One of my most memorable overseas leadership trips was in the year 2018 when I went to Kenya with a group of my 10 close friends. The African cultures and arts have always been a mystery to me, though I will go on a visit to one of the countries, Kenya, to experience it’s beauty in person! Instead of visiting only the touristy sites, we went straight to where the Maasai community is. We spent 9 days there visiting local schools, farms, markets, and with locals listening to their life stories. Although their life is simple and don’t have much like we do back home, a beautiful furnished place, a car, clothes, bags and tech toys , they are extremely resilient and happy.
Seeing them has made me realize how much I have owned, and yet I am always on the hunt for the next better things, newer version of a cell phone, better car, more expensive personal items etc. It is an awakening call for me to do a total deep self-reflection on questions of “who I am” and “how I would like to continue living in this world”. Moreover, Days without wifi and social media has helped all of us to get re-connected with ourselves and each other. Those times were the best time ever spent, we talked, joked, sang and swapped life stories. In addition, we learned from our Maasai Mara warriors how they have earned their title and weapons in defending their family and cattles during a fight with a lion. Seriously, how many of us have ever got the chance to fight with a lion with only a spear and a rungu!
Another highlight of the trip is the visit to the Shafari, seeing all those animals roaming the earth so calmly. All of us were completely in awe with their presence. And, the most amazing thing is when you look at them, they look straight into your eyes, into your soul. These animals sure are different then the ones you see in a zoo or aquarium! After dinner, we were all sharing our thoughts on how we have never felt so connected to nature and other beings which we have lost living in human built cities. And, many of us had tears in our eyes when we saw those beautiful creatures roaming freely while realizing there are still so many animal parts being sold on the market for decoration and status praising purposes. This is truly a transformational trip that has changed my perspectives on life and actions in my daily habit for a better self and a better world!
By May Yao
