Baruku Dust Babies!

After leaving Pipeline Friday evening, Irene wanted to stop in at Baruku IDP Camp to check the construction of a school house that is going up there. The van pulled off of the highway onto a dusty, seemingly deserted road. The sun was starting to set, making the dust seem that much thicker as it lingered in the air. Dust, dust, dust everywhere. Then, out of the dust came the Dust Babies of Baruku. Seemingly from nowhere, children started to appear - covered with dust, without shoes or proper clothes - swarming and laughing. Even in Kibera, I haven't seen children with so little. They were dirty, hungry and overwhelmingly happy to se all of us wazungu visitors step out of the vans. We were only able to talk spend a couple of minutes with the Dust Babies, but I've thought about them every hour since and look forward to going back out there with the rest of the Yes We Kenya group.

I've brought some kids clothes with me, but not nearly enough for all of them. I am planning on using some of my donation money to purchase more clothes for the Dust Babies and, hopefully, organize some sort of food distribution there. Irene thinks that about $400/week would feed the Dust Babies and their families. If you're interested in donating specifically to the Dust Babies (aka, Baruku IDP Camp) please let me know.

Jenn(y)

Kenya is the only place I let people call me Jenny. If someone shortens your name or makes it cutsie, it means that they really like you. Normally, I hate being called Jenny and, save a short time in 4th grade, I've never gone by it. During my days at Trisect, I was affectionately referred to as Jenn-Y (like Gen-Y) due to my youthful energy and research topics. But here in Kenya I make an exception. Not only is it strangely endearing to go by Jenny, but it's just easier. When I introduce myself as Jenn, I'm usually either called Jane or told that John is a boys name. When I introduce myself as Jennifer, I get a whole slew of creative spellings. These include, but are not limited to: Jinipher, Jenepher, Gennepher... you get the idea.

Kenyans tend to simply alter your name to one that they like better. Maryl, one half of the Australian couple that sponsored the building of the Medical Clinic and Business Centre at Pipeline, has given up correcting people when they call her Mary. "Half of the women in this country go by Mary," she explains, "so why should I be any different?"

Tami, who comes in October to join me, was thinking of introducing herself by her full name - Tamara. Tambone, I say don't even bother. They'll love you from day one, and you'll become Tami whether you want to or not.

Pipeline IDP Camp Celebration!

This is a little out of order, but I wanted to post about my visit to the Pipeline IDP Camp in Nakuru last Friday. First of all, a little background on the IDP camps and why they're there... a long story short, at the end of 2007 certain parts of Kenya experienced violent tribal clashes as a result of the presidential election. Hundreds of thousands of Kenyans were displaced and driven off of their land and away from their homes. They became known as IDP's - Internally Displaced Persons. For a while, the IDP's lived in UN and Red Cross tents in the Rift Valley area, among others. Eventually the government gave each IDP 10,000 ksh (about $130) to restart their lives. Even in Kenya, this is an insultingly small amount, so several families pooled their money together and bought pieces of land to create smaller IDP camps. GVN/VICDA has a program that builds homes for the IDP's (about $600/house, let me know if you're interested in donating) but in the meantime the IDP's are still living in tents that are now old and leaking. This particular camp is called Pipeline.

Peter and "Mary" (see next post) are a couple from Melbourne, Australia who have been volunteering at Pipeline for six weeks. Upon their arrival, they saw a need for a Medical Clinic and a Business Centre at the camp, so they devoted their volunteer time to completing the project. Anyone who has tried to build anything in Kenya will understand that to go from concept to actual building in less than 6 weeks is unheard of! Several other volunteers, myself included, visited the camp to witness the opening of the Medical Clinic/Business Centre and to tour the camp. The day was full of dancing, plays, speeches and songs - a truly happy day! Even the Kenyan news covered the event, as well as a local radio station. The need at Pipeline, as well as otherIDP camps, is still enormous, but this new facility will greatly assist in finding jobs for able workers as well as provide quality, free health care for the members of the camp. Well done, Peter and Mary!

Carrying a Lighter Load...

I spent seven months in Africa and all that I had stolen was a case for my sunglasses. Therefore, it would only make sense that on my third day back I would have my entire backpack stolen - inside which was my laptop. I was having lunch with my friend and taxi driver, Joseph, at Java and had my bag on the floor, under the table between my leg and the wall. I am still baffled as to how it was taken without Joseph or my noticing (or the security guards in the restaurant) and my only conclusion is that the culprit must have been the Kenyan version of the Artful Dodger. Needless to say yesterday was a hard day - I just felt so stupid and used and frustrated, but I'm trying to think positively about all of this:

• I had NO credit or debit cards in my bag, only about $30 in cash
• For once in my life, I was NOT carrying a camera with me (whew!)
• I NEVER carry my passport with me, just a copy
• The laptop is more than 5 years old and hasn't been working well lately
  
• Before leaving I backed up EVERYTHING and then wiped the laptop of everything but my music
• I was NOT carrying my iPod with me
• My phone was in my pocket, not my backpack
  
• I was planning on leaving the backpack here after my volunteer time anyway

So that's me trying to see the glass as half full in regards to this situation. I've done a lot of traveling in areas that are famous for theft, so I figure this was bound to happen eventually - it's sort of a rite of passage. All of the famous travelers have been mugged or robbed. I guess the worst part is that I really wanted to use my laptop as a fundraising tool and was planning on editing and posting several photos and videos on this blog to share my projects with all of you back home. But, cyber cafe it is - Kenya really isn't the same without it! I will still be posting photos when I can, but I'm afraid that video may be too much for the dial up.

Things I've Learned:

1. Never carry more than you need for that day
2. Don't underestimate the craftiness and skill of professional thieves and thugs
3. When you get robbed in Kenya, no one feels worse about it than other Kenyans - they are ashamed of their countrymen

Since I cannot post the video I edited from the IDP camps on Friday, I will share a bit about it and try to post photos next time. So stay tuned for that post...

Like I Never Left!

Finally, I can say JAMBO FROM KENYA!!!

I have officially returned home to Kenya, and, as the title suggests, it's like I never left.  Moments after walking off of the plane things just suddenly felt Kenyan.  Everything was familiar from the Swahili chatter to the smells (oh my, the smells!) to the crazy, unorganized visa line.  Irene greeted me at the airport with a huge hug and we headed to her apartment where I will be staying for the next couple of days for some Kenyan chai and catching up.

Of course I wanted to head to Mary's school first thing this morning to see all of my babies, but Irene reminded me that Kenya schools are at the very end of their break (year round schools get April, August and December off) so I am better waiting until next week when all of the kids will be there.  I don't know if I will be able to wait that long, but Irene certainly kept me busy today with other things.  First we met with Kennedy, the man doing the drawings for The Lord's House of Hope at Java House Junction then headed to the Ministry of Health to meet with someone about importing medical supplies for clinics at the Nakuru IDP Camps.  Next we headed back to Java for two more meetings with current and past volunteers before heading to Ngong to see Mama Tunza's new building.  Mama Tunza's Orphanage used to be located in the Kibera slums but generous past volunteers and donors bought new land in Ngong (about 20 minutes away) and then TARA, an Irish organization run by a man named Paddy, raised money and brought in 31 Irishmen to complete the construction in just two weeks!  What a difference all of this has made in the lives of the 130 children who now live there!  Seeing them now compared to when they were living in Kibera is like night and day - in Ngong they have their own beds, actual toilets, limited electricity and even a small playground where they can play!  Paddy will be here for another 3 weeks and I look forward to talking more with him about TARA's projects in Kenya.  Anyway, after visiting Mama Tunza's we hurried back into town for another meeting with the PPO.  I've visited two official offices on my first day back - lots of face time with the Kenyan government, should I ever need to "know" someone in the future!

Early tomorrow I head to an IDP Camp called Pipeline with Irene and several other volunteers.  A new clinic built by two volunteers is opening and even the District Commissioner will be present for the event.  I'm anxious and nervous about visiting the camp - to this point all of Kenya has seemed pretty much the same to me, but the hundreds of thousands of displaced peoples in Central Kenya weren't there two and a half years ago.  This is the part of Kenya that has changed and, as Irene has warned me, it's difficult to prepare yourself before seeing it for the first time.  It is something like Kibera - it needs to be experienced.

I won't be getting back from Pipeline until late tomorrow night, but look for a post about the day, along with photos (I promise!) sometime over the weekend.

Also, I've bought a new SIM card (sadly my old number has expired) so if you have international texting on your phone or if you want to call me dial from the US 011 254 718 769 115.  And, since I've brought my laptop, I will occasionally be on Skype.  My username is jenn.winter

Today's Moments:

- First sip of Java coffee... ahh!

- Little girl in the red dress at Mama Tunza's.  I wish I had a picture.

- Being the only mzungu in not one, but two government offices today

- Hearing waaaay too much John Mayer and Celine Dion on the radio.  They've replaced James Blunt and Toni Braxton for favorite Kenyan artists.

- Seeing cows grazing by the Karen roundabout.  Irene explained that the drought is so bad that the Maasai are bringing their cattle to graze in the city parks.  Over half of their herds have died.

- Understanding more Swahili than I thought I would... especially when people are talking about me!

Amsterdam Sunrise from Above the Clouds

I really wish I had a photo of that one to share with all of you, but my camera was safely stowed overhead and I had an aisle seat.  It was beautiful and colorful and gave me renewed energy for the second leg of this journey.

The strange thing about international travel is that you never really know which day it is.  But my cleaver laptop is telling me that it is just after 7am on August 26, and I've decided to believe it.  After all, technology never lies.  I've prepaid 6 euro for 30 minutes of internet time at the airport here in Amsterdam, so I better use it wisely.  Yesterday (what still seems like today) and the days leading up to it were a whirlwind... moving out of my apartment, working two last minute jobs, and dealing with my maternal emotions in leaving Essie behind in Winnetka (albeit with a WONDERFUL family - shout out to the Matuskas!)  I'm not normally a crier, but I made an exception and the post-tears headache is a dull reminder of my out of character emotions.  Seriously, KLM had an airline promo that featured a woman playing with her dog on the beach and I almost lost it.  Posting a pic of my girl.  She'll have to substitute for the missed sunrise shot.

So, after months of planning and organizing, I'm off!  I don't know if I will actually believe it until I see Irene waiting for me at the Nairobi airport this evening, but I'm slowly getting back into the Safari Jenn mode.  Early morning layovers at large, international airports seem to be a staple for my solo travels.  Lots of good people watching.  

I was thinking about this trip compared to the last while I was on the plane, and I've come to the conclusion that it's just different the second time.  The excitement and nervous energy are still there, but for completely different reasons.  This time around I'm excited to get back to my project, back to my babies, back to the unique African way of life.  I'm excited for my friends to join me in a few short weeks and to introduce them to the corner of the world that means so much to me.  I'm excited to us my donation money and to do things that I've been wanting to do for years.  I'm excited to be able to blog more often about what I'm doing to give a better picture to all of you back at home.  I'm excited that I'm fulfilling the promise I made to myself over two years ago - that Kenya isn't a one time thing.

A couple of months back I bought the book "Dark Star Safari" by Paul Theroux and have been saving it to read on this safari.  In the opening chapter, he describes what, exactly, a safari is.  "The word 'safari,' in Swahili, means 'journey'; it has nothing to do with animals.  Someone 'on safari' is just away and unobtainable and out of touch."  For me, part of that is true - I'm certainly on a journey - but I am going to do my best to be somewhat in touch (though the lack of BlackBerry is already amazing)!

Next post from Kenya!