On Being Foreign

“Foreignness is intrinsically stimulating. Like a good game of bridge, the condition of being foreign engages the mind constantly without ever tiring it.”… “But we cannot expect to have it all ways. Life is full of choices, and to choose one thing is to forgo another. The dilemma of foreignness comes down to one of liberty versus fraternity—the pleasures of freedom versus the pleasures of belonging. The homebody chooses the pleasures of belonging. The foreigner chooses the pleasures of freedom, and the pains that go with them.”

-Being Foreign: The Others—the Economist

I’m realizing Kenya has been tackling both my cognitive and affective domains simultaneously—I think that’s why I’m so captivated. Both my heart and mind are constantly engaged. The days seem so short but the stars are so bright. I can feel myself transforming—with each shift I make to accommodate a difficult situation, I gain a new perspective. I’m learning to have faith, not in any one specific thing but in life. That the world is comprehensible in mysterious ways, and that I can’t possibly see where I’ll end up but I have to just trust that each twist and turn is part of the path that will take me to where I’m supposed to be. Life would be so boring if I was making the journey on straight, paved roads—this bumpy, twisting journey is so much more fun.

The Kiddos Love Waka Waka

The video they're rocking out to

I have the cutest little brother and sister in all of Nairobi!

Hujambo, Lombardi Trophy!

I had the best adventure during the super bowl! We got to watch the game at our favorite hangout, Masrawy, the outdoor Egyptian restaurant with free wi-fi and hookahs that we frequent more often than not after school. They opened up just for the MSID animals to watch the Super Bowl—we got there at 10pm and stayed for the next 10 hours.

The night started in a relaxing fashion, and we were having great talks with the restaurant’s owner Isaac, chatting and trading stories of an Egyptian’s view of Mubarak’s regime for some Wisconsinites’ views on one of the biggest events of the last decade… and of course Clay Matthews’ long locks.

We sat inside a beautifully decorated Egyptian tent with the game projected onto the side wall for us so we had a great view. A few dbags from Penn State who weren’t in our program came to watch the game with us and were rooting for the wrong side. We threatened mob justice (in Kenya, if someone tries to steal from you in a market the vendors will literally kill them because stealing is so bad for business) and they were promptly put in their place. The game’s big start for the Packers got us all rowdy, needless to say. We ate tons of beef kabob aka ‘thank God it’s not goat meat’ as we affectionately called it—such a relief to have meat that you can actually chew and that has some flavor to it!

As the game came to a close and the Packers clinched the victory we rejoiced with hugs (and some tears of joy!)The sun rose over Nairobi as we walked in search of a Victory Milkshake. As a lifelong Packers fan, it was so special to have this happen. Their first Super Bowl victory since I was 7 happening while I was in Kenya really brought me home. I can only describe it as the crescendo of my life. All the fabulous stars aligned and the music that I live my life to rose into the most wonderful rhythm.

Pre-Party

Isaac, Eddie, and Martin-- the fabulous Masrawy managers

Go Pack Go! Celebrating our victory!

Beauty in the Contradictions

There’s no malaria in Nairobi, yet I’m awakened at least a couple times per night by the sound of mosquitoes buzzing in my ears.

My family has a shower and hot water, yet the water doesn’t work most days due to community-wide rationing and the current Kenyan drought. (I’m such a pro at bucket baths right now!)

I’m absolutely exhausted, yet the thought of ‘wasting’ a couple of hours to take a nap is unfathomable.

Thoughts of home enter my mind—especially thoughts of my mom’s cooking when I’m being served ugali for the 3^rd night in a row—yet I wouldn’t give this opportunity up for anything.

Kenyan time is relaxed and slow, yet I’ve never felt so pressed for time in my life.

Challenges pulling me back to the States threaten to bring down my spirit, yet this is the strongest and most present I’ve ever felt.

Walking through Kibera and playing with kids at Nazarene Primary School, I realize that the people I see are living in the most terrible abject poverty, yet they are also some of the happiest souls I’ve ever met. It’s the most powerful lesson for me—circumstances don’t have to define happiness.

Nazarene Primary School

The Shining Hope clinic pulled a TIA moment—they actually don’t accept undergrad volunteers, there was just miscommunication and they thought I was already a nurse… ooops. It was really frustrating to have this cool opportunity taken away just as I was getting familiar with it, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I asked Jane to help me find a new place to volunteer, and today after school she took me and a couple of friends deeper into the slums to Nazarene Primary School. There are around 350 kids who go there and it’s quite a sight to see. The dirt, the crowdedness… but also the laughter and the energy.

I would say there's a 65% chance I'm bringing baby Westley home in my suitcase :)

I'm so excited to work with these kids!

Teen Mom

I saw the reality of teenage motherhood today that you’ll never see on MTV. I went to a workshop at Shining Hope for teenage mothers living in the slum. They have nothing—but, they have so much love for their babies that they trekked to the clinic to sit in a hot room for 2 hours to learn how to be the best moms that they can be. There was discussion about child spacing and family planning, and even a demonstration of how to put on condoms—this was the first time most of the girls had seen this, and many just covered their faces in bashful laughter. There’s a lot of concern about the boyfriends/husbands infecting the women with HIV, and strategies were discussed about how to delicately talk about the issue. They learned a lot about breastfeeding, vaccinations, and how on earth they’re supposed to keep their babies healthy and safe while living in Africa’s largest slum (over one million people are crammed into Kibera…). Babies explore by putting things in their mouths, and this poses a serious issue when your community doesn’t have a running sewage system or any organized trash collection; the streets are filled with more garbage and God-knows-what than I’ve ever witnessed in my life. Bathing the babies is a challenge because there’s no running water and Kibera is currently in the midst of a serious typhoid outbreak. I consider myself someone who has been through a lot for my age (twenty seven surgeries will do that to a girl) but the eyes of these girls showed a depth that broke my heart. They know what life is going to throw at them; it’s already doing its worst. The strength that was reflected in those eyes gave me hope though—truly resilience at its finest.

Gambe in Sunnies

"Gambe, you look like a Nigerian!"

-Wangari upon seeing her little brother try on my sunglasses. I was thinking more Stevie Wonder...