Words of Wisdom: Prof. Wangari Maathai

February 22, 2018February 17, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Since I’m still buzzing from my trip to Nairobi, I figured I would share some words of wisdom from the esteemed Kenyan educator and activist, Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Wangari Maathai.

You may remember seeing Prof. Maathai’s name and photo in my “Night at the Embassy” post. This remarkable woman founded the Green Belt Movement, which focuses on women’s rights, conservation and environmentalism. She authored several books and her ideas continue to inspire conservation efforts down to this day.

One of the main streets in Nairobi is named in her honor (I wish I had taken a photo of the street sign!) and her impact is still felt in this region. Here, I’ll share some of Prof. Maathai’s quotes that inspire me. Enjoy!

curvesalamode

(photo from Curves a la Mode)

quotlr

(photo from Quotlr)

loveourgirls

(photo from Love Our Girls)

gloriakendiborona

(photo from Gloria Kendi Borona)

I’m Back From My Trip To . . .

February 21, 2018February 17, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Nairobi, Kenya!

No one won the prize I offered in my Guess Where I’m Headed post, so I’ll be the sole benefactor of some neat Kenyan souvenirs. But even if you didn’t guess the location correctly, you can still check out my pics from the trip: I have photos on my Instagram but I’ll also share a few on this post.

Since I enjoyed a lot of activities while I was there, I will have a LOT of reviews coming over the next couple of weeks. I am excited to talk about my hotel experience, sightseeing at major landmarks, my museum visit, my first safari, dining out, and more. I also plan to do an in-depth video explaining how anyone can afford international travel, and how to plan for domestic and international trips (including timelines and helpful tips from an experienced traveler).

Without further ado, here is a soupcon of my photos from my time in Nairobi, Kenya. Enjoy (and look out for those reviews soon)!

international

A Night at the Embassy

August 20, 2017August 19, 2017 Mstldelano1 Comment

Thursday, I attended an event at the Kenyan Embassy in Washington, DC. I had a fabulous time!

The sights, the sounds, the beautiful faces … I fell in love with this spectacular slice of Kenya. Here are a couple of photos from the event:

The event was held in the Professor Wangari Maathai Conference Room. As it turns out, Professor Maathai was the first female PhD recipient in East and Central Africa. She also won a Nobel Peace Prize for her environmentalism (she was the force behind the Green Belt Movement). She was also the first female professor at the University of Nairobi.

Her amazing accomplishments made me want to learn more about her. I’ve got these books on my Amazon wish list:

I declined to take photos of other participants: I did not obtain their consent and would not want to overstep anyone’s personal boundaries. However, it was a lovely event and I’d definitely participate again.