Heaven on Earth

This weekend I was lucky enough to be invited to a ranch near Mt. Kenya. It was nice to be out of the city and to get the opportunity to finally see the rural life. I was not, however, prepared to have my childhood fantasies about animals and nature fulfilled. I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I do. They dont do the experience any justice...

The house we stayed in is owned by the woman who created the game Jenga!

Every morning this bird (Archie) and his girlfriend (ma) would show up, waiting for us to give them a little breakfast. Sometimes he would even cautiously eat from my hand.

The giraffe were not interested in my greeting what so ever (Here you can see them running away from me)

One morning I woke up to elephants outside of my window.

Needless to say, getting on the plane to go back to the city was a difficult process. So grateful to Mpala and my 2 wonderful guides...

Pictures

Unfortunately, I dont have many pictures of the outside world, as it's not safe for me to flash my camera around too much. I hope to find someone soon to escort me through town so I can show you all what life is like here. Until then, I hope you enjoy these...

The slum leading to my home. These are shops set up illegal on the side of the road, selling everything from fruit to SIM cards to car parts. There is word that they will be shut down soon in an attempt to beautify the area, though no one seems too concerned.

One of the many goats wandering the streets

The local slum I walk through every morning. Quiet because of the holiday.

The local slum pub, fully equipped with pool tables and satelite TV.

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This is my bed (notice the mosquito net in the top left corner). You would think it would set my mind at ease, but instead it serves as a constant reminder of Malaria. I am fortunate enough to have my own room.

My home stay mom. Here, you call mothers by their oldest child's name. So she is known as Mama Steve (her oldest son, Steve, is currently at University in South Africa).

Simon is the youngest of the brothers. He is very smart and loves to teach me and ask me questions about home. I hope he will do great things in life.

Hanging out with Sheena and Sidney (Sido) at home. The two of them are very close and protective of each other. I love watching them play together.

Sheena and I spend a lot of time together. She is very curious about me and loves to play games. We have a language barrier as she barely speaks english and I havent learned enough Swahili yet but we find a way to make it work.

On a side note, the excitement of the Roosters running around has run its course as I have a consistent (and unwelcome) 5am wake up call now. I did enjoy seeing a calf wandering the alley by my house yesterday. The owner offered him to me but as you can see, my room may be a little small to keep him comfortably ;)



More soon...

Kibera: Day 2

Today was my second day at Carolina for Kibera. Words are not enough to express the experience. But I will do my best… First, it is a very large amount of space with endless numbers of people. Walking is usually on a dirt mound, a railroad track or along the sewage lines. Everything is very much contained, with few seeming to leave which has led to a very strong sense of community. I’m working on a project called Jamii ya Kibera, which means Community of Kibera. After the 2007 elections, there were fierce riots, and neighbors were attacking and killing each other simply because they had differing political beliefs. Many were forced to leave their homes and fires and looting destroyed many houses and businesses. The project I’m working on focuses on maintaining peace in the community through positive activities, mediation, and continued positive integration within the communities. During the riots, the Caroline for Kibera offices weren’t touched, as the community has come to look to them as a source of support and guidance. I have made friends with a girl who is one of the peer leaders of the community. She took me to her house, where her and 6 other members of her family live in a room, separated by a curtain.The routes here are based on whatever space is available to walk on. One major route is along the train tracks. While walking on the tracks today, I asked one of the girls if people ever get run over or hit. She told me it used to be a common thing but now that people are fined if they get hit (go figure) there have been less incidence. As we were ending the conversation, someone yelled, and sure enough, the quietest train ever invented comes flying up. One of the girls heard someone yell and grabbed me off the track. That was my special adventure for the day… I will send pictures as soon as I can. Pictures are a sensitive subject here, as residents are worried you are exploiting them for money.

On a lighter note, there are goats and chicken and dogs and cats all over the streets, which makes me very happy. The children all run up and say "how are you?" and once one of them starts, they all chime in. It's very funny to watch and they seem a little thrown off when you actually respond. Some will run up just to hold your hand or touch the Mazungu (foreigner/white person). And this morning I was proposed to by my Matatu (small bus) conductor. I decided it may not be such a good idea but I thanked him anyway. :)
Write more soon...

Leaving Downtown Nairobi

So after 2 days at the hotel in downtown Nairobi, I'm ready to move in with my new family and start working. People have been very kind, but it's expensive to stay in the hotel (yes, expensive by Western standards). Not to mention, its hard not to get a little lonely.

A little girl came up to me yesterday. She couldnt have been more than 5 years old, and she was alone wandering downtown. She would grab the hands of passerbys, pleading "Buy me Pizza" "Buy me Ice". She grabbed my hand and wouldnt let go. Hard to watch and makes me want to get to work.

I will have very limited access to internet from now on, but I will do my best to send message whenever possible. Please do leave me messages on my skype phone number. It'll be great to hear your voices.

With love... Now off to my new home.

Some Pictures

First pictures of Nairobi above. Second photo is of my drive to the hotel from the aiport. People were walking along the freeway, selling fruits and clothing. No lanes so driving can be a little scary, but they seem to know exactly what they are doing. First photo is the view from my hotel room. Lots of cars, lots of people, all the time...

Leaving for Kenya in the morning

I am sitting in my "dayroom" (i.e. hostel room) at the Zurich airport, ready as I'll ever be. I spent a few days in Austria on my way to Kenya. It's beautiful and I recommend it as a place for R&R.

My cab driver wanted to talk politics, letting me know that he thought McCain would have to win because the US was too racist. He also mentioned that Bill Clinton was our best president, so Hillary should have won. It's interesting getting the outside world's perspective.

As we were boarding our little propellor jet from Klagenfurt to Vienna, it began to rain, and it didnt stop. Lightening, thunder and the lovely pilot over the loud speaker letting us know we wouldnt be leaving for a while. When we did finally begin to move, I realized it was the first time I was afraid to fly (picture of conditions to be added soon), and during the entire flight I stared out at the propellor, willing it to get us to our next destination. It's funny the things we convince ourselves we have control over when we are scared.

I have to be up in 5 hours to start moving again so it's time to go. I'll update with pictures and stories as often as possible, but internet access will be limited. You can leave me voice messages on my Skype phone number at 310-929-5255 or email me ati00lnights@aol.com. With so much love and hope. Lala Salama...

Introducing Kibera and CFK

Kibera, located on the outskirts of Nairobi, is known as the second largest slum in Africa. Five of the six largest ethnic groups in Kenya reside in Kibera, and with nearly 1 million people living in 1 square mile (approximately the size of New York's Central Park) it has been the site of extreme poverty and ethnic and tribal conflicts. Most residents lack basic amenities such as electricity and running water and over one third of all school aged children are not in the education system. HIV and AIDS are also prevelant, with over 10% of residents infected.

Carolina for Kibera (CFK)

"Named a TIME Magazine and Gates Foundation “Hero of Global Health,”Carolina For Kibera (CFK) fights abject poverty and helps prevent violence through community-based development in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya and beyond. Run by Kenyans and advised by American and Kenyan volunteers, CFK's primary mission is to promote youth leadership and ethnic and gender cooperation in Kibera through sports, young women's empowerment, and community development. Additionally, CFK works to improve basic healthcare, sanitation, and education in Kibera. Serving as a model for holistic, community-based urban development world-wide, CFK has helped grassroots organizations develop youth-based programs in six other nations and dozens of communities in Kenya." For more information about Carolina for Kibera, please visithttp://cfk.unc.edu.

Tuangane Tuangaze (Let's Unite and Shed Light)

Kwa Heri Kenya

On September 12th, I joined the group Carolina for Kibera (CFK) to help with humanitarian efforts in Kibera, the second largest slum in Africa (you may know it from the film The Constant Gardener).

I spent 4 months in Kenya, living with a local family, immersing myself in the culture. My days were spent working on issues of peace and violence within the community. I also worked with the Sports Association, a soccer club with over 3,000 local youth participants from differing tribes, connect with the outside world.

This was the start of what I hope to be a long career in international non-profit work and I'm so grateful to everyone who helped me reach my goals to get there. All of the kind words and donations have been invaluable to my ability to travel and contribute to this amazing community and project. This blog follows my journey through Kenya, and is my way of sharing this beautiful experience with you all.

With so much love and gratitude, Asante Sana (Many Thanks in Swahili), Shahrzad