Just in case you were wondering...KENYA IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! The food is amazing! The swahili architecture is very historic, some has been standing since the 1600s. It's warm and breezy, not a lot of humidity. I am eating so much haha. It reminds me of my mother's cooking. If you don't eat a lot, they feel like you don't like the food. Haha. I'll upload some pix on here if I can figure it out. So much to see. So many ethnic groups-like over 40. And the media lies to us. Everyone is not fighting all over, people are really nice. They are very happy to meet an african american. And I the same ya know. I set up my research project to do it with urban planning majors at the university of nairobi, work with city planners of Nairobi's downtown and a local non profit focused on affordable housing. Yes, it's alot. But more details will come. Love you guys=)
February 1, 2010
I am staying in Karen for the first couple of days. It is known for its white population, but they have generations of people in Kenya. Thus far, there has been a salamander in my room hangin out-they eat the mosquitoes so I guess I’m grateful. And a tiny frog in the entrance, but he left. (February 1st) I went to the Giraffe Lodge, fed the giraffe, and bought some cool jewelry. The conversion rate is 1:74 (Shelling to American dollars) but things are not always cheap. Think of it as inflation maybe. A beautiful necklace can still cost you about 40 bucks. I was willing to pay sometimes. I met a famous soccer (or football) player on my flight to Nairobi. His name is Patrick Osiako, and he plays for Sweden’s professional team. He will open an orphanage one day because both his parents died at a young age, and this inspired him. Nice guy-check him out on youtube. I am studying with 14 kids from all over-from Cornell, Harvard, Hamilton, everywhere. They are nice kids, some have been all over the world doing service work, others not so much. Some Kenyans think that I am Tanzanian because I can speak a little Swahili, but I explain that I am American. And they are very nice, will go out of their way to help. BUT there are good pick pocketers in crowded areas so we travel in groups or with other Kenyans who know different areas.
I will send pictures via email soon. I went to something called the "Gender Violation Recovery CEnter." Very similar to american ones. They have OBGYNs there, social workers, docs, etc to start the heeling process for those who went thru sexual abuse, domestic violence, etc. It is the biggest and best facility in East Africa. If you ever heard of "Out of Africa" the movie-it was made in this place called Karen. It's like a large suburb. I am living here now. But we are leaving tomorrow, to live elsewhere. So much to do. I will keep updating my blog when I can.
