I'm in LONDON!! I love love LOVE it here! I'm staying with my friend Tessa (who I went to UCSC with for a year). We stayed in her flat in London the first night I was here and now we're at her family's house in Reading. It is SNOWING!!! I've never been in a city with snow before. It's really cool and SO beautiful seeing the gorgeous old stone houses covered with a fresh layer of snow. We went to Oxford today just to wander around. It was really beautiful. We walked around for a good 3 hours and then warmed ourselves up with some high tea at 3pm. It was GREAT! we just got back to Reading and it was snowing like crazy! Apparently this is the first time it's really snowed this much in this part of england. we had to walk back to the house because all the roads are closed. It was fun, and kind of difficult (slippery on the hills). We're listening to Christmas carols and are going to decorate the tree and drink hot coco with the family tonight! it's so wonderful. I am definitely in the Christmas spirit now! Tomorrow we are going to go back to London (if the weather permits) and are going to go to the Tate Modern, wander around shops, listen to Christmas carols in a chapel and then the Nutcracker at night. I'm excited! Although, I'm kind of worried about my flight. I really hope it's not delayed!! I'll keep you posted on what happens. But I am really enjoying myself here. It has be great to catch up with tessa and her family is just really wonderful. What a wonderful end to a wonderful trip!
Much love and Merry Christmas!!
Anna
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Kitchen Garden Training #2 and a Wedding!
Yesterday was quite an eventful day. We had another kitchen garden training in Likoni and then I rushed to the north coast to attend the wedding of one of my host sister's brothers (he doesn't live with us so I'm not sure if I can technically call him my "host brother").
The training went relatively smoothly, although we started late...but I'm realizing that that is kind of a given here. We had a lot more participants than the first training, which was really great. In total we had 13 participants, all of whom were women (we need to work on getting more men in the trainings). Once again, I was struck by how kind, welcoming and open the women were to me and the other facilitators. All in all, I think it was a really rewarding experience for everyone involved. The participants expressed their deepest thanks to us for giving them the knowledge and skills to make a kitchen garden and start their own business. They were very optimistic about the impact these skills will have on their lives. One of the participants from the first training came, Mary, because she was providing us with soil and manure again for the demonstration. She and I spoke for a while and she told me that her kitchen garden was really doing well and that she was so grateful to me and the other facilitators for helping her overcome the challenges she has faced in adhering to her ARV regimen. It was SO rewarding and touching for me to hear that I had helped t0 empower these women to lead a positive lifestyle. I got really sad when I realized I will be leaving next week and won't be working with this community anymore. However, I will hopefully be able to work with similar communities in the future. This experience has really solidified my interest in working with communities in need and giving them the skills and knowledge to improve their lives (whether it be monetarily or in terms of health).
The wedding was very beautiful and provided some interesting cultural insights for me. It was at the Voyager resort (a VERY swanky resort on the north coast). The venue was on an outside terrace overlooking the indian ocean. I think the most "interesting" part of the whole event was the sermon given by an evangelist pastor. The main point to this sermon was how "it is the duty of the wife to submit to the husband." He literally talked about this for a good 10 minutes. I was just sitting there trying SO hard not to open my mouth in shock. Even more surprising was that the audience (including women) were all nodding their heads and saying "amen." All I could think was "how is women's rights in this country going to progress when female submission to men is embedded in the culture and the religion and the women themselves accept it?!" It was definitely a shocking and eye opening experience. Other than that, the wedding was pretty normal (except for a handful of mzungus-white tourists- who walked into the wedding to take pictures of the "Africans getting married." One guy was sitting on his balcony with a huge camera taking pictures. I was SO mortified and embarrassed for them..how rude!!!!). There were some traditions which were carried out. The bride and groom fed their in-laws cake (they cut the cake before dinner here), and Mama Irene gave them two ropes to represent the two cows she bought for them, which are currently in Kisii (up country).
All in all, it was a really fun and great wedding, with some interesting cultural insights. I felt so honored that they included me in the celebration (and even the family photo!). I'm really going to miss the Gitaas so much when I come home. But thankfully there is internet so i can still keep in touch.
Well, I best be off. I hope everyone is well!! Can't wait to see you all SO SOON!!!!!!
oxoxoxo Anna
The training went relatively smoothly, although we started late...but I'm realizing that that is kind of a given here. We had a lot more participants than the first training, which was really great. In total we had 13 participants, all of whom were women (we need to work on getting more men in the trainings). Once again, I was struck by how kind, welcoming and open the women were to me and the other facilitators. All in all, I think it was a really rewarding experience for everyone involved. The participants expressed their deepest thanks to us for giving them the knowledge and skills to make a kitchen garden and start their own business. They were very optimistic about the impact these skills will have on their lives. One of the participants from the first training came, Mary, because she was providing us with soil and manure again for the demonstration. She and I spoke for a while and she told me that her kitchen garden was really doing well and that she was so grateful to me and the other facilitators for helping her overcome the challenges she has faced in adhering to her ARV regimen. It was SO rewarding and touching for me to hear that I had helped t0 empower these women to lead a positive lifestyle. I got really sad when I realized I will be leaving next week and won't be working with this community anymore. However, I will hopefully be able to work with similar communities in the future. This experience has really solidified my interest in working with communities in need and giving them the skills and knowledge to improve their lives (whether it be monetarily or in terms of health).
The wedding was very beautiful and provided some interesting cultural insights for me. It was at the Voyager resort (a VERY swanky resort on the north coast). The venue was on an outside terrace overlooking the indian ocean. I think the most "interesting" part of the whole event was the sermon given by an evangelist pastor. The main point to this sermon was how "it is the duty of the wife to submit to the husband." He literally talked about this for a good 10 minutes. I was just sitting there trying SO hard not to open my mouth in shock. Even more surprising was that the audience (including women) were all nodding their heads and saying "amen." All I could think was "how is women's rights in this country going to progress when female submission to men is embedded in the culture and the religion and the women themselves accept it?!" It was definitely a shocking and eye opening experience. Other than that, the wedding was pretty normal (except for a handful of mzungus-white tourists- who walked into the wedding to take pictures of the "Africans getting married." One guy was sitting on his balcony with a huge camera taking pictures. I was SO mortified and embarrassed for them..how rude!!!!). There were some traditions which were carried out. The bride and groom fed their in-laws cake (they cut the cake before dinner here), and Mama Irene gave them two ropes to represent the two cows she bought for them, which are currently in Kisii (up country).
All in all, it was a really fun and great wedding, with some interesting cultural insights. I felt so honored that they included me in the celebration (and even the family photo!). I'm really going to miss the Gitaas so much when I come home. But thankfully there is internet so i can still keep in touch.
Well, I best be off. I hope everyone is well!! Can't wait to see you all SO SOON!!!!!!
oxoxoxo Anna
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Gedi Ruins: A mystical and serene sanctuary in the midst of chaos
Sorry I haven't been able to update my blog recently. My laptop of 5.5 years is on the verge of death...the end of an era. So I write this message in a lovely air-conditioned cyber cafe in downtown Mombasa. The past two weeks have been the most frustrating and stressful weeks I've had here so far. I have definitely faced some challenges at work (which I will go into further detail in a less public forum for those interested). But I have FINALLY succeeded in planning the second kitchen garden training, which will (hopefully) take place tomorrow (Friday) morning.
Last weekend I was able to visit the Gedi ruins, north of Mombasa. I went by myself, which I was a little hesitant about at first (traveling by myself can be kinda annoying---kenyan men), but it ended up being a great decision. The Gedi ruins are a fairly in-tact Swahili settlement from the 14th century or so. What is particularly interesting about these ruins, despite the amazing architecture (and that all the buildings were constructed out of coral), is that there are no historical records of the people who lived there. This is particularly surprising because it was a very developed or "civilized" town with a huge palace and numerous mosques, not to mention the fact that there is a great deal of evidence that the people who lived there traded with China, Islam and Europe (there were many bowls and plates made in China and Islam, coins from both of those places and there were Venician beads). The Gedi ruins are located in the middle of a forest, which made it especially mystical. There weren't many other visitors there so there were many times where it was just me, the ruins, the butterflies and the monkeys. It was SO serene and SO peaceful. The perfect ante dote to my incredibly stressful week. I will upload pictures of the ruins when I get home and fix my computer.
Today (Thursday) I went to a conference on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Policy and Medical Practices in Kenya. It was such an informative and inspirational event. We heard speakers from legal institutions, medical institutions, chiefs and the police. It was really interesting to hear all the different points of view on the issue. They are trying to combine forces so the Medical, Legal and Cultural institutions in Kenya can work together to address the needs of survivors of SGBV and prevent future assaults. It was a really great experience and was so nice to be surrounded by really thoughtful, articulate and educated people.
Well, I best be off. I need to go home and hang out with the family. Oh, also tomorrow after my training my host brother is getting married, so I have to go to the wedding (which I SUPER excited about). The whole family is staying at our house for the weekend (except for one sister who is finishing up finals in the U.S., but she'll come next week). Irene is one of 7 kids so this means that there are 5 of her siblings staying at our house and five kids. Two of the kids are from the U.S. (a 14 year old girl and a 9 year old boy), which is funny because they sound "American" and don't speak any Swahili. Someone like meeee! There is also an adorable 2 year old boy and the 4 year old boy Kelvin, who I have a picture of on my facebook, and a 13 year old girl who I briefly met this morning at 6am but didn't get to hang out with for very long because I had to go to the conference. This brings the term "full house" to a whole new level for me. But so far it has been really fun! Hopefully I'll be able to fill you all in on how the training and wedding go before I come home.
Hope everyone is doing well! I can't believe I will be home in a little over a week!! CRAZINESS!! But I can't wait to see you all :)
Much love,
Anna
Last weekend I was able to visit the Gedi ruins, north of Mombasa. I went by myself, which I was a little hesitant about at first (traveling by myself can be kinda annoying---kenyan men), but it ended up being a great decision. The Gedi ruins are a fairly in-tact Swahili settlement from the 14th century or so. What is particularly interesting about these ruins, despite the amazing architecture (and that all the buildings were constructed out of coral), is that there are no historical records of the people who lived there. This is particularly surprising because it was a very developed or "civilized" town with a huge palace and numerous mosques, not to mention the fact that there is a great deal of evidence that the people who lived there traded with China, Islam and Europe (there were many bowls and plates made in China and Islam, coins from both of those places and there were Venician beads). The Gedi ruins are located in the middle of a forest, which made it especially mystical. There weren't many other visitors there so there were many times where it was just me, the ruins, the butterflies and the monkeys. It was SO serene and SO peaceful. The perfect ante dote to my incredibly stressful week. I will upload pictures of the ruins when I get home and fix my computer.
Today (Thursday) I went to a conference on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Policy and Medical Practices in Kenya. It was such an informative and inspirational event. We heard speakers from legal institutions, medical institutions, chiefs and the police. It was really interesting to hear all the different points of view on the issue. They are trying to combine forces so the Medical, Legal and Cultural institutions in Kenya can work together to address the needs of survivors of SGBV and prevent future assaults. It was a really great experience and was so nice to be surrounded by really thoughtful, articulate and educated people.
Well, I best be off. I need to go home and hang out with the family. Oh, also tomorrow after my training my host brother is getting married, so I have to go to the wedding (which I SUPER excited about). The whole family is staying at our house for the weekend (except for one sister who is finishing up finals in the U.S., but she'll come next week). Irene is one of 7 kids so this means that there are 5 of her siblings staying at our house and five kids. Two of the kids are from the U.S. (a 14 year old girl and a 9 year old boy), which is funny because they sound "American" and don't speak any Swahili. Someone like meeee! There is also an adorable 2 year old boy and the 4 year old boy Kelvin, who I have a picture of on my facebook, and a 13 year old girl who I briefly met this morning at 6am but didn't get to hang out with for very long because I had to go to the conference. This brings the term "full house" to a whole new level for me. But so far it has been really fun! Hopefully I'll be able to fill you all in on how the training and wedding go before I come home.
Hope everyone is doing well! I can't believe I will be home in a little over a week!! CRAZINESS!! But I can't wait to see you all :)
Much love,
Anna
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