Summer, summer, summer time

It has been a crazy month and a bit out here! In May I had one day off, but I really didn't feel overworked. I guess that when you really like your job it doesn't really feel like work. Ok well, there are those days where you have sick participants, or guests that feel entitled to everything.. or when people make stupid/naive comments about Kenya and Africa, but those days are rare. So the busy summer season has arrived and things are only picking up from here! I will have very few days off, but I am hoping to get to travel around a bit in other parts of Africa - I have two good friends living in Africa as well, and hope I will get a chance to visit them. There is so much here in Kenya that interests me, there are so many extremes and dichotomies here... one small one I will share with you here is represented by these two photos below:

Nairobi at Night 

                                               Mulot Market in the South Narok District

I have been able to experience some really amazing things while living and working here, and recently had the chance to meet two really amazing people. Shelly and Johnathan have been involved in the organization since the beginning and they are also experts on globalization, HIV/AIDS, and social justice moments throughout history. They came to our office to teach us how to talk about these issues with our groups, and how to focus that into action planning (the youth go home with plans on how to create social change, awareness etc...) They also taught us a great deal about the large institutions associated with globalization

1. WTO - World Trade Organization
2. IMF - International Monetary Fund
3. WB- The World Bank (check out their Structural Adjustment Programs) 

If you do not already know about these big 3 you should google them and see how they have helped shape the world as it is today - a world full of inequality...
It was definitely eye opening for me, and made me realize that we all have to do are part to

"Be the change we want to see in this world"- Gandhi 

Long time no blog... sooo photos!

Hi everyone! So it has been a busy busy May and I can't believe it is already half way into June. Here are some photos of my time in the Enelerai Community in the Masai Mara

                                       At the Baraka (blessing in Kiswahili) Clinic in the Mara

                                                               Baraka Health Clinic

                                                             Pharmacy at the Clinic

    Painting at the clinic showing good health indicators - clean water, shower, toilet, garbage pit,      clothes line, dish rack, chimney, hand washing station, and kitchen garden

                                Some wall art in the Pre-natal care wing - a messed up alphabet

                                  The parking lot at Baraka, where the ambulance hangs out

                    Kisaruni (which means peace in both Masaai and Kipsigis languages) all girls high school

                      Some of my last group's work on a teacher's accommodation for Kisaurni

                           More teacher's accommodations (which means more teachers yay!)

                                                        Study area at the high school

                                        Helping Mama Leah teach beading to a family group

                              Mama Leah instructing wageni on traditional masaai beading

                                       Sammy, one of the Masaai guides that works with us

                                        Just hanging out in mobile camp in the Mara (Enlerai)

                                                   Chilling drinking soda with Steven

                                     Peter and Steven the guides for one if my university trips

Steven 

Steven

Peter 

                                          Camp staff at Enelerai - Wilfred, David, Richard

Camp staff at Enelerai - Wilfred, David, Richard

    Hanging out - and I am proud to say that I only speak Kiswahili when I'm not with guests!

All the camp staff! Last day at Enelerai ( I spent the entire month of May here) 

Camp life

Hanging out with Steven and Peter

Hanging out with Steven and Peter

Getting ready for a BUSY month!

So today I just received my trips schedule for the next month, and wowee it is a busy month for all of us on the team! I leave for a trip tomorrow with 10 participants, and I will be the solo- that's right no other facilitator... needless to say I am a little nervous, but Johnathan will be the Masaai guide on the trip and I have worked with him before and we get along great. This trip will run until the 13th of May, so that means I will be spending my 26th birthday in the Mara, the third one in East Africa. For those of you reading who have my kenyan cell number feel free to sms ;)

Once this trip is finished I only have one day in Nairobi before heading out on my next trip, which will last until June 1st (my sister Joce's birthday). So it is a very very busy month, but I am really excited to get the chance to solo a trip, as that does not happen often.

To go back to my last entry, we had a staff retreat on the coast of Kenya which was a blast. We played a lot of team building games, swam until we were water logged and then swam some more. It was the perfect way to get ready for our busy season.

On a more personal note, I am missing friends and family from home, but it is nice to be able to Skype and get emails here and there, so keep it up!

Until next time:

"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end.  It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it."

  ~Margaret Thatcher

Trip and the Coast

Hi! Im writing this from beautiful and sunny Kilifi! I am here with the whole Kenya team for a 3-day team builder and fun in the sun time... needless to say I'm feeling quite content!

Last week I hosted my first group at the luxury tented camp, and boy oh boy was that an experience! Cheese platters at dinner, hot showers, and my very own platform tent to sleep in. The family had a great time, and they were a pleasure to host - super nice, they were engaged in the activities, and really enjoyed safari day. With our luck we saw elephants, lions, cheetah, giraffe, wildebeest, Tupi, hartebeests, and so many more. I am also happy to report that I am 100% recovered from surgery and feeling great! I had to re-learn a lot of the material from work, I think mainly because of all the pain medication I was on.... 

BUT I would like to keep this one short and sweet because I have to get back to a hard day's work on the beach - hahahah!

A small set-back

A small set-back put my first month on the job at a bit of a stand still!

After returning from my first trip into the Mara, I had some stomach pain and after a few days with no improvement, decided that a visit to the doctors was in order. I jumped on a matatu (daladala) and went to the Aga Khan Hospital, which is not too far away from our house. After missing my stop twice (I couldn't see out the window!) I checked in and had some tests run. The doctor said that it could be my appendix, but he would discharge me for now, and I was to come back immediately if my symptoms worsened or changed. So slightly relieved that it may not actually be anything worth worrying about, I went home to hang out with my roommates and watch some movies. I was to lead my first trip of 34 youth the following day into the mara for an 8 day trip. I was getting excited about meeting my co-faciliators and really get into work! However, that did not really pan out as expected. At about 8 or 9pm that evening I started to feel really ill and my boss decided to accompany me back to the hospital. We arrived at emergency and low and behold my cousin also named Nareena and her family were also at emergency! After checking in we had to make sure the doctors and nurses knew which Nareena they were treating so that we were not mixed up! At around midnight the doctor announced that I would be staying over night so they could asses if it was appendicitis or not... I was really nervous at the thought of having surgery, but well what can you do? I tried to get some sleep that night, but the pain worsted and at 4am the surgical team arrived to take me to the operating theatre to have my appendix removed!!!!

The operation went well and now 2 weeks later I am starting to feel much better. I had a lot of good support from friends and family. I am now hoping to be 100% by my next trip at the beginning of April. This trip will be with adults and in a luxury tented camp - I am really excited!

“Our bodies are our gardens – our wills are our gardeners.”  ~William Shakespeare

Post Trip #1

Wow what an great few weeks! I had my first group of college participants (12 in all) from Eastern Canada. We went into the outskirts of the Masai Mara into a community call Salabwek.

As it was my first trip into the field I was amazed by the beautiful scenery on the drive out. We stopped at the rift valley lookout - my inner anthropologist had a 'nerdy' moment! I was so excited that I ended up telling the group a lot more than might have been necessary about the important of this valley in human evolution. After passing the town of Narrock, houses became more and more sparse and blended into the beautiful traditional houses of Kipsigi and Masai tribes - the first being rounded with a thatched peaked roof and a protruding support beam at its peak, and the second flatter, more square cow dung homes. I will try and post some photos of this soon! The other unique feature in this landscape is the fences that are made from candelabra(?) cacti, a bright green, spiky cactus that contains a very acidic milk. We finally switched to a large safari lory and completed the bumpy and dusty journey to the mobile camp.

The participants were lovely, challenging, and energetic young men and women and I really enjoyed my time with the group. I was personally challenged to loosen up and be a little more goofy and carefree than I have been in the last few years, and I have to say I am so grateful for that, as I haven't really laughed as hard as on this trip in a long time. I feel like my lesson from the next 9 months is to remember to love what you do and make it FUN! As soon as I returned to the house in Nairobi I was greeted by my roommates with home made fruit punch, and a house volleyball game in our backyard. Usually I would have made up some excuse to just watch people play volleyball, but this time I was so welcomed and encouraged to play that I even dawned the all black uniform (completed with a purple cape and goggles) and got onto the court? field? and started playing. The AMAZING thing is that I actually turn out to be a good player, and really had a blast.

So my journey continues,  I will be out on 4 or more trips in the next 2 months, and although I have a lot to learn about the organization etc.. I really am looking forward to all the work and fun!

Ohhh and one last thing... I learnt how to make rope from sisal and made some bracelets and anklets for the group! Below is a picture of the plant (related to aloe) and the fibre extracted by pulling the sections through two angled pieces of wood.

Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it.

Sai Baba

First Few Days

So I have been in Nairobi for 3 days now, and I have to say I feel extremely at home, even more than I thought I would. Thankfully my Swahili has remained more or less intact, and I have already been able to hold conversations 100% in Swahili, so Im thrilled.

My job is going very well; I have met my co-workers, whom seem very nice and have tried their best to include me in the group. There are 4 ladies and 4 men, only 1 Kenyan man on the Trip facilitating team, which to me seems a shame. I also met the staff from the NGO side, who are all kenyan. We have been doing key messaging training, and this week first aid.

I think since the last time I was in East Africa I have really solidified my ideas on "development" and how the world sees Africa. I know this is a touchy subject for many, but I might as well get it out there. In no way do I want to push my ideals, but this is my blog sooo mwahahaha!

I really do feel like there is still a big push for Africa and many countries to become 'westernized' not only in terms of education, heath, and economy, but other aspects including dress, processes, and even accents. I think of this as neo-colonialism, and in my opinion it is ripe in both Tanzania and Kenya. I find it incredibly frustrating to be around this mindset, and struggle to empathize and patiently try to get people to consider the implications of this thought pattern. Yet again, is it really my place?

Ok so to return to Nairobi.. I really am feeling quite at home here, and have been enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of the outskirts of the city. This weekend we will be moving into the staff house, which looks amazing, and spending some time relaxing and catching up on work material.

Thanks for reading, until next time:

“Africa is a paradox which illustrates and highlights neo-colonialism. Her earth is rich, yet the products that come from above and below the soil continue to enrich, not Africans predominantly, but groups and individuals who operate to Africa’s impoverishment.”

abcd345  Kwame Nkrumah quotes (Ghanaian 1st Ghana's President (1957-66). 1909-1972)