Memoirs of a Mzungu

A Mzungu in the District

2009-08-17T13:30:00.001-07:00

Although I love Washington DC immensely, I will never be cured of my insatiable wander lust.

Keeping in touch...

2009-01-18T13:48:00.000-08:00

I got a great email from my little host brother and sister and thought I would share it with you guys (if you are still reading it). I definitely cannot wait to go back and see them (Andrew especially).

Alyssa

Hi Alysa,

Happy new year!

hi alysaa. how are you? ihave missed you so much. How are your mam and dad. I miss the way we were playing with your.And i also miss braiding your hair
The stuff that you promised to send were; a packet of chrips, a couple of disney story-books, crayons, coloured pencils, drawing pencils or pacstels and a nice drawing, a nice set of rubber/eraser, pen, childre makeover and anything else that you fancy for me.

Everybody say hi and they miss.

Valarie.

Hi Alysa,

This is the gentle man,its been such along time since we communicated. so how are,you,Iguess your are good. How is life going on in America.I hope you have already adjusted to the life over there.

My exams went well even though I didn't really get what I expected to get. I got three hundred and sixty seven marks out of five hundred. My expectations were on four hundred and above.I really miss you soooo much that I don't think I have got the vocabulary to explain this. Oh and when are you coming back! I also never saw the sucess card, what became of it?

My regards to your family

Andrew

A little more detail....

2008-08-24T23:45:00.000-07:00

Things have been so amazing here. I will give a more detailed description of the last two weeks, as my last blog was quick and vague.

I had my week long summer camp for the children of a primary school, ages 10-15 half being orphans and half not. To begin the camp was hell. I received little help from the host organization in planning, and had to chase my host supervisor around in preparation. I worked all weekend to finish preparing the manuals for the instructor and the students. Another FSD intern, Brenna, helped a lot and prepared all the material for the health day, as she is a community health major. We finally began printing the manual at 3 on Sunday, and went to lunch while it printed. I was hoping to go back and pick up the packets, and hang out with Habib a little who came to town to meet me, before going home and cooking Mexican food for my host family. When I got back to the internet café, they had run out of paper and there was non left in town. Camp began first thing Monday morning, and the clock was ticking, because I can’t really be out after dark. Habib was very helpful and looked for places to find paper, but for some reason the people in the internet café didn’t feel like working, and when it was too late to do anything, there was no paper to be had. I had to improvise and bring the papers for the next day, without the entire packet being complete. It didn’t help when the other intern met me after getting her hair done all day, and was annoyed I didn’t print it the day before. She hadn’t helped with any of the preparations, so I didn’t take this comment so well. I got home frustrated and upset that I was marginally prepared to hold a week long camp the next day for fifty students and missed my chance to hang out with Habib. I was looking forward to cooking Mexican food, as eating Mexican food would provide comfort and remind me of home, and the act of cooking itself is highly therapeutic. After rushing home from the stress of camp preparations, I found my house girl cooking Ugali. Apparently my host brother couldn’t go one day without eating it, so I would have to cook the next day. That was the last straw. I broke down and cried. It was hard for me because the Kenyans all around me could not relate, understand, or empathize with the stress I felt. I think Americans are inherently stressed out and Kenyans are inherently relaxed, which made the situation worse for me.

Luckily the rest of the week went much better. I was able to print out a copy of the facilitator manual on Monday, and Brenna and Gladys were so helpful in having the actual camp. They are naturals with children, and the week turned out to be so much fun. We began every day taking piki pikis (motorbikes) to the school, along a beautiful rural road. It was such a relaxing way to begin the day. The children turned out to be great, and it was fun to interact with them and get to know their different personalities. Although they were shy and quiet the first day, confusing me and making me think no one understood English, they became very involved and active the rest of the week. We introduced school favorites to play with the children such as red rover and steal the bacon. It turned out the children were much rougher and resilient than American children. During the game of red rover, the children ended up clothes lining one another, moving the arms up so their small peers ran strait into the arms at their necks, and flying to the floor. They all surprisingly got up and laughed immediately, where most times I have seen that resulting in tears. It was a fun and exciting week, resulting in many funny moments. It was definitely the most fun work week I have had in Kenya. During the sexual health section the children ended up asking very funny questions such as the boys asking the FSD intern Jordan if the white man goes through puberty changes and the girls asking Brenna why some Mzungus are brown like Brenna (Brenna is of Portugese descent) and others aren’t like me (Fair skinned, light everything Norwegian). There was never a dull moment. I don’t know what I would have done without Brenna’s help.

To reward ourselves for a job well done, we took ourselves to Jinja, Uganda. It was also Bethany’s 21^st birthday and we had to celebrate in ways not possible in Kakamega, Kenya. Jinja, Uganda was my first choice for my internship, and after spending a weekend there, I must admit, I was a little jealous I didn’t get put there. I love Kakamega, and I feel I have learned a lot and it is a great experience for personal growth, but Jinja is just so much fun.

On the way there, we had some small problems in the border crossing. Bethany almost got arrested by Kenyan officials. Apparently when you apply for a six month visa, it does not mean you get it. When you enter the county, the immigration officers randomly decide how long you can stay, and write in chicken scratch the length next to the big visa that says six month, so it is quite confusing. Bethany was only given one month, but had no idea, so two months into the program she had clearly overstayed. I think this is a horrible tactic to elicit bribes, but luckily we have program directors and coordinators who were able to help.

To my surprise, the roads in Uganda were worse than the roads in Kenya. I did not think this was humanly possible, but I quickly found out it is. Most Kenyan roads, especially the one from Nairobi to Kakamega as it is less traveled by tourists than others, are atrocious. Our bus ride to Kakamega which should have taken only 4 hours or so, took over nine and felt like I was on a roller coaster the whole way. The roads are so uneven and covered in potholes, that most of the time the vehicle is on the side of the road avoiding the mess. It was unfortunate to find out the road from the Uganda-Kenya border to Jinja was worse than this. When we arrived we quickly ate the things we had been missing out on, such as veggie burger. We met some people from Davis, California who were doing Engineers without boarders and began a game of cards. We ended up going out for dessert and drinks and a restaurant called Ginger on the nile where we ran into many other expats. Our stay at Ginger included a nice walk down to the nile light by a full moon, and ended with our friend Bethany on the bar for a proper 21^st drink with several American men, for some reason shirtless, dancing and singing around her. We went from there to a club called Sombrero, which I was hoping was oddly themed like a Mexican restaurant, but instead resembled the laser tag arena in the bowling alley near my home. We danced the night away, but couldn’t stay too late as we had rafting in the morning.

I could barely sleep I was too excited to go white water rafting on the Nile. I kept thinking of National Geographic footage of crocodiles and hippos feeding, and was hoping there would be none awaiting us when we flipped out of the rafts. I was also worried I would fly so far away from the rafts that I had to swim for miles in still water, completely vulnerable to all awaiting animals. I knew I would love it the second I got in the boat. Water is the one thing I have missed most the summer. We can’t swim in still water as there are too many gross surprises waiting to bore into our skin, as many people bathe and use the bathroom in most lakes around Kakamega, so swimming hasn’t been an option. I was jealous of my friends who are spending their summer surfing and at the beach, but the second I got in the raft it was so worth it. We began by practicing flipping the raft and swimming under the boat. I got more and more nervous as we approached the rapids, as within the first few rapids, we were going to go through a class 5, which even my experienced rafting friends haven’t done. Our tour guide was quite melodramatic and kept saying we were going to die or shit ourselves. These weren’t the most comforting of options, so my nerves were having trouble settling. We went over a few small rapids, and began with Bujagali Falls as our first class five rapid. Unfortunately the falls are going to be gone soon, as they are near the new dam that is being built. We waited as the guide explained what we should do when we got into the rapid, and saw our friends from the hostel who had biked to the falls. We were the first to go, and we flipped half way down. I ended up under the boat holding on to the rope, shocked since I was sure I would be the one to forget. I was able to get myself from under the boat, and the guide turned it back over. I was happy I have spent a lot of time surfing, as it fully prepares you for relaxing in big waves and swimming yourself to safety. Brenna and Bethany had to be rescued by Kayaks as they had flown from the boat, and luckily our friends from California got this all on tape. We were the first boat to flip, and got named team flipper. The rest of the day was filled with 3 more class 5 rapids, and several smaller rapids, paddling and swimming down the nile which is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been, enjoying pineapple and local entertainment from our guides and the naked children bathing along the shore who broke into dances every time we passed. It was definitely one of the most amazing things I have done yet and I highly recommend it to all visiting East Africa. We went to a barbecue afterwards, which was a great way to end the day.

The next day we decided to go mountain biking. I haven’t been biking in a long time, and was worried I somehow forgot despite the common adage about the easiness of getting back onto a bike again. Fortunately I was okay, and we spent the day biking to Bujagali falls, around town and the villages, and to a place where we took a boat to the source of the Nile. I was even lucky enough to find a café with iced lattes along the way. Taking a boat down the river Nile was absolutely gorgeous, and I decided this is one place I wouldn’t mind buying a house one day. After biking all day, and rafting the night before I was sufficiently sore. It felt good to do so much activity, since lifer in Kakamega isn’t too active. We went to dinner at Two Friends, where we had delicious salad, pizza, and chocolate cake. We were joined with the manager of our hostel, Nash, who is good friends with our program coordinator Angie. She warned us about him, as he is quite good looking and a Casanova, which is surprising with my experience with Habib being the exact opposite, and they are both Kenyan. It is amazing the difference between Kenyans in the rift valley and Western province. We ended up playing darts, as there was little else to do with it being a Monday night.

I was sad to leave Jinja the next day. It was such a fun weekend. I definitely am going to have to return. Life in Kakamega has returned to normal, but unfortunately I have started saying goodbye to my friends. Three more weeks until it is my turn to leave. I can’t even begin to comprehend what that will be like.

All good things come to an end.

2008-08-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

Today I decided I would take the family to Habib's Kinyozi to get their heads shaved. I left for work, and almost sent him a message saying we would be coming, but I figured I would tell him when I passed his place. When I was approaching something looked very strange on Amalemba. There were people doing work where Habib's Kinyozi was. Then I realized it wasn't there. His kinyozi had been burned down. It was horrible. I checked my phone, and I message came through from the morning of him telling me what happened. I stayed for a while talking to him. It makes me so upset. It wasn't a problem with the wiring as I was hoping. Someone had put petrol and burned his Kinyozi. He was so strong about it. Luckily he takes his stereo, music, and razors home every night.

I just can't believe the place I was sitting and chatting with Habib last night listening to Reggae music is gone. Two days ago he was telling me his plans to expand the kinyozi and make it a bigger business once he saved the money. I feel so horrible that this has happened to him. He is such a good guy. To rebuild he needs about 100$, but since this business is his livelihood and insurance isn't available in Kenya on semi permanent structures, I'm not sure what he will do. If anyone wants to help him out with a few dollars let me know.

My host mom horrified me saying she thinks it was my fault. She has this theory someone was jealous of him for hanging around me. It makes me furious that I have to worry about being around people because others may get jealous. Habib thinks its because his business is successful so others were jealous. How can you do well and be successful if you have to worry about others being jealous and taking it away. I am just thankful no one is hurt and he has such a good attitude about it. I will miss hanging out in his Kinyozi so much, as it was the only place we could be together.

Life is good.

2008-08-19T06:37:00.000-07:00

Everything is going so well. The thought of my impending departure from kenya, less than one month, is making me very sad. Two of the other interns are leaving this week and I cannot even believe this trip has gone by so quickly. My project last week, a week long summer camp for kids, went really well. For a treat we went to Jinja, Uganda for the weekend. It was the most amazing weekend I have had to far. We went white water rafting on the nile and mountain biking.

White water rafting was the most amazing thing I have done so far in life. For my first time rafting, we went over 4 class 5 rapids, and we managed to flip on the first rapid. We spent the day with the excitment of the rapids, and the relaxation of swimming lazily in the currents of the nile. The scenery was more beautiful than any of the flims or images I have seen of the nile. I fell in love with rafting.

We also went out dancing for one of the interns 21st birthdays. It was one of my latest nights in East Africa so far, coming home around 4 am.

We went mountain biking down to the falls we had flipped on the day before, and took a boat through the source of the nile. I managed to get an iced latte which made me so excited.

I am hoping to go back to Jinja very very soon. It is amazing place. My life is currently very very good.

Habibi?

2008-08-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am not entirely sure how things are to be classified with my Kenyan crush, but things are going quite well. He surprised me by visiting me at work the other day which was great. I was working on preparations for my camp and my coworker said “Habib is here.” For some reason I thought she was joking, and had to fight the nervousness when I realized he was actually about to enter my work. It was quite a pleasant surprise since I was having a frustrating and upsetting day. I went by his Kinyozi when I finished work and sat and talked to him for a while. It is becoming part of my daily routine. Since there are not cafes, or anywhere really to sit and talk to your friends and listen to music, I have turned to the Freedomtown Kinyozi on Amalemba. Habib and I sit inside and listen to metro fm, the local reggae radio station which Habib loves, and talk in between when customers come in for a hair cut. He teaches me Kiswahili and we share what life in California/Kenya is like. It must look ridiculous to outsiders, as the gaps in conversation are filled with silly looks and googly eyes at one another. He told me he was having a great day because he could spend time with me. It is ridiculously cheesy and silly, but refreshing and needed. He walked me home, but because there are so many people around all the time, all I will manage is a good night hand shake. As a Mzungu (white person) in Kakamega, it is nearly impossible for Habib and I to actually date. It is quite a conservative area in general, so we are already pushing the limit by hanging out all the time, but because I am American it is so much worse. My host mom always scares me and says that I am putting him in danger by hanging out with him because others will get jealous I am spending time with him and not them. I guess it is for the better because this next week I have my big project, a one week day camp. After that we are taking a trip to Jinja, Uganda for white water rafting for four days. After that I only have about three weeks before leaving Kakamega to Nairobi. I enjoy the time I spend with him. He keeps asking if I will remember him when I return to America and he always says that he wishes me the best luck when I finish school (so soon) and am looking for a job. It is just so nice to meet a sweet guy who is genuine. He even wants to buy me the shoes the Masai warriors wear made from tires because they are essential in the mud. He is definitely one of many Kenyans in Kakamega that make me not even want to think about leaving.

Kuna Matope Kilapahali (There is mud everywhere).

2008-08-10T07:59:00.001-07:00

With it being the rainy season in Kenya, mud is everywhere. I had not even considered what unpaved roads were like in the rain until I arrived in Kakamega. I stay in Amalemba, one of the muddiest parts of town. This past week mud became an unavoidable thought. It began on Monday, when I could barely walk home it was so muddy. I ended up breaking my flip flop and walking home barefoot. Everyone was laughing and kept asking ‘Mzungu, where are your shoes?’ These two boys have asked me everyday since, what happened to my slippers. I really should get shoes that are more suited for mud, rather than my havianas. Habib tells me he will get me the Masai shoes made from tires, just like his pair, which allow you to glide through the mud with hakuna shida (no worries).

I smartened up a bit and the next day I wore shoes to avoid this situation again, and it was the most rainy day I have experienced in Kakamega. I was walking to town and it started pouring, and I had to seek shelter. I ended up in a cyber café, and was able to read emails while I waited out the rain. When it settled down, we went to the school we are having the camp at next week. We took piki-piki’s (motorcycle taxis) which I always love, except when I got off and realized how much mud splashed on to me from the wheel and ongoing traffic. It made for an interesting experience to walk through a teachers meeting to the head office, with our legs covered in mud. Luckily most people ignored our filthiness. We had a successful meeting, and were hoping to get home early and accomplish a lot of other work. On the way back by piki piki to where we take the matatus (mini-van/bus) back to town, there was a lot of commotion, and we saw a couple matatus taking a back road and struggling because it was so muddy. We paid little attention to what was going on, but when we got to the main road, we found out that there were a lot of police check points, so the matatus were going by the back road so they would not receive a ticket, as none would pass the inspection. We had to pay 30 bob (ksh) more than usual, which was frustrating, and when we finally arrived in Kakamega, I was tempted to ask for my money back, because of the ridiculousness of the route. We ended up sliding back and forth on the muddy roads the entire way. The journey was inflated by two hours because we kept getting stuck in ditches, and having to push the matatu out. I was pretty sure that the matatu was going to flip onto its side, and I would be stuck on the side that was furthest away from the door. We had to keep getting out and pushing it, after the car surprisingly would get caught in ditches, following the haphazard driving. One time when we were pushing, and couldn’t help but laugh when one of the men helping, decided he had better things to, and walked to the maize on the side of the road to relieve himself. To make it worse the matatu driver on this trip was a creep. Matatu conductors are an annoying breed by nature of the job, forced to hackle and call people to get them on board, shove as many people in one van for a maximum profit, and bribe police to get past checkpoints. This one was particularly disgusting. He was sitting behind me in all the madness of the mud, and kept trying to rest his head on my shoulder, while he was breathing heavily. I have to say this was one of my least favorite matutu rides, and I was overjoyed when it was over.

I was shocked when I had to relive the horror of the mud a few days later. All the FSD went to Lisa’s house because her internship ended and she was going to Nairobi the next day. We all went over to say goodbye and I was shocked with joy when we were greeted with chips, guacamole, pizza, and burritos. It was a wonderful treat. We ended up leaving after dark, so we took a taxi home, as Kakamega isn’t somewhere you can walk home in the dark. We started out on a back road short cut, hoping to get home and in bed quickly, as for some reason life in Kenya is quite tiring. We had to stop abruptly as a car was stuck across our route, and in absolutely no hurry to get out of the mess. They had been there for two hours, when their friend promised he would get help, and they said they were thinking he would be back in the morning so they were comfortable there for the night. This made turning around in the mud awkward but we were able to do it. We dropped a few of the interns off, and when we were starting to my house we got stuck again. This time we had already dropped off all male interns, and were four girls plus Malova our taxi driver stuck in a ditch at night in Kakamega. I was not too happy about this predicament, as a few weeks ago five European missionary women were raped and robbed not too far away. I remembered quickly why I am not out after dark. A car passed and he stopped, to tell us we needed big strong men to help us and us poor women oculdn’t do it on our own. I am stubborn and the thought of a gang of men coming to “help” us in such a vulnerable state, so I made everyone try to push us out, hoping to prove this asshole wrong. Unfortunately with the angle of the car and the amount of mud, we weren’t, and were forced to be sitting ducks for the gang of strong men we were told were on the way. Other interns ended up stepping knee deep into wet mud, and falling over. It was quite a sight. We waited nervously for the men to arrive who we were promised would could carry the car to the road and I pictured them carrying all of our things with them as well. When the gang arrived, I was sure it was a bad idea, as they joked and made comments about our vulnerability. They said that this was a real African experience and helped us like the real men they were. When we were safely back in the car holding our things, we realized that we would only have to pay them for their work. We were told the help cost us 600 ksh, and were relieved that with our vulnerability that was all they wanted. Apparently that was the friend rate, as they knew our taxi drivers. My host father just laughed when I arrived two hours after I called saying I was just ten minutes away, and assured me that 400-600 ksh was the cost of a good deed in Kakamega. At least I am getting a real African experience.

Lesson Learned: Do not fall asleep outside your mosquito net.

2008-08-10T07:58:00.001-07:00

In Kisumu this past weekend, I learned the very hard way that falling asleep outside of the mosquito net is not advisable. I was mauled by mosquitoes and cannot stop itching. We slept 3 to a bed, and the mosquito net didn’t cover us all extensively, and I unfortunately was on the edge, and am now paying the price.

Other than that this past weekend excursion to Kisumu was great. It was quite tame, but compared to life in Kakamega, our most wild weekend yet. It started out Friday, when I went into town from work, to use the internet. The national reggae station metro fm was having a road show, and when I got to town, it was driving through the streets. I was walking in town, and to my surprise ran into Habib. I have never seen him in town, so this was quite pleasing. I went with him to enjoy the music. While we were walking, we professed our crushes on one another, and he continued to protect me from trouble with boda drivers or street children. He’s a great guy. I grossly melt when he is “manly” and does things like carry my umbrella or say things to guys who get too close. After the road show, we met the FSD group, to see off interns Walker and James. James had been in Kenya for 10 months and Walker, 2 and ½. It was sad to see them go, and it is the start of weekly to bi-weekly departures, with me being the last to leave. I am so happy I will be the last to leave. I don’t even want to think leaving Kenya is a possibility at the moment.

After we left them, we boarded a matatu and headed to Kisumu. When we arrived, we rushed to Green Garden, for a delicious meal. I have not spent that much money on a meal since I have arrived. I won’t even get a grilled cheese and chips (fries) in town for 180 ksh (less than 3 usd) because most meals are 60 ksh tops. I have become ridiculously cheap, but the promise of a real latte, salad, and pizza, some of the things I miss the most was enough to persuade me. The meal was delicious and well worth it. We returned Saturday as well, to recreate the joy the meal brought, and add on some pumpkin soup we hadn’t tried the night before.

Saturday we went to the Masai Market. I picked up some nice souvenirs. I hate buying souvenirs because I always get charged the Mzungu price. I have been here for 6 weeks, so I don’t consider myself a tourist anymore, but it is hard to wash away the whiteness.

We ate lunch on Lake Victoria. A delicious family style Tilapia with Ugali and Suka (greens) and canned tuskers.

We went out that night to Octopus, which ended up to be closer to Green Garden than we imagined, and embarrassingly we road a tuk-tuk for the block that separated the two. It was fun to get out and dance. Although we got a lot of unwanted attention, it was much better than when we went out to Illusions, in Kakamega town, and could not move without people approaching us. There was one other Mzungu in Octopus, which was promising. It was a preparation for the fun of Jinja,Uganda that we have ahead of us. I am used to clubs in San Diego, that provide little entertainment other than half-naked go-go dancers on stages around for all to watch. Entertainment in Kisumu was slightly different. About 1 am, way passed our usual bedtimes, we were cleared off the dance floor for the nightly enterntainment. We had trouble making sense of what was going on, but before we knew it a rasta guy with dredlocks was on the dance floor swallowing fire and jumping through hoops. It was awkward to see this man put a torch on fire down his pants to illustrate his skills, as he must have been in his 40s. It definitely added to the excitement of the whole weekend.

Success

2008-08-07T03:17:00.000-07:00

I am excited to share that I have successfully written a grant proposal that was funded. I cannot wait to write this accomplishment on my resume. This is definitely my proudest accomplishment of my internship thus far. I have received funding for a project I have created with my host organization. We are holding a week long camp from August 11, 2008-August 15, 2008 for children who are ages 10-15. Most of the students to be involved in the camp have been orphaned, predominately by HIV/AIDS. When we conducted a needs assessment at the school, they stated that the major problems the orphans faced were dropping out of school and turning to the streets because they have a strong stigma against them by the other students, and they do not feel they deserve the education and success as they are different than the other students. The camp we will create addresses these issues, and other problems in the community through having fun games and workshops to discuss leadership, tolerance, discrimination, self-esteem, conflict resolution, communication, assertiveness, gender roles, and health issues such as basic health/hygiene and sexual health. All the other FSD interns have volunteered to help facilitate the workshop. I was so nervous about getting the funding because I had to finish the grant proposal after the weekend retreat to Naivasha and with less support and assistance than I had hoped for, but it has all worked out very well.

Naivasha was amazing. It is such a beautiful place. We went with all 11 interns for a weekend retreat, to relax and reflect on our experiences in Kenya thus far. The other interns went towards the end of their internships, some with only 2 weeks left. We went only 3 weeks into the internships, as this was the only way to combine the two groups. We stayed at this great place on the lake, that we were told was the budget option, which was absolutely gorgeous. I ate salad and a veggie burger which was so exciting. Salad in Kenya is not so popular, and if your lucky you can get some cabbage to make something similar to a salad. At our hotel they had arugula which almost brought tears to my eyes, when it was served with avocado, cucumber, carrots, and a light honey mustard dressing. I realized that besides good coffee, salad is the thing I miss the most. We went hiking at Hell’s Gate National Park for about 14 miles. We hiked down the gorge to hot springs, and saw zebras, warthogs, baboons, and gazelles. It was absolutely gorgeous. We filled our evenings with western food, making a habit of ordering wine and chocolate cake, both of which are impossible to find in Kakamega town. We also hiked to
I am very happy and looking forward to our weekend in Kisumu. We are apparantely going the same weekend as a Reggae road show from Kakamega to Kisumu, so this is excellent news for me.

Oh how sweet it is...

2008-07-25T06:29:00.000-07:00

I am so happy it is Friday. I have finished all the stress of writing my grant proposal, so now I can relax and enjoy my weekend. The interns are meeting soon for our weekly Tuskers and chatting about all the exciting events that occurred this week. It is always a fun time. I had one of the funniest pick up lines said to me this week, 'Please give me permission to fall in love with you.' Too bad it wasn't the cute barber Habib that I have a crush on that said it to me.

My plans for this weekend consist of our last weekly FSD meeting about development. After I am taking my host sister and house girl to have their hair cut. I was hoping Habib could work in a coffee shop or a restaurant so it wouldn't be so strange for me to drop in. Unfortunately, he is a barber, and this calls for the entire house I live in to get a hair cut. He promised to give me African Reggae when I come. I feel like a 14 year old again with this silly little crush I have on him.

On Sunday, we will be going to Kakamega Forest, the last remaining rain forest of Kenya, to explore its many wonders. I am excited, except for when I googled Kakamega before I came, pictures of all the snakes in the forest appeared. Wish me luck that I don't run into any of these. Pictures and details from my trip to Naivasha are coming soon so Hakuna Matata.

If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.

2008-07-25T06:17:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to remind everyone that if you are going to comment on my blog, please be sure that it is appropriate. Someone wrote a comment I found very offensive, and I am not sure who it is, but this blog is for me to share my travels with my friends and family, so if you are going to make rude comments, please do it elsewhere.

The Rainy Season

2008-07-15T05:27:00.000-07:00

There are definitely a lot of aspects of living in San Diego that I have taken for granted. I arrived here in Kakamega, Kenya, hearing that it was the rainy reason, and I thought that meant occasionally I would need an umbrella, and few other thoughts crossed my mind. I had no idea that what should have registered was that daily, I would have to adjust my plans based on when the rain would come. Walking is the main form of transport, or at least the one I prefer the most. If it is bad, i can take a bike taxi, boda boda, which is always fun but I take infrequently as I feel it is not the most stable form of transportation, or i can shove myself into an overcrowded van, which only works for part of the way. I think walking is a must with all the Ugali and Chipati I eat. I started out being very stubborn about the rain. I didn’t want to change my day around the weather. I would go to internet cafes after work, not caring if the rain would come when I was done, and then try to walk home the entire way. This attitude made for skirts and shoes completely covered and mud, and a much longer journey than necessary. Another thing I am thankful for, paved roads in America. Mud. I don’t know if I can articulate the fun I have, walking home, on unpaved roads, after the rain. I love the beautiful red dirt contrasted to the green of maize and grass, with pigs, cows, and goats grazing freely around me as I walk to work, I don’t really love the endless mud that remains after the rain, that forces me to slip, slide, and get stuck in as onlookers laugh at the Mzungu. It's hard for me to think I can look funnier to them, as the sight of me in general invokes laughter all around.

When I first arrived I remember a time when it began to rain when I was taking a boda boda home, and we had to speed to try to avoid getting soaked. It became too much so we had to finally stop in a shop, and wait out the rain in a shopkeepers home. I loved it. I thought it was thrilling. Now that the rain isn’t an adventure one Sunday afternoon, and has to be integrated in my daily life, I am far less thrilled. I definitely miss being able to escape the few times a year it rains in San Diego, in a warm car, and not having to adjust or cancel any plans, except maybe a day of tanning at the beach. The rain here is a much different story. It comes everyday. I am lucky when it comes after I have finished all I need to do in town, and leisurely walked back home. This is not usually the case. At least I am getting less stubborn, and give in and take bodas when I know rain is imminent.

The best part of the rain is that no matter how bad it is to get home, there is always a warm cup of chai waiting for me, which makes up for most of the trouble.

I am going on an adventure!

2008-07-14T03:10:00.001-07:00

We are going for our midterm retreat this thursday. I am so excited. Unfortunately I have to miss my host sisters birthday, but I feel it will be worth her slight annoyance with me at the moment. I made her home made pizza and cookies yesterday, and had some other Mzungos over so I think that helped.

We are going to lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate. I will be able to ride a bike or walk with animals in a national park. I cannot wait. I love being in Kenya, but when I am in Kakamega we are usually working, having meetings, writing proposals, and hanging out with our host families (mainly cooking). This little adventure is much needed. I will finally have pictures of Kenya, other than the many I have now of my host sister and her friends modeling for me, as is all they want to do since they saw the camera. I will have pictures to put up soon, but for now above photos are of where I am going (hopefully we will see these things.)

If your bored....send me a letter!

2008-07-07T06:27:00.001-07:00

I have an address. If you are bored, you are more than welcome to send me a letter.

Alyssa Kitlas
C/O Angie Muthee
P.O. Box 1124
Kakamega Kenya 50100

Mzungu, Mzungu!!

2008-07-06T23:58:00.000-07:00

"Mzungu, Mzungu"....."How are you?"

It would be an understatement to say that I don't fit in, in Kenya. I have lost my identity, and suddenly become "Mzungu." Mzungu, as you can guess, means foreigner or white person. It originated from the meaning of person who travels. This is who I now am.

"How are you??" Everywhere I go I am greeted this way. Even when I reply, the small children ask again. They love the opportunity to ask. It is about a ten minute walk from my work, down a long and busy road, and I think I am asked how I am and referred to as a Mzungu over 200 times, each way. I have decided that I definitely never want to be famous. It is nice to blend in from time to time, and that opportunity for me is now confined to none public spaces.

It's definitely a blessing and a curse. On days when I am happy, I absolutely love the multitude of opportunities to interact with others. When I am a little homesick, it makes me want to go home more to avoid being so noticeable. I will revile in the lack of attention and notice when I return to California.

Another thing that is frustrating is the fact that all I mean to them, is someone with money. Every day people just ask me to give them things. My favorite was when this little girl yelled "Give me my pen, Mzungu!" The funny thing was I hadn't realized I took her pen. I understand that this is the way things are here. People get money and other things when people give it to them. There is definite AID mentality here. It makes me just feel a little uncomfortable. I try to explain that yes, there is more money comparatively in America, but things cost so much more. Especially for people like myself, who are students. They can't get their preconception out of their minds that the roads in America are literally paved in gold, and that you get so much money for doing nothing. If this America exists, I hope I can find it soon too.

I think one of the souvenirs I will return to America with will be patience. The internet in Kakamega requires me to find it as soon as I can. The internet has had a grudge with me, and has only been working when I am too busy to use it, and when I am free it has decided it doesn't want to work. This is one of the reasons my emails and updates have not been as frequent as hoped.

Not everything has been frustrating so far. This town is such a beautiful town. The first week here we stayed in a guest house, took Kiswahili lessons (which I apparently absorbed little of), and went over our internship goals and different development issues in Kenya. It was a great week. A nice way to ease into this new and very different environment. I love the other interns.

Last weekend I moved in with my host family. I absolutely love them. I couldn't have asked for a better home. I have three host siblings, two of which live at home while the other goes to boarding school. My host sister, Valerie is eight (nine in 2 weeks) and my host brother Andrew is 13. They are so entertaining and fun. They take good care of me. My host parents are both teachers, one teaching in the local high school with the other as a lecturer at the university.

The other interns and myself had a bbq for forth of July. We celebrated our independence by setting off fire crackers, eating potato and pasta salad, watermelon, fish, and venting about the things that frustrated us. It is nice to have a wonderful group of Americans to see from time to time, to share what were going through, and to take a break with. We meet every week for drinks and de-stress.

I have been walking everywhere, and starting to take Yoga lessons from one of the other interns (Brenna- My roommate the first week. I adore her). It is necessary if I expect to fit in my wet suit when I return. The Kenyan diet is full of carbs (Chipati, Ugali, and Rice....oh my) and salad is hard to find. I definitely do not recommend coming here if your on a diet or looking to lose weight. I love the food though, and keep eating, and thus am desperate to get an exercise I can get. Last week I played football with the street children I work with, before we gave them lunch, and realized yoga will be needed daily.

Well I hope all is well, and I will try to update more regularly.

Jambo from Kenya!

2008-06-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

I have arrived safely in Kenya. It has been a rough trip to say the least. I have little time to elaborate, but have managed to lose my bag already after an hour and a half delay in London-Heathrow. At least half the plane did as well, which made me less nervous about getting it back, but difficult to get through the line to report its absence. Things are going well other than these setbacks, and although I just want to change out of my clothes from Yesterday, I have been exploring Nairobi and enjoying the company of the other interns. I will be heading to Kakamega tomorrow. Hopefully, with my bag.

Why is Kenya on the other side of my finals?

2008-06-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

My mind is far ahead of my body, and already has journeyed to Kenya, while my body has a week left in the real world. Unfortunately, finals stand between here and there, and they are difficult when your mind is not longer here, but there, waiting for you anxiously and excitedly. Why is Kenya on the other side of my finals? The scary thing is that I will be there before I know it, and only have finals to show for it. I wish I could spend this last week enjoying San Diego with my friends before I have to say goodbye. Most of the people who will watch me go, will not be here to see me when I return.

Going, Going, Almost Gone

2008-06-08T19:10:00.001-07:00

In my eyes, my Going Away Shindig/Fundraiser was more than successful. I didn't expect it to be as fun as it was. I was sick with nervousness and anxiety for three days leading up to it and it turned out to be a waste of emotion, as it was the perfect note to leave on. I realized how many amazing and generous people I have in my life. I am so thankful for each and every one of them. The relief that came with the end of the party was great, as now I only feel excitement when thinking about leaving, although a little sadness appears from time to time, having to say goodbye to so many amazing people, most of which will not be here when I return. I want to thank everyone who was involved. I will be thinking of each and every one of you when I am in Kenya.

I loved this picture of Renee and Amanda. They have made the Pannikin a home to me and have been so helpful and encouraging with everything. Thanks guys!

17 Days Until Kenya

2008-06-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

I am going to be in Kenya in a little less than two weeks. This is all a little hard to comprehend. Although I have moderate travel experience, this trip is so unlike anything I have previously done, so now I cannot even imagine what this will be like. My nerves are a mess right now.

I will be spending the next three months living in Kakamega, Kenya, a town in Western Kenya near the Ugandan border and Lake Victoria. I will be working through an organization called the Foundation for Sustainable Development. My three month internship will be with an organization in Kakamega, called Rush, in which I will do community outreach with women and children who have HIV/AIDS. I will be living with a family in Kenya, and will be working to help create and implement a project that is sustainable and will help the community I am living with. This is such an exciting opportunity, as my university career has centered around studying these types of projects and the work I will be doing. It is so hard to imagine everything I have learned about in my classes, actually being my real life.

The pre-trip preparations have been difficult, with anxiety taking over more and more frequently. I cannot remember feeling this way before I went on Semester at Sea. It puzzles me as to how calm I could have been before my first big trip away from home, being gone for 4 months and visiting 10 countries. With that and many other trips on my travel resume, it would make sense for me to be calm and prepared for what lies ahead. Well maybe ignorance was bliss.