Me carrying groceries back home.
Posing with some kids outside central Riruta.
The view from a Nyama Choma(grilled meat) Restaurant I went to with my friend Sara's family.
Sara, Colin, and myself at the restaurant.Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Some more photos
Me carrying groceries back home.Posing with some kids outside central Riruta.The view from a Nyama Choma(grilled meat) Restaurant I went to with my friend Sara's family.
Sara, Colin, and myself at the restaurant.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
From Nairobi to Rural Kenya
As I placed my head against the glass of our maroon tour bus, I tried to take in the countryside passing me by. On our drive from Nairobi to Embu we whizzed by people working, eating, and selling fruits and vegetables on teh side of the road. As I watched them I tried to understand through my visual observations, what their life may be like. In my intent gazes out the window I tried to understand their cultural and economic beliefs without applying them to my own.
The incongruency that caught my attention first was how many women alongside the road were herding both goats and cows. From my previous observations of goat and cattle herders in Kenya I have only seen men performing this task. I have not once seen a woman, let alone multiple women in a short distance, herding. As I watched these women performing a typically male task, I began to think back to a class discussion we had had on migration.
In this discussion the topic of migration was brought up, but most importantly it's effect on women. As men migrate to Nairobi, and other economic hubs such as Embu, women assume the jobs and often roles of thier male relatives or husbands. Once I connected the issue of migration with my observations of women herding, everything made sense. As men leave their villages for job oppurtunities in cities the jobs they leave behind are filled by women in their communities. This explains why I saw so many women herding as well as why so many women along side the road were carrying back-breaking loads.
After a small mishap at the hotel we were staying at we heading into Embu and I began my walking tour of the city. Walking around Embu, the largest city in the Eastern Province, gives one the unique oppurtunity of coming into contact with the people of that city. It is in these hands on interactions that ones observations can be put into context. Whenever I travel around a city by foot I try and observe it's inhabitants behavior, dress, and the overall demographic of then city.
In Embu I immediately notice the disporportionate number of men to women. As I continued walking and visiting the landmarks on the checklist we were given it hit me that Embu is the largest city in the Eastern prpovince. Therefore Embu, like Nairobi is probably a migration spot for men living in the Eastern Province. The women i saw herding and carrying large loads are most likely taking over the work of their husbands who have migrated to Embu.
In conclusion, my two hour drive from Nairobi to Embu exposed me to one crucial aspect of Kenyan life today, the effect of economy on both gender roles and communities.
*This is a reflection I wrote for a class, but thought you all would enjoy reading. I will post pictures from my trip to Embu soon, and will post on Meru and Isiolo.
The incongruency that caught my attention first was how many women alongside the road were herding both goats and cows. From my previous observations of goat and cattle herders in Kenya I have only seen men performing this task. I have not once seen a woman, let alone multiple women in a short distance, herding. As I watched these women performing a typically male task, I began to think back to a class discussion we had had on migration.
In this discussion the topic of migration was brought up, but most importantly it's effect on women. As men migrate to Nairobi, and other economic hubs such as Embu, women assume the jobs and often roles of thier male relatives or husbands. Once I connected the issue of migration with my observations of women herding, everything made sense. As men leave their villages for job oppurtunities in cities the jobs they leave behind are filled by women in their communities. This explains why I saw so many women herding as well as why so many women along side the road were carrying back-breaking loads.
After a small mishap at the hotel we were staying at we heading into Embu and I began my walking tour of the city. Walking around Embu, the largest city in the Eastern Province, gives one the unique oppurtunity of coming into contact with the people of that city. It is in these hands on interactions that ones observations can be put into context. Whenever I travel around a city by foot I try and observe it's inhabitants behavior, dress, and the overall demographic of then city.
In Embu I immediately notice the disporportionate number of men to women. As I continued walking and visiting the landmarks on the checklist we were given it hit me that Embu is the largest city in the Eastern prpovince. Therefore Embu, like Nairobi is probably a migration spot for men living in the Eastern Province. The women i saw herding and carrying large loads are most likely taking over the work of their husbands who have migrated to Embu.
In conclusion, my two hour drive from Nairobi to Embu exposed me to one crucial aspect of Kenyan life today, the effect of economy on both gender roles and communities.
*This is a reflection I wrote for a class, but thought you all would enjoy reading. I will post pictures from my trip to Embu soon, and will post on Meru and Isiolo.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Mens groups
A few nights ago my friend collin and i went to our friend sara's house to hang out. At her house we got to talking with her host dad, a kikuyu by the name of peter. Peter is the husband of Mama Kenya's best friend, Mama Sara (you are referred to as Mama and then the name of your first born, or in this case Mzungu).
I can't remember how the conversation came about, but during our time at sara's house Peter gave us a very informative talk on mens groups in Kenya. He is apart of three groups, one of which is comprised of kikuyu elders. The elders in ones community observe the lifestyle of the men in their community. When a man has reached a certain point in his personal maturity he is asked to be an elder (join the group). As an elder they have the power to intervene in any issues going on in their community, whether it be their neighbors marital problems, or in aiding another family in need.
The second group he is apart of is simular to the women's groups i spoke of in my previous post. There are twenty-three members in his group (he only belongs to one, he has his job as a networking device). Each man gives 1,000 shillings a month, this money goes to a stock the group collectively decides to invest in. The meeting does not end until the entire group is in accord on what to invest in. I personally think this process and group itself are extremely progressive, i can't think of anything like it in the U.S. I am really interested in starting a group like this, an investing group such as this one would be very beneficial for students my age.
The last group he described to us is comprised of his family members. Each month one of his family members, cousins included, hosts a meal/meeting at their house. Each family gives 6,000 shillings to the family that is hosting the feast that month.
Kin relations in Kenya are stronger than anything in the U.S i can draw from, the family is the center of Kenyan life. The fact that people here seem to trust each other enough to give money to a group and trust that it will come back to them, seems foreign to me. I wouldn't be surprised if groups such as these exist in America, but i have never seen such a large scale sense of community and trust.
The vast majority of Kenyan economy is comprised of subsistence, it is as far from a consumer economy as one can be. For centuries Kenyans' main priority has been supporting their families. Historically Kenyans' have been living in communal environments for far longer than westerners. I think this history and the tradition of community explain why groups such as the men's and women's groups i have described are so plentiful in Kenya.
I can't remember how the conversation came about, but during our time at sara's house Peter gave us a very informative talk on mens groups in Kenya. He is apart of three groups, one of which is comprised of kikuyu elders. The elders in ones community observe the lifestyle of the men in their community. When a man has reached a certain point in his personal maturity he is asked to be an elder (join the group). As an elder they have the power to intervene in any issues going on in their community, whether it be their neighbors marital problems, or in aiding another family in need.
The second group he is apart of is simular to the women's groups i spoke of in my previous post. There are twenty-three members in his group (he only belongs to one, he has his job as a networking device). Each man gives 1,000 shillings a month, this money goes to a stock the group collectively decides to invest in. The meeting does not end until the entire group is in accord on what to invest in. I personally think this process and group itself are extremely progressive, i can't think of anything like it in the U.S. I am really interested in starting a group like this, an investing group such as this one would be very beneficial for students my age.
The last group he described to us is comprised of his family members. Each month one of his family members, cousins included, hosts a meal/meeting at their house. Each family gives 6,000 shillings to the family that is hosting the feast that month.
Kin relations in Kenya are stronger than anything in the U.S i can draw from, the family is the center of Kenyan life. The fact that people here seem to trust each other enough to give money to a group and trust that it will come back to them, seems foreign to me. I wouldn't be surprised if groups such as these exist in America, but i have never seen such a large scale sense of community and trust.
The vast majority of Kenyan economy is comprised of subsistence, it is as far from a consumer economy as one can be. For centuries Kenyans' main priority has been supporting their families. Historically Kenyans' have been living in communal environments for far longer than westerners. I think this history and the tradition of community explain why groups such as the men's and women's groups i have described are so plentiful in Kenya.
A typical day with Mama Kenya
Mama Kenya, Rose, is a Kikuyu women born in Navaisha approximately 40 some odd years ago. She is of a milk chocolate complexion with small freckles around her nose and cheeks. When she smiles her brown eyes and gleaming white teeth sparkle. She is around 5'5 and is a full figured African woman (you can view her in the photos i posted last week).
Her external appearance is not what is important, or what i wish to share with you all. Rather it is her personality and lifestyle that has struck me these past three weeks. From day one she has had a great sense of humor with me, allowing us to have the fun loving dynamic we share today. As a master of sarcasm and unreadable facial expressions, I was initially scared and intimidated by her blunt sense of humor. But as the days have passed I have learned how to read her and her jokes.
From the second i wake up for school (i am in class from 8:30-4 everyday) at 7:30 she is at me to hurry up, claiming that i am going to be late. When in reality she just wants me to hurry so that while i eat my breakfast of toast and peanut butter(my choice, she would rather me eat 10 hardboiled eggs, 6 samosas, and drink 5 cups of tea), we can talk. Basically she wants time to chat and joke around. When i return home from school I always find my shoes cleaner than when i bought them (she is very much like baba shaba in this way). She even brought my zip off rei pants with a broken zipper to a seamstress in town to be fixed. When i asked her what i owed her she said, just give me a hug in the morning and at night, a concession i am glad to make. When it rains, which it often does just as we are getting out of class, without failure i receive a text message from her asking if she should bring me an umbrella.
When i return home from school i am always accompanied b some friends on the trip i have been luckily clicked with already (you can see pictures of them from the last post as well). During these afternoons Mama Kenya is always making us laugh and giving us love. We occasionally go into the shamba and pick avocados from our avocado tree (photo of sonia). Kelly you would kill for one of these, everytime i eat one i think of you! Lately we have been helping her milk the cows (the milk man was fired), meaning she has to get up at 5 in the morning and milk the cows and then again at 4 in the afternoon. When i say we, i mean my friend collin attempts to help while we egg him on.
What i admire most about Mama Kenya is her work ethic. Even when she is about to fall asleep she cooks dinner and does the dishes. From what i can surmise of her marriage to my host dad, a man 20 years her elder, it is not one of love. She puts up with his grumpiness and anti social nature. If it was up to her, she would have people over all the time, but because of him she has to sacrifice some of her social and personal needs.
She loves when my friends come around, but at 6 they must return home because when he returns home he likes a quiet house. She frequently confides in me, explaining how sometimes she feels as though she can't go on with him. She always ends these discussions by stating that marriage is hard and that one needs to work through their problems, not succumb to them. Her personal strength and lovingness have brought warmth to my life here. I cannot believe we only have a week left.
Swahili tongue twisters:
1.wake wako, wako wapi?
where are your wives (my personal favorite)
2. sisi si sisi mizi
we are not ants
3. wezee wale hawali wali
those old men don't eat rice
Her external appearance is not what is important, or what i wish to share with you all. Rather it is her personality and lifestyle that has struck me these past three weeks. From day one she has had a great sense of humor with me, allowing us to have the fun loving dynamic we share today. As a master of sarcasm and unreadable facial expressions, I was initially scared and intimidated by her blunt sense of humor. But as the days have passed I have learned how to read her and her jokes.
From the second i wake up for school (i am in class from 8:30-4 everyday) at 7:30 she is at me to hurry up, claiming that i am going to be late. When in reality she just wants me to hurry so that while i eat my breakfast of toast and peanut butter(my choice, she would rather me eat 10 hardboiled eggs, 6 samosas, and drink 5 cups of tea), we can talk. Basically she wants time to chat and joke around. When i return home from school I always find my shoes cleaner than when i bought them (she is very much like baba shaba in this way). She even brought my zip off rei pants with a broken zipper to a seamstress in town to be fixed. When i asked her what i owed her she said, just give me a hug in the morning and at night, a concession i am glad to make. When it rains, which it often does just as we are getting out of class, without failure i receive a text message from her asking if she should bring me an umbrella.
When i return home from school i am always accompanied b some friends on the trip i have been luckily clicked with already (you can see pictures of them from the last post as well). During these afternoons Mama Kenya is always making us laugh and giving us love. We occasionally go into the shamba and pick avocados from our avocado tree (photo of sonia). Kelly you would kill for one of these, everytime i eat one i think of you! Lately we have been helping her milk the cows (the milk man was fired), meaning she has to get up at 5 in the morning and milk the cows and then again at 4 in the afternoon. When i say we, i mean my friend collin attempts to help while we egg him on.
What i admire most about Mama Kenya is her work ethic. Even when she is about to fall asleep she cooks dinner and does the dishes. From what i can surmise of her marriage to my host dad, a man 20 years her elder, it is not one of love. She puts up with his grumpiness and anti social nature. If it was up to her, she would have people over all the time, but because of him she has to sacrifice some of her social and personal needs.
She loves when my friends come around, but at 6 they must return home because when he returns home he likes a quiet house. She frequently confides in me, explaining how sometimes she feels as though she can't go on with him. She always ends these discussions by stating that marriage is hard and that one needs to work through their problems, not succumb to them. Her personal strength and lovingness have brought warmth to my life here. I cannot believe we only have a week left.
Swahili tongue twisters:
1.wake wako, wako wapi?
where are your wives (my personal favorite)
2. sisi si sisi mizi
we are not ants
3. wezee wale hawali wali
those old men don't eat rice
Monday, September 22, 2008
Outside the House
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Stares
As I walk around Riruta, on my way to and from school or my friend's houses, people stare. I stand out here, more so than I ever have before. Many local inhabitants look at me with curiousity in their eyes, probably thinking why is this mzungu(white person) here. Others take advantage of my presence by practicing their english.
As I walk around Riruta with my fellow LC classmates we are constantly followed by a chorus of people yelling "how are you," which sounds more like "hau r choo." If you respond with "good," the young faces around you react with a look of confusion. It is only when you respond with "I'm fine" that a huge smile crosses their faces. When one kid initiates the "hau r choo" a symphony of other kids chime in. A response of "I'm fine" never stops the dominoe effect of these interactions.
I have found that the only way to stop the chorus is by asking them how they are. This only works if you win the spot of being the loudest person in these interactions. These interactions are in no way bothersome rather the statements of "hau r choo", often follewed by MZUNGU, have been a part of my daily life here in Riruta and have brought many smiles to my face.
There is an old swahili proverb my International studies teacher told us that relates to this post. It states that, "a guest or a stranger (same word in swahili...very interesting) is a white chicken. Mgeni ni kuku mweupe. We stand out like a sore thumb because we do not belong."
Yet my family, specifically my host-mom and her friends, have shown me that I really am a guest in their lives, and that for this month I really do belong.
I hope you all are doing well and enjoying my posts. For the next couple of weeks they will appear about every four days. I apologize for the spelling mistakes, each minutes costs money, and the pressure is overwhelming.
Much Much Love!
As I walk around Riruta with my fellow LC classmates we are constantly followed by a chorus of people yelling "how are you," which sounds more like "hau r choo." If you respond with "good," the young faces around you react with a look of confusion. It is only when you respond with "I'm fine" that a huge smile crosses their faces. When one kid initiates the "hau r choo" a symphony of other kids chime in. A response of "I'm fine" never stops the dominoe effect of these interactions.
I have found that the only way to stop the chorus is by asking them how they are. This only works if you win the spot of being the loudest person in these interactions. These interactions are in no way bothersome rather the statements of "hau r choo", often follewed by MZUNGU, have been a part of my daily life here in Riruta and have brought many smiles to my face.
There is an old swahili proverb my International studies teacher told us that relates to this post. It states that, "a guest or a stranger (same word in swahili...very interesting) is a white chicken. Mgeni ni kuku mweupe. We stand out like a sore thumb because we do not belong."
Yet my family, specifically my host-mom and her friends, have shown me that I really am a guest in their lives, and that for this month I really do belong.
I hope you all are doing well and enjoying my posts. For the next couple of weeks they will appear about every four days. I apologize for the spelling mistakes, each minutes costs money, and the pressure is overwhelming.
Much Much Love!
Monday, September 15, 2008
First week of homestay
It has been exactly a week since I arrived in Riruta. Since the time of my arrival I have been exposed to many things. Living with a family has given me the unique experience of viewing the day to day life of Kenyans. Not only do I get to see how my host family and siblings live in their natural element, I also get to listen to their accounts of what life is like behind closed doors. Doors we as white people do not ordinarily gain access into. This unique living experience has given me access into facets of Kenyan life I would ordinarily be closed off from.
I have had the privaledged experience of going to several women's meetings here in Riruta. These meetings are essentially gatherings of friends. In order to be a member of a group one must be on good terms with all of the group. Each group, there are more than one hundred here in Riruta, meets once a month at one member's house. At this monthly meeting each member must contribute 3,000 shilling, a little more than $35 U.S dollars, a month. They can use the money for whatever they choose.
Essentially these groups serve as a social component of Kenyan women's lives, their social network grows depending on how many groups they are a part of, and gives them access to life outside of their homes. In addition to being a social networking device, these meetings facilitate a loan like process. When it is one members turn to host that women receives money from her peers, essentially the same amount of money she has give to the rest of the group in the past few months. Every member benefits from the communal cooperation of their peers. My mom is apart of more than twelve groups, and has brought me with her to three meetings this past week. Each meeting is conducted in a slightly different way, but each revolves around prayer and reflection. One women leads the meeting usually with a gospel and a sermon ranging from 5-10 minutes. These sermons are usually conducted in the groups vernacular tongue, in Riruta's case, the vernacular of choice is Kikuyu. After the meetings i have my host mom translate the sermon for me.
Outsiders are not allowed to attend these meetings, not even the children of members. Because I am the daughter of my host-mom, and because she wants me to meet her friends, I have been granted the unique privaledge of going to these meetings. I was unable to attend a meeting on Friday because I was at the local market, and some of the members wanted the know where I was, lol.
In addition to gaining access into these meetings I am able to hear and discuss the day to day politics of Kenya, most importantly the post election violence. Every night we tune in to the 9 o clock NTV news, NTV is an ABC, CBS equivalent. These news casts cover all the current issues going on in Kenya. In addition to the accounts given by the newscasters, my parents always contribute their own accounts of what is going on in the country. They are especially vocal on reports concerning civil unrest and tribal clashes.
From my international studies class and from living with a Kenyan family, I have learned how Kenyans identify themselves. Kenya is a country made up of 42 different tribes, tribes people have been identifying themselves with for centuries. It was not until the British colonized the region today known as Kenya, and grouped its inhabitants into prospective tribes, that identity came to the forefront of politics here.
In order to communicate with a demographic of peope speaking hundreds of languages, the British installed English and Swahili as the national languages of Kenya. The first four years of school are taught in vernacular languages (tribal languages such as Kikuyu, Maa...). In the fifth year the vernacular language is dropped and english is the language of instruction. Swahili is a language class all are required to take, simular to the approach many schools have with Spanish. Imagine being fluent in three languages by the time you are 13!!!
This past week in class we have been tying different tenses of Swahili together. Future tense uses Li in the postive form and Ku in the negative form. Conditional tense is ta.
Nitenda kuona tembo.
I have had the privaledged experience of going to several women's meetings here in Riruta. These meetings are essentially gatherings of friends. In order to be a member of a group one must be on good terms with all of the group. Each group, there are more than one hundred here in Riruta, meets once a month at one member's house. At this monthly meeting each member must contribute 3,000 shilling, a little more than $35 U.S dollars, a month. They can use the money for whatever they choose.
Essentially these groups serve as a social component of Kenyan women's lives, their social network grows depending on how many groups they are a part of, and gives them access to life outside of their homes. In addition to being a social networking device, these meetings facilitate a loan like process. When it is one members turn to host that women receives money from her peers, essentially the same amount of money she has give to the rest of the group in the past few months. Every member benefits from the communal cooperation of their peers. My mom is apart of more than twelve groups, and has brought me with her to three meetings this past week. Each meeting is conducted in a slightly different way, but each revolves around prayer and reflection. One women leads the meeting usually with a gospel and a sermon ranging from 5-10 minutes. These sermons are usually conducted in the groups vernacular tongue, in Riruta's case, the vernacular of choice is Kikuyu. After the meetings i have my host mom translate the sermon for me.
Outsiders are not allowed to attend these meetings, not even the children of members. Because I am the daughter of my host-mom, and because she wants me to meet her friends, I have been granted the unique privaledge of going to these meetings. I was unable to attend a meeting on Friday because I was at the local market, and some of the members wanted the know where I was, lol.
In addition to gaining access into these meetings I am able to hear and discuss the day to day politics of Kenya, most importantly the post election violence. Every night we tune in to the 9 o clock NTV news, NTV is an ABC, CBS equivalent. These news casts cover all the current issues going on in Kenya. In addition to the accounts given by the newscasters, my parents always contribute their own accounts of what is going on in the country. They are especially vocal on reports concerning civil unrest and tribal clashes.
From my international studies class and from living with a Kenyan family, I have learned how Kenyans identify themselves. Kenya is a country made up of 42 different tribes, tribes people have been identifying themselves with for centuries. It was not until the British colonized the region today known as Kenya, and grouped its inhabitants into prospective tribes, that identity came to the forefront of politics here.
In order to communicate with a demographic of peope speaking hundreds of languages, the British installed English and Swahili as the national languages of Kenya. The first four years of school are taught in vernacular languages (tribal languages such as Kikuyu, Maa...). In the fifth year the vernacular language is dropped and english is the language of instruction. Swahili is a language class all are required to take, simular to the approach many schools have with Spanish. Imagine being fluent in three languages by the time you are 13!!!
This past week in class we have been tying different tenses of Swahili together. Future tense uses Li in the postive form and Ku in the negative form. Conditional tense is ta.
Nitenda kuona tembo.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Host Family
On Saturday my host family picked me up at around 1:30. They greeted me with a beautiful purple konga(one much like the one i had at school under my bed), draping it over my shoulder as a sign of welcoming me into their family.My "mom's" name is Rose, but i call me Mama Kenya, "dad's" name is Joseph but we call him mzee, meaning old man, and my "sister's" name is Rachel.
Sadly the day they picked me up, Saturday, happened to be the same day Rachel was leaving for boarding school. From the Methodist Guest House we headed to Kasarani, and dropped After Rachel off at Laverna secondary school for girls. It was a very interesting afternoon; I was able to see what a Kenyan Catholic High Schol is like, as well as witness firsthand the chaos of Kenyan highways first hand.
There seem to be no traffic rules on Kenyan Roads. The "freeways" we took to Kasarani had no center divide between lanes, drivers were free to roam all over the road. Lonely Planet travel guide sums up the driving style of Kenyas quite accurately, "Kenyans habitually drive on the wrong side of the road whenever they see a pothole, an animal, or simply a break in traffic"(382). All drivers on the road are in a sort of race, and in order to win they will do anything. Imagine this race taking place at all times of the day. Mzee and our Forest Green Puegot, yes i did say Puegot, were apart of this race for longer than i would have liked, and even managed to get a flat tire along the way.
After dropping Rachel off we headed to Rirute, the Nairobi suburb I will be living in until October 4th. When you imagine Riruta, drop the associations you make to the word suburb, and imagine dirt roads with vegetables boardering them, lean-too shambas selling items ferom food to coal, and imagine a constant flow of people walking along these streets.
The house I am staying in is as big as my house in Berkeley. My "parents" own a lot of the land in this area. We have six cows ( i have never had better milk in my life), and three shabmas (farm plots). They have people who milk the cows everyday at four, something I will learn to do in these upcoming weeks, and people who maintain the shambas. I have my own bedroom and bathroom. In my room I have two beds, one i sleep in with my amazing BUG HUT, and the other one I use for my bags. The bathroom has a toilet that flushes every 5th time, when it has enough water in the tank, and a tub that spits water on me.
Every afternoon after school I return home around 4:30 and begin helping Mama Kenya prepare dinner. Yes, I am cooking, you are all going to be very impressed with my cooking skills when i return home!
In class we have been learning how to count up to one million, as well as the names of various fruits and vegetables.
One is moja, two mbili, three tatu, twenty ishirini. Some of the foods we have learned are toast tosti, eggs mayai, and jam jamu. To tie the two together we have learned how to ask for food at a restaurant.
Niletee tosti ya jamu na mayai mbili. Please bring my toast with jam and two eggs.
I am sorry it has been awhile since i last blogged. The village looses power every afternoon during its daily rain showers. Today we got into town and found a chat cafe.
Mom, Dad, and Nat, call me! Nat i am sleeping at junes house tomorrow!!! love you
Kelly update me on ODELL!!!
Sadly the day they picked me up, Saturday, happened to be the same day Rachel was leaving for boarding school. From the Methodist Guest House we headed to Kasarani, and dropped After Rachel off at Laverna secondary school for girls. It was a very interesting afternoon; I was able to see what a Kenyan Catholic High Schol is like, as well as witness firsthand the chaos of Kenyan highways first hand.
There seem to be no traffic rules on Kenyan Roads. The "freeways" we took to Kasarani had no center divide between lanes, drivers were free to roam all over the road. Lonely Planet travel guide sums up the driving style of Kenyas quite accurately, "Kenyans habitually drive on the wrong side of the road whenever they see a pothole, an animal, or simply a break in traffic"(382). All drivers on the road are in a sort of race, and in order to win they will do anything. Imagine this race taking place at all times of the day. Mzee and our Forest Green Puegot, yes i did say Puegot, were apart of this race for longer than i would have liked, and even managed to get a flat tire along the way.
After dropping Rachel off we headed to Rirute, the Nairobi suburb I will be living in until October 4th. When you imagine Riruta, drop the associations you make to the word suburb, and imagine dirt roads with vegetables boardering them, lean-too shambas selling items ferom food to coal, and imagine a constant flow of people walking along these streets.
The house I am staying in is as big as my house in Berkeley. My "parents" own a lot of the land in this area. We have six cows ( i have never had better milk in my life), and three shabmas (farm plots). They have people who milk the cows everyday at four, something I will learn to do in these upcoming weeks, and people who maintain the shambas. I have my own bedroom and bathroom. In my room I have two beds, one i sleep in with my amazing BUG HUT, and the other one I use for my bags. The bathroom has a toilet that flushes every 5th time, when it has enough water in the tank, and a tub that spits water on me.
Every afternoon after school I return home around 4:30 and begin helping Mama Kenya prepare dinner. Yes, I am cooking, you are all going to be very impressed with my cooking skills when i return home!
In class we have been learning how to count up to one million, as well as the names of various fruits and vegetables.
One is moja, two mbili, three tatu, twenty ishirini. Some of the foods we have learned are toast tosti, eggs mayai, and jam jamu. To tie the two together we have learned how to ask for food at a restaurant.
Niletee tosti ya jamu na mayai mbili. Please bring my toast with jam and two eggs.
I am sorry it has been awhile since i last blogged. The village looses power every afternoon during its daily rain showers. Today we got into town and found a chat cafe.
Mom, Dad, and Nat, call me! Nat i am sleeping at junes house tomorrow!!! love you
Kelly update me on ODELL!!!
Friday, September 5, 2008
The Streets of Nairobi
After a long day of classes the group decided to go out for dinner. We all wanted to get off the Methodist Guest House property and see Kenya. Since I arrived on Monday, with the exception of my short excursion into downtown, I have been stuck at the House. On the way back from the airport Monday morning someone noticed an Ethiopian restaurant close-by. We decided to walk there, it ended up taking twenty-five minutes along the side of the road. As I explained earlier in my first post, Kenyans utilize the periphery of the streets as sidewalks, for this walk we did the same. As i looked down at the sidewalk I felt as though i was back in Guarjila, El Salvador trekking to Chalate. The "sidewalks" are composed of dirt and browned garbage, browned in that the garbage (plastic bottles, bags, magazines) is almost completely camoflouged by the dirt around it. As i held my head up the faces passing me occassionally acknoledged my presence, but most people just walked by me with the same zoned-out gaze I often see in American cities. As i shut my eyes for a second the cars whizzing by me and the horns honking in the background brought me back to Ashby ave on a Sunday afternoon.
Before I knew it we had arrived at the restaurant. We ordered a few dishes per group of four and feasted on the food. As most of you know, Ethiopian food is eaten without silverware. One picks up their food from a communal plate with lots of dishes on it (dont worry dad i washed my hands with soap and water before i dug in). This Ethiopian food was of a completely different caliber than that of Telegraph Avenue. It was truly amazing, I left so full i could barely make the 25 minute walk home.
Everytime i post I am going to try and give you all (y'all for Kate) some information from one of my classes. For the first month most of this info will be from Swahili class (Susan I am very impressed with your mad Swahili skills).
Today we learned personal pronouns, mimi, wewe, yeye, sisi, nyinyi, and wao. Mimi ni mwanafunzi Kiswahili. I am a student of Kiswhahili. I also learned how to say I am not a tourist, I am a student. Mimi si mtalii, mimi ni mwanafunzi In addition to these useful statements I learned a lot of adjectives and verbs.
ninapenda nyumbani wangu. I love my family!
Before I knew it we had arrived at the restaurant. We ordered a few dishes per group of four and feasted on the food. As most of you know, Ethiopian food is eaten without silverware. One picks up their food from a communal plate with lots of dishes on it (dont worry dad i washed my hands with soap and water before i dug in). This Ethiopian food was of a completely different caliber than that of Telegraph Avenue. It was truly amazing, I left so full i could barely make the 25 minute walk home.
Everytime i post I am going to try and give you all (y'all for Kate) some information from one of my classes. For the first month most of this info will be from Swahili class (Susan I am very impressed with your mad Swahili skills).
Today we learned personal pronouns, mimi, wewe, yeye, sisi, nyinyi, and wao. Mimi ni mwanafunzi Kiswahili. I am a student of Kiswhahili. I also learned how to say I am not a tourist, I am a student. Mimi si mtalii, mimi ni mwanafunzi In addition to these useful statements I learned a lot of adjectives and verbs.
ninapenda nyumbani wangu. I love my family!
First Days of Swahili
At 8:30 Monday morning we met our four Swahili teachers, Ruth, Julius, MJ and Rose. We were split into groups of 6 students. Our lessons began at 8:45 and ended at 10 for a thirty minute tea break (cultural remnant of British colonization), and resumed class at 10:30 until 12. In our class we learned greetings; Hujambo-Sijambo, how to say our names- Jina langu ni Molly, How are you? Habari Yako, and lastly conjugations of the present tense. This was all in one day! I have never learned a language so fast, the teachers are amazing. Overall Swahili is easy to learn because it is both phonetic and melodic (much different than Spanish). When writing sentences in Swahili i find myself thinking of the words in Spanish....its quite weird.
In the afternoons we have an International Studies class, the class i formerly thought would be Islamic studies, due to its acronym I.S. I will have more info on it as it progresses.
Tomorrow we meet our host families. Our families are mostly Christian with the exception of three of them. I am excited and nervous about meeting my family, but can't wait to get out of the Hotel compounds and see how Nairobians actually live.
I wish i had more time to write, it costs 100 shillings, 65cents, for twenty minutes. I never realized how short of a time twenty minutes are!!!#
Love you all.
In the afternoons we have an International Studies class, the class i formerly thought would be Islamic studies, due to its acronym I.S. I will have more info on it as it progresses.
Tomorrow we meet our host families. Our families are mostly Christian with the exception of three of them. I am excited and nervous about meeting my family, but can't wait to get out of the Hotel compounds and see how Nairobians actually live.
I wish i had more time to write, it costs 100 shillings, 65cents, for twenty minutes. I never realized how short of a time twenty minutes are!!!#
Love you all.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Alive and Well
After more hours of travel than i thought humanly possible we arrived in Nairobi. It was Tuesday the 2nd of September when we arrived, and i have never wanted to change my clothes more. Once everyone collected their luggage we boarded a bus that took us to the Methodist Guest House in the outskirts of Nairobi. It is here that we will be staying until Saturday when we meet our host families.
On the way to the Hotel we got stuck in unbelievable bumper to bumper traffic for atleast an hour. Kenyan freeways are very different than American ones in that their shoulder lanes are covered with people walking from place to place. As one looks into the distance people seem to be coming from every direction. Ofter emerging from behind a building with only a dirt path connecting it to a road.
After an hour and a half of driving we arrived at the Hotel and ate breakfast. I feasted on the baked beans, hard boiled eggs, and fruit. It was a nice change from the airplane food i had been eating for the bast two days. Once we finished eating we got matched up with our roommates for the next three days, and had the rest of the day to get sleep and recover from the jetlag.
Adreneline from finally arriving in Kenya prohibited me from going to sleep right away. I headed into Nairobi with a few other students from my group. A taxi driver by the name of Ezekial (Kikuyu name Kazima) picked us up and drove us to the Hilton Hotel in the center of Nairobi where were me up with the rest of the group who were heading into town. Once we arrived I headed to buy a SIM card for my cell phone. After buying the card we walked around Mama Ndiyo road and got a taste of the capital city.
As we walked around we quickly learned which side of the sidewalk people walk on, as well as who has the right of way when crossing the street. As you make already know, Kenyans drive on the left side of the road. Walking patterns are much the same. AFter zig zagging through people for the first couple of minutes I picked this up and walked with the crowd. When crossing the street pedestrians definitely don't have the right of way, one learns this quite fast!
After about an hour of walking around we decided to take a break at a Kenyan version of a Starbucks, called Java House. Once inside i felt like i was in a cafe back home. Voices in the cafe cold be heard speaking a combination of; English, Swahili, Bantu and Nilotec tribal tongues. The mix of tribal cultures is quite apparent when walking through Nairobi. AS we walked down the streets it wasn't uncommon to see a man with a walking stick, large guage ears and a tribal wrap. As well as people walking around in suits and ties as well as skirts and blouses.
My internet times running out, love you all.
September 3rd
On the way to the Hotel we got stuck in unbelievable bumper to bumper traffic for atleast an hour. Kenyan freeways are very different than American ones in that their shoulder lanes are covered with people walking from place to place. As one looks into the distance people seem to be coming from every direction. Ofter emerging from behind a building with only a dirt path connecting it to a road.
After an hour and a half of driving we arrived at the Hotel and ate breakfast. I feasted on the baked beans, hard boiled eggs, and fruit. It was a nice change from the airplane food i had been eating for the bast two days. Once we finished eating we got matched up with our roommates for the next three days, and had the rest of the day to get sleep and recover from the jetlag.
Adreneline from finally arriving in Kenya prohibited me from going to sleep right away. I headed into Nairobi with a few other students from my group. A taxi driver by the name of Ezekial (Kikuyu name Kazima) picked us up and drove us to the Hilton Hotel in the center of Nairobi where were me up with the rest of the group who were heading into town. Once we arrived I headed to buy a SIM card for my cell phone. After buying the card we walked around Mama Ndiyo road and got a taste of the capital city.
As we walked around we quickly learned which side of the sidewalk people walk on, as well as who has the right of way when crossing the street. As you make already know, Kenyans drive on the left side of the road. Walking patterns are much the same. AFter zig zagging through people for the first couple of minutes I picked this up and walked with the crowd. When crossing the street pedestrians definitely don't have the right of way, one learns this quite fast!
After about an hour of walking around we decided to take a break at a Kenyan version of a Starbucks, called Java House. Once inside i felt like i was in a cafe back home. Voices in the cafe cold be heard speaking a combination of; English, Swahili, Bantu and Nilotec tribal tongues. The mix of tribal cultures is quite apparent when walking through Nairobi. AS we walked down the streets it wasn't uncommon to see a man with a walking stick, large guage ears and a tribal wrap. As well as people walking around in suits and ties as well as skirts and blouses.
My internet times running out, love you all.
September 3rd
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