"Somewhere in the World With Hinda and Peter Schnurman"

Massai Mama

2011-12-13T02:57:00.000-08:00

Evening Lightning Storm on the Mara

2011-12-13T01:32:00.000-08:00

Massai Warrior

2011-12-12T23:19:00.000-08:00

Warrior 2

2011-12-12T23:18:00.002-08:00

Tea

2011-12-12T23:18:00.001-08:00

Rufus

2011-12-12T23:17:00.002-08:00

Rhino

2011-12-12T23:17:00.001-08:00

Relaxing

2011-12-12T23:13:00.000-08:00

Mom and Cub Taking it Easy

2011-12-12T23:12:00.000-08:00

On Safari in the Massai Mara

2011-12-12T23:11:00.000-08:00

Woman in Massai Village

2011-12-12T23:10:00.000-08:00

Clothes Drying in Massai Village

2011-12-12T23:09:00.000-08:00

Young Massai Mother and Baby

2011-12-12T23:08:00.000-08:00

Kids on Tea Plantation

2011-12-12T23:06:00.002-08:00

Impala

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Frida, Camp Staff in a Pink Hat

2011-12-12T23:04:00.000-08:00

Frida and Willie the Cook

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Flat Tire 1 of 4

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Zebras

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Crossed

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2 Hippos Cooling Off in the Mara River

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Cheetah Cub

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Big Bad Cape Buffalo

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3 Going Right

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3 Going Left

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3 Elephants

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2 Elephants

2011-12-12T22:44:00.000-08:00

Last Blog Kisumu

2011-12-07T00:49:00.000-08:00

Blog 5
Kisumu, Kenya
December 7 – December 15, 2011

Jambo!

This will be my last blog before I return home. I am starting to write this on December 7th, and will post photos from my trip to Massai Mara on December 10 – 12th.

Throughout Africa, and including here in East Africa, one finds a lot of Biblical names. Here are just some you might find interesting: EZEKIEL, ELIJAH, IMMACULATE, SALOME, MOSES, MAGDALENE, FESTUS, HESBON, AMOS, NEHEMIAH, JEREMIAH, SHADRACH. And how about ATOMIC? Not really Biblical, but different never-the-less.

I know I have told you about the condition of the roads before, but it bears repeating. In fact, in some of the more developed parts of our roads might be considered trails, or actually driving through the bush. And each time it rains, everything turns into a mud filled swamp. And to think, that I often go to work on a motorbike 3 or 4 days a week.

A few days ago, my Kenyan family and I ate at a very nice Indian Restaurant here in town. The food was very good. However, Festus, and I both ate some kind of spicy mango. When we got home later that night both of us were running to the toilet for a few hours. Lucky for us that we didn’t have to both go at the same time.

Usually I hear the chickens just before dawn each morning, but one morning, the chicken crowing sounded a bit loud and very close. So when I went to the kitchen, there was a chicken with its legs tied together just waiting to become chicken soup. The kitchen is very small, so the chicken got moved to just outside my door, and somehow, it kept on moving slowly closer and closer to my room. However, dinner time came before the chicken could come inside my room and then you know the rest of the story.

The drivers here are pretty bad, but I just learned one of the reasons why. When you take the driving test you are not required to have a vision test. In addition, before you take the driving test, you give a small amount of money to your driving instructor who shares it with the driving examiner. So whether you can see or not, or whether you can drive or not you can still get a license. Want to go for a drive anyone?

There are lots of funerals here unfortunately, and so the body stays in the morgue until close to the actual burial. I guess some morgues are better and nice than others. Overheard from a friend: ” The Aga Khan Hospital Morgue is very nice and clean. No smell, and each body has it’s own special resting place”. It is also expensive compared to some of the other places.

Here is all you want to ever know about infant and maternal mortality death here in Kenya and other similar places. Last week one of our staff person's went into the best hospital to deliver her 4th child. Before she could deliver she died. The doctor immediately delivered the baby through a post mortem C section. The baby survived. Just two days ago the baby girl, still in the hospital also died. What else is there to say?

I had an interesting discussion a few days ago with a man who had never flown in an airplane. One of the questions he asked me was whether the planes had a place to “rest” in the sky. Do any of you remember the movie “The Gods Must be Crazy”?

Well, I am coming to the end of my journey to Kenya to work with K-MET. It has been nearly 4 months since I came. I am happy to report that by the time I leave in a few weeks, I will have completed my primary assignment – getting most of K-MET’s second building to completion. It really went well, and fast. I still hope to nail the first nail on to the roofing sheets before I leave.

And the other big success was getting the Dental Clinic up and running. It is doing great and is more and more busy each day. The Community Oral Health Officer is a real go getter. In fact he goes to the Provincial Hospital each day and brings back patients to us. We actually have much better equipment.

Now here is some late breaking news: Marion who we and some of you are helping to go to school has just been accepted into one of the best boarding schools. She passed her admission interview with flying colors. She starts in January. Will keep you updated.

Yes, I like to leave physical legacies in my wake, but this time in addition to the two buildings, (the one I helped build for the past couple of years, and now the one am just completing, I am leaving a living legacy - actually 3 trees. Two of them are favorites of Hinda and me, a Flamboyant, and a Jacaranda, and also an Apple Mango. The Jacaranda will be right in front of the new Schnurman Pharmacy in the new building. For those of you who don't know, a Flamboyant has bright orange blossoms, and a jacaranda nice purple blossoms, and of course the mango will give mangos.

I will end this blog for the time being and in a few days will go to the Massai Mara to visit those beautiful lions, elephants, zebra, giraffe and more, and post some photos for your enjoyment.

While I plan to come back to visit from time to time, this will be my last volunteer experience. I leave with fond memories, good friends and family, and some sadness that this group that I have become such a part of will have weaned me away in short order. I guess that is what is supposed to happen. Right?

See some of you very soon.

Peter "Omosh" Omondi Schnurman

Peter and Meggy

2011-11-09T02:08:00.001-08:00

Washing Up

2011-11-09T02:07:00.001-08:00

Young Cow"Boy"

2011-11-09T02:05:00.000-08:00

Kids Always Want to be Photographed

2011-11-09T02:04:00.001-08:00

Higher and Higher

2011-11-09T02:02:00.000-08:00

Cow Owner's Daughter

2011-11-09T02:01:00.000-08:00

Cow Owner

2011-11-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

Head Carry

2011-11-09T01:58:00.000-08:00

Blog 4 Kisumu Kenya

2011-11-09T01:57:00.000-08:00

Blog 4
Kisumu, Kenya
November 8, 2011

Hi All,

Thought I would write a few words and send a couple of photos, so hope you are ready.

I have reached more than the half way point here on travel to Kisumu. I came on August 30, and will leave here on January 3rd, just in time to arrive home to my 51st Anniversary with Hinda who has taken the week off. Actually, she has been furloughed, but no matter, we will have a nice time together.

We are making plans for our next volunteer assignment. I have arranged something for us in Juba, South Sudan, and Hinda is also trying to arrange something for Ethiopia. That would be our first choice, but we will see what happens and let you know. In any case, we will probably go in the late spring of 2012.

A few days ago in a very heavy rain, I was on a motorbike with 3 others – a total of 4, getting drenched, the rain stinging our eyes, riding through mud on a cow path on the way to see a sugar cane shamba (farm). And these motor bikes are small as those of you who have traveled out of the US probably know. Twice, we had to get out and walk – once because the path was too muddy, and once because it was too steep.

Sugar cane farming is interesting. There are actually three harvests. Also, when sugar cane is planted, it is not planted vertically into the ground, but rather a sugar cane branch or shoot is laid down in a furrow horizontally, and then shoots come up.

As you can see from the accompanying photo, the building is getting higher, What you are looking at is the second floor wall on the part of the building that will only have 2 floors, and for sure, it will be done before I leave here. I am very pleased at the progress.

Also, the new Dental Clinic is doing fine. We had a part time dental professional, and now have a full time one, so things will get better and clients won’t have to wait so long to get treatment. “Most”, but not all of the equipment is working, but that is the way it is here. Hopefully, it will all work before long.

It has been raining almost every afternoon and evening – big time with lots of thunder and lightning, and if you think it is fun riding to work the next day on a motor bike through mud and pond size puddles, you are mistaken. I am just waiting the the bike to skid and fall, but my trust driver Dominick is really good. Right Hinda?

Check out the pony tail. What do you think? Everyone here likes it, and so do I by the way. Lots of people touch it every day. Kind of fun.

I have been doing a lot of cooking at home. Tonight am going to try to make stuffed cabbage. Am getting good at spaghetti and sausages with tomato sauce from scratch. Also French toast, mushrooms on toast, pancakes, milk shakes, and more. Want to come for dinner, lunch or breakfast? Make your reservations here.

Finally, before I leave, I am going to plant a Jacaranda tree here in honor of our 51st Anniversary. It is a great shade tree with beautiful purple blossoms. I have already planted a Flamboyant tree and an Apple Mango.

OK for now! Take care, and be well.

Love,

Omosh

Cowboy Uncle

2011-10-17T02:24:00.001-07:00

Maureen

2011-10-17T02:14:00.001-07:00

Maureen and Miriam

2011-10-17T02:13:00.001-07:00

Big Spoon

2011-10-17T02:12:00.001-07:00

Collecting Rainwater

2011-10-17T02:11:00.001-07:00

KMET Dentist and Patient

2011-10-17T00:58:00.000-07:00

Monica Helps Launch Quality Health Care Financing Program

2011-10-17T00:54:00.000-07:00

Marion's School

2011-10-17T00:46:00.000-07:00

Francis

2011-10-17T00:44:00.001-07:00

Young Boyin Village

2011-10-17T00:41:00.000-07:00

Boys in the Village

2011-10-17T00:38:00.001-07:00

Give Me A Big Smile

2011-10-17T00:35:00.001-07:00

Cecilia

2011-10-17T00:33:00.000-07:00

Roselyne at Home in Awasi

2011-10-17T00:32:00.000-07:00

Ruth Drying Dishes

2011-10-17T00:31:00.000-07:00

Santa Pours Cement in Hot Sun

2011-10-17T00:30:00.001-07:00

The Building is Rising

2011-10-17T00:24:00.000-07:00

Blog 3 Kisumu, Kennya

2011-10-17T00:18:00.000-07:00

October 16, 2011

Habari zenu,

I am writing this on a hot Sunday morning keeping cool with the fan blowing on me. I will go out later when it cools down a bit. We have had a lot of rain in the past few days and also it has been pretty hot.

As you can see from the photos above, the new K-MET building is progressing quite well. It does looks like it will be pretty much completed by the time I leave here in early January. If that does happen, I will be both proud and happy. It will be an important thing for me to have helped K-MET once again in their building projects. I am trying hard to get the building done within the budget which is increasingly difficult because of the extremely high inflation here – 20%+. Kenya’s Shilling is the second worst in the world as compared to the US Dollar. When we first came here in 2009, the exchange rate was in the 70’s, and now it is 106. This makes life very hard for most people who are struggling to just get enough food to eat.

Our new Dental Clinic is doing well. That is if you consider extraction doing well. There is very poor dental care here. It just isn’t affordable, so people only go when their toothaches are so severe, and their tooth has deteriorated so much that there is no other recourse except to have it, or even 2 or 3 extracted. So, I am going to try to start a children’s dental clinic, and perhaps if we can get at the kids early enough coupled with education about good dental health we can slowly turn some things around, even if only for a few people. You see so many people here with missing teeth. The K-MET staff has health insurance, and so we are negotiating with the health care provider to add our dental clinic to their preferred providers, and when they do, it will help the staffs, who like so many others have big dental problems.

One of the best things about volunteering is that you learn about different cultures. Sometimes we Americans and other Westerners don’t even realize that there are many different cultures besides theirs. For example, one of the taboos in the Luo culture is that a son in law can’t talk to his mother in law after a certain time at night. Conversely, a Massai man can talk and even touch his mother in law, but not his sister in law. A Luhya mother cannot sit on the couch in her daughter’s house, but sits on the floor with her legs outstretched. And Roselyne’s mother cannot eat kuku (chicken) or eggs in Festus’ mother’s house, but it is ok for Festus’ mother to eat kuku or anything in Roselyne’s house. It is pretty confusing to understand this, and I am not sure that I do, so for you Luo’s, Luhya’s, Massai’s and others I apologize if I have it wrong. Anyway, it is very interesting to me, and I hope to you too.

One of our staff was riding in a matatu and the police pulled them over. All were taken to court to a holding cell for not wearing seat belts. Guess what – there were no seat belts in the matatu. And to top it off, the matatu driver, conductor, and the matatu itself were released. While the passengers stayed locked up for the entire morning. Crazy!!

Kenya Power and Light has installed an automatic pay system You just need to go to Mpesa or online and buy power time like air time on phone. The problem is that for some people when they try to pay they find that they don’t have an account, and after a few days their power is disconnected. Kind of what you would expect from a bureaucracy – anyplace..

In English, I can say I am going home. Here when you say you are going home, it means to the village of your family. On the other hand, when you are going to your house, you are going to the place where you live, (in town).

I continue to be saddened or concern about the high number of people I meet that are HIV positive. And in this area it is the highest in the country. On the other hand the ARV’s that people take allow them to lead a normal life and that is good. Still, it will be better once we are able to protect people against becoming positive. And for that matter, prevent malaria, TB, typhoid and the rest of the killers. I know we will.

Hinda and I are looking for a place to volunteer in 2012. If you have ideas or suggestions, let us know and we will follow them up.

So, I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog and viewing my photos as much as I have enjoyed writing it and taking the photos. By the way, most of the people photos were taken yesterday while I was attending a funeral in Awasi, the village where Roselyne and Festus come from.

Take care and be good!

Love,

Peter

New K-MET Building Under Construction

2011-09-29T05:42:00.000-07:00

Stone Dressers

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Sanke in the Grass - Poisonous (Dead) Near House

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Samuel - Stone Dresser Boss

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Religious Woman Going to Funeral

2011-09-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

Peter in Office with Deskmate Griffin and Susan

2011-09-29T05:36:00.000-07:00

Peter and Monica Laying New Building Cornerstone

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New Dental Clinic

2011-09-29T05:34:00.002-07:00

Monica and Mom Helping Cook for Funeral

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Monica, KMET Tea Lady

2011-09-29T05:33:00.001-07:00

Agnes Bathing

2011-09-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

Blog 2 Kisumu

2011-09-29T05:20:00.000-07:00

Blog 2
Kisumu, Kenya
Week of September 26, 2011

Hello Everyone,

Hope you are all fine as I am here in Kisumu. I have been just short of one month and things are going very well. I have exciting things to tell you, so let me start.

Some of you know about Marion, the 11 year old orphan who Hinda and I, and some of you are helping to stay in and finish school.. I have told you before that Marion is very very smart. Well, as I write this, she is in Indonesia, the only person in her school who was chosen to attend a UN Youth Conference on the Environment. WOW! Yes, she will go places, and she has already started. Not bad for someone so young from a very small village. It was a real challenge to get her a passport and birth certificate in only 1 day, but we did. And then she didn’t get her ticket until just a few hours before she boarded the plane, but she got off ok. All’s well that ends well. I just heard that she is doing very well and enjoying herself.

In my last blog I told you about the dental clinic that will be starting here – actually on Monday, October 3rd. When you look at the photo you will recognize that it is pretty much state of the art. All of the equipment has been donated including instruments, chair, light, compressor to run everything, and all supplies. The dental clinic will be collaboration with World Missions International run by of all people, a Japanese American dentist from Seattle who lives in Nairobi and runs several dental clinics. Even the dentist will be donated. Actually she is a COHO – Community Oral Health Officer, kind of like a nurse practitioner with quite a bit of community dental experience. Already there are lots of people waiting to get dental care, I will not be modest here, and simply say I am proud and happy to have brought this about. It fills a very big gap in the services that K-MET provides to the community ,and will make a difference.

Here is a funny thing A new airport just opened a couple of weeks ago here. A very nice and modern one. However, when I went to pick someone up, I first went to the old airport and then was told that t was closed and directed to the new airport. Where were the signs???

The new building is progressing very rapidly and I am optimistic that it will be completed by the time I leave here. I am really working hard to make that happen. See some of the photos. I was very proud to have helped lay the cornerstone.

I had to take Marion to get a Yellow Fever shot and went to a large clinic in the community. Marion was the only patient. All of the other people there were staff and all were sleeping and or sitting around doing nothing. In addition, they had the vaccine but only in packaging for 10 doses and wouldn’t open it for her, so one of us who brought her had to go in a very big rainstorm to buy a single dose and bring it back.

There has been a crack down on vehicles which are not properly licensed, insured, etc., so go to the town where Roselyne and Festus come from, we need to use those vehicles – matatu’s, designed for up to 14 but carrying perhaps 21 or 22. So what happens is that the matatu picks you up takes your money, and then if they get stopped, they just strand you wherever and you are left nowhere with and your fare is gone.

From a young boy as I was walking back from a funeral: “Hey mzungu (white man). I am going to send you a rat”. Hahaha.

Buy the way, on the Friday night of the funeral which was very near to where I was staying, the music and preaching was so loud that none of the 5 of us who slept in the room that night had any sleep which was not good after all of helped cook and wash dishes for the many special guests who came for the funeral. We were all pretty tired the next morning, only to have to get up early and cook breakfast and lunch and wash dishes again – all outside with wood and/or charcoal fires.

For the past few days there has not been enough water pressure to take a shower so I have to take splash baths which are ok, but not great. Well, at least we have had power.

Heard enough? I think so. Hope you enjoy the blog and photos.

Love, Omosh,
(the nickname for my Kenyan name
me of Omondi meaning born early in the morning). It is how most people call me now. And I have learned so much Luo and Kiswahili and enjoy speaking. I get lots of teasing.

Taking Agnes To School On My Way To Work

2011-09-14T00:43:00.001-07:00

Marrion In Front of My Room

2011-09-14T00:42:00.001-07:00

New KMET Building Under Construction

2011-09-14T00:40:00.001-07:00

Blog 1 Kisumu, Kenya Sep 14, 2011

2011-09-14T00:29:00.001-07:00

Blog 1Kisumu, KenyaSeptember 14, 2011

Jambo Everyone!

Hope this finds you well. Some of you know that I am back in Kenya, and for those who don’t, well, now you know.I arrived here on August 31, and after 1 night in Nairobi, flew to Kisumu on September 1. By Monday, September 6, I was back at work at K-MET. I think this is my 4th time here volunteering with them.

I am back living with Roselyne and Festus and their children Agnes, 3, and Kennedy, 9, and in my own room again. But this time I bought a new bed and mosquito net. I am quite comfortable.Since I was here last some 6 months ago, the prices of most things have increased significantly, however, the exchange rate has also improved in favor of the US dollar, so for me it is not as bad as it is for the Kenyans for whom life is very expensive.

Another thing is that there are a lot more power outages. Last week there were power outages every night. Somehow during the day when you don’t need lights there is power and at night when you need it for cooking, eating, etc., there is none. And to make matters worse, it seems that in the dark there are a lot more mosquitoes at night which isn’t so good. And to top it all off, this morning the power company fooled us and turned the power off which resulted in a coooooold shower. I also have a cold which I am trying to shake. But, I am OK.

What am I doing here again? First and foremost, I am with old friends, and some new ones too. I am happy to be back and received very warm welcomes from everyone. For the past couple of years I have been helping KMET build a building which houses a medical clinic, micro finance, the “Schnurman” Pharmacy and various program offices. The building was completed last year. Now, we are constructing a second building which will house the youth program, Nutriflour Production facility, and a shelter for adolescent girls and young women – Freedom House. I have been negotiating bids for this new building and helping to coordinate construction. And it is going up fast, and I think it will be completed by the time I leave in early January. I really enjoy doing this, and it is good to leave something behind that will be there for a long time, but more importantly will provide important services for the community.

And now, this is exciting. I have been able to put together a real coup – a dental clinic which I believe will be operational in just a few more weeks. Through a contact in Seattle, I met an American dentist who lives and practices in Nairobi and who runs several non profit dental clinics in Nairobi and elsewhere here. Anyway, he came here to visit and was quite impressed with KMET and we have agreed that his organization – World Ministries International will provide equipment and staff for the dental clinic. This is a first, and the need for people to have dental care is paramount. So many people in the slum communities here are in serious need of dental services, and our new clinic will be affordable. In fact we hope that people who can afford to pay a market rate will come and use the service which will help to subsidize the cost for those who have little to no money.

Each morning on my way to work I take Agnes, the 3 year old I live with to nursery school on the motorcycle I take to work. Would this happen in America? I help with the cooking at home. Last weekend I made guacamole which everyone loved including me. The only problem was not being able to have the right kind of chips for dipping so we used potato chips. It worked!! The avocados here are huge and delicious. And I was asked to make more which I will.

Here is an interesting cultural thing that I witnessed. A man who is married to a woman but who was never formally introduced to his wife’s m other cannot be in the same room with his mother in law. When she came to visit her daughter, he had to stay in the kitchen until she left.

One of the best things about living in different parts of the world is to experience different culture, mores, taboos, etc. I learn a lot every day. And by the way speaking of learning, my Kiswahili is getting better and better and so is my Dholuo the local language spoken in this part of Kenya.So,

I have attached a few photos – the new building under construction, Agnes and me on the motorcycle going to school, and a photo of Marrion who some of you are helping to continue her education after she was left an orphan last hear. She is Festus’ 11 year old niece, and is number 1 in her class and also a very nice young girl. She will go far and make those of us who are helping very proud. Let Hinda or me know if you want to help.

I think that is enough for now.

Love,
Peter

Ali Baba

2011-02-07T01:01:00.000-08:00

And the Thief

2011-02-07T01:00:00.002-08:00

Sahara Sunset

2011-02-07T01:00:00.001-08:00

Sahara Shadows

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Hinda's Caravan

2011-02-07T00:57:00.000-08:00

Mohar, Berber Camel Guide

2011-02-07T00:56:00.000-08:00

Going to Pray i n Rabat

2011-02-07T00:55:00.000-08:00

Three Chefchouen Friends

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Essouria Fisherman

2011-02-07T00:53:00.000-08:00

Fes Crepe Maker

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Pretty in Essouria

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Chefchouen - The Blue City

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Traditional and Modern Friends

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Community Washing in Chefchouen

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Riad Courtyard

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View From Our Room in Essouria

2011-02-07T00:42:00.000-08:00

Peter and Hinda's 50th Anniversary in Morocco

2011-02-07T00:39:00.000-08:00

Anniversary trip blog January 2011
So here we are 50 years later about to start our anniversary trip. Our first stop is in Istanbul where we began this adventure a few days after we were married in 1961. Spent a wonderful evening with the friends we made in Turkey all those years ago, reminiscing and laughing a lot as we did when we were so young and away from home for the first time. Now we are older and wiser but still having fun and it was so good to be able to spend time with these old friends, each time we see them it is just like we were together a few hours before.
After a good night’s rest we left for Casablanca. We were met at the airport by our driver and guide who we would spend the next 16 days with. His name is Yusuf, a nice young man, speaking perfect English, knowledgeable about Morocco, and knew all the best coffee spots in every little town along our way. He gave us a driving tour of Casablanca then took us to our first hotel. Nice place on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
We left Casablanca in the morning for a little town, known as the blue town, named Chef Chouen. A charming place with all the buildings painted blue and white. On the way we realized that our romantic idea of what Morocco looked like was just that, a romantic idea. It is a very modern country with building cranes everywhere, modern buildings, new roads, modern transportation systems in the big cities, even a high speed train that will traverse the country at speeds up to 500 kilometers per mile. The countryside is mostly lush with many rivers and streams and farming is the main occupation. They grow lots of wheat and have the best bread we ever tasted. Of course, having arrived there from Kenya where there are no new roads, now new construction of anything modern and very little water, we were certainly more aware of how advanced and modern this country is.
We were also surprised that we could communicate in Spanish in this country that speaks Arabic and French. Turns out in a large part of the north part of the country there has been a big Spanish influence because it is so close and many people speak Spanish. We got along quite well in the north with our little bits of Spanish since neither of us speaks Arabic or French. Things would change as we headed south, and we found it difficult to communicate in much of the south where people did not speak anything but Arabic and French. We also found that most tourists were from French speaking countries and although there are more English speaking tourists now things are not geared toward the English speaking population. Of course, our limited language skills did not keep us from enjoying the trip or being able to shop and eat well in all restaurants. We decided we really prefer the food in the small towns like Berber Pizza, which is a large flat round bread stuffed with meat, onions, mushrooms and spices, baked to a perfect crust and savored at the roadside restaurant or the vegetable and meat dishes cooked in tagines, or the lamb chops grilled after you choose your lamb and amount of meat. Then top it off with French or Moroccan pastries and mint tea. Ummm good.
Spent the day walking around town with a guide who showed us the charming houses and winding streets. Relaxing day then stayed in our first of many riads. A riad is a bed and breakfast, formerly a large house, often located in the Medina, the old part of town and often behind the walls of the Kasbah. In almost all of the places we stayed we were treated extremely well and had our rooms upgraded since it was off season and we were celebrating a big anniversary. In most, we had suites with a bedroom, sitting room and bath with marble, granite and painted tile showers with lots of water pressure. The only thing we found lacking in the places we stayed was enough light, we think they were all using 1 watt bulbs. Never mind that I could never see what I really looked like after putting on my makeup in the morning, I just made sure not to look in the mirror again during the day and no one was laughing at me so, I guess it was ok.
We had a lovely time in Chef Chouen but discovered that the unscrupulous guide we used took us to an equally unscrupulous shop keeper who he must have had a deal with and in Peter’s attempt to keep the economy going bought a hamsa for twice as much as we should have paid. When our driver heard the story he immediately took us back, called the guide and had him go to the shop, return the hamsa and get our money back. How nice! Even though Peter continued to make sure the Moroccan economy kept going we think we did not get ripped off again. Or at least we don’t know it.
Wash day in town is a community event, all the women meet at the river where there is a special place built to wash clothes. They spend several hours visiting and washing, seeming to enjoy the company and making the task more interesting. They then carry the wet wash home on their heads or a cart and hang it to dry. Takes lots of time but certainly makes for good community interaction.
We then headed for Fes, one of the five imperial cities. Along the way we drove through beautiful country, lots of hills and valleys with trees and then saw the Middle Atlas mountains which made us think of home, snow covered with cedar trees, not as big as ours but beautiful. We spent 2 days in Fes in a lovely riad but it was so cold we wore our jackets most of the time. Spent the first day just wandering around by ourselves and the second day with a really good guide, Ali, who made sure we learned everything and were not cheated. Shopping again was the main event as we wandered through the narrow winding street of the Medina. We found the people of Fes very friendly, warm and anxious to help. It was a great place to visit.
Now for the highlight of the trip we headed for the Sahara and our night in the desert. Rode for a couple of hours in a 4x4, reached the desert and made acquaintances with our camels. Saddles were put on the camels and we got on, easier said than done, since once you are seated on the camel, behind the hump, he gets up back end first, so you are tipping forward and then he raises his front. Oh the ground looks so far away. The camel driver tells us that the camels have no names since they are work animals, Hinda chooses to name hers “Sweetheart”. We ride off into the desert and stopped in about an hour to view the sunset. It is truly beautiful. However, it is getting really cold, we need to put on our jackets and Berber turbans against the cold and wind. (see photos above of Ali Baba and the Thief). After sunset we continue to the Bedouin camp which was in an oasis with tents in a circle, bedroom, bathroom and dining tent. Our camel driver serves us dinner and after tea as it is getting late we head for bed. It is very cold but the blankets are heavy, so heavy it is hard to turn over, and we are warm enough. In the morning we get up to a lovely sunrise, breakfast and the camel ride back to the 4x4’s. What a delightful experience and thoroughly enjoyed by us. On our way back to the road we were surprised to see adobe huts with solar panels and satellite dishes on the roof. Everyone has their priorities.
Back in town we met Yusef and headed for Marrakesh, a really busy modern city with lots of traffic and modern buildings. Certainly, a city like many others and although we enjoyed our time there it was similar to many other places we have been.
Now for the next highlight, we spent a couple of days in Essouria, in a suite sitting above the Atlantic Ocean. Literally, had we jumped out the window we would have landed in the ocean. Essouria is a really nice coast city that is clean, friendly, modern and old mixed, good fish and a relaxing end to an unforgettable trip. We were lucky with the weather and sun kept shining while we walked along the beach.
A bit about the government of Morocco. This country has a King and although we believe in democracy, Morocco seems to be thriving under their King, he is young and has been in power for the last ten years. He is college educated in the USA and married to a commoner who is also an economist. He has made lots of changes to help women in the country, on the advice of his wife and is moving the country to have a thriving economy and a good infrastructure. There does not seem to be any corruption in the government and everyone we spoke to at various levels of the economy seems to like the King. He also is a friendly man who is often seen walking in town or driving his own car. Of course, he does have 32 palaces many with golf courses around the country but I guess if you are King you can have anything you want.
Back to the real world, we have arrived back to our Kisumu family and will stay for a short time and then return the the USA, happy and healthy. In Kisumu 2-1/2 year old Agnes has fallen in love with Hinda and the feeling is mutual. They put on makeup together, and have lots of fun.

Hinda will leave here on February 11, and Peter on February 28.
See you soon as we begin our next 50 years together. Let’s see how far we can get.
Love,
Hinda and Peter

Hinda's Blog Post From Kisumu

2011-01-10T01:32:00.000-08:00

January 10, 2011
Hello Everyone,

I wanted to write a few lines about my last week in Kenya. Thought you might be interested in my views of things since the last time I was here in 2009.
First, let me say that KMET is doing great, the building is wonderful. Peter and Monica have done an outstanding job of getting it built, moved into and humming like a well oiled machine (maybe a Kenyan well oiled machine). The clinic space is large and welcoming with exam rooms, the Schnurman Pharmacy, which by the well is well stocked and has a pharmacist, the clinic has a nice reception area and still using the charts and data program I initiated in 2009. Last Friday, Peter and I went to town and bought a refrigerator with some of the money I brought with us from donors in the USA. They can now get immunizations from the Ministry of Health to give to the children of the community they innoculate the children at no cost. The incidence of polio and chicken pox, unfortunately, is on the rise so immunizations are extremely important.
Of course, even though the building has been open for less than a year, it is already too small so plans for a new building are in the works. With some money from AJWS the start of that building will be done by constructing a mill where KMET will mill the nutra flour they make to give to children and others, which they also sell to other organizations, like C.A.R.E. The space the mill is currently in is less than adequate and production can be stepped up if they have a larger space.
Monica and the staff welcomed me back and I started working immediately. It was nice to have people so happy to see me. Nothing has changed with how polite and friendly people genuinely are.
The flight, as you know was long and boring, in the air for about 18 hours with a few hours at the airport in Amsterdam, then arriving in Nairobi at night and staying in a hotel for a few hours and then back to the airport for a flight to Kisumu made for a long two days. However, when I arrived in Kisumu, Peter and the family we are staying with were there to meet me with big smiles and lots of hugs. We headed for their home and everyone was doing as much as they could to make me comfortable. They were all worried, including Peter, about how I would react to the accommodations. A small room in their compound with a nice new bed and linens, a couple of plastic chairs and a fan is ours. A squat flush toilet, but they had a seat built for me which I used the first couple of days but am now used to squatting. I am not sure I would want to do this forever but for a couple of weeks at a time I am fine. A bigger problem is that the water and electric go off almost every day and it seems to happen when we want to shower or we are trying to cook dinner or watching TV. Roselyne the wife in this family works very hard to keep the home going well. She gets up early in the morning to make breakfast and start her daily chores. She does everything by hand and from scratch, so everything takes a lot longer and is harder to accomplish. And of course, she is the last one to go to bed, as well. The life of women in Africa is hard and if they can keep from contracting HIV-AIDS they will remain healthy enough to work all day and into the night. Things are changing for women but it takes a long time so unless you have patience this is not the place to come;
Peter has been helping Roselyn with various household tasks and does a lot of dishwashing and assistant cooking activities. He says he will continue when he comes home, so we will see. Festus, the husband, works hard and long hours at a radio station and is also working on his degree at night so he is often away from early morning until midnight. There are two small children, an 8 year old boy, named Kennedy and an adorable 2 year old named Agnes who calls Peter , sweetheart. She repeats the last word of everything anyone says and is learning English well. I think she understands everything. As with other 2 year olds, she is the boss and everyone tries to please Agnes.
So I arrived on Sunday and Tuesday was our 50th anniversary. We started off the morning with my sitting in a chair, Peter tripping and knocking my glasses off and they broke in half. For the last 10 years, I have taken an extra pair of glasses with me on all of our trips, never had any use for them so this time, guess what? No extra glasses. We spent the next several hours trying to either get the glasses fixed, which turned out to be impossible or find frames that my lenses would fit in. Having new ones made was out of the question, since it takes at least two weeks and by then we will be in Morocco. Plus which, I could not imagine not being able to see for that long. We finally located a frame that would work, and of course it was the most expensive frame in the whole city and the place we found it must have been jumping up and down with happiness, since no one else in Kisumu would ever buy such an expensive designer frame. As far as I was concerned, I didn’t care how much they cost, as long as I could see. We then went to work for the rest of the afternoon, planning on going out to dinner that evening to celebrate. However, by the time we got home, with the stress of the day looking for an eyeglass solution and the heat (probably in the high 90’s) we both decided that we could not go out so we stayed at home and had a quiet dinner. We will do our celebrating in Morocco.
This past weekend we met the young girl who we have decided to help with school. Her name is Marrion. She is 10 years old, extremely bright, very sweet and delightful to be with. We took her to buy text books and sport shoes and of course since her little 8 year old sister was with us we bought shoes for her, as well. As you know from Peter’s blogs their mother recently passed away from HIV-AIDS. Their father is also positive and an alcoholic, so they live with their maternal grandmother, who is also positive but on ARV’s and has been ok for some time. Without help for school, she could become a child of the street, abused, pregnant and probably HIV positive, if we can help her stay in school, hopefully she will be able to survive and develop some skills to keep her going. Thanks to those of you who are also helping, I am sure you will not be sorry.
After buying the books and shoes, we took all the kids to a really nice swimming pool at a nice hotel. They had a wonderful time, just being kids. Of course since Marrion and her sister Sharyne did not have bathing suits on the way we had to buy those. It was worth it to see them having so much fun, laughing and happy as kids should be. There is definitely too much stress and heartache for everyone here, especially the children.
On Sunday, a young woman can to our house and did manicures and pedicures for Peter, Roselyne and I. It is hot here and no one moves too quickly so it took most of the day, the cost for three manicures and pedicures was about $21 which is less than I pay of just one in the USA, and the results were just as good.
So that ended, my first week here in Kisumu. Saturday we will go to Nairobi and then leave for Morocco, with a 24 hour stop in Istanbul. I can’t wait. You will hear from us again soon.
Hinda

Marrion

2011-01-03T00:58:00.000-08:00

Ummm Good Tilapia

2011-01-03T00:57:00.000-08:00

Isabel

2011-01-03T00:55:00.000-08:00

Happy Priest

2011-01-03T00:54:00.000-08:00

Fish Seller

2011-01-03T00:53:00.000-08:00

Fish Seller's Daughter

2011-01-03T00:51:00.000-08:00

Learning to Crush Garlic

2011-01-03T00:49:00.000-08:00

Cooking Ugali

2011-01-03T00:48:00.000-08:00

Cooking Nyama

2011-01-03T00:47:00.000-08:00

Cooking With Your Friends Can Be Fun

2011-01-03T00:46:00.000-08:00

3 Happy Women

2011-01-03T00:43:00.000-08:00