Unveiling Africa

By
Carla Butler

This summer I traveled to the East African country of Kenya. I, along with 13 others, spent four weeks immersed in a culture completely different from the American way. It's no secret the African people live a different life from Americans. They have a slower pace in life, are more polite and welcoming to strangers, and most live in sub-standard conditions that would rank far below America's poverty line.

Jambo, Kenya!

My first reaction to Kenya was one of disbelief. Not only could I not believe I was in Africa, nearly16000 miles from home; I was moved by the welcoming gestures of the native people. We were greeted by many gracious people; even welcomed with a rose. I hadn't even been on soil for more than an hour and already felt like royalty!

Our group was anxious to meet the tour operators and the natives that came to welcome us. Once in the vans, we began asking questions. As we were whisked away into the capital city, Nairobi, we saw palm trees. That was the moment I knew I would enjoy being away. No matter how homesick I became, I reminded myself how lucky I was to have this opportunity in life. I knew I would make friends for life, and perhaps, I would find a "home away from home".

Nairobi

The first few days were spent in Nairobi getting our stuff together. On our very first day we visited one of many exchange bureaus to exchange our money first and foremost. My first feelings were of extreme discomfort. Although the door had a guardsman, and was locked for that matter, I was in a foreign environment and didn't quite know what to expect. The Thomsons' were behind the counter negotiating the exchange rate or something.

The next stop was the city park. We fed Sykes monkeys with peanuts . . . not only did they come up to you, they would get on your shoulder or your head and let you feed them! This was one of the most exciting things I have ever taken part in. This park is the norm for the natives but for us it was an exotic treat. I reveled in having a mama monkey and her baby on my shoulder. Next we went to the Snake Park and the Museum. The museum was cool but we evidently didn't get to see everything because the other group was inside the museum for much longer than we were . . . in fact, our group had time to go through the entire Snake Park before the second group was out of the museum. I found the museum interesting for one reason only; it had the drawings of a woman named Joy Adamson. Many, many drawings that I could have looked at for hours if allowed. She sketched most, if not all, of the tribes within Kenya for anthropological purposes. I allowed myself into the snake park just because they were restrained within glass aquariums, and because I had to take pictures home to my brother or else suffer the consequence that he would never forgive me.

Our final stop for the day was a cyber café. I've never had to go anywhere and pay to use a computer. This concept was a completely new idea to me yet I found it intriguing. We paid one shilling per minute, not bad I guess. The computer I used was very, very slow but I was able to email my family to let them know I had arrived safe and sound and already had experienced an exotic adventure with monkeys. Each time I emailed, regardless of whether I was having the time of my life, or was completely home sick, I cried like a baby. I missed my family at all times but I would never take back my decision to tour Kenya for four incredible weeks. Having to pay to communicate with family made me realize just how lucky we are in America to have public access to technology. Even in the inner cities there are computers within the local libraries. Everyone is able to use it free of charge. In Kenya, regardless of who you are, you go to the cyber café and are required to pay a fee for using the computer - - even if you want to play games, or listen to mp3 music! While in town, we stopped at an Uchumi grocery store with Dr. Thomson. We were looking for postcards but they had none. Back at the hotel, we went to the hotel restaurant for dinner. The service was slow, and the menu was slammed with Americanized food. We wanted something native to Kenya but we wouldn't find it at this restaurant. I ordered the salad, and a Mississippi mud pie for dessert. The salad was not of my liking, and the mud pie was a brownie . . . but still yummy! After dinner, the group decided to go back to the rooms where we met to play cards. I was impressed with many of the group members but I was fatigued so I retired early.

Our first morning in Kenya was full of jet lag for me. I hardly wanted to get up and go down for breakfast. Thankfully it was amazing and I would have regretted not coming down. We ate fresh fruit (strawberries, mango, pineapple, you name it, it was there), toast, and made-to order omelets. Immediately I noticed the quality of the eggs; they were so white. And much better than eggs at home. Next we used this day as a day to gather our data for our research. This day was not very well spent for me as I soon became ill. Justine and I were able to stop off at a child abuse center (no one available); then another protection agency (same fate-no one available); and finally a third stop to the slums of Nairobi. Pius was with us and this provided me with much comfort. The scenery was something I would like to forget but likely never will. This was reality for so many people, yet I wished it was one of those infomercials requesting money (that way I could flip the channel and not see such poverty). There was garbage everywhere; women carrying babies wearing nothing but a strip of cloth; boys walking around glassy-eyed with a bottle of glue in tow. We gave what we had brought for the day: Vitamin-fortified gummy fruit snacks, granola bars, and some clothing. We stayed here for a short time because we had so little, and the children were not willing to talk without receiving something in return. Justine had an appointment at the Ugundu Brotherhood society so we left for that facility. Again, stuck in the heart of the slums, we gave what we had leftover from our earlier stops. This time we were unable to meet with the person but at least we were able to look around the facility. They had a warehouse type facility that housed a training workshop for the children to learn job skills. We could see a bench with some type of materials on the top of it where the children (most likely older adolescents) could learn skills. This was uplifting after seeing so many boys wasting their lives away because they literally have no other options. One other stop was unsuccessful as well. This stop was in a very upscale district where Justine was looking for another organization she had contacted. The location was a supermarket type facility that was absolutely beautiful. It had gated entry, very meticulous landscaping, and looked like it came straight out of Beverly Hills. I should have known this place would be more upscale as we approached it in the van; it was located in the same vicinity as all the UN buildings. There were homes for Ambassadors and other officials, clearly marking who they were and where they were from. The houses were not mansions by American standards, but were very well off for Kenyan standards. And they each had guards, and nice landscapes to top it off.

Midway through our research day, Pius had us stop off at the August 7th Memorial Park, site of the 1998 bombing of the US Embassy. After the events of September 11th, this park has a special meaning to me and I was very grateful to be there. In fact, it was an honor to speak with the lady on duty that day. This part of the trip is etched in my memory well. I walked around taking in the site; the memorial; the reconstruction of the surrounding buildings. We were informed the US government donated the land for the memorial park and moved the Embassy to the Gigiri area (outside the central city area). The fountain inside a yin & yang pool brought a comfort that can not be described; the list of 219 victims etched in a marble-type wall, the debris sculpture created in remembrance all provided a sense of reality that can not be grasped from newspaper clippings or TV reports. For a mere twenty shillings, any person is able to come pay tribute, or just enjoy the comforts of the park. Directly outside the entrance gate, a young boy confronted us, maybe eight to ten years of age. He wanted something, anything we had to offer. Justine and I gave him a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with some food wrapped inside of it. He was very appreciative and allowed us to ask a few questions quickly before a crowd could have time to gather. He told us he was from the Nairobi area and that he lives on the streets alone, without any family and little in the way of friends. His friends, he said, were those that were willing to help him.

On our first shopping day, we visited a bookstore, much like the one at UGA, only smaller. They were out of the books regarding street children. But I was able to buy a picture book that was created and sold by an organization said to be helping the areas homeless. The book is even more alarming because the pictures inside are taken by children in the slums themselves. It shows people living and sleeping on the streets, and even more gut-wrenching scenes of children in desperate need.

While Nairobi lacks McDonalds and other western restaurants it wasn't totally dry of western culture. We ate at several places with a western influence: the pizza café, and Trattoria. This Italian restaurant provided us with a refreshing meal out on the town. It most definitely has some of the best Italian cuisine around.

Moi University

We spent a total of 10 days at Moi's main campus in Eldoret, staying in the guest houses. The university itself is not all that impressive (the emptiness of the library's shelves made me vow to cherish the libraries we have at UGA) but the professors that lectured for us were. Most if not all had some schooling outside of Kenya and they seemed well versed in their subjects of interest. The campus is smack in the middle of a rural part of the country. We were lucky enough to have a woman of German descent living across the street. She was the most pleasant person to talk to and was very willing to share her views. She has a son named George and he, too, was willing to show us around the area. In class at Moi, we learned a general overview of Kenya. The languages, the number of tribes, history, a few political notes regarding the two presidents of Kenya: Kenyatta and Moi, the geography and landscape of the country, athletics/sports within the country, health concerns and practices, and the problems facing Kenya today (primarily the street children). Here's what I learned in a nutshell:

After our two days of lectures on the university campus, we spent some days doing independent research. On May 23-24th, I took to the streets of Eldoret with Pius to find street children to compare the rural homeless to that of the urban homeless. It did not take long once in the center of the city to find those that are categorized as street children. They were thumbing through the heaps of garbage in search of anything to sell. We stopped and called only one at a time to interview. I was able to interview in one on one setting on several occasions. Finally, all the kids began circling us and I no longer felt safe. In fact, I felt more uncomfortable in this setting than when we were in Nairobi. We were behind buildings with no one around us but the street kids who wanted anything at all and when I could no longer give them things they were visibly annoyed. They had already grabbed several pairs of clothing and items to eat yet they did not seem satisfied. Pius and I left and were approached by a young man claiming to help the street kids. He led us to two girls who were hiding in the brush near a stream. Female street kids are hard to find because they are more frequently harassed by the law enforcement officers and the older males living on the streets. It was no surprise that they both had young children even though they were young girls themselves. They were unwilling to talk about anything specific and cited general reasons for being on the street. They also would not say anything in regards to who fathered their children or whether they were welcoming the chance to be a mother.

After seeing a number of children and young adults, I felt a little too discouraged and wanted to return to the university. Pius and I waited at a nearby restaurant, The Klique, for Koech, our driver, to pick us up and take us back.

Homestay

The most rewarding part of my trip has undoubtedly been the weekend home stay. I had been scheduled to stay with Mr. and Mrs. Ian Keino. Because Dr. Rose was not sure if Mr. Keino would remember that I was coming, I was told by Dr. Rose that this was no longer the case. While she didn't know whom I would be staying with, she would work out a solution. Then I was told I would stay with Rachel at a runner's house. This seemed fine, but I had been looking forward to staying at the Keino home. I had met him at the Carnivore in Nairobi and was thoroughly impressed. I had asked Justine a number of questions regarding the Keino family. I was eager to meet them. I guess because I was so relentless, and probably quite childish I suppose, I was able to stay with Ian Keino and his wife Norah. I spent less than a quarter of the weekend with Ian yet it was the most amazing time of my life. If I had to walk away from this experience right now, I would do so having been totally satisfied. Ian operates a training camp for aspiring athletes from a variety of countries ­ Eritrea, Sudan, Liberia, Kenya, Tanzania, and more. His wife, Norah, is the most pleasant person I have met to date. She is humble, thankful, and willing to share just about anything. They have a son they call Kim. He is two years old and is the most adorable child I have ever seen, aside from Tyler (my nephew), of course. Norah treated me so well I cannot think of the words to describe it. I met the runners that were training there at the current time: Simret and Ali, from Eritrea, Kemboi from Kenya, Bill from Liberia, Ismael from Sudan, and Janet from Tanzania. They were the nicest group of kids-aged from 16 to 20 years of age. I really hit it off with them and they too were very helpful. Norah allowed me to interview her in an informal style. I would find something she said interesting and the next thing we knew we were in a Q&A session. She comes from Nairobi and has not been married to Ian for all that long. I think she said 5 years but I could be wrong. She says he is her savior, the best thing that has ever happened to her. He allowed her to improve her lifestyle and give back to those that had helped her as she grew up. She called it her duty to help the street children. Not only does she help out at the shelter, she helps the local homeless too. On Saturday, we attended a track meet held at Kipchoge Stadium in Eldoret. Norah brought several extra lunches for the street children she knew would be attending. She handed them out and even went as far as getting things out of our lunches in order to help them. The children knew her and flocked to her for much needed help. Then after dinner, we made our way to a local disco called The Places. We were out to celebrate the wins of two runners and another one's 21st birthday. The disco was quite small but it was enough to serve its purpose. There was a dance floor, pool table, and a bar with enough seating around for everyone. The club scene in Kenya is much like the scene in America. The only difference I found was the choice in music. Any American song played was at least several years old, if not older.

My only disappointment regarding the homestay was not meeting Kipchoge Keino, Ian's father. Not only is he a two-time Olympic Gold medallist (1968 and 1972 Olympic games), he is the mastermind behind the orphanage to help the street children attain a better life through schooling. He gives them a life that affords them the opportunity to be a kid. They do not have to worry about where their next meal will come from, nor where they will sleep come nightfall; everything is managed through the orphanage. They eat and sleep in the comforts of the facility. Kipchoge's fame has allowed him to create and maintain an orphanage to help these children. The children have access to books; the library is filled to the rim with children's books and supplies. Because many of the children were not there either I could not see the classrooms firsthand. I did get a chance to talk to the Intern that is working with the children though. Her name is Mary. She is from Canada. She teaches the children physical education and has created a curriculum that teaches them about health and safety as well as about proper ways to stay in shape. She says Kipchoge Keino is a super man and uses his Olympic notoriety to benefit the children in any way he can.

Sunday at noon I had to leave the home stay and head for the Eldoret Country Club. I thought most people would already be there, however, few people were there at all. Jessica and Alice had been there with their host family for the entire morning (enjoying the pool); Paul and Beth had been dropped off. Ian and I said our goodbyes and I waited for the rest of the gang to arrive. It took a while for us to all get together but finally we were back all rattling off our stories of delight regarding the natives and how welcoming they were. Everyone agreed that the experience was one to cherish and an opportunity to appreciate Kenya just a little more than we had before.

Game Drives

Our first game drive took place at Amboseli National Park. We arrived mid-afternoon and ate dinner. It was a great meal, complete with salad, soup, and steak. But the main attraction was undoubtedly Mount Kilamanjaro. Kilamanjaro provides a spectacular backdrop to Amboseli's quiet plains although it is located miles away in Tanzania. We were late for our first drive, a nighttime drive, because everyone wanted to take pictures of Kilimanjaro. Once on the drive. we saw a few animals: a lone elephant crossing the road, a pair of lions resting in the grass (this was "the location" to be, as there was a major traffic jam between all the safari vans), birds, and baboons right outside the entrance to our hotel, Oltukai Lodge. Onsite were vervet monkeys that roamed the property. I encountered these monkeys first hand when I went out early the next morning to catch an up-close picture of them for my sister. She really enjoys monkeys, and they were cute as a button. However, once I was close enough for the "perfect" picture, I noticed the group was coming closer and closer to me. I had no idea why, but I did know they had said not to feed them or anything. I started running and screaming as they came at me. I ran into the room and immediately began rambling stuff to Priyanka. She thought it was pretty funny. I noticed later that there was a man standing around shooing the monkeys away from the areas where guests stayed. He must have thrown something at them or started moving them out of the area and not noticed I was nearby. The morning drive was long and tiresome. We didn't see too many exotic animals that I could readily identify so I struggled to stay awake. The one thing that kept me going was the singing of "Jambo". Oonyoni made it a point to teach us the song that welcomes visitors to Kenya and it has stuck in my head ever since.

Our second game drive took place at the Lake Nakuru National Park. Here we saw the mass numbers of flamingos for the first time "up close". Up close is used generally speaking. We were not in close proximity to the flamingos because they would move each time we edged closer. However, we were able to stand on foot and look at them, as opposed to driving and seeing the pink rings circling the lakes many miles away. I must admit I was in awe of the site. I even joined Dr. Thomson in grabbing a few flamingo feathers from the muddy shore. We had to clean them off to make them pretty again, but I didn't mind. I used one of the baby wipes I had on-hand to clean it. He advised that we store them in our journals for safe-keeping. We drove around and saw some animals off in the distance. And then we came to a lion in a tree. Our drivers' thought that was a rarity so we slowly drove a little further down the road. Here we saw a herd of buffalo surrounding two young male lions that had taken cover inside the tree. They were waiting for a safe time to exit the trees. They would roar every so often to keep the buffalo at bay. Finally the herd began running off in the distance to catch a different prey. They came down and nuzzled with one another in the sweetest moment of nature I have ever seen yet. The scene was something you would expect from The Lion King or something. I did not want to leave. I wanted to watch these two Simbas forever. I had seen their struggle for survival, I couldn't leave them now. They began walking aimlessly in search of food, clearly defeated by the buffalo. We went on our way, as did every other van in site (this scene quickly became "the place to be" inside the park). We were stopped by The Kenya Wildlife officials to verify that we had paid to enter the park. For some reason, I had not expected this. However, since this game park is not a monstrously huge place, the officials are probably better able to catch violators and potential poachers here than at Amboseli or other game parks. We ate lunch atop Baboon Rock, fitting since we saw several baboons on the way up to the cliff. At this spot you could look over the entire game park ­ the lake, the prairie, everything was full view. We could see animals in the distance but they were the size of ants. Classic African scenery with acacia trees scattered around.

Our final game drive took place at the Maasai Mara. Charles told me the Mara is the only game park to allow off-road driving. This was cool because it meant we could get as close as possible to the animals to observe them. We didn't have to watch from the road and pray they would come closer to us. And we enjoyed a breakfast in the bushes, a unique experience for me. The Mara hands-down has the best food of all the places visited thus far. The buffet style was much appreciated, and the food selections were awesome. I could eat fruit, salad, veggies, meat, and dessert in any order I wished.

Mombasa

Mombasa was a great endnote for our trip to Kenya. It had the beach, the quietness, and the beauty of Africa all in one. While we did not tour the city, the most memorable site, aside from the coastal view of the Indian Ocean, was the crossed tusks located on Moi Avenue. Paul told me they were created as a ceremonial arch to commemorate the transition of power in England circa early 1950s. Apparently, Queen Elizabeth II was in Kenya at the time she was named Queen! We encountered them as we drove away from the Mombasa Railway Station and they seemed to be the focal point of the city.

Like I just mentioned, we took a train from Nairobi to Mombasa, and back to Nairobi. This was my first time ever aboard a train and while others absolutely hated it, I could not have enjoyed it more. Priyanka and I had the room to ourselves because she had a serious case of chicken pox. We both hit the sack pretty early but I still watched the scenery late into the night. I could see people standing on the sides of the track every so often and wondered if they were trying to jump on and ride like you see in the movies. I pressed myself to stay up for the ride through Tsavo game reserve, home of the notorious man-eating lions, but I just couldn't do it. One thing that impressed me on the train was the dining cart and I enjoyed the meals onboard. The ride to Mombasa didn't seem all that long since we started out at night around dinner time. The trip back to Nairobi was exhaustive. I guess having known I would be boarding a plane in less than 24 hours to return home made me more anxious than ever.

During our stay in Mombasa, we stayed at Nyali Beach Hotel. A very nice, very classy resort on the coast. Priyanka and I had a great view of the water, or at least we thought it was good enough to make us happy. I enjoyed being somewhere for a few days where I could enjoy myself. The beach was windy so I couldn't lay out on the sand; I quickly found a quiet spot located just off the beach that allowed me to spend many hours to myself. I watched the fishermen do their daily duties without having to interfere. I entered things into my journal. I could see the locals maintaining their existence by selling items to other tourists. I had a wealth of options available to me: a pool, water sports rentals, casino, and more. I hated that Priyanka couldn't truly enjoy herself as she was finally diagnosed with chicken pox.

Later that day there was an influx of English men within the hotel grounds. Turned out to be members of the British Navy, or so they said. While they were attempting to flatter us, we couldn't help but find it funny.

I arranged to go with Natasha, Alisha, Alice, and Jessica in the morning to watch the sunrise along the beach. We were up at 5 a.m. and outside waiting for the magnificent sunrise by 5:30 a.m. Everyone waited for a good twenty minutes before they went back to their rooms since the clouds were blocking the entire sunrise. I waited and waited; not quite knowing how long I had been watching for what I expected. It never came. When I returned to my room, Priyanka's watch said 7:09 a.m. I had waited for two hours and nothing. It was fully daylight by the second hour, but I wanted to see the spectacular scenery of an African sunrise so bad I stayed longer than I should have. It was my last chance to see an African sunrise. I had procrastinated, day in and day out, and now that I had taken the opportunity to view it, I would not be able to see it. We board the train later tonight and tomorrow we will be back in Nairobi for our last day in Kenya.

Kwaheri, Kenya

Back in Nairobi, we went shopping again. We went back to the store that ripped me off big time earlier this year. Although, this time I decided they were not going to steal right out from under my nose. I had a little bit of money left to spend (the remaining money would be used for souvenirs for family) and I knew exactly what I wanted: art. Nothing great. Just a good African piece of art. I walked out of the store empty handed at first, not willing to budge on my offer of 600 shillings for two medium-sized prints. The salesman quickly came after me with a reasonable offer, 700 shillings. I was not willing to pay that much, as I had paid close to 3500 shillings on our first visit. They had taken close to 50 dollars from me in the first week for two ebony pieces and a skirt. That was way, way too much and I refused to pay a fair price this time. If I was going to get those prints, it was for the price I was willing to pay and not what they wanted me to pay. I finally got the artwork after a good thirty minutes of bargaining with the man. I gave him 600 shillings and bought him a soft drink for the deli next-door. I walked away satisfied.

The extended stay due to the flight delay was both a disappointment and a reassurance at the same time. I most definitely would miss Kenya, so I wanted to stay but on the other hand, I wanted to be with family again. One extra night is not that bad to deal with. We waited in a monstrous line for the check-ins and then we boarded a bus to a five star hotel inside the city. Once there, we waited in yet another long line. Finally, several hours later around 1:40 a.m., Jessica and I were able to get a room. We had to share a bed but at least it had a bed. We were up and out by 4:30 a.m. to get back to Jomo Kenyatta Airport and on our plane ready to go by sunrise. I took one last look out the window and waved goodbye with one hand while I wiped away a tear with the other.