This last week has been filled with trials and tribulations. There has been a lot of disappointment mixed in with some truly wonderful moments.
Last weekend was perfect. On Friday night we took all the ICODEI drivers out with us. At the end of the night I had a heart to heart with the Kenyan who is in love with me. I am now avoiding him, but he wants 10 min of my time to tell me all the ways in which he is thankful. The Saturday we went to Janet's house for lunch and to meet her husband. Janet is the clinical officer that I have worked very closely with here. The lunch was amazing and the cold Fanta was glorious. We now strongly believe that Fanta cures everything. After lunch her husband put on the movie "The Gods Must Be Crazy". It was hilarious. The movie is set in Botswana and perfectly sums up certain aspects of being in Africa. After lunch we spent some time in town playing pool. That night we welcomed a new volunteer with red wine, chocolate half smores and a fire.
The Sunday was also fabulous. The farm that we are staying on belongs to Ruben Lubanga who is also the Bishop of the Episcopal Church. He has 21 different churches that he rotates through, but he happened to be preaching at the church just off the farm. Church was filled with singing, dancing and a surprising four baptisms. Rubens sermon was excellent. The thing that struck me the most was how political he was. There was lots of mentions about how the government had let us down and therefore Kenya needed our prayers more then ever. After church there was an absolute feast. We tried what Ruben calls chewing gum ugali. It is black and sticky and made from millet. After lunch they served tea, fried eggs and bread and butter. It was the most bizarre mixture of breakfast and lunch ever. The rest of the group went hiking, but I stayed behind and did yoga and read. The whole thing was glorious.
My week has been filled with HIV awareness in primary schools, my last empower session and a day of mobile clinic. This week was also the week where three out of our four cars broke down. This week we also got one of the ICODEI employs fired. If those are the low lights then the highlights include teaching HIV to 200 deaf students, dancing in the streets with tons of school children and finishing empower with a bang.
Tomorrow is my last day in ICODEI. Tonight we are having another fire. Tomorrow will be filled with laundry, packing and goodbyes. The people that I have met here are quite simply amazing. So many of them have touched my heart. Tomorrow will be hard. I leave for Nairobi on Saturday morning. I will be meeting up with James on Sunday night.
The mixture of sadness and excitement is quite profound.
I will end this message with a big
SIGH
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Adrenaline rush of teaching mixed with extreme sports.
So much to say.
I believe in this last week and a half I have brought new meaning to the phrase "Work hard play hard". My life has been crazy and exciting.
I have to go all the way back to last monday. On monday I left the farm by 8:30am. We drove an hour and thirty minutes up north towards Kitale. After our car almost falling into a river I got to a house with chairs set up under a tree. Then for the next 4 hours I taught 20 people the basics about HIV. I managed to get the whole group talking and at one point chanting "NO CURE" over and over with me. I had a blast. We then had to drive all the way back to the farm. The next day they moved me to a church where we were all more comfortable. At one point on that first day I looked out and saw all the women balancing their books on their heads to keep the sun out of there eyes. The best part about the church was standing at the front of the class with a duffle bag filled with wooden penises. There was also a rambunctious chorus of penis and vagina from my shy kenyan women and men respectively. Again, I am having fun.
My first group was suppose to be from Mon to Fri but I asked them if we could take friday off as I am a very busy person with things to do and people to see. They agreed. On thursday night we went for yamajoma and a ton of Simba cane spirit. During the night we had a very peculiar run in with a jungle prostitute as we have named her. What a night. Friday morning we relaxed and then took off for Uganda at around 12. As soon as we crossed the border people got more serious and all the lovely kenyan smiles went away. There was also much more military presence. By 5:30 I found my self with a cold beer over looking the Nile. I couldn't have been happier. The night was filled with good beer and great conversation. The six of us shared on beautiful room. Too bad we gave the couple the loft. We all had our Ipods on the next night.
The Saturday was so much fun. We were rafting on the Nile by 10am. I was in the front of the raft for the first part of the day. I loved it. I think in total we flipped about three or four times. We also had to lovely doctors in ours raft from the UK. We hung out with them for the rest of the weekend. We also had a great lunch which was snadwiches and potato salade. The best part about lunch was, wait for it, wait for it, CHEESE! Yes, I went to Uganda and found cheese. Kenyans just don't understand. This was my first taste of cheese since entering Africa. After a full day of rafting we had a full night out. We met up with american soldiers that I have to admit fit all of my stereotypes. One of the highlights for me was telling one of the UK doctors to propose on a speed bump instead of a mountain.
The next morning we were a pretty sorry bunch of sunburnt, hungover bruised people. I myself have never felt some of those muscles before. In this sorry state we wondered back to the Nile and I dragged Eilene bunge jumping with me. I was so scared. We did a tandem jump so we were tied together. Alistair has an amazing video of it. I can't wait to show anyone that is interested.
Our Matatu ride back to Kenya was pretty horrendous and involved a live chicken. It is now Wednesday and I have just gotten over that trip. I was exhausted. On Monday I gave my first session their test. They all passed except for the pastor. They mostly got As. I felt awesome.
I started a new group on Tuseday. This groups is going to be very different. When I asked them to introduce themselves and say why they had come it was intense. At least three people were taking this program in order to have the courage to go and get tested. Many other stood up and said that they hads lost children to the disease. That was only the first session. I feel like the pressure is on.
I am haunted by the fact that my ICODEI time is running out. This weekend we are hanging out around the farm and bungoma town in order to say goodbye. I leave next Saturday. WOW.
I believe in this last week and a half I have brought new meaning to the phrase "Work hard play hard". My life has been crazy and exciting.
I have to go all the way back to last monday. On monday I left the farm by 8:30am. We drove an hour and thirty minutes up north towards Kitale. After our car almost falling into a river I got to a house with chairs set up under a tree. Then for the next 4 hours I taught 20 people the basics about HIV. I managed to get the whole group talking and at one point chanting "NO CURE" over and over with me. I had a blast. We then had to drive all the way back to the farm. The next day they moved me to a church where we were all more comfortable. At one point on that first day I looked out and saw all the women balancing their books on their heads to keep the sun out of there eyes. The best part about the church was standing at the front of the class with a duffle bag filled with wooden penises. There was also a rambunctious chorus of penis and vagina from my shy kenyan women and men respectively. Again, I am having fun.
My first group was suppose to be from Mon to Fri but I asked them if we could take friday off as I am a very busy person with things to do and people to see. They agreed. On thursday night we went for yamajoma and a ton of Simba cane spirit. During the night we had a very peculiar run in with a jungle prostitute as we have named her. What a night. Friday morning we relaxed and then took off for Uganda at around 12. As soon as we crossed the border people got more serious and all the lovely kenyan smiles went away. There was also much more military presence. By 5:30 I found my self with a cold beer over looking the Nile. I couldn't have been happier. The night was filled with good beer and great conversation. The six of us shared on beautiful room. Too bad we gave the couple the loft. We all had our Ipods on the next night.
The Saturday was so much fun. We were rafting on the Nile by 10am. I was in the front of the raft for the first part of the day. I loved it. I think in total we flipped about three or four times. We also had to lovely doctors in ours raft from the UK. We hung out with them for the rest of the weekend. We also had a great lunch which was snadwiches and potato salade. The best part about lunch was, wait for it, wait for it, CHEESE! Yes, I went to Uganda and found cheese. Kenyans just don't understand. This was my first taste of cheese since entering Africa. After a full day of rafting we had a full night out. We met up with american soldiers that I have to admit fit all of my stereotypes. One of the highlights for me was telling one of the UK doctors to propose on a speed bump instead of a mountain.
The next morning we were a pretty sorry bunch of sunburnt, hungover bruised people. I myself have never felt some of those muscles before. In this sorry state we wondered back to the Nile and I dragged Eilene bunge jumping with me. I was so scared. We did a tandem jump so we were tied together. Alistair has an amazing video of it. I can't wait to show anyone that is interested.
Our Matatu ride back to Kenya was pretty horrendous and involved a live chicken. It is now Wednesday and I have just gotten over that trip. I was exhausted. On Monday I gave my first session their test. They all passed except for the pastor. They mostly got As. I felt awesome.
I started a new group on Tuseday. This groups is going to be very different. When I asked them to introduce themselves and say why they had come it was intense. At least three people were taking this program in order to have the courage to go and get tested. Many other stood up and said that they hads lost children to the disease. That was only the first session. I feel like the pressure is on.
I am haunted by the fact that my ICODEI time is running out. This weekend we are hanging out around the farm and bungoma town in order to say goodbye. I leave next Saturday. WOW.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Work is cracking my heart wide open.
It has been quite the week.
The week was pretty intense work wise. The week was also intense because we all took turns getting a little bit sick. For Monday and Wednesday I went and helped out in the outpatient HIV clinic in Bungoma town. It was absolutely fascinating and heart breaking. I saw things and facial expressions that will stick with me for a long time. The Monday alone almost brought me to tears a couple times. The thing that affects me the most is the children. The picture of a three month old in the hands of a twenty two year old mother was almost to much for me. Again I seem to be unable to quite put the experience into words.
For all of Thursday and Friday I launched myself into studying and preparing the Empower Program which I start teaching on Monday. There is a lot of information that I need to be really comfortable with before I start teaching HIV/AIDS awareness. I am so excited to start. The training lasts for six sessions. I will get the opportunity to teach two groups before I leave ICODEI.
Right now I am in Kitale which is 2.5 hours away from Bungoma. We head to Mt Elgon tomorrow for cave exploration. We bought a bottle of wine for tonight so that we can celebrate Valentines Day polygami style which is Alistair and four girls.
We said goodbye to Dave last night. We went out for a great meal that we finally sat down to eat at about 10pm. The highlite of the night was the trip home. The Resort promised to drive us back, but we had no idea what we were in for. It ended up being a pick up truck with metal bars around it. With us standing in the back the trip quickly became more exhilerating then the motorcycle rides.
Fun is being had by me.
The week was pretty intense work wise. The week was also intense because we all took turns getting a little bit sick. For Monday and Wednesday I went and helped out in the outpatient HIV clinic in Bungoma town. It was absolutely fascinating and heart breaking. I saw things and facial expressions that will stick with me for a long time. The Monday alone almost brought me to tears a couple times. The thing that affects me the most is the children. The picture of a three month old in the hands of a twenty two year old mother was almost to much for me. Again I seem to be unable to quite put the experience into words.
For all of Thursday and Friday I launched myself into studying and preparing the Empower Program which I start teaching on Monday. There is a lot of information that I need to be really comfortable with before I start teaching HIV/AIDS awareness. I am so excited to start. The training lasts for six sessions. I will get the opportunity to teach two groups before I leave ICODEI.
Right now I am in Kitale which is 2.5 hours away from Bungoma. We head to Mt Elgon tomorrow for cave exploration. We bought a bottle of wine for tonight so that we can celebrate Valentines Day polygami style which is Alistair and four girls.
We said goodbye to Dave last night. We went out for a great meal that we finally sat down to eat at about 10pm. The highlite of the night was the trip home. The Resort promised to drive us back, but we had no idea what we were in for. It ended up being a pick up truck with metal bars around it. With us standing in the back the trip quickly became more exhilerating then the motorcycle rides.
Fun is being had by me.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Hippos and nightlife
Hi
Just in case you didn't know, I am loving it here.
Last weekend we went and lived the highlife in Kisumu. We left early on the saturday after a really nice night of goat,beer and dancing. The place we stayed at was called "Sooper Guest House". We definitely took a picture of the sign because we liked the spelling so much. The place was really clean but most importantly it had hot showers (when the electricity was working). We pretty much thought we were in heaven. It was my first none bucket shower since I have been here. We dumped our stuff and then went for delicious fresh fried Talapia. Angela and I also tried to ride a camel but the camel ran away before we had a chance.
After lunch we were on route to hippos. We took a little three wheeled Tuk Tuk which was new to me. Alastair almost fell out but we tried to hold on to him. I forgot to mention that all five of use took our personal bike taxis (boda boda) to the guest house. We were all about new forms of transportation. We finally got to Hippo point. I must say that we did some fantastic barganing and then hop into the boat. For a while we were a little confused and thought that hippo was some sort of code word for naked people because all we saw were people bathing. Apparently there use to having tourists watching them bath, or so said our captain. All five of us just really enjoyed being on a boat. So relaxing. On the way back, that was when we saw the hippos. They are so weird looking. The have amazingly little ears. We actually got to see one stand up and yawn. How annoying would I be if I said "You haven't lived until you see a hippo yawn"? Annoying, eh.
After all the fun with the hippos it was time for group napping. That night we were pretty determined to find live music. Boy did we ever succeed. We ended up at this place called Bomas. Not only was the music good but we were shocked at how these kenyan men can girate. We were the only white people there. Right before we left they dedicated a song to us. Surprise surprise it was an Obama song. I have now heard three different songs about Obama. It is also a common greeting. People will come up to us and just say Obama. We have started replying with "He's my brother".
The next day we went to the huge Kisumu open air market. We stuck very closely together because there were so many people. We didn't buy anything, but it was a complete cultural experience. I saw a woman holding her child in one hand and a live chicken in the other.
Next weekend we are going to the extinct volcano Mt Elgon. We are going to go clambouring around in caves with a small chance of seeing elephants. We are also celebrating Dave's last night on Friday.
As an end note I am also running away from Valentines day. My life as managed to get dramatic even over here.
Just in case you didn't know, I am loving it here.
Last weekend we went and lived the highlife in Kisumu. We left early on the saturday after a really nice night of goat,beer and dancing. The place we stayed at was called "Sooper Guest House". We definitely took a picture of the sign because we liked the spelling so much. The place was really clean but most importantly it had hot showers (when the electricity was working). We pretty much thought we were in heaven. It was my first none bucket shower since I have been here. We dumped our stuff and then went for delicious fresh fried Talapia. Angela and I also tried to ride a camel but the camel ran away before we had a chance.
After lunch we were on route to hippos. We took a little three wheeled Tuk Tuk which was new to me. Alastair almost fell out but we tried to hold on to him. I forgot to mention that all five of use took our personal bike taxis (boda boda) to the guest house. We were all about new forms of transportation. We finally got to Hippo point. I must say that we did some fantastic barganing and then hop into the boat. For a while we were a little confused and thought that hippo was some sort of code word for naked people because all we saw were people bathing. Apparently there use to having tourists watching them bath, or so said our captain. All five of us just really enjoyed being on a boat. So relaxing. On the way back, that was when we saw the hippos. They are so weird looking. The have amazingly little ears. We actually got to see one stand up and yawn. How annoying would I be if I said "You haven't lived until you see a hippo yawn"? Annoying, eh.
After all the fun with the hippos it was time for group napping. That night we were pretty determined to find live music. Boy did we ever succeed. We ended up at this place called Bomas. Not only was the music good but we were shocked at how these kenyan men can girate. We were the only white people there. Right before we left they dedicated a song to us. Surprise surprise it was an Obama song. I have now heard three different songs about Obama. It is also a common greeting. People will come up to us and just say Obama. We have started replying with "He's my brother".
The next day we went to the huge Kisumu open air market. We stuck very closely together because there were so many people. We didn't buy anything, but it was a complete cultural experience. I saw a woman holding her child in one hand and a live chicken in the other.
Next weekend we are going to the extinct volcano Mt Elgon. We are going to go clambouring around in caves with a small chance of seeing elephants. We are also celebrating Dave's last night on Friday.
As an end note I am also running away from Valentines day. My life as managed to get dramatic even over here.
Friday, February 6, 2009
The Rainforest and Beyond
Hello everyone
I am feeling some what overwhelmed with the amount of things I want to say. Everytime I thought this week couldn't get any better, it did.
I think that it makes sense to start with the rainforest weekend. Dave and I took a matatu (code word for stinky taxi with 14 seat and twenty people) for an hour and a half to Kakamega. When we got there we found a motorcyle (piki piki) who took us to the wrong forest. We then found another driver to take us to the real forest. We got there at 12 and after lunch we went on a six hour hike. The most amazing thing was how everything in the forest was so alive. We saw three different kinds of monkeys and tons of beautiful butterflies. Our guide was very friendly and knew so much.
The next day we got up at 3:30 in the morning and started hiking at 4:00 am We hiked for an hour and then climbed 1700 meters up a hill for the sun rise. We got there and watched the stars for a while and then the sun came up. I do believe that I have just about enough photo evidence in case you don't believe me.
After the great weekend it just got better. The day I asked Mama Joyce about when she was expecting other volunteers Allastair showed up. The next day two other canadians showed up. We are now five canadians in Kenya. There are two business guys and now three nurses. We also met a couple guys that work in Bungoma Town. We are meeting up with them for roasted goat and beer tonight.
Tomorrow we are getting up early to go to Kisumu. I am going to go see some hippos. I am hopefully also going to find hiking boots. I have quite spontaneously as per my nature decided to climb Mt Kenya while I am here. I am now running every second day and doing yoga every day.
I almost forgot to write the most exciting news. I have money now. I got my visa card and bank card yesterday. Yay. Now I think I might get us robbed since I keep on shouting that I have money and waving it about taking pictures.
Hope everyone is doing as well as I am. There is so much more to say, but it will just have to wait.
I am feeling some what overwhelmed with the amount of things I want to say. Everytime I thought this week couldn't get any better, it did.
I think that it makes sense to start with the rainforest weekend. Dave and I took a matatu (code word for stinky taxi with 14 seat and twenty people) for an hour and a half to Kakamega. When we got there we found a motorcyle (piki piki) who took us to the wrong forest. We then found another driver to take us to the real forest. We got there at 12 and after lunch we went on a six hour hike. The most amazing thing was how everything in the forest was so alive. We saw three different kinds of monkeys and tons of beautiful butterflies. Our guide was very friendly and knew so much.
The next day we got up at 3:30 in the morning and started hiking at 4:00 am We hiked for an hour and then climbed 1700 meters up a hill for the sun rise. We got there and watched the stars for a while and then the sun came up. I do believe that I have just about enough photo evidence in case you don't believe me.
After the great weekend it just got better. The day I asked Mama Joyce about when she was expecting other volunteers Allastair showed up. The next day two other canadians showed up. We are now five canadians in Kenya. There are two business guys and now three nurses. We also met a couple guys that work in Bungoma Town. We are meeting up with them for roasted goat and beer tonight.
Tomorrow we are getting up early to go to Kisumu. I am going to go see some hippos. I am hopefully also going to find hiking boots. I have quite spontaneously as per my nature decided to climb Mt Kenya while I am here. I am now running every second day and doing yoga every day.
I almost forgot to write the most exciting news. I have money now. I got my visa card and bank card yesterday. Yay. Now I think I might get us robbed since I keep on shouting that I have money and waving it about taking pictures.
Hope everyone is doing as well as I am. There is so much more to say, but it will just have to wait.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
First ever blog
Abarri
I really don't know how to start this. I have been away for almost a month now. It doesn't really feel that long. AS my fellow volunteer put it " It is like living multiple lives". In this month I have had a Norway life, an Ireland life and a Kenyan life. Europe and Canada seem like ages ago because this experience is completely different.
Day after day I am amazed by the beauty of the Kenyan sky. I can look for miles and see only blue sky and green sugar cane. The farm is completely rustic but at the same time luxurious. The farm that I am staying on is be far the richest property in the village. The things that I am grateful for now are wildly different then before. Two of the most exciting things are mangos and chappati
I thought I was ready for African time, but I had no idea. I get to the clinic by 9 every morning and every day we don't start seeing patients before 12 or 1230. I spend the majority of my time in our mobile clinic van. This van gets fixed every day once on the way there and once on the way back. The van also cannot start unless people are pushing it. Sometimes I only do three hours of work a day and then they all tell me to take a rest. For someone use to working twelve hour shifts or at least eight hours days I always feel like I am just getting started.
The work I am doing with the mobile clinics is always fascinating. Every day some one comes in with something they think is mild and we have to send them to the hospital. I have seen severe severe meningitis, a women with a blood pressure of 280/160 (walking stroke waiting to happen) and a five month old who was having a severe asthma attack for a month. I have only been working for a week and a half but I have already learned an amazing amount.
Things I have done so far.
Almost suffocated in my first mosquito net
Been offered marriage five times
Been courted with bananas
Went running with at least 20 children
Felt like a queen on the back of a motorcycle waving at all the kids
Took a picture of a snake and then after wards found out it was deathly poisonous
Chased monkeys
Been hailed as a rain queen because I brought the rainy season a whole month early
That's all for now
My next adventure is the Kakamega rain forest
I really don't know how to start this. I have been away for almost a month now. It doesn't really feel that long. AS my fellow volunteer put it " It is like living multiple lives". In this month I have had a Norway life, an Ireland life and a Kenyan life. Europe and Canada seem like ages ago because this experience is completely different.
Day after day I am amazed by the beauty of the Kenyan sky. I can look for miles and see only blue sky and green sugar cane. The farm is completely rustic but at the same time luxurious. The farm that I am staying on is be far the richest property in the village. The things that I am grateful for now are wildly different then before. Two of the most exciting things are mangos and chappati
I thought I was ready for African time, but I had no idea. I get to the clinic by 9 every morning and every day we don't start seeing patients before 12 or 1230. I spend the majority of my time in our mobile clinic van. This van gets fixed every day once on the way there and once on the way back. The van also cannot start unless people are pushing it. Sometimes I only do three hours of work a day and then they all tell me to take a rest. For someone use to working twelve hour shifts or at least eight hours days I always feel like I am just getting started.
The work I am doing with the mobile clinics is always fascinating. Every day some one comes in with something they think is mild and we have to send them to the hospital. I have seen severe severe meningitis, a women with a blood pressure of 280/160 (walking stroke waiting to happen) and a five month old who was having a severe asthma attack for a month. I have only been working for a week and a half but I have already learned an amazing amount.
Things I have done so far.
Almost suffocated in my first mosquito net
Been offered marriage five times
Been courted with bananas
Went running with at least 20 children
Felt like a queen on the back of a motorcycle waving at all the kids
Took a picture of a snake and then after wards found out it was deathly poisonous
Chased monkeys
Been hailed as a rain queen because I brought the rainy season a whole month early
That's all for now
My next adventure is the Kakamega rain forest
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