So school has started. Almost all of the students are here. Besides the 22 lessons per week, Im teaching KSL at two of the local VCT’s as well as helping out with a mobile VCT on Thursdays. VCT is like planned parenthood but for HIV/Aids. It stands for voluntary counseling and testing. Since some people live way out in the interior, the VCT goes to them. Last Thursday, I had a pretty powerful day. First we had to do a follow up with a family whose children were malnourished. When we get there, they start running away from us. They thought we were the police and we had come to bust them for illegal brewing. Once we got people calmed down, we went out to meet them. I had lost count of the number of children I saw. When I thought I had seen them all, more would just pop out of the wood work..literally. I asked one of the counselors what the story was with this family. He told me because their homes site on an “island” of sorts( surrounded by a swamp and a river), It’s difficult for them to get out into town. They don’t practice birth control r family planning, and with the customers purchasing not only their local brew but a romp in the hay as well, the children are having children. I was shocked when he told me the children were getting no lunch today and he didn’t know if they had eaten in the morning either. The focus for the family is their brewing since that is what brings in the money and not on farming. I saw 2 little girls. One who looked to be about 1yr old, couldn’t walk and was crawling around on the ground. One of the nutritionists who came with us, told me she was 5. Her sister was 7. She had the body of a 4 or 3 yr old. I was speechless. I asked if there was any improvement. The team said no. More children were being born and not enough food was produced. We drove away disappointed.
Our next stop was a tea weighing station to provide testing. Most of the time im usually holding my breath when people test, not wanting them to test positive. We had been out there for a few hours already and everyone so far that day tested negative. As the time continued on, more and more people were coming to get their money from the tea weighers. I saw a man with a basket on his back bringing tea. He got money and started to head home. He was about to round the corner out of sight when he stopped, looked at us and turned around. He walked over to our station and asked to be tested. I went on with what I was doing, untill one of the counselors asked me to get the second HIV test( the one used to determine if the person truly has HIV if the first test shows positive). I handed it to the counselor standing with the man. They had moved to a more private location. He had this look of panic on his face. The test was finished and the counselor left to continue working. The man stood there, hands on his hips, hidden behind the building, away from sight. I watched the emotions spread across his face. Panic, confusion, fright. He continued standing there for a good 10 minutes and then he picked up his basket and headed home. I cant imagine what his walk home was like, the things going on in his mind. I know America has HIV/AIDS but no one I know has it, not even an acquaintance of a friend. We don’t see it that much and so we tend to feel safe. I don’t even know of any couple who gets tested before they have sex. But living in Kenya has become an eye opener. HIV is so prevalent almost every single person knows at least 2 people who have HIV, has died from HIV or has had an acquaintance who has dealt with HIV. This man came to work today, excited to get his money and he left knowing he had HIV. I have never seen the face of someone who has tested positive. I think the way his face looked will be forever ingrained in my memory.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Mount Elgon and Sunflowers
Like I had stated in the pervious post, most of my holiday is spent taking care of Peace Corps business. But I did have a week or two to myself. So, another volunteer and I wanted to travel to parts unknown this holiday and we decided to go camping at Mount Elgon. One of Kenyas National parks, it lies in the north part of western province in between Kenya and Uganda, and is one of Kenyas hidden gems. Now when I say parts unknown, I mean unknown by fellow volunteers. We were the trailblazers this trip and we were going to find our way with the use of guide books since neither one of us had a clue where we were going. Sometimes I find traveling in Kenya an adventure by itself. The epic landscapes you pass by, the people you meet and the simplicity of it makes traveling on an overcrowded matatu, fighting for the local price with the conductor, squeezed between a lecherous 80 yr old man and a mama with a baby who looks dangerously close to barfing all over you worth it. On our way to Mount Elgon, we drove through endless sunflower fields, we assumed for the production of sunflower seed oil since I have never seen a Kenyans garden filled with flowers just for the beauty of them. Enormous, smooth, red boulders rose out of the ground. I wanted to stop the car so badly and climb to the top, just to see what the view would be like.
When we finally reached Kitale, the “base camp” for Mount Elgon, we went in search of a mama who could help us find our way up to the mountain. When I say Mount Elgon is a hidden gem, I mean hidden. It is not very commercialized which is a good thing, leaving the mountain and surrounding communities natural and free of tourists but the downside is transportation to the mountain is difficult to find. The gate to the mountain is some distance away from Kitale which leaves you little choice in transportation methods. Piki Piki(motorcycle) which is a big NO NO in Peace Corps, private car, which can cost you an arm and a leg, or your own 2 feet which should be in good shape to carry you the 2 hour walk to the gate. We chose the 2nd option.
We got to the Mountain, paid our fees and went in search of our camp site. It was a hike even to our camp sites. By the time we got there, we were huffing and puffing. As we rounded the corner and took full view of our site, we were surprised to see a herd of bush buck, large deer like animals. My friend thought they were cows. We were happy to discover that besides the bush bucks, we were completely alone. We set up our tent and went exploring. Our camp site was a large meadow surrounded by thick forests. Luckily we had running water, flush choos, and a fire pit. Exhausted from traveling, we decided to eat dinner ( PB &J and mangos) and go to bed. I remember later that night waking up freezing, moonlight streaming in through the tent and looking up through the tent at a night sky filled with stars. I had never seen that many stars. It was like someone poked holes in the black canvas but didn’t know when to stop.
The nexr day, we went hiking. Now, if you don’t have the money for a guide to take you to the top, there is a route you can take that takes you to 4 different caves. The first cave is where the elephants used to come and lick the walls. I still don’t understand how the elephants got into the cave with the trail being so narrow and rocky. The second cave was by far my favorite although we had to hike straight uphill to get to it. It was one of those moments I wished I had starbursts. But once we arrived at the top, we were stunned with the beauty to behold. The caves mouth was bigger then the first cave and a huge waterfall flowed over the mouth of the cave. My friend and I couldn’t resist and climb over the rocks to get under it. It was refreshing after such a long hike. After taking a bath in the waterfall, it was time to explore the cave. So, we got out bandanas ( for the smell and the bat poop) and our headlamps and went exploring. The second cave was wide and deep, bat poop littered the ground making it slippery, squishy. I eventually got scared and came out. I know 25 and still afraid of the dark. Haha. When we got back to our site, I wanted to cut off my feet. Instead, we pulled our mats out of the tent and took a 2 hour nap. We woke up for a bit, decided to make a campfire and then we went back to sleep. We were whipped. The next morning, we packed up our stuff and headed home. I can’t wait for the next adventure!
When we finally reached Kitale, the “base camp” for Mount Elgon, we went in search of a mama who could help us find our way up to the mountain. When I say Mount Elgon is a hidden gem, I mean hidden. It is not very commercialized which is a good thing, leaving the mountain and surrounding communities natural and free of tourists but the downside is transportation to the mountain is difficult to find. The gate to the mountain is some distance away from Kitale which leaves you little choice in transportation methods. Piki Piki(motorcycle) which is a big NO NO in Peace Corps, private car, which can cost you an arm and a leg, or your own 2 feet which should be in good shape to carry you the 2 hour walk to the gate. We chose the 2nd option.
We got to the Mountain, paid our fees and went in search of our camp site. It was a hike even to our camp sites. By the time we got there, we were huffing and puffing. As we rounded the corner and took full view of our site, we were surprised to see a herd of bush buck, large deer like animals. My friend thought they were cows. We were happy to discover that besides the bush bucks, we were completely alone. We set up our tent and went exploring. Our camp site was a large meadow surrounded by thick forests. Luckily we had running water, flush choos, and a fire pit. Exhausted from traveling, we decided to eat dinner ( PB &J and mangos) and go to bed. I remember later that night waking up freezing, moonlight streaming in through the tent and looking up through the tent at a night sky filled with stars. I had never seen that many stars. It was like someone poked holes in the black canvas but didn’t know when to stop.
The nexr day, we went hiking. Now, if you don’t have the money for a guide to take you to the top, there is a route you can take that takes you to 4 different caves. The first cave is where the elephants used to come and lick the walls. I still don’t understand how the elephants got into the cave with the trail being so narrow and rocky. The second cave was by far my favorite although we had to hike straight uphill to get to it. It was one of those moments I wished I had starbursts. But once we arrived at the top, we were stunned with the beauty to behold. The caves mouth was bigger then the first cave and a huge waterfall flowed over the mouth of the cave. My friend and I couldn’t resist and climb over the rocks to get under it. It was refreshing after such a long hike. After taking a bath in the waterfall, it was time to explore the cave. So, we got out bandanas ( for the smell and the bat poop) and our headlamps and went exploring. The second cave was wide and deep, bat poop littered the ground making it slippery, squishy. I eventually got scared and came out. I know 25 and still afraid of the dark. Haha. When we got back to our site, I wanted to cut off my feet. Instead, we pulled our mats out of the tent and took a 2 hour nap. We woke up for a bit, decided to make a campfire and then we went back to sleep. We were whipped. The next morning, we packed up our stuff and headed home. I can’t wait for the next adventure!
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