I would certainly love law school a lot more if it even momentarily represented my current "law school" experience!!
After we returned from Samburu last weekend we had two class days and then hopped a plane to Diani Beach, which is located on the southern Kenya coast near the Tanzania boarder. We arrived Thursday morning to the most amazing resort I have ever seen, we pull into the grand entrance and can see the ocean from the drive way. It took most of us under 10 minutes to get to our room and get into our bathing suits and get back to the pool. Since it is winter now the heat wasn't unbearable, it was around 80 degrees during the day and 70 at night with the ocean being roughly 65, more humid than the city is but really pleasant. Our days were filled with nothingness, which is an amazing feeling that verged to guilt that we subdued with the free booze since it was all-inclusive!! I laid by the pool for 6 hours a day, pulling myself away to accomplish the necessary tasks such as getting more booze (damned monkeys weren't trainable to fetch cocktails) and eating at an amazing restaurant. The beach was feet away and while laying by the pool or getting a hot stone massage (yup, did that too), you could hear the waves breaking. I would have much preferred laying in the pure white sand but time on the beach was less than relaxing as the curio shops seemed to grow legs and men hocking carved objects wouldn't leave us alone. Despite this, we did get some amazing time in the water. The waves were relatively small since about 300 meters out there was a sand bar and reef which took the brunt of the open sea action. We played in the waves, floated around and tried our hardest to avoid the GIANT (feet, plural, feet long pokers) sea urchins. When the tide came in and the sun went down, we enjoyed ourselves at the bar and the various evening activities arranged for us by the hotel. It is a German resort and I was beyond pleased to be eating German pretzels again. One evening, our entire group went to Ali Babu's Cave, a restaurant located in a naturally formed cave. For very little money, we had the most amazing meal I have had in recent memory, honestly, I would have this as my last meal before execution, it was that good. We all dressed up, put make up on (an accomplishment itself as I haven't done my hair or face in WEEKS), brought out the proper manners (some better than others on all fronts) and had a great meal. It was so much fun, well worth the annoyance of planning it. After four days in the sun I browned up nicely! Even a Kenyan on the beach commented on my nice color and was curious if I was an ex-pat from here. My tan lines are kinda ridiculous but worth it to be SO tan.
We are now back in dirty smelly Nairobi. To make up for our two day week last week, we are suffering through five days this week. But, to the program's credit, it has been broken up nicely, we went to the UN yesterday instead of environmental law class. The head of the United Nations Environment Program legal division talked with us. I could easily see myself taking my legal degree and putting it to use in that department. It was really interesting, plus getting to walk up the delegates walk way under all the flags of the UN was amazing. I am surprised none of our kids got arrested. The UN is directly across the street from the US Embassy and some our trouble making boys ran across the street and were standing outside "demanding" entry and then stood there and saluted. It's illegal to take pictures of the Embassy, I would hate to know what trying to break in would be!
Tomorrow is our last day of school for the week and then I have my first full weekend in Nairobi. Saturday we are doing the super tourist things, giraffe kissing, petting baby elephants, animals orphanage and Sunday I plan on watching the entire first season of Lost. THEN Monday morning a small group of us depart for EGYPT (I still can't believe it is true!). We fly to Cairo, spend a day there seeing the pyramids (we may even get tickets to go in the pyramid) and the sphinx and the Egyptian museum, then we fly south to a place where we board a ship and cruise down/up the Nile for three days stopping at different places each day, ending in Luxor, which is in southern Egypt and is the site of the Valley of the Kings. Then we fly back to Cairo on Saturday, see all the mosques, churches and go to the market then fly back to Nairobi Monday morning. It should be amazing.
After Egypt I only have two weeks of class left, two days of finals and then off to Zanzibar then home August 1. Someone pointed out to me that I have 33 days left. Not sure where time is going but I am certainly having fun every second!!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
2 weeks down and I have yet to be hit by a car!
I have been in Nairobi now for almost two weeks and it certainly is an experience!!!!! Classes began last week and we are all settling into a nice routine which is fractured by the safaris and beach trips that have been planned for us!!
Classes are alright. I am taking International Environmental Law and Comparative Family Law. I honestly thought I would be enjoying the environmental law class far more given that it was my college major but the class is being taught by Kenyans who have a vastly different teaching style. They assign three full chapters of reading a night (roughly 300 pages) but don't expect anyone to read it and then lecture for two hours straight on the reading we didn't need to do. After first year of law school I thought I would be happy to say good bye to the Socratic method and cases but I would kill for something concrete, case law to memorize, something. Being lectured at is rather dull. The family law class is interesting. It is small and much more like a Mount Holyoke seminar class, a lot of discussion. The professor is American, so it is very similar to what I would expect from a small law school elective. I promise never to complain about my law school's facilities ever again. Honestly, the law school here is a joke, I have no clue how they get an education. I try to keep in mind that they are doing the best they can, but it is so hard not to compare. They don't have a complete library, books arrive if they are donated by schools in the west. Their Amjur/CJR is not complete, ones are missing. They have dial up internet that makes what Mom just got rid of seem lightening fast. The students can't afford text books. There are barely windowpanes on the windows, so the screaming traffic outside drowns out the professor. The building looks like a military barracks. It is strange but makes me appreciate my heinous round law school so much more!!!
This past weekend we went north of Nairobi, crossing the equator, to Samburu Game Reserve. It is a small park but we saw a lot of wildlife. Within five minutes of being in a park a HUGE female lion crossed the road. Then we saw lions each day we were there. Plus all the other cool animals and birds. The highlight of the whole trip was our accommodations. We stayed at a luxury tented camp, which is very popular here. Our "tent" had beds, electrical outlets, a fan, an attached local stone bathroom with flushing toilet and hot water. It was pretty amazing. The food was perfect and there was ALOT of it. The staff was so helpful. We had game drives (heading out in land cruisers to find wildlife) at 6am and 4pm, that left the middle of the day to keep ourselves occupied. We decided to stay in the pool from about 10am to 3pm, leaving only briefly for food. A waiter was assigned to our group and took and delivered fruity drink orders pool side. It was pretty amazing. On the way back to Nairobi Monday evening we stopped ON the equator and took pictures with a sign indicating our location. It was certainly an experience.
Tomorrow we board a plane to Diani Beach which is on the southern Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. The resort there is rumored to be even better than in Samburu. We will be there for four days. I think our only problem will be choosing what activities to do during the four days. There is snorkeling on the reefs, they take you out in a glass bottom boat and let you out in the reef. There is a restaurant in a cave that we want to go to. Of course, laying on the beach is also an option!! Plus every other water sport known to man. I am SO excited because I have never been to the Caribbean. The closest I have come is the Mediterranean and compared to Maine's ocean I head the Indian Ocean is crystal clear and full of exotic fish!!! It should be an amazing trip. Its a hard life, only having classes two days this week in order to accommodate our travel schedule.
We have one full week of classes when we get back from Diani and then have a week vacation (how I am getting law school credit when I am traveling more than reading is beyond me!). I toyed with a million different ideas of what to do during break, spend it on the coast at a different resort, go to Uganda/Rwanda to trek for gorillas, go to Madagascar, stay in Nairobi and save some money. But, then a few people came up with an amazing idea, Egypt. On the 1st July 10 of us are flying to Cairo for a 6 day trip. We are seeing all the sights, taking a sleeping train to the Valley of the Kings, taking a traditional boat trip back up the Nile to Cairo. It is going to be AMAZING!!!!!! I can't pass this up! I had a Mount Holyoke friend who studied abroad in Cairo and she assured me it was worth it, plus the cost of the plane ticket from the states is nearly double the cost of the whole trip (including airfare from here). And the group of kids are really cool and we have been traveling well together. I think we will have a lot of fun, but let's be honest, even if I hated them, for this trip I would man up and deal.
Nairobi is a lot of fun. We are slowly getting braver and venturing further from our home. We have gone to the local market. Tried some restaurants. I haven't been brave enough to drive the local form of transportation, matatus, but some people have. I am still repeating in my head "look right, left, right" when crossing the street and haven't gotten hit yet, but walking back from school yesterday was certainly questionable. The only big difference is the pollution. They just outlawed leaded gas last year and they certainly don't have the emissions standards we have. I believe their version of the EPA began in 2004, so they are a bit behind in that arena. My boogers completely black from exhaust and I am constantly coughing. The other kids on the program seem nice, but we are all typical law students, so there have been some personality clashes already.
Other than that, nothing really exciting happening here (hahaha!!!) I have to go shower for my second day and last day of classes this week!!! It's an early morning tomorrow, leaving the apartment at 6am for the coast!!!
Classes are alright. I am taking International Environmental Law and Comparative Family Law. I honestly thought I would be enjoying the environmental law class far more given that it was my college major but the class is being taught by Kenyans who have a vastly different teaching style. They assign three full chapters of reading a night (roughly 300 pages) but don't expect anyone to read it and then lecture for two hours straight on the reading we didn't need to do. After first year of law school I thought I would be happy to say good bye to the Socratic method and cases but I would kill for something concrete, case law to memorize, something. Being lectured at is rather dull. The family law class is interesting. It is small and much more like a Mount Holyoke seminar class, a lot of discussion. The professor is American, so it is very similar to what I would expect from a small law school elective. I promise never to complain about my law school's facilities ever again. Honestly, the law school here is a joke, I have no clue how they get an education. I try to keep in mind that they are doing the best they can, but it is so hard not to compare. They don't have a complete library, books arrive if they are donated by schools in the west. Their Amjur/CJR is not complete, ones are missing. They have dial up internet that makes what Mom just got rid of seem lightening fast. The students can't afford text books. There are barely windowpanes on the windows, so the screaming traffic outside drowns out the professor. The building looks like a military barracks. It is strange but makes me appreciate my heinous round law school so much more!!!
This past weekend we went north of Nairobi, crossing the equator, to Samburu Game Reserve. It is a small park but we saw a lot of wildlife. Within five minutes of being in a park a HUGE female lion crossed the road. Then we saw lions each day we were there. Plus all the other cool animals and birds. The highlight of the whole trip was our accommodations. We stayed at a luxury tented camp, which is very popular here. Our "tent" had beds, electrical outlets, a fan, an attached local stone bathroom with flushing toilet and hot water. It was pretty amazing. The food was perfect and there was ALOT of it. The staff was so helpful. We had game drives (heading out in land cruisers to find wildlife) at 6am and 4pm, that left the middle of the day to keep ourselves occupied. We decided to stay in the pool from about 10am to 3pm, leaving only briefly for food. A waiter was assigned to our group and took and delivered fruity drink orders pool side. It was pretty amazing. On the way back to Nairobi Monday evening we stopped ON the equator and took pictures with a sign indicating our location. It was certainly an experience.
Tomorrow we board a plane to Diani Beach which is on the southern Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. The resort there is rumored to be even better than in Samburu. We will be there for four days. I think our only problem will be choosing what activities to do during the four days. There is snorkeling on the reefs, they take you out in a glass bottom boat and let you out in the reef. There is a restaurant in a cave that we want to go to. Of course, laying on the beach is also an option!! Plus every other water sport known to man. I am SO excited because I have never been to the Caribbean. The closest I have come is the Mediterranean and compared to Maine's ocean I head the Indian Ocean is crystal clear and full of exotic fish!!! It should be an amazing trip. Its a hard life, only having classes two days this week in order to accommodate our travel schedule.
We have one full week of classes when we get back from Diani and then have a week vacation (how I am getting law school credit when I am traveling more than reading is beyond me!). I toyed with a million different ideas of what to do during break, spend it on the coast at a different resort, go to Uganda/Rwanda to trek for gorillas, go to Madagascar, stay in Nairobi and save some money. But, then a few people came up with an amazing idea, Egypt. On the 1st July 10 of us are flying to Cairo for a 6 day trip. We are seeing all the sights, taking a sleeping train to the Valley of the Kings, taking a traditional boat trip back up the Nile to Cairo. It is going to be AMAZING!!!!!! I can't pass this up! I had a Mount Holyoke friend who studied abroad in Cairo and she assured me it was worth it, plus the cost of the plane ticket from the states is nearly double the cost of the whole trip (including airfare from here). And the group of kids are really cool and we have been traveling well together. I think we will have a lot of fun, but let's be honest, even if I hated them, for this trip I would man up and deal.
Nairobi is a lot of fun. We are slowly getting braver and venturing further from our home. We have gone to the local market. Tried some restaurants. I haven't been brave enough to drive the local form of transportation, matatus, but some people have. I am still repeating in my head "look right, left, right" when crossing the street and haven't gotten hit yet, but walking back from school yesterday was certainly questionable. The only big difference is the pollution. They just outlawed leaded gas last year and they certainly don't have the emissions standards we have. I believe their version of the EPA began in 2004, so they are a bit behind in that arena. My boogers completely black from exhaust and I am constantly coughing. The other kids on the program seem nice, but we are all typical law students, so there have been some personality clashes already.
Other than that, nothing really exciting happening here (hahaha!!!) I have to go shower for my second day and last day of classes this week!!! It's an early morning tomorrow, leaving the apartment at 6am for the coast!!!
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Tales from the Bush Part 4
This will more than likely be my last captivating, awe inspiring post. As I write this I am surrounded by the familiar noises of a city, I have made it to Nairobi. However, I may subject you to occasional posts about the trials and tribulations of life in Nairobi.
My last week at the children's village was great, albeit typical. I loved being able to live in the houses with the kids, although the getting up at 6am was pretty rough but then again, since the sun sets at 7pm, we didn't have much of a reason to stay up late. My roommate was stricken with some mystery ailment that caused her to be out of commission for several days, leaving me in charge of 12 kids. Luckily, she is a trooper and even while feeling awful she still tried to lend a hand. Nothing wild and crazy happened last week, the routine became so familiar that it was easy to see everything as normal.
I left on Wednesday morning. It was probably the worst thing I have ever done. I kind of assumed that the kids were either used to people leaving frequently or wouldn't much care seeing how I had only been there three short weeks. I was wrong on both accounts. Several kids, mainly the ones that I lived with became very upset and I spent over an hour trying to soothe them and get them to stop crying. Five girls ended up following me to the land cruiser and it took another fifteen minutes to convince them to let go of me as I had to get into the car to leave. It was heart breaking. I believe volunteers are an integral part of success of the program but it was so hard to see the affect our departure has on the kids.
I was then driven the three hours down out of the mountains to Arusha where I stayed the night with some friends in town. It was interesting being in Arusha, it is not nearly as developed as Nairobi, still dirt side roads, but like Nairobi, there is a white presence that is apparent due to the gelato/coffee bars and the ability to get a manicure and pedicure (which of course I did!!). I was able to get some great food and enjoy lovely company before flying back up to Nairobi.
I am now making myself at home in Nairobi. The apartment building is a bit old and in the middle of renovations but it is safe and clean, so it will suffice as home for the next two months. We are a mile from the faculty of law and a few feet from the largest shopping center in Kenya, it is like any mall in America. There is a movie theater, restaurants, internet cafe, book store and other little shops I have yet to investigate. I am getting braver by the day and slowly leaving the confines of the Westlands area and exploring more. The rest of the group is out on safari but I decided that it would be nice to spend some down time before starting classes, so I opted to stay home for the weekend and regroup after a month with 41 children. The weather is pleasant, it is the winter here so the temp has been roughly 76-80 during the day and a comfortable 65 at night, I can certainly live with those numbers! The crime and illness are probably the least of my worries when compared to the vehicles and the terror they bring. If I don't die in some fiery crash because drivers refuse to look, yield, slow down or generally use common sense, I will certainly meet my end by not looking the right direction when stepping off the curb. I am so accustomed to looking left when stepping off the curb to cross the street that I am actually having to remind myself to look right before stepping off the curb lest I get hit by some 20 year old land cruiser held together by tape and clever welding.
Well, I need to go get some cash from the ATM at the mall, mail a package for a girl here and check on the cinema times (I am curious how far behind the states the movies are, but considering the stress of law school and my inability to get to the movies, I HIGHLY doubt I will have already seen the movie).
My last week at the children's village was great, albeit typical. I loved being able to live in the houses with the kids, although the getting up at 6am was pretty rough but then again, since the sun sets at 7pm, we didn't have much of a reason to stay up late. My roommate was stricken with some mystery ailment that caused her to be out of commission for several days, leaving me in charge of 12 kids. Luckily, she is a trooper and even while feeling awful she still tried to lend a hand. Nothing wild and crazy happened last week, the routine became so familiar that it was easy to see everything as normal.
I left on Wednesday morning. It was probably the worst thing I have ever done. I kind of assumed that the kids were either used to people leaving frequently or wouldn't much care seeing how I had only been there three short weeks. I was wrong on both accounts. Several kids, mainly the ones that I lived with became very upset and I spent over an hour trying to soothe them and get them to stop crying. Five girls ended up following me to the land cruiser and it took another fifteen minutes to convince them to let go of me as I had to get into the car to leave. It was heart breaking. I believe volunteers are an integral part of success of the program but it was so hard to see the affect our departure has on the kids.
I was then driven the three hours down out of the mountains to Arusha where I stayed the night with some friends in town. It was interesting being in Arusha, it is not nearly as developed as Nairobi, still dirt side roads, but like Nairobi, there is a white presence that is apparent due to the gelato/coffee bars and the ability to get a manicure and pedicure (which of course I did!!). I was able to get some great food and enjoy lovely company before flying back up to Nairobi.
I am now making myself at home in Nairobi. The apartment building is a bit old and in the middle of renovations but it is safe and clean, so it will suffice as home for the next two months. We are a mile from the faculty of law and a few feet from the largest shopping center in Kenya, it is like any mall in America. There is a movie theater, restaurants, internet cafe, book store and other little shops I have yet to investigate. I am getting braver by the day and slowly leaving the confines of the Westlands area and exploring more. The rest of the group is out on safari but I decided that it would be nice to spend some down time before starting classes, so I opted to stay home for the weekend and regroup after a month with 41 children. The weather is pleasant, it is the winter here so the temp has been roughly 76-80 during the day and a comfortable 65 at night, I can certainly live with those numbers! The crime and illness are probably the least of my worries when compared to the vehicles and the terror they bring. If I don't die in some fiery crash because drivers refuse to look, yield, slow down or generally use common sense, I will certainly meet my end by not looking the right direction when stepping off the curb. I am so accustomed to looking left when stepping off the curb to cross the street that I am actually having to remind myself to look right before stepping off the curb lest I get hit by some 20 year old land cruiser held together by tape and clever welding.
Well, I need to go get some cash from the ATM at the mall, mail a package for a girl here and check on the cinema times (I am curious how far behind the states the movies are, but considering the stress of law school and my inability to get to the movies, I HIGHLY doubt I will have already seen the movie).
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