Traci in Kenya

Since Traci has varied levels of internet access/speed I am taking the liberty of posting some pictures she emailed me.  Just a small slice of her journey thus far, but they do speak volumes! Keep it up Traci! – Chaning

This past weekend I had the fortunate experience of going on a safari in the Maasai Mara. The scenery was beautiful and the wildlife was abundant. And best of all I was able to take hot showers every day! The animals were not phased by the 5 or 6 vehicles that surrounded them at one time, going about their business as if we weren’t even there. I took many photos, which is worth more than me writing about what I saw, so hopefully I can get to an internet cafe soon and put some photos up.

As much as I loved being dangerously close to lions and elephants, my favorite part of the trip was visiting a traditional Maasai village. Although I live in Maasailand, a majority of the families live in homes made of bricks or metal sheets. The lived-in cow dung huts, called manyattas, are further south and we haven’t had a chance to see them until this weekend. I’ve seen these villages on television and in photos countless of times, but to see them firsthand is absolutely fascinating. When we first arrived to the village we were greeted by a group of Maasai men dressed in their traditional garb, obviously well rehearsed in their opening act of song and dance. The men and women were equally beautiful in their vibrantly colored dress and beaded Maasai jewelry. At first the “entertainment” did seem a bit fabricated and commercialized for the sake of the many tourists that visit their village, but then we stepped inside the village walls and realized they truly live a life that needs no dramatization.

This particular village that we visited had 15 manyattas and had about 72 people. Typically, a village is made up of family members, so everyone is related in some way or another. Not to worry, there is no inbreeding. When a man finds a wife, he brings her back to his village and she builds a new manyatta. It takes about 2 months to build and they last for 6 years before the termites tear it down. In order to get a wife the man must give 10 cows to the woman’s family, although in the past they used to have to kill a lion. Times are changing though! Now most people know that manyattas are made out of cow dung, but we were also surprised (for some of us ’surprised’ isn’t the operative word) to find that the entire village ground was covered in it as well. Wearing slippers that day was probably not the best idea (luckily I could shower that weekend). Our guide, Samuel, was kind enough to take us into his mother’s manyatta, but it was pitch black so I only really saw what it looked like when I took photos. From what I could tell and what Samuel told us there were two beds and in the center was the fire where they cooked their food. There were a couple of windows for ventilation, only a couple of inches in length and width. There was also a small area for the goats, cows, or sheep to sleep at night. How all of that can fit in there is beyond me. The animals are also allowed on the village grounds, hence the carpet of dung. The children at the village were very sweet and adorable, nearly knocking me over into the cow dung to see themselves on my camera! Phew!! We ended our tour by being bombarded and pressured into buying carvings and jewelry. It’s a must to haggle here and I must say that my skills are improving, but it’s never an enjoyable experience. But in the end I did come away with some nice pieces and also contributed to their village, so I can’t complain about that.

So, if anyone is planning on visiting Kenya I would highly advise going to a Maasai village, but do go with an open mind and heart. It’s very easy to criticize and shake a head at such a way of living, but it is more of a choice than anything else. And although at times it can be heartbreaking to see children with as many as 20 flies on his/her face, they are happy and it has been their way of life for hundreds of years. Samuel mentioned to us that many Maasai people go to school and never return home, leaving their families behind. But for him coming back to live in his village after finishing school was a top priority; a choice he made even after seeing a different life style. He put it perfectly, “North. West. Home is best!”

It is day 16 here in Kenya and probably my 10^th attempt to write down my experiences thus far for those at home. As you can tell I have yet to be successful. Words truly fail to convey the sites of Kenya, from the breathtaking scenery of Maasailand to the poverty-stricken streets of Nairobi. There is so much beauty and sadness that exists in everything I see, to process such disparity makes me feel discombobulated at times. There are moments when I need to step back and remind myself where I am because quite honestly, the realization of being here for the next 6 months has not sunk in. Everything has happened so quickly, that although I have been here for a little over two weeks, I feel like it has been a lifetime. It’s hard to believe that less than six months ago a trip to Africa didn’t seem plausible in the near future and was only a hope in the distant, but I am now in Kenya, living in a country that exceeds all of my expectations.

Now before I go on my rant I must apologize for my lack in detail and any tangents I may go on, but there is just not enough time or space. I will do my best though and I promise to write more when things have settled down a bit.

I have been living in Ooloshooibor, Maasailand for two weeks now and it has been one of the best cultural experiences of my life. Long gone are the days of taking a shower, having light after the sun sets, and having the luxury of flushing a toilet, or even having a toilet for that matter. Like expected, I am constantly dirty, many times finding myself using hand sanitizer just for the sheer pleasure of getting my hands wet, creating the illusion of cleanliness. Why I left two bottles of hand sanitizer at home I do not know. Baby wipes are definitely something I did not bring enough of (and I brought a lot), but luckily I can get them in the nearby town. Although the lack of running water and electricity at the house may seem like inconveniences and setbacks in life, I am loving and embracing every moment, for I can finally say that I am in Africa!!!!!!!!!!

I and two other volunteers are living with a sweetheart of a woman named Rosemary. It is quite the full house of women, for she also houses her daughter (1 of 5 children) and three nieces. Her family is wonderful and have made us feel welcome from the minute we arrived. On top of being a teacher at Ooloshooibor Primary School, Rosemary has also established her very own preschool next door to her home. She is quite the inspiration. I hope to be able to help her with some of the expenses, such as building playground equipment or finishing the outhouse. The school currently doesn’t have an outhouse, so the children often times come to her home to use the bathroom. I still have to run some ideas by Rosemary, but I will keep everyone posted on what I decide to do. In terms of our living situation, it is quite the squeeze in our bedroom. Imagine three young ladies with more luggage and toiletries than necessary, living in a room with one double sized bed and one bunk bed (me on the bottom), only one feet between both beds, and all three with mosquito nets drooping over them giving the room a look somewhere between a romantic honeymoon suite and quarantine quarters.

The food has been quite satisfying and although it lacks a little in variety, I have no complaints. My diet basically consists of potatoes, rice, cooked vegetables, fresh fruit, and my all time favorite Kenyan dish, chapati. We’re going to be learning how to make chapati soon, so I will write more about that later. It’s an all carb diet, but for those of you who know what I eat back home, it’s nothing new.

I have nothing but kind words to say about the Kenyans I have encountered so far. You can be rest assured that if you visit Kenya you will always be greeted with a beautiful smile, firm handshake, and a jubilant “Jambo!”. Occassionally you do run into the overzealous salesman on the streets of Nairobi or the puppy dog eyed child asking for sweets, but it’s all part of the Kenyan experience and you will never meet a more lively and friendly bunch.

The most trying part of my new life has not been the lack of every day necessities or even seeing the tragedies of a third world country, but rather establishing my place and mission in the Maasai community. I have been working at Ooloshooibor Primary School, which consists of grades K-8. The students range from age 3 to as old as 20+. It is strange to walk into a 4^th grade classroom and see a 20 year old sitting amongst 9 year old classmates, but it’s a chance for an education and everyone has to start somewhere. The students are extremely intelligent, learning through pure dedication and drive, for they have no resources other than their notebooks and textbooks (some not even that). The classrooms are run in a very traditional teaching style, mostly lecture based and a majority of the teachers are responsible for a variety of subjects for a variety of grades. There class schedules can be overwhelming to a newcomer like myself, for there are 8 lessons in a day, 35 minutes each, and every teacher would agree with me when I say that not much can be covered in the time allotted. I have taught a couple classes a day, filling in for teachers here and there, but for many different reasons I have to say that my days in the classroom here are limited. The school can obviously use different resources and there are many opportunities for infrastructure projects, so I have decided to concentrate on doing what I can in those areas for the time being.

Coincidentally enough an NGO has donated about 12 computers to the community right when we got here, which has been the talk of the town since we’ve arrived. Unfortunately dumping a bunch of computers in the middle of the bush does no good if the people using them have never seen one before. Luckily we’re here to teach them! A couple of us have been giving computer training classes to the teachers and the community a few times a week, and even purchased an internet modem for them. It is a very strange feeling to be using the internet and see a herd of cows walking past the window. On the downside, having these computers have given a lot of us mixed feelings. Although they can be used to benefit the school and community, it really should not be one of the top priorities of the school. The money used to run the internet in the upcoming months, not to mention any repairs that need to be made in the future should be used for other things first. But they are here to stay and we’ll try to help out where we can.

Lastly, although I have not made any definite plans yet, I may be moving sites. VICDA has asked us to help in the IDP camps where they need help building classrooms and teaching/counseling opportunities are plentiful, so I may be there in the upcoming weeks. I will keep everyone updated. I have so much more to write and many pictures to post, but this is all I can do for now. Again, I apologize the mess of a blog! More on the fascinating Maasai culture, future trips around Kenya, and my work plans to come!

Hello, my name is Traci Yoshiyama and I am raising funds that will help me get to Kenya.  My goal is to raise $5,000 by the end of the year.   Starting on January 15, 2010 I will be volunteering in the Maasailand Teaching Program through the Global Volunteer Network. For six months I will be teaching in a primary school, learning Kimaasai (community mother tongue), creating community development projects, spying on Kenyan wildlife, and enjoying the sunny days of Africa.

Although many that know me have known of my persistence and determination to live and teach in Africa, most still wonder, “WHY Africa!?” My answer is simple. Africa is in dire need of well-qualified educators; people that are willing to provide new insights, but also respect their culture as their own. I want to be a part of that. I am also a strong proponent of multicultural education. Through my experiences abroad I will not only help those in Africa, but also provide my future students in Hawaii with knowledge that contains substance and a purpose. It is my belief that in order to teach anything worth remembering, we must live through it first.