The First Week

Sorry I have not posted since I arrived. It has taken me awhile to get set up with a broadband card for my laptop and I have had limited access to the Internet until now. Also I must inform everyone that this broadband is VERY slow so I will only be able to post pictures periodically when I am on a better connection at the Foundation for Sustainable Development office. However I am taking lots of them, something I rarely do on a regular vacation.

So where to begin describing my first week. First of all I arrived at 1:30 am Saturday, February 5th and the first thing I discovered when I got off the plane and walked across the tarmac is that it is very hot and humid. Now I knew that from my reading but it really hit me when I stepped out into it even at that late an hour. The plan for the first week was for all the interns (there are 7 of us from across the US and yes I am the oldest though there are a few others in their late 30s) was to stay in downtown Mombasa at a hotel called Jawambe Hotel. The accommodations were to an American very primitive but after the first night in a sweltering room with a fan that barely worked my roommate and I decided to upgrade to a room with air conditioning which made a huge difference. All the other interns used our room as the hang out spot since it was not an oven.

After sleeping off my jet lag from 22 hours of travel I ventured out into Mombasa on Sunday. How do I describe this city? First for those of you that have not Googled it, it is an island with limited access on and off. My guess is about 400,000 people live on the island. Also it is very crowded. A few things hit me right off. First, the poverty and dirt. This area of Kenya though humid, has a major water issue and is extremely dry. EVERYTHING is covered in a coat of dirt. Second, that I and the other interns were the ONLY white people. In Swahili white people are called "mzunga". It is not really a derogatory term it is just used to describe us as white people. We screamed MZUNGA! Third that there is a frenetic pace here, something I think that is common in larger cities in poor countries. Finally I noticed the large Muslim population and how many women were completely covered from head to toe in black garments with only their eyes showing. As side note, this area of Kenya is about 50% Christian, 50% Muslim and they seem to interact and live well together.

It was quite obvious to me that I was definitely NOT in the US anymore. Okay so let me condense a little bit and give a few highlights and off the top observations.

The first week has been spent primarily in Swahili class, cultural training, information on the city and information on the host organization (known as a either an NGO or CBO) where we will be interning. We were given quite a bit of free time to get acquainted with our surrounding and learn how to tackle public transportation. We did not head to our host family until Friday, February 11.

Observations in no particular order:

• I have a new appreciation for clean drinking water or in some cases just running water
• Catalytic converters on cars and pollution laws are a good thing, they have NONE here and the air pollution is overwhelming.
• This is a MUCH more traditional culture when it comes to the relationship between the sexes. Also men and women here are not "friends". If you behave in a friendly manner to men it is most likely you will get a marriage proposal or at least a lot of unwanted attention.
• It is the culture to shake hands a lot. It is done at every greeting even if you know the person extremely well and it is an informal setting. Also overall Kenyans are a very friendly outgoing culture.
• The term TIAT (This is Africa time). Time and direction are not concepts they understand well.
• Locals need a license for everything, our tour guide needed one to be able to walk "mzunga" around the city.
• There are three forms of mass transit to get around. Matatus-small vans where they pack every seat, have no air and blast bad 80s American music. Tuk-tuks-look kind of like a golf cart and zip all over the city and taxis. One interesting fact is that Kenya has made it illegal to drive cars over 8 years old though some people find away around it. However for the most part the cars you see are all newer and well kept up.
• The children are adorable as I watched them in their uniforms heading off to school each day while eating breakfast on the outdoor veranda of the hotel. They seem so much better mannered than American children.
• We take garbage collection for granted. There are mounds of trash everywhere and many people burn it so the smell is awful. One morning I awoke at 5am to the smell of burning trash and the sounds of prayer being called at the local mosque.
• Though poor the people in the city are very friendly and seem to be happy with their lives. Now I'm not sure about the villages outside town but in town folks seem for the most part to live good lives even if at poor standards.
• The city is extremely crowded and getting around the main part of town or over one of the few bridges off the island is worse then driving in Manhattan at rush hour.
• They do have some very American things. The second day I went to their version of a Walmart called Nakumatt and they have EVERYTHING from the west. I wanted a basic local cell phone since my iPhone is off until I return. I have discovered that it is super cheap to call the US (about 3 cents a minute) so I plan to call many of you often.
• This is a land of haves and have nots. I actually live in an area just north of the island called Nyali. It is the area where all wealthy Kenyans and foreigners live as well as where some of the amazing beach resorts reside. (More to come on my host family later).
• Italian food is popular here and one night I ate at a very good Italian restaurant in Nyali called Robertos.
• Tusker beer is delicious (local Kenyan beer that goes down great in this hot weather)
• I am not a big fan of the local Swahili food and have already lost weight. This trip could be the best thing in years for my waistline. They have a local dish called ugali and it is this white corn paste with NO flavor which they eat with most meals. However one thing they serve all the time that is awesome is fresh tropical fruit. I am gorging on mangoes, papayas, bananas and pineapple.
• As a "mzunga" you must negotiate the price on EVERYTHING where it is not spelled out in writing and even then be careful. The FSD staff has tried to educate us on what is appropriate to pay for riding Tuk Tuks, Matatus, and Taxis since if not we'd be royally ripped off. They see all white people as wealthy and figure we can afford it. I understand in a way but it is still frustrating having to negotiate every transaction.
• You cannot get the delicious Kenyan coffee we know of here. They drink Nescafe instant in most places and ship all the good stuff out. However one afternoon I ventured into an area called Old Town which is a Muslim neighborhood by the water made up of small alleys and discovered an amazing Swahili coffee house called Jahazi. It felt very middle eastern and I sat on a cushion drinking Swahili coffee which is a very dark roast with ginger, cinnamon, and cardamon mixed in. I was in heaven. Much better then a Starbucks or Peets.
• Air conditioning and even reliable electricity is rare and at a premium here and I am struggling with the heat and humidity though keep being told I'll get used to it. Well see!

Okay so there is a condensed list of some of the things I have discovered in my first week. I'll leave you with one last short story. I decided I wanted to head to the beach one afternoon and found my way to one of the amazing 5 star resorts where tourists from Europe and the US go. I sat at the outside bar that looked like at tiki hut sipping my Pina Colada and began to think "maybe I have imagined this entire trip and am really in Hawaii". However just as I was forgetting where I was a man with a camel came wandering by up the beach. Brigid you are NOT in the US anymore!