Friday, January 23, 2009
New Photos
Check out the Flickr site for an assortment of random pictures... I also have some that I haven't put on my computer yet of BRAND NEW! baby chicks. I'll post them by next weekend also.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
A silly poem...
From someone who never writes poetry but got VERY bored the other day...
A Love Poem to Kenya
Kenya, I don't know why I like you,
With your beggars and dirty streets,
And sweet smells of roasted maize.
With your rampant crime,
And welcoming hospitable people.
With your 30% HIV/AIDS rate,
And music playing in the streets.
With no concept of punctuality or tardiness,
And the most sincere greetings in the world.
With leaky tin rooves and holey mud walls,
And brightly colored khangas around every waist.
Kenya, I don't know why I love you,
With your baffling extremes,
but I do.
A Love Poem to Kenya
Kenya, I don't know why I like you,
With your beggars and dirty streets,
And sweet smells of roasted maize.
With your rampant crime,
And welcoming hospitable people.
With your 30% HIV/AIDS rate,
And music playing in the streets.
With no concept of punctuality or tardiness,
And the most sincere greetings in the world.
With leaky tin rooves and holey mud walls,
And brightly colored khangas around every waist.
Kenya, I don't know why I love you,
With your baffling extremes,
but I do.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Returned to Kisumu
I have arrived safely in Kisumu, after an interesting bus ride here. Well, they're all interesting to be honest. This time though, we passed two giant kegs, the size of a trailer home, that were filled with Nile Special, which is Ugandan beer. And we passed it off-road, so that was pretty exciting. There was also a serious cockroach infestation on the bus. But hey, I'm here now!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Still raining?
Yeah, it's still raining. This is crazy. The rains aren't due until March. In other news... My friend Dan brought it to my attention that we have less than 100 days in Kenya, if we leave when our plane ticket says. I might stay to travel, but to think that I could come home if I wanted to in 100 days is making my brain hurt.
Tomorrow I go to Kisumu!
Tomorrow I go to Kisumu!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Weather!
It actually rained today. I know it's not big news to all you snowy Americans, but it RAINED HERE. It's not the rainy season, and there's been a bit of a drought. In fact, it's so dry, that people are starving in the hotter regions of the country. They're eating unripe boiled mangoes. It's on the news every night and very, very sad. So I hope it rained all over the country today. But I'm tromping through the mud today, just like old times.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Research Topic
Here is an edited-down version of my research proposal. It's still in progress so don't get too disgusted by the writing. In other quick news: I'm heading back to Kisumu on Sunday morning for better or worse. I'll miss Nairobi, but I like Kisumu a lot too. I also loaded some new pictures onto Flickr just for fun, a couple old and some new ones.
I. Background and Introduction
Cultures are often taken as given, timeless, and unchanging. Yet cultural change is a fact, even if it happens in some places faster than others. Today, Luo cultural practices are undergoing rapid change – particularly in the arena of marriage and family traditions. It takes quite a bit of time to thoroughly understand the particular rituals and habits that form an organizational premise for their culture. Many of these traditions involve marriage and family. In one example of a still-practiced tradition, the oldest son has a private house built for him outside of the general family compound. This is called a simba in Kiswahili. This is the house where his wife will move to, out of her own family’s compound. Once a woman spends one night in this house, she is considered married, although it is not completely official until a dowry is negotiated between the two fathers. Once the eldest son is married, another simba may be built.
These particular practices are still widely used in Luoland in Western Kenya, however other cultural practices are becoming less common, even becoming looked-down upon. For example, many grandfathers in the families have multiple wives. This was appropriate as long as the man could provide for all his wives and children. Most young men these days do not plan to take multiple wives, considering it sinful and inappropriate.
Another tradition that is becoming less common is that of wife inheritance. In the past, when a husband died, the wife needed to be inherited by a brother or other male in the family member, as well as the semi-orphaned children. The woman was not allowed to go back into her own family’s compound, so she needed a safe place to be taken care of and to manage a cohesive society. These practices are no longer considered appropriate or desirable. Luo culture is changing rapidly, with old practices shunned, while others are maintained.
II. Statement of the Problem
These intricate practices are being simplified in a sense, as the Luo community in Western Kenya decides to adjust their customs. This essay seeks to answer the question, what explains change in traditional Luo cultural practices, particularly surrounding polygamy and widow inheritance? Furthermore, how does a community go about making those changes? The first critical issue to examine in the field of cultural change is what is fueling these changes. There are many possibilities in this regard, from diseases such as HIV/AIDS, demographic changes, internal movements, or government policies. There must be something that triggers these changes.
Another important issue to address is where this change originates from once it is triggered. For instance, does the chief or other leader or a community mandate it? Does an NGO come in and hold behavior change seminars that they find appropriate? Do members of the community finally decide they are not satisfied with the current practices? The answers to these questions may also shed light on how a community decides which practices to change, as related to the triggers referred to previously.
Lastly, the implementation of cultural change is an integral part of the puzzle. Once something triggers cultural change, and the community decides or is influenced, somehow the change must executed. In the case of Western Kenya and Luoland, one particularly interesting instance is the “behavior change workshops” where cultural change is initiated. Understanding the course these workshops run will lead to a further understanding of the issues and of the way communities initiate the culture change they decide on, or perhaps in some cases, that is imposed from above. However, there are other ways of implementing culture change. In many cases, NGO’s and CBO’s are involved in educating, or sensitizing, the community. Additionally, the chief of the community is very important, showing that there are many parties involved in instigating cultural change. Each of these plays a different role in terms of strength and purpose, which must be understood to fully grasp the issue.
III. Objectives
This paper aims to discuss, using Luo culture in Western Kenya, Nyanza Province as the subject: 1) analyze the causes and triggers of cultural change in this particular setting; 2) understand in which way the community comes to a consensus or decision about which cultural practices are no longer useful and appropriate; 3) explore the ways in which cultural change is implemented; 4) how this proves or disproves some of the current literature on wider cultural change in the world; 5) finally, to provide recommendations on how to most appropriately, respectfully, and effectively implement cultural change.
There are also sections on literature review and research methodology, but somehow I don't think those are appropriate...
I. Background and Introduction
Cultures are often taken as given, timeless, and unchanging. Yet cultural change is a fact, even if it happens in some places faster than others. Today, Luo cultural practices are undergoing rapid change – particularly in the arena of marriage and family traditions. It takes quite a bit of time to thoroughly understand the particular rituals and habits that form an organizational premise for their culture. Many of these traditions involve marriage and family. In one example of a still-practiced tradition, the oldest son has a private house built for him outside of the general family compound. This is called a simba in Kiswahili. This is the house where his wife will move to, out of her own family’s compound. Once a woman spends one night in this house, she is considered married, although it is not completely official until a dowry is negotiated between the two fathers. Once the eldest son is married, another simba may be built.
These particular practices are still widely used in Luoland in Western Kenya, however other cultural practices are becoming less common, even becoming looked-down upon. For example, many grandfathers in the families have multiple wives. This was appropriate as long as the man could provide for all his wives and children. Most young men these days do not plan to take multiple wives, considering it sinful and inappropriate.
Another tradition that is becoming less common is that of wife inheritance. In the past, when a husband died, the wife needed to be inherited by a brother or other male in the family member, as well as the semi-orphaned children. The woman was not allowed to go back into her own family’s compound, so she needed a safe place to be taken care of and to manage a cohesive society. These practices are no longer considered appropriate or desirable. Luo culture is changing rapidly, with old practices shunned, while others are maintained.
II. Statement of the Problem
These intricate practices are being simplified in a sense, as the Luo community in Western Kenya decides to adjust their customs. This essay seeks to answer the question, what explains change in traditional Luo cultural practices, particularly surrounding polygamy and widow inheritance? Furthermore, how does a community go about making those changes? The first critical issue to examine in the field of cultural change is what is fueling these changes. There are many possibilities in this regard, from diseases such as HIV/AIDS, demographic changes, internal movements, or government policies. There must be something that triggers these changes.
Another important issue to address is where this change originates from once it is triggered. For instance, does the chief or other leader or a community mandate it? Does an NGO come in and hold behavior change seminars that they find appropriate? Do members of the community finally decide they are not satisfied with the current practices? The answers to these questions may also shed light on how a community decides which practices to change, as related to the triggers referred to previously.
Lastly, the implementation of cultural change is an integral part of the puzzle. Once something triggers cultural change, and the community decides or is influenced, somehow the change must executed. In the case of Western Kenya and Luoland, one particularly interesting instance is the “behavior change workshops” where cultural change is initiated. Understanding the course these workshops run will lead to a further understanding of the issues and of the way communities initiate the culture change they decide on, or perhaps in some cases, that is imposed from above. However, there are other ways of implementing culture change. In many cases, NGO’s and CBO’s are involved in educating, or sensitizing, the community. Additionally, the chief of the community is very important, showing that there are many parties involved in instigating cultural change. Each of these plays a different role in terms of strength and purpose, which must be understood to fully grasp the issue.
III. Objectives
This paper aims to discuss, using Luo culture in Western Kenya, Nyanza Province as the subject: 1) analyze the causes and triggers of cultural change in this particular setting; 2) understand in which way the community comes to a consensus or decision about which cultural practices are no longer useful and appropriate; 3) explore the ways in which cultural change is implemented; 4) how this proves or disproves some of the current literature on wider cultural change in the world; 5) finally, to provide recommendations on how to most appropriately, respectfully, and effectively implement cultural change.
There are also sections on literature review and research methodology, but somehow I don't think those are appropriate...
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Running, or Dying, In Nairobi
First, I needed shoes. I have some hiking shoes that could double as running shoes but they really aren’t that comfortable unless you’re doing vigorous hiking. So I searched around second hand markets, but being white really got in my way. A pair of running shoes should be 1000Ksh (~$14), maybe 1500Ksh at the most. But no one would get lower than 2800 or 2500, even though they were just used Asics or Nikes. Finally, I convinced a friend of mine, Allan, to take me to a giant second hand market called Gikomba.
Have I mentioned that it’s giant? This is where all the second-hand clothes in Kenya come into the country. These are giant bags, the size of cars that are filled with the clothes you gave to Goodwill and Salvation Army. Have you ever wondered where all those clothes go? I know, there’s NO way all those clothes are really at Goodwill, and they’re not, they are sent to Africa. Here I have found Gap, Target, Limited, Nike, Asics, Adidas, and Levis, all in American sizes. Even bras, TONS of bras are in this country second hand and all worn out. Finding new clothes is actually very difficult here.
Anyway, Allan and I went to the source. It was scary. In Nairobi I’ve adjusted to hanging out in places with a mixed crowd, lately Rwandan, Burundian, those other white folks… So going to the market was a bit of a shock for me. Bargaining here was difficult too, because Allan was well dressed and well, I GLOW. But after walking away from two other pairs of shoes, we got a pair of grey and purple Asics for 1400Ksh (<$20).
I was outfitted for my new endeavor. Mind you this adventure took two weeks, searching for shoes that I could run in. Finally, I set a date to run with Steph. She kept swearing she wasn’t in that good of shape, but she lied. We started running and I was quickly out of breath.
Before I go any farther (in my writing and in my running) let me tell you about Nairobi air. First of all, the altitude here is high. I’m not sure specifically how high, but it hit me when I arrived here even in walking around. On top of that, Nairobi is terribly polluted. There are way too many cars for the small space, with constant “jams” as they call them.
Now that we’ve established the air quality… So it’s about a quarter of a mile, a couple city blocks, and I’m winded. My muscles are alright. I run a bit more and realize I Really Cannot Go On. Steph is bouncing around and running in circles while I blow my nose. I beckon her to go on. She bounces on and my head is throbbing. For some weird reason the running has kicked off some serious cramps (of the uterus!). I walk back home, clutching my stomach and trying to catch my breath.
As soon as I get home, I cough until I gag. I run the next day anyway, and limp home that time. Welcome to running in Nairobi.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
The Particulars
When my mom was here in Kenya, she often said that she really couldn't imagine what Kenya was like, and that coming finally made the pictures made sense (or something like that). So I want to explain a little bit about what Kenya is actually like, what it looks like, what it smells like.
In most areas, the ground is covered in trash. There aren't really public trashcans, and there are only one or two landfills in the entire country. So you can imagine what the ground looks like. When I first came, I didn't want to throw garbage just on the ground. But eventually you realize there isn't much point in not doing so; it's going to end up there anyway. In our neighborhood there is a garbage service, and you can put your garbage outside in a plastic bag. However, then the homeless people go through it and it ends up on the ground anyway.
Nonetheless it's worth mentioning a bit what exactly is on the ground. There are tons of scratch cards for airtime. They're bright little pieces of paper in green or orange, with little scratched-off barcodes on them. There are also a ton of Ken King bottles, which is the cheapest Kenyan liquor there is. Sometimes the bottles get filled with glue for little kids to sniff. Lovely, isn't it?
Kenya also has a variety of good, and bad, smells. When you walk through a densely populated area, so many different things come to mind. You can smell roasted maize, which you can buy for ten shillings as a little snack. Sometimes there are samosas or mandazi. Other times you can smell chang'aa, a home-brewed liquor that is dangerously strong. Beyond that of course there's garbage and raw sewage. Some parts of the city reek so much that I breathe through my mouth. The garbage is often burned on the side of the streets, so one of the most common smells is smoke and burning plastic bags.
On the side of the streets are countless informal businesses: little metal shacks where you can buy airtime, bread, margarine, gum, candy, soda, soap, buckets, cushions, etc. Other rickshaw shacks have a few tomatoes, a few mangoes, some carrots, and plastic bags full of whole milk. This is where, everyday, we get our ingredients for lunch and dinner. Beyond that, there are tarps laid out with used clothes and shoes, cheap bootleg DVDs, socks, hats, combs, scrunchies, etc. Anything and everything, either used or very cheap. These tarps and stands are on every street corner, for your convenience. They are often run by women. I almost trip every few minutes staring at the assorted goods.
I'm sure that America's streets will seem infinitely boring when I return...
In most areas, the ground is covered in trash. There aren't really public trashcans, and there are only one or two landfills in the entire country. So you can imagine what the ground looks like. When I first came, I didn't want to throw garbage just on the ground. But eventually you realize there isn't much point in not doing so; it's going to end up there anyway. In our neighborhood there is a garbage service, and you can put your garbage outside in a plastic bag. However, then the homeless people go through it and it ends up on the ground anyway.
Nonetheless it's worth mentioning a bit what exactly is on the ground. There are tons of scratch cards for airtime. They're bright little pieces of paper in green or orange, with little scratched-off barcodes on them. There are also a ton of Ken King bottles, which is the cheapest Kenyan liquor there is. Sometimes the bottles get filled with glue for little kids to sniff. Lovely, isn't it?
Kenya also has a variety of good, and bad, smells. When you walk through a densely populated area, so many different things come to mind. You can smell roasted maize, which you can buy for ten shillings as a little snack. Sometimes there are samosas or mandazi. Other times you can smell chang'aa, a home-brewed liquor that is dangerously strong. Beyond that of course there's garbage and raw sewage. Some parts of the city reek so much that I breathe through my mouth. The garbage is often burned on the side of the streets, so one of the most common smells is smoke and burning plastic bags.
On the side of the streets are countless informal businesses: little metal shacks where you can buy airtime, bread, margarine, gum, candy, soda, soap, buckets, cushions, etc. Other rickshaw shacks have a few tomatoes, a few mangoes, some carrots, and plastic bags full of whole milk. This is where, everyday, we get our ingredients for lunch and dinner. Beyond that, there are tarps laid out with used clothes and shoes, cheap bootleg DVDs, socks, hats, combs, scrunchies, etc. Anything and everything, either used or very cheap. These tarps and stands are on every street corner, for your convenience. They are often run by women. I almost trip every few minutes staring at the assorted goods.
I'm sure that America's streets will seem infinitely boring when I return...
Sunday, January 04, 2009
First Brush with Corruption
There is one story that is quite interesting that happened when I was with my mom that I omitted earlier, because I think it is a full blog entry all on it’s own.
Kenya is riddled with corruption, from the highest offices to the most lowly employee. The President appoints his tribal members and gives the best funding to his own province and district. Ministers reroute their portfolios funding into their own pockets. But the corruption that got in my way was that of the police officers. It’s well known in Kenya, even among whites, that the cops don’t really give tickets, they just take bribes. Any taxi driver or motorbike driver can tell you that’s how they get through their road blocks. If you resist the bribe attempt, you may well be thrown into a Kenyan jail, which is something to fear. It’s also well known that in the jails that prisoners are beaten, starved, and sometimes tortured. So you want to go with the bribe route and make it easier.
So my mom and I are in a taxi on our way to the airport when we see a police line on the road. I move to buckle my seatbelt (this is my first mistake). The policemen wave us over and then request that the driver show his documents, so he exits the car. The officer taps on my mom’s window.
“Where are you going? And why aren’t you wearing your seatbelt?”
“We’re on our way to the airport; I had just forgotten, I’m sorry.”
“You know the fine is 2000Ksh per person for that.” (About $30.)
“Per person?! That’s a lot! I’ve been in lots of vehicles in police lines and I’ve never been stopped for not wearing my seatbelt!”
“You can come into court tomorrow and settle it there.”
“We can’t exactly come into court tomorrow, my mom needs to fly out tonight, we’re on our way to the airport now.”
“Then you have to pay the fine now.”
So I look into my bag and explain to him that I really only have 2000Ksh because I have to pay the cab driver the other bit of my money. He takes it, of course.
My logic? This cop doesn’t care about the law, and just wants my money above all, so if I give him what he wants he’ll just let us pass to the airport. He knows I don’t know the rules and he knows I have to be at the airport so he has the upper hand here, for sure. As the taxi driver gets back into the cab I exclaim “What an asshole!” I feel like I want to cry. I know I just got screwed.
But I drop my mom off at the airport and that goes smoothly, although it was really sad to know that I won't get to see her, or really anybody, for over four months. When I get back with the taxi, I mention the disappointing experience with the officer, and he's surprised. He says that it wasn't even a traffic officer, and he had no right to take the money. The fine is actually 500Ksh instead of 2000Ksh. If I had even asked for a receipt he wouldn't have been able to do that.
Again, my logic? This guy doesn't care about the law, and he could easily make my mom miss her flight just for fun. He could also throw me in jail. The cops in Kenya are as scary as the criminals; they ARE the criminals. On TV, you can see, at least twice a week, a cop brutally beating someone who is running from them. The cops actually CHASE people and beat them. And they're not scared of the media seeing, of the public seeing, of anyone. They're scary.
So it turned out I didn't really have to pay the money (well, duh!), and that I had been totally taken advantage of. The cop knew I didn't know the rules and he knew I had to get out of there quickly, and he worked it for all it was worth. Hopefully in the future I can be smarter!
Kenya is riddled with corruption, from the highest offices to the most lowly employee. The President appoints his tribal members and gives the best funding to his own province and district. Ministers reroute their portfolios funding into their own pockets. But the corruption that got in my way was that of the police officers. It’s well known in Kenya, even among whites, that the cops don’t really give tickets, they just take bribes. Any taxi driver or motorbike driver can tell you that’s how they get through their road blocks. If you resist the bribe attempt, you may well be thrown into a Kenyan jail, which is something to fear. It’s also well known that in the jails that prisoners are beaten, starved, and sometimes tortured. So you want to go with the bribe route and make it easier.
So my mom and I are in a taxi on our way to the airport when we see a police line on the road. I move to buckle my seatbelt (this is my first mistake). The policemen wave us over and then request that the driver show his documents, so he exits the car. The officer taps on my mom’s window.
“Where are you going? And why aren’t you wearing your seatbelt?”
“We’re on our way to the airport; I had just forgotten, I’m sorry.”
“You know the fine is 2000Ksh per person for that.” (About $30.)
“Per person?! That’s a lot! I’ve been in lots of vehicles in police lines and I’ve never been stopped for not wearing my seatbelt!”
“You can come into court tomorrow and settle it there.”
“We can’t exactly come into court tomorrow, my mom needs to fly out tonight, we’re on our way to the airport now.”
“Then you have to pay the fine now.”
So I look into my bag and explain to him that I really only have 2000Ksh because I have to pay the cab driver the other bit of my money. He takes it, of course.
My logic? This cop doesn’t care about the law, and just wants my money above all, so if I give him what he wants he’ll just let us pass to the airport. He knows I don’t know the rules and he knows I have to be at the airport so he has the upper hand here, for sure. As the taxi driver gets back into the cab I exclaim “What an asshole!” I feel like I want to cry. I know I just got screwed.
But I drop my mom off at the airport and that goes smoothly, although it was really sad to know that I won't get to see her, or really anybody, for over four months. When I get back with the taxi, I mention the disappointing experience with the officer, and he's surprised. He says that it wasn't even a traffic officer, and he had no right to take the money. The fine is actually 500Ksh instead of 2000Ksh. If I had even asked for a receipt he wouldn't have been able to do that.
Again, my logic? This guy doesn't care about the law, and he could easily make my mom miss her flight just for fun. He could also throw me in jail. The cops in Kenya are as scary as the criminals; they ARE the criminals. On TV, you can see, at least twice a week, a cop brutally beating someone who is running from them. The cops actually CHASE people and beat them. And they're not scared of the media seeing, of the public seeing, of anyone. They're scary.
So it turned out I didn't really have to pay the money (well, duh!), and that I had been totally taken advantage of. The cop knew I didn't know the rules and he knew I had to get out of there quickly, and he worked it for all it was worth. Hopefully in the future I can be smarter!
Friday, January 02, 2009
Four Months in Kenya - The Halfway Point
January 1st marks my four-month anniversary of staying in Kenya, as well as the halfway point of my trip (provided I leave at the end of April). December was a good month, although unlike any other. At beginning of the month I left Kisumu and my internship to come back to Nairobi for exams. Being back in Nairobi was such a shock. I had electricity (although no running water anymore here in Nairobi, there’s a serious water shortage) as well as many more creature comforts. There’s coffee, places I can take my laptop, stores with clothes that actually fit, a multitude of good restaurants – it’s amazing. There are also a lot more white people here, in addition to a much more diverse group of people. In Kisumu it’s mostly Luos, with a few other Kenyan tribes and then some Indians and wazungu. But for the most part, people have similar facial structures and skin colors, speak a common language, and hold some common culture ground. In Nairobi however, there are all tribes and all sorts of internationals. It’s a relief for me in a lot of ways. I blend in here, I can walk around without being stared at (usually) and rarely does anyone call me out. It’s like a vacation for a mzungu, and I’m loving it.
Since I have returned from Kisumu I am enjoying Nairobi a lot more than I did before. Nairobi is definitely dirty and has serious poverty and crime issues. But here feels more like what I’m used to, it’s a busy city with coffee shops and places to explore. It’s big enough that I’m not recognized everywhere I go. While I have more friends in Kisumu, and I enjoy my house and family there, I welcome my time in Nairobi for open arms.
This has also been the time of holidays and my mom’s visit. I worried about whether I’d miss home on Christmas or around the New Year, seeing as Thanksgiving had been a little hard for me. Surprisingly, I wasn’t home sick at all. Of course that was helped by my mom being here, I had some family here and I wasn’t completely on my own. If anything I’m getting more used to being here.
I think I’m also falling in love with Kenya’s weather. I get to wear sandals every day. I have the best tan of my life, and my hair keeps getting blonder. Sure, it’s hot as hell in Kisumu between the hours of 1 and 4, but once you’re adjusted it’s quite nice. The sun rises and sets at almost the same time every day, and it only rains during the rainy season, and even then, rarely during the day. There are almost never cloudy days. Just blue skies and the bright sun! I could get used to this.
Exams and final papers went quite well. I am glad to be done with them and am looking forward to the next semester. This time around is quite different. Most of my time will be in Kisumu working at my internship, save for a few research conferences in Nairobi. While I work at my internship, I’ll be working on a first-hand field research project. This is a unique opportunity to do something, and try something, that usually only graduate students get to do. My own research will be an interesting test run for me as to whether I truly enjoy research, and if I’d ever be interested in trying for a PhD. My work is driven almost only by myself and my own initiative, and I’m looking forward to the personal challenge. (I’ll post up the research topic when I have articulated it properly for my proposal.)
Another upcoming point of interest is the beginning of deciding travel plans for my spring break at the end of February, and if I’d like to travel at the end of the program. Someone has brought up the idea of traveling to Zanzibar for spring break, which sounds fantastic to me. As for after the program, originally I had considered staying to work or something, but visa-wise, that looks impossible. A work visa in Kenya is over $2,000, which is way more than the job would we worth. I’ve had two job offers, one with the NGO I work with and then a partnering NGO, but it’s not what I want to do right now. So I think I’d like to travel, but where? And with whom? These are important questions that I’m going to start researching this month.
Other than that, I look forward to my return in Kisumu around January 20th and forward to more adventures in Kisumu and Kenya!
Since I have returned from Kisumu I am enjoying Nairobi a lot more than I did before. Nairobi is definitely dirty and has serious poverty and crime issues. But here feels more like what I’m used to, it’s a busy city with coffee shops and places to explore. It’s big enough that I’m not recognized everywhere I go. While I have more friends in Kisumu, and I enjoy my house and family there, I welcome my time in Nairobi for open arms.
This has also been the time of holidays and my mom’s visit. I worried about whether I’d miss home on Christmas or around the New Year, seeing as Thanksgiving had been a little hard for me. Surprisingly, I wasn’t home sick at all. Of course that was helped by my mom being here, I had some family here and I wasn’t completely on my own. If anything I’m getting more used to being here.
I think I’m also falling in love with Kenya’s weather. I get to wear sandals every day. I have the best tan of my life, and my hair keeps getting blonder. Sure, it’s hot as hell in Kisumu between the hours of 1 and 4, but once you’re adjusted it’s quite nice. The sun rises and sets at almost the same time every day, and it only rains during the rainy season, and even then, rarely during the day. There are almost never cloudy days. Just blue skies and the bright sun! I could get used to this.
Exams and final papers went quite well. I am glad to be done with them and am looking forward to the next semester. This time around is quite different. Most of my time will be in Kisumu working at my internship, save for a few research conferences in Nairobi. While I work at my internship, I’ll be working on a first-hand field research project. This is a unique opportunity to do something, and try something, that usually only graduate students get to do. My own research will be an interesting test run for me as to whether I truly enjoy research, and if I’d ever be interested in trying for a PhD. My work is driven almost only by myself and my own initiative, and I’m looking forward to the personal challenge. (I’ll post up the research topic when I have articulated it properly for my proposal.)
Another upcoming point of interest is the beginning of deciding travel plans for my spring break at the end of February, and if I’d like to travel at the end of the program. Someone has brought up the idea of traveling to Zanzibar for spring break, which sounds fantastic to me. As for after the program, originally I had considered staying to work or something, but visa-wise, that looks impossible. A work visa in Kenya is over $2,000, which is way more than the job would we worth. I’ve had two job offers, one with the NGO I work with and then a partnering NGO, but it’s not what I want to do right now. So I think I’d like to travel, but where? And with whom? These are important questions that I’m going to start researching this month.
Other than that, I look forward to my return in Kisumu around January 20th and forward to more adventures in Kisumu and Kenya!
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