Early one night, before the waning full moon made its grand appearance, the star-filled sky was more brilliant and clear than I can ever recall. It felt like I was standing on the very edge of the atmosphere, where only a thin sheet or a cold breath of air separated me from falling in among the stars. The milky way looked like a murky, grey cloud mixed into the infinite stars, like a black granite table-top with refined sugar spilled on top. And for a short while, the relentless wind died down to a chilly breeze, and carried the sound of rustling leaves and chirping insects through the otherwise perfect silence. There was not a single car engine to be heard, or a single, dull street light to be seen, just serenity and peace. As I stood there admiring the brilliant scene, In that moment there was nowhere else on earth I would rather have been; and though a loved one would have made good company, I stood there alone in complete contentment.
When I wake the next morning, the sun sheds light on the real setting which I live. Though there are many trees, the area looks desolate and dry- it is like a wasteland where the hot sun condemns animals to death, and the ferocious winds blow their remains to sand (exaggeration). Animal waste covers the dirt road, precious trees are chopped down and cut into pieces to be sold, and black spots can be seen on the ground in various places where people burn their trash or where they burn wood to make charcoal.
This place that I live overflows with life and with potential. Insects of all kinds are loudly accompanying my walk around the village, huge camels are snacking on the African milk tree overgrowth that lines the main road while matatu and motorbike drivers honk their horns impatiently to clear the way, and beautiful Kenyan children are running barefoot in the fields with their handmade toys screaming at me as I walk by. The soil in the fields is rich and fertile, making for the sweetest bananas I have ever tasted. The corn kernels grow large and the tomatoes are firm and supple.
But at the very same time, poverty ravages the people here. Families sell their small amount of food so they can purchase water. Everyone grows corn in their farms, and "Ugali" or corn porridge is the meal every single day because families cannot afford to diversify their diet. Fruit is a luxury many cannot afford. Every day, women walk 15-20 kilometers to fetch water, carrying a 20 liter jerry can on their heads for half of that walk. Children have skin diseases because they can only afford to bathe once per week.
The women are beautiful and hardworking and the nuclear family is tied by strong religious and cultural norms. Extended families generally live on close homesteads, caring for each other and remaining close throughout their lives.
Yet problems like prostitution abound in the neighboring village (and bigger cities) while HIV and other STDs are rampant. Condoms are not mainstream and testing for or talking about HIV/AIDS is taboo. It is almost socially acceptable for a man to cheat on his wife, and even spread HIV or other problems throughout the family.
The juxtaposition of the priceless beauty in the nighttime skies that shine for all the suffering people is surreal. It reminds me that there is so much here that needs to be done, but at the same time so much that I don't ever want to change.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Gender Equality
My first day as a Peace Corps Volunteer started with two cups of delicious tea, two home-grown eggs, and then two meetings. The first meeting introduced me to my organization (Marungu Hill Conservancy Association)- lasting 20 minutes. The second was a village-wide meeting about the severe problem of water- lasting 4 and a half hours.
As a side note, Kenyans will not eat, take a sip of water, or use the restroom for a meeting's entire duration. It doesn't matter how long.
Before coming to Kenya, I knew the gender roles and equality were vastly different than in America. Women here are much inferior to men socially. A woman will generally not look a man in the eye (children wont either, both genders) when they are having a conversation, and it isn't unusual to see a married woman walk a few meters back from her husband if they were walking together. Women mop the floors, prepare all food and tea, wash the dishes and clothes, harvest in the garden (men usually do the planting, and can sometimes help harvest), clean and straighten and tidy everything, and not ever complain about any of it. And at the dinner table, women serve the men first, and usually eat last.
It is also taboo for a woman to ask a man out on a date. But more on that in another post.
Anyway, back to my 4 and a half hour meeting. The meeting was entirely in Kiswahili, which I liked because I can then practice listening to it (even though I did not understand anything). It started and ended with a prayer, and literally the first hour of it was individual introductions of everyone at attendance (around 80. It reminded me very specifically of the "Ents" in the Lord of the Rings movie). Women generally sat in one segregated area, a little bit farther from the head officials leading the meeting (I am included as a head official), but what became a most pleasant surprise was that women of all ages spoke and participated equally with the men. They spoke passionately about their lack of water access, and they captivated the audience with their forceful tone and animated gestures. The women show by their daily, hard labor that they are beyond strong. It was refreshing to see a voice representing those actions.
Compared with other parts of Kenya, I think my particular area is a little bit more progressive and relaxed. Despite the clearly defined gender roles, both women and men attend primary and secondary schools (though men attend at a much higher rate), and from what I have observed so far, the culture is making a shift toward gender equality. Still, I was pleasantly surprised to find so much voice on the female side of the human spectrum here in this small rural village on the south-eastern coast of Kenya.
The women here, after all, are the backbone of the Kenyan society. Besides being friendly, I'm not really sure what the Kenyan men do with their time.
As a side note, Kenyans will not eat, take a sip of water, or use the restroom for a meeting's entire duration. It doesn't matter how long.
Before coming to Kenya, I knew the gender roles and equality were vastly different than in America. Women here are much inferior to men socially. A woman will generally not look a man in the eye (children wont either, both genders) when they are having a conversation, and it isn't unusual to see a married woman walk a few meters back from her husband if they were walking together. Women mop the floors, prepare all food and tea, wash the dishes and clothes, harvest in the garden (men usually do the planting, and can sometimes help harvest), clean and straighten and tidy everything, and not ever complain about any of it. And at the dinner table, women serve the men first, and usually eat last.
It is also taboo for a woman to ask a man out on a date. But more on that in another post.
Anyway, back to my 4 and a half hour meeting. The meeting was entirely in Kiswahili, which I liked because I can then practice listening to it (even though I did not understand anything). It started and ended with a prayer, and literally the first hour of it was individual introductions of everyone at attendance (around 80. It reminded me very specifically of the "Ents" in the Lord of the Rings movie). Women generally sat in one segregated area, a little bit farther from the head officials leading the meeting (I am included as a head official), but what became a most pleasant surprise was that women of all ages spoke and participated equally with the men. They spoke passionately about their lack of water access, and they captivated the audience with their forceful tone and animated gestures. The women show by their daily, hard labor that they are beyond strong. It was refreshing to see a voice representing those actions.
Compared with other parts of Kenya, I think my particular area is a little bit more progressive and relaxed. Despite the clearly defined gender roles, both women and men attend primary and secondary schools (though men attend at a much higher rate), and from what I have observed so far, the culture is making a shift toward gender equality. Still, I was pleasantly surprised to find so much voice on the female side of the human spectrum here in this small rural village on the south-eastern coast of Kenya.
The women here, after all, are the backbone of the Kenyan society. Besides being friendly, I'm not really sure what the Kenyan men do with their time.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Language: The Great Communicator
For 24 years and 4 months of my life, I have never given the Swahili language a moment of consideration. Now, it is essentially the most important tool in my daily life.
From May 26th until July 20th, I was put through Peace Corps' rigorous language program. It was like Rosetta Stone on steroids, human growth hormone, and whatever Lance Armstrong was taking, all at the same time. The student-teacher ratio was 3 to 1 for me, for at least 4 hours a day. Granted, Kiswahili is not the most tricky language, but after just 2 months of training I have: 1. bargained for items in the market, 2. Introduced myself in front of countless different churches, meetings, and officials 3. Performed a swahili worship song in front of a small church congregation. I studied Spanish on and off for 6 years or so growing up, yet I can safely say that my swahili has officially overtaken my Spanish as my second best language.
All that being said, I am realizing that language is the most important tool in establishing a meaningful connection with another person. I take it for granted, but when I find someone who knows just a little bit of English, it is like eating dessert for breakfast. When I get the chance to speak with some fellow Peace Corps Volunteers and I can speed up my speech to normal and say words like “Amazing” and “Splendid” and “Circumvent” and they would all be understood, it is amazing. It truly baffles me how “Prince Erik” fell in love with Aerial, since I think it would be impossible for me to fall in love with someone I could not adequately express myself to.
I have basically mastered the Kiswahili greetings, and many of the locals (especially the older grandmothers and grandpas) are amazed that the white guy knows Kiswahili. Also, though everyone knows and speaks Kiswahili, there are two main tribes in my area: Taita and Duruma. I am also getting those specific greetings down for each of the languages. If I manage to greet a Duruma grandmother in her tribal tongue, she becomes so excited it seems like she wets her pants.
Though English is wide-spoken throughout the world, there is something I can sincerely relate with to the Duruma grandmothers. It is rare to see another white person around, and usually they all come from the UK, but occasionally I find an American. That familiar American accent, whether it be the harsh New Yorker, the southern drawl, or my very own west coast accent, makes me happier than anyone could possibly imagine.
So far my language barriers have been (are probably going to be) the hardest challenge for me. Already there are people here that are willing to learn about business organization matters, yet I would need a translator to properly get my point across. Sometimes I feel like I am making leaps and bounds improvement in the language when I can joke with children or say a semi-witty response in return to the common “Mzungu! How are you??” that I hear on a daily basis, and sometimes I feel like I am a completely dysfunctional person. But I have two years to work the kinks out, and then when I get back to America, I have the rest of my life to continue using kiswahili on a daily basis...
Some fun facts:
1. Ku-jenga means “To Build”, and “Jenga” is probably the origin of the name for the board game.
2. In Swahili, there are “Noun Classes.” All people and animals belong to a certain (and respected) noun class called the M-WA class. But words like “Youth” and “Disabled”, though referring to people are not in the M-WA class to demonstrate inferior status.
3. If you repeat a verb, it means that specific action continues. Example: Ku-kata means “To cut”. Ku-kata-kata means “To cut repeatedly”.
From May 26th until July 20th, I was put through Peace Corps' rigorous language program. It was like Rosetta Stone on steroids, human growth hormone, and whatever Lance Armstrong was taking, all at the same time. The student-teacher ratio was 3 to 1 for me, for at least 4 hours a day. Granted, Kiswahili is not the most tricky language, but after just 2 months of training I have: 1. bargained for items in the market, 2. Introduced myself in front of countless different churches, meetings, and officials 3. Performed a swahili worship song in front of a small church congregation. I studied Spanish on and off for 6 years or so growing up, yet I can safely say that my swahili has officially overtaken my Spanish as my second best language.
All that being said, I am realizing that language is the most important tool in establishing a meaningful connection with another person. I take it for granted, but when I find someone who knows just a little bit of English, it is like eating dessert for breakfast. When I get the chance to speak with some fellow Peace Corps Volunteers and I can speed up my speech to normal and say words like “Amazing” and “Splendid” and “Circumvent” and they would all be understood, it is amazing. It truly baffles me how “Prince Erik” fell in love with Aerial, since I think it would be impossible for me to fall in love with someone I could not adequately express myself to.
I have basically mastered the Kiswahili greetings, and many of the locals (especially the older grandmothers and grandpas) are amazed that the white guy knows Kiswahili. Also, though everyone knows and speaks Kiswahili, there are two main tribes in my area: Taita and Duruma. I am also getting those specific greetings down for each of the languages. If I manage to greet a Duruma grandmother in her tribal tongue, she becomes so excited it seems like she wets her pants.
Though English is wide-spoken throughout the world, there is something I can sincerely relate with to the Duruma grandmothers. It is rare to see another white person around, and usually they all come from the UK, but occasionally I find an American. That familiar American accent, whether it be the harsh New Yorker, the southern drawl, or my very own west coast accent, makes me happier than anyone could possibly imagine.
So far my language barriers have been (are probably going to be) the hardest challenge for me. Already there are people here that are willing to learn about business organization matters, yet I would need a translator to properly get my point across. Sometimes I feel like I am making leaps and bounds improvement in the language when I can joke with children or say a semi-witty response in return to the common “Mzungu! How are you??” that I hear on a daily basis, and sometimes I feel like I am a completely dysfunctional person. But I have two years to work the kinks out, and then when I get back to America, I have the rest of my life to continue using kiswahili on a daily basis...
Some fun facts:
1. Ku-jenga means “To Build”, and “Jenga” is probably the origin of the name for the board game.
2. In Swahili, there are “Noun Classes.” All people and animals belong to a certain (and respected) noun class called the M-WA class. But words like “Youth” and “Disabled”, though referring to people are not in the M-WA class to demonstrate inferior status.
3. If you repeat a verb, it means that specific action continues. Example: Ku-kata means “To cut”. Ku-kata-kata means “To cut repeatedly”.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Strong Stomach, Weak Heart
Matatus are 11-passenger vans with precious little room and almost no cargo space. They are definitely not meant to be driven off-road, and they usually do not have working seat belts. They are the staple means for public transportation in Kenya.
Matatus are driven off-road. The rides are usually comparable to the kind of amusement park attraction at Universal Studios where the entire auditorium shakes vigorously as you watch something exhilarating on a movie screen (except in a matatu, the 18-wheeler that you are playing “chicken” with as you are passing another 18-wheeler on the other side of the road is very much real, and not as much “exhilarating” but more “frightening”). Matatus are not, and never ever will be, kind to people who are suffering from diarrhea. Luckily, I have a strong stomach and I have not yet had diarrhea in my three months so far in Africa (I actually struggle with the opposite: mild cases of constipation). Still, I have a pretty strong stomach in general, and I think these very normal brushes with danger by way of matatu are pretty fun.
Including the driver, matatus legally seat 12 people. It is actually one of the most frequently broken Kenyan laws of all time. Once, I've seen 7 people (2 small children among the 7) smashed into 3 seats, and two of those people were hanging on to the side of the van, essentially standing on the outside. So far, the record number of people in a matatu that I have been in was 25 (3 were babies, 4 were small children).
Matatus have absolutely no personal space. On my first matatu ride, the old man sitting next to me kept reaching into his suit coat pocket, his groping fingers tickling my ribs. On the other side of me, a sleeping passenger laid his head on my peace corps friend and let out a nice big drool on his arm.
After 6 weeks and countless matatu rides, today was the first time I was pushed past my comfort level. I had just finished a day of work at my site, had a bag full of produce from the market, and 11 kilometers of walking in my legs. Yet I was crammed into the very back of a 22-person-filled matatu. My legs were smashed together and I was cradling my precious produce on my lap, highly uncomfortable in the hot, smelly matatu. Halfway to my 10 km destination, the matatu driver pulled over, looking to add to his already-full cargo and maximize his profits. A lady wanted the driver to transport her three goats, and since it was getting dark she was willing to pay more. The matatu driver proceeded to grab the goats like they were luggage (they essentially were luggage) and throw them into the very back of the matatu, directly behind me & under my seat. The goats struggled for awhile, and so the matatu driver flipped them on their backs and began tying their legs together, all the while the goats bleating loudly as if screaming for help and for mercy.
Whether it was the sweaty stench of the collective passengers, the fact that my legs were squeezed so tight together my two testicles felt like they disappeared, or the fear that a frightened goat underneath my chair would suddenly buck its head and spear my leg with its horn, I couldn't stand to be in that matatu any longer. Before throwing the last goat into the van, I grabbed the back seat and hoisted myself out of the matatu. I paid the full fare and said I'd prefer to walk the 5 km to my house.
There's something that made me ache when hearing the bleating goat and watching it get thrown into the back of a van recklessly. I know these things happen, and worse treatment of animals (and humans) happens everywhere, but witnessing such a thing firsthand definitely made it more real. It reminded me of the first time I watched a chicken get its head cut off, and the desperate cry it made before the knife made it all the way through its neck.
I must be getting softer with age. If things like this make me weak at the knees, I'm definitely in trouble for some of the things I have yet to see.
Matatus are driven off-road. The rides are usually comparable to the kind of amusement park attraction at Universal Studios where the entire auditorium shakes vigorously as you watch something exhilarating on a movie screen (except in a matatu, the 18-wheeler that you are playing “chicken” with as you are passing another 18-wheeler on the other side of the road is very much real, and not as much “exhilarating” but more “frightening”). Matatus are not, and never ever will be, kind to people who are suffering from diarrhea. Luckily, I have a strong stomach and I have not yet had diarrhea in my three months so far in Africa (I actually struggle with the opposite: mild cases of constipation). Still, I have a pretty strong stomach in general, and I think these very normal brushes with danger by way of matatu are pretty fun.
Including the driver, matatus legally seat 12 people. It is actually one of the most frequently broken Kenyan laws of all time. Once, I've seen 7 people (2 small children among the 7) smashed into 3 seats, and two of those people were hanging on to the side of the van, essentially standing on the outside. So far, the record number of people in a matatu that I have been in was 25 (3 were babies, 4 were small children).
Matatus have absolutely no personal space. On my first matatu ride, the old man sitting next to me kept reaching into his suit coat pocket, his groping fingers tickling my ribs. On the other side of me, a sleeping passenger laid his head on my peace corps friend and let out a nice big drool on his arm.
After 6 weeks and countless matatu rides, today was the first time I was pushed past my comfort level. I had just finished a day of work at my site, had a bag full of produce from the market, and 11 kilometers of walking in my legs. Yet I was crammed into the very back of a 22-person-filled matatu. My legs were smashed together and I was cradling my precious produce on my lap, highly uncomfortable in the hot, smelly matatu. Halfway to my 10 km destination, the matatu driver pulled over, looking to add to his already-full cargo and maximize his profits. A lady wanted the driver to transport her three goats, and since it was getting dark she was willing to pay more. The matatu driver proceeded to grab the goats like they were luggage (they essentially were luggage) and throw them into the very back of the matatu, directly behind me & under my seat. The goats struggled for awhile, and so the matatu driver flipped them on their backs and began tying their legs together, all the while the goats bleating loudly as if screaming for help and for mercy.
Whether it was the sweaty stench of the collective passengers, the fact that my legs were squeezed so tight together my two testicles felt like they disappeared, or the fear that a frightened goat underneath my chair would suddenly buck its head and spear my leg with its horn, I couldn't stand to be in that matatu any longer. Before throwing the last goat into the van, I grabbed the back seat and hoisted myself out of the matatu. I paid the full fare and said I'd prefer to walk the 5 km to my house.
There's something that made me ache when hearing the bleating goat and watching it get thrown into the back of a van recklessly. I know these things happen, and worse treatment of animals (and humans) happens everywhere, but witnessing such a thing firsthand definitely made it more real. It reminded me of the first time I watched a chicken get its head cut off, and the desperate cry it made before the knife made it all the way through its neck.
I must be getting softer with age. If things like this make me weak at the knees, I'm definitely in trouble for some of the things I have yet to see.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Dante's Inferno
I do not remember Dante's "Inferno" as well as I would like, but I do remember each circle of Hell corresponded to a specific, ironic punishment for actions done in the previous lifetime. Now, in the small town of Marungu, I feel like I have entered into Dante's realm.
It's not to say Kenya is "Hell" by any means, though the barren, hot, dry setting plays right into the stereotype. I mean to say that my life has become delightfully ironic.
I have never thought of water is a precious resource. Since the age of 5, I would spend many days actually loathing the existence of water, since I would have to do grueling swim workouts in it for many hours per day. In Southern California, people would hose down their driveways instead of sweeping, or wash their car after it rained. I remember waiting a few minutes for my high-pressured shower to get hot, letting gallons upon gallons drain away unused before I took my 15 minute shower.
Here in Africa, I face Divine Retribution. Water scarcity is the biggest problem facing my community. Yesterday, I used 2.5 liters of cold water to bathe, which is about half the amount a water-saving toilet would use per flush, and sometimes I save my urine to water some plants I want to grow. The amount of water I would waste in America waiting for my shower to get hot is about the same amount I would use in a day to drink, cook 2 meals and use for bathing.
I guess it is time to pay my penance. It'll just be a little under two years until I can peg someone with a water-balloon again.
It's not to say Kenya is "Hell" by any means, though the barren, hot, dry setting plays right into the stereotype. I mean to say that my life has become delightfully ironic.
I have never thought of water is a precious resource. Since the age of 5, I would spend many days actually loathing the existence of water, since I would have to do grueling swim workouts in it for many hours per day. In Southern California, people would hose down their driveways instead of sweeping, or wash their car after it rained. I remember waiting a few minutes for my high-pressured shower to get hot, letting gallons upon gallons drain away unused before I took my 15 minute shower.
Here in Africa, I face Divine Retribution. Water scarcity is the biggest problem facing my community. Yesterday, I used 2.5 liters of cold water to bathe, which is about half the amount a water-saving toilet would use per flush, and sometimes I save my urine to water some plants I want to grow. The amount of water I would waste in America waiting for my shower to get hot is about the same amount I would use in a day to drink, cook 2 meals and use for bathing.
I guess it is time to pay my penance. It'll just be a little under two years until I can peg someone with a water-balloon again.
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