leaving Kericho

7-11-10

Sitting in the sunshine, listening to the birds and thinking about passing the soccer ball back and forth. We chatter in Kalenjin, Swahili and English, enjoying our day of at the arboretum. Crude jokes are passed around by the younger boys and Anna reads under a tree. We are the only ones here except for a group of three traditionally dressed Kenyan women resting under a tree on the other side of the field. It is peaceful and beautiful and we are happy.

7-13-10

(Eddie and I on a household survey...only took an hour to hike here)

I am sitting in a house on a wooden couch with no cushions, balancing my toosh between the slats. Kids are babbling, sucking on batteries and wandering around with no pants on. There is a cat in the ceiling and I can hear her weight shifting on the reeds above our head. I am reminded of the time Mama Sandro brought me a wild kitten and locked him in my store room “so he would know his home”. He quickly climbed into the ceiling and hid next to the kitchen. I can still see the cat perched on the ceiling boards as I peeked over the walls that don’t reach the roof. He was scared and confused and I wanted to help. Mama Sandro brought me another wild cat and swiftly tossed her over the wall onto into the space between the roof and ceiling, “so she would bring the other one down”. It was such a funny, strange interaction that I can still remember it so clearly. I stood on the table in my kitchen, watching the cats for half a day before they both disappeared.

7-18-10

(our last night together in Kericho...we love serious photos now...don't judge our table, it was our going away party)

Friday (7-16) we packed up and left our home in Kericho after a month. We had some good memories in that town. Turry and one of the cars left for Naiorbi while the other car left with the 4 Emory students and the 3 remaining research assistants for a road trip. Before we parted, they gave the Emory kids presents- the greatest sandals ever made and a card that made me cry. We made a really good team. By lunch on Friday, we were on a boat on Lake Victoria in Kisumu, looking at hippos. We had lunch on the water- the greatest fish ever. I got some new earrings and then we headed to Kakamega. We stayed the night in town and played Kenyan poker, which is no poker I know and I’m pretty sure the boys kept making up the rules. The next morning, we drove to Kakamega forest, the only rainforest in Kenya. There were so many butterflies and birds and you could hear the monkeys jumping around above us. We didn’t walk for too long in the forest, but it was amazing. We made it to Eldoret that evening and visited the guys’ friends. The Emory team decided to cook dinner for our team as our last night together. Desmond’s brother is a doctor and he let us stay at his house and use his kitchen. As per Kenyan usual, about twice as many people came as we were planning for and cooking with one burner took longer than we expected, so we ate about 10 pm. Oops.

I’m also really bad at goodbyes, so I was super grouchy the whole night. Or, as our British English speaking Kenyans say, I had my cranky trousers on. Or my grumpy jumper. Except when they ask me if I have my cranky trousers on, it cracks me up and I get in a much better mood. We are supposed to see them in Nairobi later this week, but it’s still not the same. It’s the end of an era. I don’t want to be doing field work in Kericho anymore, but I don’t want to be in Nairobi. I feel like I have been here forever, but I still have almost a month left. I am at that crossroads again where something is going to change. I am ready. I just wish I knew how things were going to change. When I get home, I’ll have a new roommate, new job, new school. I’m excited about it all!

In Nairobi, we have been put up at a sweet guest house near ILRI and have been working hard at the office. My friend Sean from the Peace Corps has been here doing preliminary research for his PhD. We had dinner and caught up- it has been 3 years since I’ve seen him. I love seeing old friends!

Enough for now…I have to get more work done on the database for our household surveys. If I could write a letter to the makers of Microsoft Access, I would say bad, bad things. Think happy thoughts for data entry!!!

Love,

Amanda Jean

thoughts...

Yesterday, we were driving back to Kericho after another long day of hiking up mountains and hills in Kabinieti and it was just about dusk. We drove past a house that had the charcoal jiko (stove) outside, getting the breeze to make the coals ready to cook dinner and the memories of evenings in Kifumbe nearly consumed me.

I can remember the perfect peace that comes at that time of day, the sun setting, the weather just starting to get a hint of coolness, the sound of dinner preparation starting at the neighbors house. The door to my courtyard was closed and I had said my goodbyes to the village for the day. Voice of America would be playing on the radio and the vegetables would be chopped and ready to be cooked. It was such a peaceful time of day- I could sit on the short stool in the courtyard and watch the sun set over the back wall, between the banana trees. Water would be warming for my bath while I ate dinner by candlelight. My day was completed and I was able to process and compile my thoughts in letters and then read a book until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. I was ready to have another day start soon.

How did everything so quickly vanish when I got back to America? I loved that feeling of peace and completeness, but yet it slipped away so completely when I got home. Life in America should be easier- I have water in my house, my stove turns on when I turn the knob and there are lights all day long. I promised myself I wouldn’t let that feeling slip away, but it did. I blame school, a new life, the American culture, and my incessant need to always be productive. I want to try harder this time. I’m not going to be hard on myself, but I love this feeling of when a day is done, it is done. I don’t like having to worry about the 200 things I have to do tomorrow. Tomorrow will come.

Forth of July!

I wish I even knew where to begin…it has been another one of those times where I have wondered if this is really my life. As I write this, I am in the back of a Land Rover on the top of a mountain in the rain. The terrain here is amazing- it reminds me of the place the old guy goes in “Up”- all sorts of weird plants, crazy animals, beautiful views…it’s surreal. We have been working on identifying points for household questionnaires and some are miles away from any sort of road able to be passed by a vehicle. As some of you know from my facebook page, I fell a couple of weeks ago (in front of a large group of women who saw me sort of flip over, skin my knee, show off my underwear and sprain my ankle). It’s been healing well but I twisted it again yesterday, so I’ve decided not to push it on the longer (10km) hikes into the woods. We have a GPS and a map, a dude from the village and two Kenyan field assistants (who can’t walk faster than a slug in town but put them on a mountain and they run) who lead the way. As of now, we won’t be going on the interview because there might be more bias than there already is. Kinda sad, but we can do data entry and work on our reports while the interviews are being conducted. I’m also glad they won’t be offering me any mursik- milk put into a gourd and left to ferment for 5 to 6 days. It’s chunky and blue and grosses me out, although it tastes ok. I just know where it comes from and what it is.

Eddie, Desomond and Brian are Kalenjins that have just graduated from Egerton University and are some of the smartest kids I know. They have (embarrassingly) been teaching us about US history and all sorts of other random things I should know about, but don’t. They have given us all Kalenjin names- I am Cherop (born in the cooler months). Amanda W is Chelang’at (born in the afternoon) and Anna is Chepkemoi (born in the evening). Shreyas is Kimalel (the brown kid, since he’s the token Indian). Amanda W and I have been on the same team for household identification and when we introduce ourselves as Amanda and Amanda, people ask if we are sisters, which would be incredibly confusing if our mother named us both the same name, but I suppose it could happen.

I just finished reading The White Masaai and the field assistants have been trying to convince me I need to write The White Kalenjin. Eddie has offered to let me marry him (only as the second wife, though) so that we can share in the book’s profits. I’ve been told I’d make a bad Kenyan wife, since I have what they call “a difficult head”…maybe I am a little stubborn. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been accused of such.

I’ve started reading Monique and the Mango Rains, about a Peace Corps Volunteer and her best friend, Monique. It makes me miss my best friend, Mama Edina so much- I’ve talked to Mama Love, the nurse in Kifumbe and told her I would be coming. She says Mama Edina is well and they can’t wait to see me. I miss them so much it hurts. I hope to see Mariam, too. She was 7 months pregnant when I left, so I can’t wait to meet her little girl! It’s funny how much I think of Kifumbe as my home.

It’s 4^th of July- a huge holiday in my family. I hate not being there, but it turns out no one was going to Black Mountain this year, anyway. My Grandma Sue fell and broke her hip this week, so my aunts are there, helping out, but my cousins and extended family aren’t coming. We almost always go to the Montreat parade, dress in embarrassing, matching outfits and eat until we are stuffed. Boys are usually in charge of the grill in the back yard with a cooler of beer and girls are in the kitchen, reading cookbooks and craft magazines. Kids are relegated to the living room or front yard and dogs roam freely between the masses.

We have decided to have a cookout here in Kericho- we are going the arboretum (apparently there is one) and have ice cream, watermelon, goat and ugali. We can’t exactly make it perfectly American, but it’s close enough. We have been discussing buying an entire goat- the boys want to slaughter and eat it all- I say we just buy a few kilos of already cooked meat. And, as we have learned, “ugali is a must”. Hopefully the rain will stay away for a little bit longer today and we can enjoy our first day off in two weeks.

One of our new favorite things to talk about is “bean pullers”. Last week, we were supposed to have a meeting with the men in the village and no one showed up. We asked the village chief where everyone was and he responded “they are pulling beans”, meaning they were working in the fields, harvesting beans. We waited another hour or two and then left. On our way out of town, about 30 men were sitting by the side of the road, watching the donkeys go by. And that is how we named them “bean pullers”. Now anyone who is doing nothing is called a bean puller, which you can use as a noun or you can use “pulling beans”, depending on your need. Desmond also calls them “pull beaners” on special occasions. There is a bean puller dance and if you are listening to the radio while drinking, you are the king bean puller. It’s been a fascinating anthropological study.

Florence, the housekeeper at the Tea Hotel where we are based, is so sweet. She wants us to stay until December. She is kind of like our den mother…we have a little house with 10 rooms on the grounds of the hotel and 8 of them are occupied by us…I feel badly for the other 2 rooms, since we sort of operate a dorm now. But Florence takes care of us and I just love her.

Overall, I am really good. I’m bruised from the hikes (and numerous falls, mostly into holes and out of cars) and tired, but I really love our team. Turry is our other Field Assistant, although not from the tribe around here. She has been working for ILRI for some time and is really so much fun. The eight of us get along really well and when it is time to work, we work really hard, but when it is time to play, we play. We’ve been too tired to play soccer lately, but maybe some will happen at our 4^th of July party. I’ve never seen a sadder group of people than when Ghana lost to Uruguay. It was so pitiful.

And now, we get back to work. Our household interviews start Monday and we have lots to accomplish before then. It’s going to be fun! I miss you all and can’t wait to hear from you!!!

Love, Amanda Jean

Rainy, busy days...

Manure, rain, tea fields and sweat

The smell of unadulterated earth

Roadside stands with chickens, potatoes and sheets for sale

The smells are sometimes powerful

Cows graze next to the road and children wave with unabashed excitement

This is my Africa

This is my home

Thursday we spent the morning getting ready for the women and I went to greet the nurse I met the day before at her house. Anna and Shreyas came with me and we chatted for a while about her family and local customs (read: circumcision). We ate oranges and fell in love. It was baby day at the clinic. Another younger nurse said her favorite thing was the children. Her least favorite was when you tried your hardest to treat someone and they pass, despite everything you know how to do. Before we left, Josephine, the older nurse, prayed the most beautiful prayer over us and we went on our way to work.

Friday night we went to a bar near the hotel to watch the World Cup and get out of our little compound. It was fun- we ended up dancing to Kalengen (the local tribe) music and being silly. We met a random Kenyan who lives in Atlanta. He even showed me the driver’s license when I didn’t believe him. I used the “I have a boyfriend” line quite a few times and moved my ring to my left hand to fake a wedding band. It’s tough being so sought after.

Last night, Amanda, Anna, Turry (one of the research assistants) and I sat on my bed, watched a chick flick on my 10 inch computer, ate popcorn and rum raisin chocolate while the other research assistants and Shreyas went to a bar to try Napoleon brandy. We think we had the better night. It was nice just to have a girls night in. We are supposed to play a soccer match- Emory versus Egerton University (were 3 of the RAs, one consultant and the field supervisor are from). The mornings are beautiful, but the afternoons are so rainy and cold. Makes it hard to get in the mood to run around on the wet grass.

Today in Kericho Town, we went to an Anglican church- half in English, half in Swahili. It was the fanciest church I have ever been to in Africa. There were stained glass windows and yards of apricot colored satin draped across the front. My favorite was the REAL sound system that you could understand what was being said. There were bulletins and visitor cards and plastic lawn chairs. It blew my mind. A little girl crawled up into Amanda’s lap soon after the service started and stayed throughout. I could still see cows grazing from the windows, so I wasn’t too far removed from where I was.

After church, we decided to stop by the Sikh temple- the largest in Africa. Strangely, it is located in this little town in Western Kenya. It is so beautiful there. In keeping with their religion, they are required to feed us and offer us a place to stay. We ate an amazing lunch and had to promise to come back to listen to the groundskeeper play his music.

The Kenyan constitution is up for revision and will be voted on August 4th. It hasn’t been changed since Kenya gained independence from England. It has begun to divide the country, with many people making this a religious battle because of the controversy over abortion. A large rally held in Nairobi was bombed last Sunday. Someone threw a stun grenade on one side of the crowd and then when everyone rushed to the other side, they threw real grenades into the already panicking crowd. Almost 10 people died and many, many more were injured. At church this morning, the pastor read Matthew 7:1-7 and encouraged people not to judge people who are pro-abortion. You have to love them to show them the love of God. You will never win anyone with hate and judgement.

We have been so lucky to have so many blessings with our project. We have 2 drivers, 4 amazing research assistants, our hotel paid for and a per diem of almost $20. Our meals cost $5 if we splurge. We never expected any of this! Many other groups from the school have to find their own research assistants, drivers and don’t have the backing of a place like ILRI to help get contracts for everyone. We even have a field supervisor! There are 2 professors from Kenya that are consulting and running the focus group discussions. Despite all of this, I am trying not to feel like our project has been hijacked. It is all going really well, but after devoting so much time and effort to a project and then having someone else take over is frustrating at times. This has been every waking moment of my life for the past 3 weeks and a huge part of what I have worked on since April. I can’t decide if I am getting older or just more stubborn.

I have found two new favorite Kenyan foods- Mokimo and Githerei. Mokimo is mashed potatoes that have been prepared with pumpkin leaves mixed with corn and formed into a softball sized green blob. It is so good! Githeri is similar to the kande we ate in Tanzania- beans, corn, carrots and onions boiled together in a thick stew. Yummy!

Donkey in my meeting...

We had a really great first day of focus group discussions. About 30 men arrived to talk with us about the milk their cows produce, what their families consume, how they sell it and how their health is affected by keeping cows. We separated by how much milk is produced and I was with the highest producing group. I was pretty excited to be able to not have to rely on a translator. My Swahili isn’t as gone as I thought it would be. We sat outside in a circle and talked and before I knew what was happening, a donkey walked up. I am used to chickens, even children, interrupting meetings and I can usually ignore them, but a small horse that comes up to eye level and stares at you while the rest of the group doesn’t seem to notice? A little disconcerting. We just looked at one another (very closely) and then he wandered off into one of the government offices. That’s right. In the office. No one ran him off…I guess he just belongs there. There weren’t any donkeys in my village in Tanzania, so I never really realized how pretty they are! I want one now.

Elephants, Giraffes, Work and Me

I have my bags packed and I am leaving tomorrow morning for our field work! It has been a crazy two weeks! We arrived in Nairobi from Kapiti on Monday morning and got straight to work. We are staying at the ILRI compound, which is super safe and nice. The students were even given our own offices! I am staying with a super nice lady from India who just so happened to have gotten her PhD from NC State! What a small world! We have been having fun talking about Raleigh and the like.

I found out ILRI is kind of a big deal. It is a CG (Consultative Group) and there are only like 11 in the world and this is the only one for agriculture. Not a bad place to be associated with, really. We have worked our booties off trying to get the instruments ready for our Focus Group discussions and household surveys, key informant interviews and so on…apparently things have to be pretty well in order if you want to have some relevant data. I’ve learned and am learning so much about research and development…I even thought about getting my PhD for about 45 seconds. Let’s work on grad school first, tiger.

We were initially supposed to leave Thursday and then again today, but the new plan is we leave tomorrow for a completely different town than we were going to before. I’m trusting it will all work out just as it should.

Today we took our first day off (although we had a few meetings anyway) and went to the Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Center and the Kazuri Bead Factory in Karen. I love the elephant babies and the giraffes are always fun. In a random twist of fate, one of the other students, Shreyas, ran into a friend he met while working in India a year ago. They had been pretty good buddies and hadn’t seen each other in a long time! What a small world! We had lunch with him and his buddies and then left Shreyas to have fun with his friends before they left for South Africa for the World Cup. Three of the last 4 World Cups, I have been overseas. Weird. Wonder where I’ll be next one? Since it is in Africa for the first time, people are nuts over the games. It is HUGE! I’m really excited, even though I’m not a big soccer fan. I’ll probably get into it…I wanted to buy a jersey just so I could fit in. I’m a sucker for team sporting events.

It’s getting close to bed time…I have a little bit of a sore throat and head gunk. It’s getting better, or at least I keep telling myself it is. I just need some more rest and a few more glasses of chai.

Kisses to you all!
Amanda Jean

PS- I go by Amanda Jean here because the other girl is Amanda as well, but with the accent, I get called Amanda Jane, which is the other Amanda’s middle name! She’s a “W” too, so we just have trouble all around.

A few photos to get you through your day...

A few photos from our stay at Kipiti Plains Estate, the place we stayed the first few days after arriving in Kenya...

1. Kipiti Plains at dusk
2. The view of Giraffe from the top of the Land Rover
3. Our "office"
4. View from my bedroom
5. Kipiti Plains Estate