Youth Voices: Nairobi National Park

At first, I was not sure when I would be able to make it to the National Park until closer to the end of my time in Kenya, but thanks to my supervisor I was able to not only make it to the Park but also meet up with a fellow intern, Vivien Huang. Unfortunately, I was not able to get any pictures together but I did not let the opportunity to take pictures of some of Africa's big five go to waste. With a combination of my digital camera and phone camera, I made sure to get a plethora of pictures of this experience. Being on the reserve land for the entire day gave me the chance to obtain different perspectives not just from camera angles but also mentally.

Prior to my trip to the park, I was not in a healthy mindset , when it came to enjoying my time in Kenya. Even though I was in fact having a great time it was just I was not adjusting to the fact that I was actually by myself for the first time. Being able to talk to my parents about how I was feeling was what I needed to really take everything in for what it was, a truly amazing opportunity all around. It is because of them that I was truly able to appreciate the time I spent on my safari. I thought about our conversation from when we hung up through the safari all the way to me now going into my fifth week.

With a clear mind from a good night's sleep and the words of uplifting reverberating through my mind, I felt I was truly excited for this experience, the way it was intended. That day was like any other, grey sky and chilly temperature, but the energy surrounding me this day was different. The mindset that I carried with me that day has assisted me in taking me to new heights of my own potential. I feel as though I could hear and see more as a result of my conversation with them. This allowed me to be more perceptive to my time there. Seeing the various animals of my dreams up close, and only bound by the safari truck in their home habitat was like a dream come true. I looked into this time spent as a look into my future as a wildlife veterinarian working on animal conservancy.

The time spent there was surprisingly longer than I expected but it seemed to go by neither slowly or hastily. I think I fully experienced really living in and enjoying the moment. Prior to this I understood how time seems to fly by when you enjoy what you are doing and how it can feel like it is dragging along when you are bored. Experiencing both sides of this coin I was kind of expecting this experience to really fly. So to my surprise when the clock was ticking normally in a sense. My perception of time was not distorted by either boredom or excitement and I was able to fully enjoy my time.

I thought about the future but also did not let that distract me from what I was currently participating in. This time I spent in the park really solidified that this is what I want to do for the rest of life. Being in their habitat and feeling a part of that environment is what I have been pursuing as I matriculate through my college career. Obtaining a taste for my future helped me stay in the moment and really absorb everything it had to offer. I really appreciate my supervisors for getting this trip together, and a special thanks to my parents for helping me find myself again before departing on this field trip.