Update # 3
on Beatriz Pujol (Kenya), 03/Dec/2008 11:52, 34 days ago
Jambo,Hi Everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving. And ate some Turkey and all the trimmings on my behalf!I was in Nairobi last weekend for a VSO meeting. It was a mixed weekend. Nairobi is exhausting in many ways. It is so busy, loud and full of people. Negotiating the buses and the streets (you risk your life every time you cross the street!) Also, you have to be hyper alert to anything you are carrying due to the high rate theft. Christmas is the worst time for theft (as in the US).The meeting was excruciating. It is a quarterly meeting of volunteers to voice concerns with vso admin. It is run by and attended by all volunteers in Eastern and Nairobi regions. It was depressing because communication was really a problem throughout the meeting and I thought if we all can’t communicate how am I ever going to communicate with my co-workers!The good part was meeting new volunteers and finding who may be able to support me in my placement and work with my agency. There are lots of great volunteers that I hope to work with!I also connected with the volunteers I already new and went out to dinner with some of them. I got lots of shopping in for things I can’t find here in Kitui. I stayed with three volunteers (one of them is Sandy who I flew over with). They have an incredibly nice apt. in Nairobi! Filled with all the amenities and hot running water! So, that was a real treat. I will try to post some pics I took of their apt.I was able to appreciate all the conveniences that N. has and it made me glad to live in Kitui. I am definitely getting a more authentic experience and also getting to know the people and culture much quicker than the volunteers in N. But, it will be nice to escape to N. every once in a while!! Best of both worlds.It was really shocking to go from Kitui to Nairobi. It is like two different worlds. I did hear stories from the volunteers who work in the slums and that sounds incredibly intense. I hope to get to visit the slums at some point.Thanks to everyone for your meat suggestions. Since I managed to live in Santa Fe for nearly 10 years and did not become a vegetarian or vegan or raw food eater, I doubt I will begin now. But the thoughts are appreciated. I did however buy a meat grinder that works well and I ground some meat last night and made spaghetti with meat sauce that was yummy! Now, if I can just get over the butcher shops!I am getting a free refrigerator from a volunteer who is leaving! I will have it by the New Year. YEAH! I also found cheese in Nairobi. So when I go to N. I can buy some cheese to have for a week!So, more to tell about life in Kitui. Monday was World AIDS Day and I joined with a group from the church and we joined all the other groups. We met at the District Councilor’s office and got a police escort to parade through town. Then we rode to a town about 7 km. up the road where all the main events were going on. It was really great! About 1000 people turned out and there were events all day. There were speeches from people who are HIV + and Govt. officials, religious leaders, etc. There were performances including: songs, poems, skits and dances from all sorts of groups. Women, children, school kids, etc.. I video taped most of it and will try to post it soon. AIDS is so devastating in Kenya and all of Africa. There is still so much stigma and people are afraid to get tested. Outreach and awareness is helping but so much work is still needed. It was great to be a part of that day.However, I got too much sun and was feeling pretty heat exposed by the end of it! Nobody took time for lunch and by the time I left it was 4 pm. People are really struggling and are eating 1-2 meals a day. It is really hard to see kids and old women sitting in the sun all day and knowing they may just have one simple meal today. Those realities are really starting to hit me.Yes, the harshness of life in Kenya is starting to open up to me. I am beginning to understand how little money people make and how much they struggle. I am continually reminded of how much I have and how incredibly privileged I am.Kenyans are fairly literate and educated for this region of Africa. All children go to school through grade 8 and school is paid for by the govt. There is still some fees that families need to pay for but I believe they can get assistance. In recent years there have started to be more govt. (public) secondary schools and they are free as well. Again, there are some school fees that families need to pay for. (Joyce, correct me if any of this is incorrect!). However, college or university is whole nother issue. And for people to really move up and break the cycle of poverty they need higher education to get the better jobs. Few people have the means to pay for university. There are no federal loans. Only loans to help pay for living expenses, not the actual tuition.Today I spoke with a blind man who went through this program and went on to university after many set backs. He went to uni. in Nairobi to study special ed. but only was able to get sponsored for his first semester. People with disabilities pay more than 3 x as much as there able bodied peers. The higher rate is to pay for all the things he needs (Braille machine, transcriber, transport to campus, etc..) The govt. does not assist people with disabilities. So, now he is out of work, in debt and has no money to continue studying.The accountant who I work with is 22 and is trying to find funding to go to university. He is really bright and determined.Then there are the stories of the medical needs and lack of funding that many of the kids at the center require.Ok, sorry to get everyone down. But many have asked to hear all about it and that is what I am seeing and hearing.About my work. The program I am working for has a lot of problems. They have gone through a few really rough years and are in need of a serious overhaul. There are many political issues and much conflict with the different parties involved. I am trying to get a clear picture and talking with different people to put the pieces together. But it is quite overwhelming and feels like what is needed is someone with really good organizational and financial management skills. Not my strength! I met with my vso advisor and felt really supported by him. For now I am going to take it all in and try to understand all the problems. In Jan. when the kids come back and things start up for the year then I will meet with vso and the program to clarify my role. But there is some real concern that the major donor may not continue funding the program as it is now. So, we will see what happens.Housing. I am definitely going to move. It is clear I will have NO privacy living on the compound with the program. People show up at my door at all hours and that is not going to work for me. And once 105 kids are on the campus it will be really crazy! So, I am looking at two different houses and will decide on one this week. They are really different and in two completely different locations. But, both have a real toilet and the option of hot running water! So, that will be nice. Even though I am starting to get comfortable in my current home and will miss all the support I have right here. As well as the cows. I love them! Will keep you posted and share new pics once I move.I hope everyone has gone to my mobileme page and checked out my photos! You can download any you want. It is really time consuming and costly (in terms of minutes I use) to upload them but I love that I can share them, so I will continue to do so. So, please check the site from time to time. Also, I hope to get video’s posted!I got my first mail from Kelly! Thanks! Surprisingly it took less than a week to get here! Let’s hope that continues to be the case! I would love any mail!!I just made Christmas plans! I will head to the Coast with other volunteers. We will first got to Lamu which is an island in the N. part and then probably somewhere near Malindi and lastly Mombasa before returning to Kitui for the start of the school year. Look it up and see where I will be. I can’t wait to see and feel the Indian Ocean! R&R on the beach! Not that I feel I have earned it yet as I haven’t really done much work. But hopefully it will get me ready for the hard work in the New Year!Anybody have some fun Holiday plans? Would love to hear what you all are doing. I am sure I will miss the farolito walk in Santa Fe and Christmas with my family but being on the beach should balance out any homesickness!! Are you jealous yet??Much love, hugs and blessings to all,TrixiePs. Best single moment: cleaning my house while singing along to“Red, Red Wine” by UB40 (who was in concert in Nairobi last weekend) that was playing at the bar next door when the Muslim call to prayer sounded and at the same moment the cow in my front yard moo’d!!!!! Loving life in Kitui!pss: anybody know how i can get a free or low cost and easy to do website? my first project is to get a website up for the program