NN336: Captivated Canines
1 month ago
Signed, sealed, delivered
Let me just start off by acknowledging what a historic day this is for America and the world. Barack Obama is the next president of the United States. I'm on the other side of the world and I can still hear America singing. Needless to say, Kenya is buzzing with positive energy.
We started off our day at 630am, which is 1o3opm on the East Coast of the US. Results were coming in and it was looking good. We were our way to an early morning expat election party in Gigiri with a few American and Kenyan friends. The traffic was dense with morning commuters, many of whom were still unsure about the outcome of the US election.
The front pages of Kenya’s morning papers had large head-to-head graphics with Obama and McCain, carrying headlines like “McCain vs Obama: America Votes” or “World Waits for Outcome of American Elections.” Morning talk radio was the best source for breaking news. Every radio station was giving minute-by-minute updates. The outcome was already certain in most people’s minds but we just wanted confirmation.
At 7am or so, Obama passed the 270 threshold and an announcement came in on BBC that President Kibaki had declared Thursday, 6 November a national holiday – Obama Day. At 7:10am, John McCain conceded over the BBC airwaves.
At around 715am, KissFM reported that Kenyans were running low on still-breathing goats to slaughter and roast, beer to drink, and other necessary Kenyan party supplies in Kisumu, the homeland of Obama’s father. “More rations are needed urgently!” they reported. A goat is one of the key elements of any real celebration in Kenya. As The Times reports today, “There's only one thing to take to a Kenyan election victory feast: a goat. Preferably still breathing - “a sign of freshness“ - and with big testicles, apparently the sign of quality breeding.”
The President-elect’s family also joined in on the celebration, "People are so happy, so excited. People are dancing. People are in a festive mood," Barack Obama’s uncle told VOA. "And we are also slaughtering cows, goats, sheep, I mean people are going to feast literally to celebrate Barack's win."
We arrived at the Tribe Hotel, a new hotel in the quiet, diplomatic neighborhood of GIgiri.
I can’t find the words to describe the vibe in the room. America had spoken. Obama had won and would address the country in a matter of minutes. President-elect Obama started speaking and the tears that poured down the faces of the Americans in the room, including myself, was truly something to behold. It was almost like we were purging America’s long history of racism and discrimination with our tears.
Even Kenyans and Brits in the room felt the power of the moment. One guy said, “This is truly a magical moment and if I were American, I’d be very proud. Right now, I wish I was just so that I could feel what you all do.”
A Kenyan man said, “If America can move beyond its own history and resolve their differences in this manner then we, in Kenya and in other countries, can do the same. You guys have shown the world that our differences only make us stronger."
It’s clear that some Kenyans are expecting Obama’s victory to bring benefits to them directly. Either through trade, tourism, or the direct giving of development aid for roads, public health or other programs. For some, this is a naïve misunderstanding by an uninformed citizenry. Who knows? But it’s pretty clear that some Kenyans see the election of a US president with Kenyan heritage to mean as much, if not more, than the election of a president of their own country. It will boost the country’s stature and give it more recognition and air time in the media, which could result in new investments and fairer trade policies. Perhaps they aren’t too far off base.
The Wall Street Journal reports that vllagers in Kogelo (Obama Sr.’s home) said “they already have proof change is on the way. On Wednesday morning, trucks from the Kenya electricity company began rolling into Kogelo, and the word was that the village would have power within days.”
I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
After 2000 and 2004, I’m still in a bit of shock that I wasn’t totally disappointed by a stolen election. It’s like our emotional investment in this movement has paid off. This process has inspired our country and the world. I think we’ll see a new generation of leadership in the developing world, particularly in Africa. Everyday people are saying that if America can vote in a guy like Obama than we can too. In a way, Bush was just like any African president giving the spoils to his friends, being unaccountable, looting the country, and not having a long-term plan.
It’s like we inherited America from the last generation. We’ve moved on. This is our America now. We own it and now it’s time for us to lead the way to a better, more sustainable future.
You asked for it and you got it. Signed, sealed, delivered the world is yours.
Talkin' about a revolution...
Just finished up our first day of site visits in Malawi. We visited one of the large grain depots outside Lilongwe that was once a symbol of Malawi’s food insecurity. In 2005, it was empty. Today, it was a bee-hive of activity with stacks upon stacks and rows upon rows of 50kg bags of maize.
Let Eagles Soar
Any day now, I'm expecting Toby Keith and Sarah Palin to drop a single that starts off something like this:
Of course, we can also expect a pre-election televised duet with patriotic crooners, The John's (Ashcroft and McCain) singing the old crowd favorite: "Let Eagles Soar." Here's the original Ashcroft solo performance. It appears to have taken place at a press conference. I'm sure the press officer loved this gig. Link here.
We just registered to vote through the embassy. In a strange way, the geographical and cultural distance from the States and our dependence on CNN and the internet for US-centric information--versus a more global point of view no BBC, Al Jazeera, and Kenyan papers--has given me a new perspective on our electoral process as well as greater respect and appreciation for the core of the American soul.
This questions posed below in Langston Hughes' poem, What happens to a dream deferred?, seems to capture this moment in America.
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
Dawn approaches for a New America, one which represents our interests, aspirations, and values. The sun is on the horizon. Unlike the 60s and other social movements in the 20th century, and aside from attending a few war rallies in 2003, most of us haven't even had to fight for it. Maybe that's a good thing. Perhaps, if Obama wins, it shows that democracy can work and the American Dream is still alive.
It's not about politics.
I just won't feel the same way if McCain wins. Mr Maverick in 2000 has become just another Republican. He's sold himself out to lobbyists and right-ring bigots that he used to deplore. He preaches "service" yet criticized Obama for his communitiy organizing work. Anybody who's been out on the streets or in rural hamlets and villages knows that this work is just as challenging and requires just as much commitment as any other public service, including the military. Public service is about giving back and all forms should be applauded, not mocked. McCain has chosen to surround himself with same sort of greedy hog ideologues as our current president. In fact, his own financial advisor, Carly Fiorina, received a $45 million "golden parachute" from Hewlett Packard when she was dismissed in 2005.
Crowd chanting: Moose Hunting, SUVs...Yes! ...Abortion, Smart People and Fags...No!
Palin/Keith start singing: We don't want no Mooslums painting our White House brown/This is a White country/We'll put him in the ground.
Palin/Keith start singing: We don't want no Mooslums painting our White House brown/This is a White country/We'll put him in the ground.
Of course, we can also expect a pre-election televised duet with patriotic crooners, The John's (Ashcroft and McCain) singing the old crowd favorite: "Let Eagles Soar." Here's the original Ashcroft solo performance. It appears to have taken place at a press conference. I'm sure the press officer loved this gig. Link here.
We just registered to vote through the embassy. In a strange way, the geographical and cultural distance from the States and our dependence on CNN and the internet for US-centric information--versus a more global point of view no BBC, Al Jazeera, and Kenyan papers--has given me a new perspective on our electoral process as well as greater respect and appreciation for the core of the American soul.
This questions posed below in Langston Hughes' poem, What happens to a dream deferred?, seems to capture this moment in America.
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
Dawn approaches for a New America, one which represents our interests, aspirations, and values. The sun is on the horizon. Unlike the 60s and other social movements in the 20th century, and aside from attending a few war rallies in 2003, most of us haven't even had to fight for it. Maybe that's a good thing. Perhaps, if Obama wins, it shows that democracy can work and the American Dream is still alive.
It's not about politics.
I just won't feel the same way if McCain wins. Mr Maverick in 2000 has become just another Republican. He's sold himself out to lobbyists and right-ring bigots that he used to deplore. He preaches "service" yet criticized Obama for his communitiy organizing work. Anybody who's been out on the streets or in rural hamlets and villages knows that this work is just as challenging and requires just as much commitment as any other public service, including the military. Public service is about giving back and all forms should be applauded, not mocked. McCain has chosen to surround himself with same sort of greedy hog ideologues as our current president. In fact, his own financial advisor, Carly Fiorina, received a $45 million "golden parachute" from Hewlett Packard when she was dismissed in 2005.
Sweetwaters
We just got back from a nice tented camp near Mt. Kenya. This is such an interesting and diverse country. So many different kinds of people in a land with tremendous variations in landscape and environment. From busy Nairobi to the sun-drenched coast to frontier-like regions of the North.
We left Nairobi on Saturday at 8:30am and arrived at Sweetwaters Tented Camp at 12:30pm. Sweetwaters is located inside of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The ride was long but the sight of Mt. Kenya nearing in the distance captured our attention most of the drive. Sweetwater is north of Nairobi, so it isn't any where near Maasai Mara and Serengeti. We were just expecting a retreat type camp with good food and comfortable beds. Turns out its in the huge conservation area, filled with wildlife. We went on two different game drives one in the afternoon on Saturday and another on Sunday morning at 630am.
The morning drive was amazing. We were two of the only tourists in the park so it was perfect for spotting wildlife in their natural environment. We saw at least 20 graceful, giraffes nibbling on Acacia trees still wet with morning dew; two muscular, male lions on the hunt for Cape Buffalo; and countless gazelles, impalas, and wart hogs (Mere's favorite). Unfortunately, no elephants.
We also stopped by the Rhino center where they have rescued a 3-year old White Rhino from Mozambique. We learned a bit about the project from the drowsy rangers that woke up to greet us. White Rhinos are rare in East Africa, which is home to the African Black Rhino. I can explain the differences at some later date. So the rangers are trying to introduce the rescued Rhino into the wild. They are often hunted for their tusks, particularly at night, so they are under almost 24-hour surveillance in the parks. We gave them a few shilling for hosting us so early in the morning.
We also visited the Chimpanzee Sanctuary that Jane Goodall created as a rescue facility for Central African chimps. Chimps are often hunted for bushmeat as well as other uses in C. Africa, so the program goes around rescuing chimps from gift shops where they are used to allure tourists and from dangerous bushmeat traders.
Both places were really interesting and truly memorable.
Here's a link to Sweetwaters: http://www.serenahotels.com/kenya/sweetwaters/home.asp .
Here's a link to Mere's photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/meredithbraden/
We left Nairobi on Saturday at 8:30am and arrived at Sweetwaters Tented Camp at 12:30pm. Sweetwaters is located inside of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The ride was long but the sight of Mt. Kenya nearing in the distance captured our attention most of the drive. Sweetwater is north of Nairobi, so it isn't any where near Maasai Mara and Serengeti. We were just expecting a retreat type camp with good food and comfortable beds. Turns out its in the huge conservation area, filled with wildlife. We went on two different game drives one in the afternoon on Saturday and another on Sunday morning at 630am.
The morning drive was amazing. We were two of the only tourists in the park so it was perfect for spotting wildlife in their natural environment. We saw at least 20 graceful, giraffes nibbling on Acacia trees still wet with morning dew; two muscular, male lions on the hunt for Cape Buffalo; and countless gazelles, impalas, and wart hogs (Mere's favorite). Unfortunately, no elephants.
We also stopped by the Rhino center where they have rescued a 3-year old White Rhino from Mozambique. We learned a bit about the project from the drowsy rangers that woke up to greet us. White Rhinos are rare in East Africa, which is home to the African Black Rhino. I can explain the differences at some later date. So the rangers are trying to introduce the rescued Rhino into the wild. They are often hunted for their tusks, particularly at night, so they are under almost 24-hour surveillance in the parks. We gave them a few shilling for hosting us so early in the morning.
We also visited the Chimpanzee Sanctuary that Jane Goodall created as a rescue facility for Central African chimps. Chimps are often hunted for bushmeat as well as other uses in C. Africa, so the program goes around rescuing chimps from gift shops where they are used to allure tourists and from dangerous bushmeat traders.
Both places were really interesting and truly memorable.
Here's a link to Sweetwaters: http://www.serenahotels.com/
Here's a link to Mere's photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/
Slow days on the mend
The last few weeks have been fairly quiet. I tore my hamstring early last week, so I've been on the sidelines for the last few days. Here's a picture for the horrible sight. It's slowly getting better. I'm really looking forward to get back to my training regiment and Mere is really getting tired of wearing the "legs" in this relationship.
Kampala
Just getting settled in at the Hotel Africana in Kampala, Uganda. We were delayed for an hour out of Nairobi, but for the first time in a while I didn't seem to mind. The drive from Entebbe to Kampala was beautiful... the scenery was lush and vibrant with deep green rolling hills and tons of color everywhere, especially as we got closer to the city. Motorcycles dominate the roads. Large storks with 4-5 foot wing spans soar in the sky above looking for food on the ground below. I was most impressed by the wind-powered street lights in the area around the Hotel Africana.
Salmonella water…it's delicious.
Photos on my flickr pageWe spent last weekend at a place on the coast called the Voyager Beach Resort, roughly 7km north of Mombasa, Kenya's second largest city.
The Voyager employs a nautical theme. Each day, you, the passenger, travel to various worldly destinations like Hong Kong, Mumbai, Sydney, and even Kenya. Each day the hotel's staff must dress in accordance with the theme of each destination. Our first stop upon arrival at this terrestrial voyage was Mumbai, so the staff wore saris and we had chapati with our pasta bar and strawberry mouse. Go figure.
We were greeted at the check-in by several staff—the women were wearing saris, all except the young women checking us in. She informed us that she wasn't wearing a sari that day because "her boss" was not working and she just didn't feel like it. A true rebel. I support that. The men wore sailor suits, complete with the shirts with flaps that run across the shoulders to the back and little hats with tassels. Kenyan's in saris, add some chapatis and dal and what do you have? India!
Upon entering the hotel, one man graciously offered us a glass of cold fresh passion fruit juice, while another offered us a cool towel to wipe off the sweat. It was sweltering. From the lobby, we could see the sandy beach was few feet away and beyond that the vivid azure of the Indian Ocean. It was nearing high tide.
The heat was thick. We were surrounded by it as we stepped out from the plane and onto the tarmac. Nairobi is much more temperate—mostly warm, 70-80 degree days, followed by cool nights in the low 60s.
Coastal life is different. "Beachtowns" all over the world—from Ocean City, MD to Nyali Beach, Kenya—tend to market themselves as a place to come for rest and relaxation. "Fun in the Sun"..."Forget your troubles at our seaside escape." Mombasa's marketing is no different. The motto is "Hakuna Matata," which means "No worries" in Kiswahili. Despite what they tell the tourists, it's pretty clear just by walking around that "life ain't no crystal stair" for the folks around town.
People on the coast are constantly on the grind. Statistics show that unemployment is high across Kenya but those numbers don't necessarily reflect how much people out here are really working to make ends meet. Here's just one example. Many young men have taken to what some call the "beach boy" life; spending much of their time on the beach, peddling small trinkets and carvings, or making some money selling pot and other drugs to the mostly European tourist crowd. "Beach boys" spend most of their day hounding oblivious, overly-tanned tourists, asking them to come the kiosks to check out the goods. Kiosk owners pay beach boys a percentage of the profit generated from each sale. Most of the guys wait for tourists on the "public sections" of the beach--the small area that lies between the end of one hotel 's quasi-private beach and the start of another.
Things may move a little bit slower on Kenya's coast but not when it comes to politics. The people on the coast are strong supporters of Kenya's ODM party and their former presidential candidate/ current Prime Minister Designate, Raila Odinga. Buildings and shops through out various sections of town are adorned with graffiti bearing the Orange Democratic Movement's initials—ODM. One has to wonder if these shop owners were just trying to protect their property or do they actually support ODM? As the violence escalated in January 2007, surely everything becomes more about survival regardless of one's political sympathies. Would it be any different than non-black storeowners painting "black-owned" on their businesses during the LA riots in 1992?
Nairobi: A patient once close to death on democracy’s operating table, comes back to life
Almost everyone you meet in Nairobi is slowly beginning to feel at peace now that the “clashes” have subsided. But you get the feeling that many are cautiously optimistic that peace will remain in the days to come. In a recent conversation with waitress at one of my favorite cafe's I asked, “How have things been? Is your family well?” After an unusually deep sigh, she says, “Things are good. Much better now that the clashes have stopped. My family is well and thank goodness none of them were injured over the last few months. I pray that things will continue to get better. In December, we were very hopeful about the New Year, but things were terrible for the past few months.”
I’ve had this conversation at least 10 times since I arrived in Nairobi two days ago. You can almost feel the deep disappointment that many Kenyans must feel after nearly two-months of politically charged violence, mass killings, police brutality, and complete political and social anarchy. You get the feeling that the violence has affected the people here more deeply than it has been portrayed in the media. Kenyans, as Africans, don’t expect for this to happen in their country any more than we would in our own.
Since Independence in 1963, Kenya has long been a country with high hopes and dreams. Middle class Kenyans, mostly living in Nairobi, never thought their country would be seen as the next the Rwanda or Congo, with young men roaming the streets with guns and machetes hacking people to death.
Many close friends have said that the hardest thing for them to swallow was the coverage in the international media. Finding images of Nairobi that more closely resembled the countrysides of Rwanda, or the streets of Mogadishu or Baghdad than their “home town.” There is no doubt that the last few months have had an affect on the people here and it seems that many are determined not to allow Kenya to be yet another example of Africa’s failure to “grow-up” to the West.
Some Kenyans, particularly members of the middle class, blame the media for portraying the country as just another violent, devolving African nation. Several close friends were appalled by the excitement coming from members of the local foreign press who were “finally able to capture Africa’s “Doom and Gloom” with out having to hop on a plane to Darfur, Chad, or the Congo.”
This evening we watched the sun set out West behind the lush green hills of Ngong. Tonight, we wait calmly for the first new rays of the rising sun to return to the Green City on the Hill tomorrow. We wait, as do many Kenyans, with the hope that each new day will bring this Nation one step closer to being a shining light for the possibilities of democracy and freedom and one step further away from the dark shadows of the recent past.
I’ve had this conversation at least 10 times since I arrived in Nairobi two days ago. You can almost feel the deep disappointment that many Kenyans must feel after nearly two-months of politically charged violence, mass killings, police brutality, and complete political and social anarchy. You get the feeling that the violence has affected the people here more deeply than it has been portrayed in the media. Kenyans, as Africans, don’t expect for this to happen in their country any more than we would in our own.
Since Independence in 1963, Kenya has long been a country with high hopes and dreams. Middle class Kenyans, mostly living in Nairobi, never thought their country would be seen as the next the Rwanda or Congo, with young men roaming the streets with guns and machetes hacking people to death.
Many close friends have said that the hardest thing for them to swallow was the coverage in the international media. Finding images of Nairobi that more closely resembled the countrysides of Rwanda, or the streets of Mogadishu or Baghdad than their “home town.” There is no doubt that the last few months have had an affect on the people here and it seems that many are determined not to allow Kenya to be yet another example of Africa’s failure to “grow-up” to the West.
Some Kenyans, particularly members of the middle class, blame the media for portraying the country as just another violent, devolving African nation. Several close friends were appalled by the excitement coming from members of the local foreign press who were “finally able to capture Africa’s “Doom and Gloom” with out having to hop on a plane to Darfur, Chad, or the Congo.”
This evening we watched the sun set out West behind the lush green hills of Ngong. Tonight, we wait calmly for the first new rays of the rising sun to return to the Green City on the Hill tomorrow. We wait, as do many Kenyans, with the hope that each new day will bring this Nation one step closer to being a shining light for the possibilities of democracy and freedom and one step further away from the dark shadows of the recent past.
Safaricom Blackberry
I spent about 3 hours this morning buying my first crackberry from Safaricom. Not sure why I waited until I came to Kenya to get one but I did and so far my experience has been standard at best. I paid Kshs 16,000 cash for the 7130 model. They gave me a free Safaricom polo shirt and umbrella for signing up. My main frustration is that their network is down and I'm not able to use this thing for the main reason that I bought it... TO CHECK MY EMAIL. Isn't that always the case?
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