The Ridiculocity of Tourists!

After church leo (today) it was off to buy school uniforms. School starts Tuesday. At church, I recorded some of the service so you can listen if you want. Some of the songs in the beginning are Kiswahili. I thought the sermon was good. We had a guest speaker from Toronto. Apparently he used to be the Senior Pastor of Nairobi Pentecostal, Valley Road.

My goodness, there have been so many improvements to Kenya since last I visited: the roads are smoother, there is less litter one the streets and along the roads, there have been many buildings built or remodeled. New shopping malls, initiatives to make a cleaner, greener city, etc. And Java House. I love Java House! It’s Starbucks + a restaurant…and they have non-Kenyan food too. So when you don’t think you can eat Sukuma and Ugali one more day, you can at least have a cheeseburger or a burrito con carne at Java House. And…the best part: they have Heinz Ketchup! Yup. in the bottle…al natural (as much as a artificially processed tomato can be). I had an iced Malindi macchiato and a quesadilla con carne today. With guacamole. I’m now recharged for the coming week. I think they have wireless there too. http://nairobijavahouse.com/html/home.htm. Nairobi is really becoming a modern city! Stanley, who goes to Univ. of Nairobi, says that most students event take notes in class on laptops. Though the Matatus and trucks (lorries) still cough out black, suffocating smoke. I could see myself living here for a while. I like the portion of Nairobi near University of Nairobi, Main Campus. I guess maybe kwani (because) it’s more like Seattle. It has hills and lots of trees. (we Seattleites tend to think we might fall off the earth without the comfort of mountains and trees to hold us in. just kidding.)

One other thing I have confirmed is that I do NOT like being a tourist!!! I’m always embarrassed to be taking pix all over the place…although I do want the snaps. However, it is especially hard to disguise your foreigner image when you look so clearly different from the native citizens and match so similarly in skin tone to all the sun-burned, map-carrying, camera-obsessed, safari-going, ridiculous-looking wazungu (techinically “Europeans” but used to refer to all white people)! Ay caramba, if you’re going to try to speak Kiswahili please don’t say ‘Jambo!’ (everyone will know you can’t actually speak it). Try Habari asubuhi? or Habari yako? at least…or you could try to say it with a proper accent rather than ‘JAAAM-BO!’, and ‘hapana’ (‘no’) is NOT pronounced ‘HAAAPAAANAAAA’, as I heard spew from a mzungu mouth today at the Yaya Centre Maasai Market. I get so embarrassed when all these wazungu march into some store in a huge group of khaki safari gear (or short shorts & tube tops). Then I have Kenyans asking me if I know them. NO! I do not! Just because we’re the same color does not mean we come from the same block! Not that I’m saying I am above and beyond or separate from being a tourist. I hate that my Kiswahili is limited to ‘tourist talk’, and wish that I could just know it. When I’m charged triple on the matatu kwani am mzungu, I want to be able to argue back in Kiswahili…then they will see that I’m a bit more seasoned and charged me the appropriate fare. I think my Kiswahili should be at least as good as my Spanish by the next time I come here. Humph. Now I’m all hot and bothered. Innit maber (‘Goodnight” in Luo).

The Road to Hell is Paved in……….Tarmac?

I say ‘the road to hell is paved in tarmac’ because in this case it is…which actually is quite an improvement for Kenya. Though it is good to know that the road to hell is no longer paved in good intentions, because I sure have a lot of those…Haha, look at that. The road to hell in Kenya is even a better road than to Pullman (because we know that all dirt roads lead to Pullman). Frankly, I’d rather be in hell in Kenya any day than in Pullman ever. Go dawgs.

Sawa, what I really mean is that we went to Hell’s Gate, in Naivasha, today. About one hour drive northwest from Nairobi. It is a volcanic national park. It has hot springs and so some of the waterfalls have really hot water…like the temp you would take tea with. Some of it is hotter than shower water. Our tour guide was fantastic, Josephat. He was a great photographer for us (he would be a good choice for wedding photos, especially the candid shots) and he had a degree in Biology, so he was telling us all about the geologic “nuts and bolts” of it. How there is this certain type of algae that grows only under the water that flows very hot and dies if the water becomes too cool. The hot water comes from about 900meters in the earth; down by the magna, or something, then as it flows down as a waterfall, it cools (obviously). It is also very high in sulfur so it is not safe to drink, but you can bathe in it and it’s good for your skin.

Let’s see, we also saw a lot of obsidian rock, which is used to make arrowheads. Oh, part of Tomb Raider II was filmed here, and the scene from The Lion King where Simba is in the wildebeest herd and Mufasa falls/is thrown off the cliff was also created from a scene at Hell’s Gate (also below). I did have a bit of deja vu when we saw the view...

On the way back, we drove through some neighborhoods of Nairobi. Runda, is the hoity-toity, mansion portion of the city. That’s where I’ll live, but not today…maybe tomorrow.


(Tomb Raider II)


(Sharon and me. Recognize that rock from somewhere? Behind us is the valley when Mufasa lost his life.)

Now, are you going to be a nerd and watch Tomb Raider II and Lion King to confirm...? Probably not.

KENCHIC INN

Today, after finishing up the work for the CAT study, I went to town with my friend Stanley for lunch. I was hungry like a lion by the time we got to Kenchic. It took my about 1hr to get from KNH to town on the bus!!! (it probably would have been a 5-10min drive in the absence of a jam). Kenchic is a chain restaurant…the closest I can compare it to is El Pollo Rey in Dominican Republic (if you know it). As for US establishments, it’s not really like KFC. It’s not really like McDonald’s.…I dunno. Kenchic Inn’s closest relative I know is El Pollo Rey, and that’s the end of the story.

I still can’t get used to Kenyan fries…I don’t know what kind of oil they use, but it’s just not the same…but more than that, the lack of Ketchup is what really does me in. They have tomato sauce instead. As far as I’m concerned, it’s lacking color, consistency, and sugar, and it kind of dribbles down the sides of the fries rather than being of the consistency that can be sufficiently scooped onto the fry.

Hmmm…speaking of chakula (food) some Phad Thai would be really good right now...but this mango will suffice just fine.

I would also recommend trying hibiscus tea.

Research

I went to work with Rose at KNH, today. I helped a little on a UW Medicine Research project called the CAT study. It is looking at monogamous couples that have been together for some time: one who is HIV+ and the other who is HIV-. They are studying how sometimes in situations like this, the HIV- partner is continually exposed to the virus but remains negative. They are taking blood samples at various intervals from both the HIV+ & HIV- partner to monitor whether the negative partner remains negative. They are looking for some sort of indicator allowing resistance to the virus. They follow the couple for 6 months. (I have heard previously that they (HIV researchers) suspect that the HIV virus requires a specific surface glycoprotein on the cell to be invaded for the virus to be able to attach. The absence of this surface glycoprotein disables the virus from attaching, and therefore, the person exposed is unable to become infected with HIV.)

That’s Why I’m Not an Engineer

I learned from my friend Stanley today, that the best way to place your speakers is the closet facing the wall. Apparently that way the air circulates so as to increase the base. I never would have guessed…I suppose that’s why I’m not an engineer.

Matatus, Trees, Slums, & Questions about Goats

Today turned out to be a busy (and I must say, exciting) day. It started with a trip to South C (from Bomas of Kenya where I stay, go down Langata Rd towards town → turn right at the round-a-bout towards Nairobi West → continue and you end up in South C) to pick Allan from his friend’s house where he’d spent the weekend. Then I went with my friend Stanley for a tour of University of Nairobi main campus and a visit to the Arboretum. It is a huge place with several pathways and trails leading to sub-trails throughout. It seemed to be a popular date spot. Maybe 75% of the people we saw appeared to be couples. Probably the best part of this outing was…the matatu rides! Words cannot express my overwhelming joy when riding a matatu. I have a special place in my heart for these beat-up, music-playing, recklessly-driven, highly-efficient, death-traps. If you ever go to Kenya for the first time, if you do nothing else, you must ride a matatu. Find the loudest, most flashy one you can (FYI: the ones going to Buruburu are know for excessively loud music making them a good choice for this purpose) for the full experience.

You learn something new everyday, and this is what I learned today. The slums in Kenya are a sort of an business investment! I was under the impression that slums were established by people who are so desperately poor that they cannot afford any real permanent housing, but apparently that is not always the case (though still many people who live in slums are poverty stricken). In Kenya, slums such as Kibera (population 800,000) may be official housing communities. One of the slums near Langata (not Kibera) was ‘built’ in one day. Someone looking to make money built it and charges rent (maybe up to 2,000Ksh per month (about $26USD)) for, literally, a shack. Some people, who have jobs and everything, choose to live in the slums…even if they can afford not to kwani the rent is cheaper, but still expensive for what you get and I would have thought the dignity of being able to afford and live in an actual house or apartment would trump the money saved by living in a slum. Apparently not. Anyway, the crime is really high in the slums and the conditions horrible (no plumbing, sewer systems, etc), and the government is working on a project to move the people in the slums into permanent, low-income apartments. The first apartment is complete and I think it can hold 200 families. Many more are in process. The rent for these will be about 1,000Ksh per month, but will also be determined by what the resident can afford to pay. Can you believe it! 1,000Ksh per month is actually cheaper than what some people are currently paying to live in a shack!


Upon returning to the house, I was delighted to find that an Enumerator had arrived to count us! I was slightly surprised when I walked in and he said, “You must be Caitlin.” (my confusion was quickly abandoned when I realized Rose had already begun the process and had given all our names). He had come with a list of questions for us. Among other things, he wanted to know if we had any: cows, goats, donkeys, horses, sheep, chickens, dogs, cats, motorcycles, cars, boats, trucks or lorries, canoes, tuktuks, bicycles, tv's, computers, cell phones, land lines, etc. he also wanted to know how many bedrooms were in the house…but also how many rooms (not counting toilets, bathrooms, or kitchens) could be slept in. Ok. Apparently stating that it is a 4-bedroom / 2-bathroom house with a family room, dining room, kitchen, and garage is not sufficient. You must also specify that a person could potentially sleep in the family room and dining room. However, the most interesting thing I found about this ‘interview’ was his interest in the type of flooring in the house. We had to state the material compiling the majority of the floors in the house (tile, concrete, or hardwood). Actually, I am surprised that ‘dirt’ was not an option kwani (because) I would guess there are likely to be many more dirt-floored homes in rural and poorer areas. Anywho, that was that. I am now ‘officially’ a Kenyan. I have been counted in the census and I will be going down in Kenyan history…as a number. I also got a photo with the Enumerator. My goodness, I’m a nerd. But, hey, how many opportunities will I have to be included in the Kenyan census?

Count Me In!

There comes a time in the life of a country (every 10 years), when we get a hankering to know just how many people are traipsing around within its borders. That time has come to Kenya, so today begins… the 2009 Census! Beginning at 6pm, some 150,000 people will be taking to the streets (Enumerators), going door-to-door (including the slums) to count the number of people residing in Kenya. “Door-to-door?!?”, you say. Yes, that’s how we roll here.

SUN-day!

Napenda the sun! Thank the Lord; the clouds are finally departing…and what an appropriate day to do so. I suppose the sun must have missed its flight from Seattle. That’s the only excuse I can think of for its absence since I have arrived here. I am just sitting out here in the front yard, soaking up the sun. It’s hot, but I have to make up for the fact that I have been continually cold for the past few days.

On Friday, on the way back from Kenyatta National Hospital (where Tom and Rose work) there were hundreds of people on Mbagathi Way and on the overpasses at one of the entrances to Kibera slum. There were several military officers, but we couldn’t see what was going on. We recently learned that 5 thieves had been shot by police.


(a few of the watu observing the events of Kibera. Turns out these 5 men are notorious thieves and the police had been looking for them for quite some time.)

What else have I learned today (we’ve just been lounging and chatting at the house since church). I was reading the paper:
• lots of news about the bad extent of the economy and the lack of water (since this is a very agricultural society, lack of water → poor crops & dead livestock → bad economy).
*People in slums having to eat food meant for pigs.
*People having to feed their livestock cactus because of the lack of grass.
*Photos of the most emaciated cows I have ever seen – needless to say, already passed on to cow heaven.
• Read the obituaries. I wasn’t in any of them (thanks Dad for teaching me that checking for your own name in the obits. will determine if it will be a good day, or if you have to attend a funeral). Too many young people dying. Some in there 20’s. some in their 30’s and 40’s. A very few were 60 or above. One woman was 90.
• Kenyans winning cross-country events. Not surprising.

Speaking of weddings (see Saturday’s post), there was a segment on the news (habari) tonight about wedding preparations. They interviewed a groom-to-be and his groomsmen who were trying to get their tuxes. The main wedding color was a burgundy (chosen by the bride) and seemed to want shape of purple (look like a “UW Husky purple”) for his tie. He was having trouble finding a tie to compliment the burgundy, and did not really understand what was wrong with the purple one. The shopkeeper was trying to help him understand…when interviewed, the groom said something along the lines of: “We should really leave this up to the women. I am just continually calling her to ask her opinion, or what I should be doing.” The newscaster also mentioned that while men may generally feel that they are the decision makers, they have no say in terms of wedding planning and must follow the instructions given by the bride. So, as you can see…it seems that many people no longer hold traditional weddings where the groom is in charge (I can’t remember if that’s a Kenyan or Ugandan thing) and Africa is not so different from the U.S. after all.


(overwhelmed groom)

Here Comes the Bride!

Today was a wedding day (not mine). Tom and Rose are friends of the parents. It was interesting to go because it was Kenyan-Ugandan wedding. The bride is Kenyan (Kikuyu) and the groom is ½ Kenyan and ½ Ugandan. They had a garden wedding at the Karen Blixen gardens. In Karen (areas of Nairobi).

What a celebration! Our day began around 9am, when we had to collect the bride. It is a Kenyan tradition that the women and the groomsmen (but not the groom) have to go to the bride’s house (or wherever she is getting ready) and convince her to come out for the wedding. In order to get her to come, you have to sing and dance. She can also make demands of you until she is satisfied (i.e. she will tell the group they are not singing loud enough or enthusiastically enough, she can also demand that specific items be brought to her). Several days before the wedding, the women also bring her and her family things. For example, for the bride’s sister, they bring a blanket because now that the bride will be leaving, the sister who is left will be cold and lonely without her so she needs the blanket to warm and comfort her.

When the bride is satisfied with the performance, she comes out in her wedding dress and we continue to the wedding ceremony location. The groomsmen come to this event to collect the bride for the groom and ensure that she actually comes to the wedding.

The wedding ceremony was essentially the same as in a U.S. church wedding, with some minor differences in, I guess execution rather than concept, which may be cultural, personal choice, or a combination:

• Processional
• Giving of the bride by the father
• Worship (singing)
• Message to the couple by the pastor
• Vows, exchange of rings, etc
• Recessional

The reception also has similarities and differences:

• Food served
• Cutting of the cake
• Speeches:
* From the parents (the groom’s parents spoke; and also the bride’s father – although traditionally in Kikuyu
weddings,the parents never speak at the wedding, they are just there to attend).
* The best man made a speech at the end (though the speeches are not really toasts in the same way we do…
there is no common beverage to toast with or anything. And also some of the speeches became quite long,
even by Kenyan standards!) &The bride and groom also spoke. They thanked everyone for coming, etc.
• Entrance of bride and groom. The bride and groom have a very big entrance following the wedding photos. All the
women gather around them and sing and dance with them while they enter (in this case from the parking lot, down the
walk, to thereception location). It probably took us 15-20 minutes for this process.

Another difference. Listen to this. Traditionally the wedding is for the GROOM, and he (and his family) are in charge of the wedding. The bride and her family just have to attend. Can you believe it!?! With the years and years American girls spend dreaming of their perfect wedding, having the groom responsible for the event may result in disaster. Some women may even fear that if the groom was in charge, the wedding may take place during half-time of some sporting event with Chex Mix and brauts for the “post-game show reception”. Wedding colors concurrent with the favored team. Vows and blessings related to the game’s progress and outcome. Ok, maybe it wouldn’t be that bad…haha. ☺


(Here we are leaving the Bride's house after successfully convincing her to come to the wedding - this man is playing a traditional Kikuyu instrument)




(Groom's parents in traditional Ugandan wedding attire. Kenya doesn't really have a traditional special occasion dress).


(Yosia & Nyambura - nicknames: Yos & Nyam)


(Tom & Rose, showing off her Ugandan wedding attire - though she is Kenyan).

The Real 1st Day!

Bed about 1230. Slept by 0230? Several dogs seemed to be having a party and felt that they should alert the neighborhood to their late-night festivities by barking loudly. Woke about 0830. Not too bad for jetlag day 1. Leo (today) will be relaxing, just unpack and get settled. More to come…

It seems the power had no interest in waking this morning when we did, which made for a very cold shower! The sun followed suit. I’ve been cold all day. It’s hard to adjust when you live in a warm climate. Haha. (Seattle: 90F and sunny. Nairobi: practically snowing).

1st experience with wildlife: lizard in the curtains. About 2” long and tan (I mean in color, not like he’d been vacationing in Hawai’i or something). It took a few years off my life (and wasted some valuable adrenaline, which really should have been used for important things like fleeing from bears and running like a cheetah) when it fell out of the curtains and scurried across the floor. Though how much worse could it have been if it was a spider?...or...a moth…or cockroach. Ay caramba, now I have chills.

I just had Chapatti for dinner. They were good ones too. I’m officially in Kenya now. Sweet! I also learned that the power is officially off daily from 630am to 6pm. So its absence this morning was scheduled vaca (as in ‘vacation’, not ‘cow’) time I guess. Anyway, the reason is because of the water crisis here (they use mostly water power – why they use water power rather than solar power in a place known for long periods of annual drought and abundant with sun, I do not know. Maybe someone should suggest it…?)

It’s Good to Be Home

Yeah for Nairobi! 8hr 30min flight. Arrived safely. We were one hour late because we had to get a new flight attendant. Slept a few hrs on the plane. Alas, I caught myself waking up with my mouth open once or twice (a risk of sleeping sitting up). I guess I should duck-tape it shut next time. Luckily, no drool.

One thing I noticed here is when arriving a night, it really feels like you are in another place (I mean really different from home. Obviously it’s a different place, I didn’t just travel for 36hrs to end up in the same location), because as you drive from the airport the road is lit, but then just off the road there this vast flat darkness. There aren’t miles and miles of city lights. (oh right, I forgot, that’s because as Tom says, the airport is at the end of the world. He’s right). Btw, Tom and Rose’s new house is beautiful! ☺ It’s in a new housing complex, about three years old. Also, 1st item of Kenya food consumed: chai. Good way to start.

Sawa, ahora, notes to self:

• Don’t drink tap water – I’ve suffered enough water borne illnesses now that I should be able to remember this one, but I wouldn’t put money on it.
• No toilet paper down the toilet…I think. (can’t really remember but I don’t want to be the dumb American who clogged the sewer system for the whole neighborhood. So until facts are confirmed, it’s going in the trash).
• Take my Malaria prophylaxis at the same time each day (and Vitamin B – supposedly minimizes mosquito (mbu) bites).
• Bed net: use it! Caitlin in. Mosquitos out. Intermingling = Malaria.
• They don’t speak Spanish here, so stop pensando en Español na starting thinking in Kiswahili! Nursing Diagnosis: at risk for word salad.




Ahora. No, Caitlin, you mean ‘sasa’, nataka kulala (quiero dormir / I want to sleep). Kwaheri. ☺ Oh, but one more thing. I get to go to a Kenyan-Ugandan wedding on Saturday! Can’t wait.

L O N D O N – Halfway Point

Oh, I wish I could take the Tube to Seattle. So much fun. Terminal 5 at LHR to Paddington (about 1hr ride – Picadilly Line to Picadilly Circus, and then transfer to the Bakerloo Line. You can also get there from Picadilly Line to Circle Line or District Line). Love the Tube. Since I haven’t been to London since I was 12, and have never been to London by myself, the Underground is only place here where I actually feel like I know where and I am where I’m going. When I get up on the street, I can never find the street signs or see the addresses on the buildings, or know which way I’m going. Anyone ever heard of a grid pattern?!?!

Finally found my hostel after wandering around for a couple hours when I realized I hadn’t printed the directions or address. Congrats Caitlin. Way to use the ol’ brain. Luckily I remembered it was on Edgware Road. Unfortunately for me, Edgware Rd is very long and has lots of buildings on it…Feet hurt. Eventually I arrived at 308 Edgware Rd. at ‘Bestplace’ hostel, above a pub (in Paddington). I like it. $25/night for a bed and shower. Not bad. Surprised by the number of hukka bars (and falafel) here, and people just smoke it (the hukka, not the falafel…) on the sidewalk. I was super adventurous for dinner: STARBUCKS – mango passion fruit juice blend smoothie and a sandwich. Gotta get a taste of home when the opportunity presents. No Starbucks in Kenya…it’s funny though, when I walked into a Starbucks, I feel like we speak the same language (and I know what I’m going to get…especially at Starbucks where I hear they push a button to make your drink, rather than actually being a real barista…btw, that’s actually a burn to you, Starbucks). Obviously they still speak English in England, but I mean the Language of Coffee. I look at the menu and I see “Frappuccino”, “grande”, “White Chocolate Mocha”, etc… You just feel like you can say “Tall, non-fat, one-pump, vanilla latte” (that’s for you Kendall) and they don’t look at you like you’re nuts. The joys of Corporate Capitalism…sometimes beneficial?

It’s only 2030 but I’m going to bed. Gotta leave at 0630 kesho to get the Tube back for my 10am flight. No real luck with the internet. Connected a couple of times via iTouch, but not long enough to be able to get past Google…and it’s only going to get worse. Whatever will I do without the world at my fingertips!?!?!?!

British Airways is like…a Lincoln Continental

The adventure begins! BA flight 0052 SEA→LHR 8hr 50min. Departs 2210 Arrives 1520.

My goodness! I can’t believe I’m finally on my way! So far, so good. I didn’t cry going through security this time, that’s a plus. Still a few nerves but getting a bit drugged up (w/Melatonin, of course) helped me think take-off was ‘fun’. (For those of you who don’t know, if we could get to 41,000ft without taking off, I be a happy camper. I do NOT like the feeling of all those G’s (as in G-force, not $$$$$) smooshing me into my seat after lift off, and then if they feel the need to turn right away, and if there’s turbulence too…my goodness. No thank you!)

The flights: Boeing 777 (seating 3-3-3). Yay! I love BA! They have ‘cubicle’ seats! (Is it good to be in a cubicle away from work too? Hmmm…) Of course, that’s only for those privileged enough to be in World Business Class. Meanwhile, I’m back in the sardine cabin (38F). Unfortunately, the plane only had 32 rows, so I’m strapped to the tail feathers. Just kidding. There’s 39 rows. I’m practically sitting with the pilots! Or not. We’re kind of swinging around back here. But shoot, BA is so much more luxurious than say, NWA (no offence NWA. Actually, yes, offence. I don’t like you.), that even the turbulence feels plush! I think of it like this: most airlines I fly, the turbulence is like potholes in an old truck, where you really feel every bump. But BA, it’s like a Lincoln Continental or something, where the shocks are so excessive that you kind of float and roll over roadway ‘imperfections’. Not that I’m saying a Lincoln is a really luxury (or even desirable) car. I, myself, prefer feeling the road…as long as it’s in a BMW or Audi.

I was thrilled to find that they give you a pillow…and a blanket! (apparently, BA is less concerned about the pillow/blanket transmission of Swine Flu than other airlines, who I think, seem to have overlooked the greater risk of transmitting a respiratory virus via the RECIRCULATED AIR IN THE CABIN!) Any who, not only a pillow and blanket, but also…headphones! Socks! Sleep mask! Toothbrush & toothpaste! Flashback to 1992! I haven’t heard of these amenities on planes in eons! Could flying actually be fun again?! Well, I think it’s fun anyway. Ooh, one more thing (and maybe my favorite) the seats recline! As in, I really feel like I can lean back, rather than just moving a ¼ inch closer to the person behind you (which, coincidently, disables them from being able to use their tray table). Whoa. What if my seat was reclined during take off?...I might actually be lying down! Speaking of which, 11pm/7am: bedtime. Or breakfast…? Sigh. Shoot, now we’re swinging around like Crack-the-Whip at the ice rink again. If it gets really bumpy, I wonder if I could win a whiplash lawsuit…?