Days 9 – 10: donkeys, heat and Eritrean wedding

Flight from Nairobi to Khartoum takes about 3 hours of which about 80% is flying over Sudan’s teritory. Sudan is huge and as far as I know there are very weak or nonexistent road connections between different areas. In most of the cases the only travel possible is by air.

During my flight i met a man working for the World Food Programme who gave me a very useful induction on life in Sudan especially from the perspective of the humanitarian workers. Conditions they live, challenges, working and living with your collegues almost24/7, being away from home, family and loved ones, stressful work, insecurity, different food or actually lack of food, illnesses – all this becomes a part of their work and life. And then there is this important question – what makes people to do this, why to leave their comfort zone.. Though, in case of Sudan majority of humanitarian workers would actually be nationals, for whom this might be one of the few choices of employment.

My first impressions about Sudan by far exceeded my expectations. Before landing in this early evening i saw an endless area of lights and highways. Khartoum with its low architecture is spread across quite a large area and by consisting of kind of 3 cities it is a home for about 4-5 million people. It’s huge. The airport is practically in the middle of the city and therefore very convenient to access the city. When we were taking the Africa road on my way to the flat, i felt i could be in any European city. Of course, the next day I would realize that these are only bits and pieces of ‘development’ here and there, but it was still impressive to see how it is striving to develop. By now i have seen even greater contrasts than in Kenya: posh cars, rikshaws and donkeys are common types of transportation on the road and big residential buildings and shopping malls are next to the houses of very basic construction. There is a huge influx of investment from China, Turkey and Egypt which helps Sudan to develop its infrastructure, solve some of the unemployment problems (though, China prefers to send in their own people to implement their aid projects) and improve a bit the level of living.

Well, but the weather.. Mamma mia. On average it is between +32 to 40C during the day. As i spend most of the day in the office, i dont feel the heat so directly, though obviously it is only thanks to air conditioners in almost every single room, otherwise ability to work can be really affected.I am struggling to get used to having an air conditioner on during the night and mostly because of the noise. but it’s getting better. for this reason as well as casual power cuts, you can see generators everywhere. Office without generator here can create quite  a big ‘disaster’.

And, when it comes to food, it gets even more challenging than in Kenya: seems like here people eat meat even more (i will remind you again – i am vegetarian) and they eat food with the right hand (help, i am left-handed and i keep forgetting that it matters which hand i use!). Though our office lunch luckily has been completely vegetarian so far (beans, bread, salad) so no complaints. But i am happy to find here more sweeeeeets. Yesterday we bought some Middle East sweets. dont know the names, but those which look like rolls of hair mmmmm

But, yesterday completely out of blue sky came this opportunity to attend the Eritrean wedding. I felt kind of uncomfortable at the beginning as it to me would be a very family/close ones-focused event. However, this last event of this wedding celebration (apparently here according to tradition wedding has a series of different events over a period of time) is open to the communities from which the both families come from so anyone is welcome. At first we were given a food and drink and then we found a seat near to the central place in this huge decorated tent with a gold color throne for the bride and the groom. Eritrean women were wearing traditional clothes and had their hands and feet decorated with henna. Apparently henna paintings symbolized wealth and money. This wedding showed me a very pragmatic approach to the marriage. Family of groom had to pay to the family of bride and this money was recounted in front of everyone. i was wondering – but what about love? Groom during this ceremony looked quite bored and disinterested so we were even guessing if this is maybe an arranged wedding. However, as i learnt afterwards, organizing a wedding is really expensive and people may be spending a lot of money for this day even though they live in generally poor conditions. Here wedding is beyond just a ‘contract’  or ‘union’ betweent the two. it is about both extended families and their mutual acceptance of each other. In this event three of us – foreigners – became almost as a part of a ‘show’ as they at times where making photos of us more than of the couple. But i guess, it really must have felt equally special and interesting for them to have us around as for us taking part in this event.

Today i also learnt that due to bad weather (rain and storms) and some technical difficulties i will not be able to travel to Darfur visiting one of our field offices. Shame. Getting closer to what we are delivering and to whom would definitely give me a better understanding about the humanitarian work and all the complexities around. But, i will have then more time to spend with the staff here in Khartoum and, as we have been joking today, maybe attending few more weddings. tonight we are going around to see if there is one we can check out

Days 7 – 8: sense of guilt and “Relax. God is in control”

….every day i enjoy Kenya more and more. But, it’s not so much about what i see, but rather than the learning process which breaks down the barriers, prejudices, ignorance or just simple unfimiliarity with this country and people. I feel, i am personally on a very individual level pushing the boundaries, leaving the comfort zone and opening up new horizonts. They say that we are afraid of what we dont know. To apply this saying to my case, i think, that fear or rather the discomfort or doubts are slowly leaving me. Though, i would not mix this with coutiousness. Open eyes and attention to detail is extremely important here.

On Saturday morning i wanted to go to the Kibera slum which is apparently one of the biggest ones in Kenya and is located in Nairobi city. However, as i did not manage to make all my arrangements on time (but i really hope, i will have a chance to do it next weekend or so), i went for a 3 hours long walk in the central Nairobi. Apparently, this was something which white people normally dont do, especially women and alone. Taxi drivers were offering me to drive where i need and people where asking if I am lost. No, i said, i am just walking around. And, i must say, in the central Nairobi it’s really nice and relatively safe, especially during the day. I saw maybe 5-6 white people thus this allowed me to imagine how black people may feel in white societies. People looking or gazing at you, observing, greeting me and starting conversation… at times it feels strange, but i did not feel any negativity. My only feeling was – guilt. Guilt of having this Nikon photo camera which i am afraid of taking out of my bag, because few metres from me there are people who probably struggle to get enough food. Guilt of having this luxury to live the life i have, do what i do and be who i am.There was one girl i met twice while walking (i am still wondering, maybe she followed me?) and when we met second time we had a little chat about things. She was very keen to get a shcolarship for Master degree studies in the Netherlands. She believes, that with that education she would have better future prospects.

In so many ways this walk reminded me about Latvia in late 80s and early 90s when the transition to market economy took place and so called ‘shock teraphy’ resulted in increased numbers of unemployed, poor and desperate to earn something, booming construction and skyrocketing prices (do you know who can buy here flats for 200k GBP?). Grey economy which is flourishing in Nairobi is their survival strategy selling small items on streets, or on the roads during the traffick jams (it’s heartbreaking to see children between cars risking their lives trying to sell something) or having police to charge you an ‘informal tax’ to avoid problems. These huge contrasts between the high office buildings and the slums, posh cars and rikshaws, restaurants and street food are so obvious and so close to each other. Moreover, i am not sure if this is a remain of colonial times, but this servants’ culture is so common here and i struggle to accept that. I can imagine that if you have a 10 bedroom house and you work 40 hours day and you have 3 kids, you may not have much time for cleaning and cooking, but i see even very small families having servants. is this a kind of a generational revenge? Do these  servants ever get out of the servant’s fate?

This day i also realized that crossing a 4 lane road at red light is not that complicated. it’ s like with everything – practice, practice, practice. As i said it already earlier, traffick lights are often for guidance only. And as a label on one car said “Relax. God is in control!” Regarding driving I also learnt, that you have to get your own taxi driver, whom you trust and who rewards you with reasonable taxi rates. Taxi driver Michael, who took me that day to the centre and back and to the airport promised to pick me up in the airport when i will come back from Sudan next week. We made a deal. I hope, he will keep his word.

What i also have found when talking to Kenyans is this extraordinary ‘church-going’ culture and high infidelity in society. some surveys say, about 90% of married people cheat and it’s just getting worse and worse. They are apparently also more worried about getting pregnant rather than HIV/AIDS. So, what’s the point of going to the church and knowing the Commandments, if they are not taken into account in daily life?

I still have not had a chance to go to a proper market though i am actually delaying to the last days of my trip. Before that i am trying to learn about bargaining which is apparently an obligatory and natural part of the shopping. In markets i have been advised to divide the initially offered price by 4 and then start from there down. But again, i have not tried it yet, as i feel a bit guilt trying to give less to someone who already does nto have much. especially, when it’s about actually really insignificant items and prices.

What i also have found is that Latvia is not something everyone immediately recognizes, therefore i have started to use more often such references as Norther Europe or just simply London to make the dialogue short But in relation to Africa, my small dear Latvia is not that innocent as it may seem. Back in 17th century we had two(!) colonies: one in South America – Tobago and the second one in Africa – Gambia. I wonder, if there is any heritage left from those days. So, a little apology on behalf of Latvia from myside to Africa as well.

I am off to Sudan now and if things go as planned i should be back in Nairobi in one week.

Days 5 – 6: paperwork jungle, networking and ‘strange dreams’

Huhhh, these two days have been really busy: meetings with bank, consultant, Employers’ federation, networking with other NGOs, doing interviews with shortlisted candidates, trying to get through the bureaucratic/ paperwork jungle etc etc

Set up phase until you get the proper office space, equipment, staff, bank account with money, feels a bit chaotic or let’ s say – theoretical, because most of the things are still just plans. But, as i keep saying, if the right systems are in place and used  from the very beginning, you save nerves in a long term. Though, the context as well as sector specifics as such require quite big flexibility, therefore we also should be able to adjust quickly if and when needed.

But it’s exciting. Yesterday was a very long as we went outside the city to a venue where a water sanitation training was run by one of my collegues from London, so it was a good opportunity to meet other humanitarians, especially those from Kenya and/or South Sudan. What is the most encouraging and fascinating thing i learnt is that the capacity building,  which is our major mission and aim here, is highly needed and demanded. It just assured that we are in the right place and planning to do the right thing. we could have been here already yesterday, but better later than never.

As my travel changed a bit and I will have to go to Sudan a bit earlier, i started to take anti-malarials, which apparently may likely cause quite many different side effects including headache, feeling sick, tiredness, dizziness, depression etc etc. so far so good, however among the side effects there was also a side effect of having strange dreams. So, now, when heading to bed, i wonder what would ‘strange dreams’ really be like just in case I gonna be the lucky one to have this very special or indeed strange anti-malarial side effect…

Lessons learnt:

If you can drive in Nairobi, you can drive anywhere;

paying with bank cards is not a cammon practice here though in hotels, for example, you may do it.

US dollar notes which are newer, nice and tidy has better exchange rate than the ones which are older, dirty or torn a bit.

Day 4: let’ s start working

This morning i felt such a relief when i woke up and realized that i have only a relatively weak headache and i can again function as a normal human being. 30 hours with no food did not make me feel having loads of energy but probably just the fact i felt so much better again recharged my batteries quickly.

The aim of my travel to Nairobi is to support setting up the RedR UK office in Nairobi which would provide training to aid workers from the region of East Africa. At the moment our first and primary focus will be to deliver training in South Sudan, Juba, the newest country in the world, but eventually we will try to cover also other countries.

Setting up the office includes recruiting staff, registering with the relevant authorties, getting the postal address, opening bank account, finding the office space, purchasing major office supplies, starting initial marketing, networking and contact building, setting up admnistrative policies and procedures etc etc. This set up phase is all about getting things done in the right sequence, good planning and decision making.

Today was a quite productive day as we managed to get postal address in literaly 5 minutes (!) and we could move forward with our bank account. Also, it might make things easier because RedR UK was working in Kenya back in 2003 – 2006, so we might need only to re-activate things, however we still wont avoid all the paperwork and bureaucracy to get things done, but hopefully it will speed up things a bit.

What we have already concluded is that price levels are higher than you would normally expect, but comparatively, as we are doing a paralel process in Juba, South Sudan, Nairobi is quite ok, but Juba – there prices are astronomic! Office space for up to 10 people may cost at least 8 000USD per month or more, which is simply unthinkable. I think, in London we could get cheaper options. It might be cheaper to build a brand new office, however as the construction market is under control it’s better not to try to step on someone else’ s toes. But, what an irony – these prices are inflated by the very same NGOs and UN organizations which in large numbers come into a country and thus increase the demand. The very same NGOs then become victims of their own keeness to help by being forced to pay such prices.So, this means, we have a very challenging task to find the best possible option for our office. Desk research, contacts with other NGOs and field visit will hopefully bring us to a smart decision.

2 rules i learnt today when walking in the central Nairobi:

1. dont wait for the green light to cross the street. just cross it when it’ s less risky. traffic lights are only a guidance.

2. dont get confused when now and then when entering a bank or a busness centre you are checked by security guys. it’s normal. and they are generally very heplful if you cant find something.

Day 3: a thing you never plan to do while traveling

t’s been only three days since i am in Nairobi but i have already managed to catch tummy bug. So, all day stuck in bed…. but well, my optimistic side says that i have to start from lows to experience and enjoy the highs..

Apparently, one should be quite careful with food, especially diary products, water aand fresh greens.

So, from now i will think twice what i am eating.

1st day: fences

After a bit more than 8 hours long flight i arrived in Nairobi early this morning without much sleep but with skyrocketing level of keeness to explore every single day of my trip as much as i can. A very humid air was the first thing i noticed, which in combination with +17 temperature  made a warm, refreshing welcome.

When i got my visa in literary 5 minutes i was happy i did not waste my time by trying to do it in London which would take at least 3 days. In the airport you can get visa for Kenya by filling in application form and paying 25USD. They even did not need my photos which i managed to get done on a very last minute before travel.

My pre-booked taxi driver arrives a bit late, but until then i stay calm as there are tens of other taxi drivers keen to take me wherever i would need. On my way to the flat where i am staying i noticed streams of many men as well as women walking along the road or across the fields. As my taxi driver explained at this early hour some of them are going home after finishing their night shifts at the factories or going to the work.Though in principle there is nothing strange, walking rather than traveling long distances by car or public transport to work is probably what it made look so different.

By having my first lunch and dinner in this country I realized that being vegetarian might be a quite challenging mission. Moreover, so far most of the vegetarian options are interpretations of Italian cousine which is somewhat disappointing as this is definitely a place where i would want to avoid European/ Western style food and try authentic local cousine as much as possible. I already made an exception this evening by having a local dish of fish (dont remember name).

But what really got my attention today was fences. Wherever you look, you see fences. This automatically leads me to think who the ‘us’  and who the ‘they’  are. Who is defending himself  from whom and why. Do ‘ they’ and ‘ us’ ever meet? The higher the fence the safer ‘they’  feel? The stronger the fence the more powerful one is? Is a fence a manifestation of status? Fences seem to me like policemen which so visibly control the social relations in community by punishing those who ignore or disrespect them. And seems like then everyone has this need to build a fence around him even if it is made of a cardboard and is only as wide as to cover the length of one’ s sleeping place…

just before departure

for the last 2 weeks my life has been organized around the travel checklist – things i have to do or buy or check or get before my 3 weeks long travel to Africa. My very first trip to Africa. Vaccines, antimalarial tablets, work plan, visa, accommodation, flight tickets, building cultural awareness, personal security briefings, preparation of all kinds of documents, anti-insect sprays, marketing materials, IT and other equipment, insurance etc etc etc

I am glad i can have 2 pieces of luggage, up to 23kg each. it makes packing so much easier, though i am still not sure if i spent 2.5 hours of packing efficiently. Awareness of different cultures, traditions and perception of ‘normality’ versus perfect summer temperatures (from 22C in Kenya to even 40C in Khartoum) seriously complicated my decision making regarding which clothes to take with me. Will see.

I am almost ready to go to the airport. Will have a night flight arriving in Nairobi early morning. Cant wait.

kisses and prayers

…sometimes, kisses in the airport are more genuine than in the wedding ceremony, and prayers in the hospital more sincere than in the church..

end of bin Laden’s life: beginning of a safer world or not?

It came indeed as a surprise this morning to hear about bin Laden’s death and a wide celebration of this fact in the USA. However, I would be cautious to celebrate death of bin Laden. West prefers to think it is a victory over Taliban and terrorist groups. But, equally, it can also be a re-activation of terrorist attacks as a revenge. Do we know what bin Laden has left behind, how powerful is Taliban to take more terrorist actions? Are there now new leaders replacing bin Laden? For the West, a very important question is how it will further justify its presence in Afghanistan?

Moreover, it is still a question if by killing bin Laden the world has become a safer place to live….. All this mystery around Pakistan & Afghanistan and their relations to Taliban (what an irony: we have been fighting, killing people in Afghanistan, while bin Laden was actually hiding in Pakistan) cause more questions and give hardly no answers.

In addition..what is really interesting is ‘utilization’ of bin Laden’s body. Instead of keeping it for a while as a an evidence to prove the truth of the fact (where are the photos or videos of this dead man? or at least a trophy, a chunk of his beard?) they have immediately (why such a rush???) buried bin Laden’s body at sea. If you look in the map, the nearest sea is more than 1000km away form the place he was shot dead. Would they really fly that distance to throw him in the sea?

Level of credibility of this story is somewhat decreasing. I am suspicious…