A Wandering Sole

My Bipolar Trip to Kenya

// January 30th, 2012 // 8 Comments » // Kenya, Travel Reflection

Sweet and spunky Margaret, who I've known since she was just a toddler

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

The past seven weeks in Kenya have been quite a ride. In reflection, I’m not even sure how to describe it, but I imagine if bipolar could be an adjective to describe things other than humans, this would be an appropriate time to use it. On this trip to Kenya I experienced some of the most exciting days of my life and also some of the saddest.  Some joyful moments were overshadowed by unfortunate circumstances, but I can’t discount how many amazing things happened. Most days I was up by seven and not in bed until after midnight.  I was busy to say the least! Here’s a brief recap and what you can expect to hear about soon:  (more…)

Artisans in Kibera

// January 9th, 2012 // 9 Comments » // Kenya

Baraka, a sandal maker in Kibera with a great smile

Day 2 of our Nairobi shopping research project:

When you visit the curio shops at the craft markets in Nairobi, most of the vendors aren’t the ones actually making the products. They source them from all over Nairobi and Kenya, but I heard several people mention Kibera. Kibera has a lot of people (I put this vaguely because some sources say 170,000 while others say 1 million or more) so just asking around about crafts people could take some time. While I did visit Power Women the previous day, I wanted to visit more artisans. The question was, how to go about this…  (more…)

Power Women & My First Visit to Kibera

// January 3rd, 2012 // 8 Comments » // Kenya

A view of Kibera from the train tracks

I’ve been on a 3-day shopping tour of sorts in Nairobi. Not so much to purchase goods but more to research and learn about the people behind the beautiful crafts and curios sold around Kenya. I took my friend John from the village with me; I want to expose him to as much as I can and I also appreciate his assistance with translation and questioning at times.

Day One (Thursday):

By the time 7am rolled around, I think John and I had been in and out of consciousness for a few hours. Staying at a shoddy hotel right downtown near the main public transportation hub and lots of bars, the noise in the alley below was buzzing late into the night and started again very early in the morning.  We walked downstairs for our complimentary breakfast (okay the fact that this place is called a bed and breakfast is laughable because it’s definitely a hole in the wall). We… or I guess I should say I, decided to visit a women’s group in Kibera called Power Women on our first morning. Kibera is the largest slum in Kenya and the second largest in Africa. (more…)

Boxing Day, Presents, & More Family Visits in Kenya

// December 28th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Kenya

At the mention of Boxing Day, I asked the boys, “What exactly is Boxing Day?” The response was: “It’s the day after Christmas.” Of course it is. After a little bit of google research and asking a Canadian, I now know about Boxing Day. Here in Kenya I spent Boxing Day doling out gifts to the boys that Stella and I had put together for them (yes, I am ashamed to say that I was a day late because we never had a chance to sit down on Christmas and open presents). Then, we went to meet John’s sister and her family who were in from Nairobi.  (more…)

Hairy Goat Meat for Christmas

// December 27th, 2011 // 6 Comments » // Kenya

I awoke feeling a little bit like a Scrooge. I was not in any sort of Christmas spirit and still sad from a conversation the evening prior. I lay in bed another 20 minutes before deciding that I must face the day head on and get up. I lifted my mosquito net and placed two feet on the concrete floor. I grabbed my toothbrush and emerged from my room, blinded by the sunlight. It’s going to be a hot day, I thought. Kids started greeting me with “Merry Christmas,” and it was just so odd. The weather was warm, there were no icicle lights hanging from the buildings, and I didn’t smell my mother’s pancakes cooking either.  (more…)

Montage Monday: Fisherman Takes a Rest (Kenya)

// December 19th, 2011 // 1 Comment » // Kenya, Photo of the Week

Although I had been to Diani (a beach just south of Mombasa) last year, this trip was no less exciting and full of an entirely new set of adventures. During one of our many walks on the beach, I started photographing the dhow boats in the water. It was only after a few takes that I realized a fisherman was on one of the boats taking a rest.

More on our trip is to come (like a follow-up video to answer the question ‘Do people on the coast cook with salt water?’).

Village Gossip & Chuck Norris

// December 8th, 2011 // 9 Comments » // Kenya

My alarm went off at six. Still dark out, I rolled out of bed and my feet hit the cold tile floor. Tired but excited for the day, I quickly got ready, stirred the dozing guard awake to open the gate for me, and walked down the shaded dirt road to the bus stop. I was heading out to the village to visit with the boys. Not only was I eager to see them, but we had logistics to work out for our upcoming safari to the coast. (more…)

Have you ever seen the ocean?

// December 7th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Kenya

Tonight, the boys and I are leaving for Mombasa. I’ve been staying in Nairobi, but I traveled out to the village yesterday so we could sort out packing and logistics for our safari to the coast. The day’s events deserve a posting on their own but today I wanted to share a video with you from my visit and what the boys think the coast will be like… including a much debated question, “Do people in Mombasa cook with the ocean’s salt water?”

I will warn you that a.) this video is roughly edited, b.) the volume changes in it quite a bit, and c.) it’s fairly long for a blog video. But even though I’m slightly biased, I think you should still watch it because their excitement is hard to miss! And then you can take place in the great debate about cooking with salt water in the comments below :)

(If the video does not show up in your browser, please click here.)

Montage Monday: Post-Election Violence (Kenya)

// February 21st, 2011 // No Comments » // Kenya, Photo of the Week

On my 24 hour bus ride from Kenya to Rwanda, we had the initial pleasure of driving through the Rift Valley, one of the most scenic areas in Kenya and a place I would love to explore further some day. I was sitting next to a photojournalist from a Nairobi newspaper when we drove through the town of Molo. I wasn’t expecting to come across any tents, yet there they were in open fields. And then I saw buildings that were half burned and missing roofs. “Those people are victims of the post-election violence,” he told me. I was confused, because that was back in 2008, more than two years earlier. And people are still living in tents? But, it’s true. Elected President Kibaki was accused of ‘electoral manipulation,’ and it turned from peaceful protests into a racial divide. Violence was aimed at the Kikuyu tribe in the Rift Valley since Kibaki is a Kikuyu and from this region.

When I was in Kenya the first time, I was staying in a Kikuyu village. Our night guard was attacked during the election violence because he was from a tribe up north. It was violence due to tribalism, and I assume that many of the people living in these tents were innocent victims as well. Yet, two and a half years later, they were still living in tents.

Note: I originally referred to this as an issue of racism, but was kindly told by a reader that it is referred to as tribalism.

Memories of My First Safari: Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru (Part 3)

// February 2nd, 2011 // 8 Comments » // Kenya

Get caught up to speed and read Part 1 of this post about Masai Mara, and Part 2 of this post about a Masai village. Up now: Lake Nakuru!

After we climbed back in the vehicle and pulled away from the Masai Village, we were off to Lake Nakuru, another fantastic national park. (more…)