Radio Silence

So much for last year's resolution to use my free time to post updates. I brainstormed and even drafted I don't know how many posts that never saw the light of day. I was just feeling a bit uninspired it seems. So, no promises for this year, but let's see what happens.

Like I mentioned in my last post I resigned my position at RSC in Jan 2014 in order to take a little break and return to my roots, helping small businesses and nonprofits through resource development, communications, and strategic planning. I relaunched my company, Makusudi Consulting, (as some of you know, I worked as a consultant in 2010 after leaving another position in the region and continued with short-term contracts before joining RSC) and returned to work as a full-time freelance consultant. I've enjoyed setting my own schedule and choosing projects that complement my talents.

New Beginnings

This blog is really all about new beginnings and the reason I started it in the first place.  I know I've been terrible at posting and keeping people up to date with the day in and day out goings on in my life but those things get mundane and it's hard to be creative and want to write after 8-12 hours of recording refugee torture testimonies.  But I'll attempt to be better this year now that I have a bit more free time on my hands since I left my role at RSC. "WHAT?!," you say?  Here's a brief overview of what you've missed:

I survived Tchad

So I'm aware that I've been very lame about posting for the last month since I went off secondment and began traveling again.  (For the record I did blog a restaurant review on my other blog African Nights so I wasn't a complete slacker.)  My first trip post-Nairobi secondment was to Tchad.  Yes, that is a real country.  It's landlocked between Sudan, Libya, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Central African Republic.  They host refugees from both Sudan and CAR. 

Arusha Weekend Away

So as I mentioned in my previous post, I went to Arusha this past weekend to visit my friend Jana.  And in the interest of turning over a new leaf and actually staying on top of the blogging for all you peeps at home reading this here are some pictures.  The day after I get back!  Don't tell me, I know, I know, I'm awesome. 

My Love Affair with the UK: The Liverpool Edition

While in the UK visiting my friend Meg, her hubby Cheerio, and their new addition baby midget last week we decided to hit up Liverpool, home of the Beatles and the International Slavery Museum.  It was the latter that got me all excited for the trip.  (I'm not crazy; I totally like the Beatles, but if you know me or have ever read my blog prior to today, you know my obsession with human rights drives me to do weird things like go on holiday to genocide sites and read about human rights abuses in my spare time.)

While I didn't get to visit the International Slavery Museum, (I blame the Queen) I did learn more about the history of slavery at the Museum of Liverpool.  Pretty much Liverpool was part of the triangle of shame where the Brits sent goods to West Africa in return for slaves who were then sent to the States where the ships returned to Liverpool with goods produced by the slave labor.  And they totally supported the South during the Civil War just to keep their source of cotton and tobacco flowing.  (I still love you, UK, and your fascinating history, despite the atrocities you've committed throughout the modern world.  We'll work through it.)

In other news, here are some pictures from the day:

This Is How I Roll

Just a few photos to catch you up on my goings on since I've been a slacker about updating the blog:

4.29.12 Relaxing at Lake Bunyoni

4.12.12 Straddling the Equator

4.1.12- Blankets and Wine

3.18.12 Lake Turkana

St. Patty's Day 3.17.12- Beers and friends on a water tower in Kakuma

3.3.12- Weekend at Raha Mstarehe- View of the Ngong Hills

2.11.12 Crusing the Congo River

I Still Have All My Vital Organs

A week in my life:  bed bugs, pharmacy hospitals, and IV drips.  Aren't you jealous? 

During my terribly exciting life of fanciful trips to exotic locales I recently got a terrible case of bed bugs or something that attacked my entire body and caused it to itch and swell up.  I'm a sexy beast.

Yet Another Best of Edition

So happy belated new year and all that jazz.  As I think back over the last year I have lots of memories; some good, some bad.  However, instead of dwelling on things that didn't go the way I wanted in 2011, I want to take some time and recount all the good times.  Because, you know, while it's important to take the bad with the good you should always remember how much you have going for you even when the chips are down.  And yes, I know my little stroll down memory lane is a bit belated, but let's just chalk it up to all the traveling and the ongoing jet lag (and not my procrastination in getting around to buying internet airtime).  So even though I have a list of all the wonderful things I remember from the last year, I'm far to lazy to actually upload pictures and post a new slideshow capturing all of the fabulousness in one place.  Instead you can either A) use your imagination or B) click the links I have so thoughtfully included below to enable you to easily relive the greatness through past posts and photos.

Amboseli Game Drive

The weekend before I went to Ethiopia for work I took a road trip to Amboseli National Park.  Amboseli sits on the Kenya/Tanzania border next to Mount Kilimanjaro.  It is well known for the free range elephants that wander through the park letting visitors get up close and personal with their herd.  The views and the animals were magnificent.  I'll let them speak for themselves:

Home for the Holidays

One layover and 25 hours later I made it home to Dallas.  I'm still recuperating from jetlag and have spent the last several days getting the basics out of the way (i.e. doctor's appointments and IKEA, Target, & of course Christmas shopping) so I can enjoy the holidays and catching up with friends.

Needless to say my cats (and of course my family) are thrilled by my return.  My mom has been telling them for the last few months that their momma is coming home just to see them and I think Wylie believes her.  He doesn't let me out of his sight and is much more affectionate than he ever was when he lived with me.  I think his neuroses might stem from untreated abandonment issues.  (Yet another reason I should probably never procreate real babies.)

Merry Christmas from Fleur and Bubba!

Harar Hyenas: An Adventure Waiting to Maim and Kill Someone

...fortunately that someone was not me.  While in Ethiopia for work recently some colleagues and I decided to travel to Harar* for some sightseeing and locally brewed beers.  When I heard they also had trained hyenas that came when called and I could feed them I was all in.  I mean what's a missing finger or two in the name of a good time? 

Evidence that it really did happen and I didn't run screaming into the night after the break.

Ethiopia! I'm ready for our love affair.

Have you ever walked into a place so different but so familiar at the same time?  Ethiopia reminds me of many countries I have visited throughout Africa but the one thing that struck me was the one thing that was so much like home.  What was this, you ask?  Left hand drive on the right side of the road.  It has only been a year since I've last been home and driven around the States but for some reason it was completely disconcerting to me to have the driver sitting on the left and driving on the right.  Call me crazy but that's what stuck with me upon arrival to Ethiopia. 

I spent one short night in Addis Ababa upon arrival so I did not get a chance to explore Ethiopia's most well-known city.  Fortunately I'll have another chance to explore the city on my way to Shire in a couple of weeks.  Early the next morning we headed out to the 2nd largest city in Ethiopia, Dire Dawa.  We have been here about 4 days and I have been fairly lazy about getting out and about.  We hit up the pool bar at our hotel the first couple nights and then tried out a restaurant at another nearby hotel.  Tonight we hit up a local Ethiopian joint and had some delicious njera and shiro.  I could eat this all day every day. 

5 days down, 3 1/2 weeks to go.  Bring it, Ethiopia!

Saving the World, One Refugee at a Time

So it's been awhile since I posted about what's going on in my world.  A few things have changed in the last month and a half.  First off, I"ve returned from exile from small *town* (I use that word loosely) Tanzania.  I am back (based, anyway) in Nairobi.  My contract with Skillshare/Kenya Rainwater Association ended in mid-August and I am now working for RSC (Resettlement Support Center), better known as JVA. 

The Joys of Village Life

So, I moved to Tanzania this past weekend.  When I was told that I would have to transfer to Moshi for work I wasn't sure what to expect.  I had some friends who had lived in Arusha and Moshi before who told me a bit about the region.  What my organization didn't bother to mention to me was that I wasn't moving to Moshi proper, but would be staying 30km outside of town in rural Moshi.  And when I say rural, I mean up the mountain, 40 minutes from town, in the village.  Thanks for the heads up, guys!  Fortunately, I am here with another colleague so I have a partner in crime to experience everything with.

Water is Life

One of my favorite things about working in Kenya is the opportunity to go into the field and see how the projects work firsthand.  Fortunately for me, this past week was chock-full of opportunities to travel and see completed projects and get a handle on what it is exactly that I am fund raising for.  I visited four sites over two days throughout Laikipia West and was treated to great receptions at all of the locations, with program chairs happy to show off the completion of their projects.

There's no place like somewhere to call home....

So after a long day of waiting my move did not occur once again.  This is becoming the never end saga of my failure to move into my flat.  As recounted in my previous post, I spent the entire weekend waiting and most of Monday until the hotel staff informed me they had someone checking into my room that evening and no other rooms to move me to.  The frantic search to get a hold of someone, anyone in my organization before I get kicked out the hotel ensues.

Survival Guide to Turning 30 or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

The stress of turning the big 3-0 is definitely compounded when you live in a foreign country far away from your family and friends and are currently jobless and homeless.  Fortunately for me, when I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead.  True story.

  

Stressed but awesome.  

Survival Guide Tips:

1. Start prepping everyone for your upcoming big day.  Explain that just because the word "day" is part of the word "birthday" this does not mean that one should only celebrate for one day.  Especially when that day is a lame one, like a Wednesday.  Yes, Wednesday, I'm calling you out for being a sucky day.  Try to do better next time; strive to be Friday, Friday knows what's up.

2. If your birthday happens to fall smack dab in the middle of the week plan fun events for the weekends on either end. 

Pre-birthday weekend festivities: 4th of July BBQ

Post-birthday weekend festivities: Trip to Masai Mara to watch the Great Migration

3. Surround yourself with people who have already turned the life-changing age so they can provide reassurances that having a 3 in front of your age is not so scary.  Shun your younger friends who take enjoyment from your downward spiral into adulthood.  Take names so you can exact revenge when their big day comes.

4. Ignore your friends' suggestion that you have a drink for every year you are turning.  "That could be interesting" is not the correct response.  Ignore their rationalizations that 30 drinks over a week is completely possible and the fact that you live in Kenya is not a good enough reason for you to try and accomplish this feat.

5. Chocolate is the key to getting you through this nerve-wracking time.  Little known fact*: Chocolate will end world hunger, cure cancer, and, if used correctly, bring world peace.  

*More of a hypothesis than a fact.  But it is known to induce happiness when taken in large portions.

6. Give yourself permission to pig out at your birthday dinner AND eat dessert.

 Mmmm, flan.

7. Realize that being another year older just means you have maintained your awesome status for an entire year and embrace the fact that you get to bask in your awesomeness indefinitely.

The Sights and Sounds of Cairo: The Banks of the Nile

By the banks of the Nile I sit perched on the railing of the bridge.  I watch cars drive past while engrossed in the music blaring from my ipod.  I see Cairenes look interestedly at me as they walk past my seat.  They are dressed in everything from traditional burqas to hip western wear paired with a hijab.  Honks, exhaust, and the breeze from the Nile rush through my hair cooling me from the hot African sun.  I look up and see a monument to a man in the median and wonder what he did to warrant such recognition.  After enjoying the solitude of my rest in the middle of town I head back to reality.

The Sights and Sounds of Cairo: Arrival and Accostation

The hooting of car horns, the trill of bicycle bells, shouts, and calls to prayer float past the open window I am sitting near in an oversized cushy armchair at my dear friend Brittany's apartment in Cairo.  I arrived in Egypt early Tuesday morning from Nairobi ready to navigate my way to Dokki, armed with directions from Brittany and instructions on how to find a taxi. 

As soon as I walked out of the terminal I was accosted by a swarm of taxi drivers, but being the seasoned negotiator of cab fares thanks to my daily taxi rides in Nairobi I bartered down the prices from 100 Egyptian pounds (LE).  I climbed in the back of the taxi and confirmed with my driver that the price was reasonable.  The driver, Ahmed, was very talkative for 3 AM and once leaving the airport he pulled over to the side of the road and insisted I move to the front so I could chat more easily with him.  Warily I moved up to the front seat since he refused to drive further otherwise.  Red flag number 1: women do not ride in the front of a taxi when unaccompanied and alone.  He kept his friendly demeanor and pointed out tourist sites as we drove through the city.  Red flag number 2: he started asking me what the English word was for parts of his face including his mouth.  As we crossed the Nile he once again pulled the car over under the guise of showing me the river.  It was then the accostation began (accostation: a combination of accost and molestation) and he decided it was appropriate to touch my leg and ask me to kiss him or "give him lip/mouth."  After playing dumb for as long as possible I finally explained politely that I was indeed married (I had been forewarned of Egyptian men's proclivity to hit on western women with the assumption that we are all promiscuous and wore a ring on my left hand just in case). 

Once we finally arrived at Brittany's apartment I went to pay him the agreed upon amount.  Drama ensued.  He feigned no knowledge of our agreement and argued with us for 20 minutes trying to force me to pay 100 LE instead of 40 LE because he claimed he was a "limo" rather than a taxi.  I informed him he was not driving a limo and I wasn't paying him any more than what we agreed upon.  In a very inappropriate un-Egyptian manner he followed us into the apartment building and refused to leave until he received his 100 LE.  Brittany went to get the rest of the money and then he had the audacity to ask for more saying the 100 was for the car and he should get paid more driving me.  Acting very culturally inappropriate we told him in no uncertain terms he was to leave the premises and Britt hurled some bawdy Arabic in his direction and pushed him out the door.  Once in the apartment we could see him stand outside and complain to the guards but fortunately they sent him on his way without causing a larger scene.

How to Gate Crash: A Guide by Captain Awesome

1. Choose the target and scope out the situation.

• We drove past a gathering on the side of the road and our curiosity was peaked.  Hundreds of women in red and white were sitting in lawn chairs in a field.  We continued on our way.

2.  Don't tip off the party-goers/hosts of your interest in their gathering.

• We casually drove past and followed our original plan to visit the Juba Bridge.  It is the only bridge in Juba and traverses the Nile.

3. Casually return to the event once more invited guests have shown up and try to slip in unnoticed.

• As we drove back past the event we noticed traditional dancing taking place in the field and that a larger crowd had gathered.  We pulled over and decided to stand inconspicuously behind the crowd.  

4. Be ready to adapt your plan if you are discovered.

• We were quite stealthy and would have succeeded in our mission had two of us not stuck out like two glowing white thumbs.  Fortunately they spotted Captain Awesome amongst the group and we were ushered in and given seats up front and center along with a translator to make our experience more enjoyable.

5. Once your cover is blown (if you are awesome enough to remain at the event) immerse yourself in the experience and be gracious.

• After watching the celebration that included traditional singing, dancing, and drumming from our primo seats the attention turned to various speakers.  

• They explained why they were outside celebrating this day.  They were a group of Anglicans who had been fasting for the previous 21 days in remembrance of the 21 year civil war.  They fasted and prayed during this time for peace during the presidential elections.  The previous day the church leaders met with the current president of Southern Sudan regarding their hopes for a peaceful and fair election process.  After the group leaders spoke to the gathered masses at the rally they invited representatives  from our group to speak.  Pastor Steve Roese, from Irving Bible Church in Texas, thanked them for their hospitality and explained our interest and support for them.  He was followed by Dr. Celestin Musekura, ALARM's president and founder, who spoke a few words of encouragement as well.