I woke up in the middle of the night last night with this sense that I need to extend my trip another week. When I first planned my trip, I intended to stay for four weeks. But when I decided to go on Safari, I added another week to fulfill my commitment of four weeks of volunteering at the orphanage. So if I extend my trip again that will make a total of six weeks in Kenya. It is going to be really hard roughing it for another 14 days, but I don't want to discount this prompting. If I do ignore it, I am certain I will regret it for the rest of my life. I don't know how I know this is what I am supposed to do, I just know. Maybe the fact that I can't pinpoint why I feel inspired to stay is because it is coming from God. I have learned from previous experience that God doesn't demand, He inspires.
Wonder what He wants me to do in these additional weeks?
GOD CREATED US TO SERVE. ARE YOU?
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Flashback - 4/20/10 - "Cha' Ching"
Our last stop on Safari was at the Massai Market, the equivalent to a flea market in the United States. There are about 100 vendors selling anything from purses to bananas. Most of the vendors use a blanket as a booth and lay their merchandise on top.
Being the only white people around, we stick out like a virgin in the Playboy mansion. Therefore, the minute we walk in we are surrounded by "personal shoppers". They want to know where we are from and at first I thought they were sincerely interested. Not so much. Stanley told me later that they want to know if you are American so they can set the price accordingly. I get why they do it, and I would probably do the same thing if I were in their shoes, but it still feels like you are being taken advantage of.
Daniel, the name of my "personal shopper", followed me around and put anything I touched in a bag. I told him I was just browsing, and wouldn't be buying everything. He said "No worries! I will hold all your items and help you pick at the end. We'll get you a good price." Pretty slick, huh?
Once I was done, Daniel escorted me to the "Negotiator". This guy's sole responsibility is to bargain with you until you crack. The "Negotiator" asked the same question "Where are you from madame?" I considered telling him I was from another country, but I didn't want to lie. So I opted to just say "I am from everywhere."
At that point he calculated all of my items and came up with a price. I tried to counter with confidence, but like any good sales person, he knew I wanted it all. He knew I wouldn't be able to walk away. And he was right, I have a hard time walking away from something I want and I don't just mean material things. Which makes me think, is that tenacity, or stupidity?
GOD CREATED US TO SERVE. ARE YOU?
Being the only white people around, we stick out like a virgin in the Playboy mansion. Therefore, the minute we walk in we are surrounded by "personal shoppers". They want to know where we are from and at first I thought they were sincerely interested. Not so much. Stanley told me later that they want to know if you are American so they can set the price accordingly. I get why they do it, and I would probably do the same thing if I were in their shoes, but it still feels like you are being taken advantage of.
Daniel, the name of my "personal shopper", followed me around and put anything I touched in a bag. I told him I was just browsing, and wouldn't be buying everything. He said "No worries! I will hold all your items and help you pick at the end. We'll get you a good price." Pretty slick, huh?
Once I was done, Daniel escorted me to the "Negotiator". This guy's sole responsibility is to bargain with you until you crack. The "Negotiator" asked the same question "Where are you from madame?" I considered telling him I was from another country, but I didn't want to lie. So I opted to just say "I am from everywhere."
At that point he calculated all of my items and came up with a price. I tried to counter with confidence, but like any good sales person, he knew I wanted it all. He knew I wouldn't be able to walk away. And he was right, I have a hard time walking away from something I want and I don't just mean material things. Which makes me think, is that tenacity, or stupidity?
GOD CREATED US TO SERVE. ARE YOU?
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