The blog -- I just haven't gotten around to deleting this far back yet. So here is remains and of minor interest in the world 9/09
September 18, 2007
I have been a moody grouch this week. I don’t know what happened.. well I do and I’ll tell you.. basically I have been despondent about the state of the world, and the way money runs everything etc etc.. I started classroom visits on top of this, and a consideration of the unsurmountable problems in the education world just about put me over the top. It was a pretty bad low to be honest. I wanted to dial back my life a couple of years and wake up in my bed on Wood Street. But as I was explaining to Jase on the phone this morning I have felt much cheerier since my humungous vomiting bout at midnight past. He thought throwing up depression was a good idea, and so now I am beginning to think part of the reason I was in such a slump was I was actually ill. I just hope it hasn’t put me off ndengue and rice for life.
Today I had a meeting with my program manager from VSO and I outlined all the project limitations from the top down. A really tight research study, both manageable and logistically feasible then emerged from the debris. Dinner followed and I had the pleasure of some pretty interesting company, and actually this is what has led me to write.
Sometimes I wonder why anyone bothers coming to Kenya or anywhere to do anything. It’s like wading through mud and to what end? In my work there are 400 classrooms involved in a project that sits on certain basic assumptions. Ideas like: head teachers support classroom teachers, and the Ministry of Education supports the schools. Like: children will attend school for more than 4 hours a day and approximately 6 months a year. Perhaps: children have pencils and papers and that the teaching is individualized to meet the needs of the learners. So when you go to a classroom and realize that speech concerns are like pimples on a warthog.. well.. there are only two solutions that come to me.. 1. an extended nap or 2. a good stiff drink. Anyway.. there’s my response and then there are people who take a project and turn it into something AMAZING. So I’ll write about that instead.
Kamlesh is a volunteer, and for the life of me I have no idea what organization he is with, a university? polytechnic? Who knows.. anyway he was given the job of increasing revenue (NGO speak: enterprise development). I am sure this position also has 609 constraints, and yet this is what he did. He worked at improving the cafeteria to generate income and increase business so that the people who produced the vegetables and other food stuffs got used to consistently supplying the goods. Farmers are often locked out of the market, but with the cafeteria buying products, farmers incomes have gone from around 400 kenyan shillings per month (~$6) to 1700 kenyan shillings per month ($25). He also expanded what was available by using the now highly successful cafeteria as a testing ground. Once he got his suppliers up and running he started going outside the organization to other businesses. For example, they buy 1 day old chicks and rear then for 8 weeks and sell them to restaurants and supermarkets. They make 50-100 Kenyan shillings per hen. When he arrived they sold 300 chickens a month. They are now selling something like 6000 a week. This surge of money is truly improving the quality of people’s lives. Suppliers are actually able to make a living.
So. This may seem like a stupid blog entry, but I’m feeling better. In summary. Good can be done. There is hope..
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
September 10, 2007
I have had guests more or less straight through since June, and so I have been getting about for pleasure rather more than I otherwise would have been. Abbie has gone, Dave arrived and left, Denise is currently here and leaves Thursday.
But I want to write about Zanzibar. It isn’t the most recent adventure. But it was recently. As a prelude, let me just say it was the heaven of heavens.
Zanzibar
Ever since I learned there was a Zanzibar, I have wanted to go there. It seemed like it would be an amazing place to visit because let’s see.. white sandy beach, seafood, blue waters, exotic location. I also always thought I should honey moon there (though to be fair Nova Scotia was a perfectly nice island too). When I realized I was getting divorced I wanted to sequester myself there for a month. It’s been on my mind for many years, but the thing that actually got me there was so mundane.. a conference. An occupational therapy conference of all things.
Living in Kenya and mixing with travelers you hear some fairly horrendous stories from time to time. Stories that include robbings, muggings, the occasional thwarted kidnapping. Over the years the worst stories, the ones that chill me to the bone have all by some coincidence occurred in Tanzania. I haven’t therefore really gone further south than Dianni beach though I am sure the same sorts of things could have as easily happened in Kenya or Malawi.
But anyway.. Dave and I arrive in Dar es Salaam and it’s a zoo. Immigration is a throbbing mess, it’s unclear where to stand and we have no American currency to get our visas. After much debate I just walk through immigration, pull Dave’s bag off the conveyor belt and return with all the dollars he’s stashed in his luggage (not really a recommended practice I might add). I share this experience in a few sentences, but the reality took close to two hours.
Once through the booths of stern men with big rubber stamps we were convinced by a baggage handler we had missed the last ferry to Zanzibar that goes at 4pm and we should fly to Stone Town. We thought we would and then once we were taken to a dodgy back room featureless save the extraordinarily crappy furniture we decided to go to the port and see for ourselves.
The next 45 minutes were fairly insane in retrospect. But they basically went like this:
- Get in a cab which we pay small fortune for with last of our dollars (the
return taxi turns out to be 1/3 of the price)
- Get stuck in traffic, 4:00 well and truly ticking by
- Arrive at port. Told that ferry is still there. Dave and I between us cannot generate the required amount of money for tickets in Kenyan Shillings or Dollars.
- I leave all the baggage with Dave and literally run to the cash machine and pull out money.. see.. just gets stupider
- We return and I hand some guy the equivalent of $120
- We attempt to get into the port, but some authority figure turns us back. We can’t even see ferry
- Man runs off with our money.
Dave and I look at each other. Me: “He’s gone hasn’t he? We are so damn stupid. I deserved that.”
- Man reappears (!) still with money and tickets for ferry.
- He fills them in, while I hold the cash
- We get on ferry
So.. it’s true we paid double what the tickets were worth, and it’s true we didn’t have seats but just perched on a bunch of luggage in a non-passenger section for several hours, but we were so happy! Happy to have made it on the ferry, happy to be on the Indian ocean, happy to see the sun set and have the cool breeze on our face.
And this brings me back to my opening point. Zanzibar is so heavenly. You really just have to see for yourself. The food is also unbelievable. There really were no lowlights (for me- Dave gave himself food poisoning), so to give you highlights I’d have to describe each and every meal.
We did so little there. Once we went to the east coast (north of Paje) we sat, swam, read, walked, drank copious amounts of beer and generally lolled about. We stayed in a place right on the beach with no electricity and dinner served on mats by lantern. The stars were endless.
I did actually attend the conference. I did a poster which turned into an impromptu presentation as well as a workshop. I met the other Kenyan attendees and when they asked me to do trainings in coast I finally said something which I need to say more often..”if you sort out the funding and logistics, I will come and provide the knowledge.” VSO did give me $600 to train OT’s in Nyanza and Western province though so hallelujah.
So Zanzibar. Go there. We stayed at Clove Hotel in stone town and Robinson’s Place on the east side. They were both great. I envision myself there for the entire month of December.. sitting out the Kenyan elections. Karibu sana. If no one takes me up on the offer, I have a box of books ready to go.
More soon. B xx
p.s. I hugged a giraffe this week. It was awesome. I haven’t laughed so hard in a really long time. Photos on flickr..
I have had guests more or less straight through since June, and so I have been getting about for pleasure rather more than I otherwise would have been. Abbie has gone, Dave arrived and left, Denise is currently here and leaves Thursday.
But I want to write about Zanzibar. It isn’t the most recent adventure. But it was recently. As a prelude, let me just say it was the heaven of heavens.
Zanzibar
Ever since I learned there was a Zanzibar, I have wanted to go there. It seemed like it would be an amazing place to visit because let’s see.. white sandy beach, seafood, blue waters, exotic location. I also always thought I should honey moon there (though to be fair Nova Scotia was a perfectly nice island too). When I realized I was getting divorced I wanted to sequester myself there for a month. It’s been on my mind for many years, but the thing that actually got me there was so mundane.. a conference. An occupational therapy conference of all things.
Living in Kenya and mixing with travelers you hear some fairly horrendous stories from time to time. Stories that include robbings, muggings, the occasional thwarted kidnapping. Over the years the worst stories, the ones that chill me to the bone have all by some coincidence occurred in Tanzania. I haven’t therefore really gone further south than Dianni beach though I am sure the same sorts of things could have as easily happened in Kenya or Malawi.
But anyway.. Dave and I arrive in Dar es Salaam and it’s a zoo. Immigration is a throbbing mess, it’s unclear where to stand and we have no American currency to get our visas. After much debate I just walk through immigration, pull Dave’s bag off the conveyor belt and return with all the dollars he’s stashed in his luggage (not really a recommended practice I might add). I share this experience in a few sentences, but the reality took close to two hours.
Once through the booths of stern men with big rubber stamps we were convinced by a baggage handler we had missed the last ferry to Zanzibar that goes at 4pm and we should fly to Stone Town. We thought we would and then once we were taken to a dodgy back room featureless save the extraordinarily crappy furniture we decided to go to the port and see for ourselves.
The next 45 minutes were fairly insane in retrospect. But they basically went like this:
- Get in a cab which we pay small fortune for with last of our dollars (the
return taxi turns out to be 1/3 of the price)
- Get stuck in traffic, 4:00 well and truly ticking by
- Arrive at port. Told that ferry is still there. Dave and I between us cannot generate the required amount of money for tickets in Kenyan Shillings or Dollars.
- I leave all the baggage with Dave and literally run to the cash machine and pull out money.. see.. just gets stupider
- We return and I hand some guy the equivalent of $120
- We attempt to get into the port, but some authority figure turns us back. We can’t even see ferry
- Man runs off with our money.
Dave and I look at each other. Me: “He’s gone hasn’t he? We are so damn stupid. I deserved that.”
- Man reappears (!) still with money and tickets for ferry.
- He fills them in, while I hold the cash
- We get on ferry
So.. it’s true we paid double what the tickets were worth, and it’s true we didn’t have seats but just perched on a bunch of luggage in a non-passenger section for several hours, but we were so happy! Happy to have made it on the ferry, happy to be on the Indian ocean, happy to see the sun set and have the cool breeze on our face.
And this brings me back to my opening point. Zanzibar is so heavenly. You really just have to see for yourself. The food is also unbelievable. There really were no lowlights (for me- Dave gave himself food poisoning), so to give you highlights I’d have to describe each and every meal.
We did so little there. Once we went to the east coast (north of Paje) we sat, swam, read, walked, drank copious amounts of beer and generally lolled about. We stayed in a place right on the beach with no electricity and dinner served on mats by lantern. The stars were endless.
I did actually attend the conference. I did a poster which turned into an impromptu presentation as well as a workshop. I met the other Kenyan attendees and when they asked me to do trainings in coast I finally said something which I need to say more often..”if you sort out the funding and logistics, I will come and provide the knowledge.” VSO did give me $600 to train OT’s in Nyanza and Western province though so hallelujah.
So Zanzibar. Go there. We stayed at Clove Hotel in stone town and Robinson’s Place on the east side. They were both great. I envision myself there for the entire month of December.. sitting out the Kenyan elections. Karibu sana. If no one takes me up on the offer, I have a box of books ready to go.
More soon. B xx
p.s. I hugged a giraffe this week. It was awesome. I haven’t laughed so hard in a really long time. Photos on flickr..
Sunday, September 02, 2007
September 1, 2007
The weeks are behind me like the miles of dusty Kenyan road and it’s hard to recall what I have been doing with my time. But finally I feel like I have a moment (and a new power cord enabling computer use at home) so I will attempt to recapture the travels I have been on.
Somewhere.
Abbie appeared in Nairobi the night she said she would. I hadn’t expected it, thinking that perhaps the new friends and Nakuru would hold her a little longer. But there she was and we were no closer to deciding what to do with our time. As my dad says “you only has so much time, and you only have so much money.” These were our parameters and truthfully not very helpful ones given the options.
We got up Tuesday morning and headed to the airport to try and fly to the coast, but Fly 540 claimed they didn’t know where their planes were and Kenyan Airlines were full, so that left us at square 1. Our backup plan had been Arusha, but we decided that no, we’d go back to itinerary #362 and thus ended in Naivasha. I am so very glad we did.
There.
Josephat lives in Naivasha. Though he is from Samburu originally he has lived there for the last 10 years or so with his grandmother. Tragedy strikes his family with an alarming frequency and his story telling is always melodramatic. I think he might be 23, self educated for the most part and so smart about so many things that if you have to spend three days hiking around the Rift Valley of course you would want to do it with Josephat (for the conversation alone). I know him because he is more or less an old flame of Tanya’s. “She opened up a new world to me” he says. Well I am sure she did.
Across.
So Tuesday night found me, glass of cold white wine in hand, looking over Lake Naivasha at the moon and stars, listening to the hippos splashing at the water’s edge and recalling why it is I had moved here. P. may constantly groan about all the white girl ‘big sky’ references, but I am compelled to write about it. Naivasha is known for its endless sky, isn’t that why you go there?
The lake is serenity, especially on a clear night.
In.
Wednesday then, we left early and biked into Hell’s Gate National Park. It is so beautiful there. We biked and looked at animals, biked and looked at animals. We did a little off roading through the bush. What fun!
When we got to the gorge we hiked in. Really by this point all I could think of was lunch which was my sole responsibility for the excursion. And it was delicious! Peanut butter and salt & vinegar chip sandwiches. I thought I had never eaten anything so good in my life.
That afternoon Abbie and I became the dorkiest people I know. We spent it collecting rocks, substantially extending the amount of time it would typically take getting down the gorge. It was such good old fashioned fun. The Rift Valley was formed (and this is a very loose and not necessarily correct interpretation of the scientific processes that occurred in the area) when two techtonic plates shifted. When whatever happended happened, it left a valley that drops perhaps 9000 metres at some point west of Nairobi. On the valley floor there are five lakes (crater, Nakuru, Bogoria, Baringo, Elmenteita & Naivasha) which apparently used to be one before this geographical activity. There is also Mount Longonot and a crater or two to say the least. Anyway, I tell you all this because with all the past volcanic activity the rocks are very very interesting and varied!
Abbie and I spent literally hours collecting samples of different rocks, and when I migrated from just the pretty sparkly black ones I had to limit myself to only one pocketful which meant a constant reassessment of my set.
Anyway hours later we emerged and getting back on the bike felt like a form of torture. I really had to ride the last 5 km on one butt cheek, it was terrible. By the time we got back to our accommodation my legs definitely had the wobbles and my skin was barbequed (apparently doxy makes you photosensitive, I would have thought this an important bit of info from my dr. but oh well!).
There was some drama with a buffalo, but as Josephat took care of it, I’ll not venture further down that path.
Up.
So Thursday we hiked Mount Longonot. It was amazing. We were joined by an Australian Felicity and I think I will let the photos speak for the beauty of the view. We were the sky. The avocado and cheese sandwiches at the top were definitely the best thing I had eaten since lunch the day before. I want a sash that says “Picnic Queen.”
Going down there was some drama with armed bandits/poachers, but as Josephat took care of it, we took a different path.
At.
Friday, as you might imagine, our enthusiasm for all this walking about malarkey had ebbed somewhat. We hiked to Crater Lake. We didn’t do it with half the bounce we might have earlier in the week. Actually the only thing pushing me on is that I thought we might be able to get a swank lunch at the lodge. Crater Lake, whilst green and small, is very pretty. Definitely worth a visit, though perhaps when your body feels a little less like mine did.
I have to say all the fresh air, wonderful conversation and exercise was fabulous. I really felt like I had gotten away. It was a holiday.
Beside.
Friday night I headed back to Nairobi for P’s book opening. A Canadian journalist pointed out that it was strangely comforting that book openings are the same everywhere in the world. Anyway, it was very nice
Over.
So since then.. well to prevent this becoming an epic entry I’ll just say we were in the Masai Mara. It was nice. The food was terrible (a letter to Savuka Travel is in the works). I can tolerate pit latrines and mosquitos but bad food is just ridiculous. The best bit about the trip was actually the company. There were a couple who live and work in Sudan and interestingly, just the day before I had applied for a position in Southern Sudan (dad I will not fight with you about this until it is actually a possibility). Anyway, they were very funny and very nice.
This morning I am sitting on the sofa drinking tea, and preparing for the conference in Zanzibar next week. I will eat Dave’s mndazi if he doesn’t get up soon, but it is so nice to be at home sleeping in my own bed.
I’m likely to be offline for the next couple of weeks. I am headed to that heavenly island Monday and then Dave leaves/Denise arrives and I go to Kajiado to make classroom visits. Amboseli is also in the plans before coming back to Kisumu.
So.. Soon. B xx
The weeks are behind me like the miles of dusty Kenyan road and it’s hard to recall what I have been doing with my time. But finally I feel like I have a moment (and a new power cord enabling computer use at home) so I will attempt to recapture the travels I have been on.
Somewhere.
Abbie appeared in Nairobi the night she said she would. I hadn’t expected it, thinking that perhaps the new friends and Nakuru would hold her a little longer. But there she was and we were no closer to deciding what to do with our time. As my dad says “you only has so much time, and you only have so much money.” These were our parameters and truthfully not very helpful ones given the options.
We got up Tuesday morning and headed to the airport to try and fly to the coast, but Fly 540 claimed they didn’t know where their planes were and Kenyan Airlines were full, so that left us at square 1. Our backup plan had been Arusha, but we decided that no, we’d go back to itinerary #362 and thus ended in Naivasha. I am so very glad we did.
There.
Josephat lives in Naivasha. Though he is from Samburu originally he has lived there for the last 10 years or so with his grandmother. Tragedy strikes his family with an alarming frequency and his story telling is always melodramatic. I think he might be 23, self educated for the most part and so smart about so many things that if you have to spend three days hiking around the Rift Valley of course you would want to do it with Josephat (for the conversation alone). I know him because he is more or less an old flame of Tanya’s. “She opened up a new world to me” he says. Well I am sure she did.
Across.
So Tuesday night found me, glass of cold white wine in hand, looking over Lake Naivasha at the moon and stars, listening to the hippos splashing at the water’s edge and recalling why it is I had moved here. P. may constantly groan about all the white girl ‘big sky’ references, but I am compelled to write about it. Naivasha is known for its endless sky, isn’t that why you go there?
The lake is serenity, especially on a clear night.
In.
Wednesday then, we left early and biked into Hell’s Gate National Park. It is so beautiful there. We biked and looked at animals, biked and looked at animals. We did a little off roading through the bush. What fun!
When we got to the gorge we hiked in. Really by this point all I could think of was lunch which was my sole responsibility for the excursion. And it was delicious! Peanut butter and salt & vinegar chip sandwiches. I thought I had never eaten anything so good in my life.
That afternoon Abbie and I became the dorkiest people I know. We spent it collecting rocks, substantially extending the amount of time it would typically take getting down the gorge. It was such good old fashioned fun. The Rift Valley was formed (and this is a very loose and not necessarily correct interpretation of the scientific processes that occurred in the area) when two techtonic plates shifted. When whatever happended happened, it left a valley that drops perhaps 9000 metres at some point west of Nairobi. On the valley floor there are five lakes (crater, Nakuru, Bogoria, Baringo, Elmenteita & Naivasha) which apparently used to be one before this geographical activity. There is also Mount Longonot and a crater or two to say the least. Anyway, I tell you all this because with all the past volcanic activity the rocks are very very interesting and varied!
Abbie and I spent literally hours collecting samples of different rocks, and when I migrated from just the pretty sparkly black ones I had to limit myself to only one pocketful which meant a constant reassessment of my set.
Anyway hours later we emerged and getting back on the bike felt like a form of torture. I really had to ride the last 5 km on one butt cheek, it was terrible. By the time we got back to our accommodation my legs definitely had the wobbles and my skin was barbequed (apparently doxy makes you photosensitive, I would have thought this an important bit of info from my dr. but oh well!).
There was some drama with a buffalo, but as Josephat took care of it, I’ll not venture further down that path.
Up.
So Thursday we hiked Mount Longonot. It was amazing. We were joined by an Australian Felicity and I think I will let the photos speak for the beauty of the view. We were the sky. The avocado and cheese sandwiches at the top were definitely the best thing I had eaten since lunch the day before. I want a sash that says “Picnic Queen.”
Going down there was some drama with armed bandits/poachers, but as Josephat took care of it, we took a different path.
At.
Friday, as you might imagine, our enthusiasm for all this walking about malarkey had ebbed somewhat. We hiked to Crater Lake. We didn’t do it with half the bounce we might have earlier in the week. Actually the only thing pushing me on is that I thought we might be able to get a swank lunch at the lodge. Crater Lake, whilst green and small, is very pretty. Definitely worth a visit, though perhaps when your body feels a little less like mine did.
I have to say all the fresh air, wonderful conversation and exercise was fabulous. I really felt like I had gotten away. It was a holiday.
Beside.
Friday night I headed back to Nairobi for P’s book opening. A Canadian journalist pointed out that it was strangely comforting that book openings are the same everywhere in the world. Anyway, it was very nice
Over.
So since then.. well to prevent this becoming an epic entry I’ll just say we were in the Masai Mara. It was nice. The food was terrible (a letter to Savuka Travel is in the works). I can tolerate pit latrines and mosquitos but bad food is just ridiculous. The best bit about the trip was actually the company. There were a couple who live and work in Sudan and interestingly, just the day before I had applied for a position in Southern Sudan (dad I will not fight with you about this until it is actually a possibility). Anyway, they were very funny and very nice.
This morning I am sitting on the sofa drinking tea, and preparing for the conference in Zanzibar next week. I will eat Dave’s mndazi if he doesn’t get up soon, but it is so nice to be at home sleeping in my own bed.
I’m likely to be offline for the next couple of weeks. I am headed to that heavenly island Monday and then Dave leaves/Denise arrives and I go to Kajiado to make classroom visits. Amboseli is also in the plans before coming back to Kisumu.
So.. Soon. B xx
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