Kenya might be the most progressive country in East Africa, but it still has some sexist policies. After university, a man can leave home without any questions asked. But if a woman leaves home before marriage, it's as if something is wrong or weird. And if a man leaves home but comes back to visit, he sometimes has to sleep outside because there must be a clear patriarch. And word of any abortion gets you life in jail...
***
You'd expect things to come to a halt for the President, but who would imagine things slowing down for good ol' Joe. Think again. When Vice President Joe Biden visited Kenya two years ago, the phone lines were shut down. One can only imagine what this country will be like when President Obama comes in September...
***
Those conversations about sports or movies on the bus or at the coffee shop, I miss them! Every once and a while, living in Kenya can be a lonelier experience than Bill Murray's in Lost in Translation. Why? Because it goes without saying that conversation will be limited in a country where people speak a different language. It can be a tease here where you feel like you should be connecting but can't because of people's poor English skills. So yes, I am excited to engage in small talk again!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Smartness=Kindness?
The smartest girl in the class, Sharon, is also the kindest. She waits for her pencil to be sharpened, makes sure each kid gets a plate for lunch, is nice to everybody else, etc. I wonder if that's a frequent pattern with young ones: does intelligence manifest itself through kindness? Or, maybe at such a young age, does kindness manifest itself through intelligence? Or maybe it's a random correlation?
***
Whenever I make a sound or hand gesture, one particular kid, Paul, is usually the first one to imitate it. Then everybody imitates his imitation. Paul also happens to be very friendly and outgoing. Is it possible to discern leadership at such a young age? I feel like a parent who over analyzes their child, clinging to the smallest data point as evidence of future behavior. Except my emotions aren't involved, so maybe I see things more clearly, or less clearly? My gut tells me Paul will lead something---a sports team, a cause, a group, etc. But who knows, right?
***
Attention, attention, attention. Making the preschoolers happy can always, in one way or another, be reduced to giving them attention. I don't have to touch them or talk to them, as long as my eyes are glued to them, they'll smile. Doing cartwheels is a case in point. Once they see me watching them, their eyes light up; they do them so much more passionately.
***
Whenever I make a sound or hand gesture, one particular kid, Paul, is usually the first one to imitate it. Then everybody imitates his imitation. Paul also happens to be very friendly and outgoing. Is it possible to discern leadership at such a young age? I feel like a parent who over analyzes their child, clinging to the smallest data point as evidence of future behavior. Except my emotions aren't involved, so maybe I see things more clearly, or less clearly? My gut tells me Paul will lead something---a sports team, a cause, a group, etc. But who knows, right?
***
Attention, attention, attention. Making the preschoolers happy can always, in one way or another, be reduced to giving them attention. I don't have to touch them or talk to them, as long as my eyes are glued to them, they'll smile. Doing cartwheels is a case in point. Once they see me watching them, their eyes light up; they do them so much more passionately.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Zoning Out
Contrary to what I've been told all my life, zoning out (occasionally) has its benefits. While riding the bus, thieves were pulling a pretty intricate scheme. They told everyone that cops were about to stop us, that everybody should put their seat-belts on. According to my Kenyan friend Laurence, the purpose of this was to make everybody unsuspecting of any hand movement. Zoning out, of course, is usually more bad than good. While crossing the street , I might have been run over had Laurence not told me to speed it up, which brings up another thing I miss about the US, functioning stoplights!
***
Many Kenyans dislike Indians. Why? Unlike US or European companies in Kenya, Indian companies rarely, according to their critics, give Kenyans a chance to have good jobs, regardless of their talent. Kenyans also complain that Indians, in particular, have a superiority complex. This is very interesting because I haven't encountered any of this back home...
***
Looking for an attractive African wife? Ethiopia is your best bet. They supposedly have the continent's most attractive women.
***
The West tells travelers like me to avoid street food in the bad parts of Nairobi. I have ignored that advice so far without any consequences. So did a fellow American while she lived in Uganda and Ethiopia. She now lives in a nice, gated part of Nairobi, an area that feels like an American suburb. And for her first time in Africa, she got food sickness; she got e coli eating tomatoes and chicken from a reputable grocery store. Go figure...
***
A few interesting words/phrases I've come across. "Befriending" often has a sexual connotation in Kenya. For example, "Instead of paying the 500 schilling fine, she befriended the policeman."Instead of using the word email, many will say inboxing.
These next two don't have anything to do with Kenya, but I found them interesting.
Paralegals are referred to as "barefoot lawyers" in Europe. And I like this phrase, "An idle mind is the devil's workshop."
***
Many Kenyans dislike Indians. Why? Unlike US or European companies in Kenya, Indian companies rarely, according to their critics, give Kenyans a chance to have good jobs, regardless of their talent. Kenyans also complain that Indians, in particular, have a superiority complex. This is very interesting because I haven't encountered any of this back home...
***
Looking for an attractive African wife? Ethiopia is your best bet. They supposedly have the continent's most attractive women.
***
The West tells travelers like me to avoid street food in the bad parts of Nairobi. I have ignored that advice so far without any consequences. So did a fellow American while she lived in Uganda and Ethiopia. She now lives in a nice, gated part of Nairobi, an area that feels like an American suburb. And for her first time in Africa, she got food sickness; she got e coli eating tomatoes and chicken from a reputable grocery store. Go figure...
***
A few interesting words/phrases I've come across. "Befriending" often has a sexual connotation in Kenya. For example, "Instead of paying the 500 schilling fine, she befriended the policeman."Instead of using the word email, many will say inboxing.
These next two don't have anything to do with Kenya, but I found them interesting.
Paralegals are referred to as "barefoot lawyers" in Europe. And I like this phrase, "An idle mind is the devil's workshop."
Monday, May 23, 2011
Tidbits
Of all things, you wouldn't imagine that not washing your hands or eating food would matter. If anything, you'd be known for having bad hygiene and being fat. But doing those two things have earned me respect at Care Highway. Why? Because other whites who volunteered, mostly Europeans, brought their own food and washed their hands after shaking the kids' hands. The head teacher, Emily, said it's nice to see a white person "without pride."
***
Being white in Kenya lets me feel like a celebrity and a woman. Let me explain. Whenever I walk around, Kenyans constantly say hey white man, or hey mzungo. I sometimes wave back and I sometimes ignore them, but I can never walk anonymously. I'm always called for, always bothered. Just as most celebrities would say, it has its pros and cons.
And like a woman, or at least an attractive one, white people get lots of attention. You are treated differently and offered lots and lots of stuff. And the dilemmas come. To take advantage or not, that is the question...
***
Relative to Kibera, Kyle and I live well. Our electricity is generally reliable, we have a (somewhat, if you want to call it that) functioning toilet, a readily available supply of water, etc. Compared to what we are accustomed to in the states, we, of course, live poorly. Every marginal improvement to our standard of living makes a big difference. Let me give you an example. Up until a week ago, the road to our apartment complex was full of dirt. Whenever it rained, the road would be muddy for days. Your shoes, your socks, your pants---they'd all get dirty and gross. And they'd get dirty and gross after much effort of traversing the mud; a straightforward walk would ruin your clothing. A week ago the apartment complex installed rocks. Now, you can avoid getting muddied by jumping from rock to rock. Would a rocky road be acceptable back home? Absolutely not. But I appreciate the rocks so so so much here. It makes my life easier and better and less stressful. It makes all of the NYC complaints about delayed snow removal seem silly and foolish. All of this made me understand how big of a difference Kyle made installing two toilets in another Kenya slum, Mathare. Before he installed them, most people defecated in the river or on trash. For two pennies a day (even they can afford that), they have the privacy of a real toilet. I now understand why so many people came up to Kyle thanking him, praising him for the work he did. What seems like a small act, installing a basic toilet, is actually an enormous act of love and compassion. May those like Kyle continue to do what they do.
***
Benches, God I miss a good bench. Never thought I'd think that, much less write that, but take advantage of your benches in the states! They are a rare thing in Nairobi, and when you find them, they are crowded and uncomfortable. Thoughts of which I am proudest were born on benches. I guess I'll be full of clichés until I come back home...
***
Being white in Kenya lets me feel like a celebrity and a woman. Let me explain. Whenever I walk around, Kenyans constantly say hey white man, or hey mzungo. I sometimes wave back and I sometimes ignore them, but I can never walk anonymously. I'm always called for, always bothered. Just as most celebrities would say, it has its pros and cons.
And like a woman, or at least an attractive one, white people get lots of attention. You are treated differently and offered lots and lots of stuff. And the dilemmas come. To take advantage or not, that is the question...
***
Relative to Kibera, Kyle and I live well. Our electricity is generally reliable, we have a (somewhat, if you want to call it that) functioning toilet, a readily available supply of water, etc. Compared to what we are accustomed to in the states, we, of course, live poorly. Every marginal improvement to our standard of living makes a big difference. Let me give you an example. Up until a week ago, the road to our apartment complex was full of dirt. Whenever it rained, the road would be muddy for days. Your shoes, your socks, your pants---they'd all get dirty and gross. And they'd get dirty and gross after much effort of traversing the mud; a straightforward walk would ruin your clothing. A week ago the apartment complex installed rocks. Now, you can avoid getting muddied by jumping from rock to rock. Would a rocky road be acceptable back home? Absolutely not. But I appreciate the rocks so so so much here. It makes my life easier and better and less stressful. It makes all of the NYC complaints about delayed snow removal seem silly and foolish. All of this made me understand how big of a difference Kyle made installing two toilets in another Kenya slum, Mathare. Before he installed them, most people defecated in the river or on trash. For two pennies a day (even they can afford that), they have the privacy of a real toilet. I now understand why so many people came up to Kyle thanking him, praising him for the work he did. What seems like a small act, installing a basic toilet, is actually an enormous act of love and compassion. May those like Kyle continue to do what they do.
***
Benches, God I miss a good bench. Never thought I'd think that, much less write that, but take advantage of your benches in the states! They are a rare thing in Nairobi, and when you find them, they are crowded and uncomfortable. Thoughts of which I am proudest were born on benches. I guess I'll be full of clichés until I come back home...
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Care Highway
I came to Kenya wanting to volunteer for a school, and I now am. Since last Wednesday, I have worked at Care Highway, an elementary school with roughly twenty kids broken down into three age groups: 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6. The school provides a free eductation for young students who would otherwise have nothing to do in the world's worst slum, Kibera. My small and unglamarous responsibilities include: helping the kids shower and brush their teeth, grading simple math and language exercises, and playing with them during break.
The most fufilling part of the work is whenever I put a smile on a child's face. Whether it's making strange sounds with them, moving my hand so they struggle to slap it, or rhyming their name, it is during those moments when I feel like I am "making a difference." The other stuff matters but never feels that way. There are a few times when I retroactively learn that I helped, however. Tyra, a four year old, needed to see a doctor because she had eye problems. To get a sense of what medicine is like in Kenya, I accompinied her and the main teacher. I only observed, never spoke, but nevertheless, I found out that Tyra was thrilled that I joined her. She told her mother that "TeacherAlex, the mzungu (white person) came!" I suppose that just showing up can make a difference in its own right.
I plan on staying at Care Highway until I come back to the states.
***
People from all over the world get offended if you decline a homemade meal. The cook at Care Highway, Monica, took it three steps further. She was upset that I didn't want to have any grocery store bread! I kept saying I wasn't hungry, but she didn't understand, she acted as if she made the bread. Monica eventually relented, but it was an awkward/funny cultural difference.
***
I plan on sprinkling in things I miss about the United States. One of them is free access to books at bookstores! At Kenya's biggest retail store, Nakumatt, they wrap their books in plastic, only allowing you to read them if you buy them. Oh, where's a Barnes and Noble when you need them.
The most fufilling part of the work is whenever I put a smile on a child's face. Whether it's making strange sounds with them, moving my hand so they struggle to slap it, or rhyming their name, it is during those moments when I feel like I am "making a difference." The other stuff matters but never feels that way. There are a few times when I retroactively learn that I helped, however. Tyra, a four year old, needed to see a doctor because she had eye problems. To get a sense of what medicine is like in Kenya, I accompinied her and the main teacher. I only observed, never spoke, but nevertheless, I found out that Tyra was thrilled that I joined her. She told her mother that "TeacherAlex, the mzungu (white person) came!" I suppose that just showing up can make a difference in its own right.
I plan on staying at Care Highway until I come back to the states.
***
People from all over the world get offended if you decline a homemade meal. The cook at Care Highway, Monica, took it three steps further. She was upset that I didn't want to have any grocery store bread! I kept saying I wasn't hungry, but she didn't understand, she acted as if she made the bread. Monica eventually relented, but it was an awkward/funny cultural difference.
***
I plan on sprinkling in things I miss about the United States. One of them is free access to books at bookstores! At Kenya's biggest retail store, Nakumatt, they wrap their books in plastic, only allowing you to read them if you buy them. Oh, where's a Barnes and Noble when you need them.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Kengama
You wouldn't expect to find many Jews in Kenya, and you certainly wouldn't expect to find many in the countryside. At least Kyle Schutter and I didn't. But we were humbled in our trip to Kengama, a beautiful town in the north with large hills and views of Mount Kenya.
After reaching the city center, we took a twenty minute motorcycle ride to visit a farmer named Henry, attempting to sell him a biogas system, which converts anaerobic waste like cow dung into electricity. As we were riding, Kyle said that many farmers haven't seen a white person in twenty years. And nobody has ever seen a Jew, I added. Kyle wholeheartedly agreed.
When we arrived, Henry graciously gave us tea and a tour of his farm. While stopping in his reading room, he innocently remarked that he doesn't work on Saturdays. Sure enough, it came out that he is Jewish. Yes, a black Jewish farmer who takes his Judaism more seriously than most American Jews do. He keeps Sabbath every Saturday with the thirty other Kengaman Jews. He strictly obeys the high holidays and will only allow his children to marry other Jews. Black,white Hispanic, whatever---as long as the person is Jewish, he approves. His 19 year old daughter is taken, but his 28 year old son and 16 year old daughter are still available...
And it is his dream to visit Israel one day.
***
Getting work, any type of work, is especially important to people in the countryside. According to many women, jobless men will spend their 20 schillings (25 cents) on alcohol to sleep and pass the time. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, for them to do. And when they cannot sleep, they will frequent prostitutes or resort to sexual violence. This is very important in the context of the China jobs debate. Many liberal Americans oppose China creating harsh, low paying jobs in Africa; they argue it props up kleptocrats. But when you meet people whose livelihood will die without work, whose droopy, listless eyes almost make you cry, it changes your perspective.
***
Kenya's government supplies free condoms to reduce the spread of HIV. This policy remains relatively corrupt free in urban areas. In the countryside, however, officials charge a dollar per condom. Many men would use them but can't because it's cost prohibitive. This seems like a great volunteer opportunity for privileged high school students in Kenya---take them to sparsely populated areas and have them hand out condoms.
***
I start work for an NGO (umande.org) that specializes in sanitation problems tomorrow. I will edit their website and donor materials. Given that Kenya's most prominent newspaper has more grammatical mistakes in it than my high school newspaper did, I should be of value. And getting to do fieldwork should enrich the experience.
After reaching the city center, we took a twenty minute motorcycle ride to visit a farmer named Henry, attempting to sell him a biogas system, which converts anaerobic waste like cow dung into electricity. As we were riding, Kyle said that many farmers haven't seen a white person in twenty years. And nobody has ever seen a Jew, I added. Kyle wholeheartedly agreed.
When we arrived, Henry graciously gave us tea and a tour of his farm. While stopping in his reading room, he innocently remarked that he doesn't work on Saturdays. Sure enough, it came out that he is Jewish. Yes, a black Jewish farmer who takes his Judaism more seriously than most American Jews do. He keeps Sabbath every Saturday with the thirty other Kengaman Jews. He strictly obeys the high holidays and will only allow his children to marry other Jews. Black,white Hispanic, whatever---as long as the person is Jewish, he approves. His 19 year old daughter is taken, but his 28 year old son and 16 year old daughter are still available...
And it is his dream to visit Israel one day.
***
Getting work, any type of work, is especially important to people in the countryside. According to many women, jobless men will spend their 20 schillings (25 cents) on alcohol to sleep and pass the time. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, for them to do. And when they cannot sleep, they will frequent prostitutes or resort to sexual violence. This is very important in the context of the China jobs debate. Many liberal Americans oppose China creating harsh, low paying jobs in Africa; they argue it props up kleptocrats. But when you meet people whose livelihood will die without work, whose droopy, listless eyes almost make you cry, it changes your perspective.
***
Kenya's government supplies free condoms to reduce the spread of HIV. This policy remains relatively corrupt free in urban areas. In the countryside, however, officials charge a dollar per condom. Many men would use them but can't because it's cost prohibitive. This seems like a great volunteer opportunity for privileged high school students in Kenya---take them to sparsely populated areas and have them hand out condoms.
***
I start work for an NGO (umande.org) that specializes in sanitation problems tomorrow. I will edit their website and donor materials. Given that Kenya's most prominent newspaper has more grammatical mistakes in it than my high school newspaper did, I should be of value. And getting to do fieldwork should enrich the experience.
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