At last,the final post from Kenya, and now I can't wait to get going. To even say that makes me so sad as I love East Africa in principle but just haven't enjoyed Nairobi- in case you haven't noticed by now!
I want to record some of the happier memories that I will be taking away with me. They have to be based around the members of the group. They are so strong and brave and even though the group has ejected them as of last week, they are starting again with nothing. As Joyce, the ex treasurer said to me " Heather, I have been working to counsel those with HIV for 20 years and did it without a penny. I can and will do it again". The courage and determination of these women just moves me to tears and I always find myself wishing that there was more that I could do to assist. However, they survived very well without me and will do so again.
I'm doing all this backwards, but we had a meeting with the donor last Friday and unfortunately she was in support of our glorious chairman. He is very good at self promotion and has wonderful skills in making himself sound good. If only he could turn it to something legal! Anyway, I would have believed him too if it was me so can't really blame her. Then an election was held for the committe members. The chairman has been very busy bribing and intimidating members, so of course they all voted him in. They also booted out the secretary, the treasurer and the 2 volunteers that I have been working with, and put others in their place that will allow himto do as he wishes with the money and so on. Hence the reason that these hard working women now find themselves without a job or any money coming in. 2 of them are widows with no one to assist them and they have 9 children between them. Life really sucks sometimes and its just not fair. But then I guess you all knew that anyway!
Anyway, happy memories! Walking with the volunteers, doing home visits and talking of everything under the sun. Sitting in the office, discussing sex lives and the price of eggs! Laughter and singing at every opportunity, despite going home to no food and hungry children. Seeing some members who are sick slowly returning to health and knowing that they are going to get better, at least this time. Providing relaxation therapy and seeing it really make a difference.
Anyway its time to go and make some memories elsewhere.
Till next time.
Saturday, 28 June 2008
Saturday, 14 June 2008
Death approaches early in Africa
I wanted to use this blog to update on some of the members. So many of them have been helped by the kind donations from the UK, but there are others that money can no longer help.
Miriam was one of the first members that I met when I came to Kenya and she was very sick at the time. That was sorted out but now she is "down" or sick once more. I think that her TB has returned and there is something else wrong but I can't tell what. She had to go back to the hospital the other day- I had to give her the money for bus fares as our bloody chairman has spent all the money, damn him!- but the hospital are not saying what is wrong with her. That usually means that there is little that they can do for somebody. She looks dreadful and is very weak, hardly able to walk. I'm not sure what is going to happen to her. She is 24 and a prostitute, a fate that befalls many African women as they have no other way of making money.
Lydia is our other member who is dreadfully ill. She was in hospital about 3 weeks ago with TB and was eventually released home. Now she is suffering from meningitis. She is taking medication but she is not able to eat anything for about 2 weeks now, meaning that her ARV's will not work and she will fall prey to all other infections that are around. We visited her on Friday and she was barely conscious that anyone was there. I think she will almost certainly die. I suggested that we have her admitted back to hospital to have IV food, but the hospitals here are not like Western hospitals. If they think that she may die and not be able to pay her bill, they will just leave her to die on the floor of the corridor, unless someone is kind enough to pick her up. She will also pick up more disease outside the hospital than in it, so it is safer to leave her at home. Her mother takes care of her and is very worried about her. Lydia is 26.
I also wanted to comment on the attitudes of African men towards HIV. Most of them carry a very great stigma and will not let anyone know if they are positive. So many of them even refuse to be tested, and will not take drugs if they find out that they are positive. If a man finds out he is positive he will always blame his wife, although African men have up to 20 girlfriends when they are married and usually don't use condoms. We visited a non member the other day who wanted advice. Her husband is very sick, constantly vomiting and having diarhorrea, but refuses to go to the hospital. He also beats her every day when she takes her ARV's as he has instructed her not to take them and she refuses. He insists that the drugs will kill her! This is a common view among Africans especially men. They also believe that they are not suffering from HIV, they are suffering from witchcraft, someone has put a bad spell on them, AIDS is propaganda from the government and all sorts of nonsense. And this is as likely to come from educated men as from uneducated men!! No surprise then, that death comes early in Africa.
Miriam was one of the first members that I met when I came to Kenya and she was very sick at the time. That was sorted out but now she is "down" or sick once more. I think that her TB has returned and there is something else wrong but I can't tell what. She had to go back to the hospital the other day- I had to give her the money for bus fares as our bloody chairman has spent all the money, damn him!- but the hospital are not saying what is wrong with her. That usually means that there is little that they can do for somebody. She looks dreadful and is very weak, hardly able to walk. I'm not sure what is going to happen to her. She is 24 and a prostitute, a fate that befalls many African women as they have no other way of making money.
Lydia is our other member who is dreadfully ill. She was in hospital about 3 weeks ago with TB and was eventually released home. Now she is suffering from meningitis. She is taking medication but she is not able to eat anything for about 2 weeks now, meaning that her ARV's will not work and she will fall prey to all other infections that are around. We visited her on Friday and she was barely conscious that anyone was there. I think she will almost certainly die. I suggested that we have her admitted back to hospital to have IV food, but the hospitals here are not like Western hospitals. If they think that she may die and not be able to pay her bill, they will just leave her to die on the floor of the corridor, unless someone is kind enough to pick her up. She will also pick up more disease outside the hospital than in it, so it is safer to leave her at home. Her mother takes care of her and is very worried about her. Lydia is 26.
I also wanted to comment on the attitudes of African men towards HIV. Most of them carry a very great stigma and will not let anyone know if they are positive. So many of them even refuse to be tested, and will not take drugs if they find out that they are positive. If a man finds out he is positive he will always blame his wife, although African men have up to 20 girlfriends when they are married and usually don't use condoms. We visited a non member the other day who wanted advice. Her husband is very sick, constantly vomiting and having diarhorrea, but refuses to go to the hospital. He also beats her every day when she takes her ARV's as he has instructed her not to take them and she refuses. He insists that the drugs will kill her! This is a common view among Africans especially men. They also believe that they are not suffering from HIV, they are suffering from witchcraft, someone has put a bad spell on them, AIDS is propaganda from the government and all sorts of nonsense. And this is as likely to come from educated men as from uneducated men!! No surprise then, that death comes early in Africa.
Saturday, 7 June 2008
Corrupt bloody Kenya
You can refer to the email as to the reasons for the title of this post. I'm not sure why it bothers me so much but this place is the most corrupt that I've ever come across. And no one is clear from it- it exists in politics, in the police. In a country where you can't trust the police or the government, who do you turn to in times of trouble? And of course as I already said, its affecting our wee project and may well get in the way painfully! The general public don't really bat an eyelid, they just accept it but for someone who is coming from a country where the politicians are scrutinised and questioned, its hard to think its OK.
I knew last week that there was something that I'd forgotten to add. When I got back to Oldy, I found that one of the teachers had lost her husband so we went to the funeral. It was a different experience! For a start the widow did not join the general throng, she sat separately in a manyatta (she's Masai) and everyone went to her to pay their respects. Food and chai were given, then songs and hymns sung over the deceased who lay in a shiny white open coffin decorated with purple ribbons- Africans love ribbons! The women all shrouded them selves in bright kangas and then we filed past the coffin to pay our last respects. The women left at this point and each collected a single rose on the way to the maize field where he was to be buried. Then the men followed with the coffin which was spaded over with dirt. The women went forward with their roses and placed each one singly on top so that at the end it was covered with roses. It was all very simple but very affecting, especially as Africans shout and cry very publicly at times of loss which I found quite nerve racking!
But back to Kenya. The members of the project are continuing to be happy that they have some way of working and supporting themselves, and getting some food for their children. That makes all the difficulties worth while. And we have a set and proper programme for counselling and for home visits (on Fridays we have to go to Kawangware which is 6 miles away- and there is no money for bus fares so Shanks pony it is!!). So we are more organised and also starting to be known within the local community which is a good thing. So its not all bad despite my doom and gloom view point at times!
Well, I'm going to close now. Its Saturday, I actually have the day off to be a tourist and with that in mind I'm off to the Langata Giraffe Centre where they take care of orphaned giraffes. No idea how to get there but isnt that part of the fun?!
Till next time x
I knew last week that there was something that I'd forgotten to add. When I got back to Oldy, I found that one of the teachers had lost her husband so we went to the funeral. It was a different experience! For a start the widow did not join the general throng, she sat separately in a manyatta (she's Masai) and everyone went to her to pay their respects. Food and chai were given, then songs and hymns sung over the deceased who lay in a shiny white open coffin decorated with purple ribbons- Africans love ribbons! The women all shrouded them selves in bright kangas and then we filed past the coffin to pay our last respects. The women left at this point and each collected a single rose on the way to the maize field where he was to be buried. Then the men followed with the coffin which was spaded over with dirt. The women went forward with their roses and placed each one singly on top so that at the end it was covered with roses. It was all very simple but very affecting, especially as Africans shout and cry very publicly at times of loss which I found quite nerve racking!
But back to Kenya. The members of the project are continuing to be happy that they have some way of working and supporting themselves, and getting some food for their children. That makes all the difficulties worth while. And we have a set and proper programme for counselling and for home visits (on Fridays we have to go to Kawangware which is 6 miles away- and there is no money for bus fares so Shanks pony it is!!). So we are more organised and also starting to be known within the local community which is a good thing. So its not all bad despite my doom and gloom view point at times!
Well, I'm going to close now. Its Saturday, I actually have the day off to be a tourist and with that in mind I'm off to the Langata Giraffe Centre where they take care of orphaned giraffes. No idea how to get there but isnt that part of the fun?!
Till next time x
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
Blogging again from Tanzania
See the email as to the reasons why I'm blogging in Tanzania!!
Anyway I arrived here on Friday and I'm heading back to Kenya today. I stayed in Oldy of course, with my lovely family who welcomed me like a Queen, with open arms. It was lovely to see them all again and I discovered that Mama Last is pregnant again. She has offered the baby to me as a "mtoto jifty"- a gift child,in the hope that I will take it back to Scotland and raise it! Needless to say I've refused but its the nearest I've come to having that "jumper baby"that Mands is always talking about.....!
I had the strangest feeling when we crossed the border from Kenya to Tanzania- I felt immediately that I was home- isn't that the strangest thing? Anyway its underlined for me that the Africa I prefer is not the dirt and noise of the cities- its the wide open landscapes with acacia trees everywhere and no human presence except the distant bright spot that is a Masai moran ( or warrior), wearing the traditional checked blue, purple and red blankets that are their clothes, walking to his manyatta (the Masai walk dozens of miles together and call it a short stroll!)
I should really say something on stuff in Nairobi. The work has not really chnaged, although it remains for me difficult and frustrating. We got a delivery from the Kenya Red Cross last week- we got registered with them through my insistence, I might add. Anyway we had 50 kilos opf porridge lying around the office for 3 days until I asked why it hadn't been divided and distributed. There was no good answer so I threw yet another tantrum and insisited that it be done immeditately which it was. People are literally starving to death in front of our eyes while there is food lying around! I am also investigating the large supermarkets and other charities for food donations- if I wasn't doing it no one would! The lethargy and apathy that is present here is shocking at times. I can't bring myself to be too harsh as these people are seriously sick but sometimes I could bring their end about a little quicker!!
Talking of sickness we have an outbreak of typhoid in the slums. Its not really surprising as conditions are horrifically dirty, but its awful to see such a disease present when the cure is so simple. There are so many people in Kenya with no access to clean water and the bloody government does nothing about it. We have clean water brought in every day but it doesn't last long with so many people needing to drink and wash, so often folks have to fall back on other means. And the slums are so dirty. The concept of rubbish collection has not yet reached Africa, so piles of nameless rubbish are left around to rot as they will. The smell is incredible, and the children often hunt through it looking for something to eat. You have to jump the rivers of filth as you are walking around and my greatest fear is that I'm going to fall in one day!! Oh and the toilets. Most people live in one room, divided by a curtain, one side for sleeping,one for eating. The cooking is done in the street on small charcoal stoves. These rooms house families of 8 or 10 people and they don't have toilets. These are outside, 3 between maybe 150 people. Add to this that they are squat toilets that don't lush, and that the people who are using them are often ill and have stomach conditions- well, they are pretty awful. I've used them once or twice while doing home visits, but now I've become like a camel and I wait all day till I get home. Who knows what you could catch otherwise!
I got the news last night that Caroline has had her baby. I'm excited and proud and just a little sad that I'm not there for the happy event- except in spirit! When I think of all the life that I'm missing out on while I'm here and the fact that she and Ezzy will have a 2 year old boy instead of a baby by the time I see him- its a temptation at the lowest points to jack it in and go home. Thank God I'm tough enough to see it through!!
I think thats it for now. I always forget what I was going to say until I get home and I think,oh bugger,I should have mentioned this and that. Its impossible to tell you folks everything, and some of it you wouldn't believe anyway!
See ya next time, Constant Reader! x
Anyway I arrived here on Friday and I'm heading back to Kenya today. I stayed in Oldy of course, with my lovely family who welcomed me like a Queen, with open arms. It was lovely to see them all again and I discovered that Mama Last is pregnant again. She has offered the baby to me as a "mtoto jifty"- a gift child,in the hope that I will take it back to Scotland and raise it! Needless to say I've refused but its the nearest I've come to having that "jumper baby"that Mands is always talking about.....!
I had the strangest feeling when we crossed the border from Kenya to Tanzania- I felt immediately that I was home- isn't that the strangest thing? Anyway its underlined for me that the Africa I prefer is not the dirt and noise of the cities- its the wide open landscapes with acacia trees everywhere and no human presence except the distant bright spot that is a Masai moran ( or warrior), wearing the traditional checked blue, purple and red blankets that are their clothes, walking to his manyatta (the Masai walk dozens of miles together and call it a short stroll!)
I should really say something on stuff in Nairobi. The work has not really chnaged, although it remains for me difficult and frustrating. We got a delivery from the Kenya Red Cross last week- we got registered with them through my insistence, I might add. Anyway we had 50 kilos opf porridge lying around the office for 3 days until I asked why it hadn't been divided and distributed. There was no good answer so I threw yet another tantrum and insisited that it be done immeditately which it was. People are literally starving to death in front of our eyes while there is food lying around! I am also investigating the large supermarkets and other charities for food donations- if I wasn't doing it no one would! The lethargy and apathy that is present here is shocking at times. I can't bring myself to be too harsh as these people are seriously sick but sometimes I could bring their end about a little quicker!!
Talking of sickness we have an outbreak of typhoid in the slums. Its not really surprising as conditions are horrifically dirty, but its awful to see such a disease present when the cure is so simple. There are so many people in Kenya with no access to clean water and the bloody government does nothing about it. We have clean water brought in every day but it doesn't last long with so many people needing to drink and wash, so often folks have to fall back on other means. And the slums are so dirty. The concept of rubbish collection has not yet reached Africa, so piles of nameless rubbish are left around to rot as they will. The smell is incredible, and the children often hunt through it looking for something to eat. You have to jump the rivers of filth as you are walking around and my greatest fear is that I'm going to fall in one day!! Oh and the toilets. Most people live in one room, divided by a curtain, one side for sleeping,one for eating. The cooking is done in the street on small charcoal stoves. These rooms house families of 8 or 10 people and they don't have toilets. These are outside, 3 between maybe 150 people. Add to this that they are squat toilets that don't lush, and that the people who are using them are often ill and have stomach conditions- well, they are pretty awful. I've used them once or twice while doing home visits, but now I've become like a camel and I wait all day till I get home. Who knows what you could catch otherwise!
I got the news last night that Caroline has had her baby. I'm excited and proud and just a little sad that I'm not there for the happy event- except in spirit! When I think of all the life that I'm missing out on while I'm here and the fact that she and Ezzy will have a 2 year old boy instead of a baby by the time I see him- its a temptation at the lowest points to jack it in and go home. Thank God I'm tough enough to see it through!!
I think thats it for now. I always forget what I was going to say until I get home and I think,oh bugger,I should have mentioned this and that. Its impossible to tell you folks everything, and some of it you wouldn't believe anyway!
See ya next time, Constant Reader! x
Saturday, 24 May 2008
Diggin the heels in in Kenya!
I haven't really blogged much since coming to Kenya and I'm not sure why! I'm just as busy but somehow I don't seem to have much to say- not a normal state of affairs for me!
Its been a busy and chaotic 3 weeks- cant believe that I'm nearly half way through already! Things at the group are starting to look up significantly, mainly due to the kindness of those at home who have donated money. It means so much to these people to be able to work and feed themselves and their children.
But sometimes they frustrate the hell out of me too! We had a general meeting today which began well, but degenerated fast. Its a long story and I won't go into it but there was a woman there who has been bad mouthing our members who got very angry about it. All fine and fair enough but it ended up in a physical fist fight in the middle of the street, headed by our chairman. It was incredibly violent not to mention shameful. I called the committee together after the meeting and told them very sternly that if I ever saw such a thing happen again I would be removing myself from the group. They were all incredibly shamefaced and apologetic- Africans are so childish at times!
Anyway, its all interesting stuff! The language here is different to Tanzania- still Swahili but mixed more with English. A Kenyan will start a sentence in English and finish it in Swahili. They also speak a lot of Sheng- a kind of street slang that is a combination of different languages.
Oh and I'm here to report that tribalism is alive and well in Kenya. It came as a shock to me because there is no such thing in Tanzania. Here, the main tribes are Kikuyu, Luo and another which I can't remember! No one likes the Kikuyu and regards them as cold and not worthy of interest. However they are the most powerful and abundant in the country which may account for some of it. It was mainly Kikuyu that were killed in the post election riots at the beginning of the year and this fact hangs over the country like a fog.
People with HIV are interesting too- that sounds like an mad scientist experimenting on folks but thats not what I mean. The ARV's and the disease itself can attack the brain and make them very forgetful. They also have less control over their temper- hence the debacle today. Its very distressing for people who realise what is happening to them. And it can happen to the kids as well, which affects their performance in school and so on. Kids also have very little chance of living to any age- once someone starts ARV's the body begins to work and resist them. Eventually everybody on ARV's will need a new strain. Obviously if you are 50 you wont need to go through this very often but if you are 2 years old when you start taking them the chances are that you will use all types of ARV then run out of options. Then you die.
This disease is a killer and a fucking nightmare- more has to be done to help eradicate it.
Anyway enough of the depressing stuff. Not too much else to report. I live with the local pastor who is called Margaret. She has a house girl, Maggie, who I share a room with. She does all the cooking and cleaning and is always delighted to have volunteers. She is about 20 and is keen to wait on me hand and foot. I won't let her do my washing and if I'm quick I can usually get away with doing some of the washing up. Otherwise she beats me to it every time! They are pleasant folk and Margaret is very involved in the project, so she understands how difficult it can be.
So thats all for now. Moving through Africa, a little tired of being the object of curiosity, being called mzungu and so on. But it has to be admitted, I love Africa and its true what Karen Blixen says " The hardest part of Africa is the leaving it". I can appreciate the sentiment.
Till next time.
Its been a busy and chaotic 3 weeks- cant believe that I'm nearly half way through already! Things at the group are starting to look up significantly, mainly due to the kindness of those at home who have donated money. It means so much to these people to be able to work and feed themselves and their children.
But sometimes they frustrate the hell out of me too! We had a general meeting today which began well, but degenerated fast. Its a long story and I won't go into it but there was a woman there who has been bad mouthing our members who got very angry about it. All fine and fair enough but it ended up in a physical fist fight in the middle of the street, headed by our chairman. It was incredibly violent not to mention shameful. I called the committee together after the meeting and told them very sternly that if I ever saw such a thing happen again I would be removing myself from the group. They were all incredibly shamefaced and apologetic- Africans are so childish at times!
Anyway, its all interesting stuff! The language here is different to Tanzania- still Swahili but mixed more with English. A Kenyan will start a sentence in English and finish it in Swahili. They also speak a lot of Sheng- a kind of street slang that is a combination of different languages.
Oh and I'm here to report that tribalism is alive and well in Kenya. It came as a shock to me because there is no such thing in Tanzania. Here, the main tribes are Kikuyu, Luo and another which I can't remember! No one likes the Kikuyu and regards them as cold and not worthy of interest. However they are the most powerful and abundant in the country which may account for some of it. It was mainly Kikuyu that were killed in the post election riots at the beginning of the year and this fact hangs over the country like a fog.
People with HIV are interesting too- that sounds like an mad scientist experimenting on folks but thats not what I mean. The ARV's and the disease itself can attack the brain and make them very forgetful. They also have less control over their temper- hence the debacle today. Its very distressing for people who realise what is happening to them. And it can happen to the kids as well, which affects their performance in school and so on. Kids also have very little chance of living to any age- once someone starts ARV's the body begins to work and resist them. Eventually everybody on ARV's will need a new strain. Obviously if you are 50 you wont need to go through this very often but if you are 2 years old when you start taking them the chances are that you will use all types of ARV then run out of options. Then you die.
This disease is a killer and a fucking nightmare- more has to be done to help eradicate it.
Anyway enough of the depressing stuff. Not too much else to report. I live with the local pastor who is called Margaret. She has a house girl, Maggie, who I share a room with. She does all the cooking and cleaning and is always delighted to have volunteers. She is about 20 and is keen to wait on me hand and foot. I won't let her do my washing and if I'm quick I can usually get away with doing some of the washing up. Otherwise she beats me to it every time! They are pleasant folk and Margaret is very involved in the project, so she understands how difficult it can be.
So thats all for now. Moving through Africa, a little tired of being the object of curiosity, being called mzungu and so on. But it has to be admitted, I love Africa and its true what Karen Blixen says " The hardest part of Africa is the leaving it". I can appreciate the sentiment.
Till next time.
Friday, 9 May 2008
The joys of Nairobi
Well it may have to be a very quick post as its getting late and I have to be back in the house by 6 pm. Nairobi is a lot more dangerous than Tanzania- I really must stop comparing!!- so we are advised to be home by 6. It is very restricting and its one of the things I dont like about here. Add to that the traffic, the noise, the not so friendly people and so on and I'm not as happy here as I was in TZ!
Anyway, there are some good bits. At the weekends I can go swimming although it means a trip into town. Easy getting there a complete nightmare getting back. It took me 3 hours the other day just because I was waiting on a bus. I'm hoping to get a bike but even then its not safe to take it into town as the drivers are just nuts. The matatu drivers are the worst (Nairobi version of the dala dala) and they dont care who they kill! I can also walk a fair bit, there is a cinema and a great coffee house about 40 mins walk away, and a number of things to do at the weekends. I haven't arranged any of them yet but give me time!
I also like the work, and when I'm sitting listening to someone's AIDS story or trying to figure out how to get more food for the members I'm utterly happy. Its in between times that I get a bit restless. The group members are very unsettled and suspicious which is no surprise given their experiences. My only saving grace is that I'm female. Also I'm mzungu and am considered to be an expert in all things for some reason- talk about pressure!!
I do feel isolated at times especially when I want to get things off my chest. However, I'm aware that its a bad time of year for me just now and that I'm still Tanzania sick, so I'm sticking with it as best I can. The weekend is here- although I work Saturday mornings- so I'm looking forward to doing some nice stuff! I'm constantly shattered but that is just a reaction to the heat. Its much hotter here although this is the cold season! Its 90 degrees for fucks sake!!
I do have a few more things to add but the sun is about to set and if I'm not in by 6 Margaret begins to worry. Sigh- I'm 35 and still being babied.....
More next time- farewell!!
Anyway, there are some good bits. At the weekends I can go swimming although it means a trip into town. Easy getting there a complete nightmare getting back. It took me 3 hours the other day just because I was waiting on a bus. I'm hoping to get a bike but even then its not safe to take it into town as the drivers are just nuts. The matatu drivers are the worst (Nairobi version of the dala dala) and they dont care who they kill! I can also walk a fair bit, there is a cinema and a great coffee house about 40 mins walk away, and a number of things to do at the weekends. I haven't arranged any of them yet but give me time!
I also like the work, and when I'm sitting listening to someone's AIDS story or trying to figure out how to get more food for the members I'm utterly happy. Its in between times that I get a bit restless. The group members are very unsettled and suspicious which is no surprise given their experiences. My only saving grace is that I'm female. Also I'm mzungu and am considered to be an expert in all things for some reason- talk about pressure!!
I do feel isolated at times especially when I want to get things off my chest. However, I'm aware that its a bad time of year for me just now and that I'm still Tanzania sick, so I'm sticking with it as best I can. The weekend is here- although I work Saturday mornings- so I'm looking forward to doing some nice stuff! I'm constantly shattered but that is just a reaction to the heat. Its much hotter here although this is the cold season! Its 90 degrees for fucks sake!!
I do have a few more things to add but the sun is about to set and if I'm not in by 6 Margaret begins to worry. Sigh- I'm 35 and still being babied.....
More next time- farewell!!
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Leaving Tanzania
My heart is breaking- I'm leaving beautiful Tanzania. This is my last day and tomorrow I go to Nairobi. That will also be a wonderful experience I'm sure but at the moment I want to stay here forever!
There are so many things that I don't want to forget from here and its impossible to mention them all but heres just a few....
Insects. Being a girl and a wuss I'm terrified of them and had prepped myself for many creepy crawlies. Actually there has only been 2 incidents. The first was when a kind of earwig thing crawled into my inhaler and I used it. Fortunately I was able to cough the thing up but not too nice! Then there was the spider who decided that my trainer was a cosy place to sleep but didn't tell me till I had put it on and it crawled out of the hole in the top- I think the locals thought I was doing the Highland Fling!
Collecting water with the kids- everybody here thinks I'm nuts but I think that the kids have to work far too hard. So when they go for water I go with them to help. Its actually great fun cos thats when you see everybody as they walk past. I developed the habit of walking to the drinking water tap every day just so that I can speak to the kids as they are coming out of school and say hi to all the villagers.
The family- all heart broken as I left them. I've promised to try and visit. They called me last night to tell me that they missed me- I'd been gone for 4 hours.
Elinamay- a subject in the email so wont go on for too long. But one of my best friends, who also fancies himself in love with me. He's 17!! In Africa it would be perfectly acceptable for us to be a couple, but I think I would feel like a cradle snatcher! Anyway one of my everlasting images of Oldonyosambu is him sitting on the step of his house, watching me leave and nearly crying. Its nice to think that you'll be missed, but I hate when people are so upset!
Things to remember about Tanzania:
The continual fascination with the white person. I'm curious to know how long I would have to live here before it wore off.
The friendliness of the people. Everybody says hello and greets you- not just to be polite but because they want to know how you are.
The Masai- it occurs to me that I've not really mentioned them. Thats probably because they are just one of many tribes here and are not considered anything out of the ordinary. The Masai here are slightly scorned as they are not "true"- they are not nomadic and have settled with crops and so on. There are hundreds of tribes in Africa but here are mainly Masai, Chagga and Pada- all with their own languages and customs.
The colours and sounds- in Old its beautifully peaceful and you can see the stars at night with no pollution from electricity- breathtaking. And the women wear bright colours cos the dirt doesn't show so much but they look beautiful.
The way everybody helps everybody else. In Tanzania children can travel hundreds of miles by dala dala and no one will hurt them. The conductors will make sure that they are going in the right direction and they can usually sit on someones knee if its crowded- as it invariably is. The dala dala conductors act tough but they are kind hearted and will also help you if you have a lot of baggage to carry on market day. Can you see LRT drivers doing the same?! Other passengers will also help you if you are overloaded.
The beautiful beautiful country side. I will carry it in my memory wherever I go.
Well, my computer time is running out so I have to finish. Everything else will have to be committed to memory.
Farewell Tanzania!!
There are so many things that I don't want to forget from here and its impossible to mention them all but heres just a few....
Insects. Being a girl and a wuss I'm terrified of them and had prepped myself for many creepy crawlies. Actually there has only been 2 incidents. The first was when a kind of earwig thing crawled into my inhaler and I used it. Fortunately I was able to cough the thing up but not too nice! Then there was the spider who decided that my trainer was a cosy place to sleep but didn't tell me till I had put it on and it crawled out of the hole in the top- I think the locals thought I was doing the Highland Fling!
Collecting water with the kids- everybody here thinks I'm nuts but I think that the kids have to work far too hard. So when they go for water I go with them to help. Its actually great fun cos thats when you see everybody as they walk past. I developed the habit of walking to the drinking water tap every day just so that I can speak to the kids as they are coming out of school and say hi to all the villagers.
The family- all heart broken as I left them. I've promised to try and visit. They called me last night to tell me that they missed me- I'd been gone for 4 hours.
Elinamay- a subject in the email so wont go on for too long. But one of my best friends, who also fancies himself in love with me. He's 17!! In Africa it would be perfectly acceptable for us to be a couple, but I think I would feel like a cradle snatcher! Anyway one of my everlasting images of Oldonyosambu is him sitting on the step of his house, watching me leave and nearly crying. Its nice to think that you'll be missed, but I hate when people are so upset!
Things to remember about Tanzania:
The continual fascination with the white person. I'm curious to know how long I would have to live here before it wore off.
The friendliness of the people. Everybody says hello and greets you- not just to be polite but because they want to know how you are.
The Masai- it occurs to me that I've not really mentioned them. Thats probably because they are just one of many tribes here and are not considered anything out of the ordinary. The Masai here are slightly scorned as they are not "true"- they are not nomadic and have settled with crops and so on. There are hundreds of tribes in Africa but here are mainly Masai, Chagga and Pada- all with their own languages and customs.
The colours and sounds- in Old its beautifully peaceful and you can see the stars at night with no pollution from electricity- breathtaking. And the women wear bright colours cos the dirt doesn't show so much but they look beautiful.
The way everybody helps everybody else. In Tanzania children can travel hundreds of miles by dala dala and no one will hurt them. The conductors will make sure that they are going in the right direction and they can usually sit on someones knee if its crowded- as it invariably is. The dala dala conductors act tough but they are kind hearted and will also help you if you have a lot of baggage to carry on market day. Can you see LRT drivers doing the same?! Other passengers will also help you if you are overloaded.
The beautiful beautiful country side. I will carry it in my memory wherever I go.
Well, my computer time is running out so I have to finish. Everything else will have to be committed to memory.
Farewell Tanzania!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
