Lamu- Feel Free

Lamu was easily my favorite stop on our trip to the coast. In fact, Lamu is easily one of the most amazing places I have ever been to. I really enjoyed it! The Arab influence is even more prevalent in Lamu and many people there are Muslim. It was really cool to see all the women and men dressed up. The whole city had the feeling that you stepped back in time. The streets were designed to be very narrow to keep out the heat (trust me it was still extremely hot). Because the streets are so narrow, there are no cars or motorcycles on the island. The only form of transportation (besides walking) is a donkey. At any moment walking down a tiny alleyway, you could suddenly be forced into a doorway to avoid a line of donkeys lugging cement bricks on their backs.

While Lamu was definitely full of culture and history, it was still very modern. We were lucky enough to find an awesome (and cheap) guest house that we got to ourselves. Also, even though some people have concerns about safety in Lamu, I felt really comfortable there. The people were very friendly. The atmosphere was probably why I loved it so much. It was very relaxed and one of the expressions people used a lot there was “feel free.” Definitely a great way to describe the island.

Mombasa

I recently went on a trip to the Kenyan coast with my roommates Jordyn, Lauren, and Grace. It was SUCH an amazing trip! Jordyn and I started out in Mombasa and spent two days there. We toured Fort Jesus, an old fort (obviously) that was built by the Portuguese in the late 1500s. It was right on the water, with an amazing view. Seeing the fort was cool but it was even more interesting to hear all the history behind it. Kenya has been impacted by many cultures including: the Portuguese, British, Chinese, and Arabs.

After the fort we wandered around the Old Town area. There is a big Arab influence and lots of impressive architecture and woodwork. The Mombasa market was INSANE as well. It was packed with food, fabrics, and tons of people. We had a tour guide who took us around and made it much less intimidating.

We also got a chance to hit the beach at Mombasa! So beautiful!!

The IDP Camp

At work this week I went into the field and visited an IDP (Internally Displaced Person) Camp. There are 1,400 people living on 16 acres in the outskirts of Nakuru. They were displaced after the 2007 election when there was violence throughout the country. They are all Kenyans, IDPs are different from refugees because IDPs are displaced within their own countries while refugees flee the home country. There was a dispute over the validity of the election and the result was widespread attacks between different tribes (there are over 40 ethnic groups in Kenya). So these people have been living in tents for 5 years and most have no plans to return home. They fear potential violence and would rather stay in the camp, even though living conditions are tough. Proper nutrition are shelter and the two main issues people face. One family we were supposed to visit was in mourning for a young HIV positive boy who had recently died. His body was still in the house, waiting for burial so we did not go inside. Without a good diet, treatment for the disease is difficult.

Lake Bogoria and Lake Baringo

This past weekend my roommates and I went on a camping trip to two lakes in Kenya. It was a two hour drive (not including all the time on the backroads of the parks). We stopped at the equator on the way there, which was pretty cool. One of the shop owners did a demonstration to show us how the water moves in different directions on each side of the equator.

Lake Bogoria is known for its hippos and crocodiles. Jordyn and I went on a boat ride to see the animals and got to go visit one of the islands in the middle. It is inhabited by 1,000 Masai people who live off the land and mostly fish. The other island is home to one man, his FIVE wives, and his 27 children.

We camped out at Lake Baringo and it was SO BEAUTIFUL. The drive through the park was amazing (after negotiating our entrance fee down from 2,500 shillings to 750). It is surrounded by mountains and the lake was full of flamingos. The campsite was more isolated and we got to swim in a warm stream. It was really fun and we definitely surprised some locals who were taking baths. Lauren and Grace (our two crazy and amazing Australian roomies) started to help soap them up and we couldn't stop laughing.

The night ended with a bonfire and I taught everyone how to make s'mores. My Australian roomies are convinced that s'mores are easily the most significant contribution America has made to the world. The next day we got some more amazing pictures of the lake and flamingos. We also saw the hot springs and even hard boiled some eggs in them!

The Slum

Last week I went into the slums with my roommates. They all work for an organization called St. Gabriels, which helps families. The goal is to educate children and bring them out of poverty. We went on home visits to see the families and understand where the kids come from. It was really really difficult to take in. The slums themselves were not as bad as I expected. They were somewhat clean and the houses were spread out. However, once you got inside the houses you realized the desperation. They were these teeny-tiny rooms smaller than my bedroom back home where anywhere from 9-14 people live. I really couldn’t comprehend it. The stories people told us were incredible. People with no jobs, no money for rent, facing eviction, going 3 or more days without food, illness, and the list goes on. Hearing all of this really made me realize how difficult everyday life can be. Sometimes it is easy to forget because downtown Nakuru is fairly modern, but only a few minutes away people are truly struggling.