i saw Black Swan! another movie on my Movies To See 2010 spreadsheet that i created over the holidays (no, i am not kidding). and i did it on the comfort of my own couch (maybe i shouldn't be announcing this on the intertubes, but i just heard on a ted talk that about a bazillion (or maybe something like 15,000?) blogs are started everyday so i am sure my corner of the www is relatively safe from bill gates or whoever it is that patrols the internet looking for people who admit they download and watch pirated movies.
besides, i used to buy this shit at the market in nairobi, which i never saw as being wrong as i was all the way over there in africa (the country), you know.
anywho, back to the movie.
it was ok. it was not fabulous. but i sense that everyone is going to go on and on about how fabulous it is simply because it is raw, interesting to watch, a little bizaare at times, and has a famous actress playing a dark role. and sometimes, that is what art is all about (isn't it?).
the acting is good, i suppose. the costumes and dancing are fun to watch for someone who is addicted to So You Think You Can Dance (but finds the acronym SYTYCD a little cumbersome). the story is lame and never gathers enough steam. and the sex is vulgar and not particularly entertaining.
but the ending is good, so if that is any reason to watch it, there you have it.
i had high hopes and let me just say that i am glad i didn't pay to see it, but that i am glad that i saw it.
Showing posts with label nairobi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nairobi. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Friday, October 08, 2010
10 for cape town
k gave me an idea. or more like, i am copying her post!
10 things about cape town, after a week of visiting.
1 - it gets windy!
2 - the back of the main train station is a little grimy. the front? completely clean, shiny, and spruced up for the world cup.
3 - speaking of the world cup, there is a lot of contention about how much greenpoint stadium cost to refurbish and it hosted 8 games.
4 - apparently if something is hot, you say it is 'as hot as kenya' because there is some understanding that kenya is always hot! this makes me laugh when i think of sitting in my office with my blankets and scarves wrapped around me, leaning towards my computer because it gave off heat, and dreading the next time someone would open my office door and let cool air inside during july in nairobi.
5 - 'taxi' is a shared minibus. 'cab' is a north american style taxi. they both get you to where you are going, one just takes longer and the other is prohibitively expensive for most capetonians.
6 - going on township tours seems as weird as ever, especially after spending the day there to visit my friend and her family.
7 - melktert has been missing from my life since i arrived, but i WILL find it!
8 - the westin grand has a breakfast that compares to a mini banff springs brunch. the service is top notch and i have yet to explore the services available in the spa. people, save your aeroplan points and you too can live the life of luxury!
9 - i wasn't sure that it would be, but going up the cable car to the top of table mountain (or as my mom calls it, table top mountain) is worth it.
10 - there is a big crate man built at the waterfront out of old coca cola crates that i think is pretty awesome. his name is elliot.
10 things about cape town, after a week of visiting.
1 - it gets windy!
2 - the back of the main train station is a little grimy. the front? completely clean, shiny, and spruced up for the world cup.
3 - speaking of the world cup, there is a lot of contention about how much greenpoint stadium cost to refurbish and it hosted 8 games.
4 - apparently if something is hot, you say it is 'as hot as kenya' because there is some understanding that kenya is always hot! this makes me laugh when i think of sitting in my office with my blankets and scarves wrapped around me, leaning towards my computer because it gave off heat, and dreading the next time someone would open my office door and let cool air inside during july in nairobi.
5 - 'taxi' is a shared minibus. 'cab' is a north american style taxi. they both get you to where you are going, one just takes longer and the other is prohibitively expensive for most capetonians.
6 - going on township tours seems as weird as ever, especially after spending the day there to visit my friend and her family.
7 - melktert has been missing from my life since i arrived, but i WILL find it!
8 - the westin grand has a breakfast that compares to a mini banff springs brunch. the service is top notch and i have yet to explore the services available in the spa. people, save your aeroplan points and you too can live the life of luxury!
9 - i wasn't sure that it would be, but going up the cable car to the top of table mountain (or as my mom calls it, table top mountain) is worth it.
10 - there is a big crate man built at the waterfront out of old coca cola crates that i think is pretty awesome. his name is elliot.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
slum tourism is not for everyone, in fact, it shouldn't be for anyone
Jina Moore has highlighted an op-ed in the new york times by Kennedy Odede, who grew up in kibera, which is potentially the largest slum in africa located smack in the middle of nairobi, my former home.
i think anyone considered any type of voluntourism should read this piece. to the point, eloquent, honest, and a great voice on why you take a piece of people's dignity when you travel through their home to 'understand poverty.'
i have been to kibera. i didn't spend much time there and would never claim to understand the community nor why exactly my work took me there, but i did see foreigners wandering around with their cameras out and i heard on local radio (through my rough understanding of kiswahili and my colleague's helpful translation) that there is a running joke that kibera residents are like zoo animals as the visitors pass by, looking at them from an arm's length and taking photos to bring home.
for anyone interested in life in kibera, Uwem Akpan has an excellent short story about a family in kibera in his book Say You're One of Them.
for anyone interested in life in kibera, Uwem Akpan has an excellent short story about a family in kibera in his book Say You're One of Them.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
what a week!
monday - pretty average day, a decently productive smattering of work at my day job and a nice evening hanging out with a friend in town from overseas. who is sort of in love with me. but only just sort of. i think.
tuesday - chair a monthly meeting on trafficking. pick up a package at the post office of leg warmers and fingerless mitts from the lovely lady over at Yarn is My Metier, beautiful and so comfortable. every girl needs a pair of leg warmers. american idol watching with my neighbour/guy i dated a year ago. a failed hill run - 8 hills turned into 4 miserable hills.
wednesday - teaching high school for the morning, which is almost as exhausting as teaching junior high school, but not quite. the first screening of the film What Are We Doing Here? that went really well, including the panel discussion on aid to africa that i participated in. i was proud to have addressed people's questions with intelligent answers.
thursday - drafting of a project proposal for funding to do my own research in the province. the second screening of the documentary followed by another panel discussion, where i wasn't nearly as articulate as wednesday night's event. beer and nachos with my ever supportive friends afterwards.
friday - a half day workshop on temporary foreign workers in alberta and the challenges and successes of the programme. met the nephew of my nairobi chemist by chance in calgary. handed out tonnes of my cards, networking, networking, networking. running around the city getting wedding gifts and cards. a gorgeous wedding with great people that ended with me and the best man shooting tequila at the bar.
saturday - a touch of the hang over. catching up on adminstrative work for my evening/weekend job. watching ufc fights, which i swore i would never do and will never do again - boring and disgusting at the same time. an early night.
sunday - a good 12km run, but with frozen hands. a hot bath. some shopping. sushi. roast dinner with my parents and one bro (my other bro is in tanzania!). traffic fines paid.
tuesday - chair a monthly meeting on trafficking. pick up a package at the post office of leg warmers and fingerless mitts from the lovely lady over at Yarn is My Metier, beautiful and so comfortable. every girl needs a pair of leg warmers. american idol watching with my neighbour/guy i dated a year ago. a failed hill run - 8 hills turned into 4 miserable hills.
wednesday - teaching high school for the morning, which is almost as exhausting as teaching junior high school, but not quite. the first screening of the film What Are We Doing Here? that went really well, including the panel discussion on aid to africa that i participated in. i was proud to have addressed people's questions with intelligent answers.
thursday - drafting of a project proposal for funding to do my own research in the province. the second screening of the documentary followed by another panel discussion, where i wasn't nearly as articulate as wednesday night's event. beer and nachos with my ever supportive friends afterwards.
friday - a half day workshop on temporary foreign workers in alberta and the challenges and successes of the programme. met the nephew of my nairobi chemist by chance in calgary. handed out tonnes of my cards, networking, networking, networking. running around the city getting wedding gifts and cards. a gorgeous wedding with great people that ended with me and the best man shooting tequila at the bar.
saturday - a touch of the hang over. catching up on adminstrative work for my evening/weekend job. watching ufc fights, which i swore i would never do and will never do again - boring and disgusting at the same time. an early night.
sunday - a good 12km run, but with frozen hands. a hot bath. some shopping. sushi. roast dinner with my parents and one bro (my other bro is in tanzania!). traffic fines paid.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
tired
the past two weekends have been great, the first i had my girlfriends over for wine and cheese and i was furiously running around getting all my pictures hung, bringing a rather large bench up two flights of stairs, tidying, and preparing my nest to welcome its first official guests.
then this past weekend i threw a housewarming party and i think it went really well. again, i tidied, made my bed, hid my messes in closets, dusted, arranged my 'stuff,' and got the nest ready to welcome about 40 people on saturday night. things are still not entirely back to normal around here, but i finally got through the dishes last night. and man, do i miss my housekeeper in kenya! (we used to have her come over the day of a party to do all the tidying and then the next day to deal with the aftermath when we were still sleeping it off).
in addition to attempting to be a good host, i have also been overwhelmed with work lately. i was down in brooks, medicine hat, and lethbridge to facilitate workshops and although i love doing that type of work, the driving was rather tiresome (even though i listened to my first audiobook, Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan, which made me smile with memories of life in nairobi and although that story might not make others smile the same way, i still recommend the book as its short stories do a decent job to describe life in african cities without all the usual pity and condescension).
i am not leaving calgary anytime soon and am ecstatic about relaxing, enjoying all the nesting i have been doing, and just resting. once i catch up on sleep and feel a bit stronger, i need to get outside and back running because nobody likes an indicator pant!
then this past weekend i threw a housewarming party and i think it went really well. again, i tidied, made my bed, hid my messes in closets, dusted, arranged my 'stuff,' and got the nest ready to welcome about 40 people on saturday night. things are still not entirely back to normal around here, but i finally got through the dishes last night. and man, do i miss my housekeeper in kenya! (we used to have her come over the day of a party to do all the tidying and then the next day to deal with the aftermath when we were still sleeping it off).
in addition to attempting to be a good host, i have also been overwhelmed with work lately. i was down in brooks, medicine hat, and lethbridge to facilitate workshops and although i love doing that type of work, the driving was rather tiresome (even though i listened to my first audiobook, Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan, which made me smile with memories of life in nairobi and although that story might not make others smile the same way, i still recommend the book as its short stories do a decent job to describe life in african cities without all the usual pity and condescension).
i am not leaving calgary anytime soon and am ecstatic about relaxing, enjoying all the nesting i have been doing, and just resting. once i catch up on sleep and feel a bit stronger, i need to get outside and back running because nobody likes an indicator pant!
Saturday, June 06, 2009
books about africa
i was recently asked for an email with my suggestions on books about africa and this is what i came up with so i figured it might be useful to someone so i am also posting it here.
here are some of my favourite books about africa:
The Zanzibar Chest (Aidan Hartley) - memoir about life as a foreign correspondent in Africa and that whole post colonial guilt thing.
Sweetness in the Belly (Camilla Gibb) - fiction about a white woman who grows up in Muslim Ethiopia, amazing read.
Half of a Yellow Sun (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) - fiction set during the Baifran war in Nigeria, awesome and based on a lot of real events.
My Traitor's Heart (Rian Malan) - memoir of an Afrikaaner who fought against apartheid in South Africa, truly explores the white guilt and the issue of Africanness, I think you'd like it a lot.
In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz (Michela Wrong) - journalist writes about Mobutu and his rule in the DRC, the one I was telling you about. Tough to get through at times, but you'll learn a lot about why the country remains effed to this day.
We Wish to Inform you That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families (Philip Gourevitch) - excellent account of the genocide in Rwanda and the role of the international community in prolonging the killings.
Shake Hands With the Devil (Romeo Dallaire) - the book that the commander of UN peacekeepers in Rwanda during the genocide wrote about his experience and frustrations with the UN system and watching people die, also a bit tough at times, but there is a glossary that always helps!
Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight (Alexandra Fuller) - memoir of a poor, white Zimbabwean family, so interesting and an easy read.
Tick Bite Fever (David Bennun) - funny memoir of growing up white in Africa. Not fantastic, but an easy read.
Swahili For the Broken Hearted (Peter Moore) - I don't love his writing, but he did a trip through Africa riding solely on public transport and wrote about it, so there are some gems in amongst the other bits.
A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali (Gil Courtemanche) - fiction (but probably mostly true) about the expats during the genocide in Rwanda. The story will make you cry, but I loved the raw writing of the French Canadian author.
Acts of Faith (Philip Caputo) - an awesome novel about the war in Southern Sudan, the community of pilots, how the UN capitulates war, and the scandals of it all, a really great read and I know from my pilot friends that the story is true and the names were just changed.
Emma's War (Deborah Scroggins) - non fiction, about a British woman who rocks up in Southern Sudan in the middle of a civil war, marries one of the rebel war lords, becomes his second wife, and then actively participates in the war, alienating most people she knows. I also think you'd really like this as it shows the naivity and sincerity of foreign aid workers and those who feel th eneed to 'save' Africa. One of the characters in the book above is based on her, undoubtedly.
You asked for it, and there you have it! I surprised myself with how many books I could pull out of my head and I clearly could start my own post-colonial African literature course...
What can I say - I didn't have a TV for a number of years... nothing like reading a book when you are in bed with a hangover in Nairobi.
here are some of my favourite books about africa:
The Zanzibar Chest (Aidan Hartley) - memoir about life as a foreign correspondent in Africa and that whole post colonial guilt thing.
Sweetness in the Belly (Camilla Gibb) - fiction about a white woman who grows up in Muslim Ethiopia, amazing read.
Half of a Yellow Sun (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) - fiction set during the Baifran war in Nigeria, awesome and based on a lot of real events.
My Traitor's Heart (Rian Malan) - memoir of an Afrikaaner who fought against apartheid in South Africa, truly explores the white guilt and the issue of Africanness, I think you'd like it a lot.
In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz (Michela Wrong) - journalist writes about Mobutu and his rule in the DRC, the one I was telling you about. Tough to get through at times, but you'll learn a lot about why the country remains effed to this day.
We Wish to Inform you That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families (Philip Gourevitch) - excellent account of the genocide in Rwanda and the role of the international community in prolonging the killings.
Shake Hands With the Devil (Romeo Dallaire) - the book that the commander of UN peacekeepers in Rwanda during the genocide wrote about his experience and frustrations with the UN system and watching people die, also a bit tough at times, but there is a glossary that always helps!
Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight (Alexandra Fuller) - memoir of a poor, white Zimbabwean family, so interesting and an easy read.
Tick Bite Fever (David Bennun) - funny memoir of growing up white in Africa. Not fantastic, but an easy read.
Swahili For the Broken Hearted (Peter Moore) - I don't love his writing, but he did a trip through Africa riding solely on public transport and wrote about it, so there are some gems in amongst the other bits.
A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali (Gil Courtemanche) - fiction (but probably mostly true) about the expats during the genocide in Rwanda. The story will make you cry, but I loved the raw writing of the French Canadian author.
Acts of Faith (Philip Caputo) - an awesome novel about the war in Southern Sudan, the community of pilots, how the UN capitulates war, and the scandals of it all, a really great read and I know from my pilot friends that the story is true and the names were just changed.
Emma's War (Deborah Scroggins) - non fiction, about a British woman who rocks up in Southern Sudan in the middle of a civil war, marries one of the rebel war lords, becomes his second wife, and then actively participates in the war, alienating most people she knows. I also think you'd really like this as it shows the naivity and sincerity of foreign aid workers and those who feel th eneed to 'save' Africa. One of the characters in the book above is based on her, undoubtedly.
You asked for it, and there you have it! I surprised myself with how many books I could pull out of my head and I clearly could start my own post-colonial African literature course...
What can I say - I didn't have a TV for a number of years... nothing like reading a book when you are in bed with a hangover in Nairobi.
Monday, May 04, 2009
lots of learning from a nobel laureate
another good book about africa, development, and the fight for better governance and democracy is Wangari Maathai's book Unbowed. she is the woman who won the 2004 nobel peace prize for her work promoting environmental conservation while simultaneously fighting for women's rights, good governance, and human rights, demonstrating that they are not mutually exclusive nor attainable in isolation.
i liked reading the story of where Maathai came from, how she became a professor, and how she found herself in the middle of a civil rights movement. i had always wondered why she had won the nobel peace prize, but after reading about her struggles and what she had to get through just to plant trees with her organisation the Green Belt Movement, i am utterly impressed that she continued to fight corrupt officials, the undemocratic system in kenya, and cultural moors that said she should not be a divorced, single mother working in academia.
as i read about the corruption rampant within ngos and the government of kenya, i totally related to this frustration and as Maathai fought to overcome the barriers to sustainable economic and social development in kenya, i felt vindicated that i had struggled with similar challenges, but saddened that there are not more Maathais who can withstand such pressures and bullying to create lasting organisations and programmes that are homegrown, grassroots, and owned by the people at whom development is always targeted.
i now know why there is a sign at freedom corner in uhuru park and why there are green belt signs in the green spaces between the roads throughout nairobi. i understand what happened to the parcelling out of land after colonialism and after moi finally stepped down from power. the book was published after the post-election violence of 2007-2008, but it does shed a lot of light on the history of the violence that erupted after the most recent irregular election. i now know a lot more about the place i called home for 2 years and i think that even people who've never visited kenya would also enjoy learning a thing or two about Maathai and her life.
i liked reading the story of where Maathai came from, how she became a professor, and how she found herself in the middle of a civil rights movement. i had always wondered why she had won the nobel peace prize, but after reading about her struggles and what she had to get through just to plant trees with her organisation the Green Belt Movement, i am utterly impressed that she continued to fight corrupt officials, the undemocratic system in kenya, and cultural moors that said she should not be a divorced, single mother working in academia.
as i read about the corruption rampant within ngos and the government of kenya, i totally related to this frustration and as Maathai fought to overcome the barriers to sustainable economic and social development in kenya, i felt vindicated that i had struggled with similar challenges, but saddened that there are not more Maathais who can withstand such pressures and bullying to create lasting organisations and programmes that are homegrown, grassroots, and owned by the people at whom development is always targeted.
i now know why there is a sign at freedom corner in uhuru park and why there are green belt signs in the green spaces between the roads throughout nairobi. i understand what happened to the parcelling out of land after colonialism and after moi finally stepped down from power. the book was published after the post-election violence of 2007-2008, but it does shed a lot of light on the history of the violence that erupted after the most recent irregular election. i now know a lot more about the place i called home for 2 years and i think that even people who've never visited kenya would also enjoy learning a thing or two about Maathai and her life.
Friday, March 06, 2009
could i give up my shopping habit?
just when i thought my life was going to settle down and i was going to stay in one place for awhile, my former boss has asked if i want to be interviewed for a position in my old office (that same one that was mentioned in the book What is the What that i recently read that put thoughts in mind...) in kenya. the job would be better than the one i had when i was based in nairobi previously and one that i would enjoy, but am i ready to give up the luxuries of developed world living?
like having friends you've known for decades a phone call away, having a ladies' night once monthly with these women, eating dinner with my family regularly, having lattes with my sister, making oil and gas money, watching my brother's hockey games, catching matinees with my other brother, breakfasts with visitors from out of town, changing seasons, central heating, bad television at my fingertips, dependable public transit, my little dieter, my running routes free of rabid dogs and speeding trucks, and, i shamelessly admit, shopping?
yet, one of the biggest reasons i came home was a person who shall not be named and now that that is no longer an issue, i am just not sure what to do with myself. i had always planned on a career in international development and my favourite experiences and stories that i have come from the time i spent pursuing that.
the universe will just have to tell me what to do in this case. but until it is clear, i will keep my options open.
like having friends you've known for decades a phone call away, having a ladies' night once monthly with these women, eating dinner with my family regularly, having lattes with my sister, making oil and gas money, watching my brother's hockey games, catching matinees with my other brother, breakfasts with visitors from out of town, changing seasons, central heating, bad television at my fingertips, dependable public transit, my little dieter, my running routes free of rabid dogs and speeding trucks, and, i shamelessly admit, shopping?
yet, one of the biggest reasons i came home was a person who shall not be named and now that that is no longer an issue, i am just not sure what to do with myself. i had always planned on a career in international development and my favourite experiences and stories that i have come from the time i spent pursuing that.
the universe will just have to tell me what to do in this case. but until it is clear, i will keep my options open.
Monday, November 17, 2008
judeo-christian reading
by design or by chance, i have recently read a few books that have the theme of religion threaded throughout. all of them are worth a read, but my recommendations for each are for very different reasons. interesting that they are all non fiction reads.
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
it took me awhile before i decided if i liked greg or not, but his story is captivating regardless of how you feel about his values and focus. the short version of his rather long story is that he fails to climb k2, happens across a poor village in pakistan, makes a commitment to return one day to build a school, and that is the beginning of an ngo that builds schools in northern pakistan and afghanistan.
the book fascinated me as it challenged and confirmed some of the opinions i have about international development, but even more, it is a excellent and user-friendly historical account of pakistan and afghanistan in the 21st century.
i have never spent much time researching and studying that area of the world and have just assumed it is very complicated and an outsider would never be able to grasp the influence that ethnicity, religion, and clan-based governance systems. but this book puts a stop to that type of fatalist thinking and just gives you the story of a man who wanted to build schools for people who couldn't build them for themselves.
have you read it? i would love to know what other people think about how greg neglects his family and own health to achieve his goals. is it worth it? is he a martyr for an unwinnable cause? does his wife get enough credit in the book? i would love to have a book club-type conversation about this book!
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
the true story of a somali girl who lives in somalia, saudi arabia, ethiopia, kenya, and the netherlands is also fascinating. ayaan writes a book that challenges islam and those liberals and muslims who defend its values and practices (and has lived with death threats because of it). i have personally struggled with elements of islam and it was refreshing to read that someone else had done the dirty work of dissection and investigation and presented them for you to either accept or reject.
i also like her description of eastleigh in nairobi and of the smell of sukuma wiki. (fun fact - sukuma wiki is an inexpensive spinach dish in kenya and swahili literally translates to 'pushing the week' because it is what you eat when you are trying to stretch your shillings to the end of the week). ayaan's telling of her experience with unhcr and with the social welfare system of the netherlands also challenges what you thought you knew about refugees, social assistance, and the acceptance of foreign cultural values in western societies.
it's long, but it is worth it. and another book i would love to discuss with other people!
The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs
i just finished this one and it was much more lighthearted than the previous two, but still interesting in its obvious religious subject matter. aj attempts to live as close to biblical scripture as possible for one year. as a secular jew, he focuses first (and most) on the old testament then moves to the new testament, consulting numerous self-proclaimed experts along the way.
i don't think that he digs too deep to get to the bottom of the different interpretations of the bible, but he does give a bible virgin like me a watered down version of the seemingly incomprehensible chapters and verses that are somehow supposed to tell you how to live. he provides a lot of background and information on various groups who interpret the bible throughout the scale of literalism and like the other books, it did challenge me to think about the bible and the ways it can enhance your life if you let it.
if i had one criticism of this book it would be his lack of organisation and slight self indulgence. i would have liked to see his thoughts and revelations throughout his year of eating the bible a little more coherent. and in the same vein, i think that some things he throws in are simply a self-indulgent documentation of his own actions and even though it was a memoir of sorts, it was a bit distracting after his 12 months.
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
it took me awhile before i decided if i liked greg or not, but his story is captivating regardless of how you feel about his values and focus. the short version of his rather long story is that he fails to climb k2, happens across a poor village in pakistan, makes a commitment to return one day to build a school, and that is the beginning of an ngo that builds schools in northern pakistan and afghanistan.
the book fascinated me as it challenged and confirmed some of the opinions i have about international development, but even more, it is a excellent and user-friendly historical account of pakistan and afghanistan in the 21st century.
i have never spent much time researching and studying that area of the world and have just assumed it is very complicated and an outsider would never be able to grasp the influence that ethnicity, religion, and clan-based governance systems. but this book puts a stop to that type of fatalist thinking and just gives you the story of a man who wanted to build schools for people who couldn't build them for themselves.
have you read it? i would love to know what other people think about how greg neglects his family and own health to achieve his goals. is it worth it? is he a martyr for an unwinnable cause? does his wife get enough credit in the book? i would love to have a book club-type conversation about this book!
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
the true story of a somali girl who lives in somalia, saudi arabia, ethiopia, kenya, and the netherlands is also fascinating. ayaan writes a book that challenges islam and those liberals and muslims who defend its values and practices (and has lived with death threats because of it). i have personally struggled with elements of islam and it was refreshing to read that someone else had done the dirty work of dissection and investigation and presented them for you to either accept or reject.
i also like her description of eastleigh in nairobi and of the smell of sukuma wiki. (fun fact - sukuma wiki is an inexpensive spinach dish in kenya and swahili literally translates to 'pushing the week' because it is what you eat when you are trying to stretch your shillings to the end of the week). ayaan's telling of her experience with unhcr and with the social welfare system of the netherlands also challenges what you thought you knew about refugees, social assistance, and the acceptance of foreign cultural values in western societies.
it's long, but it is worth it. and another book i would love to discuss with other people!
The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs
i just finished this one and it was much more lighthearted than the previous two, but still interesting in its obvious religious subject matter. aj attempts to live as close to biblical scripture as possible for one year. as a secular jew, he focuses first (and most) on the old testament then moves to the new testament, consulting numerous self-proclaimed experts along the way.
i don't think that he digs too deep to get to the bottom of the different interpretations of the bible, but he does give a bible virgin like me a watered down version of the seemingly incomprehensible chapters and verses that are somehow supposed to tell you how to live. he provides a lot of background and information on various groups who interpret the bible throughout the scale of literalism and like the other books, it did challenge me to think about the bible and the ways it can enhance your life if you let it.
if i had one criticism of this book it would be his lack of organisation and slight self indulgence. i would have liked to see his thoughts and revelations throughout his year of eating the bible a little more coherent. and in the same vein, i think that some things he throws in are simply a self-indulgent documentation of his own actions and even though it was a memoir of sorts, it was a bit distracting after his 12 months.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
omnivore's 100
i stole this from k this late sunday evening when i am not in the mood for bed, or for writing much else (as witnessed by my inability to post for the past few weeks). it is the omnivore's 100 and was fun to do. i copied it from her and deleted all the hyperlinks, but check her blog out if you want to know what half this stuff is (i had to look up a bunch).
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating. (except here they are red because i cannot figure out how to strike anything through)
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ linking to your results
The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos Rancheros
4. Steak tartare (just the other day and i loved it)
5. Crocodile (it tastes like salty chicken and is gross)
6. Black pudding (surprising considering my proximity at times to the places that eat this 'delicacy.' but no, i wouldn't try it.)
7. Cheese fondue (but i don't know what the big deal with the fondue is)
8. Carp
9. Borscht (i don't think i've ever had beet soup, but i surely would try it)
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich (raspberry j is best)
14. Aloo gobi (i am not sure i have had exactly this, but things very similar to it)
15. Hot dog from a street cart (my most recent one was a sausage in a bun in prague and it came with a pickle!)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes (i think so, but cannot remember an instance and i'm sure i would not like it)
19. Steamed pork buns (nothing about pork excites me and if i were to eat it, it would have to be some sort of pork roast)
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes (a life without tomatoes would not be worth living)
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras (i don't know a whole lot about foie gras, but have heard of some unethical farming practices to get those livers to grow so much. and liver, ew)
24. Rice and beans (it is a staple is so many countries i have been in and has its own name in cuba, but i cannot recall it at the moment)
25. Brawn or head cheese (had i wanted to try it, germany would have been the best place, it is everywhere)
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche (one of my favs in mexico)
28. Oysters (raw or smoked, delicious)
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda (but yum!)
31. Wasabi peas (i once ate a few bowls of these in the coolest restaurant in hamburg, germany - then proceeded to steal a beer glass)
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (i have this issue with soggy bread)
33. Salted lassi (i have never liked the idea of the lassi and have yet to try one)
34. Sauerkraut (again, the germans)
35. Root beer float (the best kind of float!)
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (but not together, so i don't think that counts)
37. Clotted cream tea (in the lake district in england... so rich and so good)
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail (twice in the last year - south africa and paris and i enjoyed it much more than i thought i would)
41. Curried goat (i have eaten goat in many forms - thank you africa - but never curried)
42. Whole insects (chapulines in oaxaca, mexico. blech, but i did it)
43. Phaal (maybe i would try a bite)
44. Goat’s milk (not just plain milk, but cheese made with it)
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more (i had a scottish flatmate, he introduced me to nice scotch and hot toddies)
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala (just not with the chicken)
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut (heavenly, and i don't typically like doughnuts)
50. Sea urchin (no, but i did have one stuck in my foot for weeks)
51. Prickly pear (mexican street food includes cactus)
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone (there is some nasty poaching going on with this stuff in south africa, and i am pretty sure my former next-door neighbour was in on it when i lived there and when he pulled hods of it out of his freezer, i politely declined)
54. Paneer (my favourite is the paneer tikka from hashmi in nairobi - if you go there, order it!)
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle (something i should have tried while i was in deutschland, apparently)
57. Dirty gin martini (i had my first last year and it is surprisingly delicious and dangerous...)
58. Beer above 8% ABV (i think)
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores (back in the brownie camp days)
62. Sweetbreads (like maybe if i was on amazing race and this was the only thing keeping me from being a millionaire, then maybe)
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst (funny, i read a lot about this this past summer and there is even a museum devoted to the stuff in berlin, but it did not appeal to me so alas, i have not eaten it)
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake (mmmmm..... churros)
68. Haggis (in Edinburgh and it was pretty tasty)
69. Fried plantain (hello africa, and not too bad, but i am off bananas because of the many and varied uses of all things banana-like in east africa)
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette (no, no way)
71. Gazpacho (i made it once and described it as tasting like blended salad, but it was good blended salad)
72. Caviar and blini (wait, not together, but this one confuses me)
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu (and mostly because i am afraid of exported food products from china at the moment)
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail (and one time in paris, which was so parisian and delicious)
79. Lapsang souchong (sure, i like tea, just doubt that i would like a smoky tea)
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum (sounds nice)
82. Eggs Benedict (hollandaise is not my favourite, but the avenue diner in calgary does a fantastic version of these eggs)
83. Pocky (no, but i have had a very similar italian treat)
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant (oh, yes please!)
85. Kobe beef (what do you think the chances of the kobe beef fast food at u of c is actually kobe beef?)
86. Hare
87. Goulash (my mom made this a lot when i was growing up and i never cared for it, but had it again in hungary this summer, not bad, not bad)
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam (unless i ate it when i was little, i don't think i have ever eaten spam)
92. Soft shell crab (never the soft shell variety)
93. Rose harissa (not yet, but i will)
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano (i did not like this one bit and have no idea how the mexicans go so crazy for this national dish)
96. Bagel and lox (i think i have lived off of this for days on end at times)
97. Lobster Thermidor (never the thermidor variety)
98. Polenta (the first time at an italian dinner party and i only give it a medium)
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee (is that like code word for marijuana?)
100. Snake
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating. (except here they are red because i cannot figure out how to strike anything through)
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ linking to your results
The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos Rancheros
4. Steak tartare (just the other day and i loved it)
5. Crocodile (it tastes like salty chicken and is gross)
6. Black pudding (surprising considering my proximity at times to the places that eat this 'delicacy.' but no, i wouldn't try it.)
7. Cheese fondue (but i don't know what the big deal with the fondue is)
8. Carp
9. Borscht (i don't think i've ever had beet soup, but i surely would try it)
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich (raspberry j is best)
14. Aloo gobi (i am not sure i have had exactly this, but things very similar to it)
15. Hot dog from a street cart (my most recent one was a sausage in a bun in prague and it came with a pickle!)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes (i think so, but cannot remember an instance and i'm sure i would not like it)
19. Steamed pork buns (nothing about pork excites me and if i were to eat it, it would have to be some sort of pork roast)
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes (a life without tomatoes would not be worth living)
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras (i don't know a whole lot about foie gras, but have heard of some unethical farming practices to get those livers to grow so much. and liver, ew)
24. Rice and beans (it is a staple is so many countries i have been in and has its own name in cuba, but i cannot recall it at the moment)
25. Brawn or head cheese (had i wanted to try it, germany would have been the best place, it is everywhere)
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche (one of my favs in mexico)
28. Oysters (raw or smoked, delicious)
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda (but yum!)
31. Wasabi peas (i once ate a few bowls of these in the coolest restaurant in hamburg, germany - then proceeded to steal a beer glass)
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (i have this issue with soggy bread)
33. Salted lassi (i have never liked the idea of the lassi and have yet to try one)
34. Sauerkraut (again, the germans)
35. Root beer float (the best kind of float!)
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (but not together, so i don't think that counts)
37. Clotted cream tea (in the lake district in england... so rich and so good)
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail (twice in the last year - south africa and paris and i enjoyed it much more than i thought i would)
41. Curried goat (i have eaten goat in many forms - thank you africa - but never curried)
42. Whole insects (chapulines in oaxaca, mexico. blech, but i did it)
43. Phaal (maybe i would try a bite)
44. Goat’s milk (not just plain milk, but cheese made with it)
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more (i had a scottish flatmate, he introduced me to nice scotch and hot toddies)
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala (just not with the chicken)
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut (heavenly, and i don't typically like doughnuts)
50. Sea urchin (no, but i did have one stuck in my foot for weeks)
51. Prickly pear (mexican street food includes cactus)
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone (there is some nasty poaching going on with this stuff in south africa, and i am pretty sure my former next-door neighbour was in on it when i lived there and when he pulled hods of it out of his freezer, i politely declined)
54. Paneer (my favourite is the paneer tikka from hashmi in nairobi - if you go there, order it!)
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle (something i should have tried while i was in deutschland, apparently)
57. Dirty gin martini (i had my first last year and it is surprisingly delicious and dangerous...)
58. Beer above 8% ABV (i think)
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores (back in the brownie camp days)
62. Sweetbreads (like maybe if i was on amazing race and this was the only thing keeping me from being a millionaire, then maybe)
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst (funny, i read a lot about this this past summer and there is even a museum devoted to the stuff in berlin, but it did not appeal to me so alas, i have not eaten it)
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake (mmmmm..... churros)
68. Haggis (in Edinburgh and it was pretty tasty)
69. Fried plantain (hello africa, and not too bad, but i am off bananas because of the many and varied uses of all things banana-like in east africa)
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette (no, no way)
71. Gazpacho (i made it once and described it as tasting like blended salad, but it was good blended salad)
72. Caviar and blini (wait, not together, but this one confuses me)
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu (and mostly because i am afraid of exported food products from china at the moment)
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail (and one time in paris, which was so parisian and delicious)
79. Lapsang souchong (sure, i like tea, just doubt that i would like a smoky tea)
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum (sounds nice)
82. Eggs Benedict (hollandaise is not my favourite, but the avenue diner in calgary does a fantastic version of these eggs)
83. Pocky (no, but i have had a very similar italian treat)
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant (oh, yes please!)
85. Kobe beef (what do you think the chances of the kobe beef fast food at u of c is actually kobe beef?)
86. Hare
87. Goulash (my mom made this a lot when i was growing up and i never cared for it, but had it again in hungary this summer, not bad, not bad)
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam (unless i ate it when i was little, i don't think i have ever eaten spam)
92. Soft shell crab (never the soft shell variety)
93. Rose harissa (not yet, but i will)
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano (i did not like this one bit and have no idea how the mexicans go so crazy for this national dish)
96. Bagel and lox (i think i have lived off of this for days on end at times)
97. Lobster Thermidor (never the thermidor variety)
98. Polenta (the first time at an italian dinner party and i only give it a medium)
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee (is that like code word for marijuana?)
100. Snake
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
weather karma
i was having a thought on my run today. i was running on the road because i get these shin splint-type pains if i run on hard surfaces like sidewalks and i was noticing how wide the roads are here, but how drivers are still noticeably nervous when i am running on their turf.
this brought me around to some other thoughts i have been having lately - that our culture is so afraid of so many things happening. or, possibly, that companies, corporations, or any type of authority does not want to be held responsible for anything and then push safety and security down our throats. thank you, litigation.
so we wear helmets, reflective running jackets, and now we can't eat tomatoes. it just seems a bit obsessive. perhaps i feel this way because i have been living in a place where the options are a) go for a run on the road and risk getting hit by one of the cars that regularly speed by you on narrow roads, potentially rabid dog bites, or twisting an ankle on uneven surfaces or b) stay at home. staying at home gets old after a few weeks.
not that i do not think that any of these precautions are bad ideas. bike helmets keep your skull intact, reflective jackets allow you to have a less worrisome run, and salmonella is no fun (although the chances of dying from salmonella are low and it seems a bit alarmist to pull my favourite vegetable off the shelves after a sort of warning that they might be responsible for a salmonella 'outbreak').
in a way, this is linked to the craze about 'going green' and again, i believe some of the principles behind it, but i struggle with the idea that eating organic is 'going green.' actually, i downright disagree. growing things organically is not better for our environment, but i will save that for another post.
during these running thoughts when i was thinking, 'calgary, what a city of wimps!' it began to pour rain and i was thinking, 'i love running in the rain.' and then it hailed on me. and hail hurts! like lots of tiny bee stings all over your exposed skin, including the sensitive skin of the neck, ouch! i think that is what you call weather karma.
and i hope that weather karma does not rear its ugly head on me next time i try to be healthy, active, and non-wimpy.
this brought me around to some other thoughts i have been having lately - that our culture is so afraid of so many things happening. or, possibly, that companies, corporations, or any type of authority does not want to be held responsible for anything and then push safety and security down our throats. thank you, litigation.
so we wear helmets, reflective running jackets, and now we can't eat tomatoes. it just seems a bit obsessive. perhaps i feel this way because i have been living in a place where the options are a) go for a run on the road and risk getting hit by one of the cars that regularly speed by you on narrow roads, potentially rabid dog bites, or twisting an ankle on uneven surfaces or b) stay at home. staying at home gets old after a few weeks.
not that i do not think that any of these precautions are bad ideas. bike helmets keep your skull intact, reflective jackets allow you to have a less worrisome run, and salmonella is no fun (although the chances of dying from salmonella are low and it seems a bit alarmist to pull my favourite vegetable off the shelves after a sort of warning that they might be responsible for a salmonella 'outbreak').
in a way, this is linked to the craze about 'going green' and again, i believe some of the principles behind it, but i struggle with the idea that eating organic is 'going green.' actually, i downright disagree. growing things organically is not better for our environment, but i will save that for another post.
during these running thoughts when i was thinking, 'calgary, what a city of wimps!' it began to pour rain and i was thinking, 'i love running in the rain.' and then it hailed on me. and hail hurts! like lots of tiny bee stings all over your exposed skin, including the sensitive skin of the neck, ouch! i think that is what you call weather karma.
and i hope that weather karma does not rear its ugly head on me next time i try to be healthy, active, and non-wimpy.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
i'm on my way
today is my last day in nairobi and my last day at work and i am remembering that i really do hate good-byes. and not for the reasons that most people do. i just hate that they are so drawn out and people insist that they 'have to see you' before you go (and you have been here for nearly 2 years, for the love of god!) and everyone says 'but, why?' in this most annoying voice. yes, i live in kenya, but i am not from kenya. i do have a home, people!
but i have scheduled pick up at 7:30pm, have checked in online (hello window seat and sweet dreams all the way to london!), and have managed to get my runny nose under control so i do not infect all those around me with a nasty aeroplane bug. ew.
and hello, also, to heathrow terminal 3 and its delights. terminal 3 is my favourite of the terminals and perhaps i will replace my tried and tested birkenstocks (i am such a hippy who is in drastic need of a fashion overhaul, but hello also to europe this summer!) with something more fashionable.
i love travelling. i hate saying good bye. and i am more than a little excited to go home and see my fam (and my one-eyed dog) (oh, and my fluffy cat) (and all other north american novelties, which i could least at length but will save that for later).
yay.
but i have scheduled pick up at 7:30pm, have checked in online (hello window seat and sweet dreams all the way to london!), and have managed to get my runny nose under control so i do not infect all those around me with a nasty aeroplane bug. ew.
and hello, also, to heathrow terminal 3 and its delights. terminal 3 is my favourite of the terminals and perhaps i will replace my tried and tested birkenstocks (i am such a hippy who is in drastic need of a fashion overhaul, but hello also to europe this summer!) with something more fashionable.
i love travelling. i hate saying good bye. and i am more than a little excited to go home and see my fam (and my one-eyed dog) (oh, and my fluffy cat) (and all other north american novelties, which i could least at length but will save that for later).
yay.
Monday, May 19, 2008
just another night in the ‘robes
(may 16, 2008)
i am sitting in my pyjamas and having a glass of wine after having set my pan on fire during the melting of the butter and heating of the vodka in the preparation of vodka pasta. like any normal person would, i tried to blow it out (fyi – NOT a good idea) then carefully turned the burner off and gently placed the pan back down on the stove and just waited for the fire to burnt itself out while i calmly wondered, ‘is is soda or powder that goes on a grease fire?’
instead of chancing it, i figured i would just watch and ‘monitor’ the fire. during my vigilant monitoring, i debated putting the pan on the stoop so that it was less likely to ignite my kitchen, but instead just called my flatmate, who was equally clueless on what exactly we should do. so we watched it burn together. and then she said, just like a 14 year old boy would, ‘wow, that was cool.’ and i replied, ‘i know, science, eh.’ and that is a true story.
the vodka pasta was nice (although i have made better batches, i think the secret lies in the cream) and i am now patiently awaiting the arrival of my taxi driver, who i hope will buy my cooker. and agree to come and visit me in canada one day. because without him, my stay in nairobi would not have been as rich of an experience and i am quite sad to think that i might not see him again.
he and i have been plant shopping together, had impromptu kiswahili lessons while passing time, he has picked me up at the airport after returning from journeys both long and short. he even picked my family up at the airport last year with a name sign that i am sure was spelled wrong and chauffeured us around town, even joining us at the baby elephants, which i think he enjoyed just as much as we did.
this guy has given me the low down on all the carjackings, robberies, and other neighbourhood happenings and he has also been a partner in a great many political discussions and we tried to solve the problems of kenya in the post election violence while navigating the streets of nairobi. he has rented me cars, given me free rides on my birthday or when he was exceptionally late, and he has given me the ok to marry my boyfriend who he thinks is a ‘good guy’ and is convinced i will return when i have babies in my arms.
actually, he was there the night we first met and picked up and delivered my keys when i got home and realised that i had left them with a friend at the bar. he has picked up important documents and take away food, helped me figure out how the central investigative division of the kenya police works, and will hopefully buy my cooker and fridge.
he reckons he will save his shillings and visit his friends in canada and australia (or austria, we never could figure out where his friend lives) and i do not doubt it. i am convinced the man sits on a vault of money. i just hope i can be as good of a driver and friend as he has been to me.
i am sitting in my pyjamas and having a glass of wine after having set my pan on fire during the melting of the butter and heating of the vodka in the preparation of vodka pasta. like any normal person would, i tried to blow it out (fyi – NOT a good idea) then carefully turned the burner off and gently placed the pan back down on the stove and just waited for the fire to burnt itself out while i calmly wondered, ‘is is soda or powder that goes on a grease fire?’
instead of chancing it, i figured i would just watch and ‘monitor’ the fire. during my vigilant monitoring, i debated putting the pan on the stoop so that it was less likely to ignite my kitchen, but instead just called my flatmate, who was equally clueless on what exactly we should do. so we watched it burn together. and then she said, just like a 14 year old boy would, ‘wow, that was cool.’ and i replied, ‘i know, science, eh.’ and that is a true story.
the vodka pasta was nice (although i have made better batches, i think the secret lies in the cream) and i am now patiently awaiting the arrival of my taxi driver, who i hope will buy my cooker. and agree to come and visit me in canada one day. because without him, my stay in nairobi would not have been as rich of an experience and i am quite sad to think that i might not see him again.
he and i have been plant shopping together, had impromptu kiswahili lessons while passing time, he has picked me up at the airport after returning from journeys both long and short. he even picked my family up at the airport last year with a name sign that i am sure was spelled wrong and chauffeured us around town, even joining us at the baby elephants, which i think he enjoyed just as much as we did.
this guy has given me the low down on all the carjackings, robberies, and other neighbourhood happenings and he has also been a partner in a great many political discussions and we tried to solve the problems of kenya in the post election violence while navigating the streets of nairobi. he has rented me cars, given me free rides on my birthday or when he was exceptionally late, and he has given me the ok to marry my boyfriend who he thinks is a ‘good guy’ and is convinced i will return when i have babies in my arms.
actually, he was there the night we first met and picked up and delivered my keys when i got home and realised that i had left them with a friend at the bar. he has picked up important documents and take away food, helped me figure out how the central investigative division of the kenya police works, and will hopefully buy my cooker and fridge.
he reckons he will save his shillings and visit his friends in canada and australia (or austria, we never could figure out where his friend lives) and i do not doubt it. i am convinced the man sits on a vault of money. i just hope i can be as good of a driver and friend as he has been to me.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
loose ends
isn’t it funny how as soon as you decide to leave a place, you begin to appreciate it more? i suppose that it is human nature (or at least my nature), but it doesn’t change the fact that i am ready to breeze out of here.
luckily for me, i get my ‘personal effects’ shipped to canada and although it is not a whole lot, i will manage to get my favourite baskets, rugs, and irreplaceable household things , Pieces of Art (i bought another! this time by a sudanese canadian artist and i love it so much that i want to marry it), most important books, and clothes and shoes (after a serious purge) in the shipment. i have been in talks with the movers and am planning on having an open house to get rid of all the other bits and bobs that i have collected. isn’t it amazing how much stuff you collect over a few year? anyone want to purchase some sheep skin rugs or patio furniture or a held-held mixer?
i am also giving my health insurance a run for its money and making sure i use up all my allowances as i have no guarantees when next someone will be paying for my specs or my teeth. the dental hygienist said i had ‘excellent oral health’ which made me so happy that i let a whopping ‘yes’ accompanied by a vigorous arm pump. or at least that is what i felt like doing.
it also amazes me how your social calendar fills up as soon as you decide to leave: i have been visiting with a friend just back from many months in darfur, sudan, you can imagine how fascinating that lunchtime conversation was; i spent my friday night playing board games with my flatmate at which i lost miserably; today i have lunch with a work colleague and friend and then dinner at a friend’s place where i am sure we will laugh a lot and get lost in italian translation; and if the rainy season cooperates, i will be going horseback riding this sunday afternoon in nairobi’s next-door forest.
one of my pet peeves is people updating their social calendars on their blogs like a laundry list, however, the moral of my story is that there is a lot i am leaving, but that i am very much ready to do it.
luckily for me, i get my ‘personal effects’ shipped to canada and although it is not a whole lot, i will manage to get my favourite baskets, rugs, and irreplaceable household things , Pieces of Art (i bought another! this time by a sudanese canadian artist and i love it so much that i want to marry it), most important books, and clothes and shoes (after a serious purge) in the shipment. i have been in talks with the movers and am planning on having an open house to get rid of all the other bits and bobs that i have collected. isn’t it amazing how much stuff you collect over a few year? anyone want to purchase some sheep skin rugs or patio furniture or a held-held mixer?
i am also giving my health insurance a run for its money and making sure i use up all my allowances as i have no guarantees when next someone will be paying for my specs or my teeth. the dental hygienist said i had ‘excellent oral health’ which made me so happy that i let a whopping ‘yes’ accompanied by a vigorous arm pump. or at least that is what i felt like doing.
it also amazes me how your social calendar fills up as soon as you decide to leave: i have been visiting with a friend just back from many months in darfur, sudan, you can imagine how fascinating that lunchtime conversation was; i spent my friday night playing board games with my flatmate at which i lost miserably; today i have lunch with a work colleague and friend and then dinner at a friend’s place where i am sure we will laugh a lot and get lost in italian translation; and if the rainy season cooperates, i will be going horseback riding this sunday afternoon in nairobi’s next-door forest.
one of my pet peeves is people updating their social calendars on their blogs like a laundry list, however, the moral of my story is that there is a lot i am leaving, but that i am very much ready to do it.
Friday, May 09, 2008
i am going to miss martha
(may 8, 2008)
martha gives the best hour and a half pedicures. i had my last martha pedicure yesterday. paying more than ten dollars for a pedicure is going to be painful.
i am also going to miss the groundsmen at work who are always so happy to see you and who today i showed how to ‘talk’ with snapdragons. i walked into the office today listening to them say, ‘hello’ while pinching the flowers’ petals.
i will also miss fred and all the corner taxi guys who greet me in the morning and the askari davis who i say hi to every morning and evening on my ways to and from work.
i will miss passion fruit being perpetually in season, calla lilies available by the roadside, and some aspects of working within the machinery of the un.
however, there are a lot of things that i will not miss and that i will be happy to leave behind. including these flat-infesting, disease-spreading, ever-so-irritating mosquitos!
martha gives the best hour and a half pedicures. i had my last martha pedicure yesterday. paying more than ten dollars for a pedicure is going to be painful.
i am also going to miss the groundsmen at work who are always so happy to see you and who today i showed how to ‘talk’ with snapdragons. i walked into the office today listening to them say, ‘hello’ while pinching the flowers’ petals.
i will also miss fred and all the corner taxi guys who greet me in the morning and the askari davis who i say hi to every morning and evening on my ways to and from work.
i will miss passion fruit being perpetually in season, calla lilies available by the roadside, and some aspects of working within the machinery of the un.
however, there are a lot of things that i will not miss and that i will be happy to leave behind. including these flat-infesting, disease-spreading, ever-so-irritating mosquitos!
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
oh great...
i hope this is just the media stirring things up and not really as bad as it seems it could get, but there are already reports about riots in the slums in nairobi and tensions throughout the country, whatever that means.
Monday, April 07, 2008
platitudes
(april 4, 2008)
this is how my day began:
i walked out of my flat and saw my askari who would topple over if you even sneezed in his direction. then i saw him giving the two guard dogs water near their dog house and remembered the guard puppy that was following him around last week.
me: habari
askari who would topple over with a sneeze: fine fine
me: where is the tiny puppy?
askari who would topple over with a sneeze: dead
and that is one of the longest conversations i have had with him.
this is how my day began:
i walked out of my flat and saw my askari who would topple over if you even sneezed in his direction. then i saw him giving the two guard dogs water near their dog house and remembered the guard puppy that was following him around last week.
me: habari
askari who would topple over with a sneeze: fine fine
me: where is the tiny puppy?
askari who would topple over with a sneeze: dead
and that is one of the longest conversations i have had with him.
Friday, March 07, 2008
principled action
sometimes i am so stubborn that instead of paying the extra $1 to take the taxi, i will walk 20 minutes in the 30 degree equatorial sun without sunscreen, carrying my laptop, my itouch, and my digital camera through nairobi's streets.
i would never recommend that anyone else do that lest they be mugged or hit by a matatu, but i get so frustrated with being ripped off by taxi drivers and having to bargain EVERY time i want to go anywhere.
me, stomping down the street overloaded with bags and weight nearly melting in my jeans in the heat was not my finest moment. but i sure as hell saved that $1. sometimes being pricipled can be confused with being cheap!
i would never recommend that anyone else do that lest they be mugged or hit by a matatu, but i get so frustrated with being ripped off by taxi drivers and having to bargain EVERY time i want to go anywhere.
me, stomping down the street overloaded with bags and weight nearly melting in my jeans in the heat was not my finest moment. but i sure as hell saved that $1. sometimes being pricipled can be confused with being cheap!
Monday, March 03, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
raw only – day one
february 25, 2008)
today is the first of 7 days of eating only raw food. don’t ask me why i am doing this because i really have no idea. my flatmate has been doing it for 3 weeks and had a week left to go and had been asking me to join her so i figured i could do it for a week. here is the deal, i can eat anything that has not been cooked or heated, including spices that have been heated in the processing and salt. i have no idea why there is no salt allowed, but i am just going to follow instructions and wait to see what happens. i anticipate a lot of gas happening and not sure what else, but apparently this is supposed to be good for your body and your spirit. we’ll see.
thus far, i have not really noticed anything and this hasn’t been so hard but then again, this is only day one. apart from being so ridiculously tired at 8:30pm, but that could be because i had a busy day and have a busy week ahead of me. but the good kind of busy, the fun kind where i get to do things that actually lead to some measurable results and get me out of the office. and, if all goes well, i will get to go to some of the displacement camps in and around nairobi. i know that i should not necessarily be excited for that, but i am.
today is the first of 7 days of eating only raw food. don’t ask me why i am doing this because i really have no idea. my flatmate has been doing it for 3 weeks and had a week left to go and had been asking me to join her so i figured i could do it for a week. here is the deal, i can eat anything that has not been cooked or heated, including spices that have been heated in the processing and salt. i have no idea why there is no salt allowed, but i am just going to follow instructions and wait to see what happens. i anticipate a lot of gas happening and not sure what else, but apparently this is supposed to be good for your body and your spirit. we’ll see.
thus far, i have not really noticed anything and this hasn’t been so hard but then again, this is only day one. apart from being so ridiculously tired at 8:30pm, but that could be because i had a busy day and have a busy week ahead of me. but the good kind of busy, the fun kind where i get to do things that actually lead to some measurable results and get me out of the office. and, if all goes well, i will get to go to some of the displacement camps in and around nairobi. i know that i should not necessarily be excited for that, but i am.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)