Things I’ve Learned

Since my stay in Kenya is coming to an end, I thought I’d let everyone know a few things I’ve learned.

1) Nairobi and Kenya are not as scary as I made them out to be or other people made them out to be.
2) I can actually handle living in Nairobi and Kenya. It’s just like any other big city. You just have to be smart.
3) HIV is also not as scary as it’s made out to be.
4) HIV-positive kids are just like any other kids.
5) Swahili culture is much more conservative than U.S. or European cultures.
6) There is hardly any public display of affection between a man and a woman. And women have hardly any say in the
bedroom.
7) Men, who are not homosexual, will hold hands when they’re hanging out together.
8) Everyone no matter if you’re rich or poor dresses nicely. T-shirts and jeans are hardly ever worn.
9) I’ve learned how much I miss a fountain Diet Coke.
10) In Kenya, there is such a large taboo around sex and such a large discrimination against HIV-positive people.
11) There is pretty much no middle class. It’s the haves and the have-nots. There is poverty like I’ve never seen before.
12) There are days where I love Kenya and days where I hate Kenya.
13) I’ve learned how much I miss a good salad or fruit that I can’t peel like grapes and strawberries.
14) Everything takes three times longer here than it does in the U.S.
12) In order to keep your sanity, you have to learn to go with the flow and be patient. You have no control over when a
matatu will arrive, or if the electricity will go off, or if the interview you set up with someone will suddenly be cancelled
for no good reason or if the police decide to randomly stop traffic.
13) I’ve learned how helpless you can feel when you see poverty like I’ve seen in Kibera.
14) When you’re a thousand miles away, an email, a card and a phone call from the people you love makes all the
difference in the world.
15) When you’re in Nairobi and are white, you absolutely cannot walk at night or risk having a pretty good chance of being
mugged.
16) There is much less freedom of the press in Kenya than there is in U.S.
17) It doesn’t matter how much money you have, if you’re white and are in Kenya, the locals will think you are the richest
person in the world and have “ATM” written on your forehead.
18) International aide does not always solve all the problems because it causes people to be dependent on that aide and
never strive for self-sustainability.
19) The roads in Kenya are some of the worst roads I’ve ever seen.
20) When you travel to a developing country, you need to find ways to escape. In my case, watching Grey’s Anatomy DVD’s
was my escape.
21) For people who get car sick, Dramamine is essential when you come to Kenya.
22) Without checks and balances, those in power can cause detrimental effects to their country.
23) You can meet good people everywhere.
24) When something doesn’t turn out the way you plan, keep your eyes open to other possibilities. Michael and I originally
were coming to Kenya to follow a Lost Boy on his quest to be reunited with his family. But that plan didn’t work out,
and I almost decided to cancel the trip. But if I had, I would have missed out on all the things I’ve learned, all the great
people I’ve met and the stories I’m telling about how people are responding to the rising number of orphans affected
and infected by HIV.
25) When you travel to a place unknown and truly step out of your comfort zone, that’s when you grow the most and learn
the most about yourself.

But most of all, I’ve learned how lucky I am. I feel like it’s very fitting that I’m returning on Thanksgiving Day because this year, more than ever before, I really know what I’m thankful for. I’m thankful that I got the opportunity to go on this trip, for the challenges it’s given me, for how much I’ve learned and how much I’ve grown. I’m thankful that I was born in the U.S. and was given so many opportunities that children in Kenya would kill for. And I’m thankful for my friends, family and boyfriend who I’ve missed so much but will see so soon!