people for peace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1ZEJWVSiEI

First thing: this is amazing-everyone should watch this music video-Emmanuel Jal’s latest single “We Want Peace” is a way to promote peace around the world and more specifically in his native country of Southern Sudan. Certain parts of this music video were filmed at the Sarakasi Dome and the video features many of our own Africa Yoga Project instructors and the founder Paige Elensen as well! 

Just to give you all a current events lesson on Southern Sudan…the country is currently split into 2 main sections: Sudan and Southern Sudan. Southern Sudan houses close to 80% of the countries natural resources: petroleum and crude oil, and therefore there has been a constant conflict over that part of the country for years. On January 9, 2011 Southern Sudan will be voting on whether or not to remain united with the north or to secede and become its own country.  The problem with secession is the fear of igniting another civil war-a civil war that would most likely result in another genocide.

The last civil war that took place in Sudan lasted over 20 years and claimed close to 2 million lives. And this is where Emmanuel Jal comes in-he has first-hand experience with the issues of Sudan. Born in 1980, he was quickly swept away into a life as a child soldier. He was fighting at the age of 8 with an AK-47 and was lucky to survive the mayhem. Today he is a well renowned recording artist, and unlike many rap stars, he actually speaks with a purpose. While many of rap artists are rapping about booze, babes, etc, Jal is using his musical talents to promote awareness of the situation at hand. I am encouraging all of you to watch this music video and purchase the album on i-tunes. Spreading this message putting all eyes on a critical situation, the government is less likely to act inhumanely. Send the video to your friends, family,
co-workers, anybody who would appreciate such an important message: Peace in the world.

With that being said, each and every one of you should keep a close eye on Emmanuel Jal, he has been doing some really amazing things and can only bring better things to this world. His “We Want Peace” campaign is specifically geared towards raising awareness for the upcoming referendum, but he has also founded Gua Africa with the following mission statement:

Our mission is to work with individuals, families and communities to help them overcome the effects of war and poverty. Each of our projects focus on providing an education to children and young adults who would otherwise be denied such opportunity.

He also ran the “Lose to Win” campaign where he ate only one meal a day for over 600 days in order to raise money to build a school in his village in Southern Sudan. The whole concept was that you have to give something up in order to gain something…in his case he gave up food to build a school…

After meeting such a prominent figure in the advocacy world, I can’t help but think what I can do as an individual. Raising awareness is easy via social networking and such, but what else can be done…during this holiday season I am challenging all of you (and myself) to really think long and hard about what you would be able to give up in order to gain something on a larger scale…whether it be 1 less gift a family member and donating that money to an organization you support as a family or whatever it is you feel necessary…I am really starting to think the western world needs to re-evaluate our way of living-I’m not saying dishing out free things/money is the right answer-I recently read the book Dead Aid by Dambisa Moyo-a book everyone should look into-it discusses why aid is not working in Africa and how a different approach needs to be addressed before Africa continues it’s downward spiral…I do feel that there are many other ways that the western world can help support Africa-raising awareness of the internal conflicts is one way of doing so and avoiding dishing out dollars is essential. Ok WOW I just ranted for a bit but onto where I am in my life right now…

I’ve spent the last week or so getting lost amongst the streets of Europe. First I flew into Paris and was greeted with mass amounts of snow. Considering I was just arriving from Africa, this was quite a shock and as I walked off the plane all I could do was laugh…I had on a flannel shirt with a rain jacket and jeans…and those were my warmest clothes. Needless to say I was a bit flustered and overwhelmed by society as well.

After situating myself a bit I hopped the metro and found a cute, quaint hotel in the Latin Quarters of Paris-near Notre Dame-and settled…basically I hibernated. I didn’t leave the area that much for a day or so because I was freezing and still decompressing from my Africa trip. It had been a while since I’d really had any alone time and I was utilizing time to really process all that I’ve experienced recently. I found myself constantly comparing things to Kenya and how different it was, but I really had to sit back and stop myself because it is only draining to compare and contrast so much. So I put that aside and actually explored a bit-the area was adorable…cobble stone streets, cafes on every corner, rows of boutique shops with unique merchandise filling the windows, old architecture and churches neatly placed every so often, and TONS of couples in love. Paris is known for being romantic, and I guess since I haven’t been there in a few years, I had kind of forgotten-but it seems as though every which way you turn there’s a couple kissing here, a cute date café there, etc. Good thing I was meeting up with Mark and Gina haha…

So yes, I was finally reunited with my parents after 3 months of separation. It is strange and funny how easy it was for me to fall back into the Krissy I always am around them. It almost felt as if I saw them a week ago or something…it struck me as very odd and kind of scared me to be honest. I had just done all of this growth as an individual but it was so natural for me to blob around with them and act as if nothing has happened in the past few months. 

But the reunion was incredible-Mark and Gina are amazing people and what better place than Paris to see each other again. Being the foodies that we are, our days were based a lot around what we were eating…which I thoroughly enjoyed. We wandered the streets and since this is far from our first time in Paris there was no obligation to run around and see all of the touristy sites. We relaxed, viewed a lot of things from the outside and really just hung out. 

One of our days consisted of meeting up with Lea, our family friend’s daughter. She is 20 and is studying at a university in Paris. We met her in front of Notre Dame and ventured towards Montemarte-where Sacre Cour is located. Catching up with her was wonderful-she has previously spent a summer working in Syracuse in Mark’s lab and so our family has gotten to know her really well. We did some touristy stuff with her, had lunch and then went our separate ways. Her and I departed laughing a bit because it seems as though whenever we see each other it is in a new city. Last time I saw her was this summer in Manhattan, and before that had been Syracuse and now we just saw each other in Paris-we left saying the next time we’ll see each other will be somewhere like Tokyo-or a random new city-oh the beauty of international friendships…

So Paris came and went in a flash-lots of food, good wine, beautiful buildings, and only 1 museum this visit…it was wonderful!

Off to Lausanne-to meet up with the one and only Matthew Perich-he is living in Switzerland for about a year working in a lab, and I figured I swing in and grace him with my presence for a few days…to explain the picturesque view from his window is impossible. His room is overlooking the lake with the Alps in the background and is absolutely beautiful. Snow-capped mountain tops in the distance, old buildings lining every street combined with the Christmas decorations made me feel like I was on a movie set-it just really didn’t feel real. 

My first night there we wandered the streets, had a small meal and did some catching up-even though we weren’t the closest of friends in college, it was just nice to be around a familiar face and we definitely spent a lot of time reminiscing about school. Similar to Paris, I wined and dined quite a bit, wandered the streets and lounged in cafes. It was nice relaxation time for myself where I worked on various things for AYP and my grad school apps…unfortunately I wasn’t as productive as I would like, but I still got a lot done.

Yesterday I took a day trip to Geneva…the train takes about 40 minutes and the ride is very pleasant considering the views along the way are of vineyards and the Alps. I wandered the streets and mostly window shopped. The weather was freezing and the wind coming off of the lake was unbearable. My whole body became numb at some point and that’s when I decided to find a café and settle for a bit. I have found that Switzerland is quite expensive and window shopping is all I can do and once I find a café I have to post there for a while because coffee is not cheap…so once I finally settled in a place I ordered some soup and coffee to warm up and hung out for about 2 hours before heading back to Lausanne.

And similar to Paris, Switzerland came and went and now I’m sitting in the airport waiting for a flight to Amsterdam. It was really nice to see Perich for even the short amount of time that it was-he’s a very genuine person and is good company. I’m unsure as to when the next time we will meet but I can only imagine it will be another city, another country and another adventure.

I’m on my way to Amsterdam where I will be meeting up with the lovely Nikki and Becca…apparently their plans to India failed miserably and so they ended up planning a Eurotrip and how convenient for me, they actually wanted to meet up! SO I will be spending the next 6 days causing mayhem on this lovely continent…

I will be home in less than 1 week…it is strange to think how fast time has flown and how in a few days time I will be stepping off the plane in JFK onto American soil…I can’t believe I made it…I was talking with someone recently about how smoothly this trip has gone so far; it is interesting how organically everything came together. At the beginning of my travels I didn’t have half the things planned but it is amazing how everything works out…I’m not saying my way of travel is the most convenient/efficient, because at times it can be stressful not knowing where you’ll sleep that night, but looking back on it I’m going to have to say that I wouldn’t have changed anything. From my “winging it” tendencies to my lack of budgeting skills, somehow I made it this far in one piece and I still have dollars in my pocket-yay for me!

And with that I’m done with the post for now. My next post will probably be from America...and who knows when it will be. I have about 1 month to run around the north east and see as many friends/family members as possible, apply to grad school, and do some fundraising events for AYP-should be intense! Feel free to continue to donate to my page-I will be keeping this up and continue to collect donations for a while…

https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/ayoga/campaign.jsp?campaign=7

addicted to kenya

and like that I'm off again...its funny how fast time without me being able to manage my time. If only there were more hours in the day-ha i'm just making up excuses for why i haven't written but it really is just me managing my time poorly.

so i've left Kenya...but not for good-i will be returning in late January for an undetermined amount of time...6 months? maybe more? who knows the possibilities are endless

since the last time i wrote SO much has happened-clearly. First thing-Paige returned to Nairobi and created such amazing energy that I hadn't yet experienced since being in Kenya. There's something about having someone to share feelings/emotions with especially someone who has gone through a very similar experience just a few years before me. Needless to say it was really nice to finally sit down and really get to know Paige and have someone who can relate to such a drastic eye-opening experience.

As soon as Paige got home, everything seemed to get really hectic...and then it was over-so from the beginning...


Emmanuel Jal arrived in Kenya and came to AYP-for all of you who do not know him he is a former child soldier from southern sudan-he grew up in a country faced with war and was forced into a lifestyle of fighting-google him...he's kind of a HUGE deal. But his visit to AYP was pretty amazing and indescribable. Upon arriving he told us he had never done yoga/thought of doing yoga...his exact words something like this: "I had heard that this yoga thing was like a devils worship so i woke up this morning and prayed that i'd be protected from any devilish things today and came here to see you all" haha-sense of humor.


We were so lucky to have him speak to the group (close to 100)-he spoke of his campaign "Lose to Win" where he gave up 2 meals a day for over 600 days in order to raise money to build a school in his village in Sudan...basically he wants people to really think about what they can give up in order to gain something...so he gave up food to build a school...it's interesting to see the impact one person can have on a crowd, but it really spoke to the AYP crew. It is easy for everyone to sit and dwell on things they feel deprived of, but Jal's message was something along the lines of-someone somewhere else has it worse and there's always something you can give...the biggest crime you can commit is sit back and do nothing. He has also formed Gua Africa (http://www.gua-africa.org/) which is geared towards helping people overcome issues that arise from warfare...


He spoke for close to 20 minutes, performed 2 spoken words about his past experiences and then proceeded to invite us to be in his music video...AMAZING. His posse consisted of people from around the world speaking out for peace. His song "we want peace" was written in order to raise awareness for the upcoming referendum in Sudan-it's a very political issue and way too much for me to write and get into, but basically the Sudanese people are going to be voting on whether or not to remain a united country...if the elections do not end in a separated manor, it is very likely that the country will break out in war-again. Jal is speaking out for peace and therefore hoping the country votes for separation...


The music video was amazing...all of AYP was included; people were dancing, performing acrobatics, singing, etc. The smiles and energy that was generated during this session is impossible to relive-it was such an experience and even Jal was blown away by the AYP crew. At one point he pulled me aside and asked how many people were there because he wanted to buy everyone a drink-or anything to show them his appreciation.

The next few days consisted of working on AYP stuff-getting sick-and prepping for the Gatwitch Festival that Jal was hosting. After the shooting of the music video, we conveniently set up a nice network with Jal and his group-Paige hooked them up with a meeting with some big PR people and in turn we got invited to a press conference and go to join the Gatwitch crew...pretty awesome.


So as we walked into the Tribe hotel-probably one of the ritziest hotels in Nairobi I hugged Jal, his manager, his publicist, etc ya know normal things. I walked up to one of the guys from the video shoot and he was like "hey, you're Krissy right" and i was like "umm yea-you areeeee? i'm sorry i forgot your name..." he then replied "its ishmael"--so back story on this...Jal brings with him quite a crew...and one of the people is Ishmael Beah-a child soldier from Sierra Leone who wrote "A Long Way Gone" a NYT best seller and actually a book I have read. But yea...so Ishmael Beah remembered my name and I had NO idea who he was-score Krissy...basically I felt like a HUGE idiot after realizing who he was...


The festival turned out to be kind of a flop on their PR part but was awesome for AYP and I because we got to know Jal and his group on a very personal level. The entire festival was about peace and overcoming various hardships in life. Inspiring is an understatement-speakers ranging from well renown authors (Ishmael Beah and Valentino Achak-author of What is the What), musicians (DJ Silva Stone, Arama Mara, and other various African superstars), news casters (Jeff Koinange), politicians (Joseph Nyagah), our own Moses Mbajah, business owners (uniqEco and a few fashion companies), and many more...the message was contagious and each day I left the venue feeling as if I had to do something more.


The festival was such a rewarding experience and left me feeling so educated about various conflicts in the world. I learned about things that could never be taught in a classroom setting-personal stories have a way of being way more effective when it comes to awareness. I read a stat one time talking about how people are more inclined to donate money to a charitable fund after hearing a personal story rather than hearing about a huge mass of people...there's something about the human race that can feel more on a personal level. I have formed a new respect for people who speak out for something they really believe in. I've always been weirdly obsessed with tragic stories/memoirs and up until recently they had remained stories in my head. After meeting these people and authors of bestselling books like "A Long Way Gone" and "What is the What" it has become so real to me. The lives and hardships they have gone through are no longer on paper-I heard them speak and tell their experiences...and it's not just in a book anymore-it really happened. I'm still processing all of this but it has made me realize that it is so important to stand up for what you believe in no matter what the cause is...and the biggest crime to commit is to sit back and expect other people to do it for you-there is no better time than now and you cannot underestimate yourself.

The last day of the festival consisted of a music segment where there were a bunch of performances and such-it was nice to spend a day hanging out with AYP and listen to good ol' live music. We danced, sat in the sun, and enjoyed ourselves-i must say it was a nice way to celebrate my birthday (even though it was the day before). The evening ended with Paige, Billy, Emily, Jacob, Julius and I going to dinner with Jal and his crew at an Ethiopian restaurant...concluding our amazing/unique time with all of them. 


My birthday came and went faster than I could have expected. 23!! It was a birthday I'll definitely never forget...i mean how many people can say they have celebrated a birthday in Africa?!? I slept in late after a semi-late night out-went to lunch then to the Christmas fair (a huge craft fair in Nairobi) then to Paige's friend Aya's house for a bbq then home where I passed out for 4 hours. I proceeded to wake up around 9pm and coudln't fall asleep until 4am. conveniently I needed to take out my braids (in case you didn't notice in the pics i got my hair braided-4 hours of sitting and then I was blonde!!) but yea, i stayed up and took out my braids so at least I was productive!


The last few days in Kenya consisted of wrapping up my work for AYP...the profiles I had completed needed to be sent out so I spent hours at the coffee shops in westlands and finished these with Paige...by Tuesday we felt pretty accomplished-not only had we finished editing the profiles, but I felt like we set up a really good foundation for the project for when I return!


My last night in Kenya went something like this: yoga class, dinner at an amazing restaurant with my Kenyan family (Paige and Billy), chill out time at home, airport (my flight was at 4:30 am so i had to be at the airport at 2:30 am which was very inconvenient). 


To sum it all up in words would be impossible, but my month in Kenya was amazing. The people I met and experiences I had are irreplaceable and its pretty clear I loved it because I'm moving back there for a while!


And now I'm in France...I was greeted with mass amounts of snow and cold weather-this is not a complaint though. It feels like forever since I've felt anything remotely close to home, and snow and cold obviously remind me of good old syracuse so it's been nice. Gina is arriving tomorrow morning and Mark will meet up with us in the afternoon-I've stumbled on one of the cutest boutique hotels in Paris...I arrived, took the RER to the latin quarters and walked into any hotel that looked cute and it turns out I've found one of the oldest and best deals in the area-it really is funny how things work out. So i've spent the past day cafe hopping, eating wonderful bread and drinking wine.


Oh one quick thing: i walked into a used bookstore and browsed for a while and came across "A long way gone" copy and had to buy it-i've kind of become obsessed with the fact that I met Ishmael Beah and now i'm re-reading the book...yes I'm a loser.


So there was my brief conclusion to Kenya...clearly there's more to come since i'll be back but I apologize for compromising the quality of my writing-i'm slightly restless and didn't feel like going into too much detail about everything-i hope you at least can get some understanding of how amazing my whole experience has been!

AH i'm so close to being home!!!!! i cannot believe how long it has been since I've seen my parents-needless to say i'm really looking forward to our reunion tomorrow and words cannot describe how much i'm looking forward to being back in the states for a bit! OK i'm done! but in case anyone wants to check out more pics from kenya, here's the fb link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2496890&id=14229274&l=033b4d8e5a

 and thats for everyone to see how ridiculous my hair looked! xx

in a world of chaos-i'm finding stability

So I initially sat down to start my grad school essays, but now I'm writing a blog-oh priorities in my life... 

First thing: I am currently watching a salamander climb up the wall-I love Kenya. 
That is just one example of things that are becoming normal to me...others include: being referred to as "mzungu" (white person) or "china" in the streets, the smell of burning trash, being surrounded by exhaust from matatus, muddy shoes, horses in the streets, playing frogger to cross the streets, cars driving on the wrong side of the road to pass traffic, new mosquito bites every morning, 'kenya time' aka everyone is late, houses without plumbing, slums, and the list continues...I must admit that the things I'm getting used to are a bit odd, but each one of these things I've listed are making my experience awesome. I like to think I've been a pretty open person up to this point in my life, but believe it or not, Kenya has opened me up even more. I am so much more flexible and able to go with the flow since I've been here...Kenya has opened my eyes to so many new things and I can't get over how much I've been exposed to in such a short amount of time.

"Be contagious"
These are words that I have heard/read many times in the past few days and it has really spoken to me. I'm noticing that the people I've been meeting through AYP live through this quote everyday. In their presence I can feel their energy and it is so powerful. They are constantly sending out positive vibes through smiling, laughing, encouraging one another, supporting one another, and just being present and open.

Friday I took another trip to Kangemi to hang out with the 10 or so boys who are from there. They are part of this club called Ghetto Arts Collective and the art they produce is pretty amazing. They paint, make cards, and bead together-they have used it as another way to stay out of the streets-and it truly is amazing. They invited me to come and learn how they do all of this, and even though my artistic skills are lacking, I decided to go. As soon as I got there they placed a paint brush in my hand and put a large piece of poster board in front of me and said to just try...such simple words coming from them. But putting my fear aside, I tried...and surprisingly I didn't suck!! They showed me some techniques that work for them, and they just happened to work for me too and I made 2 cards!! The support they provided me and the reassurance that they wouldn't laugh at me made me feel so comfortable. Their openness to everything in life is really inspiring and contagious. After the afternoon with them I headed home and received a text from one of them saying, "thanks 4 havng a heart to learn our artistic way of lyf gdnyt" Now how sweet is that...melts my heart.

Saturday's class was incredible. The room was absolutely packed and the heat generated was close to unbearable...but I loved it. There's nothing like starting the day off with a 2 hour really hot yoga class with a bunch of Kenyans. I have attended a countless amount of classes, but nothing compares to this Saturday morning class. I practiced next to Patrick and Francis this week and I think that kicked the class up to another level. These 2 guys are amazing yogis and really pushed me through the class. When we were holding the poses I could feel their energy surrounding me and it helped me hold out longer than I thought I could. At time I felt like giving up and dropping to the mat to childs pose, but they kept breathing and holding so I did too...During the balancing poses everyone in the room was roughing it...I could tell. Moses started asking people 'what is possible right now' and people just started shouting out answers-it was amazing. I heard 'freedom,' 'acceptance,' 'change,' 'power' and many more similar inspiring words. I liked how this was incorporated into the practice-people were shouting out answers that everyone could relate to...


At the end of each class, Moses reaches out to the students and asks, 'what opened up for you today' and I love this. It reminds me of being back at level 1 with Baron. I think it is so important to share and get in the habit of sharing things like this. Part of the yoga mentality is to face your fears, stand in front of a crowd, and share your experiences/thoughts, and this exercise forces everyone to do so. It creates a space for people to feel comfortable with opening up-it provides a safe haven. I haven't shared yet, but this week during my practice I was in warrior 3 and I wanted to give up so badly, but then I started thinking...."I'm in KENYA, practicing next to some of the most amazing people I have ever met, and they're all feeling the exact same way that I am...so why should I give up." So I didn't...I held a little bit longer, and then it was over. Moses had us release into a forward bend and I was ok...so basically what opened up for me was the idea of unity; this community I have tapped into has welcomed me with open arms and there is such a sense of togetherness-if you can't tell, I'm really enjoying it!


After the class, Emily and I hosted a small workshop geared towards improving English writing and also how to answer questions about themselves with hopes that this will build the necessary skills for communicating with their sponsors. We had questions varying from general personal information including age, relationship status, tribe, etc. to fill in the blanks similar to "for me yoga has made me a better person, now I am ______." The questions were provided by the people who are writing the book about AYP. Each teacher will have a profile with the answers displayed under their pictures.

This workshop turned out to be quite a challenge. Although some of them boast fluent English, their writing skills are lacking. Moses was standing at the front explaining the prompts in Swahili while Emily and I walked around and provided guidance on how to answer. I'd like to say it was effective and an educational experience for everyone, but I felt resistance from a lot of the instructors and I couldn't help but get the sense that some of them were annoyed with the whole exercise. Oh well, I mean it is essential that they strengthen their communication skills because the people providing the money for their meals will definitely want to be in contact with them...and they have to be able to speak/write in English in order to do so. The main thing I'm taking away from this experience is that there is a HUGE need for some tutoring with these instructors...which leads to my latest development...it's looking like I'm going to relocate myself to Kenya for a while. I will be returning to the states to take care of some things, but I intend on purchasing a one way ticket back to Kenya and will hopefully put together a plan with Paige on how to further educate/assist the instructors with their communication skills...


Continuing on with my Saturday...I ventured home after class and rested for the afternoon-Emily and I skyped with Paige for about 45 minutes about the next coming weeks and how we're going to tackle everything. After this I hopped in the shower and my night began. Billy, Paige's fiance, invited me to the Tusker Project Fame (TPF) show for the evening...TPF is the equivalent to American Idol but for East Africa. Conveniently, Billy and Billy had choreographed some of the dances for the show that week so we got tickets...well this was quite the experience. We got stuck in traffic on the way there so we were fashionably late...like the last people to arrive late. Ha-oh well we still ended up with pretty good seats and I mean we still made it in time to catch the whole show. Similar to any live show, there was an emcee to hype up the crowd, cameras everywhere, loud cheering, signs with the contestants names decorated on them, etc. Pretty standard-very similar to something you would find in the states...


So this night specifically was a night they were sending someone home-big stuff! The people who were placed on probation the week prior performed and were critiqued and then the decision time came. It was clearly down to Gabiro (a male from Rwanda) and Gaelle (a female from Rwanda). They both sucked-end of story, but only one was going home. My personal opinion-Gaelle should have been sent home; she has a horrible voice, terrible stage presence, and just lacks performing skills in general....BUT she's pretty good looking and a female-so OBVIOUSLY she didn't go home...poor Gabiro was sent home in tears...


At one point during the show they had a guest star perform...a child soldier from southern Sudan. Intense is an understatement. He sat about 5 seats to my right and I was intimidated by just looking at him. He was wearing combat boots, camouflage pants, a beater, and a hat and his outfit just screamed "don't mess with me." This man has seen things I can't even come close to imagining...his name escapes me now, but apparently he is an up and coming artist and starting to make a name for himself. His performance was just as intimidating as sitting 5 seats away from him was...there was just something about him-maybe it was how mysterious he was, but I just felt really intimidated in his presence.


After the show we went to the after party with Adu (Billy and Billy's friend who works for TPF). The party was eh, but the Billy's provided me with entertainment by making fun of people and randomly breaking out into dance moves. We left after having  a drink and ended up at Pizza Garden breaking it down to a live band and feasting on some pizza...needless to say it was a fun night out in Nairobi.


Sunday went a little something like this: woke up exhausted, blobbed around the house for a bit (which felt amazing) then headed to Emily's dad's hotel to the pool. AMAZING. I think this is the first day I actually didn't work-it's been a hectic past few weeks and it was really nice to relax by a pool and surround myself with good company. Emily's dad is in town for business and invited us to come enjoy the side of Nairobi I had yet to see...it was wonderful-beautiful pool, lounge chairs, fresh squeezed juice, and sunshine. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend the day. Then to top it all off-we went to INDIAN for dinner....my comfort food! It was obviously delicious and I went home with a full tummy and slept like a baby...


On to today...Monday. Unfortunately aerobics class just didn't work out today-the whole Kenya timing is inconsistent and left Emily and I sitting in the dance studio for 45 minutes with not even the slightest hint of anyone taking authority and starting class-we think that something might have been wrong with the sound system, and what is aerobics without some tunes...so we didn't end up doing aerobics today.


Buttttt we're in the process of figuring stuff out for the Emmanual Jal concert/yoga session on Saturday so it all kind of worked out. We met with some people and had Moses help us out a bit and it looks like we're going to have an awesome space for the class/concert on Saturday. Everyone should google Emmanual Jal-he is a child soldier who has really kicked off his singing career using lyrics that speak to his experiences-he has a pretty amazing album and his documentary is extremely moving-I strongly suggest that everyone check him out! SO yea, he's coming to AYP on saturday!!!! We're all pretty excited!


After some housekeeping stuff we had some more instructor interviews and then we started transcribing the workshop journals onto the computer-and this is where it started to get difficult. I know I mentioned how Saturday we realized the English skills were lacking, but the journals brought it to another level. Transcribing their handwriting and answers into coherent sentences is pretty difficult-I mean, we can understand the message they are trying to relay, but putting it into words that make sense is time consuming and tiring. BUT, we are finding a lot of interesting insight and inspiration within the lines of their writing...

Yoga has given me the opportunity to see the world in a new way. Now I see the world as a lesson and also as a teacher to every experience. The world is a very good place and we should all share it equally and make it safe for each other.

I feel connected to everyone in the world who practices yoga. I feel we all have one goal, one aim, and one destiny. We all want to make the world a better place, more like a paradise.

As a yoga instructor I have learned more about who I am. Now I am unmessable in life because I know how to create space before deciding anything no matter what the situation is. Also, I am healthy, loved, and comfortable with myself.

Francis' words are so moving and powerful...even on paper-so imagine him in person. I think his words have given me the chills more than I can count in the past 2 weeks. He has really used yoga to transform his life and it is quite inspiring.

One last thing I'd like to speak to/discuss is the fact that most of the yoga instructors are guys!!?? It is completely opposite in the states-I was having a conversation with the boys from Kangemi and they were all blown away when I told them that at my teacher training there were about 100 women and only 11 men. They all howled and couldn't believe it-they all started gabbing on and on saying they will come to the US and go to a yoga studio and find a girlfriend-haha. These boys are hilarious and I'm really enjoying getting to know them!

So that is all for tonight-I'm trying to stay true to my commitment of writing more often and so far I'm following through with it :) YAY for me!
I'd like to wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving and really think about what you are thankful for this year. I'm spending the holiday in Kenya with people who have next to nothing and I'm really learning what to appreciate and be thankful for...so I'm encouraging you all to do the same!
Until next time, Namaste-much love

Oh and again, the internet connection doesn't want to upload my photos so the fb link is:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2494631&id=14229274&l=9d3c91efd6
there's some really good ones-enjoy!

Creating space for Kenya

First thought/note to self: I really need to start writing more often because every time I sit down to post a blog I feel overwhelmed by how much I have experienced...

Current location: Java Coffee shop-aka free wireless-day 3...this blog has taken me longer than I'd like to admit-but I'm finally getting to it...also due to lack of fast internet I wasn't able to upload all of the pictures that I wanted but please visit: 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2494631&id=14229274&l=9d3c91efd6

to see all the wonderful people i've come encountered!

So it's been a few days since my last post and I wish I could throw each and everyone of you into the experiences that I have been going through-I think that would be the only for you to really understand exactly what I've seen...

Ok, so every Saturday there is a 2 hour community yoga class at Sarakasi (where I work)-all of the instructors are supposed to attend and anyone else is welcome to join. I would like to note that this was the first yoga class I have attended since the states (I've practiced, just not in an organized manner) so I was a bit nervous before class. The energy in the room was flowing while Moses guided us through the poses. Using various phrases like "the past does not exist," "where are you-if you are not here you are nowhere," "focus on your strength not your weaknesses" etc. I was able to keep up with the class-the class was intense in more ways than one-physically challenging and mentally cleansing, after 2 hours I was feeling pretty good. Practicing with everyone for the first time felt really good-I mean my entire time with AYP up to that point had just been interviewing the instructors, so to finally see them in their own element was pretty amazing. This may sound a bit weird, but practicing yoga together forms a unique bond-it's something about sweating and pushing yourself through different poses and going through the same thing that brings everyone to another level of understanding. Savasana was the best part of class-Moses had us pair up with partners and then he talked us through quite a relaxing/hands on final relaxation. We were pushing down on shoulders, walking up and down each others backs, applying pressure to certain muscles, and pretty much giving each other a "yogi" massage-it felt incredible...

After class everyone went across the street to a "hotel" aka a restaurant-and we had lunch. My lunch consisted of Skuma (kale) and chipati (similar to a tortilla) which was delicious! Every Saturday after class there is a free lunch available-usually it is an Indian vegetarian spread, but this week we went to a nearby restaurant. Following lunch I headed home, had a shower and then Kristina and Emily came over. We sat and chatted over a bottle of wine and then went to an Indian restaurant within walking distance of my place. YUMMMMM-Indian food has become quite a comfort food for me, and I must say the chicken tikki masala and garlic naan really hit the spot. Similar to the last meal I had with these 2, good company, good conversation, and AMAZING food made for a wonderful evening.

Sunday: The morning started out at the Maasai market at Yaya-the craftsmanship put into everything the people were selling blew my mind. Paintings, leather goods, jewelry, purses, shoes, wooden sculptures, key chains, literally anything you could possibly imagine was available at this market...and it was all hand made.

After strolling through the market for a bit we headed to Kibera (the largest slum in Nairobi) for another market. The Toi Market is a HUGE 2nd hand market that was quite an experience. A pathway winding through the market was a disaster-mud lined the stalls and a various rivers of water streamed through the center...no cars would even imagine passing through there. Each stall sold something different-women's clothing, under garments, sheets, curtains, baby clothes, jeans, sneakers, hiking shoes, you name it and it was there. The unique part of it all was that all of the stuff being sold is clearly from donation-everything is 2nd hand and brands were from the US and Europe...we sifted through some stuff but it felt weird to even think of buying something from here-even though it was super cheap and some of the stuff was cute-the stuff is there for people from Kibera and Nairobi, not for girls from the US who are looking for a good deal...

We eventually made our way to The Children of Kibera Foundation Girl's Club-every Sunday a girls club is sponsored for students from Red Rose School in Kibera (also where liz worked). This past Sunday was focused on teaching the girls how to bake cakes...and teach them some yoga. First off-most of the homes in the slums do not have ovens and so the lesson focused on teaching the girls how to bake a cake using charcoal instead...

These pictures don't capture the amount of life these girls were radiating. Amidst a life of chaos, crime, poverty, and mayhem, these girls were so happy to put all of that aside and hang with us for the day. It was so inspiring to spend a day with these girls...the power and energy I felt from them is indescribable. They are some of the happiest and most appreciative youths I have ever met and their love of life and learning was like something out of a movie. 

Leaving the girls was probably the hardest-they were pulling, hugging, and clinging to any sort of affection from me. I felt sad, needed, and happy that I had made such an impact in such a short time, but it was time to leave. I couldn't help but promise to return the next week and I have found myself really looking forward to it! So, Sunday I will be heading back to Kibera for an afternoon with the girls again!

Ok, so back to AYP...

Since we've started conducting the interviews of the instructors we've really gotten to know some of them and they are just as curious about us as we are about them...our conversations are now more of a dialogue...instead of us just asking them a ton of questions they're now asking us more. Thinking about it, it makes sense-why wouldn't they be interested in how we got into yoga and how we ended up in Kenya, what our lives are like in the US, how many siblings we have, etc. Needless to say, getting to know one another has resulted in some of the most intense conversations I have ever had. Conversations about religion, poverty, and politics are reoccurring and lead to some heated debates and are really making me thing-I love it.

One question I have been faced with more than once is: do you think yoga is a religion and if not, how do you convince others that it isn't? Initial answer: NO WAY...but after multiple times of trying to defend it and make a point, it kind of does start to sound like a religion and I can see how other people see it that way. I still firmly believe that it is NOT a religion but a way of life...people in Africa are used to having people/charities/aid coming into their countries and preaching religions and so when people come and start teaching yoga and saying it is a way to feel better and create a new lifestyle-obviously their automatic reaction is to resist it and assume it is a religion. Yoga is a way of life: it transforms and changes people in different ways, but it is definitely a good addition to anyone and everyone's life...

After a week in Kenya, I'm really starting to get a grasp on how yoga has changed these people's lives...for me to completely relay the impact is impossible but bare with me as I try to put it in writing...

"I would buy ganja and sell it to make the money. But with yoga I found using my hands and my mental mind I don’t need to buy ganja and sell. Now I do yoga and get money-so its like something that has changed and improved”

"Yoga is about giving and receiving...yoga is it, it is about one love, one unity, one connection for everybody."

"I want people to see me as a changed man...not the man I was before-I want to give back to the community what Paige and Baron have given me...hope. There is always hope and the community needs to look into the future and not get stuck." 

Survival of the fittest-people in the slums will do anything to make money. Stealing, hustling, gambling...you name it-they've done it...Yoga has provided these instructors with an out-they no longer have to do all of these illegal things because yoga has given them the opportunity to change their lives, to be good. This is where it starts to sound a bit preachy, but since I've been through the same teacher training that all of these instructors have, I get it...transform your life and you can transform others...it is a contagious way of life if people let you in. I see it in all of these instructors-they're all wiser than words and in age younger than me. They have lived a million lives more than I will ever live and yet they tell me "you're in inspiration for us." Excuse me...when they tell me that I don't even know how to respond-here these people are living in some of the worst conditions in the world, trying to change their communities telling me I'm an inspiration...lies-with 1 week under my belt, the amount of inspiration I have received is immeasurable. The way they strive for a better way of life is hands down the most inspiring thing I've ever felt.

I'd like to share one specific story that really brought up some intense emotions. We interviewed one of the female instructors (I'm not going to mention names for privacy reasons) but her story left both Emily and I on the verge of tears...what was your life like before yoga?

"I was not that good in books-like reading books and school, but in sports I would normally become the best. I was on a futball team and I was the youngest kind in the group. I was only 13 and the others were 19-24 and there was a huge difference. I wanted to play soccer but this group was not showing direction in life. I was about to start using drugs and they all did those like cocaine, injections, like all of those. I found I was always lying...to my mom like I was supposed to be home at 6 and I wouldn't come home until like 9:30 and I would tell her I had practice but our practice always ended around 4. It came to be a big issue of which my parents started knowing it and they started to say no. I found my group mates wanted to give me a boyfriend a I did not know what to do...I was like 'yes, no, yes, no, no, no, yes...' and I was just not sure. I was only 14. One day I was about to be raped...and those girls from my team arranged a group of 6 men who wanted to rape me. I was even locked in a room and I screamed and screamed...the neighbor heard me and he called all the other neighbors. I was even naked-this boy had torn my clothes off and they were ready to rape me and as the first person came towards me the door opened and the neighbors came. They were all caught and the police came and I was ok."

Her choice of words and the fact that her voice didn't crack once was amazing. She really lives by the idea that "the past does not exist." This is just something that has happened and she has moved on and become a strong and powerful woman. During the story both Emily and I teared up and at one point I almost lost it; her confidence in telling the story paired with the honesty was so real and left me with so many emotions-it was a sensory overload. Her attitude about the situation snapped me out of any tinge of sadness-something about her confidence and power to overcome such a traumatic experience was contagious and inspiring. 

One thing that's really opened up for me with all of this is the idea that these stories are no longer in the books or news for me. I've read countless articles and books laying out life in places like Africa, South East Asia, India...etc. but nothing can even come close to the emotions that arose from sitting in front of someone who has lived through it. And to see someone pull through such occurrences really makes me appreciate where I come from and the life I've been so lucky to have lived thus far.

Yesterday I ventured to Kangemi (one of the slums) to hang out with a bunch of the boys who are acrobats and yoga instructors. Brian picked me up at Westlands and escorted me via matatu to where they live. First thing: I stupidly asked if he still lived with his parents and then he very nicely explained that he never met his father and his mother passed away when he was younger...WOW I am an idiot-lesson learned...he further explained that his cousins, Walter and James (2 other instructors) are like brothers to him and they all live together at the same compound. To understand how these boys have influenced their community is impossible unless you walk through the streets of Kangemi with them. While walking to their compound we ran into SO many people he knew...he was constantly high fiving people in the streets and he would introduce me to them-most of them were their yoga students-amazing.

Their house/compound is indescribable...muddy walkways, just wide enough for 1 person, are the only way to access their place. Once we entered their compound I was instantly greeted by their grandfather-"Mambo!" and I gave him a quick hand shake and we continued through the narrow alley where we encountered Walter and James' mother next-she was beautiful...she asked me how I've been enjoying Kenya and told me that next time I would have to stay longer so she could cook for me-everyone I have met so far has been SO accommodating and welcoming-it is quite inspiring. We continued walking and ran right into Walter's room which was located next to Brian's. Tin roofs, wooden doors, single rooms, un-even floors, sharing a bathroom/kitchen area with multiple families-this is all the norm for them...and yet they are some of the most appreciative/happy people I have ever met.

My main motive for going was to watch them practice their acrobatics but it turned into a bit more than that...first I got to see where they lived and then I actually participated in some of their practices...

The place where they practice used to be a big open green area, but unfortunately the government has started digging a sewage/drainage system and their space has decreased significantly. The session began with a jump rope session-they told me to line up and just follow the person in front of me....UM okkkk-so the line started to jump into the jump rope and they were all counting...you had 2 counts to make it through the swinging rope. Great. It has probably been close to 10 years since I've jumped into a swinging jump rope, and I was pretty nervous. The first time I ran into the swinging rope, yelped a bit, but surprisingly came out without hitting the rope. After 2 or 3 times I actually started to feel comfortable and relaxed a bit...thennn they started doing tricks while jumping rope and that was my que to pull out of the line and play photographer. 

The talent that was displayed beats that of acrobats I've seen in the states. Flips through the jump rope, hopping in high push up position, juggling while jump roping, hand stands here, human towers there...ya know, a normal afternoon with friends.

**pictures**

Unfortunately it started to rain after only an hour and we ran to a nearby primary school for shelter. The school was a tin building with no electricity, a tiny chalk board, and close to no desk space...

Once the rain passed we made our way back to Walter's place where we hung out, watched some tv, listened to some reggae, had some tea and a snack, and chatted. It was such a good time and I'm so glad I decided to go.

Kariobangi…this was probably one of the most overwhelming/intense/eye-opening experiences I have EVER had. The morning started with Moses sending us off on a matatu-Emily and I made the mistake of forgetting to ask Moses the name of the stop we were supposed to get off, so we were riding blindly into the day. We eventually got off at the main stage at Kariobangi and we stuck out so badly. We were THE only white people in the area standing on the corner waiting for Patrick to come meet us. After a few phone calls and some confusion, he finally found us!

We followed him to the social hall where he was teaching a yoga class. The space was surprisingly much better than I had anticipated…the class began around 10:30 and started with 2 women and their daughters. The class eventually grew to 4 women, 1 man, and 3 little girls. His words guided them through a pretty intense practice but they were strong…we later learned that these women were his regulars and have committed to attending yoga classes. Distractions during the class included children crying, walking around, climbing on their mothers, and attempting to escape the room, but the students remained focused throughout the entire class. This was the most inspiring part-despite the challenges of space, childcare, and transportation, the students stayed committed to the practice and performed amazingly.

After the class we walked to a small fruit stand where Patrick bought the ladies a snack before they began their journey home. He told us that many of them come from far away and so he usually buys them a snack and provides them with transportation fares. One of his students is over 50, has 10 healthy children, and comes to class almost every week even though she lives over an hour away-that is dedication…

So our next stop was to Patrick and Catherine’s house. Catherine just gave birth to Tully last week-and wow was the baby little! We walked up 4 flights of stairs to their apartment in Kariobangi to find a tiny little baby girl wrapped up and sleeping soundly on the bed and Catherine hanging out. Catherine and Patrick met at the level 1 in Mombasa with Baron, and since then they’ve started a family!

Their place was overwhelming-and that might be an understatement…a tiny room maybe 10x10 with a full size bed, a crib, a small kerosene heater, speakers playing reggae, and some small bins storing rice, ugali mix, and beans. Culture shock: this was their home. There was no tv, no bathroom, no sink, no kitchen…nothing. Here was this brand new yogi family living a life I could never even have imagined. But their happiness and attitude towards life was inspiring. They were proud and excited to have us see their home…they showed us pictures of their families, their acrobatic groups, and their yoga accomplishments-the amount of life in that small room was thriving. The part that really warms my soul is when Patrick asked us to take a lot of pictures for them because they didn’t have a camera…they have this beautiful newborn baby and they had no way of showing her to the world. I was so happy to play photographer and snap away-they are such a beautiful new family and I am so glad I could help them out…

I have to admit, I almost couldn’t handle the situation. Patrick was heating water over the kerosene heater for his SHOWER!! A small baby was lying on the bed completely wrapped up, and we were just there. I’m still unsure as to how to process the whole experience, but it really opened up my eyes. Articles I’ve read have become so real for me since being in Kenya. It’s so easy to picture different places in your mind, but there is nothing like really being exposed to it. After we left and returned home I had a break down…from the story about the rape to seeing the house in Kariobangi, I just couldn’t handle it. I was skyping with my mom and while explaining everything to her I just broke down in tears. There’s no way I can fully describe the situations to you, but the impact it has had on me in such a short time is what I want you to realize. I couldn’t make any of this up and crying was my only out…I don’t want to feel bad because these people don’t want sympathy, but I honestly have no idea how else to express what I’m feeling. It’s sad, frustrating, overwhelming, exhausting, and leaves me feeling useless at times. My mom sent me a quick message saying, “Don’t carry the world on your shoulders! We all do our best to change the world but it is not easy or simple.” This is so true but its just so hard because I feel like any contribution I make isn’t as significant as it could be-but that is neither here nor there-I mean I am in Kenya…

So after an emotionally exhausting few days filled with processing that experience, I’m finally feeling better today! (By the way, this blog post has taken me like 4 days to post-my apologies!)

So this morning I went to a yoga class in a park…Walter and Azi were the main instructors, but it was really interesting because they incorporated some of the newer instructors in the class. So Walter began the class, Azi taught a sequence, then Brian, Sadick, and Francis each taught different sequences then Walter wrapped up the class. I find it so amazing to see this because it shows that Azi and Walter have really taken on a leadership role…they’re helping the other instructors by allowing them to teach parts of the class-Walter told me that they’re really trying to get them to feel more comfortable teaching adults because most of their classes are to children, and this is such a great way to do so. Seeing them helping one another is such an inspiration-it is just another thing to add to the list…they’ve got the whole yoga mentality down and they’re clearly in it to transform their communities and each other.

The class was hard, long, and left me feeling pretty good-at the end of class some people shared how we felt and I made a point to let them know how amazing it was that they worked together to teach the class. With changing instructors that frequently it is easy for a class to lose its flow, but it really worked for them…they have the system down and there wasn’t a disconnect at all.

“open your chest for the breath, open your heart for love, and open your hand to receive help” Francis was the last to share and his words left me with chills-here is this person, younger than me, spewing out these words of wisdom. I am so thankful that I am getting this exposure-I know I cannot fully understand the impact these people are having on me right now, but I know I will carry this experience with me for the rest of my life.

Ok I’m finally caught up…but I would like to write a bit about my living situation. When I first found out that Paige wasn’t going to be in Nairobi for the first 2 weeks of my time in Kenya I was a bit nervous…but there was need for that initial feeling. Billy and Billy have been awesome roommates. I’m starting to feel like their little sister-each evening we hang out, catch up on the day, and eat dinner together. We listen to music, watch tv, watch movies, have intense discussions about the world, and I’ve just really been enjoying getting to know them. As much of a culture shock living in Kenya has been, they’ve really helped me process a lot of what I’ve been going through with discussions and I’m thankful that they’re so open to listening to me and my experiences!

DONE-promises of a post sooner than later-and as always if you can, please donate to my fundraiser for AYP! Now that I’ve documented some of my experiences and shared them with you, I hope you can get an idea of how much fundraising helps…Namaste!

https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/ayoga/campaign.jsp?campaign=7

Oh and Paige, we're looking forward to your return! :)

the time is NOW-Adjusting to Kenya

I've made it!! I am settled and well in Nairobi and it feels good to be here. I feel like my entire trip thus far has been leading up to Kenya, and I'm finally here-its crazy! Unfortunately I have not uploaded any pictures yet and my camera cord is lost in the mix of my unpacking...so my apologies but no photos yet-hopefully next post!

So I arrived on Sunday and SO much has happened...obviously. And from the beginning...

My flight landed around 4 am Kenyan time-the flight was tolerable besides the fact that I actually fell asleep and then 3 hours later was woken up for the landing-customs went rather smoothly and I now have a pretty sweet Kenyan visa taking up an entire page in my passport. As I walked out of the baggage claim area I spotted James with a sign saying "AYP Krissy" and a huge smile came to my face-even though it was 4 in the morning, James was there to pick me up and man I was SO happy to see him.

The journey to Paige's house was about 10 minutes without Nairobi traffic...we had to ring the door bell a few times before they woke up to let us in the house but I finally got to a bed around 5 am and fell asleep for a few hours.


Around 9 Paige woke me up and we were off to a volunteers meeting...conveniently, Danielle (another volunteer) lives in an apartment complex right next door and so we met her at the top of the driveway and walked to the matatu stop with her. Matatus are the privately owned little shuttle buses that are a really cheap way of getting around the city. They look kind of sketchy but like I said, they're really cheap and once you get the hang of them they're pretty easy to use. But I am in yet another country where there are no driving laws. They will jam over 12 people in the matatus no problem-and there is one person collecting the money sitting in the back who manages the door and makes the deals with the passengers. So the ride from Westlands (where I'm staying) to Ngara (where I'm working) is 20 shillings-hmm about 25 cents...yea that's pretty effing cheap. The trip takes about 10 minutes with no traffic but from my experience, traffic is really inconsistent and the trip can sometimes take up to 40 minutes.


Nonetheless, we arrived at Sarakasi Dome and met up with Emily (another volunteer) and some of the yoga instructors. Here we chatted and made a plan for what we're going to accomplish for the month. Emily is here studying abroad and is interning for AYP and we are kind of partnering on a project...

AYP is starting a mentorship program in January where either individual people or yoga studios will sponsor the instructors here to give them a monthly salary of about $110. (Email me if you're interested in getting involved!!) and basically, Emily and I are collecting information on each instructor...i.e. where they're from, how old, how they got into yoga, what yoga has done for them, their biggest challenge in life, where they would be without yoga, where they want to be in a year...etc. All of this information will be put onto the AYP website with a podcast of them talking about their lives a bit and also a podcast of them teaching a yoga class. SO needless to say Emily and I have quite a lot of work to do in the next month or so because there are close to 40 profiles we have to create and also go to close to 40 yoga classes to record them...

After we laid out a plan/idea of how we wanted to approach this, we went up to the dance studio and had Margaret (an instructor) teach us a quick class of yoga to help her prep for her first private class the next day. She is amazing-Margaret is 20 and just got back from Mexico Level 1 with Baron Baptiste (the same teacher training I did), and WOW she's an amazing teaching. Her story is incredible-she grew up in the Kariobangi (one of the slums)...When asked "What has yoga done for you?" her response was:

"For me, yoga has made me a good girl-I don't have to steal anymore, now I can stand in front of people and not be shy-I can look people in the eyes"

It's hard to explain in writing how powerful this girl is, but in her presence you just feel her energy. She has changed her lifestyle drastically and yoga has given her an opportunity to get out...to change her life and help others in her community.

After her short class we headed back to the house-after unpacking a bit and getting somewhat organized, Paige, Billy (her fiance), Jacob (the Maasai warrior who was staying at their house for a few days) and I went to a shopping center to get some groceries and a sim card for my phone. The shopping center was very westernized-it looked like a mall I would go to in the states. First we had lunch-food is always a priority. We ate a cute cafe style place that was one of the most diverse places I have ever seen: Indians, Kenyans, Americans, Europeans-it was quite a mix of ethnicities which was interesting. I learned about Jacob's tribe and he ended up giving me a necklace (which I later found out was an engagement necklace?!?) The Maasai people are one of the largest lasting tribes who reside in both Kenya and Tanzania-there are warriors, herdsmen, and the women are known for their beading skills. Jacob told me a lot about them which is too much to write, but what I found really interesting is that they hunt lions and elephants for fun. I asked him why/what they do with the carcasses, and he simply replied there was no reasoning for killing them, just for fun and they usually leave the bodies for the vultures. I have done some reading up on the tribe since our conversation and found out that the government is trying to convince them to stop doing this, but how can the government change a way of life that has been instilled in these people forever? But that is a whole discussion I don't want to get into...

So we shopped a bit and then James picked us up and took us home. At this point, I was exhausted and Paige needed to pack for the states-she was heading home for 2 and half weeks to lead a workshop in Boston-so we all kind of just chilled out for a while...

Around 8ish we headed out to Pizza Garden for dinner. We met up with a couple that Paige knows from the states-they're here on a project mapping all of Kibera (the largest slum in East Africa). The food was good-ambiance was good-and music was amazing. Paige and her friends discussed the different difficulties they face on a daily basis trying to run an organization in Kenya...i.e. the corruption factor-visas-getting funding etc. It was really interesting to listen to because these are the people who are living/working in the field that I am probably going to get into.

After we finished eating, Billy and Jacob went to the dance floor and started jamming out pretty hard to the reggae/hip-hop tunes that were blasting from the speakers. (Oh, I forgot to mention that Billy is a professional dancer... ) Obviously I jumped in and started dancing with them and this was hands down one of the best dance sessions I have EVER had. Words cannot describe how much fun I had-there's nothing like a good introduction to Kenya with a solid night of dancing-and WOW Kenyans know how to dance...

Hmm-next we had James pick us up and when we got home I took a shower then said bye to Paige (her flight was at 4am) and went to bed...

Monday-so everyday there is an aerobics class at Sarakasi (where I work)...the dancers and acrobats who train there all participate in this class that is a mix of kick boxing, dancing, zumba, step class, and some yoga-basically it is a ridiculous work out session that gets really sweaty and has left my body sore for the past week. It is amazing.


So each day this week my mornings have gone something like this: aerobics class (kicking, punching, jumping, swaying our hips, hopping around, dancing...you name it-we did it) then interviews/editing interviews and my evenings have been varying...The interviews is where the reality of Kenya hit me...


I explained the types of questions we were asking all of the instructors, but to begin to explain the answers we received is impossible. The answers we got went something like this: "without yoga I would probably be dead" "yoga has inspired me to transform my community" "teaching the children and seeing how yoga gives them hope makes me feel good" "the most important thing yoga has taught me is to spread the love"-and these are just a few of the quotes we have received throughout the week


It is really amazing to see how far these people have come and the opportunities that yoga has given them. It is hard for me to relay the feeling I got from the interviews...the stories that each person told were amazing-I consistently got the chills-the way they spoke to us was so raw and like nothing I've ever experienced before. Yoga has given these people so much more than you could imagine-they have completely changed their lifestyles to a way that is giving instead of taking...and the most amazing part about it is that they recognize now why they need to change their community. A majority of the 17 people we have interviewed this week have talked about how they used to steal, gamble, drink, do drugs, etc. and now they are healthy-physically fit-and reaching out to their community trying to help the people that are stuck. I wish I had the energy to write each individuals story here but thats just not practical-eventually each instructors story will be posted on the AYP website and I will be sure to post that on my blog whenever that happens so you can read for yourself the amazing progression of these people's lives.


One specific conversation I would like to share is one I had with Basilio...we were chatting after our interview and he started to ask me a bunch of questions-he was kind of doing his own interview on me...I was getting questions like "what is it like int he US" "how much do yoga classes cost there" "how many people do yoga" "how different is it from Kenya" "what do people our age do"
WOW-answering these was really hard...where do you begin to explain a life that is SO completely different than that in Kenya. I started with an explanation of how most people our age go to school-not just primary school-but high school and college-then I told him how yoga classes can cost up to $25 a class and he couldn't believe it...I explained the idea of a yoga studio and how you can basically find yoga in every city/town in the US-then he proceeded to ask me if I had a car...I was starting to feel like quite a brat at this point...Yes I have a car-yes my parents have a house-yes I have my own room-yes I went to college-and the list goes on...I know I can't feel bad for this kind of stuff, but it really puts things into perspective-the lifestyle we live in the US is so hard to explain to people...it's almost embarrassing to be honest...


OK-moving on...so Monday night I went home and I hung out with Jacob for the evening...he told me more about the Maasai people and his life (he has 2 wives, 9 children, 20 cows, over 150 goats...he's killed many lions and elephants and is proud of it, etc.) We sat around did some handstands then he made dinner for the house-dinner consisted of ugali (a Kenyan starch? tastes interesting-basically is kind of tasteless and takes on the flavor of whatever you eat it with), spinach, and a meat dish-to be honest I actually really enjoyed it...I'm not a picky eater but I was still pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. Hmmm-we watched some tv, chatted a bit more then I went to sleep.


Tuesday afternoon-returned home thankfully before the rain (conveniently I have arrived during the rainy season-awesome) to an empty house. I hung out for a bit-blogged for a bit-then Billy's sister came over. Edna was awesome! She is 20, lives in Kibera, and is studying PR and communications at the University of Nairobi. She didn't know if anyone was home but showed up anyway and I'm really glad because we had really conversation and now I have a guide for when I go to Kibera this weekend...we talked about various things like school, her life, my life, things we enjoy, etc. She was beautiful-I really enjoyed her company and am so glad that we met. We exchanged numbers before she left and we have plans to meet up this Sunday when I go to Kibera...


Wednesday evening-Emily invited me over to her apartment to make dinner and hang out with her and her roommate-YAY friends :) so after work we walked to her place...she lives in city center and in close proximity to everything. She is a junior at Colby (in Maine) and from Baltimore originally and is in Nairobi studying abroad through the St. Lawrence program-what a small world-same program miss Lizzie Bogosian is on. Her roommate, Kristina, actually goes to St. Lawrence and knows of Liz, and knows Grace and Scotty-weird how small the world is...and its funny now that twice on my trip miss Bogosian has been a common connection for me and various people I have met-I love the randomness of life...
So Emily gave me a brief tour of the city while we were out buying some stuff to make for dinner. I'm so thankful for meeting her-she's a really cool girl and definitely someone I will be friends with for a long time. After the grocery shopping we went back to her apartment and hung out until Kristina came home-Kristina is also a very cool person and I'm glad to have been introduced to her...the 3 of us have made some plans for the weekend that I'm really looking forward to...I'm going to Kibera to the Red Rose School (where Liz worked when she was here) and we're also going to shop and walk around various markets...
In a joint effort we made rice and stir fry-how Asian of us-and sat down to eat like a family. It was great-we had some really stimulating conversations as well. We talked about various religions, how women are treated around the world, the craziness of Kenya, the corruption within countries, and different educational obstacles that the world faces. Their company was amazing and I can't even explain how happy I am to have met them...


Ok onto Thursday-today was interesting...the people we interviewed were very well versed in English and began to explain a lot about their ghetto and how things work. Brian (one of the instructors) told us about how this one man-some sort of police official-has come into their slum and his way of dealing with thieves is just to kill them. The thieves receive one warning and then if they are caught a second time this police man hunts them down and literally will shoot them right there on the spot. He will go to their houses, their hang out spots, basically if he sees them he will shoot them right there point blank. Brian said he has killed over 500 criminals in the past 6 months!!! I can't even really wrap my mind around this, but he explained to me that now their slum is much safer and even though it is a really unconventional way of dealing with crime, the official is the one who can take the credit for this. WOW 500 people in 6 months...that's ridiculous-I cannot even comprehend that, but it's their reality...that is what goes down here in Kenya...so yea-let that one soak in and my next blog will consist of my observations and descriptions of their slum because I will be visiting it/attending a yoga class there in the near future.


alright-enough blogging for the day-I think I've sat long enough at this coffee shop-but hopefully I will be able to upload some pics/write more soon! AND as always, it would be awesome if you could donate if you haven't already!! I've written only a brief description of what goes on here, but clearly the money would be going to a good cause!!


https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/ayoga/campaign.jsp?campaign=7