Last week I went to Nairobi for a couple of days to meet up
with my friend Alice (a Burundian living in Kenya), and another CMMB volunteer,
Eric. Eric is a nurse from California who is placed in Mutomo Kenya. Even
though Eric and I only met each other once at orientation, our reunion felt
like I was seeing a long lost friend. I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy
talking to someone who could speak fluent English, let alone is experiencing
exactly what I am experiencing. It was so great to compare our hospitals, and
exchange stories. Together we went to Nairobi National Park. It’s not your
ideal safari, but, I still had fun. Something about seeing an ostrich run
around with a background of skyscrapers doesn’t seem right. We also went to
Bomas of Kenya, a cultural museum that showcases traditional tribal dances, and,
the Elephant Orphanage, one of my favorite places in Kenya. I also dragged him all
around Nairobi to go to a market accompanied by multiple matutu rides. I love
the thrill of bartering for items and experiencing Kenya from a local’s point
of view.
Elephant Orphanage
Eric and I at "1st wifes hut". What a player.
Nairobi National Park
Bomas of Kenya. How is it I'm always the
one picked out of the audience?
The ten pounds that I have lost since arrival is coming back
with vengeance after this trip. So much eating!!! My favorite place we ate at
was called Carnivore. Carnivore has been labeled one of the best 50 restaurants
in the world. All I can really say is the name certainly matches the menu. Carnivore
has a set menu offering everything from chicken and lamb, to ostrich and ox
testicle. I can now officially say I have abandoned my vegetarian ways. 2.5
years down the drain.
Finally, we went to a
Nakumatt (Kenya’s version of Walmart). After living in a village for two plus
months seeing the Nakumatt in Nairobi was reverse culture shock. Full of cheese,
white girl shampoo, and Nutella… you can get anything you want there. If I let
myself I could have spent hours in the store looking in awe at the items.
In my village we have none of this, I’m lucky if I can get something other than
starch for a meal. Nairobi is full of consumerism, just like America. Before
leaving I stocked up on apples, Nutella and chocolate, that’s a well-balanced
diet right? Alice, Eric and I finished our day off by demolishing two large
pizzas (with cheese) and ice-cream. It’s actually quite vulgar how much I ate.
Alice and I at Carnivore.
2.5 years ruined
Carnivore. Yummy!
Although I joke, being in Nairobi really was a reverse
culture shock. I live in village were daily activities are centered around
fetching water, carving soap stone, planting and cultivating crops. People’s daily
lives are dedicated to survival. To put
it into perspective, people are often so poor they only have one pair of shoes,
which is meant strictly for church. It’s amazing the gap between the rich and
the poor. In Nairobi you can get anything you want, while in Tabaka people are
currently stocking up on food because they know within a short few
months there will be the annual food shortage they have grown accustom to.
Like I said, going to Nairobi was a really good for me. It
was good to be able to leave, regroup, think and reflect on my work. Sometimes
I get so down because I feel like I’m constantly fighting. Fighting ignorance, and
fighting the situation. Never have I walked away from work completely content
with my day. I always feel like more could have been done. It’s draining to be
fully aware that if people were better educated, resources were accessible, and
money was not an issue the outcome of many of my patients may be different.
Being away from it for a few days really made me reflect on the fact I do love these
people, I do love my work, and I am here to help in any way I can. I can’t lose
enthusiasm.
It’s also about time to clear up some misconceptions about
where I am living. I have gotten so many questions pertaining to my living
environment. I forget that people often think of Africa in its entirety and
what they see on Animal Planet.
First things first, I live in Kenya. When people say I live
in Africa remember Africa is a continent not a country. You can’t generalize
where I live… shoot, you can’t even generalize Kenya, it’s literally a melting
pot of culture. Contrary to what people
think I do not live in the desert, nor do I live in a mud hut. However, many
people do live in mud houses with iron sheet roofs. I live in a compound within the hospital
grounds, within the village of Tabaka. We have one “road” (a rocky muddy path)
going to and from my village. My living conditions are actually very nice,
however, the electricity often goes in and out, leaving me eating many dinners
in the dark. I do not have lions in backyard, but, I have seen the occasional
zebra or two while driving from Nairobi to Tabaka (Masai Land). My village is
in the hills so we get a lot of rain. Rainfall is good because we have a lot of
food compared to other places in Kenya. But with rain comes mosquitos, making
malaria very common in this region.
Most people are very poor, but, this area is blessed with a
good climate to grow food. Avocados and mangos are abundant. Also, this
area is blessed with an abundance of soap stone. The locals use it to make
carvings which produce a great deal of income. However, people still struggle
to eat, and pay school fees. When we don’t get rain people often walk miles for
the next source of water. Unfortunately, I have experienced the effects of
drought once since I have been here. Never before have I valued water so much.
You don’t realize how much water you use until you don’t have any. Tabaka itself
is a very safe village. The only thing you need to watch out for is the driving
and the locally brewed spirit (alcohol). I hear it’s very potent and often
deadly. I stick to Tusker (a Kenyan beer) when I drink. Although, I feel very
safe within the village, when traveling to other parts of the country the
presence of al-Shabaab is lurking in the back of my mind.
Tabaka, look how green.
The road.
Home. The building I live in.
We also have many tribes where I live, the predominate tribe
is the Kisii tribe. Kisiis are a very interesting group of people with an
interesting set of values. They are very friendly and sociable. They can often
be seen late at night standing around on the side of the road talking to each
other… about absolutely nothing! Their tribal traditions include circumcision
for both male and female (female circumcision is not legal in Kenya), polygamy,
and some of them (not all) practice witch craft. Their “mother tongue” is Kisii which is
surprisingly very different from Kiswahili. We also have another less predominate
tribe near this region called the Masai. I LOVE this tribe. They are one of the
few tribes that visibly stick to their traditional values and customs. They
often come into the hospital with very elaborate dress and jewelry. They gauge
their ears to the point where their earlobes often touch their shoulders. Known
for being rich and owning many cows, at the hospital when they talk about
payment, they often talk in terms of cows. How many cows will I need to sell to
pay for this hospitalization? I am an expert on the going rate for a cow around
here.
I have a feeling I’m not in Maryland anymore.
Masai lady
Masai man
Buying a cow at the local market.
18,800 ksh.
.JPG)
Beautiful local children.
Rabbit. We had him for dinner.
