Happy Belated Earth Day!

I'm a day late, that's what happens when you are on African time, but I hope you all took a moment yesterday to celebrate Earth Day.  Working in a third world country (correction: developing country) has made me so aware and grateful for how considerate we are as westerners (especially Texans- Don't Mess With Texas!) of the world around us.  No, we're not perfect, but we are trying and that counts for something.  In the developing world however trash is tossed on the ground without a second thought and there is no city government program to collect and dispose of the trash.  While visiting Juba I had an empty water bottle taken from my hand and tossed in a ditch because the girl I was walking with could not understand why I would hold onto it to try and find a trashcan, a task I quickly learned is next to impossible in Sudan.  Again, on the drive to Yei I was laughed at for my refusal to roll down my window and throw my empty soda can out.  I explained to them I would rather not contribute to the pollution of their countryside even if it doesn't bother them.  Nairobi does not have a city trash collection system either and you will see some trash littering the roads, but, for the most part, people collect their own trash and burn it to keep their city from looking like a landfill.

I believe it's the little things that count.  This year think of ways you can cut down on waste.  I for one have started using cute reusable bags for my grocery shopping instead of accepting plastic bags at the checkout.

Photo credit: stylehive.com

They're stylish; you can fold it up to fit in your purse; they make it easy to carry many smaller packages; and for someone who walks to and from the grocery, it is much more comfortable to throw this over my shoulder rather than lug 4-5 plastic handled bags home. 

Recycling is practically unheard of here but you can compost from anywhere.  Check out this super cute ceramic compost bucket from World Market for a stylish way to collect your kitchen scraps.

Photo credit: http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3597599

Buy green while supporting African women!  Ugandan beaded necklaces are made of tightly rolled paper beads – from recycled magazines, calendars and scrap paper.  Click on the link to check out how to purchase these necklaces and raise support for African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries' programs.

Photo credit: womenspeacecollection.com

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.  

 

Exploring Nairobi: Coffee, Nightlife, Brunch, and Fun

I finally ventured out of my guest house cocoon this past weekend (3/13-3/14) into the unknown districts across Nairobi.  Soon after arriving in Kenya I discovered a facebook group of expats living in Nairobi.  This past weekend was the first opportunity I had to join in some of their social events.

Jack, ALARM's logistician and driver, dropped me off at Westgate mall in the Westlands to meet the NES group for coffee at Artcaffè, it was a bit like being dropped off at the mall by my dad.  I intended to call a taxi to pick me up, but my Kenyan colleagues despair what might happen to them if something happens to me.  They fear what my dad would do to them if I were to wander aimlessly in Nairobi lost.  Clearly, they have not met my father, who is not an intimidating force (except of course on the witness stand I'm sure or to opposing attorneys who have called him "the biggest baddest boy in Texas," which does not crack my mother and I up in the least...).  Conversation and coffee was good, dinner and drinks after were even better.  I went with a few of the guys from the event to dinner at the Black Diamond followed by people watching and fun at Havana and Casablanca.  "Mosquitoes," the nickname for maurading women at these clubs, were out in force and I had quite a bit of fun playing Pro or No throughout the evening.

Despite a relatively late night I made it to brunch the next morning, got to know some more NES people, and then a friend and I drove around the different neighborhoods of Nairobi.  We started at the National Museum (knocking #4 off The List) and walked through the gardens and admired the art. 

The museum itself was rather expensive to go in and from a previous boring experience at the National Museum in Butare, Rwanda, we decided to pass on the tour.  From there we drove through most of Nairobi and up to the Karen Estates neighborhood.  It's named for Karen Blixen, Danish author of Out of Africa.  We stopped for an iced tea at the Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens, site of the original hunting lodge/farm house on the Karen Blixen estate and near the restored house turned national museum where she lived from 1914 to 1931.  Sitting on the patio of a large, turn-of-the-century house felt like a country club atmosphere and could have easily been somewhere in Dallas, yet as we left we drove past the Nairobi National Park filled with rhinos, giraffes, and more.  I kind of knocked #15 off the list on the way out as well, as you can see by my picture below.

Breaking News Alert: Southern Sudan to meet Captain Awesome

Captain Awesome will travel to Southern Sudan in the upcoming weeks to rescue babies, stop speeding bullets, and spread general awesomeness wherever she may go.  Ah, so are the facts of life for an international superhero. 

I will be in Juba beginning Monday, 3/22, getting to know the city and meeting people while others in my group attend the Church Leaders Forum.  After the conference concludes I will travel to Yei to visit the Christian Leadership Institute of Sudan before returning to Nairobi.

For those of you unaware, Sudan's presidential elections are approaching in April.  It's the first multi-party ballot in 24 years since the sitting president, Omar Hassan Al Bashir, overthrew the democratically elected Prime Minister in 1989.  However, with his campaign of intimidation and violence escalating, and now a key opponent murdered, the chances of an unbiased election are growing slim.  Read more here:

Two Sudanese newspapers questioned over insults to president Bashir
South Sudan Journalists Facing Intimidation Before Election
Political motive seen in Sudan murder - police
Sudan: Ahead of Crucial Elections

Captain Awesome learns to cook (chapati that is)

Saturday night Esther (T) and Purity (B) came over for dinner and taught me, yes that's the awesomest Captain Awesome (for those of you doubting the veracity of my claim, you know who you are) below, how to make chapatis.

Chapti chefs extraordinaire:

The ingredients:
flour, (garlic) salt, hot water, wooden spoon (I still cringe when I see one of those...thanks, Mom), vegetable oil, a rolling pin, and someone who knows what they're doing.  For a certain price I'm sure Esther and Purity will hire out their chapati making talents for those of you doubting your ability to read and follow along.

Step 1: 
Add dry ingredients together (easy enough...can't screw that up)...well, they didn't measure, so technically, you can screw up if you guess wrong.  But it's flour.  And salt.  You put too much flour then you get leftover chapatis, no harm, no foul.  And there's no such thing as too much salt.

Step 2: 
Stir in (hot) water with a wooden spoon (apparently hot water makes the texture smoother).

Step 3:
Mash the goop using your hands.

Step 4:
Add oil, vegetable that is, for all of you neophytes trying this at home.

Step 5:
Knead the goop.  Yes, that is the technical term.  How dare you question Captain Awesome?!

Step 6:
It should now look like this.  If it doesn't you screwed up; add some more oil, or water, or better yet, just start over it's probably beyond repair anyway.  It's for the best, I promise.

Step 7:
Cut the dough into strips.

Step 8:
Wrap the slices into rolls, like cinnabons.

Step 9:

No, we're still not done.  Remember this is Africa, we're cooking from scratch here, it takes a bit longer.  Patience is a virtue.  Pull out your rolling pin, or if you're Captain Awesome and don't need one, your glass Coca Cola bottle, and get to flattening those chapatis.  

You can attempt to match Captain Awesome's perfect flattening skills but it's doubtful you will succeed.  Just do your best and remember, size doesn't matter but shape does.  We're going for round here folks, not oblong, not oval, and definitely not misshapen.

Step 10:

Place, don't toss, the chapati onto the hot pan.  

Step 11:

Do not, I repeat, do not, put oil in the pan first.  Why, you ask?  I have no idea.  But I'm told the correct browning method is to hold the oil in a container in one hand and then spoon it over the chapati before flipping.  

The real deal:

Don't expect to match Captain Awesome's perfect chapati on your first try.  It takes minutes upon minutes to master this stunning technique.

The final product:

Fajitas masterpiece African style!  Both Esther and Purity were fajitas virgins but they loved them, I mean who wouldn't?  Esther declared it was "a little bit of heaven in your mouth."

The Top Three Reasons I Love My Mosquito Net

3. Even when my bed's a mess, it still looks cool.

2. It feels like camping in a gauzy white tent.

1. It keeps the bloodthirsty mosquitoes out of my mzungu blood for a few hours each night.

Swahili word of the day:

mzungu- foreigner a.k.a. whitey

Nakumatt, where have you been all my life?

   Karibu to the joys of Nakumatt.  Furniture, fish heads, cell phones, and pink toilet paper all in one place.  No such luck finding a Swahili-English dictionary though.  Trashy romance novels galore, but no helpful guide to Swahili was to be found.  Instead I’ve taken to entering Swahili words and phrases into my phone so I can slowly but surely memorize them.  Despite this travesty, Nakumatt still stands head and shoulders above the other wannabe superstores for their one great marketing ploy of large, not-at-all tacky, elephant statues outside all of the stores I’ve visited thus far.  This one stands inside Nakumatt Junction.

Don’t worry; I have resisted the urge to ride one thus far, despite urging from my coworkers this evening. 

Swahili words of the day:

Karibu- welcome

Nakumatt- Kenya’s answer to Walmart

Matatus and Pentecostals and goats, oh my!

Sunday was my first introduction to the convenient yet terrifying world of matatus.  Not quite awake and on my way to church I looked death in the face and survived.  

(T) Matatu crammed full of people 

(B) People just walk into oncoming traffic in the street.  A little terrifying to say the least. 

Matatus should hold about 14-20 people, but can be crammed with close to 20-30 strangers in a very confined space (see above).  They drive manically through town cutting people off and nearly plowing into things with little regard for those around them much less those riding in the vehicle.  Think soccer mom minivan plus 20-30 strangers sitting/standing in your personal space while being bounced over potholes and dodging pedestrians at 80 kilometers an hour (approximately 50 mph).  Fortunately for me, it only cost ishirini shillings (about 27 cents) for our thrill ride.  I’m sure in a matter of weeks I will be an old pro at hailing these death cabs, jumping in while it is still in motion without inflicting total disfigurement, and letting them know when I’d like to alight from the vehicle so as not to be forced to ride around town for hours on end. 

Church was the destination of this joyride.  Purity and Esther, Emily’s daughter who was home from college for the weekend, took me to the early “youth” (anyone under the age of 35-40 and not considered an old fogey) service at their church, Nairobi Pentecostal Church- Valley Road.  For those of you who have known me awhile, you will remember that I grew up in an Assembly of God/non-denominational congregation in Plano.  Since I’m not well versed in the varying beliefs of every sect of Christianity I cannot tell you the theological differences between non-denominational and Pentecostal, however this church felt like home (e.g. arm raising and dancing during worship and an invitational at the end of service).  I didn’t even know that people don’t normally shout out “Amen” or “Praise the Lord” in affirmation of the pastor’s message or dance around during the praise and worship at other churches until I brought my boyfriend from college home one weekend and took him to a church service.  It was a comfort to find some familiarity so far away from home.

On the other hand, on the way home from church I saw something completely different from home: Goats!  After a second harrowing journey aboard a matatu I was greeted by these friendly creatures upon disembarking from the minibus.  Sawa, we’ve all seen goats at one point or another, or at the very least tasted some of their yummy cheese at a wine tasting, but how many of you have seen them walking down the street grazing?  That’s what I thought.  The goat walking toward me in the picture on the right was particularly friendly and ventured closer when realizing it was being photographed. 

Later in the day came my introduction to Kenyan weddings.  No, unfortunately I cannot mark #17 off my list, but I did attend a play about Kenyan weddings, “It’s Not about the Bride: The Kenyan Wedding Story.”  Imagine “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” meets Kenya.  It was amusing, well what parts I could understand since about half of it was in Swahili.  Their wedding process is quite a bit different than in the States.  A guy proposes to a girl and some give engagement rings, but they do not typically include a diamond or any stone at all.  Then the guy goes to the girl’s family and offers them a dowry for her.  They barter her value with cows, goats, and chickens.  However, instead of actually giving her parents these animals, the guy’s family pays them what these animals are worth.  Next (insert audible sigh of relief by all parents in Kenya) the engaged couple raises the funds to pay for the wedding themselves.  They form a committee of close, financially stable friends and their friends pledge money to help the couple pay for the event.  The example they used as an outrageous lavish wedding in the play had the couple struggling to come up with about $12,000.  Now, I’ve never been married, but from what I understand, it’s not easy to accomplish even a simple wedding for that amount in Dallas.  I now know where my future wedding to my imaginary husband is going to take place!

Swahili words of the day:

Matatu- minibus

Ishirini- twenty (20)

Sawa- okay

Goodbye Dallas, Habari Nairobi!

After a stressful journey that included an hour debacle with the woman at the American Airlines counter which resulted in a $200 changed return flight (so immigration wouldn’t reject me from entering Kenya) followed by me narrowly making my plane out of Dallas, a canceled flight from JFK to Heathrow, a new earlier flight out of JFK, baggage claim plus a transfer from La Guardia to JFK, a 2 hour delay due to snow, a late arrival and rush through Heathrow, a late departure courtesy of a strike by French air traffic control, ankles that swelled so quickly I could feel them expanding, and a late arrival in Nairobi coupled with the refusal of my 1996 series $100 to purchase my three month visa.  Fortunately one bureau de change, of the three I visited, accepted bills older than 2004 for exchange.  However, it was downstairs with no escalator in sight and a rolling carryon bag.  Regardless, success was mine.  I procured the extra $5 for my visa and $95 worth of Kenyan Shillings.  Back up the stairs I went dragging my rolling bag behind me.  I collected my passport and breath only to turn around and pull my rolling bag down the stairs once again.  

However, both of my bags arrived seemingly unscathed, I was allowed in the country, and there was a sign with my name on it as I walked out of the baggage claim area, so all’s well that ends well in my book.  It is here, hot, sweaty, and a bit frazzled, that I met my new boss, Director of the Africa office, Emily Chengo and her husband, Joseph.  They took me to their home and set me up in a guest room behind the main house.  I have my own bathroom, hot shower, and mosquito net.  I’m not sure the length of my stay in their home; I don’t want to impose on my gracious hosts and most importantly the new boss.  Eventually I will move to the guest house in the office while waiting the determination of whether I will move to Juba, Sudan. 

Saturday I slept.  A lot.  I woke up, showered, and had breakfast with Emily and Purity, another girl staying with them.  Then Jack, ALARM’s logistician and driver, picked me up around 11:30 and we were off.  They had already purchased me a SIM card with a phone number that would work in both Kenya and Sudan so now I was left to find a phone.  Their cell phone system is very different than in the States.  Instead of signing a contract with a provider for two years and buying or receiving a free phone through them, they purchase a SIM card from said provider, a phone from the store, and then minutes separately.  Phones are more expensive this way but you only pay for the minutes you actually use.  After several stops and lunch our quest was complete.  And once I figure out how to connect my email to my phone properly I will once again be connected to the outside world.  (Side note: I have already found a restaurant that claims to offer “Mexican” food and once my desperation gets the better of me I will report on the quality of African quesadillas and enchiladas). 

Jetlag is a beast.  Despite my attempts to sleep during the flights to allay its effects I could not avoid the narcolepsy that sneaks up and overwhelms you mid-adventure.  So after a quick tour of the city centre we returned home and I was asleep by 6 pm.  And with that another exciting day in the life of Captain Awesome came to a close. 

(Above: Views of Nairobi's downtown; Below: View from Mombasa Highway in Nairobi)

 
 









Swahili word of the day:
Habari- hello

Countdown to departure

Things keeping me sane (or at least busy) until my flight leaves on Thursday:

1. Sprinkles cupcakes from my fabulous friends

Photo credit: http://images.mothertalkers.com/images/user/5/SprinklesCupcakes.jpg

2. Packing 

Photo credit: http://blog.proporta.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/suitcase.jpg

3. Copious amounts of Mexican food
(life without tortillas and salsa is going to be rough)

Photo credit: http://calebjenkins.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/fajitas1.jpg

4. More packing

Photo credit: http://www.babygadget.net/suitcase-couverture.jpg

 

5. Wine, beer, and fun times

Photo credit: Captain Awesome

6. Renewing my drivers license...it's painful, takes forever, and you never look good in your picture.  Needless to say, I'm NOT looking forward to it.

Photo credit: http://www.ipodrepairs.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/dmv.jpg

7. Moving my stuff to my parent's house
(this is really more of a director role, but time-consuming nonetheless)

Photo credit: http://lifeatthebar.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/moving-boxes.jpg

8. Yet still more packing

Photo credit: http://0.tqn.com/d/goeurope/1/5/O/6/packing_5.jpg

9. Attempting to not completely stress out by distracting myself with even more fun RESEARCH for my 75 pages worth of papers due by the end of the semester.

Photo credit: http://kathrynw09.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/stressed-out.jpg

10. Kitty love (when they're not punishing me for moving them into a house with 3 other cats)

Photo credit: Captain Awesome