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.

Returning

Welp, heading back to Kenya... 4 years later! Hello old blog, I remember you. Most friends and family are aware of this endeavor, but I'll take a moment to give some background to those who don't know the full story:

After graduating college, I wanted to travel, help people and challenge myself... hence the desire to volunteer in Africa. I saved up money for a year, researched organizations thoroughly, and fund-raised with family and friends as well (thank you!!). I was so happy that I had set my mind to something and followed through- I felt so... adult!

If you read my previous blog entries you'll find out more about my experiences in Mombasa, Kenya and being evacuated. Being evacuated put a bit of a damper on all my plans stated above. But most difficult was that I had to leave after I'd just developed a comfort and bond with my host-family and Kenya itself... leaving so suddenly made me sad, disappointed, and confused. I knew I had unfinished business and wondered how on earth I would find a way to return. It took about 6 months for the country to fully stabilize and by then I had just found a new job and was relocating to the Bay Area from good ol' Rancho Cucamonga.

I thought about returning frequently over the years and I'm sure my friends and parents got a little tired of hearing me bring it up that I was really thinking about it this time. So after a lot of talk, and after growing a little wiser (just go with it), I made the decision to return. I'm very passionate about international development and whether I change lives or not, I hope to learn a little more of how it can be done. This time I am going to a different region, Kakamega, which is closer to authentic village life than the urban setting in Mombasa. I'll be going as the International Program Coordinator, with the same organization I went with 4 years ago: The Foundation for Sustainable Development. Rather than an intern, this is a job coordinating the intern program. I'm excited to be a part of many local projects there and help new volunteers pursue their dreams of helping people.  My contract is for 6 months and for the first month I'll be with a host-family, then I will move into an apartment. And at some point I hope to visit my past host-family. My boyfriend, Michael, who has been so strong and supportive throughout this will be visiting and other than that we'll be very-long-distance. If anyone else is thinking of taking a trip or wants to volunteer- remember... Africa is only a hop, skip and a 26 hour flight away ;D ...but well worth it and will change your life! :)

Okay, cheesy time- I want to thank my parents for supporting me in marching to the beat of my own drum. Thank you sis for encouraging me and keeping me motivated. I want to thank Michael for being my rock and being so strong during this most challenging time, allowing me to achieve this life goal, you are incredible beyond words. And thank you everyone for your support and well wishes!!

Check back for updates along the way. My next one will be when I'm IN country!!

Evacuation from Kenya

Hello everyone, I am pretty sure most of you are aware of the political crisis in Kenya. I wanted to let you all know what is going on with me. I am completely safe and sound now. I am currently in Paris. I was evacuated from Kenya on Wednesday. I was on Christmas vacation in Watamu, and then flew to Lamu, a beautifully historical island where there are no cars and donkeys are used as taxis. I was amazed at all my surroundings and having the time of my life. While on vacation, the conditions in Mombasa, Kenya were getting worse and worse. I was in constant communication with my host-family and the staff of my organization. There were reports of violence, burning, looting, robery, and just complete chaos in various parts of Kenya. I was constantly told NOT to come back to Mombasa. Soon, we found out there was going to be a Million Man March held by Raila Odinga (the runner up in the presidential election) in Nairobi which would most likely activate the citizens all throughout Kenya. We needed to return to Mombasa at one point to collect our things and passports in order to leave the country so all of the interns were told to immediately return to Mombasa, get our things, and get on the first flight out before it became even worse. While in Lamu, my friend and I booked a charter flight that day to return to Mombasa. I stayed the night with my family and could see the fear in their faces and tones of voice. All the shops on my street were closed because there was nothing left after being looted. These are shops that are essential to so many families for their livelihoods. A nearby building was burned and 2 people died. I lived in Changamwe, a district of Mombasa and this was one of the dangerous parts of Kenya to be in during the post-election chaos. At the airport, I booked a charter flight with my friend to Italy the next morning. That morning, I was notified that the credit card machines were not working and the ATMs would not give me enough money, so the plane left without us. We quickly booked a flight to Nairobi and from Nairobi scrambled to get a flight out of Kenya. After much running around the airport, I finally got a flight to Amsterdam the following morning. All the other interns happened to get the same flight as well so we all spent the night in the airport. Later in the day at the airport, I needed to get my first bite to eat. During the chaos, my bag was stolen which contained my laptop, camera, flashdrive, glasses, journal, copies of documents, are GONE. I can not express how frustrated and depressed I was to discover this. I filed a police report- I wrote what happened on a piece of scratch paper and it was shoved it in a drawer. Though I still cannot believe I am left with no record or pictures of my experience here, it is... small potatoes compared to the strife of many Kenyans during this time, so I constantly am reminding myself not to be too upset and be thankful I am alive and well. After spending a confusing, sleepless, frustrating, night in Nairobi airport, I left for Amsterdam and from there, my friend and I decided to go to Paris and try to enjoy ourselves. I am extremely disappointed that my stay was cut short and I still do not feel a sense of closure. Even more so, I am worried about the well-being of those I became close with, especially my host-family. Kenyans are some of the strongest people I have ever met and there is not much that scares them. Seeing the fear in their faces and hearing it in their voices was very unsettling and strange. When I asked my Mama if she was going to be okay, she said "I really don't know.... all we can do is pray. I really don't know" and I almost cried. I lived with my Mama, 3 kids: Edward, Irene, and Noel and our neighbors were my family as well. It was the hardest thing to leave them behind and I am always thinking of them and all the people I met. I did not do all I wanted to do, did not see all I wanted to see, did not finish my project (I was starting a peer health education program and even won a grant competition for it), I did not thank those I wanted to thank, and so much more. My experience in Kenya will be something I will never forget and will forever be profoundly changed- in ways I never thought I could. I can only hope that one day I will return to Kenya. Sorry to be mushy! The presidential elections were extremely close and the incumbent, Mwai Kibaki, won with Raila Odinga close behind. There is so much to the politics of this election process and it is definitely not the most organized process. I believe the root of the corruption is a lack of communication. I actually don't blame the citizens for their outrage as it is definitely apparent that the government is hiding a lot of corruption. For example, when the public demanded an update on the number of votes for each candidate, the spokesman said "oh.... um.... I left the numbers upstairs...." then "oh wait...... they're right..... here...." Seriously.... come on! Anyway, if any of you have questions or need more information from me, don't hesitate to email.

Random Times

December 12 was my host-brother, Noel's, 6th birthday. That day is also Independence Day so we watched a little parade/celebration/marching band thing on tv. For his birthday, I woke up extra early to put up some little birthday signs I had made for him. He was so excited to see them in the morning and inspired all the 5 kids that hang out in the house to also make signs. I quickly started regreting the decision to put up posters because immediately the kids were jumping all over the house demanding more colors, paper and tape to play with. They LOVED my tape and wanted to stick it everywhere. I was sooo tired of these kids jumping all over me. Eventually (after 6 hours of madness) the birthday started. There were about 20 little kids running all over the place. Finally we all sat down and sang happy birthday. So far it seemed like an American-style kid's birthday until my host-mama had me to cut the cake with Noel and then feed each other pieces of it, while getting frosting on our faces. Am I married now? Not sure. The food consisted of cake, candy, and donuts, so needlyess to say, the sugar rush of 20 little kids lasted well into the night. My arms, feet, and brain are sore. Not matter how annoying the kids can be, I still am growing so attached to them.
Life here has been going smoothly and I've developed a routine and comfort zone. My organization, Camp David, is closed... for 5 weeks! Luckily, I have networked with 2 other organizations that are helping out with my project. I am starting a peer education program. It is challenging, but I have so much support from people that I am hopeful. I am really excited about it, but the possibility of failure has really hit me. I came here to make a difference in a country that really needs positive change in the most basic ways. It has been, however, more difficult than I had imagined to make even the slightest postive impact. Several times I've wanted to give up and simply enjoy and learn from the Kenyan culture, but I have decided to try my best at everything I do here. The smallest things seem to come with great struggle and difficulty, so I have to remind myself that either way, failure or success, it is making me a stronger person. Aw shux =)

PICTURES FROM SAFARI

..................finally!! check em out

Close-Calls Kenya!!

I have to write about a day I had a very close call. So, Presilla (Camp David Receptionist), Sandra (other intern), and I wen't to visit a school to invite children to an upcoming Community Day where they are going to give out mattresses for Christmas. It started raining, as usual right after it had been excruciatingly hot and sunny just seconds before. We were returning to Camp David and Presilla took us through a short cut. It was a narrow alley, but looked safe. As we chatted we heard barking dogs coming near. We were almost at the end of the alley when suddenly a GIANT, CHARGING BULL with a PACK OF MAD DOGS turned the corner and were running right towards us, just a few seconds away. This bull was running for its life with its head down, horns pointing ahead. We were all stunned and didn't know where to run. We literally had 3 seconds to act. Directly to the left of us was a building wall and a few inches to the right was a waist high intensely barbed fence dividing the already narrow alley into 2. We couldnt tell which side of the fence the bull was going to go as it twisted and turned in a frenzy... all I remember is scrambling around and suddenly we were all on the other side of the fence looking down the alley at the bull running and the dogs dispersing. In a daze I asked Presilla whether the dogs were chasing the bull or the bull chasing the dogs. She said the dogs were chasing the bull and when she looked back she saw me and Sandra jumping over the fence at the very last second! (good thing I was good at hurdles in middle school)! Afterwards, we all just laughed uncontrollably because we were in such shock at we had just happened in a matter of seconds. When escaping the charging bull, all I could think of was what it would feel like when the bull hit me and whether I could avoid the horns. I realized that if I had worn one of my long skirts, I would definitely be entangled in the fence or the bull, but I decided to wear my one pair of pants that I had worn only once before. Thankfully, no one even had a scratch! The walk back was a wobbly one as all our knees were so weak and I felt like a noodle. I learned that bulls and dogs are not my friends here. Later that day a confused baby cow and a heard of goats frightened the begeezes outta me as they ran innocently passed me. Close-calls Kenya.
I've actually realized that using the same common sense as I would back in the States is good enough to keep me out of trouble. I wouldn't walk around alone at night in most parts of LA either! The first week, a boy with a razorblade tried to cut my bag to get the "goodies" inside (all I had were my roll of toilet paper, purell, cheap sunglasses, and a book). He did not succeed because of my durable Jansport backpack that has lasted me since 7th grade! Booya! In yo face! So now I walk with my bag in front of me. It's just a constant learning process! =) whew