I made it!! After 34 hours of traveling, I finally arrived in Nashville at 5:30 PM last night. We flew from Nairobi to London (9 hrs), London to New York (7.5 hrs), New York to Cincinnati (2.5 hours) and Cincinnati to Nashville (1 hr). Plus, we had layovers in between. And only one of my bags didn’t make it all the way through. It got left in Cincinnati and took the next flight to Nashville, and it was dropped off at my mom’s house later that night.
Andrew, my mom, my sister, my brother-n-law and my four nieces and nephews were all at the airport waiting for me. Words can’t explain how happy I was to see them all. We’re celebrating Thanksgiving today (Friday) because we were scared I wouldn’t make it in time. So instead of turkey, we had lasagna and a big Greek salad for dinner. And my friends, Elizabeth and Jake, stopped by to see me.
After taking a shower and now just using the Internet, I’ve realized how much I’ve missed strong water pressure in the shower and high speed Internet! Unforunately, I’m dealing with a bit of jetlag. It’s 4 AM (Nashville time) in the morning and I’m wide awake because my body thinks it’s 1 PM (Nairobi time). But hopefully I’ll adjust soon.
I intend to write several stories from my trip and freelance them to several different publications. Once something is published, I’ll update my blog with a link to the story.
Thank you all for reading my blog these past two months. This trip changed my life. I’ll never look at the world in the way I used to. I’ve learned so much about myself, Kenya, HIV/AIDS and the world. And I hope I’ve been able to open your eyes about a few of those things through my blog.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Remembering Father D’Agostino and Going Home!
On Tuesday, we met Shashank, who works for McClatchy here in Nairobi, for lunch at The Swahili Corner downtown. I got chicken marinated in Swahili spices, kale and jipati, which are all traditional Kenyan and Swahili food.
Then we went to Nyumbani to say goodbye to Donna and Bernard. They just received good news. Their first court date is December 7th.
I hung out with Winnie, who is the little girl I’ve absolutely fallen in love with. I gave her a stuffed animal I had brought to Kenya with me, and she loved it!
When it was finally time to go to Father D’Agostino’s memorial service and I had to put her down, she wouldn’t let go of me. My heart about melted at that point.
I REALLY want someone to adopt her. I’ve already checked, and I can’t because I’m not old enough. In order to adopt a child in Kenya, you have to be more than 21 years older than the child among other things. Winnie is 3, and I’m 23 so I’m not eligible.
The papal nuncio, who is the pope’s representative in Kenya, led the memorial mass for Father D’Agostino, who was the founder of Nyumbani.
The children sang and danced.
Priests, children, volunteers, board members and staff members all said different prayers.
And Sister Mary, who is now the executive director of Nyumbani, said while she and everyone at Nyumbani missed Father D’Ag’s inspiration, courage and compassion, they would not mourn today because Father D’Ag instead would have wanted everyone to persevere in Nyumbani’s mission-- helping HIV-positive orphans throughout Kenya-- instead of mourning his death.
After the ceremony, we visited the gravesite of Father D’Ag where the Nyumbani nuns and children spread flowers and water over his grave and had a moment of silence.
Attending Father D’Ag’s memorial service was the perfect way to spend our last night in Kenya because pretty much everything we’ve done in Kenya has revolved around Nyumbani and none of that would have been possible without Father D’Ag.
We begin our journey home tonight (Wednesday) at 11:20 PM. We fly from Nairobi to London, London to New York, New York to Cincinnati, and Cincinnati to Nashville. We finally arrive in Nashville at 5:30 PM on Thursday.
I can’t believe my trip is over. In some ways I feel like I just got here yesterday and in some ways, I feel like I’ve been here for a long time. But nonetheless, I’m so excited to be going home!
The next time I update this blog, I’ll be on U.S. soil!!!!
Then we went to Nyumbani to say goodbye to Donna and Bernard. They just received good news. Their first court date is December 7th.
I hung out with Winnie, who is the little girl I’ve absolutely fallen in love with. I gave her a stuffed animal I had brought to Kenya with me, and she loved it!
When it was finally time to go to Father D’Agostino’s memorial service and I had to put her down, she wouldn’t let go of me. My heart about melted at that point.
I REALLY want someone to adopt her. I’ve already checked, and I can’t because I’m not old enough. In order to adopt a child in Kenya, you have to be more than 21 years older than the child among other things. Winnie is 3, and I’m 23 so I’m not eligible.
The papal nuncio, who is the pope’s representative in Kenya, led the memorial mass for Father D’Agostino, who was the founder of Nyumbani.
The children sang and danced.
Priests, children, volunteers, board members and staff members all said different prayers.
And Sister Mary, who is now the executive director of Nyumbani, said while she and everyone at Nyumbani missed Father D’Ag’s inspiration, courage and compassion, they would not mourn today because Father D’Ag instead would have wanted everyone to persevere in Nyumbani’s mission-- helping HIV-positive orphans throughout Kenya-- instead of mourning his death.
After the ceremony, we visited the gravesite of Father D’Ag where the Nyumbani nuns and children spread flowers and water over his grave and had a moment of silence.
Attending Father D’Ag’s memorial service was the perfect way to spend our last night in Kenya because pretty much everything we’ve done in Kenya has revolved around Nyumbani and none of that would have been possible without Father D’Ag.
We begin our journey home tonight (Wednesday) at 11:20 PM. We fly from Nairobi to London, London to New York, New York to Cincinnati, and Cincinnati to Nashville. We finally arrive in Nashville at 5:30 PM on Thursday.
I can’t believe my trip is over. In some ways I feel like I just got here yesterday and in some ways, I feel like I’ve been here for a long time. But nonetheless, I’m so excited to be going home!
The next time I update this blog, I’ll be on U.S. soil!!!!
Monday, November 19, 2007
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!
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!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
An Escape to Paradise
Thursday, Michael and I flew to Lamu to escape Nairobi for a few days, get a little sun (or in my case too much sun) and relax before we head home to the U.S. next week.
When we had been in the air for about 30 minutes, the pilot announced that there was a problem with the oil and we needed to return to the Nairobi airport to change planes. Honestly, it didn’t surprise me that much. Things are never on time or go as planned here.
We landed at Lamu’s airpot, which actually isn’t on Lamu island itself. It’s on the mainland right across from the island. It has one single landing strip and the terminal consists of several benches covered by a grass-thatched roof.
Lamu is an island off of the northeastern coast of Kenya near the Somalia border.
It’s old and rich in its Swahili culture. It is said that there was a settlement in Lamu 500 years before Christ. Lamu has 25 mosques since everyone from Lamu is Muslim. There are two churches for foreigners to use.
There are only four cars on the entire island that is home to 16,000 people. One belongs to the hospital, one belongs to the police, and the other two belong to the local government.
Everyone walks or rides a donkey to get around or takes a dhow.
There are only two streets that are wide enough for cars to drive on them. Instead, the roads are at times only wide enough for two people to pass each other.
Few of the streets are paved. They’re mostly sand and dirt roads and most people walk around barefoot.
Donkeys roam the streets and the seashore.
I asked a local how people keep track of their donkeys since they seem to just roam around by themselves. He told me that some donkeys have a branding on their legs that identifies them but for the most part, people can just tell by the look of the donkey who it belongs to!
It was dramatically different than Nairobi in terms of safety. Michael and I were able to walk around at night without fear of being robbed. We left our passports, money and my laptop in the room. And anytime we got turned around trying to find our way back through the maze-like village, any of the locals were happy to escort us to our guesthouse.
We stayed in The Banana House, which is named after the owner whose name is actually Banana! It was a quaint, unique place that made you feel right at home.
You take off your shoes when you walk through the doors, rinse your feet into the basin of water, and pop into the kitchen if you’re hungry or thirsty.
Someone is ready to lead you in a yoga class, give you a massage or any other cosmetic treatment.
The Banana House is in a village called Shella, which is about a 40-minute walk from Lamu town. It's a place where everyone knows everyone.
We took a dhow to and from Lamu town whenever we wanted to make a visit there.
Friday, we toured Lamu town, which is a World Heritage City. We saw traditional Muslim homes, ornate carvings on the doors, several mosques, the Lamu fort, and the popular fish, vegetable and fruit, and meat market.
As we walked through the meat market, my stomach got a bit queasy at the sight of chopped off goat heads with their eyes still open.
It poured during our tour of Lamu town. And for the Lamu natives, it was a gift since it hadn’t rained in almost two months.
Saturday, we went on an all-day snorkeling trip with our new friends Steve, Julia and Elizabeth. Steve is from England and Julia and Elizabeth are from Germany, and they’re all working at the German school in Nairobi.
We went to a nearby island and fed the fish jipati, which is basically their version of tortillas and got them to come really close to us.
We saw all different kinds of fish in all different sizes and colors. We also got some beautiful shells to take home with us.
The locals who took us on their boat caught several yellowtails that they cooked for us for lunch. I had never been served a fish with its head and tail still on so it was a new experience picking the meat away from the head and bones.
As we were sailing back to Lamu, we watched the start of a dhow race where the winning boat received 50,000 Kenyan shillings, which is $750!
Later that night, we went to Ali Hippy’s house.
He is an older Lamu man who has been bringing travelers to his home for the last 34 years to have a traditional Swahili dinner and listen to Swahili entertainment. We entered his traditional Muslim home, took off our shoes, and walked into his candle-lit dining room since there was no electricity. We sat in a half-circle on the floor.
His wife poured water on all of our hands so we could wash our hands. There is no soap used, just water. Then his wife and children served us tuna, lobster, coconut rice, vegetables, jipati and desert. The family, which consisted of 18 people, sang traditional Swahili songs while playing drums, a keyboard, and a tambourine.
Ali Hippy is a joyful old man who is the only fat man on the entire island! He said he brings travelers to his home as often as every night of the week. Since he was born in Lamu and has not been anywhere else in the world other than Nairobi for a few weeks, he said he sees the world through the travelers he meets.
Lamu is really unlike any other place on Earth. It’s the definition of relaxing.
And since I have quickly approaching deadlines, it served as a great place to concentrate and write. Other than getting an unbelievable sunburn and getting 31 (yes I counted) mosquito bites, it was a wonderful experience.
When we had been in the air for about 30 minutes, the pilot announced that there was a problem with the oil and we needed to return to the Nairobi airport to change planes. Honestly, it didn’t surprise me that much. Things are never on time or go as planned here.
We landed at Lamu’s airpot, which actually isn’t on Lamu island itself. It’s on the mainland right across from the island. It has one single landing strip and the terminal consists of several benches covered by a grass-thatched roof.
Lamu is an island off of the northeastern coast of Kenya near the Somalia border.
It’s old and rich in its Swahili culture. It is said that there was a settlement in Lamu 500 years before Christ. Lamu has 25 mosques since everyone from Lamu is Muslim. There are two churches for foreigners to use.
There are only four cars on the entire island that is home to 16,000 people. One belongs to the hospital, one belongs to the police, and the other two belong to the local government.
Everyone walks or rides a donkey to get around or takes a dhow.
There are only two streets that are wide enough for cars to drive on them. Instead, the roads are at times only wide enough for two people to pass each other.
Few of the streets are paved. They’re mostly sand and dirt roads and most people walk around barefoot.
Donkeys roam the streets and the seashore.
I asked a local how people keep track of their donkeys since they seem to just roam around by themselves. He told me that some donkeys have a branding on their legs that identifies them but for the most part, people can just tell by the look of the donkey who it belongs to!
It was dramatically different than Nairobi in terms of safety. Michael and I were able to walk around at night without fear of being robbed. We left our passports, money and my laptop in the room. And anytime we got turned around trying to find our way back through the maze-like village, any of the locals were happy to escort us to our guesthouse.
We stayed in The Banana House, which is named after the owner whose name is actually Banana! It was a quaint, unique place that made you feel right at home.
You take off your shoes when you walk through the doors, rinse your feet into the basin of water, and pop into the kitchen if you’re hungry or thirsty.
Someone is ready to lead you in a yoga class, give you a massage or any other cosmetic treatment.
The Banana House is in a village called Shella, which is about a 40-minute walk from Lamu town. It's a place where everyone knows everyone.
We took a dhow to and from Lamu town whenever we wanted to make a visit there.
Friday, we toured Lamu town, which is a World Heritage City. We saw traditional Muslim homes, ornate carvings on the doors, several mosques, the Lamu fort, and the popular fish, vegetable and fruit, and meat market.
As we walked through the meat market, my stomach got a bit queasy at the sight of chopped off goat heads with their eyes still open.
It poured during our tour of Lamu town. And for the Lamu natives, it was a gift since it hadn’t rained in almost two months.
Saturday, we went on an all-day snorkeling trip with our new friends Steve, Julia and Elizabeth. Steve is from England and Julia and Elizabeth are from Germany, and they’re all working at the German school in Nairobi.
We went to a nearby island and fed the fish jipati, which is basically their version of tortillas and got them to come really close to us.
We saw all different kinds of fish in all different sizes and colors. We also got some beautiful shells to take home with us.
The locals who took us on their boat caught several yellowtails that they cooked for us for lunch. I had never been served a fish with its head and tail still on so it was a new experience picking the meat away from the head and bones.
As we were sailing back to Lamu, we watched the start of a dhow race where the winning boat received 50,000 Kenyan shillings, which is $750!
Later that night, we went to Ali Hippy’s house.
He is an older Lamu man who has been bringing travelers to his home for the last 34 years to have a traditional Swahili dinner and listen to Swahili entertainment. We entered his traditional Muslim home, took off our shoes, and walked into his candle-lit dining room since there was no electricity. We sat in a half-circle on the floor.
His wife poured water on all of our hands so we could wash our hands. There is no soap used, just water. Then his wife and children served us tuna, lobster, coconut rice, vegetables, jipati and desert. The family, which consisted of 18 people, sang traditional Swahili songs while playing drums, a keyboard, and a tambourine.
Ali Hippy is a joyful old man who is the only fat man on the entire island! He said he brings travelers to his home as often as every night of the week. Since he was born in Lamu and has not been anywhere else in the world other than Nairobi for a few weeks, he said he sees the world through the travelers he meets.
Lamu is really unlike any other place on Earth. It’s the definition of relaxing.
And since I have quickly approaching deadlines, it served as a great place to concentrate and write. Other than getting an unbelievable sunburn and getting 31 (yes I counted) mosquito bites, it was a wonderful experience.
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