We were fortunate to have the opportunity to interact with and learn more about the Maasai culture. At Il' Ngwesi, I had the opportunity, one afternoon, to spend some time with "James." He was in charge of tourism at Il' Ngwesi but still very much faithful to his traditions. The two of us sat overlooking the hillside, watching birds as they flocked to a bird bath, and talked curiously about each others' lifestyles. I learned a lot about his interests, traditions, and quite surprisingly, I learned that he knew more about U.S. politics than I did.

After spending time with James and learning about all the differences between his culture and mine, the next evening we all drove out to a hillside and participated in a sundowner. Several of the Maasai warriors and our group of American tourists, basically hung out together enjoying homemade potato chips and Tusker beer, while telling dirty jokes and watching the sun go down. It was at this time that I realized how much we have in common. In spite of the language barrier and with a little translation from our guides, we all found a common bond. I hope they enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed theirs.

--Jolene zooguru@cox.net