The Muzungo


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Africa » Kenya » Nairobi Province » Nairobi
June 9th 2009
Published: June 9th 2009
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Writing from a cybercafe about a block or so away from the clinic. Feels like I've been gone for much more than two weeks. Life in Kenya is very different than the United States, but I'm sure you assumed that.
I don't even know where to begin, so much has happened here. I'll start with the family I'm staying with; the Akoths which include Irene and Abe and their children Sam, Leo and Jessica, their niece Natasha and their househelp Helen. The girls Jessi and Tasha follow me around everywhere, I feel like I have three shadows.
No one here has ever seen someone with freckles, so I keep getting questions about them. One girl I work with thought it was an infection, and another girl thought they were allergies. It took a while to convince them that they are just birthmarks and actually very common among white people. Soo funny. I am known as the muzungo, which means white person and I don't even think half of the people I have met, even think I have a name. I hear it everywhere. Joe Lucia was right, I'm a celebrity here. Everywhere I go people just stare at me, wave at me, run up to me on the street to shake my hand, it's very strange but I'm slowly, VERY SLOWLY getting used to it.
Today a man called me the most beautiful flower, and I just blush. It's kind of embarrassing when everyone is staring at you all the time.
Helen, the househelp, which is very common in Kenya, is teaching me how to cook. I know, me cook? But it's not as hard as it seems. Hopefully by the time I come home I will be able to cook several traditional Kenyan dishes. I eat very filling meals here, and everyone is constantly offering me their food.."ooohh give the muzungo some of our food" like it's an honor to serve me, so about me losing weight here?? Not likely. It's shameful to decline their offers, so I think I'm out of luck.
I am moving to a volunteer house next week so hopefully I can eat what I want, when I want. The food is very tasty, and so fresh. It will be hard going back to all the processed foods. Their tea is amazing! I think I could drink it all day and not eat, and be perfectly okay with that. It's soo good.
I really like the family I am staying with, they're very interesting and fun. I do look forward to the volunteer house though because it will be nice to have some more friends my own age instead of ten and eight year olds.

A few things I've learned to do without are hot water for my shower, overhead showers (it's all about the sponge bath baby), junk food, people speaking in english, eating utensils ( you eat with your right hand only), and much more.
Kenya is more modern than you're probably thinking, don't worry. Although I haven't mastered the toilets yet. I've figured out my own little system, but I'm not sharing, I don't want to gross you out. I'll learn eventually...?

At the clinic I hear and see lots of sad lives. Today we tried for a while to convince an HIV + woman in labor to take an ARV pill to decrease the odds of transferring the virus to her infant. She finally agreed but refuses to take any treatment for herself, many are in denial.
At the clinic I help counsel and test patients for HIV. On certain days I help with the mother and babies, weighing the infants, giving immunizations, vitamins, etc. Giving injections is my favorite. I've given a lot of malaria injections, which are given in the butt-yeah! I also help with the outpatients which range from malaria to pregnancy check ups to wound dressings to infections. I've seen a lot in my first week or two.
The clinic is located in Kibera, which is the second largest slum in Africa. I hope to walk around in Kibera later this week and take pictures so all of you can see what I'm seeing. I haven't been able to take a lot of pictures because theft is pretty common here, plus a muzungo is an easy target although I've been blessed so far to not have any problems.

Anyways it's getting dark here and I have to walk home so I'll update next week, hopefully from the volunteer house.

Love and miss you all.


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10th June 2009

re: The Muzungo
Rock on, leecee!! Miss you a great deal.

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