Merry Christmas 2011!

Merry Christmas! Steve and I just got back from a great trip in Rwanda (more on that in another post) and now (12 hours later) we are headed to Egypt for the next 9 days. Here's a short Christmas greeting from us: http://vimeo.com/34164829

We miss you all and wish we could celebrate with you. But we are thinking of you and send you our love from the African continent!
Love,
Steve and Leah

Rwanda is unbelievably gorgeous. More Rwanda photos to follow.

Steve with some sleeping gorillas behind him.

The papa silverback brushed up against my leg. I will admit to being frightened.

Zanzibar

Steve and I spent four and a half days in Zanzibar and had a fantastic time. A "semi-autonomous" island off the coast of Tanzania, it sits in the warm and aqua blue Indian Ocean. It is a fascinating, sunbaked, poor, gorgeous place.

As a Kenyan living in Zanzibar told us, the island is 99.9999 percent Muslim, which you notice just by walking down the street. Almost every female over the age of about 4 is covered from head-to-toe in a bui-bui. Some women- maybe about 1 in 10, cover their faces completely (it's 90-degrees and humid!). We heard calls to prayer in the streets and came upon mosques every few blocks.

We spent the first day in the capital, called Stone Town, which is a World Heritage site. It is a small, two-century old city that used to bustle with slave and spice traders, and now moves with fishermen, artists, and any number of local vendors and shoppers. The Swahili architecture is beautiful but like so many poor cities around the world, the buildings- including grand historical sites like their former palace- are shabby and faded. We spent the entire day just meandering around, buying art at unbelievable prices (photos below), checking out the spice markets, and sampling delicious vegetarian dishes.

The narrow alleyways that ultimately lead to the ocean can't accommodate cars, so every few minutes we had to hop into shop doorways to let bikes and motorbikes wheel past. The doorways themselves are unlike anything I've seen- not only are they intricate works of art, but they are so numerous that they create a unifying theme for the city.

These are a few photos from Stone Town.

Buying art from two local artists willing to bargain and show us their painting techniques.  

We bought this one and a few others from different artists.

I love the wall in the back ground.

Beautiful 

Fruit market. Next door, the meat market- only Steve could stomach a walk through that one.

Grains and spices are EVERYwhere. The spices smell amazing.

Stone Town has several beautiful hotels overlooking the ocean.

A mix of ancient and modern.

Chatting with a local fellow. Most people guessed we were German. Really?!

After a hot day in Stone Town, we took a super nice (smoothly paved, wide) road up north to a serene white sand beach for a few days of sleeping and diving. The poverty we passed along the way was pretty severe. It's not a crowded type of poverty- there's plenty of open space, palm trees, and cattle grazing in green fields- but it's definitely rural poverty. The houses and shops are made of basic concrete and tin, or were constructed with mud and branches. Children don't wear shoes, teenagers pedal rickety bicycles or ride carts pulled by donkeys, and under every shady spot, groups of men sit umemployed.

And finally, the beach! The sun in East Africa is so strong, and I haven't seen it stronger than in Zanzibar. We spent a lot of time lounging in the shade but also ventured out onto the beaches and boats so that we could enjoy some amazing diving. On four one-hour dives, we saw a huge array of exotic fish that swam right up to us, and explored some colorful corals. I saw my first seahorse and was proud to spot a black and neon orange eel for the group. We saw two big sea turtles (the size of medium sized dogs but much heavier) and several sting rays. Steve has been on 60+ dives, so as a novice (10 dives now) I feel very comfortable diving with him.

A one-hour flight from Nairobi- we're coming back soon!

Hiking in the Rift Valley

This weekend, we had the pleasure of hiking in the Rift Valley with a group of four new friends and three Kenyan guides. The only Americans in the group, our companions have lived in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Liberia, Germany, Britain, Nigeria, and Houston (that's a country, right?). Our destination was a long, low series of waterfalls that is only "active" during the rainy seasons.

We drove West from Nairobi. The further you get from Nairobi, the easier it is to remember that you live in a poor country. The city, with it's coffee shops and well appointed business men, doesn't resemble the countryside ("upcountry" as they call it). At the same time, the further out you drive, the more relaxed you feel, until suddenly you look around and you see blue mountains, green valleys, and Masaai boys herding goats through the road in front of you. Then you take a deep breath and think "this is Kenya."

After about an hour of driving, we pulled off the gravel road onto a dirt path that alternated between red mud and mega-stones. The first path we tried was impassable, having been washed away by a swollen stream, but we finally made it to the village where our hike started. A half dozen very dirty, barefoot children came running up as we dismounted from our safari-version Land Rover. They weren't asking for anything, just curious to get a look at us. We met our guides, the sons of the land owner, handed over our backpacks (at their insistence), and were off.

It was a gorgeous day with clear skies, hot sun, and plenty of florescent birds and bugs to marvel at. Though the terrain was fairly flat, we hiked in a valley looking up a towering ridge. Because of all the rain, we found ourselves forging a creek with our hiking boots in hand, and one of our friends slipped into 2 feet of mud, but after a couple of hours, we could hear the welcome rush of water. Leaving our guides to lounge in the shade, we jumped into a pool of very cold water at the bottom of one of the waterfalls.

Lunch was our only break from swimming. Our picnic consisted of baguettes, cold cuts, cheese, hummus, quiche, greek salad, and apple pie. When I asked "should we give some of this to the guides?" our friend Mark, a 6-year veteran of Kenya, smiled and said "I always offer, but they don't really like our food." I looked around and had to laugh at the very imported spread in front of us. We were sitting in the wilderness of Kenya- in a place that Mark calls Jurassic Park for it's completely untouched beauty and pre-civilization feel- spreading hummus on French bread.

The hike back was exhilarating. We hastened our pace, trying to beat a big storm cloud that was rumbling toward us. The whole landscaped had changed. It was cool and a humid wind blew through the shrubs and low trees. We saw some baboons scrambling up the side of the ridge, and the birds were nowhere to be seen. The sky was a sight to behold. In one direction, blue skies. In another, a dark mass looming, in another, shafts of vertical light pierced through the clouds to create the Jesus-ascending-to-heaven effect. It made me feel small and strong at the same time. 

Driving through the rain back toward Nairobi, we stopped at a restaurant known for its nyama choma (my translation, "meat feast") and finished the day with a Tusker and a tray of goat ribs. A good ending to a great day.

The village where our hike started. In the video above, a local teenager herding goats.

The Land Rover parked  the landowner's property.

Clothes hanging in the yard where we parked the car.

Hiking next to the ridge.

The nest of a weaver bird. The male builds the nests, the female inspects it, and if it's not good enough, she tears it down. 

"Forging" the stream. 

Jurassic Park

Florescent critter

Our three local guides

Steve and Mark preparing to swim

My outdoorsman

Doesn't that look like a bear in the background?

Things you can get for $1 in Nairobi

Nairobi doesn't have any "dollar stores" that I know of, but there are plenty of things you can count on costing about a dollar.

A hand-wash for your car.
A bouquet of roses, if you are buying several (otherwise it'll cost about $2).
One hour of babysitting by a nanny (no kidding).
Three cold diet cokes in glass bottles. But you better say "cold" or it's assumed you'd prefer warm.
A dozen delicious bananas, picked ripe.
15 red onions.
A 10-percent tip on your pedicure.
Ten shoe shines.
8 hours of parking at a shopping mall (no, I've never shopped for that long...here).
5 ears of corn roasted on smoldering embers on the side of the road.
Home delivery from the Lebanese restaurant down the street.
Help from the apartment security guard and fix-it guy to bring groceries to the fifth floor.

My butcher. 6 thick slices of deli turkey cost me $11!

A less expensive option, but I'm not that brave.

Before you get too jealous, remember that we live in a country where our dollar bill can devalue by 20% in the course of a couple of weeks, which happened in November. That makes things slightly less convenient for Steve and I, but slightly better for Kenyans who've suffered from over 18% inflation on basic goods during the course of 2011. From what I can tell, that inflation has really hit people hard, especially in the area of housing, food, and gas. So, we continue to be grateful for our home country and currency.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to our family and friends!

It's not a holiday here in Kenya, but we are finding a fun way to celebrate by working with our toes in the sand in Mombasa, a costal town on the Indian Ocean. Steve is at a conference here at the gorgeous Sarova White Sands and I'm along for the trip, working while he's in his sessions.

Below, a few snapshots from today, as well as a video we made for our families here: http://vimeo.com/32622561.

Lots of love today!

Christmas comes to Nairobi

The U.S. isn't the only place where shopping malls start decorating for Christmas in October. I shot this last week in Nairobi's nicest mall, Westgate. 

I do miss fall in D.C.- it's so beautiful and gets me in the festive mood. Somehow 75 degrees and palm trees don't scream "Christmas" to me...but I won't complain.

Go Irish!

By Leah

In many countries that I visit, I spot people wearing t-shirts or baseball caps from my alma mater. Steve and I bought some furniture from this fellow who obligingly let me capture his ND sweatshirt in a photo. He looks a little put-out in the photo, but I assure you, he was amused by the whole thing, if not at all interested in hearing about my college experience in a faraway land called Southbend.

Our trip to the furniture market was terribly timed- it had just rained heavily, I was jet lagged from my CA trip, and darkness was closing in fast. So we left cold, wet, and muddy but at least we had great handmade furniture filling the back of the Land Cruiser. 

Here's a video of Steve bargaining hard (walking away is all part of the dance). In the end, we did get the prices we wanted. When we finally shook hands, the ND guy said "women always get their way," but I noticed it was only when Steve was standing next to me that the prices came down. So maybe in Kenya I get what I want but only when my husband backs me up? :)

Another Work Blog

This one is based on some troubling things I've been hearing about how microfinance institutions get clients to repay their loans (and a solution, not just more bad press!). http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/the-hardest-working-people-in-microfinance/

Travels Part II: Uganda

By Leah

Uganda


A couple of weeks after Ethiopia, I made the one-hour plane trip to Kampala, where I did a two-day training for microfinance practitioners on social performance management and client protection. On the first day after class, I was asked to speak and hand out awards at a ceremony that honored local microfinance institutions that were making progress in social performance management. It was neat to be a part of the event, which was held at a fancy hotel with cocktails served afterward. I hope it will become an annual event.

It was my second time in Uganda and I really enjoyed myself. I noticed many similarities between Kenya and Uganda, and a few differences. I've combined the two below.

- The people are super friendly like in Kenya. But the accent is more difficult for me to understand.

- The driving is just as crazy. No perceivable difference. My taxi driver from the airport was a speed demon who executed a double pass. We were driving down a narrow two-way street and the sedan directly in front of us pulled into the oncoming lane to pass a bus two cars ahead. My cab pulled out to pass at the same time, and estimating that the sedan was not moving fast enough, he passed the sedan by using the opposite shoulder of the road. In effect, he created three lanes where one existed, by passing a sedan that was passing a bus. I wanted to close my eyes as oncoming traffic got closer, but I was too fascinated by the maneuver.

- Christianity is the dominant religion. Also no perceivable difference, though I'm sure some would emerge if I'd stayed longer. In both countries I've seen lots of Christian bumper stickers and signs, have heard Christian music playing over grocery store loudspeakers and on colleagues' car radios, and have heard Bible verses quoted during daily conversation. It is more openly displayed than in the U.S.

- The dirt is red like in Kenya. The landscape seems greener, I think because there's less development- like fewer apartment buildings and shopping malls, etc. Also, the land around Lake Victoria is seriously fertile. Both times I've been in Uganda, I've seen a surprising number of "exotic" animals just hanging around in the city- including monkeys, peacocks, and birds that I refer to as pterodactyls.

- Coca cola sponsors private stores and even private homes. But in Uganda, sponsors include Bic pens, a local diaper brand, a paint company, and a handful of telecom companies. And I don't mean that they put a sign in the store window. Entire buildings, block after block, are painted the brand color, and have big murals depicting the product on the sides and fronts of the stores. For example, the Bic pen-sponsored buildings were mustard yellow from foundation to roof, with that amorphous black pen-man standing 8 feet high on at least one exterior wall. Since I forgot my camera at home, I'm borrowing images from other websites to show you what I mean. See images from  Lee B. Spitzer, ITC 4 Uganda, and Travelbud.

With Uganda so close by, I'm sure Steve and I will find ourselves there from time-to-time.

Far East to far West

By Leah

Last week, I took my first trip back to the U.S. since moving to Nairobi. The occasion was the wedding of one of my best girlfriends, Kelly. She and Pete were married on a gorgeous and refreshing Saturday afternoon in Carmel, California. I was honored to be a bridesmaid and stand up with Kel on her big day. Below, a few photos from the reception.

The stunning bride

 

 

Notre Dame Volleyball- Go Irish!

Reunited with dear friends

A little support for the easygoing groom

First dance before we all joined in

I also took the opportunity to spend a few days in Texas where I had a fantastic time hanging out with my family and playing with my sisters' boys, Isaac and Luke, who are growing up so fast and are as sweet as can be.

Only my 2nd timing hanging out with Isaac but we made up for lost time

Little Isaac on the left and big Luke on the right

Trying to get simultaneous smiles for the Xmas card photo

Visiting with beautiful Mimi

Another work blog

Check out another post I authored on the Center for Financial Inclusion website: http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/speaking-your-clients’-sheng/

Travels Part I: Ethiopia

By Leah

In the past month, I've traveled to Ethiopia, Uganda, and Ghana for work. I'll write a post on each.

Ethiopia

In late September, Steve and I spent a week in Ethiopia, attending the same microfinance conference where I was speaking and he was making deals.

Ethiopia is really poor, much more than I expected. I haven't seen so many people sleeping in the streets (including the medians of busy roads) outside of India. And so many things reminded me of Haiti- women crouching, selling fruits and vegetables atop straw mats laid on mud and sewage; makeshift shelters placed randomly around the city (photo below); people selling unmarked medicines at stoplights; and beggars at every turn.

The country is home to more than 90 million people, and has the 6th highest birth rate in the world. Addis Ababa (where we were) is the country's only major city, and most people live in the countryside, which I hear is quite beautiful.

The culture in Ethiopia is still very traditional, and so fascinating. Coffee is part of the national ethos, and I had what I call the "hands-down-the-best-cup-of-coffee-in-my-life-by-far-no-contest." There's no other way to describe it and I have my husband to thank for taking me to a shabby little restaurant where the coffee cups didn't match the saucers and they didn't have any of the food that was listed on the menu, but where the coffee was sublime.

In heaven with my second cup.

After coffee, Ethiopian food and traditional dance dominated our cultural experience. The food was very rich, very spicy and absolutely fantastic. We ate most meals with our fingers, using the spongy injera flatbread to scoop up piles of stewed meat, lentils, and vegetables. As for the dancing, it's easily the strangest, most fascinating style I've seen, and it's best enjoyed with a meal eaten from a straw stool in a dimly lit den. (In the video below, notice the Nigerian man who is taking liberty to stand in front of the stage to get his photos. What you don't see in the video is his later decision to get up on stage, start dancing with the women and sticking paper money to their foreheads. I was completely appalled but a colleague assured me that this was common practice in Nigeria).

Out to dinner

Steve and I took an afternoon off work and did some sightseeing around town. We visited Lucy, the oldest human ancestor every unearthed. In Houston, in 2008, you would have paid $20 to get into the Lucy exhibit. Steve and I each paid $1.50 to get into Ethiopia's three-story, 3,000 square foot, house-turned-museum where we found Lucy sequestered to a dark corner in the basement. A piece of laminated computer paper explained how the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" was her namesake.

Steve and Lucy

It was unsettling how crummy the little museum was, despite holding a major archeological treasure. I've found that even very poor countries will usually invest in their national museum and similar public buildings. I took the dilapidated museum as a sad indicator of the country's financial state.

Goat herding in the city

Steve and I did our part to contribute to the local economy. We shopped the silver jewelry stores (a local speciality) and bought some neat pieces. And we brought home six large bags of coffee...which will last us approximately two months.