Work and Family LIfe

Family Life:

I'm adapting to my host-family more and more each day, but of course it's "pole pole" (slow). For dinner, we always eat Ugali (maze) and Sukumawiki (kale), which I really like... however, I’ve decided to really delve into the cultural food here and perhaps… have a bite of…. Kuku, or chicken! My vegetarianism, excuse me, my “fishatarianism” is going on hold; the rationale being that the meat is organic and free-range. I mean the first bite I had was from a chicken from our yard that I saw being defeathered that morning. Now that’s fresh! I live in a “compound” that is part farm and there are 3 cows, 2 baby cows, and tons of chickens and ducks. They are so entertaining I just sit out and watch them peck around while the rooster, who I’ve named Ted, struts his stuff.

A little intro: My Host-Father works in agricultural research, testing the breeding of maze seeds in various conditions. My Host-Mother is a veterinarian. My Host-Brother, Dennis, is very bright and wants to go to college for engineering. My younger Host-Brother, Ian, is obsessed with Chelsea soccer and I've been teaching him some card games. I recently met my Host-Sister Valary, who is 17 and so awesome! She's into art and learning Spanish. She's made cool jewelry from coconut and has taught me a little calligraphy. I think I'll get back into art while I'm here.

Yesterday we had a Thanksgiving Mass. I kept hoping to see turkey and cranberry sauce, but there were none. Still, it was a really nice time with around 75 people at the house to give a holy thanks for the accomplishments of their son, Dennis, as well as the rest of the family. I helped cut tomatoes and a little with set up as much as they would let me. I was shy to take photographs since I don’t want to seem like such a tourist, but my Host-Father insisted so I ended up taking tons of pics, much to the priests delight who really hammed it up!

Work:
My role is International Program Coordinator, managing the sustainable development internship program. My counterpart here is Caro, who is the Local Program Coordinator. So Caro and I work closely together. Our supervisor is Peter, the Program Director. Together we are the big, bad “Site Team.” The biggest challenge so far has been power outages. Due to the monsoon weather, we've had them frequently for long amounts of times during the day and night.  But we're resourceful as this is a normal occurrence here! In the meantime I have been visiting many grass-roots organizations to get updates and confirm the placement of interns with them. It’s been amazing to see the work people are doing with so little resources and staff. I've visited orgs doing work in micro-finance, education, orphanages, agriculture, youth development, women's health, etc.

A few places have stood out to me- one is Divine Providence, a Catholic Orphanage. Caro and I went for a meet and greet and wound up in the nursery. Oh. My.... Goodness. Those babies were the cutest, sweetest things ever!! I about adopted a little girl, Chelan, right then and there, but I controlled myself. When we tried to leave, the children started crying and I felt bad for the nurses there. They were like- Thanks A LOT as Caro and I apologetically exited. Another awesome place was Daisy Special School for physically and mentally challenged children, which also integrated them with other children in need around the area. That way they can help break the stigma of such challenges and bring everyone together.
Caro has been great, showing me around town and teaching me to cook a little... and I also found out she is a twin! SCORE! She has 2 sets of twins under the same parents! I didn't even know that was possible.. and she has around 13 siblings so a big family. It’s funny because they call us "Julia and Carolyne," which is like me and MY twin, Carolyn. Don’t worry Carolyn, I couldn’t replace ya ;D

When it rains... it POURS!

I have arrived!! It was a total of 38 hours travel time and by the end I felt like a zombie.

Funny thing... I felt more culture shock during my layover in England than arriving in Nairobi. Not sure why! I think it was the funny accents and being completely alone.

Okay first impression after landing was- feels like I was just here yesterday. It all came flooding back to me. Four years ago I was a newbie in Mombasa, the urban/touristy area on the coast, and now I am a veteran in Kakamega, a rural village more inland. Though it felt very similar, there are so many differences. I was expecting the challenges I had in Mombasa- unbearably hot and humid, mosquitoes attacking any spot I missed with repellant, cat-calls from men on the street, chaotic traffic, excited kids calling "mzungu, how are you!" and since it was rural, I was expecting it to be a much more challenging living conditions. But to my surprise... all of my expectations were wrong. The weather is pleasant and my host-family's house is super cool! So it seemed to be smooth sailing at first.

Of course, it was the calm before the storm... I hope you see a pattern here. "when it rains it pours" and "calm before the storm" -I'm getting to that. So yes, it was the calm before the storm.

Of course, adjusting to a family that is not my own is always the hardest. I want to bond so quickly with them to make sure I'm comfortable, but it can't happen that way and I forget sometimes about the facts- I am with a new family- bonding doesn't happen over night. Other challenges include, but are not limited to: ATM has not been letting me withdraw any money the past few days, I had to wait many hours to get a simple modem to load internet on my laptop for work, I ate french fries at airport which made me gag in the restroom because I think it was cooked with the chicken grease, and then today...

Today I went to town just to learn the area since it was a long weekend on my own, and I got totally lost. That was the point as I only learn where I am when I get lost. I tried to keep my cool as I've got to look like I know where I'm going. I realized I was going in circles the whole time literally right around the FSD office when it was RIGHT there in front of me. That was pretty nerve wrecking, but finally I figured it out. I found it did a mental "WOOHOO!" and went to Nakumat which has almost everything... except all the things I was looking for. It also sells lots of paper, but not one pen/pencil. After I got a few things, I realized I didn't have enough money. So I go to the ATM to see if MAYBE it will work this time, but no. It is cloudy outside, drizzly and I look at my watch and it is almost 5pm... Dennis, my host brother, told me it would rain at 5pm. If it's one thing I've learned- never doubt a Kenyan. So I hop on a "Boda Boda" (bike where you sit in back of a man riding it) and pay him 20 shillings (or 30 cents) to take me home. He books it, as if he's trying to get away from something.... the monsoon. It starts raining harder, and harder and harder. We hear thunder all around and finally we can't go any further and he pulls off to get shelter under a small booth. We wait there for a while and it only gets worse. The rain does not let up and 20 minutes go by. Luckily I had my REI travel rain jacket [in a deep black tone like the clouds that hovered above, a zipper tucked away, but there if you need it, and a hood at just the right size to protect the very hair that the rain so desperately wanted to claim. Comes in sizes small, medium, and large. -seinfeld reference]. So I put that on and I see he has put a plastic bag on his head. With eye contact we tell each other: Let's do this. He goes through the downpour of rain, but is still careful to be safe. He drops me off as close as he can, I give him an extra 6 shillings for his trouble. Then I look down ab endless road. Now I have to run. I run through the muddy, puddled road in my sandals and long skirt completely drenched. I take out my umbrella, but then I see lightening and put it down since I don't want to be a lightening rod (not sure if that's right or not, but I don't care!). So I run and realize... I don't really know where I'm going. People shout at me "mzungu, where are you going?!" I keep running forward my eyes frantically searching for something familiar. And finally I recognize my place. FINALLY I arrive home!! I bang on the door in the rain. No answer. I go around back, it's locked. No answer. You have GOT to be kidding me. I bang and bang and YES!!! Anne, the house girl, hears me and let's me in. I am so happy and turn to her, but she's disappeared. I change. And then, I sit and catch my breath.

At the time it wasn't fun at all. But looking back, it was quite an adventure and I know Kakamega so much more because of it.  I'm ready to go back out again soon. Next time I'll bring boots.