alright, last night was, in a word...AWESOME!!!
so on tuesday night i had made plans with Jackson and Richard to meet on Thursday so that I could make plans to go to Massai Mara this weekend. After the Orphanage I was supposed to meet Richard at the Chapel and we would proceed to meet Jackson in town (Richard was Necessary to guide me through the craziness of the city, to make sure i was safe, and obviously get closer to me so that he can get to the U.S.). Upon getting a phone call, plans changed so that I was to meet Richard in the City itself, i was a bit nervous to navigate myself around, but i could do with a small adventure :)
I arrived in the City at 4pm, approximately the same time it started raining. Now, when i say raining what i really mean is it started down pouring so hard that you couldn't really see anything in front of you...i had no jacket, and honestly it was the beginning of the best night ever. the rain was nice, and the weather was warm. I was having a blast. However, Richard is a wimp and when i met up with him he complained almost nonstop about the rain (maybe it only felt like nonstop because i was enjoying it so much) anyway, we met and almost immediately found the closest restaurant to take shelter and wait for Jackson. Almost 45 minutes later we were given directions to meet the guy who was going to help plan my safari. an hour later the plans were made, the money had exchanged hands and we were ready to head home by 5:30. then the real adventure began.
We walked from the office to the other end of the City to catch a Matatu that would bring both Richard and I to our respective homes. upon arriving at the stop we found that the Matatu's that head to Zambezi (my home) only picked people up on the other side of town. So we walked back to where we had started and beyond to wait. By this time it was rush hour and that paired with the fact that it was still raining meant that all of the Matatu's heading to Zambezi were full. We knew we would have better luck to just catch a Matatu to Kawangware (his home) and then getting one to Zambezi from there. Which meant we had to walk the length of the city again. Upon reaching the stop, traffic was at a standstill and seeing as it was still raining, all of the Matatu's were full.
We seriously must have walked at least a mile, in the middle of the street, looking for a matatu to take us home...they were ALL full. by 6:45 i had decided to just spend the money and we would get a taxi. So, Richard called his friend who had a taxi and was a member of the church (which he mentioned at least ten times). His friend was on the outskirts of town but said he would come as soon as possible.
It would be good to mention here that i HAVE to be in the house by 9pm but try to get there before dark to avoid anything that happens after dark(around 7).
Richard and I went back to the restaurant to sit and wait. By this time the restaurant was busy and the music was LOUD! usually i would love this atmosphere but for some unknown reason i was quite uncomfortable. I asked if we could leave but R. informed me that it was either sit here or stand outside (which i would have been fine with, but I'm pretty sure that is the last thing R. wanted to do and seeing as he was there as a favor to me, i was going to be as kind a possible). We were there for about 15 minutes before he was okay to leave and we went to stand outside the Hilton where his friend was going to meet us. Thankfully conversation went smoothly and after a long bit R.'s friend showed up...with no car. Another driver had borrowed it and was well across town and wouldn't be here for at least a half hour (it was approx. 8 by this time). So R.'s friend went on a search for a taxi.
Less then 15 minutes later i was shoved between one man i barely knew, and another I had JUST met, with two starngers in front. I laughed as the warnings of my family and friends not to talk to stranger and especially not to share a cab ran through my mind...I am sorry, but i broke every promise i made and it was probably a good thing i have not seen 'Taken'. however i felt perfectly safe. In fact, throughout the night R. had constantly told me not to worry, that i would get home by nine and i would get there safely. In the taxi he told me no less than three times that i was sitting between two priesthood holders and i would get home safely. I was not frightened, or worried, actually, i was quite the opposite. it was 8:30, past dark and i was not in bed, reading or sleeping. I was having a blast! There is a rush and excitement that can only come from being completely lost in a big city. I with with people i barely knew, alright, people i didn't know at all. I couldn't understand a word most of them were saying (I still am not fluent in Swahili, which i was informed was ridiculous cause i've been here two weeks and it is a really easy language to learn), and i had no idea what was going to happen to me next. I cannot explain how excited and free I felt. It was definitely a rush!
To finish the Adventure, i arrived home about 2 minutes before nine and I was safe. Through the night Joe and Alan called me several times to check my status and see if i was okay, which i was...more than okay :D
30 May 2009
29 May 2009
on a little lighter note...
some of you may want to skip this post and go straight to D's better and more exciting information...as most people would think that it is a bit too much information, but seeing as it is a major part of my life here in Kenya I thought that it was my duty to let you be part of my experience completely...
...among learning more about the world around me and in fact myself, learning about who I am and my place in the world, i have also learned a little bit about my limits, for example...I cannot, CANNOT, bring myself to pee in a hole in the ground
There, i said it. I have been here for two weeks, and in those two weeks i have held it up to five, maybe six, hours. I have paid an unnecessary total of at least 100 shillings to be able to pee on a porcelain toilet. The last few days i know I have been silly, (seeing as I didn't even know what the toilet on the orphanage looked like). So today, i swallowed my pride and asked where the toilet was located. As i stood in front of, literally, a hole in the ground all of my fears were confirmed. I know i'm ridiculous, and pampered,i would go so far as to even say i am spoiled. I recognize that and I have never been more thankful to live in a place of porcelain toilets, even in the most grotesque bathrooms. I will never complain again.
Pictured: the blessed gift bestowed to me in Kenya, and the sum of all my fears of Kenya.
28 May 2009
You want my autograph?? Well... if you insist!
HELLO!!! I know that most of us want more and more from C and her amazing trip, and if you haven't read the post before mine -- DO IT! I HAD to post something today. On Tuesday after classes a friend and I went to Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland because we heard they were filming a movie. There are some people in this movie that you may have heard of, if you haven't been living under a rock your whole lives.
Let's see... HARRISON FORD!!!!! BRENDAN FRASER!!!!! KERI RUSSELL!!!!! They've been in town for a while now and this was the first day of confirmed filming that I was able to go to, so I was soooooooo excited. Originally my friend Casi had invited me to come with her {she is on the extras database (cause she wanted to be available for Twilight when they came back-only they didn't come back. sad.) she was told she could bring a friend - ME! but she ended up needing to go out of town... anyway, tmi?} So a girl I know from school heard about it too and knew that I would want to go, so we walked down there after classes.
We showed up and there were 400 other people there, sitting on the stairs and walking around the square.
Many of the people had been there all day. We found out that there was a check-in and you could sign up on their list and be an "official promo extra". Those that registered got a raffle ticket. Promo extras aren't paid, but they were passing out food and water and raffle drawings for things such as $100 gift certificates to Best Buy and $20 gift certificates to local restaurants. And as is the nature with movie sets (cause I'm an old pro at this now!), there was a whole lot of waiting. As I munched on my Oatmeal Raisin Grandma's cookie, I scoped everything out and who do I see to my left, getting his makeup put on? See if you recognize him...
Have you seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off?? IT'S CAMERON!!!! Alan Ruck was also in Spin City with my love Michael J. Fox!
So, we knew that things were getting close...
As we were standing around, reveling in the sunshine and excitement, I looked over by Starbucks and who did I see???
Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen... It is Mr. Brendan Fraser himself!!!!!!! I saw him with my own two eyes (and even better after I put on my glasses) Although he doesn't look as toned and delicious as he did in Encino Man or George of the Jungle, he is still loved by one known as ME! We watched them film a scene of him walking with Cameron. They had sandwiches and sodas so I think they were on lunch. So while we were watching, my friend got a text from Alex, who was in the background of the scene. Disappointed that we hadn't gone to Starbucks with him, we meandered our way over there so we could be in the movie too. Well, they changed camera angles and we all had to move. The cutie security guy said that he ahd to tell everyone to move, "Not that you shouldn't be in the movie..." Seriously, how charming is that? We found our way back to the stairs and sat down. A bit later, they changed the shot again, and we had to move. They made everyone move to the floor of the square and then brought small groups of people up after that to be in the background. And who, you may ask, got to be in Mr. Brendan Fraser's movie?? ME, THAT'S WHO!!!! My friend and I were paired with a couple of other people to sit and talk to. They were totally cool. The guy we sat by has been in a commercial! And while we were sitting there, I looked over and who did I see??? A guy that had been in Twilight!! I didn't take a pic of him, but if you remember the restaurant scene when Edward tells Bella what the people are thinking. The interesting looking guy when he says "cat". He was TOTALLY there too! So we sat there for a while and then they told everyone they were doing a wide shot of the square and then they were done. We heard "That's a wrap!!" Then Mr. Brendan Fraser himself got on the mic and thanked everyone for coming and said how Portland was so awesome (BECAUSE IT IS!).
So now I can say that Brendan Fraser has thanked me for being in a movie with him! Sometimes I LOVE my life!
PS-Next week, I may have another opportunity to see him and I will try to actually shake his hand.
Watched
Honestly i have never given much thought to skin color, besides being a tiny bit jealous of those blessed with a perma-tan... i have never thought less of anybody with a different skin color, nor have I thought any more of anybody with a particular skin color, perhaps it's because i was born and raised in the U.S. which has many mixed races, or perhaps it is because of the way i was raised, maybe it's just the way I am. I mean, i know that some people are racist, and I know that some people have never seen a black person, or a white person, or a red person, or a pink person, or a green person for that matter before. But seriously, we all know that skin color differences exist, why do people make a big deal out of it. We are still all human, we still all have individual ideas, nobody is smarter, and for that matter more dumb depending on the color of their skin.
I bring this issue of skin color up because frankly, it's really bothering me right now. As most of you have probably gathered from the fact that I am in Africa, people with white skin are few and far between, most days i don't see any white people at all, it doesn't bother me of course, as i stated before I hardly even notice skin color, what bothers me is the way most people here react to me, the Mzungu.
Children are adorable, cute, and ignorant. When i pass children are subject to doing many things, most often they yell the statement 'how are you!' to my back, too shy to actually talk to me. Some with wave and speak the statement, in hopes i will wave back, some just yell 'Mzungu,' or 'white person,' I have even had groups of children follow me as far as the end of the street, and a few even come just to hold my hand. I don't mind, like I said it is all in innocence and rather cute.
Women, for the most part, ignore me, if they are with children they will whisper 'how are you' in their little ears, and if they are alone the most they will ever do is stare from a distance. but like i said, they are quite good at ignoring me...they aren't rude and if i talk to them they will talk to me, Sister Caroline just watches out for me...in a sentence they treat me just like anyone else...which suits me just fine.
now Men, men are what bother me most here. not ALL of them, but most of them...as i pass they act just as children, they yell out 'how are you' and 'mzungu' some just want to see how i react, some really do want to talk to me...the difference between the Men and the Children is this...
To the children i am the exotic reptile on display, they want to look at me, and watch me, some are even brave enough to pet me...which is fine with me, they are adorable and what do I expect, i am the first 'one of my kind' that they have ever seen...it's a different story with the men, to them i am the game animal that they are just dying to catch, kill, and reap the reward. As they yell to me, i try not to take notice, look straight ahead and walk quickly. But if i do happen to be caught off guard and take a glance, the look in their eyes is enough for me to grimace, snap my head back to the road, and walk a little faster.
...as a side note, don't worry about me, i'm safe and i am well, nobody will do anything to me, i am protected and the spirit is always with me...
also here, in general, white skin means lots of money. i know that yes, i probably have more money than the average joe here, but seriously? i wish white skin meant money! Last week a woman asked the person accompanying me if he could ask me for 50 shillings so that she could get home. now, 50 shillings is not much at all, but it's not like i have a never-ending supply of money. the U.S. may be richer, but comparatively it is also more expensive to live there and you have to work just as hard to survive.
I don't want to sound like I am complaining, because I'm not, yes I do look forward to the day two weeks from now which I can walk around a city and not be looked at, yelled at, or watched because of the way I was born. I can tell you it has opened my eyes a lot to the prejudice's that exist in the world and i can tell you now that I don't think i have ever made any conclusions based on the way people naturally look, but even so i will be more careful never to ever make these conclusions...if you ever EVER catch me doing it i give you permission, no, a command, to shortly slap me and give me a reproach ( I will do the same for/to you)...please and thank you
I bring this issue of skin color up because frankly, it's really bothering me right now. As most of you have probably gathered from the fact that I am in Africa, people with white skin are few and far between, most days i don't see any white people at all, it doesn't bother me of course, as i stated before I hardly even notice skin color, what bothers me is the way most people here react to me, the Mzungu.
Children are adorable, cute, and ignorant. When i pass children are subject to doing many things, most often they yell the statement 'how are you!' to my back, too shy to actually talk to me. Some with wave and speak the statement, in hopes i will wave back, some just yell 'Mzungu,' or 'white person,' I have even had groups of children follow me as far as the end of the street, and a few even come just to hold my hand. I don't mind, like I said it is all in innocence and rather cute.
Women, for the most part, ignore me, if they are with children they will whisper 'how are you' in their little ears, and if they are alone the most they will ever do is stare from a distance. but like i said, they are quite good at ignoring me...they aren't rude and if i talk to them they will talk to me, Sister Caroline just watches out for me...in a sentence they treat me just like anyone else...which suits me just fine.
now Men, men are what bother me most here. not ALL of them, but most of them...as i pass they act just as children, they yell out 'how are you' and 'mzungu' some just want to see how i react, some really do want to talk to me...the difference between the Men and the Children is this...
To the children i am the exotic reptile on display, they want to look at me, and watch me, some are even brave enough to pet me...which is fine with me, they are adorable and what do I expect, i am the first 'one of my kind' that they have ever seen...it's a different story with the men, to them i am the game animal that they are just dying to catch, kill, and reap the reward. As they yell to me, i try not to take notice, look straight ahead and walk quickly. But if i do happen to be caught off guard and take a glance, the look in their eyes is enough for me to grimace, snap my head back to the road, and walk a little faster.
...as a side note, don't worry about me, i'm safe and i am well, nobody will do anything to me, i am protected and the spirit is always with me...
also here, in general, white skin means lots of money. i know that yes, i probably have more money than the average joe here, but seriously? i wish white skin meant money! Last week a woman asked the person accompanying me if he could ask me for 50 shillings so that she could get home. now, 50 shillings is not much at all, but it's not like i have a never-ending supply of money. the U.S. may be richer, but comparatively it is also more expensive to live there and you have to work just as hard to survive.
I don't want to sound like I am complaining, because I'm not, yes I do look forward to the day two weeks from now which I can walk around a city and not be looked at, yelled at, or watched because of the way I was born. I can tell you it has opened my eyes a lot to the prejudice's that exist in the world and i can tell you now that I don't think i have ever made any conclusions based on the way people naturally look, but even so i will be more careful never to ever make these conclusions...if you ever EVER catch me doing it i give you permission, no, a command, to shortly slap me and give me a reproach ( I will do the same for/to you)...please and thank you
25 May 2009
life the last few days
ha...hahaha...sorry...
So my real life over the last week has been a bit more interesting than that :) I am still at the orphanage and love it...i have actually started teaching the kids, usually songs, but lately i have also taught them how to draw stick people and and Elephant, as well as helping them learn to count and simple math (I have been very tempted to start teaching statistics, but something inside of me says that would be a bad idea) I have been shown how to make Ugali and Chappati, so we'll see if i can re-create them at home...that should be interesting :)
However i have also done a lot besides the Orphanage.
Last Friday I was sick, i didn't tell anyone cause i didn't want anyone to worry, it was just a cold. I didn't go to the Orphanage but i did write a lot of blogposts, as you probably noticed. I spent this day doing what i have been putting off for a while...laundry, yes, i did my own laundry, by hand...i have never been more grateful for a washing machine, it wasn't bad and I know i could do it again and I am positive i will, but my laundry skills are lacking and nothing actually got really clean, well my shirts did, but my jeans just got a little less muddy...
Also friday the rest of the volunteers left, i have been on my own the better part of a week and I HATE IT! i can't say that i am never traveling by myself again, but i am never traveling alone again. Whenever I travel from now on it will be in or with a group. when i am alone i can't take pictures with me in them, and there is no one to talk to but myself, you'd think it'd be okay what with a host family and all...NO! they don't talk! Mercy and I have never actually had a conversation, and i do try, but the fellowship just isn't there. Joe...oh my gosh,...you know what...nevermind...this place is amazing and I love it, and i am not just saying that to remind myself...i know it sounds like I am, but i'm really not...okay nothing i can say or do right now will convince you i am really telling the truth (which i am) so i am going to stop...
Last Saturday i was feeling much better and was able to go into town with Frieda, i was going to finish my souvenir shopping at the Massai Market (there will soon be a different post for that) but we also found a shop that sold the exact same things...FOR CHEAPER!!! yay! but we were also able to go to the Market for a bit I found the friends who helped me last week (also in another post) and was cheated out of lots of money as is only expected when a Mzungu goes to the Market :), thankfully Frieda was with me and for reasons that will be explained, i wasn't cheated as much as I could have been. After the Market Frieda showed me a memorial park dedicated to the American Embassy that was bombed in Nairobi in August of 1997 (?) the Park was Amazing and quite peaceful, we stayed there awhile just to sit and enjoy the sunshine.
Sunday was quite a good day, i went to church! you should have seen the face of my host person lady when she asked where i was going dressed up, she couldn't believe it. Church here is just like church at home...surprise, surprise...children cry and fall asleep in Sacrament Meeting, Sunday school is just as boring and relief society (actually true confession: I went to young women's) is just the same. The only real difference was that there was no piano, there was a keyboard that nobody knew how to play, so before each song the chorister would sing the first line and then everybody would start. Everyone was so nice, most everyone came up to me and shook my hand and said hello...my favorite person on the planet is Sister Caroline, she is the Relief Society President and I love her. She made me feel so welcome and if i was ever standing alone she would come talk to me so i wouldn't feel awkward....church was a good experience. :)
Monday was boring, didn't do much...
Tuesday, now tuesday was AMAZING i went to the Orphanage but left early because i was going to see jackson's medical center...let me explain...If you remember, or just look, a few posts back i talked about Jackson and how he wants to start a volunteer program here in Africa. I volunteered to see what he was doing and maybe help out a bit, i was able to see the Library and on tuesday i went to see his medical Clinic, St. MAC's (Mother and Child, named for the target groups) is located in..KIBERA! you can't imagine how excited/nervous i was to go to Kibera and I wish that i were courageous enough to take out my camera, however in fear of losing my precious moments caught on film i kept it in my pocket...anyway, i was led to Kibera by Richard, i don't know if i have already talked about him, but i thought that he was engaged to Frida, but apparently that is a different Richard, because if it were up to him we would probably be married next week...and this for two reasons, 1. if he married me he would have instant respect from all Kenyans because i am white (oh it gets better), and 2. if we married he would become a U.S. citizen, which is his ultimate dream. of course when he was explaining this to me he didn't mention me personally, only 'white chicks'in general (it would've been rude) but the conversation was very pointed and followed rather immediately after the relationship status question...i told him I should slap him and the only reason i didn't was because he was my guide not only through the slums but through the whole of Nairobi in the following days. Anyway, back to the real story...after taking many matatu's and various busses across town we reached Kibera and Jackson came to Retrieve us and show us to the clinic. If you were to pass through the cramped streets and didn't know where you were going, you would have missed the clinic completely, it is set back behing the streets and you have to go througha narrow alley to enter. Upon entering you find yourself in a tiny reception room with various posters about malaria and HIV prevention, there is a small pharmacy and three small rooms in the back, one is the 'lab' which is called so because it houses the only telescope on the premisis and it doubles as the file room, there is also an examination room which doubles as the office and a third room, the third room holds the most expensive machine that probably costed more then the whole of Kibera itself and anything valuable held within...it's a...crap i forgot the word...hahhaha...that machine that shows the baby in the stomach...and it's called...________ (just fill it in already). Jackson's vision is to be able to help all women and children in Kenya, to provide affordable and quality Healthcare. With this machine he is able to help many women who would not beable to see the baby otherwise, he only charges 600 shillings to have a scan whereas it would cost over 2000 at a normal hospital. He soon wants to beable to get the internet in his clinic and be able to scan problem areas in a body and send then to an American doctor to get a second opinion while the patient is still there. He is such a great person and if i come back to Africa anytime soon it will be to help him.
Due to lack of Time and Patience with the computer I am not going to post pictures at the moment, i will soon though. I hope you have enjoyed this novel of my last week and i sincerly hope you did not find it wikipediaish...yes it's a word...
So my real life over the last week has been a bit more interesting than that :) I am still at the orphanage and love it...i have actually started teaching the kids, usually songs, but lately i have also taught them how to draw stick people and and Elephant, as well as helping them learn to count and simple math (I have been very tempted to start teaching statistics, but something inside of me says that would be a bad idea) I have been shown how to make Ugali and Chappati, so we'll see if i can re-create them at home...that should be interesting :)
However i have also done a lot besides the Orphanage.
Last Friday I was sick, i didn't tell anyone cause i didn't want anyone to worry, it was just a cold. I didn't go to the Orphanage but i did write a lot of blogposts, as you probably noticed. I spent this day doing what i have been putting off for a while...laundry, yes, i did my own laundry, by hand...i have never been more grateful for a washing machine, it wasn't bad and I know i could do it again and I am positive i will, but my laundry skills are lacking and nothing actually got really clean, well my shirts did, but my jeans just got a little less muddy...
Also friday the rest of the volunteers left, i have been on my own the better part of a week and I HATE IT! i can't say that i am never traveling by myself again, but i am never traveling alone again. Whenever I travel from now on it will be in or with a group. when i am alone i can't take pictures with me in them, and there is no one to talk to but myself, you'd think it'd be okay what with a host family and all...NO! they don't talk! Mercy and I have never actually had a conversation, and i do try, but the fellowship just isn't there. Joe...oh my gosh,...you know what...nevermind...this place is amazing and I love it, and i am not just saying that to remind myself...i know it sounds like I am, but i'm really not...okay nothing i can say or do right now will convince you i am really telling the truth (which i am) so i am going to stop...
Last Saturday i was feeling much better and was able to go into town with Frieda, i was going to finish my souvenir shopping at the Massai Market (there will soon be a different post for that) but we also found a shop that sold the exact same things...FOR CHEAPER!!! yay! but we were also able to go to the Market for a bit I found the friends who helped me last week (also in another post) and was cheated out of lots of money as is only expected when a Mzungu goes to the Market :), thankfully Frieda was with me and for reasons that will be explained, i wasn't cheated as much as I could have been. After the Market Frieda showed me a memorial park dedicated to the American Embassy that was bombed in Nairobi in August of 1997 (?) the Park was Amazing and quite peaceful, we stayed there awhile just to sit and enjoy the sunshine.
Sunday was quite a good day, i went to church! you should have seen the face of my host person lady when she asked where i was going dressed up, she couldn't believe it. Church here is just like church at home...surprise, surprise...children cry and fall asleep in Sacrament Meeting, Sunday school is just as boring and relief society (actually true confession: I went to young women's) is just the same. The only real difference was that there was no piano, there was a keyboard that nobody knew how to play, so before each song the chorister would sing the first line and then everybody would start. Everyone was so nice, most everyone came up to me and shook my hand and said hello...my favorite person on the planet is Sister Caroline, she is the Relief Society President and I love her. She made me feel so welcome and if i was ever standing alone she would come talk to me so i wouldn't feel awkward....church was a good experience. :)
Monday was boring, didn't do much...
Tuesday, now tuesday was AMAZING i went to the Orphanage but left early because i was going to see jackson's medical center...let me explain...If you remember, or just look, a few posts back i talked about Jackson and how he wants to start a volunteer program here in Africa. I volunteered to see what he was doing and maybe help out a bit, i was able to see the Library and on tuesday i went to see his medical Clinic, St. MAC's (Mother and Child, named for the target groups) is located in..KIBERA! you can't imagine how excited/nervous i was to go to Kibera and I wish that i were courageous enough to take out my camera, however in fear of losing my precious moments caught on film i kept it in my pocket...anyway, i was led to Kibera by Richard, i don't know if i have already talked about him, but i thought that he was engaged to Frida, but apparently that is a different Richard, because if it were up to him we would probably be married next week...and this for two reasons, 1. if he married me he would have instant respect from all Kenyans because i am white (oh it gets better), and 2. if we married he would become a U.S. citizen, which is his ultimate dream. of course when he was explaining this to me he didn't mention me personally, only 'white chicks'in general (it would've been rude) but the conversation was very pointed and followed rather immediately after the relationship status question...i told him I should slap him and the only reason i didn't was because he was my guide not only through the slums but through the whole of Nairobi in the following days. Anyway, back to the real story...after taking many matatu's and various busses across town we reached Kibera and Jackson came to Retrieve us and show us to the clinic. If you were to pass through the cramped streets and didn't know where you were going, you would have missed the clinic completely, it is set back behing the streets and you have to go througha narrow alley to enter. Upon entering you find yourself in a tiny reception room with various posters about malaria and HIV prevention, there is a small pharmacy and three small rooms in the back, one is the 'lab' which is called so because it houses the only telescope on the premisis and it doubles as the file room, there is also an examination room which doubles as the office and a third room, the third room holds the most expensive machine that probably costed more then the whole of Kibera itself and anything valuable held within...it's a...crap i forgot the word...hahhaha...that machine that shows the baby in the stomach...and it's called...________ (just fill it in already). Jackson's vision is to be able to help all women and children in Kenya, to provide affordable and quality Healthcare. With this machine he is able to help many women who would not beable to see the baby otherwise, he only charges 600 shillings to have a scan whereas it would cost over 2000 at a normal hospital. He soon wants to beable to get the internet in his clinic and be able to scan problem areas in a body and send then to an American doctor to get a second opinion while the patient is still there. He is such a great person and if i come back to Africa anytime soon it will be to help him.
Due to lack of Time and Patience with the computer I am not going to post pictures at the moment, i will soon though. I hope you have enjoyed this novel of my last week and i sincerly hope you did not find it wikipediaish...yes it's a word...
The Children
I love love LOVE LOVE it here!!! and the best part about being here is spending time with the little orphans...although only half of the kids i spend time with are actually orphans, I want to introduce you to them all...I'll start with the youngest and work my way up every few posts.
Frederick
Fredrick is 3 years old he is very quiet and mostly just sits and observes, he doesn't always participate and hardly ever plays with the other children. But i guess he is only three, so you can't really expect a whole lot more...however he is smart, he seems like one of those kids who just knows things.
Brian
Brian is a little punk. he is sneaky and playful, quite adorable and very charming. Today he took two pencils, stuck them in his pocket and refused to give them back. When i took out the camera, if i wasn't taking pictures of him, he was trying to cover up the lens so i couldn't take pictures of anyone else...like i said, a punk.
Peter
Peter truly is one of my top favorites. I love to make funny faces at him because he tries to make them right back. He is full of life. and actually yesterday he left the orphanage. He and his two siblings (Anthony and Mary) were brought to the orphanage last July when their mother ran away from their abusive father and the father abandoned them. Just last week their mother found them at the orphanage and yesterday got the papers to have them returned to her...i will miss them, but i am happy their mother found them, i only pray she can provide for them.
Odiambo
Odiambo is playful and sweet, as we were walking back from lunch my first day here he held my hand and led me back :) at first i though he was a trouble maker but he really isn't, just playful. Odiambo is either 4 or 5 and he was brought to the orphanage a few years ago when both of his parents died of AIDS, he too is HIV positive.
Frederick
Fredrick is 3 years old he is very quiet and mostly just sits and observes, he doesn't always participate and hardly ever plays with the other children. But i guess he is only three, so you can't really expect a whole lot more...however he is smart, he seems like one of those kids who just knows things.
Brian
Brian is a little punk. he is sneaky and playful, quite adorable and very charming. Today he took two pencils, stuck them in his pocket and refused to give them back. When i took out the camera, if i wasn't taking pictures of him, he was trying to cover up the lens so i couldn't take pictures of anyone else...like i said, a punk.
Peter
Peter truly is one of my top favorites. I love to make funny faces at him because he tries to make them right back. He is full of life. and actually yesterday he left the orphanage. He and his two siblings (Anthony and Mary) were brought to the orphanage last July when their mother ran away from their abusive father and the father abandoned them. Just last week their mother found them at the orphanage and yesterday got the papers to have them returned to her...i will miss them, but i am happy their mother found them, i only pray she can provide for them.
Odiambo
Odiambo is playful and sweet, as we were walking back from lunch my first day here he held my hand and led me back :) at first i though he was a trouble maker but he really isn't, just playful. Odiambo is either 4 or 5 and he was brought to the orphanage a few years ago when both of his parents died of AIDS, he too is HIV positive.
24 May 2009
Kibera Slums
Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya is the largest slum in Africa, and has a population estimated at one million. The name "Kibera" is derived from kibera, a Nubian word meaning "forest" or "jungle."
The slum originated in 1918 as a Nubian soldiers' settlement in a forest outside Nairobi, with plots allotted to soldiers as a reward for service in the First World War and earlier wars.
After Kenyan independence in 1963, however, various forms of housing were made illegal by the government, rendering Kibera unauthorized on the basis of land tenure. Essentially, since the early 1970s landlords have rented out their property to a significantly greater number of tenants than legality permits. Since the tenants, who are extremely poor, are unable to obtain or rent land that is "legal" according to the Kenyan government, the slum-dwellers find the rates offered to be comparatively affordable. The number of residents in Kibera has increased accordingly despite its unauthorized nature.
Kibera has residents coming from all the major ethnic backgrounds with some areas being specifically dominated by one tribe . Many are coming from rural areas due to the problems of rural underdevelopment. This multi-ethnic nature coupled with the tribalism of Kenyan politics has led Kibera to be the site of small ethnic conflicts throughout its near 100 year history (most recently in 2002 in which many resident's homes were attacked by arson).
On our way to Carnivore we passed Kibera and stopped to take pictures...however we couldn't drive through it sadly because it was getting late...and we all know what can happen when it gets dark :-S
The slum originated in 1918 as a Nubian soldiers' settlement in a forest outside Nairobi, with plots allotted to soldiers as a reward for service in the First World War and earlier wars.
After Kenyan independence in 1963, however, various forms of housing were made illegal by the government, rendering Kibera unauthorized on the basis of land tenure. Essentially, since the early 1970s landlords have rented out their property to a significantly greater number of tenants than legality permits. Since the tenants, who are extremely poor, are unable to obtain or rent land that is "legal" according to the Kenyan government, the slum-dwellers find the rates offered to be comparatively affordable. The number of residents in Kibera has increased accordingly despite its unauthorized nature.
Kibera has residents coming from all the major ethnic backgrounds with some areas being specifically dominated by one tribe . Many are coming from rural areas due to the problems of rural underdevelopment. This multi-ethnic nature coupled with the tribalism of Kenyan politics has led Kibera to be the site of small ethnic conflicts throughout its near 100 year history (most recently in 2002 in which many resident's homes were attacked by arson).
On our way to Carnivore we passed Kibera and stopped to take pictures...however we couldn't drive through it sadly because it was getting late...and we all know what can happen when it gets dark :-S
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