As I am waiting patiently on the post office to use the computer, I overheard two young women speaking in Dutch. I let them continue on in conversation for a few moments, as I thought the sun was making me delirious or perhaps I was mistaking Kiswahili for Dutch, but my ears did not fail me. I started talking to them, and they are here in Kitui for 3 months for an internship program. Very similar to what we are doing. Hmmm....
Also, Michael Bolton is playing on the radio here in the post office.
Yesterday I met my host grandma. She went to shake my hand and put in place of it a plastic bag. I peered in the bag, and a chicken was sitting there patiently and winked at me (I'm not kidding) so I knew it was alive. Right now it's roaming around the shamba (farm) soon to meet it's fate. I was told I would get to do the "honors". I have not come up with a name for it yet, any suggestions?
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15 comments:
It will truly be a small world if you hear Mr. Phil Collins on the radio singing, "In the Air Tonight." Perhaps someone over there can tell you what it really means...
"Have any of you ever even SEEN a chicken?"
=)jackie
NEVER name dinner!!
Charlotte's Web clearly taught you nothing.
michael bolton today, phil collins tomorrow. anna, sounds like you are NOT following a strict kosher diet. oy vey! maybe you can teach your host family the chicken dance...
Hoi Annemarie, It is so nice to read your blog and try to picture you in Kenya.It sounds that you have settled in quite nicely and that all the smaller and bigger bugs are introducing themselves to you one at the time! Good reaction to call the host mother, one never knows what bug is safe to pick up and which ones to leave alone.
What does your host house look like and what does the landscape look like? Is the family more westernized in clothing etc. or still in colorful African dress?
Besides missing your nose ring -I am sure they can provide you a nice new one and would feel quite honored- and eating your presents after letting it run for a few days......... what else is staple food and what veggies do you eat?
It is still quite an adjustment time for you I know and a former anthropological fieldworker I only can say that we were told to expect 3 kinds of reactions you will go through one after the other. Actually there were 4 but the very first one was that close to arrival you get that feeling you were landing in the wrong country, had the wrong subject etc. After landing you are "in" and move on to the next ones.
2. You are amazed at how people run their lives, how innovative they are, how much simpler life can be without all that humbug we seem to need to be happy. You wonder, are amazed etc.
3.After some time, weeks or month, you wonder why they do it not the way it could be done easier, namely how we do it in the US, seems so much simpler and will get the job done much better. Ethnocentrism is at play here, we miss our world and project our lives upon a total different culture trying to make it more like home or close to it.
4. Passing past the ethnocentrism view one starts accepting the world around them, learns that there were many reasons why things are done the way they are done. Everything can be improved there are many reasons why certain actions are done that way. I found that quire a discovery.
A prime example of ethnocentric thinking in the past was that years ago the USA introduced bottle baby milk (as we had it here) to the many local African women with the idea that it would be healthier for the babies. What the West forgot to see is that the water the powder had to be mixed with was often unclean and thus creating infections etc. and showed that mother's milk still was superior. Second they needed to sterilize the bottles, demanding cooking time and wood what at certain parts was not readily available. Bottles became a commodity and were sold so the milk powder could not be given anymore etc etc. This was a failed but well-meant action without knowing the field, assuming our methods are always better.
Have fun and your blog will give us a peek into your world without loud sirens flying by, without parking problems or hasty people passing you by without seeing anyone.
Do you have the option of a bike in the morning when you are walking for half an hour, are they available? Or maybe walking is a great way to move around, does not get you any points if you walk to hast!! :-)
I sent your blog also to Jay and Saskia so they may write too, Jay already started reading it he said.
Hug from Nicolien
I have no words for this.... I can't imagine... does this mean you eat meat now?
Don't worry about the nose ring, there are always other things to pierce later on...
Okay, so in 1 week we are off to Vermont.... we don't have jobs yet... one might think it is stupid to buy a house and move to a place and not have work... but one might also think it is stupid to fly halfway around the world to cut a chicken's head off...
I love you!
Claire
you should name it Popeyes... so far so good it seems, although i thought malaria was a drink u got at the club? who knew you could get it in pill form, but u crazy kids these days who knows what you'll think of next...
mary and i think you should name it nugget or strips...we are going to the "scooperbowl" later...to try about 1,000 kinds of ice cream...as floyd would say...wish you were here...big mad love
Hi Annemarie,
How are the bugs treating you? I hope they know their place is outside...mmm...I saw a snake crawling through our yard this morning. You're not the privileged one in Kenya. "~"
We are thinking of you. Have you received any snail mail as of yet?
Keep up the good work and stay well. Love you,
Oom Jac and Tante Nel
i needed to bitch, i needed to vent, i needed you! saaad, but LOOOOVE reading these. Boston loves and misses you. Four days until the vote, YIKES!
as always, so proud of yoU! xoxoxo
Hi Anna,
I hope all is well with you and that your adapting to your new surroundings. I just talked to your dad and he said all is fine with you :)
I have been in the US now for 1 week and will stay 9 more. I am staying with Dona and we are sitting outside as the weather is great here.
I love being here, but I will miss my little nephew Joris and Thijs of course. Christine will send me pictures every week.
I hope you will get used to the bugs, as I will have to get used to the humidity :)
Love reading your blog and will keep you informed from here.
Take care, Dymfie
Proost!! (I spelled it wrong last time...)
Seth, thank you for the second o
Margaretha
ANNA! I'm now in your homeland lol. One of the program participants is Kenyan, and I told him I had a friend in Kitui. He was really hot, and I'm sure he was impressed by my thorough knowledge of the country. In any event, I'm equally excited about the fact that each comment to your blog is prefaced with: [name] zei. God bless the Dutch internet.
Tot ziens!
Oh crap...reactie publiceren or voorbeeld?
P.S. I've impressed the other program participants with my pronunciation of gouda.
As you can see, I've determined it's reactie publiceren.
Kia
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