Sorry for this!!!

Ok, so here we are, the last day at Phyllis, and yes I know, I have been the worst att writing in this blog. But, do my defence, it felt like I was throwing away time, when spending it infront of the computer. And, also, we have been at the computer way more than I wanted to, due to our school work. So that is that! Right now I am sitting at the computer room, and waiting for food, in 30 min.

I will write about our time here, and about my thoughts, feelings and all that. I will also upload some pics, But, I am not in the mood for it now, so it will be a project when I come home.

Ok, so now, welll. I am going to relax... And so...

Hello Africa

I like Kenya.

I like being here, I like the culture, I like the people. If Kenya was a facebook status I would press “like”. Today we took a short walk, we were surrounded by high mountains, and it made me feel as being in the middle of a post card. We've also been helping out in the kitchen today, I cleaned the floor while Nessica was cleaning the benches. The afternoon has been spent in school, where I helped the 5^th grade students prepare for their exam tomorrow by asking questions, and I am glad I had the answers to the questions. On which day did God create the animals? I guess it is common knowledge but don't ask me for the answer, because I don't know.

So... there is a lot here I like, but you cannot like everything and everyone on this overcrowded planet. As Nessica already has mentioned briefly (hehe), there are two ladies here that are driving us crazy. I will just give a short, but extremely good, example. The second day they told us that the orphanage has been given a fridge, but, and this they asked with a pitying and at the same time smug voice, do you know what they use it for? For storage! And they smiled their pitying and superior smile and added, but they don’t know better, you know.

OF COURSE they know better! They know much better than us the best way for THEM to use a fridge! In case any teacher is reading this, this is a typical example to bring up on a lecture. They do not use the fridge because THEY DON’T NEED ONE. They don’t use anything that needs to be stored in a cold place, so of course it is better for them to use it to store other things. The whole idea is so stupid, to give a fridge to a place who don’t need a fridge and then call them stupid when they don’t use it. This is a good example of constructivism, I would say. Knowledge is a social construction, and the “right” way of using a fridge is a social construction too, I mean, it all depends on the situation. Give me a telescope and I will use it for putting my jewelleries on it, because I am not in need of a telescope… Mon dieu.

Let’s move on. The social worker, (the ladies referred to him as a person “who can say yes and amen but that’s it, he do not understand English but he is REALLY REALLY kind! *insert pitying smile*” Oh, so usually when a person don’t know English, he is not kind? Sorry, I said I would move on and I will. ), he is a clever and helpful person, we have had hours of interesting discussions with him (consisting more words than yes and amen), and he gave us some great papers to look at, regarding poverty in this geographical area. The papers brought up the importance of empowering people, different underlying factors to poverty, the effect of the SAP:s, and the fact that poor people must be given the right to make the definition of poverty, no-one else should make the definition but them. The text is very post modernistic and yes you guessed right, I like it a lot.

Well, time to "take a shower", = take an empty bottle, fill it with cold water, and pour it over my head.

See you! , Elin

Killing me slowly

Today we woke up, spent a few hours working on our research and then went and hanged out with the staff at the orphanage. Elin even got me later to play a little with the children. I do not know if it is mentioned before, but I am really bad at hanging out with children. I mean, of course I love my own little cousins to play, hug and kiss. However, it is rather children that I do not know, that I have no idea how to be around. Still, today I have been helping a girl with her homework, and listening to her idea of what national values are. I enjoyed it a lot, mostly because I like discussions about stuff like that.   

Since I came to the orphanage I have had the urge to kill two people. I know! It is strong feelings and one should not abuse the word “kill”. But, it is actually the truth! There are two older women here, working as volunteers and they have the idea that they are saving the world, and rescuing the children from whatever is so bad. By the way I have no idea what is bad, and I think that they are the ones destroying the world! They are probably planning what dress to where when they come back to Sweden, and in their imagination, won the Nobel price. I am too angry to quote the fucking shit that comes from their mouths or explain what nonsense they are doing. That will perhaps be a later project. But, I swear, these women are killing me slowly. It has gone so far that I cannot even be in the same room as they. Mostly for Elin´s sake I am not fighting with them. Trust me, I want too. However, Elin does not want a big fight, so that should be respected. Still, they will know what I think of them, and I will make sure that the message cannot be mistaken. I guess I will just do it in a way, so an open fight will not occur. 

Now Elin is back. And we have gotten internet. This means that I can upload this, and check my emails...

Nessica

Something from the beginning of Kenya

Now we have arrived. 32 hours later! My eyes are burning, my head is soft like an old tomato, and everything feels sort of broken. But, I am here, and that is what is important. I met the people who work here; they are really nice and made us feel welcome directly.So far we have been playing around with the children, helped the staff with stuff they are doing. This is like cutting food into pieces, baking bread, and so on. Today we had a long talk to the Social worker at the orphanage, and it was really helpfull and crazy interesting. We got some good material from him, and we are looking forward to future discussions. 

Also, today Yusuf suprised us by coming by and saying hello. That was nice! Ok, the time is 23.00 and I am really tired. So this will be all for now! 

Oh, I almost forgot. Something really important! I have stopped smoking. Yeah I know! I do not believe it myself. But, yeah, it´s true. However it´s not so nice right now. Well, ok, this was all..... 

Nessica                                              

Leaving for our next adventure!

Sitting on the train to Arlanda. Can´t believe I am actually going. Wonderful, amazing and incredible! Everything is packed, and if I have forgotten something, it is nothing I can do about it. passport, vaccin-card, visa card are with me, and that is pretty much what is important. What are my thoughts about this trip? Staying outside of Nakuru for almost three weeks at an orphanage. Well, the truth, I have no freaking idea. It will be an experience and I have no pre-conceptions about it.

Yesterday after packing I removed my nailpolish, took away all my jewlry, and piercings. My makeup is left home, as my hair products. Only this is a fun adventure, as well as packing stuff such as t-shirts and baggy pants.  haha, I do not even know what the point was with what I just wrote. However, I am nervous and my mind is not how it usually works. Instead of trying to force my self to be clear when writing I am gonna give up this projekt until I arrive in Kenya, which is 01.30 am on thursday...

Nessica