When we arrived at Wildlife Tourism College (WTC) we were treated to a burst of color and music and dance in the outdoor arena. Young girls and boys, students from nearby schools were rehearsing an elaborate welcome performance for President William Ruto. He was scheduled to come to WTC the following Saturday, five days away, for the college’s formal dedication. (Unfortunately, he postponed to a date later in March.)

Though I will miss the official celebration marking WTC’s opening, the rehearsal itself was enough for me. A semi circle of Maasai girls and boys singing a patriotic song of their country. It was mesmerizing. It made me want to know more. 

Over the course of the next two weeks, cultural information unfolded. I especially enjoyed the visit to one of WTC’s classrooms where we had an opportunity to converse with small groups of students. 

I sat with two small groups. The first was a group of young women and the conversation started with an impersonal Q&A, just as you’d expect. I told them about Michigan and wrote out the names of the Great Lakes. I showed them pictures of my daughters and grandchildren.

They told me which area of the tourism industry they were studying and about their own families. Several were married with young children. Without notice they switched gears and one of the young women asked me my thoughts on polygamy. I gave them my answer but was more interested in theirs. They agreed (quite loudly) polygamy has no place in their lives, especially the married women. Sharing their husbands is unthinkable, they said. 

When it was time to change groups, I was introduced to a young men and women. We began with the same polite and impersonal questions. They asked whether this was my first trip to Kenya, to Africa. I told them about traveling to South Africa in 2020 and I my desire to return to Africa. 

Kereto, one of the young men studying to become a wilderness field guide, noticed the small tattoo of the outline of Africa on the inside of my forearm. He asked to take a picture. I explained that while I wore the tattoo out of appreciation, sometimes I wondered if it was seen as appropriation. I asked them if it was. The group ensured me it was not.

Our time was up and as I stood to say goodbye, Kereto had one more thing to say.

“Thank you for the tattoo,” he said. I quickly looked up at the Swahili phrases on the board.

“Nakupenda,” I said. 

“Nakupenda pia,” they replied.

I said the same to the group of girls. Their reply sounded like a song: Nakupenda pia” and they touched their hearts.

I love you. I love you, too.

Such simple, beautiful words in any language. Sadly, too many in the world don’t know these words in their own.

I’d like to acknowledge and thank the students who took time to visit with us:

Benard, Charity, Diana, Emily, Esther, Ken, Kereto, Ntika, Reuben, Salomon, Stilian, Taki, Tongioyo, Vicky