Day 3

November 8, 2012

Another morning in Kenya. Surreal. Slightly overcast, but the sun eventually came to cast brilliant light as we drove to the Amani ya Juu workshop. "Amani ya Juu" means "peace from above." The organization started with three ladies, a garage, and one product, and since they have expanded to employ 85 women and produce over 300 products. We met the ladies working in the sewing room who kindly and warmly welcomed us with smiles and hugs before bursting out into song. These women are extremely talented seamstresses. I almost feel like I have seen their products in Portland before... or someplace. The brand name sounds familiar.

I love driving the streets here - so many absolutely amazing sights - the people, the crafts sold in the stands, pottery of the finest shape, color, pattern, metal sculptures of giraffes, wildebeest, etc., hand-crafted furniture, booths with fruit and vegetables, cows grazing on a football field, goats roaming free, the gigantic sky (bigger than I've ever seen).

But part of me feels uncomfortable about the driving. Not uncomfortable as in unsafe, but uncomfortable as in here I am, chauffeured around with my "heavy paper and round metal," as well as a camera and some antibacterial sanitizer, as people are surely walking hours to their full-day jobs, trying to support their family and themselves. And here I am smiling out the window at them. I have every reason in the world to smile. I have a family that loves and supports me, food, water, an education, the opportunity for hobbies and finding work that I enjoy. More than the average Kenyan could get in a lifetime. I am so lucky, yet I still worry about money and wish I had more. Greed is a terrible thing but it is so human. An instinct that unfortunately influences us all in one way or another. I try consciously to clear it from entering my thoughts. Especially after seeing the living conditions here. Though I hope my smile from out the window is taken as a gesture of kindness and compassion like I mean it, I understand if it isn't. But that doesn't mean I'll stop trying to bring a little bit of light to passerbyer's. Some of them beam back with smiles, yelling "Jambo," and waving. Makes it worth it.

After lunch, we drove to Kamilli, a place where they hand print designs onto pillows, curtains, clothes, placemats, etc. We were shown the process of a screen print, where the original design is made into a screen with areas of transparent and opaque, and is set on a piece of material to be printed. Thereafter, color is taken and squee-gee'd across the screen holes with a flat wooden blade so the color goes into the tiny holes in a thin, even layer. After, we were given already printed animals silhouettes to paint. Mine: a hippo with a bird perched on its back. I painted her in tones of blue, purple, and red, and decorated her with patterns which the man said reminded him of that of an Indian elephant. After painting, I spoke with the man who lead the workshop named John. We spoke about this and that, mountains, Obama, global politics, the government, misconceptions about Africa, etc. He seemed to know much on the world. I want to take his advice and come back to Kenya and climb Mt. Kenya (he said it is more beautiful than Kilimanjaro).


When we came back, I played volleyball with Marie, swam in the pool, and enjoyed the last of the sun's warmth for the day. Anja, Nathalie, Anne, and I had a mini work-out session by the poolside before they went in to get manicures/pedicures and I went out to play a little ukulele.

Day 2

November 7, 2012

Last night my mind strained and resisted sleep. Rather, I laid absorbing the sounds of a very lively community of crickets, as well as the barking and howling of dogs roaming the streets. 

I awoke, walking straight to the window to take a look at Kenya by day. Lush. Bright. Earthy. Is any one else up yet? I ran down the stairs to see if any one else sat in the dining room. Nope, but at the time I was pretty proud of myself for being first up and ready. That is as scarce as hen's teeth. 

The garden outside enticed me out the door. African plants are truly incredible - trees of the deepest, richest emerald hues laced with sashes of violet and magenta blossoms; banana trees with their vast green blades, spry bushes thrusting their branches into a dense, intertwined void. The soil here is rich and earthy-red in color, staining the puddles in the road. Palm tree shadows weave over the rust road. Light purple blossoms roll in the soundless wind. The air smells like growth, and coats my skin in a thin layer of moisture. I hope I smell like the air now. 

After breakfast, I continued exploring the gardens and structures of the property. A stint later, we set out in our safari bus on the flooded road to the Karen Market. I was totally consumed by the street by day. So many people walking, driving, manning stands, conversing. First, we went to the ATM to take out money before we went to the Market to buy what we need. I sparingly bought a handful of shampoo, conditioner, Emergen-C, and a tiny 6-pack box of coconut crackers. Some people bought for 5,000 Kenyan shillings, or $50.00 (325 NOK). Don't really understand the necessity when we receive 3 meals a day... 

Well well, we went to the Kazuri bead and pottery workshop and witnessed the making in process. Starting with the draining and crimping of clay, to shaping, molding, throwing, drying, burning, and hand-glazing. So many beautiful products and talented craftsmen. 

We came back for lunch before driving to the Giraffe park. There, we were told we would get the chance to kiss a giraffe, but unfortunately the robust rain scared every last beast to the depths of the park. Rain check on the giraffe smooch. So we jumped to another plan on our agenda - the UniquEco Flip-Flop Recycling Co. What a neat company. Flip-flops are harvested out of the ocean (and general litter), and are cleaned to be glued together and carved into animal sculptures - elephants, rhinos, giraffes, wildebeest, boars, lions, turtles. Any leftover flip-flop plastic is ground up and donated as footing for playgrounds. Creative!

After we came home, I swam in the pool with four other girls. There was a group of Norwegians here on a bible study who were playing football, so I joined them after swimming. What a total blast! The field was super-duper muddy after all the rain, so everyone was covered in red sludge by the end. These guys were good. But I was actually (a bit to my surprise) able to hang with them - must be that playin' with the Wallowa Co. Haymaker's! My toenails are still stained after my shower (I opted bare-foot over heavy Chaco's). 

 Kazuri Pottery & Bead Workshop              

UniquEco FlipFlop Recycling Co. - carving animals

 Stained toenails & a muddy pitch

Rediscovering Africa

November 6, 2012

First time back to Africa in 14 years. As we stepped out onto the street in front of the airport, I immediately heard a chorus of crickets. I realize now why this is probably my favorite sound in the world. A constant buzz of crickets humming through the canyon walls... the crickets keep the night alive in Africa as well.

As we drove through Nairobi out to Langata road (where the Scripture Mission Center is), I felt overwhelmed with a combination of emotions. Not overwhelmed in a bad way, just in a way that my emotions were going wild - finally returning to Africa, such a precious place in my life, but also a place I come to feel a sense of fantasy towards. Fantasy in the way that as a three-year old tike, my memories weren't engraved, but rather there are traces leaving me aching to rediscover. 

I am under the spell of Africa already. Diverse. Raw. Alive. 

We drove through the streets on the way to Scripture Mission in a safari bus, amongst Landrovers and four-wheel drive cars. All very aggressive drivers to put it lightly. Constantly, vehicles weaved hastily throughout unmarked roads. Driving on the left side of the road felt a little off. We slugged along "Langata Road" (which I later found out is nicknamed "L.A."); the enormous amount of recent rain left pools of standing water on the road. Despite this, impatient drivers continued to try to pass and cut as we waited for a semi-truck to become un-stuck. Everyone on the bus complained about how awful the drivers were and how something like this would never happen in Norway, etc. I thought it was kind of fun, driving in its primal state. When a space between cars became about the distance that a human could pass, a van will come charging in the gap, passing as many cars as possible before another car comes zooming from the other direction and crashes into them. Glad I learned to drive on contrastingly harmonious dirt roads. 

                       
Scripture Mission Conference Center, Langata Road, Nairobi, Kenya