Life In Kenya, No Longer A Novelty

Enjoying a few days at my favorite yoga retreat on the Kenyan coast - luckily Madison had some business to tend to on the coast and I got to tag along

Madison and Tony, our driver (who was an ex-matatu driver) while in Western Kenya. We had a few hours before our flight departed so we ventured to Mt. Elgon. I think Tony was more excited about this trip than we were which made my day.

Madison with Joseph (in the middle - our driver) and David (Honey Care Project Officer) on the top of Nzambani Rock. After a long day of visiting farmers we got to "play" by climbing Nzambani Rock and enjoying the beautiful view of Eastern Kenya.

Nzambani Rock

Watching the sunrise while overlooking the Kakamega Rainforest in Western Kenya

A giraffe posing for a picture as we were leaving the Lake Naivasha area

While Nate was in town a group of us went to Lake Naivasha for the weekend. Madison and I ventured out on a guided safari walk one morning- it was exciting to be so close to giraffes on foot vs. from a safari vehicle

Just as with time I have become accustomed to other changes in my life, I feel as though I have mostly adapted to the fact that we are living in Kenya. I no longer jump to the side of the road when I think a car is headed towards me on the wrong side of the road when I am out for a run; I accept and now know to expect (can’t say I embrace it) the poor air quality – the smog or smell of burning garbage or exhaust from the cars or clouds of dust and dirt - as I am out for a run; I hail down and climb into the matatus as if I have been riding them for years; the sight of a cow or a goat or a sheep randomly crossing main roads during traffic doesn’t phase me (although I still crack smiles when it happens); I have come to terms with the fact that there are no formal rules while driving (at least that the people obey) except “don’t hesitate, just go;” I have learned to always take a book with me wherever I go as traffic jams can occur at anytime and can last for hours, which also leads to my understanding of “Kenyan time” – it’s foolish to expect to be on time for a meeting; I truly appreciate that the planning of meetings, events or flights is more spontaneous here and things don’t need to be planned in advance to happen the next day; I don’t let random, yet frequent power outages stop me from accomplishing the task at hand (luckily I always know where my headlamp is); the vast amount of Kenyans walking alongside the road at all hours of the day and night is now normal to me; I am not as phased by the drastic difference and close proximity between the well, established, upscale neighborhoods and the informal, underdeveloped settlements; I expect the children of the slums to yell “Mzungo, Mzungo, How are you?’ (but now I can answer them in Swahili) and to touch my skin as if I am going to feel different or to stare at me like I am a creature from outer space; I use my cell phone for quick, to the point conversations instead of long, drawn out shooting the sh*#t conversations as there is no such thing as an affordable unlimited voice/text plan (I just top up my phone with some money and use it till it runs out – my goal is to make it last as long as possible); I now realize the term “healthy” in regards to food is the exact opposite of what I know it as – here it means cooked in lots of fat and oil and/or fried or contains lots of sugar (when food security is a problem, healthy means fat for substance and sugar for energy); I no longer ask for brown rice (instead of white rice) or skim milk as it is not as common as I am used to at home; I now expect to be bombarded my menus at food courts (not that we eat at them frequently, but every so often I find myself at one) and order from the restaurant/fast food server vs. at the counter and then served at my table; and last, but not least, waking up and blindly swatting at the annoying buzz of a mosquito(s) is now accepted as part of our sleeping hours.

It still gives me slight anxiety when I think about not having a paid job anymore. Every time I use my debit card I think crap – these funds will not be replaced at the end of the month. There are times I have to remind myself that everything I am doing here is from a volunteer standpoint, and then a sense of pride flows through me. If I actually sit and think about it, it makes me proud to think how innately motivated I am. I could sleep in every day, spend hours at the gym, or lay about watching TV or reading. However, I wake up every morning with a something on my agenda – whether it’s to volunteer at the school, teach a yoga class, work with the girls at the Hawkers Markets, complete a promised task, attend a meeting, explore a new matatu route, or learn about a new NGO. I truly believe the rewards I am receiving from this experience are more than money can buy. Thank you, Madison for allowing this to happen.

My routine…. If there is such a thing ….

The girls from the Kibera School for Girls line up to use the bio-latrine

An AYP community class at a school in Kibera

Maureen and Susan preparing lunch at the Hawkers Market Girls Center

The girls working hard at rolling beads made out of recycled paper

A display of some of the products the girls create and sell

Horseback riding with the children from Fairmile School

My buddy, Keith in his classroom at Fairmile School

Here’s a brief update on what a typical week looks like for me if we are not traveling around rural Kenya for Honey Care.

Mondays – I may find myself volunteering with Africa Yoga Project (AYP) (www.africayogaproject.org) – assisting, teaching, or mentoring in yoga classes guided in informal settlements. I am in the process of brainstorming with the founder on ways I can assist the yoga teachers further in their path as a yoga instructor. If I am not with AYP on a Monday, then I am volunteering with Shining Hope for Communities (www.hopetoshine.org) in Kibera. I recently started to work with this organization and am assisting with various projects – trying to coordinate AYP with Shining Hope to establish a yoga class at their community center, creating a physical education curriculum with concrete ideas/games/activities to be implemented by the teachers at the Kibera School for Girls (thanks to the help of the P.E. teacher at my sister’s school I was able to accomplish this task), and helping with the set up of their future library.

Tuesdays - I volunteer at the Hawkers Market Girls Centre and absolutely love it! I started working with the girls (ages 18-21) on the premise of doing a leadership/empowerment course, but it has now evolved into various other activities which all relate in one way or another to my main objective. Every week I provide the girls with an activity to complete whether it be a self-inquiry assessment or a worksheet to have them start thinking about goals/objectives for their future once they graduate from the centre in December. I have helped prepare the elected girls who are going on upcoming interviews at Revlon Hair School and am also assisting all of them in writing their CVs. I am also taking the time to meet with the girls one on one to discuss their goals/objectives and what it will take to accomplish them. Madison plans on leading them through a basic marketing/business/entrepreneurship course in a few weeks, built around selling honey sachets in the slums. I also showed the girls how to roll beads out of paper - they finally took off with the project and are making some great necklaces. Last but not least, with the assistance of an AYP teacher we guide the girls through a yoga class every Tuesday.

Wednesdays and Thursdays – I volunteer at Fairmile School. I feel very fortunate that I am able to build on my pediatric PT skills while in Kenya. I am really seeing progress with one child in particular that I see on a consistent basis (pictured above). My goal is to have Keith walking independently by the time we leave Kenya. On Thursday afternoons we take the children horseback riding, where I have the opportunity to be side walker for my buddy, Keith.

Fridays – I tend to leave this day open, but without fail I have somewhere to be – I either end up having a meeting or a Swahili lesson or go and check out a new volunteer opportunity or Madison and I are traveling to a remote part of Kenya to meet with farmers/farm groups for a new business opportunity or to re-establish previous relationships with Honey Care Africa – there is never a dull moment around here for sure!

Life continues to progress nicely for Madison and I here in Kenya. I am truly loving and inspired by all that I am involved with here - especially the projects that are outside of my field/expertise as I am learning so much and growing/challenging myself outside of my comfort zone. I realize my time in Kenya at this point is limited, so I am being mindful to use my skills and efforts for projects that will be most beneficial for those at hand and most importantly are sustainable in some capacity.

Work, Work, Work, PLAY!

I sincerely apologize for slacking in posting updates, but it is the result of one thing – we have been extremely busy! You can’t fault me on that, can you? However, I have been keeping up with my journal so I will back post some entries starting with September 22, 2010.

In mid-September, our friend Nate (from Denver) came to visit us so we (Madison, Nate, Sach, and I) went to an island called Lamu on the Kenyan coast for 5 days. If we can do trips like these once a month then life would be just dandy, but I know that's not reality:) - well at least not at this point. We took a 2 hour, one propeller plane ride to the island from Nairobi. I truly appreciate the simplicity of traveling here –you can book flights 1-2 days in advance for the same price if you booked it 3 weeks in advance, you don't have to arrive at the airport 90 minutes ahead of time for domestic flights, IDs aren't checked at check-in (not sure if that’s the most secure, but it works), and you have the opportunity to identify your bags before climbing the stairs to the plane to make sure your bags come with. I have never been in a smaller plane than this (besides when I went skydiving). There were about 14 of us on the plane - I sat right behind the pilot (pictured above). Next to the pilot sat a passenger. I thought it was the co - pilot at first, but then Madison informed me it was a passenger, which makes sense as he was taking pictures the whole time and he was about 15 years old. But we made it to the island safe and sound and then took a speed boat to Shela, where we rented a house.

The house was absolutely beautiful and most peaceful (minus the construction sounds of a new house being built next door, but I didn’t let it bother me) with an unbelievable view (pictured above). It was 4 levels, 2 kitchens, 4 large bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, and an indoor pool. The house also came fully staffed with a chef (Evans) and two assistants who were all extremely helpful. We wanted to take Evans back with us to Nairobi to be our professional chef – as all of his meals were delicious (we didn’t even venture out for dinner to a local restaurant, as we kept looking forward to the next meal he would prepare) and we enjoyed a variety of fresh seafood straight from the water in view. We were a 2 minute walk to the beach, a couple minute stroll to "town” which was comprised of various art galleries, grocery shops, restaurants, and souvenir/clothing shops. I had a love/hate relationship with the beautiful, old-style, architecture amongst the homes, buildings, and streets. Every time I left the house I had to be hopeful I would find my way back as it’s a maze of narrow walkways amongst the buildings around the island. I think it was finally on the 2nd to last day that I made it back to the home without getting lost or wandering around aimlessly for 15+ minutes before calling Madison to come and find me.

I appreciated the fact that there were no cars on the island- if you wanted to go to "Lamu town" from Shela you can enjoy a 30 minute walk, take a dhow (a wooden boat) or ride a donkey. Of course I had to experience the donkey ride from Lamu to Shela (pictured above) - my tailbone still hurts from it – but I definitely got the hang of it by the end and perhaps I will have the opportunity to do it again.

Our time on Lamu island was definitely a chilled, relaxing time had by all. There wasn’t much night life on the island (thank goodness:) so we played cards or board games at night and then hit the beds early. We all enjoyed a beautiful sunset dhow ride one evening (pictured above) and another dhow ride to ruins on Manda Island that date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Other than that I befriended the locals on my morning runs to Lamu town, visited Jay, my tailor friend in Lamu town on a daily basis who made the boys custom pants and various skirts/dresses out of kikoys (local Kenyan cloth) for me, enjoyed walks along the beach, soaked in the sun, did some reading, and enjoyed being away after being on the “go” constantly during the previous weeks.

Back to the good ol' days of home visits

Last Thursday I went on two home visits – one was for 'W', a 5 y.o. little boy with cerebral palsy, who attends the school where I will be volunteering(school opens this week – can’t wait!) and one for 'J', a 9 y.o. girl with autism who attends a private school, but was requesting some in-home therapy ideas from Fern (the founder of the school where I will be volunteering). I can’t even tell you how good it felt to be using my PT skills both mentally and physically again. The occupational therapist and I walked to 'W'’s home – as it was in the slum, Kangemi, next to the school – and were greeted by his grandmother, his primary caregiver. 'W' greeted me with a huge, warm smile and giggle – I know we are going to be buds. I observed Joshua, the OT, working with 'W' in a very similar manner I would have, and then I assisted him with his therapy. I was quite impressed by the stander/adaptive seating device someone from the community made for 'W', although 'W' didn’t seem to be too big a fan. When the session was over we left 'W' safely lying on the couch, where he was when we arrived. The look of sadness on his face when we said goodbye made my heart drop – I couldn’t help but wonder how much of his day is spent lying on the couch. I am hopeful he will be attending school on a consistent basis, if not Joshua informed me we would be doing home visits for therapy – I was relieved to hear that.

For the second home visit, 'J'’s mother picked us all up at the school and brought us to her home. The main purpose of the visit was for Fern and Joshua to teach 'J'’s mother infant massage techniques as a calming mechanism for her daughter. After an hour or so Fern and Joshua were able to have 'J' cooperate to demonstrate/perform the massage – and I got to learn it, which I was quite enthused about. It is customary for families to feed you while you are in their homes and it is considered impolite if you refuse their offerings. Needless to say, I ate more than I needed to on Thursday – but it was delicious, authentic Kenyan food, how could one resist?

Driving Time

WE GOT A CAR! We are very fortunate that the company Madison is working for had a car going spare – so meet our Toyota station wagon, the Honey Hoo Ride. I haven’t driven it yet (yes, still very hesitant to drive here), but Madison has tooled around in it for the past few days – he is taking it slowly at first, trying to avoid the busy roads, but I give him a lot of credit for his confidence and I am quite impressed by his driving ability. We still chuckle every time he turns on the windshield wipers when trying to turn on the blinker, but it will all come with time. This is a journey after all for all of us. Now we are in the process of hiring a driver for me a few days a week – at least for the days I won’t be taking the matatus. One thing at a time, I know – at least I put it out there, so we will see what transpires.

Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word "yuj" - to yoke or bind - union

I had the fortunate opportunity to attend two of Africa Yoga Project's (AYP) community classes this past week in the slums of Kariobangi and Korogocho – I am having a hard time putting this experience into words, but I can wholeheartedly say it was an amazing, yet humbling experience. I am completely out of my comfort zone in the slums – it is 'bursting' the safe, comfortable bubble I know, but I am embracing every moment with open eyes, letting it absorb and then slowly trying to process it all. As I am invited into peoples’ homes in the slums I am trying to envision what it would be like to live here - a room made of cinder blocks or recycled material large enough to fit a bed separated from the “sitting area” by a hanging sheet, maybe a couch and a small coffee table, all of your cooking and eating supplies piled up in a corner, a curtain for a door, colorful buckets piled high outside the door for laundry and other household chores. Then it makes me think of the difference between what I have and what I really, truly need to live – quite a substantial difference - just one of the thoughts I am trying to process. I feel privileged to be invited into one’s home, I just hope they know I am not coming from a place of judgment nor pity nor an outsider just wanting to look. I think the more I come to visit or to guide yoga classes the more they will see I am here because I want to be here, I am here because it feels like the right place to be, and I am here because we are all human beings who can benefit from the powerful benefits of yoga.

On both days that I went to the community classes, the teacher of the class graciously met me at Sarakasi Dome where the Saturday morning class takes place, where the AYP office is, and where extremely talented dancers and acrobatic teams practice for performances. They took me to the matatu stop (a 10 min walk) and then we took the 30 min or so matatu ride to the slums - they even took me back to the dome after we finished class – thank goodness because I would have had no idea where to get off. I am so grateful for their generous spirit.

Tuesday’s class was at Kariobangi (pictured above). Patrick, the AYP teacher insisted I teach the class – how could I resist. I taught to a combination of mothers, younger girls and a few men. It was challenging at first to figure out the level of class to guide since there were was a range of levels in the class (beginners to advanced) so I had to feel it out and attempted to teach to all. In hindsight, I could have made the class more challenging, but now I know for next time. Everyone had a beautiful practice and what was most inspiring was their breath. Even the 2 y.o. little girls who came to class with their mothers were trying to imitate the poses – I felt myself light up inside when I saw them in Utkatasana (Chair Pose)! It was a true blessing to have the opportunity to guide them and share their energy. After the class a few of us went back to Patrick’s home to hang for a bit and then we went back to the dome.

On Wednesday I went to Korogocho, where I taught in a small community room with walls made of recycled material. Margaret (the teacher) and I took a boda boda (motorcycle) from the outskirts of Korogocho to the class. Don’t worry, I didn’t drive the motorbike – we had a driver and all three of us fit on the bike as he drove at a slow pace through the slum. We spent some time in one of the yoga student’s homes (a 24 y.o. mother who has a beautiful 10 month old baby) since we were early. Six mothers attended the class and Margaret insisted that I teach the class. The women had an amazing, authentic yoga practice. I was especially impressed by the 53 y.o. woman who moved in such a graceful manner. There weren’t any yoga mats available, but that doesn’t stop one from practicing yoga, in reality a mat is just a luxury, right? So we practiced right on the concrete floor. Again, what was so apparent was their connection to their breath (it was so audible) and the awareness of their body – they truly get it. The women loved the yoga class and asked me to come back – how could I refuse their invitation?

I left both classes with thoughts running through my mind comparing the yoga classes I taught and attended at home in luxurious studios to what I witnessed over the past two days. Without passing any judgment all I can say just as music is considered a universal language, so is yoga. Yoga can occur in the most accommodating of conditions and in the least accommodating (of course it’s all relative), but it doesn’t matter where you practice, as long as you have the mindful connection of your body linked with your breath. The transformative power of yoga continues to astound and fulfill me. Prior to AYP, yoga was considered to be only for those with money - now it has become accessible to all socioeconomic classes and only spreading from here. I cannot even begin to imagine how the powerful effects of yoga has helped and changed the lives of the men, women and children here in Kenya.

Kenya - On the Road to Change

Excitement and enthusiasm filled the Kenyan air on Friday, August 27, 2010, as the official promulgation of the new Kenyan constitution took place (as mentioned in a previous post, we arrived in Kenya on voting day for this constitution). Friday was declared a public holiday as the president, prime minister, and 5 other top officials took fresh oaths of office and swore allegiance to the new constitution, which was 20 years in the making. We watched the events of this historic day televised on the TV with Sach’s family. It was an honor to be in Kenya on this day, as in talking with various natives you could feel their positive energy and excitement around what this day means for their country and their rights.

Saturday morning I attended my first Africa Yoga Project teacher’s practice at Sarakasi Dome. Africa Yoga Project was founded in 2007 by yogi Paige Elenson(www.africayogaproject.org). She arranged for famous yogi, Baron Baptiste, to lead a teacher training for about 40 men and women from the slums. Amazing, right? Baron was just here in July too for a follow up leadership training. I would have loved to be here for that, as the yoga teacher training I went through was influenced by Baron Baptiste. Now the trained teachers guide free yoga classes in various settings around Nairobi – social halls in the slums, prisons, schools, and community centers. The purpose is to “use the transformative power of yoga to empower communities and change lives. By inspiring the global yoga community into active service, AYP delivers effective and innovative programs that foster peace, improve physical, emotion and mental well-being, facilitate self-sufficiency and create opportunities to learn and contribute across the communities of East Africa.”

Saturday mornings used to be a teacher’s practice, but from what I understand people started to bring friends, so now it is open to the public – at times over a 100 people show up to practice!! Now I understand why! The room was filled with vibrant energy as over 50 people practiced the powerful benefits of yoga. We were guided by many of the AYP teachers in a 2 ½ hour round- robin type class and the physical adjustments provided were so strong and amazing. Needless to say I left there feeling very fulfilled. I now know where I will be spending my Saturday mornings and looking forward to volunteering my time with AYP in some capacity. I also plan on joining Moses, the country director, at one of his community classes this Tuesday – I will be sure to tell you all about it.

I am beginning to realize what a small world it is – or at least Nairobi. Before I left Denver, my friend Nate found an article about a young, native Coloradan, Jessica Posner, who co-founded a non-profit, Shining Hope for Communities (http://www.hopetoshine.org), which is based in Kibera (the largest slum in Nairobi, 2nd largest slum in Africa). Jessica’s organization opened the first known free school for girls in Kibera, The Shining Hope Community Center, and soon-to-be open health clinic. Jessica was recently recognized as the nation’s “Top World Changer 25 and Under” by Do Something and VH1 – WOW! I was in contact with Jessica over email before we left for Kenya and have been meaning to be in touch with her since we arrived.

So, where I am going with this whole story? Here I go - I got dropped off at Sarakasi Dome by our trusty cab driver, Mosoti. Class was supposed to start at 930, so Mosoti picked me up at 830, just in case of traffic. Well, I got there in less than 20 minutes, no traffic, so I was early. The side door to the big center just opened up when I arrived so I went in there and sat in the lobby area and started reading a book I brought along. A few minutes later 3 white girls walked in with yoga mats, so they were obviously there for the same reason. They saw me and we started talking. I told them my name, they asked where I was from, I said CO/NJ. One of the girls said, oh I am from Denver. I said is your name Jessica, and sure enough it's Jessica Posner, who I have been meaning to get in contact with. Crazy, right? It was her first time going to this class too, as she recently heard about AYP. Incidences like these prove to me I am on the right path.

Opportunities

This past Monday, Madison and I went to Korogocho, the fourth largest slum in Nairobi. Our friend Purvi put us in contact with Pato (Patrick), one of the highly respected "business leaders," from Korogocho. Madison wants to partner with business leaders from various slums to create distribution networks for 100 gram jars of honey (from his company, Honey Care Africa). After a brief tour of Korogocho’s radio station, an overview of the Korogocho Slum Upgrading Programme (http://www.ksup.org/), and a walk-through of the newly constructed bio-gas public showers and bathrooms, we gathered in the community meeting room, directly above the restrooms powered by bio-gas. I was amazed how quickly Pato was able to organize a meeting with his team, including the local Councilman Steve (for political buy-in), his accounting guy, and four local potential salesmen. Madison did an excellent job presenting this business opportunity. All seemed extremely interested in this opportunity as they can make a profit on each jar (potentially 8 shillings per jar, compared to 1-2 shillings on other products) plus honey has numerous health benefits, which all were well aware of (to convert shillings into dollars you divide by 80). The men are going to work on a business plan while Madison works on a bulk rate sheet for the honey and they will reconvene in a week.

They also brought me to a local center, Light and Hope For the Disabled Children, in the heart of the slums. I was quite impressed by the center, which is only 2 years old, and they are in desperate need of a therapist – yet another sign that we are on the right path. They have a whole room set up with donated therapy equipment and therapeutic activities. Apparently they did have an occupational therapist, but no longer. There was also a small educational classroom set up and another room for younger children. They have approximately 30 children who come on a daily basis, the youngest being 4 years old, with all kinds of diagnoses (autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, microcephaly). This center is primarily run by a local mother on a volunteer basis who has a 9 y.o. with cerebral palsy. One of her main goals is to reach out to other families in Korogocho, showing them it's okay to have a child with a disability and there is a place for them to go for an education, therapy, and to socialize/learn with/from other children.

As many of you probably know, it's common for certain cultures here to believe that having a child with a disability is a result of witchcraft and/or a curse. Therefore, they rarely take their child out in public and don’t even consider having them attend school. I would say this center has been pretty darn successful in the two years since its birth as it already attracting 30+ families. So, put Light and Hope For the Disabled Children on my list of projects :) One possibility I exchanged with the founders is that I volunteer my time there a few times a month and teach the parents and teachers on functional, applicable ways to work with the children to promote their development.

I find myself definitely coming from a different place than I was while in Uganda. I have only taken my camera out 1x since being here and that was to take a picture of Sach's house. I feel if the locals of the slums, the girls centres, and poverty stricken areas are to take me seriously I can't be snapping pictures – as I am not here to look, stare, or “tour” the slums, nor am I coming from a place of pity or sympathy. I am here to be of assistance, to offer my skills and my heart in the most appropriate of ways. It is so hard for me to grasp how there are organized “slum tours” in existence. Yes, this may bring some money to the people and environment of the slums, but doesn’t it seem a bit inhumane to tour someone else’s homeland and snap pictures and video of people and their surroundings for their own self serving benefit like it’s a spectacle? Perhaps someone can shed some light on this topic for me.

Reality sets in.......

Today marks the start of our 4th week in Kenya (the longest I have ever been in Africa at one time). It was my first weekday without any planned meetings or places to go. After a hearty workout this morning, I think reality finally hit me. I found myself standing in the kitchen, not quite knowing what to do with myself (as many of you know it's hard for me to do "nothing")- thinking wow – I really don’t have any obligations to tend to right this moment. I no longer have a full-time job, I have no school work to complete for my doctorate, huh, I am “free” to do what I want – holy crap, my checking account isn’t going to get replenished at the end of this month for the first time in over 7 years (panic, panic, panic for a few seconds). Then this wave of relief passed over me, my shoulders relaxed away from my ears, and the corners of my lips turned into a smile – it's all going to be okay (as my husband would say). I have only been here for 3 weeks and I am already involved in various projects and organizations that I resonate with and I have connected with so many amazing people. I truly know we are on the right path and everything will work out one way or another, as it always does, right?

First Matatu Ride

I am proud to report I successfully navigated myself around on the matatu system today. The matatu is the fairly regulated public transportation system here in Kenya – thousands of white mini buses/vans that seat 12-14 passengers max and pick up/drop off along various routes. I was told three years ago the matatu system was not as regulated as it is today – way more than 14 passengers hanging out of various doors of the vehicle, stopping and picking up at random stops (probably similar to what I experienced in the Dominican Republic). Yesterday as Stanley (Sach’s driver) drove me to Fairmile School he explained to me which number routes I would take, and pointed out where I would get picked up, where I would switch vans, and where I would get dropped off – so I felt fairly confident in today’s adventure. I left Sach’s house today at 9:00am. Just to make sure I got on the right matatu, John (the house helper who has been with Sach’s family for over 50 years) walked me down to the matatu stop. Within seconds a van marked #23 pulled up and I jumped in. I had to negotiate my way to a seat in the back - my backpack got stuck on a seat – but luckily it was only a matter of seconds before I was in my seat so I didn’t cause too much of a scene. The backpack incident didn’t really matter, as I was aware of the various stares I received anyway– yes, I was the only “white” person on the matatu. A few minutes later I got off the van and waited 10 seconds max and the next matatu pulled up that took me to my final destination. This van was less crowded (I was one of 3 people besides the driver and the money collector) and I appreciated the bumpin’ African reggae music blaring out of the speakers. At exactly 9:10 and only 40 shillings (50 cents) later I was at my final destination. Just to give you some perspective, a taxi to Fairmile costs $6.25 (500 shillings). My future plan for transportation to and from Fairmile seems obvious to me:). A parent of a child dropped me off at the end of my road so I didn’t experience the return trip on the matatu today, but there are many more days to come:).

It is obvious that I stand out here, as I am a minority. Yes, I get stares when I go running, or ride the matatu, or walk along the road to the nearby shopping store, as I am typically the only white person on the side of the road and not in a car. I am getting used to these looks and the “mzungu!” comments (only got called that once today). But I can’t escape the thoughts and feelings that flood my head and body as I am in the midst of these ventures: I feel proud to walk along the road with other Kenyans-as this is their country and when I frequently get a smile or a “how are you?” I take this as a welcoming gesture; I wonder what they think of me; and I wish there wasn’t this obvious, yet unspoken class difference based on the color of your skin. I recognize this is how life is, but it is my intention to approach every person, every situation with respect and in a non judgmental fashion, as we are all just human beings after all, right?

Are we really in Kenya?

There are times I feel like I am in Kenya and then there are moments when I have to ask myself – am I really in Africa? For example, last Saturday night we enjoyed a sushi dinner at a super hipster Japanese Restaurant in WestGate (a high end shopping mall with many name brand stores – almost felt like I was at the Cherry Creek Mall or Short Hills Mall). We walked in and I just chuckled, turned to Madison and said, “Really, we are in Kenya? “ This place is trendier than a restaurant in Denver. As I sit in the comfort of Sach’s home watching TV on a flat screen the same thoughts run through my head. But then as I glance out the windows and see the metal bars covering the windows and the gated entrance with a guard, it brings me back to realize we are in Kenya. When we leave Sach’s home and drive along the main roads with the many, many Kenyans walking by foot at all hours of the night and day, the children begging for money at our car window, the police with machine guns strapped across their chest controlling traffic, and I am rolling up my car window while clutching my purse for fear of someone reaching into the window and snatching it (yes, it does happen) I am brought back to reality of where we are. I am sure this journey will come with a fair balance of experiencing true Kenyan life and having the necessary comfort tools (hot showers, bed to sleep in, internet access) to sustain us. Tomorrow I am going to use the public transportation system, a matatu, to get to the Fairmile school. It seems like it will be similar to the transportation I used while in the Dominican Republic - I will be sure to keep you all posted:)

Life in Kenya

We are very fortunate to be living with Sach and his family. They have a beautiful home in which they so graciously opened up to us. Pictured above is the entrance to Sach's house and their house. We truly enjoy their company and they have taken us under their wing – treating us as their own children. Sach’s mom is a fabulous cook – it’s hard to resist all of the traditional Indian cuisine – I am sure my waistline will be showing that soon enough:). Madison and I plan on cooking some of our favorite meals for them next week – they have requested some yummy Italian dishes! We don’t want to overstay our welcome with Sach’s family – but I also know it will be tempting to stay here as long as possible – the sense of family, comfort, and safety we get from them is priceless.

Sach has introduced us to many of his friends – who are so welcoming to us and make us feel right at home. I don’t see making friends as being an obstacle – thank goodness! I thought I was going to have a shortage of girlfriends – but I was proven wrong. I think I am making friends with the guards in the neighborhood too as I go on my daily runs. Right now I am doing loops around his neighborhood – so they get to see me a lot – but when Madison runs with me we venture down different paths. Yes, we definitely get lots of looks – those crazy Mzungus “white people” – but also get lots of friendly, warm smiles. I am investigating different gyms – but for now running and yoga seem to be just fine.

The one main obstacle we are faced with right now is how to get around. Madison and I have both been busy with meetings at various places since we arrived. I have been able to use Sach’s driver, Stanley, here and there – but I don’t want to be a nuisance, as I know Stanley’s main priority is Sach and his parents. At this point, I just don’t think I can drive here – with driving on the other side of the road, little to no traffic lights or signs (and if there are lights drivers seem to disregard them – haven’t quite figured that out yet), and with the many pedestrians and bicyclists, walking alongside and across the road – I just don’t think I can do it quite yet and they probably don’t want a Jersey driver on the road either:). Another sign that tells me I am not ready to drive here is when I go for a run and I panic that a car is driving towards me on the wrong side of the road, where in reality they are on the right side of the road. I am hoping to investigate our own driver – as taxi fares are starting to add up.

Last Monday Madison and I came home at separate times – both eager to hear about each other’s day. I have to say I was pretty proud of myself to go about my day’s meetings and adventures without his help (plus it wasn’t a choice since he didn’t have his cell phone set up yet). I negotiated a taxi on my own, met some new people who didn’t know Madison first, and got myself involved in some projects that I knew Madison would be proud of. Monday definitely provided me with a sense of independence and empowerment. Plus, I bet he is relieved to know he doesn’t have to hold my hand every step of the way here either – I got a sense he was proud of me too.

What I will be doing in Kenya -

Since making the decision to move here everything seemed to fall into place, and signs – some obvious, some more obscure- started to present themselves along the way. One of the main ones for me is a colleague where I worked stopped me in the hallway in the beginning of March to ask me if I had been to Africa lately (as he knows I have traveled there before). He mentioned his friend from Kenya was just here in CO – she is a founder of a school for children with special needs in Kenya and comes to the states about once a year for further educational training and new ideas. How could I not take this as a sign? It turns out her school is located 10 minutes away from where we are living in Nairobi – and she is in need of physical therapy volunteers. I have met with the founder, Fern (a very knowledgeable Early Childhood Special Educator), twice already since we arrived. School is out for summer break and will resume in September. I sat in on 2 meetings with staff and parents to discuss their child’s progress and goals for the upcoming school term (a version of an IEP meeting).

The school, Fairmile School, is on a pretty decent sized plot of land with a garden and an old-school style swing set. It is located directly next to one of the slums in Nairobi– this took me by surprise at first, as it was unexpected – but it’s safe and I am approaching everything with open eyes and an open mind. The school consists of 2 primary classrooms, a kitchen area (they try to feed the children primarily a gluten free and vegetarian diet), and an office area with a few computers. There is some equipment (mats, a ball, a wedge) that I will be able to use for therapy – but this is where my creativity will come into play. I will post pictures at some point so you can get a clearer picture of what things look like – a school as we know it, but on a much smaller scale and very, very basic.

There are 20 students enrolled in the school (ranging from 4-16 y.o.) with a range of diagnoses from cerebral palsy to autism to delayed with no diagnosis. On a daily basis I was told 10-12 students arrive (attendance is low because of the $2.50/day cost, transportation to school, and family situations). On Thursdays the children go horseback riding – I am very excited to assist with this and on Tuesday they go to the local Y to use the pool – when it is warm enough. There are 3 teachers, 1 occupational therapist, and occasionally there are occupational therapy interns. I am excited and relieved to have the opportunity to progress my physical therapy career here – as I know I will be continually challenged in this environment.

I plan on volunteering at the school 2-3 days a week. The rest of my time will most likely be filled with volunteering with various Girls Centre’s and the Girl Guides (like Girl Scouts) in Nairobi. From my understanding the girls come from the slums and learn life skills and are trained in some type of vocational skill (dress making, jewelry making, computer skills, hairstyling) that they can take back home with them to earn an income. I know I will be working with the Girls Centre at the Hawkers Market – the girls walk 1-2 hours each way, 6 days a week, for a year – certainly puts things into perspective for me. I will be looking for some creative ideas I can contribute to these girls – so feel free to email me.

Yoga instructors seem to be in high demand here. Perhaps I may find myself teaching yoga to some of the girls groups? I have to commend my hubby on his contacts here – which are of course my friends too now. Many of you have heard me rave about the yoga retreat on the Kenyan south coast that our friends own. Madison and I have been here twice before – a small, private retreat right on the beach with a yoga platform overlooking the ocean – plus delicious, fresh food is served to your liking. Well, this past Monday I received a phone call saying Shaanti (the retreat) was in need of a yoga instructor for some guests. Their regular instructor was out of town. Without much persuasion – Madison and I flew to the coast on Tuesday morning (an hour flight from Nairobi) and now here I am. Who could pass up a trip with paid flight, food, and accommodations? I have been teaching about 2 classes a day – which is great because I am growing my own practice. Yes, I feel a bit spoiled here – but I am sure this journey will come with its not so great days too. Madison left yesterday for Nairobi as he had some business to tend to. That left me at Shaanti all by my lonesome, but some alone time is always good. I was definitely a bit scared at first and had trouble sleeping, waking up to every sound, but I know I am in good hands here and completely safe with the many guards walking around the beach front property. I have become friendly with all of the staff and I am attempting to learn Swahili. Although English is primarily spoken here, Madison and I want to learn Swahili as it will come in handy – plus, we are trying to not stand out so much. Madison is of course picking up on it much faster than I am – learning a new language isn’t as easy as it was when I was younger.