombie so it’s time for a nap. Today is a complete write off.

Day 1: Friday morning in Rongo, Kenya. I wake up having had a full, uninterrupted nights sleep after 27 hours from Gatwick to our hotel. My bag has been left in Istanbul Airport and I quite literally only have the clothes on my back which are not suitable for the 30 degree heat. Luckily I’m with a kind and generous group who haven’t left me unclothed. There’s nothing I can do but wait for my bag so I’m going to enjoy everything while I can.

Loaded onto a bus with the rest of the CM4K students, we set off for the university of Rongo to meet the Vice Chancellor of the University of Rongo. In what we would soon learn is true Kenyan fashion, we waited around for an hour or so to be told that he could not meet us but we would meet him on Monday. We had a morning of exploring the grounds, sunning ourselves and chatting to various teachers and students who were excited to meet us. I was really surprised to see how happy they were to have a group of students from The West come to learn and collaborate.

After lunch we met the UR infocoms students and after playing a few ice breakers and learning names we had a really interesting discussion about what community means to each of us and how community Radio comes into play there. The Kenyan students had a much different perspective of uses and why it’s important to the community compared to us Brighton students who often don’t think of the importance of farming and politics when it comes to listening to the radio.

I’ve also been really pleasantly surprised by how well all of us Brighton students have gotten on together within a matter of days. They’ve been so accommodating towards me as my case was left behind in Istanbul, giving me everything I could possibly need. It’s made a crap situation so bearable and I’m very grateful to be with such kind, generous people so far from home.

Day 2: Feeling even more rested today, loaded up on breakfast and excitement for the day ahead, it started to hit me that I am in fact, in Kenya, in Africa and I’m here involved with something I’m passionate about, people and sharing experiences via radio. No case today but it has arrived in Kisumu Airport which is a development! We had no class today but went set off on another long journey to an archaeological site, Timlich Ohinga, where we learned about tribes from hundreds of years ago and how they built their villages. A lot of it reminded me of old Celtic and Irish stone walls and thatched roofs. We had lunch among the cows and dogs on the site and it was one of the nicest picnics I’ve ever had. The Kenyan people are so keen to share their history and educate visitors on their roots which is really lovely to learn about. They want you to feel welcome and at home while understanding how they came to be. They’re proud of their heritage and it’s something I can relate to.

Day 3: Lake Simbi and Homa Bay

It’s Sunday in Rongo and after breakfast and a bit of sunning myself, we all got ready to head off to Lake Simbi in the hopes that we would spot some flamingos in the wild. With our packed lunch in tow, we reached Lake Simbi and at first, we thought we were out of lucky but as we slowly drove around the lake we spotted a small flock of flamingos hiding in a corner. Some locals took us down the the lakes edge and we sat down for a story about the history of the lake. I’ve noticed that the Kenyans love their mythology, again something I can relate back to my own Irish heritage. We got to try some sugar cane today which was really sweet, fibrous and had a bit of a watermelon taste.

My bag has FINALLY been returned to me after 5 days without it. A special shout out to Jerry and the Acopé who drove a gruelling 7 hour round trip to collect my bag from the airport. I’m sooooooo happy I have my belongings again. I’ve never properly appreciated having my own clothes and toiletries so much. It’s made such a difference to my confidence and comfort. Another special shout out to Peter for constantly pushing and doing his best to arrange collection for me. And another huge shout out to my team mates who have been so generous and accommodating. They’ve lent me all of their clothes, shoes, toiletries and a compassionate ear. It’s made it a lot more bearable. We’ve all gotten along so well and very quickly. We’re a proper little team, banding together in the day time and playing the funniest card games by night. I’m really enjoying getting to know everyone one on one at a deeper level and I’m very glad I get to do this with this group of people.

Day 4: Meeting vice chancellor and doing practical work with the students.

This morning we met the Vice Chancellor Samuel Gudu, of Rongo University who was a very gracious host. The VC and Peter spoke about CM4K and the partnership between Brighton and Rongo and the impact it has on both sets of students. After lunch it’s back to class with the Kenyan students for a lecture and a bit of practical work. I’m quite experienced with audio and I got a little group together. Some Kenyan and Brighton students didn’t have any experience with the equipment we used so we did a little tutorial and then got recording. We all picked it up really quickly. I felt like we all got to know each other a bit better.

The heat is starting to get to us all, we’re usually exhausted at the end of the day but we still manage to come down for our game of cards before bed.

The journey here was the craziest I have ever been on. It was nearly 30 hours of straight traveling, from buses to trains to planes. My eyes were burning from lack of sleep and I felt bad even being in everyone’s vicinity because I smelled so bad.

It was worth it though; it feels like I’ve been transported to another planet. The plants, the people, everything is so different. Emily and I literally gasped when we saw our view from our room. Instead of going to sleep, like we had so desperately waiting to do, we went down to the pool to enjoy the sun.

We waited 2 hours for soup for lunch and nearly 3 for dinner. I was falling asleep at the table waiting for my curry. We went outside and looked at the stars. You can see them so clearly. It looked like a movie, all of us exhausted but laying on the ground looking up above. I feel so grateful to be traveling with this group of people.

I had the best sleep I can remember – sleeping in a bed after traveling always hits different. So crazy to think a week ago I was home in New York, Brighton in between for a few days, and now I was starting a new adventure in Kenya.

Today felt very productive. Rachel, Joakim and I spent an hour or so setting up the cameras and audio, making sure the two connected. We then travelled by coach to Cham Gi Wadu, to meet the community this all revolves around! From a large, empty, echoy room, we set up chairs and a table in a way that would work with the camera shots. We filmed the panel of women at the front from one camera, and from the other we filmed a closer shot of the panel, and another of the audience. We recorded the audio through a zoom and a handheld, wireless microphone. The talk itself was powerful. Despite having heard about the issues back in Brighton, it was eye-opening and hit harder, hearing it from the community themselves. The three female social workers spoke of child pregnancies, child marriages and FGM within the community, and how the radio would help open up the discussion on such topics. The most hitting point was about education, their words being, “we do not know our rights.” This is what the radio will spread awareness of, alongside sharing knowledge on farming crops of higher yields etc. It was enriching to meet some of the community and I’m looking forward to meeting more members tomorrow! We stopped off at a supermarket on the way back to the hotel and played cards and werewolves at our usual table. A couple of us are getting ill – thought to be the price of the sugar cane!

Today, we met the Vice Chancellor of Rongo University. Peter told him more about the project and the work we have been contributing towards, the fundraising and the kit bought. The VC was very thankful, making us feel welcome – as everybody here has been. Peter then ran a lecture for us and the Rongo students, discussing allegories and the history of community radio. After this, we divided into teams of videographers, photographers, and audiographers. As part of the videography team, we set up two static cameras at the gates and filmed Joakim and Rachel in an interview style, with two differing camera angles – using the 180° rule. Back at the class, we discussed our findings – that everyone is very equally matched and we were mutually exchanging skills and questions with one another. It was a long day and most went to bed after a delicious dinner including local fish, noodles and vegetables. A couple of us waited up for Rachel’s suitcase – a trip highlight!

Today was a good day. It was finally time to go to Chamgiwadu, the community we are setting up a community radio station in and have been thinking about for 4 months. It took a little while to get there as we had to wait for a bigger bus to arrive, but it meant we had time to sort out some of audio equipment and decide what we wanted to use. After another great lunch and a scenic drive we arrived at the village. The plan was for 3 social workers to give a talk on some of the issues in the community and how radio would help solve them, so we had to document it through video, photography and audio. We had to move rooms initially as it was too echoey, so we moved into a larger hall and started to set up the cameras.

The process was a little challenging, with the set up of the room and it’s lighting. We are still getting used to working with each other and the equipment so there was a lot of differing opinions on angles and settings, but this is what working with others is all about and I think we are satisfied with the result.

The talk itself was incredibly insightful and inspiring, hearing about all the issues surrounding FGM and violence against women and children and how these women plan to address them with community radio. One thing that stuck with me was that without the knowledge, people don’t know their own rights so don’t actually know that they shouldn’t have to be put through violence. This is something I think community radio could really help start conversations about.

After the talk finished and questions were asked, we packed up and hung out outside for a bit and took photos. We went back to the university and had some more great fried fish. Back at the hotel we played a game and had a beer to unwind. Tomorrow we are back to Chamgiwadu to meet the Chief and meet some more community members.

After a gruelling 26 hour journey from my door in Brighton, England to the Treat House Resort here in Rongo, Kenya, spanning 1 train, 3 planes, and 1 van, we finally arrived. Sleep deprived and hot, there was very little we could do except relax and (eventually) enjoy a lovely vegetable curry.

After a long sleep, we set out to Rongo University to meet the Vice Chancellor and some of the students. Unfortunately he had been called away to a meeting in Nairobi, so we spent some time on the campus exploring the grounds. We had already felt some Kenyan hospitality, but it was amazing how welcoming everyone was, taking time to come and say hello to us and tell us we are most welcome. A maths teacher called Bob Omandi took a break from his lesson to come and talk to us, telling us about how people here are named. After a delicious lunch, we met the Rongo media students and had discussions on what community and community radio means to us all.

The next day was Saturday, so we drove for about 2 hours to the Thimlich Ohinga archeological site. Sitting at the back of the bus on the dirt roads was an experience but the views on the way were worth it! The site is a 14th century Luo settlement of four walls with huts inside for the chief and his wives (polygamy!). We were guided round the site by a very knowledgeable host but poor Libby had sun stroke so she just slept under a tree. We also met a very sweet dog who we called Lentil as we fed him some lentil samosas! We got back to the hotel and played a very hectic game of Irish snap, which I think amused (bemused) the staff and other guests!

On Sunday we were promised some flamingos which we were all very excited about, so we drove off to Lake Simbi. When we arrived there were none in sight, but thankfully we turned a corner and there they were! Not too many of them mind, and they weren’t pink (which Anya had spookily predicted in her dream), but we were thrilled nonetheless. Some locals told us the myth of how the lake came to be. Apparently there was once a village on top of a hill where the lake is, but when a women visited and was treated without welcome, the rains started and sank the village and the hill to become a holy lake. In reality (and just as interestingly), it is a volcanic crater without any inlet or outlet. Nobody knows how deep it is and it sustains no life due to its high alkalinity. On the way back we stopped at Homa bay and walked up the pier a bit. There were huge Storks the size of children there! We went back to the hotel and played some more cards but we got an early night as the next day we had to get to work.

On Monday morning we drove to Rongo University, and met the Vice Chancellor in his fancy office and listened to him and Peter speak about the progress of the radio station. The project seems to have stalled because they want it to be a state of the art, modern station, but as we learnt later in Peter’s lecture on the characteristics of community radio, it should suit the economic ability of the region and be run by members of said region. Everything is ready to start broadcasting, so hopefully this will happen soon! After the lecture we got hands on with the equipment, splitting us and the Kenyan students up into groups of video, photography and audio. We practiced and figured out everyone’s ability, filming a fake interview with me and Katie, which was quite funny. The food has been consistently great at Rongo University but tonight’s food has to be the best – amazing fried fish with lentils and chapatis. We got back to the hotel and Rachael got her suitcase back after 5 (!) days after it was left in Istanbul, so that was a happy ending to the day!