Nairobi/Mombasa

I know a lot of you are/were waiting on another post from me so, sadly, this is going to be one of my last ones from Kenya. I plan on writing a reflective post when I return to the US, or in the airport if I get bored. After an amazing dinner with Dr. Amin, Dr. Jamila (his wife), Mark, Maurine, Philip, and Even, Alyssa and I packed our bags and headed to Nairobi on Saturday, July 27th. We stayed at an adorable bed and breakfast just outside of downtown. It had a rooftop bar/restaurant with incredible views of the city. And of course, I forgot to take a picture. I will let the pictures below tell most of the story of our time in Nairobi but I definitely have a new found appreciation for the city. It's infamously labeled "Nai-robbery," but we had zero troubles and always kept our belongings close to us.

Alyssa and I at "The Java House," a coffee shop in Nairobi that sells real Kenyan coffee (i.e. not instant coffee). It was delicious and we went back at least four more times. 

Downtown Nairobi

On top of the KICC (Kenya International Conference Center) tower overlooking Nairobi. The building behind me is the tallest in the city. 

From another side of the tower. Behind me is Uhuru Park.

Avril and I attempting a jumping picture. Avril is Mervine's cousin and she met me on Monday to show me around the city, hang out and eat pizza! It's the first time I had pizza in 8 weeks and it was delicious. She's studying in Sweden but was back in Nairobi for her summer break.  

Ngeri, Me, Liz and Avril. Ngeri and Liz are cousins and friends with Avril. I love these girls so much and had a great time with them. 

On Saturday morning we took a 45 minute flight from Nairobi to Mombasa. Mombasa is the 2nd largest city in Kenya with a population of about 1 million. Located on the East Coast of Kenya (on the Indian Ocean), it was an important trading center and has been controlled by many countries due to its prime location. More importantly, it's Mervine's childhood home. 

Fort Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This fort was built in 1593 by the Portuguese and was taken over by the Arabs in the 1700s. Mombasa has a lot of Arab influence. 

On Sunday, I met up with Miriam (Mervine's cousin), her son, Ryan and the three girls from Nairobi (Liz, Ngeri and Avril). They showed me around the city of Mombasa, took me out for lunch and then I went over to Mervine's Uncle Wilson's and Aunt Deliah's house for dinner. It was such an amazing day, despite the rain. I'm so thrilled I got to meet them and spend time in their city!

The Tusks. A symbol of Mombasa that represent the entrance to the heart of the city. They were built to commerate Queen Elizabeth's vist to the city in 1952. Coinciedently, they spell a "M" for Mombasa. 

Ryan accidently broke one of his sandals after lunch so Avril carried him to the shoe store. 

Who I got to hang out with all day :) After the inital shock of a mzungu walking around with his family all day, he warmed up to me and wouldn't leave my side. 

The girls, Ryan and I on Mama Ngina drive. It runs along the coast and there are many street vendors selling food and trinkets. 

My mouth-watering, delicious lunch at Tamarind restauraunt. It sits right on the coast and serves up the most delicious seafood. I got the risotto with lobster, crab, praws, and octopus. Thanks again for the recommendation, Danish!

View of Mombasa from Tamarind. 

Currently, I am sitting at Driftwood Villas in Malindi (a town about 2 hours north of Mombasa). I am spending the next 2 days here, on the beach, before heading back to Mombasa, flying to Nairobi and then flying home. It's a bittersweet feeling as I feel like I could return to Bungoma after my vacation along the coast. I am excited to come home and see my family and friends but I will miss Kenya dearly.

On Poop

I don't even know how to start but I feel it is vital to write a post about this. It is an indispensible component of the Africa experience. You can not talk about your time in Africa without talking about this important bodily function. Those of you that know me, understand that I hate the word "poop" and talking about it. However, when you live in rural Kenya, it becomes a part of your daily vocabulary, especially when you and your mzungu friends are sick.

For example, diarrhea is a common part of the Kenya experience. No matter how hard you try to eat cleanly washed food and drink bottled water, you will inevitably eat or drink something that causes you to run to the bathroom. This was me last week. It got so bad that I couldn't even keep water in me for more than 5 minutes. I became concerned and called Alyssa to my hut so we could evaluate my stomach issues. She freaked out and thought I should go to the hospital. I just wanted to sleep and take more antibiotics. She finally told me that if I had one more liquid stool that night, she would drag me to the hospital. In her defense, I was probably getting super dehydrated. After finally being able to sit up in bed, I ate Uji, which is delicious Kenyan pooridge, rich in nutrients. It was the first substance that didn't go straight through me all day. I ran to Alyssa's hut and exclaimed, "My diarrhea is gone!" We celebrated by high fiving, screaming "Yayyy!" and then drinking more water.

The next day, our friend Pete had a similar experience and had to run to the bathroom during lunch. We made him go to Elgon View and get Cipro as we figured he had a bacterial infection as well. Alyssa also started feeling terrible on Friday so she, too, started the antibiotic regimen. Thus, the past week has been filled with phone calls, texts and face-to-face conversations of the consistency of our stools. When someone has diarrhea, we ask how frequent, what color, consistency, etc. When someone comes out of the bathroom and exclaims they had a solid passing, we jump for joy and give pats on the back. It's like we are potty training all over again, rewarding each other for making it to the bathroom in time or having a "normal" stool.

Thus, poop has become an essence of our experience here and have no qualms talking about it with one another. At the moment, we all woke up without diarrhea and are currently sitting at a coffee shop, not taking antibiotics. Hopefully this is the upward climb and we can look forward to more normal, solid stools and less poop talk. Although I am sure we will still be celebrating being "healthy" for the next two weeks here.

A Bad Day

Throughout my past year in public health school I studied maternal and infant deaths, what causes them, their rate and prevalence in countries such as Kenya and the United States. It was higher in Kenya with about 45 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births. In the United States, it's 6. The number is also probably higher in Kenya as most women do not deliver in health care facilities and therefore, their infant deaths are not recorded. An intelligent professor of mine once said, "Statistics are people with tears washed away." I sat in class, took notes and had a heavy heart for such travesty in a developing nation, but last Thursday, I witnessed one of these statistics.

I woke up around 8 AM not feeling the best. As most of you know, I was diagnosed with a bacterial infection (food poisoning) on Wednesday so I figured I just needed to pop some antibitiotics. It was our last day visiting St. Damiano, a private, Catholic hospital on the edge of Bungoma. We were hoping to help out in the antenatal clinic and say good bye to the nurses who had been so kind to work with us. I took my first dose of Flagyl that morning and headed out with Alyssa around 9. By the time we arrived, I was feeling worse. I hadn't eaten anything and my stomach was in knots. Maurine met us there and asked if we wanted to go to the Theatre; i.e. operating room. She mentioned there was a cesarean section happening.

I immediately started to feel better at the thought of witnessing my favorite procedure: a birth. We dressed in OR scrubs and boots and eagerly headed towards the sound of the cauterizer. Just as we entered, the 2 doctors were removing the baby. They handed him off to another doctor who brought him over to the warmer bed. No crying. This was typical, I thought, with c-section babies and from what I had seen in the past. They neede some stimulation and a little foot tickle.

2 minutes later, still no crying. The doctor was rubbing the infant as if he was washing a t-shirt; vigorously and rapidly. Still no sound. Then out came the oxgen mask. I was starting to get worried. Then CPR. Then intubation. I couldn't watch. I suddenly felt weak and walked out to the room in between the OR and hallway. The only sound I could hear was the mother's vital monitor. Beep, Beep, Beep.

"I should be hearing a baby cry," I thought as I sunk down to the floor. Alyssa came out to check on me and looked confused, "How long do they have?" she asked. I just shook my head. As they kept working on the baby for about 10 minutes I kept praying for a cry, a wimper, some sort of life. I couldn't go back in the room.

Moments of working in the Mother/Baby Unit flashed through my mind. Ecuadorian maternity wards followed. In the 100 live births I had seen, all the babies had cried. All had been the miracle of life.

Finally, after almost 20 minutes, the doctor and Maurine walked out and took off their gloves. I could barely ask the question, "What's going on?" The doctor bowed his head and shook it back and forth, "He didn't make it." As heartbroken, sad and shocked as I was I wanted to know why. He explained that the mother experienced antepartum hemmorhage (bleeding due to the distachment of the placenta). She had delayed her arrival to the hospital and by the time they had her hooked up to a monitor, the baby's heartbeat was barely audible. They decided to perform an emergency c-section but it was too late, the baby had been without oxygen for too long.

As we stood up to leave, I felt sick to my stomach. I quickly disrobed and walked outside into the fresh air. I didn't make it 10 feet before I vomited. Alyssa quickly came to my side and I started crying. I couldn't belive what I had just witnessed. In all my years working and volunteering with delivering mothers, I had never seen a stillbirth. And it was because the woman couldn't get to the hospital on time. Because the roads are covered with potholes and uneven terrain. Because she didn't have the education that if you bleed during pregnancy you should immediately go to the emergency room. Because poverty, in its many forms, has claimed the lives of too many mother and children.

Phrases

 This week is my last week in Bungoma. I'm both equally happy and sad. Happy that I get to travel a little around Kenya, go on a safari and head to Mombasa and surrounding beaches. Sad that I am leaving some amazing people and organization that has taught me so much and nudged its way into my heart. Today, I became a Life Member of the Kenya Red Cross Bungoma Branch. It involves a donation of $50 and then you are connected to the Branch for life through emails, phone calls and other means of updates about the activites taking place here in Bungoma. You also become an important stakeholder and have more credibility when it comes to decision making and idea generation. I'm really excited for this opportunity as I want and hope to stay connected to the Branch when I return to the US and for years to come. They already told me they will be sending me updates on future tournaments with the soccer equipment!

One of the aspects I will miss the most about Bungoma (and Kenya in general) are the phrases I've heard throughout my 6 weeks here. Some are inside jokes (sorry) but others I will try to explain.

"Hey guys, we need to switch buses. This one is kind of like...breaking down" -Joshua
This was our guide in Jinja. I really can't even explain it more. It was just really funny to hear the "kind of like...breaking down" part.

4 toasted toast
Can't even write this without cracking up. One morning, Pete, Ali, Alyssa and I made our way to our favorite breakfast spot in town to order our usual: four waters, COLD and spanish omeletes. This particular morning was a struggle with the wait staff as we told them in English AND Swahili that we would like 4, cold waters. 5 minutes later they come out with four plates with butter sandwhiches.
What/How/Why/Really?!?! The best part is "toast" does not exist here. So "toast"=one slice of bread and butter and "toasted toast"="two pieces of bread with butter in between. Eat/Laugh your heart out.


"Hilary? Do you have a mosquito net? (Yes, Ali) Okay, I just want to make sure you don't get gingivitis"- Ali 
Just so everyone knows, you can't get gingivitis via mosquitos. Only malaria. But thanks for being concerned, Al-pal :)

"So you're telling me that if a mosquito gets near me and sees this he will just, walk away?"- Ken
Most of our Kenya friends are absolutely stunned at the fact we can PREVENT mosquitoes from biting us. One day at the Branch, our sassy friend and income generating activities officer, Ken, asked Alyssa for some bug spray. She only had her Benedryl stick so he grabbed it and started rubbing it on his arm. Before she could explain that that was NOT bug spray, he said the quote above.

Alyssa- "Guys, it was totally like domestic violence" 
Ross- "Umm pretty sure you have to be married for that"
On Ali's last night a few of us went to our favorite hangout, Sharif Center, to play some pool. Apparently there was a bit of a brawl going on outside between some guy and girl and the above conversation happened.

"Sure!"-Maurine
This one I am going to miss the most. Maurine is my best, girl friend here. She's in charge of the health sector at the Kenya Red Cross and the nurse that accompanies Alyssa and I on our hospital visits. She's also become a near and dear friend. I will miss her and her "Sure!" greatly.

The below phrases are said by numerous people so I will just try to explain their meaning.

"You've been lost": This means I haven't been around the Branch, hospital, Bungoma, restaurant, etc in awhile. They literally think you are "lost" until you return and then you are "found."

"It's okay": Hey Mark, is it okay if we deliver the certificates tomorrow? Mark- "It's okay"
                    I would like a Spanish Omelete. Do you have that? Waitress- "It's okay"
                  

The three Americans and Mark after the soccer tournament. I'm going to miss Mark and all of his "Mark-isms"

"How is you?!" EVERYONE. Children, piki drivers, women in their shops, people on the street, at restaurants, etc. I've tried to teach them it's "How ARE you?" but I'm pretty sure they just enjoy yelling at the mzungu.

Jinja

After that intense post, I thought I would lighten the mood and share my experience in Jinga, Uganda. Pete, a Fullbright Scholar living and teaching in Bungoma, Alyssa, Ali and I headed to Jinja two weekends ago to experience white water rafting down the Nile. IT WAS AWESOME. I'll give you a quick update on the weekend and then the pictures can explain themselves.

Jinja is about a 5 hour matatu ride from Bungoma town. We arrived there around 8 PM and got a taxi to the camp we were staying. It's called Raft Africa and they have a sweet set up. It's an enclosed compound with dormitory style rooms, NICE bathrooms with HOT water, restaurant, bar and office...all of which over looks the Nile River. Fun fact: the Nile's source is in Jinga and the river flows North to Egypt. Saturday morning we were taken to the spot where we would begin our adventure. After breakfast and the manager scaring us to death about getting trapped under the water, we got in the raft. Our guide was Joshua and probably one of the best (as we were told by a previous rafter). After practicing our paddling technique we actually flipped the raft over and he told was what to do if it happens in the rapids. Thank God because it happened twice. The first one was a class 4 rapid but there were two in a row. Our raft managed to stay upright during the first but during the 2nd, we were catapulted into the raging river. I felt like I was in a washing machine, underwater forever. When I resurfaced (yes, Mom I was wearing a lifejacket and helmet), I found myself under the raft and immediately freaked out (go figure). As I am trying to go under water and come out on the other side another rapid hits me in the face and I legit swallowed about a gallon of water. I resurface once again to find Ali by my side, screaming, "That was so awesome!!! Let's do it again!!!!" Meanwhile, I'm coughing my lungs out and gasping for air...a bit like I was dying. We get back in the raft and Pete is no where to be found. We look behind us and he is curled around the front of one of the kayaks in the fetal position. Moral of the story: we all survived and it was pretty exhilarating. The 2nd time we flipped is pictured below. It was more enjoyable as we were able to ride the rest of the rapid in the water, with our heads above, breathing. Enjoy the pictures! It was an absolutely amazing experience and I want to go back!!!!

Privileges

As a "White person" or mzungu in Kenya, we get a lot of privileges that most Kenyans do not and that we would not be afforded in the US. For instance, Ali, our peer from MN, had the chance to meet Mama Sara, Obama's grandmother, her first week here. When her friends asked her why she got to me her, she had no idea but the Red Cross had asked her to come along. I thought I would share some examples of this happening to Alyssa and I over the past 5 weeks:

1) The grocery store (any store, really): everyone has to put their bags in a cubby out front before entering the store. We get to take our backpacks, purses, bottles of water, food, etc in. They just wand us with a metal detector beforehand. This has even happened when we are with our Kenyan friends. They try to take their bags in and are stopped immediately and told they may not enter until they check their bag up front.

2) Hospital. Thus far, all 3 of us have gotten tested for Malaria. Ali was the only victim to this disease and had to pay for the treatment but none of us were asked to pay for the test. We also get our own room at Elgon View Medical Cottage (the clinic Dr. Amin owns) when we're not feeling well. All patients have to share a room but Alyssa and Ali got the entire labor ward (5 beds) to themselves one day.

3) Matatus (Ma-tat-too). Picture a run-down mini van with about 5 more seats crammed into the back and 20+ people in the entire vehicle. That's a matatu. They are common vehicles for transport in Kenya and will take you to the neighboring town or 9 hours away to Nairobi. They don't leave until they are jam-packed full and the conductor trys to tell you where to sit. For example, they wanted me to sit in the front and I told them, sternly, "No." The front seat is called the "Death Seat" and I was not about to try it out. They then allowed me to sit in the back, by the window, which is where I wanted to sit in the first place. We have also gotten away with paying for the empty seats so we can leave, instead of sitting there for another 1 hour+ waiting for matatu to fill up. Only wazungu do this, of course.

4) To go along with the hospital, we can basically walk into whatever business we want and someone will welcome us with open arms, give us a tour and any information we desire. I tried to imagine doing this in the US and realized I would be met with questioning glares, concerned voices and very cut-throat measures, usually involving setting up a meeting, filling out forms, etc. I enjoy the freedom of business in Kenya and am very grateful I am able to see and learn so much in this town and country. Everyone is willing to show you around and give you information, something I very much appreciate.

5) Meeting with important stakeholders. Yesterday, Alyssa and I were cordially invited to attend the County Health Sector Forum with important stakeholders from all the hospitals around Bungoma Country as well as a WHO employee, Steven, and the County Health Commissioner. It was an eye-opening, inspiring and educational experience as we learned about the deficits of health care services in Bungoma. We felt a little (okay VERY) out of place as we entered the room and were surrounded by suits and women dressed in their best. We were with very important people who were making very important decisions about the future of health care in their community and county. It was absolutely amazing to be an observer of the process and we thanked the County Health Commissioner about 20 times for letting us experience their meeting.

Furthermore, we learned a lot about the health care sector in Bungoma. In this conference and throughout the next 5-10 years, there are policy 6 objectives Bungoma County is focusing on, which include eliminating communicable diseases, minimize exposures to health risks and provide health investements. The stakeholders were divided into four groups and each group focused on 2 of the objectives. Alyssa and I sat in on group 4's discussion and here are some astonishing facts we learned:
1) Bungoma county has 2 out of their 11 hospitals that meet 75% of the requirements per the norms and standards of 2006. They are Bungoma District Hospital and Webuye Hospital. Keep in mind the hospitals they are discussing are public hospitals, funded by the government.
2) The hospitals are severely lacking health workers. For example, over 1,000 nurses are needed throughout Bungoma county, there are only 2 pharmacists per hospital but the target is 6 and ZERO of the four maternal/child health clinics are up to standards. Furthermore, many people are not utilizing the few available services because of distance and ability to pay.

This conference gave me an insight into the problems of the healthcare system and areas for intervention and improvement. I do not, by any means, have all the answers or comprehensively understand the infrastructure. I do believe that this meeting/conference is a vital step towards improving the health of Bungomans and all of Kenya. I don't even fully understand the US's healthcare system but I do know that if I am sick, there is a hospital that I can get to and will treat me regardless of my ability to pay. And with Obamacare, more Americans dream of free healthcare is becoming a reality. Sorry for the rambling but this is something I am passionate about and wanted to share with everyone back home! I feel very privileged for what I have and where I came from. And now I am setting out to help others receive important, vital and necessary health care.

Kick Jiggers Out of Bungoma

I am happy to report that the soccer tournament was a HUGE success!! Despite the teacher's strike we had 10 teams participate: 3 girls and 7 boys. Since a few secondary schools signed up, we had girls finals, primary finals and secondary finals. The kids were so excited to play with the new balls and receive trophies at the end. We started around 10 AM and the last game finished at 6 PM. Our DJ/MC, Oscar, was absolutely amazing and kept the crowd entertained all day with music, talent performances between games and lots of "Kick Jiggers Out of Bungoma" chants. Enjoy the pictures :)

We purchased 8 soccer balls, 24 scrimmage vests, a ball pump, 10 cones, 2 whistles, and a sturdy trunk with two padlocks. 

Me, Philip, Alyssa and Annette the day after we purchased the equipment. Everyone at the Red Cross was very excited to see all the new stuff. 

Morning of the tournament. Just getting over the flu. Red Bull consumed and ready for some soccer.  

Our awesome MC/DJ...Oscar!

At the very end of the tournament with Mark and Moryne. 

Hanging out with Pinacle Girls Academy while they cheered on their boys team. 

Action shot

Pinacle boys with their 2nd place trophy!

My Hut

Apparently it takes me 4 and 1/2 weeks in Kenya to learn how to convert a movie file to an appropriate size to upload. Enjoy my living conditions. The yellow barrel is my clean water and the black one is for my toliet. Also, for those of you anxiously waiting, updates on the soccer tournament will be posted kesho (tomorrow). 

4 weeks down, 4 to go

Apologies for my absence from blogging. I have been stressed, frustrated and a feeling a little under the weather to have the energy to type. Also, my internet hasn't been working the greatest. Despite these excuses, I am hoping to catch you all up with what has been happening the past few weeks. I realized on Monday that it was the beginning of my 4th week in Bungoma. With this week marking my halfway point here in Kenya I thought I would share a list of things I like about Kenya and what I miss about home.

Top Ten Things I Like About Kenya

1) Piki rides. These motorbikes will pick you up from any location and drop you off at your destination for a very reasonable fee. I love riding them on a hot day to feel the breeze on my face. They are also more manuverable on the road, as they can pass cars, matatus and buses. Our favorite piki driver is Geoffry. He always picks us up on time and always keeps us safe.

2) The Red Hat. This is the first restaurant I ate at in Bungoma and the current one I am sitting in, typing this. The owner, Hassan, has traveled the world but decided to settle down in Bungoma about 15 years ago to open a restaurant. The food is the best by far here and he has recently started making us chips and guac! It's also our favorite spot to use internet since it has plug in's and great service. 

3) Bananas and Pineapple. It is THE freshest fruit I have ever eaten and a bowl of the combination makes for a great breakfast and even a snack. You can buy one banana for 10 ksh, that is 8 cents in US dollars. We went white water rafting down the Nile last weekend (post to come soon) and we have freshly cut pineapple for lunch. We ate it off the rine and it was so filling!

4) The children's home. I fell in love with the children here the first week I visited. Nafula was from here and I have grown to meet more children as the weeks have gone on. This is also where I learned the game cobs punch. It is very sobering to witness so many children without parents and at the same time see how happy they are. I love giving the kids hugs and running around with them. They've recently started playing with my hair (which I love) and running down the dirt path when the see me. 

5) Interacting with Kenyans. Most of them are our co-workers/friends at the Red Cross and they love learning about our customs and culture. Especially card games. And "taking alcohol." We explained the drinking culture in America and they expressed how it was different here. For example, if a women is good at pool at a bar, she is believed to go out a lot which translates into being "loose", which is unaccepted here. We immediately asked if that is how we were viewed and they said, "No, it's different for Westerners." Thank goodness because I am getting really good at pool and it's fun to "take a Tusker" with co-workers after a stressful day. 

6) The Red Cross. This statement conjures a whirlwind of emotions in me. I absolutely love and believe that the the Kenya Red Cross- Bungoma Branch can do amazing things...and at the same time, the organization stresses me out to the max and frustrates me. It's like a relationship. You love the person, but sometimes you just want to strangle them. Part of the reason it is frustrating is because it is a volunteer organization. There is no incentive for people to arrive on time (or at all) and complete projects. And many times, it takes a week to do a task that could be completed in one day. Communication is also tough because not everyone has email so it is difficult to plan meetings and get everyone on the same page. On the other hand, a handful people that are working there are some of the most passionate people I've met and what they are trying to do for their country is inspiring. I love the mornings when everyone greets me, shakes my hand and genuinely cares about my well-being. The leaders really do care about serving humanity and making their country a better place. They are full of amazing ideas and very supportive of me working for them. Just being at the Red Cross office makes me happy and these people have become very near and dear to me. 

7) Walking to the Branch each morning. Besides the African children screaming "Mzungu! Mzungu! Mzungu!" a million plus times, the walk is relatively peaceful. It is a shaded asphalt path, lined with beautiful greenery and high rising trees, women selling roasted corn, bananas and other items; kids walking to school and neighbors conversing and laughing. It honestly makes my morning start off great and it's a nice 15 minute walk to work. 

8) Exchange rates. Also referred to as, "cheap." Although it flucuates daily, the exchange rate for 1 US dollar is about 85 Kenyan shillings. So to give you an idea, I pay about 50 Ksh for a 15 minute piki ride, 80 Ksh for an omelete and 1.20 Ksh for a beer. I'm definitely going to miss this when I come back and, hopefully, walk more rather than pay $20 for a cab ride. Also, bartering here is fantastic. Because we're White, a lot of sales people will up the price for us. I've gotten good at getting them down to my price and if they don't agree, I simply pretend I am walking away. This gets their attention as they chase after me and tell me I can have it for the original, and fair, price. 

9) Pool. I never enjoyed this game before I came to Bungoma. And now I play at least twice per week. Last night I hit in two balls in a row! There are pool tables at almost every bar and you can play as many times as you want. The cost is 30 Ksh, or 40 cents per game. If anyone wants to challenge me once I return, you will be my favorite person. 

10) Predictable weather. And weather in general. Hot (around 75-80 degrees), NOT humid, and sunny. All day, everyday. If it rains, it begins at around 6 PM and lasts til 8 PM. It's like clockwork and really nice to plan around. 

Top Ten Things I Miss About Home

1) Food!!! The food is good here, but eating the same thing, or close to the same thing, everyday has made me miss the variety of American food. Also, we can't cook for ourselves so we are limited in what we eat. Right now I am missing sandwhiches. Cold, Jimmy Johns sandwhiches. A beach club to be exact. Also, Mexican food. 

2) Running water. This statement speaks for itself. I will miss bucket showers but I am excited to wash my hands more often. 

3) Beer. Not bad but not good. I'm missing the flavor and higher alcohol content beers of the US. Also, variety of beer.

4) Fast internet. I've been trying to download The Bachelorette for about a week now. It says I have a strong internet connection butttttt it's lying. Also, unless you are at the right place, angle, altitude, etc. the internet that is supposed to work "Everywhere" does not. I realize I'm whining about this because I have the expectation that wireless internet should work, everyday, all the time, everywhere. I can handle bucket showers, being dirty, mosquitos, and lots of other things. I just really miss my fast internet. 

5) Being invisible. I love love love Kenyans. They are some of the nicest people and so happy. However, after 4 weeks here, walking out of my hut and getting treated like a celebrity is exhausting. Everyone wants to see you, talk/scream at you, touch you, take them to America, give them money, take a picture with you, etc. And when I say everyone, I mean people I don't work with/see on a daily basis. Except Bungoma is not a huge city so I'm pretty sure everyone has seen me. Therefore, I am very excited to walk down the street as a normal, Midwestern girl. We've also come to the conclusion that when kids yell at us, it is their job to alert the entire village that the wazungu (plural of mzungu) have arrived. 

6) My family, friends and Mervine. I can't wait to see everyone when I get home! And have my mom cook for me. 

7) Dr. Pepper. Fountain Dr. Pepper with ice. Actually, any drink cold with ice. Ice does not exist here and if it does, I haven't found it. 

8) Boneless chicken. Also, non existent in Bungoma. I had it once and that was because I asked the waitress if she could cut it off the bone and put it in my curry. Other than that, you get the leg, thigh, the whole shabang, stuck to the bone. 

9) My hairdryer. You can view this as me being a prissy girl but that's not my goal. I am perfectly content living without my hair tools but something about blown dry hair makes me feel good and makes my hair look like it didn't just go through a hurricane. I'm looking forward to that feeling when I return.

10) Iowa City and Minneapolis. I can't wait to visit all my friends when I return and spend time in my two favorite cities. 

Cobs Punch

On Friday, I am supposed to go to St. Damianos, a private mission hospital ran by two nuns. However, this past Friday, I wanted to go to the Kanduyi Children's home (right next door to the Red Cross) to check on Nafula and just help out the cooks and other staff for the morning. I received the green light from Moryne, the nurse who usually takes us to the hospital. It was a hot, sunny day as Alyssa and I walked up the dirt path to the set of buildings on the home's ground. The kids were taking a break from school to eat porridge and drink tea so they all started barreling towards us as got closer. As I was greating the children and having them show me their classrooms, I spotted Nafula's sister, Nasimiu. I gave her a hug and asked her where Nafula was. She said something in Swahili and then turned away. One of the teachers, Madam Susan, informed me that her parents had come for her. My heart instantly sank. I haven't even had a chance to say good-bye. On the other hand, I was so thankful they had come for her. But then I asked why they had not taken Nasimiu. She explained to me that they were leaving Nasimiu at the home to go to school that day and that they would come get her that evening. I was so happy to hear that until she continued by saying that her parents were very very poor and could not afford to keep the girls, that is why they were living at the home. They had simply come to spend the day with Nafula and then the evening with Nasimiu. My heart sank even deeper as I thanked Madam Susan for the information and for letting me see the classrooms. I can not even imagine what that must be like for a parent and child to be separated because of poverty. I'm praying that Nafula and Nasimu's parents can, one day, have both their girls back home.

 Me with some of the adorbale children. Faith is the

 little girl with braids in front with a big smile. She

was attached to my hip the entire day!

Nafula's sister, Nasimiu, and I 

                                                                                  
After the kids had finished their morning snack, it was recess time. The home has a playground area and also an open field for the children to burn off their energy. As the whord of children followed me to the playground, I noticed a group of older children playing some sort of game. I tried playing with them but continue to be swarmed by the young ones. It got to a point where I had to climb on top of the play set for a breather! They are so happy to see a mzungu that they literally hang all over you. Which is fine...for about 5 minutes. They also go crazy when you take your camera out. Hence, why they were around me the entire time. After about 20 minutes, tons of smiling faces and lots of running around, the teachers rang the bell for the younger ones to return to class.

Sidenote: There is a teacher strike happening in Kenya right now. Teachers want more money but the government won't give it to them. Therefore, the older children did not have to attend class. It has been over a week since the strike began and no one knows when it will end.

I walked over to the group of older kids and asked if I could play. They said "yes" and tossed me a ball, made out of an old sock and sand. I asked them what to do with it and they explained:

The game is called Cobs Punch.
It involves a bucket, turned upside down and corn cobs stacked on top.
Each player gets 3 tries to knock the cobs off and then the bucket over.
If you toss the ball and knock off a cob, you get to throw an extra time
When the bucket is knocked over, everyone runs and the team by the bucket picks up the ball and chases the other team, who was throwing.
The idea is for the team that is throwing to set the bucket back up and place all the cobs on top before getting "out" by the other team with the ball.
You get out by getting hit by the ball.

It is an exciting and thrilling game and I am definitely introducing it when I get back to the US! Also, I should have known better than to play with Kenyan children. They are fast and do not get tired. I ran around the yard one time and was dying. One time, Joseph, threw the ball and got me out. He was like, "Why aren't you running?!" Kid, I am a White, zero-lung capacity, short and stalky woman. It's 85 degrees out and I can't breathe. Clearly I am weak and completely out of shape. We played a few more rounds until I was drenched in sweat and realized I had been outside for 2 hours without sunscreen...but if you're my mom and reading this, I was lathered in sunscreen the entire time....

We said goodbye to the kids and headed back to the Red Cross to work until 7 PM that night! It was a good, productive week and I'm so excited for the next 4 weeks! I am learning so much and interacting with exciting, passionate and driven people on a daily basis. As someone once told me, I am looking forward to seeing the fruit of our (the US interns) investment.

Action shot

       Me, exhausted, from running around                           

    with the kids

Pictures

 I realized I haven't posted many pictures lately so let me catch you up to speed without a bunch of text.

 Nafula and I

 Alyssa and I leaving the children's home

 Talking to a young girl on my way to lunch. Photo cred: Alyssa Sajady

Rita, Joseph, the head of the Kenya Red Cross club at Kibabi Diploma, me, Alyssa, Mark, Ali and Edwin after the Chanuka Challenge last Saturday. We got certificates for helping organize the event and Alyssa and I served as judges for the public speaking competition. Chanuka Challenge is a chance for high school's and universities to come together and challenge each other in public speaking and trivia. The Red Cross has a wheel that participants spun (kind of like The Price is Right) and the arrow would land on a topic such as HIV/AIDS prevention, blood safety, dissemination, reproductive health, and general health knowledge. Participants were asked questions pertaining to the topic and if they answered correctly their team received a point. We awarded trophies to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

Entertaining Nafula with one of the Branch's baby bunnies while she soaks her feet in iodine. I realized she had jiggers and brought her to the Red Cross to remove them. Although she didn't enjoy the treatment, the bunny and the lollipop I gave her after helped. 

This is what her feet looked like before/during treatment. 

3 days later, I went to check on her and she was wearing her TOMS! We gave her two pairs and told her to wear them everyday. I am going to check on her again tomorrow! (Friday)

Single, Taken or Engaged?

This post is a lighthearted one about a common theme I have noticed among Kenyan men and women. It first happened last week at a tea party, hosted by Dr. Amin and Dr. Mohamud, the founders of the Kenya Red Cross Bungoma Branch. The party was a chance for the international interns (us) to meet with Peace Corps volunteers and other "international" people who were living in Kenya. International=USA citizens. I have yet to meet anyone else from a different country. At the beginning of the party we all stood up, introduced ourseves and said what we liked and what we hated. Mark, the youth coordinator, stood up and said, "I'm single and ready to mingle!" Everyone chuckled and then began saying their relationship status. Now in the US this might come off as revealing too much information or calling attention to oneself. Not in Kenya.

Today, we went to Kibabi (Kee-bab-eee) University to give a dissemination presentation about the Kenya Red Cross and encourage the school's Red Cross club to get more involved and host their own events and activities. When we arrived, we were greeted by a large room of over 50 students eager to learn what the Red Cross does and how they can be apart of it. We started with introductions of everyone and sure enough, Mark asked everyone to say their relationship status. While most students stated the generic, "single, taken, or engaged" a few threw out that they "weren't married, but weren't single" and others said, "They were looking" and then scanned the room. I felt like it was a dating forum rather an a Red Cross information session! When the a few of my fellow Kenyan interns introduced themselves, two of them said they were engaged. I was shocked! I had been around these women for the past 2 weeks and heard NOTHING about them getting married! I leaned over to Ali and gave her a confused look. She responded, "It's not like America, they aren't REALLY engaged to be married." Confused as heck I approached Cynthia one of the interns after the forum.

"Cynthia? You're engaged?!" I inquired.
She laughed and said, "No of course not! But it's better to say that."

I asked why and she explained that guys leave you alone if you tell them you are engaged. I said but what if you tell them you have a boyfriend? The 3 interns shook their heads and me and said it didn't matter because a "boyfriend" was merely seen as a temporary thing and the guy would still try to date you. So they said that so no one approached them after the forum! Then they were curious about me. I told them I had a boyfriend and he was Kenyan. They about fell over and I knew what they were thinking: Dang she moved fast. I had to explain that I met him in the United States and that he lives there and has lived there for about 20 years. They all laughed and gave me a hard time because they thought I was dating someone from Bungoma in just a week and a half! A lot of the guys here tell me that they want a "mzungu girlfriend" and then today one of the interns, Shelia, told me she wanted a "mzungu boyfriend." We told her to come to the states and she could have her pick.

It is really funny to hear how people discuss relationships and dating here. For example, last week Alyssa was able to go to her assigned school to do peer education with the other interns. At the end of the session, they asked if there were any questions. One girl raised her hand and asked, "Is it bad to have a boyfriend?" Of course the room erupted with laughter and Alyssa explained that they would discuss it next week with the theme "Romantic Relationships and Dating." When she told me about it, I of course laughed too and thought, "Well, that is a good question. It depends on a lot of factors."

It reminded me of elementary school when boys had "cooties" and you had "cooties" too if you touched them. Now, unfortunately, these "cooties" can be viewed as the HIV virus or other sexually transmitted diseases that are common in Bungoma. Except women have them too. Speaking to youth about empowerment and governence over themselves and their body will hopefully prevent them from getting into a relationship too soon and encourage them to speak up if they feel pressured to do certain things in a relationship. I'm also thinking Cynthia's idea is a valid one. If "being engaged" has authority over "being in a relationship" there are going to be a lot of "engaged" Bungomans.

Change of Plans

If you have been keeping up with my blog, you read my first post before I even left the USA during which I described that I would be coordinating the peer education program on HIV/AIDS....

Well...plans changed. Mostly because the Red Cross wanted me to have experience in many different fields and I appreciate that. Also because the structure of the peer education program is almost non-existent and the interns were given a "training" the week before I arrived. I put training in quotes because I'm not sure how effective a 1 week seminar is for the type of material that needed to be covered. Furthermore, there are three groups of 5 interns that are assigned to a school for the 8 weeks. I am in a group with 4 other Kenyan interns and we are to travel to Bungoma High School (an all boys school every Friday) to present a different topic. Last week, we all congregated at the office around 4 PM to head over to the school. I ended up getting into a meeting with Wekola, the branch coordinator and kept looking at my watch, which read 4:15 PM. He asked me if I had somewhere to be and I replied, "Well we were supposed to leave for peer ed around 4." Then Mark, the youth coordinator, chimed in,"Oh they are testing right now so we will not go." I was confused, shouldn't we have known this well before Friday? Or was this a pop-test? No body knew, all we knew was they were "testing" and we could not give our speech on life skills and relationships. We start off with basic topics and work our way up to HIV/AIDS discussions.

Today, after our weekly intern meeting, I asked about peer education for this week and if the interns needed to prepare anything to travel to the school. Mark replied with, "The teachers are on strike so we will not be going to the schools." So far we've missed two weeks, and we, the interns, have not prepared anything for these sessions. Many people seem uninterested and I don't blame them. 2 weeks of inactivity is discouraging and they don't want to put effort into something if it's not going to work out. So instead of getting frustrated, I've found different outlets to help out with. For example, my peers Alyssa and Ali and I began fundraising to purchase soccer balls and equipment for the KRCS youth branch. Currently, there are no soccer balls on the compound and many youth gather here on Sundays to hang out. However, they are lacking many sports equipment, including soccer balls (or footballs as they are called here). The Red Cross compound sits on about 2 acres of land and includes a large field for recreational activities. We hope that by purchasing this equipment we can encourage youth to not only come to the compound to use these new balls but also teach them about personal hygeine and health. This will hopefully translate to leadership in their school and community and encourage them to play sports or be involved with other extracurriculars. I am really excited about this project and even though it is different from my original plan, I feel that I, as well as Alyssa and Ali, am making a lasting impact. Check out the page below. Our goal is currently $1,000 and the site talks more about what we plan to do with the funds we raise.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/krcs-youth-sports-campaign/x/3732592?c=home

Furthermore I have made some goals that I would like see happen during my time here. As I mentioned before, it can be very challenging at times working with an international organization because your schedule and time does not always match theirs. However, I am hoping I can implement 3 of these 6 goals I have made out for myself. I feel that they are attainable in the short (yes, short) time-span I have left here. I am still trying to help out with the HIV/AIDS peer education program as much as I can and hopefully by the time I leave, I have a better outlook on how the Red Cross can improve the program, without my attendance.

Goals in Bungoma:

1) Purchase soccer equipment and hold a tournament

2) Make "public health message" cards for jigger campaign

3) Make flip chart for jigger campaign

4) Create a timeline and calendar for KRCS Bungoma

5) Re-do the international interns brief

6) Needs assessment with KRCS

Names and Water

In Kenya, people usually have 3-4 names. One of these is their "tribal" name. There are 40 different tribes in Kenya and the Bukusu are the ones that live in Bungoma (among other areas). Bukusu tribe is one of the 16 Kenyan tribes of the Luhya Bantu people of East Africa. Besides Swahili, they also speak the Bukusu dialect. We were told on our first day (after introducing ourselves by our "English" names a million times) that we would be baptized with a Bukusu name. Sure enough, within 5 minutes of the jigger clinic, the Kenyan interns were asking us when we were born. They decided on "Nikesa" for me, which means born during the harvesting season. December is technically Kenya's fall season so this makes sense. I loved my new name but was not used to people calling me it. For instance, during the jigger clinic, Morina -one of the interns- needed more shoes and kept yelling my name. When I finally turned around, she said, "Nikesa, you have forgotten your name! I have called it 10 times!" My ears are now fully tuned to this new label and I turn and look whenever I hear it. In fact, I've been introducing myself to others around town or at the Red Cross with this name. Some laugh, others stare blankly, and a few tell me I am now a Bukusu. When I introduced myself to highschool students last Wednesday, I told them my "English" name first and then said, "But while I am in Kenya, you may call me Nikesa." They loved it.

Although this has nothing to do with names, I felt I needed to write about my new found appreciation for H2O. On Thursday, we were moved out of our hotel we had been staying at in the city center and into the compound where we will be remaining for the rest of our time here. The compound is brand new, closer to the Red Cross and was supposed to have running water and a Western style toliet. And was also supposed to be completed June 1st. As with time, dates don't really carry as much significance here as they do in the States. The reason we had to stay at the hotel for our first week was because our huts were not even finished. We moved to them because they believed we would have running water by the end of the week. Javen, the landlord, told us that we would have it by Sunday....and then the plumber got malaria.

Moral of the story: we still don't have running water. But I'm not complaining. I'm appreciating. The cook and housekeeper of the huts provided us with two HUGE barrels in our bathrooms last night. One was for flushing the toliet and the other was to bathe. I was so estatic I basically flooded my bathroom last night because of all the water I was splashing on my face. I washed my hands for the first time in 24 hours and could actually splash some on my arms. Tonight, I took my first bucket shower which felt so refreshing! I loved it and the water pressure was better than any shower here! While I was getting impatient and frustrated the three days we were without any sort of water, I realized people here go much longer. And when they do get water, it is often not clean, even to bathe with (this is of course my/US standards for water). Because I am a public health student, I can't stand not washing my hands. But I realized I had to get creative. During the day, I would wash my hands at the Red Cross, a restaurant, wherever I was with running water. I would also try to make sure I washed them before I headed home and then put hand sanitizer on before and after dinner. I hope I will never take water for granted again. I will probably keep turning my faucet on and off when I return home just to make sure it is still functioning. 

There is so much I complain about when I am in the US and even take the little things for granted. Little things, like water, that are a big things Kenya. And yes, I am sitting in my hut, in rural Kenya, with internet....but no running water. Totally ironic. Everyone...and I mean EVERYONE has a cellphone here, but water is scarce. And hot water is non existent. Unless you want to boil it and let it cool down before bathing. Which means you have to buy a burner and a pan. I'm very thankful to live in a country where I can drink out of the tap if I want to let alone come home to a steaming hot shower. These are things that I have expected to be in my life but living in Kenya has taught me how to appreciate these things I have taken for granted for so many years. And opened my eyes to how other people are living. And surviving. 

(Coming soon!) Here is a video of my hut. It's still messy as I am trying to get set up and organized. The black barrel in my bathroom is for the toliet and the yellow one is for bathing. 

Roosters

This post is going to be short and sweet as someone recommended I write about my latest annoyance. It's really the only thing that I can't stand here and am going to be very happy when I return home and do not have to listen to its annoying screech at 3 AM. This would be my next door neighbor, the rooster. The most annoying bird/animal ever. I was first awaken by its high pitched "Cock-a-doodle-doo" at 3 AM my first morning here. It continued yelling until 7 AM when I finally had enough and got out of bed and turned on music. I used earplugs the second night but they fell out so once again I was woken up around 4 AM. THE SUN ISN'T EVEN UP WHY ARE YOU CROWING. So if anyone needs an alarm clock with a permanent snooze button, I suggest a rooster. If you are like me and want your sleep, do not get near the thing. Furthermore, buy some earplugs and hope you do not end up living next to one. I'm not a violent person, but I've had many day dreams about strangling that bird. Hopefully it will be something I can get used to but until then, I shove my earplugs in tight and pray that I can sleep until 7 AM. Not to mention, the thing crows during the day too! It's a permanent annoyance. So buy TOMS, not a rooster.

TOMS Shoes

Heads up, when I get back to the US I will ask you if you have purchased a pair of TOMS shoes and your answer had better be yes or I am taking you to the nearest shoe store. I bought my first pair 2 days before I left for Kenya. I had heard rave reviews about them and the whole "one-to-one" shpeal but never really jumped on the bandwagon. I figured I would give them a try and they would serve as my close-toed shoes for the trip. I am already planning on buying about 3 more pairs when I get home. I will also be giving them for Christmas gifts. You've been prepared and have 7 weeks left to purchase some. Here's why:

TOMS is legit. They recently collaborated with the Kenya Red Cross and sent 140,000 pairs of shoes to the BUNGOMA Red Cross. There are boxes upon boxes of shoes at the compound and they go directly to those who need them the most. For example, on Monday we did a jiggers campaign in Ndengelwa, a village about 15 minutes outside of town, where we treated 201 people for jiggers. As I mentioned in an earlier post, it is a parasite that lives in soil and sand and feeds on warm-blooded hosts. It works its way into the feet and hands of those who are exposed to these conditions. Many of the villagers live in houses with dirt floors and a majority do not wear shoes and unsanitary conditions can increase the liklihood of other medical complications. If not treated, it can cause major discomfort and pain and even loss of nails and foot deformation. There is no reason jiggers cannot be elimated from Bungoma County with a little public health action. 

Therefore, 5 Red Cross volunteers, Alyssa and I went to treat the outbreak. This included scrubbing the feet with antiseptic wash, soaking them in water mixed with chemicals to kill the jiggers, clipping fingernails and toenails and putting "Jiggerex" on their feet and/or hands to completely remove them. It's like a medical pedicure. Finally, the patients were given 2 pairs of TOMS shoes to help prevent them from getting jiggers again. Unfortunately, the volunteers had not prepared to give a public health message about waiting to wear the shoes until the jiggers had been completely removed from the patient (~2-3 days after treatment). I asked if they could tell them this while they were waiting in line for shoes and one volunteer said,"No we don't have time and neither do they. They need to go home and sweep the floors or get back to school." I understood this but we were spending an average of 3-5 minutes with each patient so why hadn't we told them about basic hygiene and how to prevent them from recurring infection? I became irritated with myself for not knowing much Swahili (otherwise I would have given the speech) and also with the volunteers because no one seemed to be educating the patients on jiggers and prevention. 

However, I was elated to see all the boxes of TOMS shoes handed out and knew that they were helping the people that needed it the most. We saw patients from 2-72 years old and they each got two pairs of shoes. Some of them, mostly children, cradled the newly minted gifts in their arms as if it were a newborn baby and kept smiling as they ran off to show their friends. Mothers rejoiced as they received 2 new pairs for their young child and older villagers were stunned at their new accessories. We were also able to give out about 50 pairs to children who did not have jiggers. It was a great site to see and made me that much more thankful for buying TOMS before I left. I knew I had bought a pair of shoes for someone in need, someone who can't afford even 1 pair, someone who did not realize shoes can save their life. 

Check out the TOMS website for yourself. And if you've never heard of them, read about their mission. They have every design you could possibly want and you've heard it first hand, they are given to a dedicated, compassionate and selfless organization who distributes them to those in the most need. 

http://www.toms.com/our-movement/l#giving-shoes

Here are some pictures from the jigger removal. 

Morina, Laureen and Mark setting up the scrub buckets

Elizabeth applying Jiggerex

Donated TOMS Shoes