well, i'm currently sitting in the amsterdam airport, using the free wi-fi (wi-fi in kenya was nonexistent in most places), and eating my twelve dollar breakfast (do you realize how many chapatis i could have bought with twelve dollars?!)
so, a summary of my last week in kenya, and then some reflections on my experience.
sunday i took the bus back from mombasa to nairobi. of course it was more than an hour late, but i've just came to accept things like that. i didn't feel to sad saying goodbye to the heat of the coast. one of the girls on my program said that it was 95-100 degrees for many of the days we were there. we made it back to nairobi at about 7:00, which allowed us to see the christmas lights that decorated prestige plaza. christmas lights in kenya?!.. who would have thought?
we got a taxi to the methodist guest house, where we spent the next three days taking exams, sharing internship experiences, and participating in a wrap-up seminar. the hotel was much more than most of us expected, complete with buffet meals (no more ugali!) and a swimming pool.
wednesday morning we headed back to our nairobi homestay families for a few more days with them. a girl on the program was kicked out of her homestay (apparently she was supposed to call them while she was in mombasa, and she didn't, so they didn't want her to return) so she stayed with me.
i spent my last few days in kenya just simply enjoying myself-- eating at a swank indian restaurant with the rest of the students, handing in all of my term papers, chilling by the pool at the guest house again, going to markets, and eating multiple milkshakes.
saturday came, and it was time to leave kenya. it still all feels really surreal, it hasn't quite hit me that i'm really going home. my flight didn't leave until 11:00 at night. getting through security was a breeze and the flight went well. the flight was about eight hours. i have a seven hour layover and then another eight hour flight to chicago.
i do not know how to express my feelings on these last 3 1/2 months of my life. hands down, this has been the most amazing experience of my life. when the flight was taking off last night, i couldn't help but feel sad to think about never returning. what if i never ride in a matatu again? what if i never shop at the secondhand markets to buy 30 cent shirts? what if i never ride a pikipiki every again? these questions, plus multiple others, filled my mind. i feel like i experienced so many "firsts" on this trip, it makes me sad to think i could have also had my "lasts." i guess it's a good thing to feel this way-- it means i really enjoyed myself and want to come back.
one of the issues discussed in the wrap-up seminar was reverse culture shock. for many, coming back to the consumeristic and materialistic culture of the united states is worse than seeing the sheer poverty of kenya. i've lived a much simpler life these past few months than i have ever before. although there are certain conveniences of the united states i'm looking forward to coming back to, i do believe most americans live with too much, and they are not any happier than kenyans that live on next-to-nothing. one of the things i've learned is that material items will not make me happy. although not ever single second of these last 3 1/2 months have been the most joyous times of my life, my experiences and insight on the world that i've gained will make me happier than any material item would be able to.
another thing discussed in the seminar was enduring the hardships associated with explaining your experiences to people back home. living in a developing, third world, sub-saharan africa country for 3 1/2 months has made me realize the discrepancies in u.s. media coverage to kenya and other similar areas. to everyone reading this-- get educated. there are so many stereotypes associated with kenya and africa as a whole, and it's due to american ignorance.
i won't lie, i had no idea what i was getting myself into when i decided to come to kenya. but i do know i've grown so much as a person, being able to experience life through a different lens, being able to view the united states from the outside. i don't want to say i'm a whole different person though. i'm still me, just with some new views on the world, and some great stories to share. :)
one of the students on the program became slightly obsessed with steve jobs after his death in october. he shared a wonderful quote with us from him. i think the quote really envelopes my thoughts on not only the last 3 1/2 months of my life, but also on the rest of my life.
"When you grow up you tend to get told the world is the way it is and you're life is just to live your life inside the world. Try not to bash into the walls too much. Try to have a nice family, have fun, save a little money.
That's a very limited life. Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and other people can use.
Once you learn that, you'll never be the same again."
future blog postings if i get back to the u.s. and feel the need to post. otherwise,
kwaheri kenya, kuona tena (goodbye kenya, see you again).
-emma
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saturday, December 3, 2011
msambweni, the final week...
well, the internship portion of my study abroad program has officially came to an end. a week in review....
i decided to go back to MCH (maternal and child health) for the week, weighing and measuring babies and young kids. it keeps me busy, although i don't see as much as i might if i went to the wards. in the wards, a lot of time is just spent sitting around waiting for new admissions, which i did not want to do.
so monday, tuesday, and thursday i went to MCH. before this week, i felt like the internship had gone by so fast and i wished it was longer. but this week really made me believe that six weeks is just the right amount of time-- many of the doctors and other staff at the hospital are extremely rude to the patients, and also SO LAZY. i'm not even getting paid, and i often felt like i was doing the work of five of the staff in MCH. so it was about time to leave...
wednesday and friday i went to theatre. dr. stan (the orthopedic surgeon from germany) refused to operate last week, claiming that there were not adequate supplies to successfully or safely do any operations, but he was back in action this week. i saw an amputation of the lower leg of a diabetic woman. so cool. other operations were fixing a femur fracture, a surgical toilet, and a wound cleaning where they took the whole big toe off the foot. on friday i saw another c-section and some other minor procedures.
it was so weird thinking that i won't be in a hospital seeing the things i did the past six weeks for YEARS. interning at the hospital was such an amazing experience-- it really opened my eyes to the health disparities in this country, and helped me realize how great the healthcare in the united states is.
since i don't want to have to work on my term papers once i get back to nairobi, i finished those up, as well as studying for the final exams i have on monday. it's easy to forget i'm actually here for school sometimes....
saturday i woke up to watch a final sunrise over the indian ocean. then i said goodbye to my host family, and made my way to mombasa. i checked into my hotel and then met some other students to do some exploring/market shopping of mombasa, and then we headed to the beach for one final time.
tomorrow i take the bus back to nairobi (a long eight hour journey). then i have final exams and a final seminar, and then a few final days before my flight leaves next saturday. thinking of going home is very surreal for me right now. a part of me is ready to go home, but then another part of me feels like i just arrived yesterday, and that my time here shouldn't be over yet. i know i'm really going to miss kenya... this has hands-down been the most amazing experience of my life.
until next time,
emma
i decided to go back to MCH (maternal and child health) for the week, weighing and measuring babies and young kids. it keeps me busy, although i don't see as much as i might if i went to the wards. in the wards, a lot of time is just spent sitting around waiting for new admissions, which i did not want to do.
so monday, tuesday, and thursday i went to MCH. before this week, i felt like the internship had gone by so fast and i wished it was longer. but this week really made me believe that six weeks is just the right amount of time-- many of the doctors and other staff at the hospital are extremely rude to the patients, and also SO LAZY. i'm not even getting paid, and i often felt like i was doing the work of five of the staff in MCH. so it was about time to leave...
 |
| the hospital |
 |
| hospital hallway. the painted list on the wall is a list of a few of the services and their prices. |
 |
| hospital operating room |
 |
| anestesia room. more of a storage closet. |
it was so weird thinking that i won't be in a hospital seeing the things i did the past six weeks for YEARS. interning at the hospital was such an amazing experience-- it really opened my eyes to the health disparities in this country, and helped me realize how great the healthcare in the united states is.
since i don't want to have to work on my term papers once i get back to nairobi, i finished those up, as well as studying for the final exams i have on monday. it's easy to forget i'm actually here for school sometimes....
saturday i woke up to watch a final sunrise over the indian ocean. then i said goodbye to my host family, and made my way to mombasa. i checked into my hotel and then met some other students to do some exploring/market shopping of mombasa, and then we headed to the beach for one final time.
 |
| my house in msambweni |
 |
| final sunrise over the indian ocean. bittersweet. |
tomorrow i take the bus back to nairobi (a long eight hour journey). then i have final exams and a final seminar, and then a few final days before my flight leaves next saturday. thinking of going home is very surreal for me right now. a part of me is ready to go home, but then another part of me feels like i just arrived yesterday, and that my time here shouldn't be over yet. i know i'm really going to miss kenya... this has hands-down been the most amazing experience of my life.
until next time,
emma
 |
| pwani (coast) life, you'll be missed.... |
Thursday, December 1, 2011
top tens
hello everyone. only ten days until i'm stepping on american soil once again. so in keeping with the theme of 'ten', here are some "top ten" lists from my time in kenya....
top ten things i'll miss most about kenya...
10. the crazy ringtones kenyans have. the vibrate or silent setting is never used. personal favorite ringtones: jingle bells, and classic 1990's backstreet boys.
9. the outlets. they always say that if an electronic is plugged in, even if you aren't using it, it still uses electricity. solution: create an on/off switch on the outlet. genius.
8. the markets. goodwill is nice, but nothing beats thirty cent shirts.
7. chapati. mmm greasy, unleavened bread goodness. hands down my favorite kenyan food. personal record is five chapati in one day.
6. brick, old school cell phones. no people, we do not need cell phones with internet on them. no, we don't need a ridiculous amount of apps. let's all go back to a simpler time where cell phones were used just for calling people.
5. i've heard this song nonstop for the past three months. it always makes me smile when i hear it.. .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_lTHjpRkMM&noredirect=1
4. all the little kids screaming "how are you?" whenever you walk past them. for many, it's the only english they know, and it's so cute watching them wave and scream to you. :)
3. the transportation. although matatus are infamous for how dangerous they are, it is such a convenient form of transportation. many kenyans do not have vehicles, and there is absolutely no need for them. also, pikipikis (motorbikes) are one of my favorite things about kenya.
2. the fresh fruit. mmm the pineapples and bananas were my absolute favorite. you just can't get fruit like that in the united states.
1. soda in a glass jar, drank with a straw. i don't know why, but it just tastes better like this. also, i'm really going to miss krest, a bitter lemon soda.
top ten things i WON'T miss about kenya...
10. their "lazy" behavior. it's a cultural thing not to work very hard, but i hear "i'm so tired" so many times at the hospital, even though they hardly do any work.
9. their driving. blind overtakings by matatu drivers can be scary. and they drive way too fast.
8. beach boys. no i don't want to buy your bracelets. no i don't want to buy your keychains. no i don't want to buy your necklaces. don't tell me you love me, after speaking with me for five minutes. just let me enjoy the beach by myself.
7. the gender roles of men and women. it is extremely rare to see a father with a kid. the mother always takes care of the kids, and women do all the work around the house. gender roles are so stratified, it's nice to know i'm from a country that believes we should be treated equally.
6. the limited variety of foods. i've had a few staple foods in my diet for the past three months, and hardly anything else. chapati, ugali, rice, fish, beef stew, potato soup, spaghetti. i like variety. i also will not miss eating foods i don't like, but forcing myself to because i have no other choice.
5. the smell of body odor. this is more just focused on msambweni, because it's so hot and everyone sweats so much. deodorant/antiperspirant were amazing inventions, use them.
4. the word "mzungu". heard multiple times a day. i have an actual name, you don't need to say "the mzungu" all the time instead.
3. the inappropriate times people think it's acceptable to answer their cell phones. while teaching class? why not. when working with patients? sure. during the middle of major surgery? i hope it's an extremely important call...
2. being taken advantaged of because of the color of my skin. don't charge me more just because i'm white, which makes you assume i have a ton of money.
1. ugali. tasteless white crap on a plate? no thank you. and it looks so much like mashed potatoes, i might be scarred for life thinking that my mashed potatoes are ugali.
top ten things i missed most about home... (this list excludes family and friends, those go without saying!)
10. air conditioning. so hot and humid here in msambweni all the time.
9. trashy television shows. seriously, where's keeping up with the kardashians when you just want to watch some awful television?
8. the food. specifically, the fast food. culver's, come back into my life.
7. water. always having water for a shower. being able to drink the water without sterilizing it first. having cold water, with ice cubes, when its 90 degrees out.
6. my sonicare toothbrush. i just love that thing so much, i definitely regret not bringing it with. my teeth just haven't felt as clean the past three months.
5. a washing machine. my clothes just haven't felt very clean. and in msambweni, they lay them on the ground to dry. doesn't the defeat the purpose of washing them?
4. the changing seasons. although the sun has been nice for my tan, i honestly miss the changing weather. summer year round is not as great as you might think (maybe i just love winter too much).
3. set prices for everything. i don't enjoy bargaining for items (because i know i'm not a good bargainer), and it's hard knowing that i'm probably paying much more for an item than a kenyan would.
2. english. there is no way of feeling more alone and isolated that hearing a foreign language all the time, and knowing most people don't know how to speak english. the language barrier has also been hard for me to get as much out of my internship experience, because all the doctor-patient contact is done in swahili.
1. the food (again). easily the single thing i miss most about home. i'll for sure be gaining those 15 pounds i lost here as soon as i get back home. christmas cookies and taco bell are calling my name...
top ten things i'll miss most about kenya...
10. the crazy ringtones kenyans have. the vibrate or silent setting is never used. personal favorite ringtones: jingle bells, and classic 1990's backstreet boys.
9. the outlets. they always say that if an electronic is plugged in, even if you aren't using it, it still uses electricity. solution: create an on/off switch on the outlet. genius.
8. the markets. goodwill is nice, but nothing beats thirty cent shirts.
7. chapati. mmm greasy, unleavened bread goodness. hands down my favorite kenyan food. personal record is five chapati in one day.
6. brick, old school cell phones. no people, we do not need cell phones with internet on them. no, we don't need a ridiculous amount of apps. let's all go back to a simpler time where cell phones were used just for calling people.
5. i've heard this song nonstop for the past three months. it always makes me smile when i hear it.. .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_lTHjpRkMM&noredirect=1
4. all the little kids screaming "how are you?" whenever you walk past them. for many, it's the only english they know, and it's so cute watching them wave and scream to you. :)
3. the transportation. although matatus are infamous for how dangerous they are, it is such a convenient form of transportation. many kenyans do not have vehicles, and there is absolutely no need for them. also, pikipikis (motorbikes) are one of my favorite things about kenya.
2. the fresh fruit. mmm the pineapples and bananas were my absolute favorite. you just can't get fruit like that in the united states.
1. soda in a glass jar, drank with a straw. i don't know why, but it just tastes better like this. also, i'm really going to miss krest, a bitter lemon soda.
top ten things i WON'T miss about kenya...
10. their "lazy" behavior. it's a cultural thing not to work very hard, but i hear "i'm so tired" so many times at the hospital, even though they hardly do any work.
9. their driving. blind overtakings by matatu drivers can be scary. and they drive way too fast.
8. beach boys. no i don't want to buy your bracelets. no i don't want to buy your keychains. no i don't want to buy your necklaces. don't tell me you love me, after speaking with me for five minutes. just let me enjoy the beach by myself.
7. the gender roles of men and women. it is extremely rare to see a father with a kid. the mother always takes care of the kids, and women do all the work around the house. gender roles are so stratified, it's nice to know i'm from a country that believes we should be treated equally.
6. the limited variety of foods. i've had a few staple foods in my diet for the past three months, and hardly anything else. chapati, ugali, rice, fish, beef stew, potato soup, spaghetti. i like variety. i also will not miss eating foods i don't like, but forcing myself to because i have no other choice.
5. the smell of body odor. this is more just focused on msambweni, because it's so hot and everyone sweats so much. deodorant/antiperspirant were amazing inventions, use them.
4. the word "mzungu". heard multiple times a day. i have an actual name, you don't need to say "the mzungu" all the time instead.
3. the inappropriate times people think it's acceptable to answer their cell phones. while teaching class? why not. when working with patients? sure. during the middle of major surgery? i hope it's an extremely important call...
2. being taken advantaged of because of the color of my skin. don't charge me more just because i'm white, which makes you assume i have a ton of money.
1. ugali. tasteless white crap on a plate? no thank you. and it looks so much like mashed potatoes, i might be scarred for life thinking that my mashed potatoes are ugali.
top ten things i missed most about home... (this list excludes family and friends, those go without saying!)
10. air conditioning. so hot and humid here in msambweni all the time.
9. trashy television shows. seriously, where's keeping up with the kardashians when you just want to watch some awful television?
8. the food. specifically, the fast food. culver's, come back into my life.
7. water. always having water for a shower. being able to drink the water without sterilizing it first. having cold water, with ice cubes, when its 90 degrees out.
6. my sonicare toothbrush. i just love that thing so much, i definitely regret not bringing it with. my teeth just haven't felt as clean the past three months.
5. a washing machine. my clothes just haven't felt very clean. and in msambweni, they lay them on the ground to dry. doesn't the defeat the purpose of washing them?
4. the changing seasons. although the sun has been nice for my tan, i honestly miss the changing weather. summer year round is not as great as you might think (maybe i just love winter too much).
3. set prices for everything. i don't enjoy bargaining for items (because i know i'm not a good bargainer), and it's hard knowing that i'm probably paying much more for an item than a kenyan would.
2. english. there is no way of feeling more alone and isolated that hearing a foreign language all the time, and knowing most people don't know how to speak english. the language barrier has also been hard for me to get as much out of my internship experience, because all the doctor-patient contact is done in swahili.
1. the food (again). easily the single thing i miss most about home. i'll for sure be gaining those 15 pounds i lost here as soon as i get back home. christmas cookies and taco bell are calling my name...
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