Probably our biggest highlight of this month long orientation has been our weekend spent in Meru as a group. It was our first road trip together which connotes bonding automatically, but we were overjoyed at how easy it was to also bond with the "youth" (ages 18-35) there. They had a youth rally for their presbytery and had activities planned all weekend with us in mind. We're definitely not used to all the attention, but we wrote it off as Kenyan hospitality at its finest.It was everything we hoped it would be: a mutual cultural exchange. They schooled us in volleyball and soccer, taught us some new songs and dances, told some good stories...ok, maybe it wasn't exactly mutual in that we received a whole lot more... though Jacob (other YAV) did do a mean rendition of "the Princess Pat" (any campers out there?) that was requested several times after it was led. Anyway, the spirit of the whole thing was incredibly welcoming and warm.
In our "heart to heart" discussions, we talked about the many ways in which our lives were different. They were very interested to see how Americans view Kenyans. Unfortunately, much of the truth is that Americans see the poverty level, the HIV epidemic, and the violence before anything else. Oh, and they have animals. And wasn't Barack from there? I tried to pair this view with my own desires for coming to Kenya and gaining a perspective rich enough to educate and inform, so I'm hoping it's not the overall impression they took home that day about Americans. It even felt awkward to mention the general American's perspective on Kenya to people that had become friends in such a short time. It didn't fit them at all. Hopefully, they felt their general perspective on Americans was also oddly placed in the context of our newfound relationships. One labeled America as "up here" while Kenya is "down here." America as the ideal they were striving for... This struck me as somewhat sad- I definitely didn't ever think of myself as setting a bar for others, and definitely didn't think about devaluing others' way of life while I was at it. Ugh, the weight. But I think this is how attitudes start changing. We're both made more aware and will continue to live in such a way condusive to this relationship.
I'm moving to Meru on Thursday after I get cleared on my swine flu status. The weekend we spent there made me look forward to my time there immensely. Not sure if I mentioned my placement change, but I am now working in a primary school. I'll be teaching music or english, or whatever they need. I can't wait to get started there, and to make Meru my new home.
3 comments:
It sounds wonderful and challenging. I hope all goes well as you settle into your new home.
Hey Deanna -
It sounds like you are having a fabulous time! I am currently studying abroad in South Africa and I am surprised at how many things I have found in common with your experiences. The matatus (though we call them minibuses), the gap between the rich and poor, lots of tea and fresh produce. I too am learning about how much other countries look to the US as a standard and strive to be like the US. I now feel like I should learn and know everything about all countries, just as everyone else knows so much about us. Anyways, I enjoy your blog and can't wait to see how your time in Kenya unfolds.
Amanda Drury
Thanks for sharing! I especially enjoyed that you had the conversation about how people from each country view the other. Very eye opening! And it makes me glad you're there so you can help the rest of us learn about the real Kenya.
Post a Comment