So, we've encountered our first major travel problem. No, it's not gastro-intestinal in nature -- it is far, far worse......at least for Dan. Deborah is out of reading material.
I have already read all of the books I brought with me from the US. I've tried to read the local papers. The papers are all written in English (yes, everyone speaks English here) but they are written like a dumbed down version of USA today -- the one saving grace is that they do have Sudoku and some other fun puzzles. I've also learned a lot about the "Mungiki" - the Kenyan Mafia currently beheading a lot of people....every day new heads and genitals are found and the police kill a few more people "suspected" of being "mungiki." Burden of proof is not quite the same as is in the US.
Anyway, my lack of anything to read has led to the invention of several new games to keep me occupied:
1) "What am I touching?" -- fun for Deb, not so fun for Dan
2) "What do you think my finger smells like" -- ditto
3) "Dan -- sing me a song!!!" -- the worst of the three.
So...please post your favorite books that I should read when I can next find a bookstore. I particular, I'm hoping to read some good African/Indian authors and/or books about Africa/India.
In return, I highly recommend "White Teeth" by Zadie smith
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Bats, ants, monkeys, mattresses, and cheese
A bunch of things to report from the last few days. There's no theme here and nothing really connecting the different paragraphs -- it's kind of like an article in the Nation (the major Kenyan paper -- see Deb's post). Anyway, here goes:
A.
I took a hike to a bat cave this morning (insert Batman joke here). Here's what I learned about bats:
1. Bats don't like visitors
2. Bats don't like flash photography
3. Bats don't appreciate being on the receiving end of a flashlight
4. If you're in a cave with bats, and the bats are about 3 feet above your head, and one of the bats decides to let go of the ceiling and start flying around, you will instinctively (a) duck, (b) cover your head, and (c) squeal like a small child.
I'll post a photo tomorrow.
B.
Deb and I spent the last two days in Kakamega Forest (Zysmans, stop chuckling at "Kakamega"). We saw three different kinds of monkeys, dozens of kinds of butterflies, dung beetles, and approximately 300 different kinds of birds (I counted. Okay I didn't count, but the book says there are 300 kinds in Kakamega -- tee hee -- Forest, and I'm sure I saw them all).
C.
You know the phrase "ants in your pants"? Well, it's taken on a whole new meaning for us. The forest has these large black ants that, with frightening speed, would crawl up our shoes and up our pant legs; once there, they'd clamp down on whatever fleshy bits they could find. Trust me when I tell you that a burning sensation on your upper thigh -- and the knowledge that there's really nothing stopping the bearer of that burning sensation from heading further north -- is unpleasant.
D.
Deb and I used our tent for the first time while in the forest. To make a very long story (involving a rain storm, rocky ground, and non-punctual Christians**), the mattress is a really really really really wonderful invention.
E.
We've just arrived in Eldoret. We came to this town for one reason: it has a cheese factory (and ice cream too!). Biting into a half-pound brick of gruyere is pretty great (crackers? bread? what?) (Oh, quick question for y'all: Deb and I seem to remember a Seinfeld episode where George expounds on the joys of eating a block of cheese (and nothing else). Does anyone else out there remember this?)
Tomorrow (unless Deb and I are busy getting a massage for $7):
Kenyans are really bad at telling time.
**like I said, it's a really long story
A.
I took a hike to a bat cave this morning (insert Batman joke here). Here's what I learned about bats:
1. Bats don't like visitors
2. Bats don't like flash photography
3. Bats don't appreciate being on the receiving end of a flashlight
4. If you're in a cave with bats, and the bats are about 3 feet above your head, and one of the bats decides to let go of the ceiling and start flying around, you will instinctively (a) duck, (b) cover your head, and (c) squeal like a small child.
I'll post a photo tomorrow.
B.
Deb and I spent the last two days in Kakamega Forest (Zysmans, stop chuckling at "Kakamega"). We saw three different kinds of monkeys, dozens of kinds of butterflies, dung beetles, and approximately 300 different kinds of birds (I counted. Okay I didn't count, but the book says there are 300 kinds in Kakamega -- tee hee -- Forest, and I'm sure I saw them all).
C.
You know the phrase "ants in your pants"? Well, it's taken on a whole new meaning for us. The forest has these large black ants that, with frightening speed, would crawl up our shoes and up our pant legs; once there, they'd clamp down on whatever fleshy bits they could find. Trust me when I tell you that a burning sensation on your upper thigh -- and the knowledge that there's really nothing stopping the bearer of that burning sensation from heading further north -- is unpleasant.
D.
Deb and I used our tent for the first time while in the forest. To make a very long story (involving a rain storm, rocky ground, and non-punctual Christians**), the mattress is a really really really really wonderful invention.
E.
We've just arrived in Eldoret. We came to this town for one reason: it has a cheese factory (and ice cream too!). Biting into a half-pound brick of gruyere is pretty great (crackers? bread? what?) (Oh, quick question for y'all: Deb and I seem to remember a Seinfeld episode where George expounds on the joys of eating a block of cheese (and nothing else). Does anyone else out there remember this?)
Tomorrow (unless Deb and I are busy getting a massage for $7):
Kenyans are really bad at telling time.
**like I said, it's a really long story
Take us to the land of the white people
On our last day in Ukwala, Dan and I spent they day at a boma (family group of homes) near Lifunga school. The people in the area have started a project together to raise and sell trees. They hope to use the money they earn to send some of their children to secondary school.
We saw their tree project and gave them a very small amount of money to help them buy more seeds and a watering can. They fed us a huge amount of food -- fresh fish, greens, mushrooms and of course several kinds of ugali :-)
Then came the music and dancing. One song was just praising Dan, since he was the one who handed them the money. Dan's ego is now huge, having had 25 women sing and dance his praises. Another song -- my favorite -- was literally "take us to the land of the white people." We danced and we sang until we were exhausted. They even let me play a drum and taught me to do this cool part of their song where in a high pitched voice you go "Aiyayayayayayyayaya."
Sigh....still having technical problems so we can't upload photos/video. A cd burner is still too high tech for Kenya as we have yet to find one. Computers are slow and photos are large. Stay tuned for the video of Dan dancing like a maniac in lifunga....it's a classic
We saw their tree project and gave them a very small amount of money to help them buy more seeds and a watering can. They fed us a huge amount of food -- fresh fish, greens, mushrooms and of course several kinds of ugali :-)
Then came the music and dancing. One song was just praising Dan, since he was the one who handed them the money. Dan's ego is now huge, having had 25 women sing and dance his praises. Another song -- my favorite -- was literally "take us to the land of the white people." We danced and we sang until we were exhausted. They even let me play a drum and taught me to do this cool part of their song where in a high pitched voice you go "Aiyayayayayayyayaya."
Sigh....still having technical problems so we can't upload photos/video. A cd burner is still too high tech for Kenya as we have yet to find one. Computers are slow and photos are large. Stay tuned for the video of Dan dancing like a maniac in lifunga....it's a classic
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Photos...
Since our internet connection is still rather slow, I had to be very choosy as to which picture to post. Here's a classic: cheetah peeing on a tree....
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Dull knives and lion poop
Okay, sorry I haven't been posting much lately, but finding a good internet connection in rural Kenya is not as easy as one might think. Anyway, here are a few highlights from our first few weeks in Africa:
1. Going on a lion hunt, gonna catch a big one*
We did a three-day Safari to the Masai Mara National Reserve. We saw elephants, zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, hippos, gazelles, wildebeest, water buffalo, ostriches, vultures, wild dogs, warthogs, crocodiles, and, yes, lions. We saw two lions hanging out by the side of the road. One of them pooped. It was awesome. (I didn't get a good picture, but one of the other guys on our trip got a fabulous video. Hopefully I'll get it soon and post it for your viewing enjoyment.)
Actually, that wasn't the highlight of the safari. The highlight was the giraffe poop. Why, you ask? Because as the giraffe was doing its business, a bird landed on the giraffe and started to eat the giraffe poop -- as it was coming out!!! Come on, it just doesn't get any better than that.
2. Not quite a Wustof
Deb and I spent the last 10 days in rural western Kenya. Somehow, our host found out that I had never slaughtered a chicken before. He thought it would be a good idea if I crossed that off my life's "to-do" list. I wasn't so sure. But I went to our host's mother's house, got the chicken, removed its neck feathers, and held it down. What I didn't realize is that cutlery in rural western Kenya, like internet connectivity, is not necessarily the same as in America. Oh well: dull, wobbly knife --> tasty lunch!!
(And I am truly sorry for any unnecessary pain/suffering caused to the chicken. Poor little thing....)
1. Going on a lion hunt, gonna catch a big one*
We did a three-day Safari to the Masai Mara National Reserve. We saw elephants, zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, hippos, gazelles, wildebeest, water buffalo, ostriches, vultures, wild dogs, warthogs, crocodiles, and, yes, lions. We saw two lions hanging out by the side of the road. One of them pooped. It was awesome. (I didn't get a good picture, but one of the other guys on our trip got a fabulous video. Hopefully I'll get it soon and post it for your viewing enjoyment.)
Actually, that wasn't the highlight of the safari. The highlight was the giraffe poop. Why, you ask? Because as the giraffe was doing its business, a bird landed on the giraffe and started to eat the giraffe poop -- as it was coming out!!! Come on, it just doesn't get any better than that.
2. Not quite a Wustof
Deb and I spent the last 10 days in rural western Kenya. Somehow, our host found out that I had never slaughtered a chicken before. He thought it would be a good idea if I crossed that off my life's "to-do" list. I wasn't so sure. But I went to our host's mother's house, got the chicken, removed its neck feathers, and held it down. What I didn't realize is that cutlery in rural western Kenya, like internet connectivity, is not necessarily the same as in America. Oh well: dull, wobbly knife --> tasty lunch!!
(And I am truly sorry for any unnecessary pain/suffering caused to the chicken. Poor little thing....)
* Deborah insists that this is a camp song of some kind. If anyone out there can confirm this (besides Sharon Z. -- she doesn't count), please let me know.
Ugali
Dan and I just left Ukwala this morning and headed to Kisumu on Lake Victoria.
The primary reason for our departure was that we were searching for 2 things:
1) ANYTHING to eat that is not Ugali
2) A hot shower
Ugali is the staple food here. You mix cornmeal with water, heat, and stir until it becomes solid. Then you form it into a doughy loaf. Sometimes if it is a very special day they also mix in some cassava or millet.
You then eat hunks of ugali with your hands with very salty meat and greens.
Finally the ugali sits in your stomach like a rock....for hours on end.
We just ate really bad pizza in Kisumu...it was the most delicious meal I think I have every had.
The primary reason for our departure was that we were searching for 2 things:
1) ANYTHING to eat that is not Ugali
2) A hot shower
Ugali is the staple food here. You mix cornmeal with water, heat, and stir until it becomes solid. Then you form it into a doughy loaf. Sometimes if it is a very special day they also mix in some cassava or millet.
You then eat hunks of ugali with your hands with very salty meat and greens.
Finally the ugali sits in your stomach like a rock....for hours on end.
We just ate really bad pizza in Kisumu...it was the most delicious meal I think I have every had.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Rural Western Kenya
No our friendly blog reader, we haven't been ignoring you....we are just in western Kenya, where there is limited electricity and high speed internet is unheard of.
We've definitely become "dirty people" (this is also the land of cold water bucket bathing) but I'm resisting the temptation to change my hair style to the "weird white girl with African braids" look. Everything we do here is hilariously funny to the people here (especially when Dan goes running!).
Right now we are in Ukwala, as small town in the Ugenya District of rural western Kenya (the province where Barack Obama's father came from -- he was Lu'o, like the vast majority of the people who live here). How we got here is a long story.
On our second day in Nairobi, we decided to take a
tour of Kibera Slum (home to 1 million people) with Daniel Ogala. Dan Ogala -- is unbelievable -- he reminds me of an African James Koshiba....At the old age of 30 he runs Community Support Group (an NGO) and the Matibabu Foundation (Kenya and California)(matibabu.com). He is also the School Patron (a title
given to a distinguished member of the community) for his former school, Lifunga Primary School. He runs programs both in the Urban slum as well as in the poor community he is from.
So, as you can guess Dan Ogala easily convinced us to come and check out the health programs, school and HIV prevention programs he is running in his hometown of Ukwala.
For you public health dorks -- the HIV+ rate is 40%. Malaria rates are very high and most of the community is unable to meet basic food needs. A bunch of Califonia Kaiser Perm. docs helped to set up a clinic here. Check out http://www.matibabu.com. I've been helping with some program planning and evaluation (can't escape logic models. And we've both been helping train staff on computer skills like powerpoint.
We have been staying at the Doctor's house (he sounds just like James Earl Jones) and even he doesn't have running water.
I have a bunch of great photos (which I'll upload once I have a better internet connection).
Here's some of Dan's thoughts on the primary school here.
Out of 350 students, I saw about 4 with shoes. The school has just started a feeding program to offer lunch (corn and beans) to 7th and 8th graders (because they have to take exams to determine whether they can attend
secondary school, so the school has focused on those students to help them succeed on those exams) -- the rest of the kids don't eat at all during the school
day (or before or after school, for that matter).
There are many children in the community who don't attend school at all because they can't afford school uniforms, books, etc. (something less than $60/year).
Tuition is free for primary school (paid for by the government), but tuition for secondary school --is around $200/year
Next post -- our safari and on-going journey to sample Kenyan food
Oh, and if you're looking for some good airplane reading, I'd recommend this month's issue of Vanity Fair, which is all about Africa (there's a great
article by a Harvard economist regarding the eradication of poverty worldwide -- he argues that with $250 billion a year (half what we're spending
annually on Iraq) for five years the world could end poverty in developing nations (hunger, malaria,cholera, etc.).
We've definitely become "dirty people" (this is also the land of cold water bucket bathing) but I'm resisting the temptation to change my hair style to the "weird white girl with African braids" look. Everything we do here is hilariously funny to the people here (especially when Dan goes running!).
Right now we are in Ukwala, as small town in the Ugenya District of rural western Kenya (the province where Barack Obama's father came from -- he was Lu'o, like the vast majority of the people who live here). How we got here is a long story.
On our second day in Nairobi, we decided to take a
tour of Kibera Slum (home to 1 million people) with Daniel Ogala. Dan Ogala -- is unbelievable -- he reminds me of an African James Koshiba....At the old age of 30 he runs Community Support Group (an NGO) and the Matibabu Foundation (Kenya and California)(matibabu.com). He is also the School Patron (a title
given to a distinguished member of the community) for his former school, Lifunga Primary School. He runs programs both in the Urban slum as well as in the poor community he is from.
So, as you can guess Dan Ogala easily convinced us to come and check out the health programs, school and HIV prevention programs he is running in his hometown of Ukwala.
For you public health dorks -- the HIV+ rate is 40%. Malaria rates are very high and most of the community is unable to meet basic food needs. A bunch of Califonia Kaiser Perm. docs helped to set up a clinic here. Check out http://www.matibabu.com. I've been helping with some program planning and evaluation (can't escape logic models. And we've both been helping train staff on computer skills like powerpoint.
We have been staying at the Doctor's house (he sounds just like James Earl Jones) and even he doesn't have running water.
I have a bunch of great photos (which I'll upload once I have a better internet connection).
Here's some of Dan's thoughts on the primary school here.
Out of 350 students, I saw about 4 with shoes. The school has just started a feeding program to offer lunch (corn and beans) to 7th and 8th graders (because they have to take exams to determine whether they can attend
secondary school, so the school has focused on those students to help them succeed on those exams) -- the rest of the kids don't eat at all during the school
day (or before or after school, for that matter).
There are many children in the community who don't attend school at all because they can't afford school uniforms, books, etc. (something less than $60/year).
Tuition is free for primary school (paid for by the government), but tuition for secondary school --is around $200/year
Next post -- our safari and on-going journey to sample Kenyan food
Oh, and if you're looking for some good airplane reading, I'd recommend this month's issue of Vanity Fair, which is all about Africa (there's a great
article by a Harvard economist regarding the eradication of poverty worldwide -- he argues that with $250 billion a year (half what we're spending
annually on Iraq) for five years the world could end poverty in developing nations (hunger, malaria,cholera, etc.).
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Arrival in Nairobi
Deb says:
Dan and I made it to Nairobi in one piece. It is one hell of a flight even from the East Coast (16 hours) so we are really glad that we made the decision to break up the trip with some stops to see family and friends.
We had an awesome long layover in Boston and were able to have lunch with Steph, Janson, Renny and Will who are all great friends from different parts of our lives.
So far, Nairobi has been pretty nice. It's a big city, but the people are very friendly (even when not trying to sell us safari trips).
But MAN are we white.....
Dan says:
Highlight of the trip so far: JP Licks ice cream in Boston for my birthday. A close second -- getting to see Will, Janson, Steph, and Renny (JP Licks makes some FINE ice cream). Christine -- thanks for letting Will miss your graduation to come play with us (and we hope to meet you soon!).
Nairobi's pretty fun -- in a busy, dirty, congested, city kind of way. We've been dropping food on the sidewalk then eating it in an attempt to build up our immunity (just kidding, Mom).
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