Sweet home Kenya!

Here I sit in Nairobi (Wilson no details please)...its 5 am and I have been on the computer for at least an hour. The trip half way around the world has gone very smooth. 23 Midwesterners (actually 1 Kentuckian) decided to travel to Kenya to see the world, go on safari, and volunteer in a small place called Baruti just outside Nakuru.

We started early and were hosted by a great staff at Damons in Janesville WI USA than to Van Galder where we had 2 people who were not so happy that 23 people and all their luggage wanted to travel during their shift...Ohare went well other than, of course, I was the guy who got screamed at by security because my loving wife put a bottle of water in my bag for later :) and I forgot to put my hair gel in a clear plastic bag. Literally I was screamed at. But hey, I live with and deal with at-risk youth! "You Cant Hurt Me" LOL

Chicago was great grabbed a burrito $8! and than headed to London. London was a busymess or a zoo I would say...have one traveler who has a hard time getting around so that was one challenge, another person got sick (she is fine and no Im not saying who it is, just trust me, she is fine!), as I was walking with her she was yaking in a small ziploc and some lady almost walked into her, it was the most hilarious look Ive ever seen...than the lady told all her friends and they watched her puking as they went down the escalator...priceless! Than we had the lady who upgraded us to Club World. I have no idea what these tickets would have cost but they were priceless...she said my dad was inbetween Jodie and I and than kinda looked at us snickered and said, "He can move if he like or satay if he likes that too" and a wicked grin crossed her face. So than I almost started puking. Whats up with these Londoners...funny people I tell ya.

Than it was heaven on the flight for the 3 of us that got moved...literally free champagne and wine, lobster, beef filet, fancy deserts, chocolate bar, the whole deal. Jodie fell asleep waiting for her food as she was holding her mouth shut. Not quite sure why she was holding her mouth shut, but as dad and I were talking he pointed to her and sure enough there she was...LOL the beds were amazingly comfortable and here I sit wide awake because I slept too much on the plane. I tried some cottled cream? a scone? pea jelly? (its like cold pea soup jello) yep not sure who eats that but they served it to us.

British Airways gets huge props here...I 100% recommend them, they are amazing. The staff on the ground at Heathrow and especially the plane were nice. In fact very nice. Can you imagine nice plane staff? Oh did I tell you my dad broke his glasses already? Yep, as he was out cold in the fancy seat he forgot his glasses and they fell off his face...someone stepped on them...Im pretty sure we can get those fixed in Nakuru.

Its an amazing group of people these 23 people who are together...we havnt had bonding time yet other than a layover in London and a meal in Janesville...but the travel tomorrow, safari, and than the dinner and fire afterwards will do its trick. If you have a loved one on this trip, I would encourage you to post to this blog and tell everyone how great your loved one is. Pitera, Im not sure if you read this blog or not...but you better post.

You see when people get together and go outside their comfort zones to grow amazing things happen...not just to that person but also to the people around them.

Come grow with us, it will be a journey of funny and sad, heartfelt and overtired, but when all is said and done...this time more will be done than said!

OH! PS...if anyone is out there and can get us some insulin that would be great...we are pretty sure someone stole the one bag that is missing and unfortunately it was probably the most important bag. Dont worry though we are prepared...there is more meds in a different bag and we have connections to the hospital in Nakuru. All is good...rest well tonight our friends around the globe as you are dreaming of Lions and Elephants and Cheetahs, Rhinos, and Leopards we will be in God's great wonder called the Masai Mara...during one of the most amazing times in the year...THE GREAT MIGRATION. Wildebeests watch out, Zebras move over...here comes a bunch of people from the cheese state! Oh and one from Kentucky, does anyone know anything about Kentucky?

In London

We're safely in london!

Highlights:

• one person puking in a ziplock
• 2 people getting patted down by security
• running out of boarding passes in o'hare
• Phill having to throw away his hair gel in o'hare going through security
• Sandy saying, "You're gonna lose your pants if you keep dancing around like that" to a poor man that couldn't speak English and was trying to communicate that he lost his shoes.

Running Away In Kenya

Today I can't help but focus on Running Away.

Ah, in a few short days I will be on a plane heading to the Great Mystery known as Africa, more specifically East African Kenya. It is going to be dry, very dry, moderate temperatures low 80s as the high and the nights will drop into the 50s. Dry, dust will be everywhere...

Once based in Nakuru, after the 1st Masai Mara safari, I will be running with my Kenyan friend James each morning. As a large individual, currently 295...just lost 36 pounds in preparation for the trip...I am guessing I am going to be working very hard to stay up with James a small fast Kenyan who loves to run! While this will be great exercise and a wonderful stress release...I am also looking forward to seeing places in Kenya that I would not be able to see from a large van.

What will I see on my runs with James? To be perfectly honest, I have no idea, I just know that I am looking forward to it immensely.

Dont forget to follow the trip on Twitter. If you are a Twitter user follow restlintheworld...dont forget to get the updates to your mobile phone! There wont be many each day, but you will want to know as soon as they are happening...

If you are new to Twitter, dont get scared!
Just send: follow restlintheworld
to: 40404

84 Hours to Damon's

As the time starts to tick by and get closer and closer to the reality of action...it gets so exciting to think that soon a plan that started so long ago will be in action.

What will the long term effects of this adventure be? There are so many players that I would wager I cannot even list everyone that is impacted. To be realistic I am fully aware that not all of the impact will be positive...but when a person moves forward with a plan they must really believe with every cell of their being that what they are doing is the right thing.

I wonder how many people will remember this trip? The travelers, their family, friends...the people we meet along the way...our Kenyan friends and acquaintances. What about the people who watch from the sidelines, not for us but not against us...simply watching to see if we succeed, fail, or accomplish anything.

I am looking forward to developing strong life long relationships on this trip. People I can trust and admire, people that will say the right thing, tell me the truth especially when it may be hard, and sell out with their entire being when we are working for something that we truly believe is the right thing.

That is what many people are missing in life. People. People who are your friends and love you. People who will tell you when you may be a little off and than help you to find the right perspective. People who will sell out with you and give everything they have when you lock arms together and run for a purpose you all believe in. You see, there are many things that I believe in...all of varying importance, but I feel like if a person is not running for a purpose, than what are they doing?

What do you say? Are you there? What is your purpose? Are you locked in arms with someone to accomplish something great? There is nothing like a small group of committed people! "Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has!" -Margaret Mead

So, what is there to accomplish tonight? tomorrow? in your lifetime? Set a direction and go full speed ahead...there really is no other speed.

Armed & Ready...

Last night Jodie and I made a purchase that we think will help us immensely in Kenya. This new "tool" is something you are probably hearing about more lately: it is called a netbook.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4527780&Sku=S445-110005

If you want to see the statistics, feel free to check out the link above. I have done some research and for our budget we feel like it is a very good value.

With this netbook, I plan to Tweet (Twitter), FB (Facebook), Blog (phillklamm.blogspot.com), Ning (kenya09.ning.com), and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=wrestlingtheworld&aq=f).

To help us with this service we will have multiple digital cameras, a digital camcorder, and a dv camcorder. It is our hope that some of you will share this trip with us from home.

Care to follow along?

Here is what you need to know:

www.twitter.com/restlintheworld

Or if you have unlimited texting on your cell phone and live in the US text: follow restlintheworld to 40404 (Standard text rates apply, so if you don't have unlimited texting or free incoming texts I would not recommend this option) Twitter will be the MOST up to date source of information on the trip, it is very likely that you will literally have up to the minute updates on things that are happening.

www.facebook.com If you are not my friend already, request me...Phill Klamm it is here that I will update my status on the trip, post links to the blogs, pictures, and videos.

http://phillklamm.blogspot.com Check this often if you are a blog reader! This will be the most DETAILED information of what is going on, updates, changes, events, photos, videos, etc. In addition, this will likely include more opinion based banter from me and possibly guest bloggers. You can subscribe to this blog on the site if you wish.

http://kenya09.ning.com This will be the "one stop shop" for everything Kenya related. It is here that we will have multiple pictures by multiple travelers, blog posts by multiple travelers, links to all photos, the blog, latest tweets, etc.

www.youtube.com This site will simply be used as free storage and a large market for the distribution of our videos.

Remember having someone you know on the trip is the next best thing to being there...but there is NOTHING like being there yourself!

Things to do, Things to do!

9 Days to take off!

Things to do, Things to do!

• Packing list
• Laptop/Netbook
• Pay Bills, Figure out personal budget
• Clean classroom
• Clean appt
• SELL HOUSE!
• Sleep Sack...WHERE IS IT?
• Ear plugs, Eye Masks...
• Pack bathroom bag...toilet paper?
• Shoes...Hmm, what to do?
• Camera and charger
• Camcorder and charger
• ADAPTERS!!!
• Publish Plans (Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Ning)

SIDE EFFECT: Vivid Dreams...

So, with a travel destination of Kenya, and many other places throughout the world, we need to get a full dose of travel vaccinations. These are always fun :) and probably one of the first exciting things that happens on a Voluntourism trip. You see, as I promote these trips that is often a question that pops up early...DO WE NEED SHOTS?

YES, you need shots! Some are tough, some don't care, and than there are those that totally rethink the trip because they hate needles so much. I love reading the facial expressions of people.

So along with the Typhoid, Hep A & B, and the infamous yellow fever...we also need to get a few perscriptions as well. Cipro, for the ultimate stoppage of the ravishing travelers diarhea (DO NOT TAKE UNLESS YOU ARE SURE AN IMMODIUM WILL NOT DO THE TRICK LOL)...and our choice of preventive Malaria medications.

So, whether it be Malarone, Doxy..., or Mefloquin. Often these preventative treatments do the trick. But, the conversation among travelers, family members, and travel physicians are often interesting...

As you may or may not know, one of the "side effects" of Mefloquin is "VIVID DREAMS". Or so many of us have been told by our travel medicine specialists. For some people that is an instant turn off...and for others an instant SELL!

So today, I would like to take a second and talk about the VIVID DREAMS that go along with Voluntourism and life.

On the first night of taking our Mefloquin just this past Wednesday my wife (this is her first time on Mef previously she took Mal because she was afraid of the dreams...but that flipped her stomach and those of you familiar with squatters toilets know how inconvenient a flipped stomach can be! Shh, don't tell Jodie I wrote that...she doesn't read this :) anyways...she had some pretty wacked out dreams and tossed and turned all night. In the past I too have had very VIVID DREAMS on Mef and kinda enjoyed it...

So, I was talking to another traveler that is going and is taking her Mef a day after us (Thursday). She asked if there were any weird dreams...and of course I told her...Jodie had a bunch of very VIVID and crazy DREAMS! So, while I havn't heard yet, my guess is all day she was thinking about the potential for her dreams last night...we shall see.

The point is, I think people when they choose Voluntourism, they too have VIVID DREAMS. Dreams of traveling the world, meeting new people, having new experiences, and returning to a life with a different perspective on things. For most, these dreams don't last; the "camp" experience tends to end a few weeks after you return home. While many would say, "that is too bad that view and experience ends"; I would challenge that it is worth the time and the money to have the experience even if the "high" ends after you return...especially when compared to not taking the experience at all!

Don't be afraid of VIVID DREAMS! Run to them, embrace them, and allow those experiences to positively impact the rest of your life.

Phill

What is Happiness? Part 3 of 3

???

We have already been through what (in my opinion) happiness is not. Events, Circumstances, Stuff, Objects, Things, Job, Occupation, Work, Family, People, Faith, Religon, Volunteer Work...

So what is it and how does a person have it in their life?

Happiness can be found in anything. Happiness is a choice. Happiness can be a feeling, but one can be happy without "feeling" happy.

People choose to be happy and have the ability to be happy at any POINT (event, circumstance) in their life; while they are around ANYBODY (people, family, job, occupation, volunteer work, etc); they can be happy with any THING (stuff, objects, money) or the lack of anything (stuff, objects, money). Happiness is a state of mind, often impacted by many different things (media, culture, friends, family, circumstances, events, etc). But the point is, we as people ALWAYS have a choice to be happy or not to be happy.

"But the point is, we as people ALWAYS have a choice to be
happy or not to be happy."

For some people this is easier than others. I believe it is a skill that some have been developing their entire lives to choose to be happy no matter the circumstances, events, things, work, or positive impact. I am not implying that a person is or should be happy at all times, we are human, and I believe that to be highly unlikely. My point is we ALWAYS have a choice.

Again, to go back to Viktor Frankl:

"Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but
one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." (Emphasis Added)

Remember this is a man who lived through the concentration camps, lost his pregnant wife and parents, and saw what we can only imagine through textbooks, movies, and museums... If he believes that we can CHOOSE in ANY given set of circumstances...than my question to myself and to you is what are you choosing for your attitude? If Frankl and plenty of others can survive the Holocaust, than why is it that we struggle so much at times to make it through our lives?

To put this into the Voluntourism lens, I believe that throughout the world right now extreme poverty is a major issue. People are dying and suffering and trying to make life better for themselves and for their familes, for their communities and their futures...and when a person chooses to be a Voluntourist in one of these areas they see it with their own eyes, smell it, feel it, get to know it...in fact, I would guess that in fact at some point during a trip like the one we are about to go on, the traveler will feel it so much they just may be overwhelmed.

This is not a rollercoaster ride to feel the rush for a little bit and get off. This is not a museum to look and admire and than go back to life. In fact, this is a life changing experience. I think the quote that best fits here is by Oliver Wendell Holmes:

"Man's mind, once stretched...never regains its original
dimensions"

Are you ready to stretch? To reach and feel and not go back to the way you are?

My hope is that we will be able to choose happiness more often and take a control of our attitude in our conditions...if needed we can consider Viktor Frankl and the Holocaust and put our life into perspective. If that doesn't work, I would suggest traveling some time on a Voluntourism trip so that your paradigm will change...it is unlikey that you can feel sorry for yourself when you remember the look on the school girl's face as she attended school in one of her 2 outfits, as she walked well over an hour to get there, as she remembered her family that lives hours away. Don't feel sorry, just feel and use that as a compass to put your life into a better perspective.

Constant Thought... Part 2 of 3

After some constant thought I have decided to make yesterday's post into a 3 part series. Yesterday was the first time I have ever written those thoughts down and while I am not happy with the style that came across I believe that if you read it you get the point.

Today, I am going to add a touch of surprise.

Happiness to me is not about religion...or faith. Now as many of you know I am a Christian, a believer in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who lived a perfect life, was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead. While many people in my circle of friends have those same beliefs, I am not talking about the JOY that I believe comes from having faith in God.

The happiness I talk about can transcend different faiths. I have met happy Christians, Jews, Budhists, Muslims, Atheists, Agnostics, etc. I have also met unhappy people that would profess one of the faiths that I have just listed.

So what does make someone happy?

If it is not a higher calling, a faith in God, a belief in life after death...

If it is not earthly things or objects, money, or the ability to HAVE anything you want...

If it is not our occupation, our job, how we earn our living, what we ARE...

If it is not our good works, what we DO to help others, the changes and improvements that we DO in the world...

If it is not a circumstance or an event in our life...

Than what IS happiness? How do I find it? How can I implement it in MY life?

I promise...more to come tomorrow!

What Makes Me Happy? Part 1 of 3

What makes you happy? C'mon, I'm serious here. What is it that makes you happy?

• Family, your wife and kids, mother, brother, grandma, grandpa...a special memory.
• Is it that special object that you have always wanted? A car, house, dog
• What about status? Is it your position at work, in the church, friends on Facebook or MySpace?
• What about money? Your bank account numbers, having the ability to be a big spender, having things that others may want or envy?

I know the list can go on and on. I'm not saying that anyone here is greedy...feel free to want, it is a human trait. Dream Big, Reach for the Stars, Swing for the Fences...

But today I am talking about happiness.

I have heard over and over again the "Be, Do, Have" Philosophy...Find out what you want to BE, find a person that is doing that, learn from that person, DO what they have done and are doing, and you will HAVE what they have. While that is all fun and nice, I think the implications there is that will satisfy one's thirst for happiness. That is FALSE.

In order to be happy, lets do some informal research around the globe from right here on the internet.

• First of all, find someone who is happy that is rich? Can you find him or her? (Bill Gates?) Now take someone that is not happy and rich...(Madoff or what about the South Korean guy?)
• Now lets find someone who is happy and poor? Have you been to a really poor place on earth? I find my friends in Kenya live on a dollar or two per day and they are some of the happiest people I have met in my lifetime. I have also been to Sri Lanka, one night I met a squatter and his son walking around...probably living on less than $1/day. They were happy too.

So, alright maybe that is too simple...but I am going to figure here that you are all in agreement with me that money alone cannot make a person happy. So that is the HAVE. A person's happiness is not dependent on what a person HAS. No THING or OBJECT can make a person happy no matter what you think or feel.

Let's go to BE. What a person does...can that make a person happy?

• In the past I think it is safe to say that the moviestar and sports superhero were the ones everyone thought had the happiest life. Let's look around...are these people happy? (Lindsay Lohan, Brittany Spears, Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Brett Favre) there are tons more and I am sorry to pick on these if they are your favorite, but these are people that from an outside have are BEING what everyone thinks would make them happy and they are not happy.
• Now, lets look at the lowest of the low by society's standard. Will anyone agree with me here that we will take a homeless, unemployed person. I have met multiple of these in the US, Sri Lanka, and Kenya. Today I will share the story of the one I met over 10 years ago in Fort Collins, CO. All I know, is that he was homeless, he made it obvious...and through a series of proveidential events I was honored to buy him lunch. I forgot his name...I wish I could remember that because I will never forget what he said, "My mom always told me that God will only give you what you can handle. I have been homeless for 18 years, my favorite book is the Bible...but that got stolen a while ago. God must think I am pretty strong because He has given me a lot to handle." Than he looked me straight in the eyes and smiled...talked about his girlfriend, and how they were going to get married the next time they both could get a job.

Friends, what you ARE or strive to BE will not bring you happiness. Many people think of a certain position at work if they get this or are able to do that they will be happy. Friends, all that is done in vain. Nothing that you choose to BE can make you happy.

Finally, lets look at DO. For this part, I will focus on people and the good that they try and do. Maybe it is in their church, their neighborhood, with their family, or at school. Could it be a charity or a project to help others...I will not pick specific people out here.

Let's just face it and say that no matter how much GOOD a person DOES it does not guarantee them happiness. People can and have literally changed the world for the better and have gone to their graves bitter because they felt that they just did not DO enough.

Dear friends, it is not what we strive to do for good that makes us happy; it is not even the good that we accomplish that makes us happy. In fact, nothing that we can DO will ever make us happy.

Another point, no circumstance or event can make us happy either.

Wow, what a depressing post...

Have you ever heard of a man by the name of Viktor Frankl? He spent 9 days writing a book that has since sold over 12 million copies...it is called "Man's Search for Meaning". In that book he says that no event or circumstance can make a person happy...no thing can make a person happy...in fact all of that can be controlled and taken away by another person and even taken away by another person. In Frankl's mind the only thing that we can control is our RESPONSE to a given situation, our ATTITUDE. No one can take that away says Frankl.

If you do not know Frankl's background...check it out, he was a Ph.D. who spent time in Aushwitz, thats right a concentration camp. He says they took everything, they beat us, kicked us, yelled at us until there was no humanity left. The only thing that we had left was our CHOICE to RESPOND to the situation, in short our ATTITUDE.

How does this correspond to Voluntourism...we can talk about that tomorrow.