Category Archives: Urban Homestay

Urban Homestay Fall 2021

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Nairobi Skyline
 
Hi all! We completed our urban home stays in early October. Heres what two students, Grace and Tess had to say about it!
 
The Blog: St. Lawrence Kenya Program – The Urban Homestay Component (September 19 – October 😎
 
Following the Nakuru and Naivasha Field Component, our group spent three weeks in 10 separate homestays throughout urban Kenya within Nairobi County (nine singles and one double). The neighborhoods that students stayed in were in Karen, Kitisuru, Lavington, Runda, Kilimani, New Kitisuru, Runda Green, and Kileleshwa. Students’ urban host families were diverse in their environments, not only in regard to their location, but also in terms of whether both parents were present and whether their host families had siblings, pets or guard dogs, a garden, a domestic worker, an askari – a Kiswahili word meaning soldier or security guard – and various other factors. The variety of urban host families aimed to give students varied and diversified experiences, as each family had something unique to offer to the student(s) they were hosting. Throughout the three weeks, students were given various opportunities to engage with their family members through experiencing night life, family activities such as going to church and/or celebrations such as weddings and graduation parties, cooking with their families, exchanging stories about each other’s cultures, traveling to host parents’ rural homes, and exploring the city, among other activities. The program was fortunate enough and able to organize and continue forward with the urban homestays, despite the coronavirus pandemic still being extremely present in the lives of Kenyans, specifically with the enforcement of mask-wearing in public and the national curfew from 10 pm to 4 am during our homestay.
 
While we were in our urban homestays we were also taking classes at the United Kenya Club (UKC) in the capital city of Kenya (central Nairobi). The UKC is a private club that provides food, housing, and other accommodations, including a library and classroom spaces for students to work and take classes in. Two of the main classes, focused on gender studies and government, are being taught by professors from the University of Nairobi, which is the oldest and largest university in Kenya! The third course that is offered is based around conservation and biodiversity in Kenya and is taught by the Kenya Semester Program’s Academic Director.
 
Prior to students meeting their urban host families and moving into their houses, students had a conversation with each other and with one of the directors of student life and academics about the history of urbanization in central Nairobi, in regard to accessibility, social life, environmental degradation, and the urban divide related to wealth, as well as race. The city of Nairobi, upon its initial creation, was divided based upon one’s race and ethnicity; however, the city also became divided based upon economic status as a result of this initial divide. By living with urban families within the middle and upper middle-income classes, we were able to make comparisons with our rural home visits within Kipsigis culture in Kericho County, as well as with the “informal settlements” of Kibera and Mathare (the locations of our two field excursions on September 24 and October 1). As “informal settlements” will be referenced throughout, they can be briefly defined as areas where groups of shelters and housing have been built, in which the residents have no legal claim to their residency.
 
In viewing the density of living within Nairobi County and within “informal settlements” also in this county, our group was able to visually see and experience the massive urban sprawl that has overtaken the city of Nairobi. In 1963, the city only housed 350,000 people, but today the city houses a staggering 4.9 million people! In consequence to this rapid population increase, access to resources such as health care, security, water, high-quality housing, and food are in short supply, although a majority – if not all – of these resources are accessible by those within the middle and upper middle-income classes. Additionally, Nairobi National Park – the only national park that resides in a major capital city – may be at risk of being minimized or eliminated in the future to make accommodations for human resources. The increased population also has great effects on traffic, and by extension, air pollution within the city. The congestion of traffic was impossible to not notice on our way to the UKC every morning, with personal vehicles driving children to school, as well as people doing errands and driving to work, making the roads difficult to drive on for our taxi drivers. With Nairobi’s increased population, the lack of public transportation has also become highly noticeable, as the increase in public transportation such as matatus and boda-bodas would surely decrease congestion and allow for more drivers to utilize the roads. Ultimately, the large and still increasing population within Nairobi County and within the capital city will have devastating impacts on land use, in terms of environmental conservation of land and escalating agricultural land use to continually feed the growing population.
 
During our time doing the urban homestay we also participated in weekly experiential learning components as part of our core course “Culture, Environment, and Development in East Africa.” We each left our urban homestays on Friday mornings to meet as a whole group and from there departed for the experiential learning component planned. The first component we participated in was through the organization Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) based in the informal settlement of Kibera. SHOFCO is a grassroots organization which seeks to empower residents of Kibera through providing critical and essential services such as providing clean water, creating employment opportunities, and providing access to education specifically for girls. The presence of SHOFCO services within Kibera is extensive, and this became clear through the morning that we spent with them. For a few hours that Friday morning we were taken on a tour where we walked through Kibera and visited sites where SHOFCO services were available. We saw their headquarters, sites for accessing clean water, a school they had built for girls, their hospital, their center for gender issues and advocacy, and spaces where they offered employment to Kibera residents for services such as sewing. One of the aspects I admired about this organization is that they are not trying to change or eliminate the way Kibera has come to exist, instead they want to support the community as a way to empower the residents of Kibera.
 
The second organization we visited the following week was Mathare Girl Power Project, an organization working on a smaller scale than SHOFCO, which seeks to support young girls through vocational education in the informal settlement of Mathare. Mathare Girl Power Project educates young girls on sexual and reproductive health, menstruation, substance abuse, consent, sexuality, and other aspects of sexual and health education in an effort to make the girls aware and knowledgeable of life changes and circumstances to empower them to stay in school and finish their education. The organization believes that if the girls can finish their education they will be able to follow their aspirations, be successful, and give back to their community. The girls are taught by women older than them, many of whom have been through the organization’s education as well. During our time visiting the organization we got to interact with the organization’s founder, its teachers, and some students as well. We were put in separate groups with one teacher and two students to have an open dialogue about what the students are taught, what they have gotten out of the organization, and to ask any questions. When I asked one of the students what has been the most valuable thing she has learned from being part of the organization she told me that she has been able to build the confidence to demand consent and to say no when pressured to engage in activities she does not want to. I really appreciated her sentiment, and I think it shows that the goal of this organization is working and that education truly is power.
Reflection: Grace Brouillette
 
I was so, so fortunate to be welcomed with hospitality, kindness, and compassion by my urban host family for three weeks. The night of my arrival, I gifted them a container of maple syrup, a very sweet and significant food item that has been important to me since childhood because I grew up in Vermont – a state that is well-known for maple syrup and maple creemees (also known as soft-serve ice cream). Being able to connect with my family members and the domestic worker that lived on the same property through my love of cooking and baking was really special. I had the opportunity to learn how to make chapati and ugali from the domestic worker as well as make pancakes with my sister that we could drizzle the maple syrup on. Of all of the special activities that I was able to participate in, one in particular stood out to me as communicating the importance of family, love, and dedication to both of these the most. During my first weekend at their house, one of my cousins was getting married and so I had the opportunity to go to a Kenyan wedding, only the second wedding that I’ve ever been to. Besides the wedding being a beautiful moment to witness, I was also able to see a different aspect of Kenyan culture that I wasn’t expecting to see upon initially coming to Kenya. Religion was so interwoven into the wedding and made for a completely different experience than the wedding that I had gone to in America. Celebration through dancing, singing, and music brought such a warm light to the day’s events. I doubt that I will forget the all-encompassing feeling of love that I experienced that day dancing with my sister and seeing two people so happily in love, surrounded by their loved ones and family. I hope to continue to stay connected with my urban host family, especially my sister, as I continue through the Kenya Semester Program for the next two months, as well as following the program upon my return to America!
 
Reflection: Tess Maxam
In reflecting on the rest of my time doing the urban homestay I believe it is one of the most formative experiences the Kenya Semester Program offers. It is the longest period of time where we remain in one place, aside from our internships in the last month, compared to the rest of the program which entails a lot of travelling and moving around from place to place. The ability to “stay put” in a way really allows the homestay to feel like a return home at the end of each day. What especially made this new place feel like home was the amount of time I spent cooking with my host mom. As often as I possibly could I would offer to help with dinner and I was able to learn how to make multiple staple Kenyan dishes. As a person who is not the best at cooking I thought it was great practice, a lot of fun, and brought me closer with my host mom. Another aspect of the homestay which I really enjoyed was getting to know my taxi driver Peter. Each day we had the same driver which has been arranged through the program to bring us to and from classes. In the 45-60 minute commute each day I was able to get to know my driver Peter very well and he even invited us to visit his home next week where he will cook us nyama choma (grilled meats) and be able to meet his family that he has been telling us so much about. It is relationships such as these that seem least expected when entering a component such as the rural homestay but one that has meant so much to me and I will never forget. Last but not least, I got to have company with four of the sweetest dogs that lived at my urban home. Each day I would come home from classes and be greeted with face kisses and cuddles from each of the dogs. I even got to know the neighborhood better through taking them on walks a few times during my homestay and would be able to say hi as I passed by all of the other community members walking around as well. Overall, I really enjoyed the urban homestay and it was an experience I will look back on with much admiration through the rest of my life.

Urban Homestay Spring 2018

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By Shania Muncil, Sonja Jensen, and Corey Rost

Introduction

Our group started off our homestays in Nairobi nervous and excited to meet our new families. We waited for everyone to arrive at our compound in Karen, and one by one families came looking for their student. We had delicious snacks prepared by Isaiah, and even two birthday cakes to celebrate Sarah and Gretchen’s 21st birthdays! We chatted with our families, getting to know one another, before we all headed off to our new homes. We were spread across the city, from the CBD to Runda, Westlands, and even Karen. We spent our three weeks taking classes at the United Kenya Club, visiting local malls, trying traditional Kenyan restaurants, and most importantly becoming close with our host families. Some of us were even lucky enough to attend traditional weddings! Part of our urban program also included “urban activities” that we participated in on Fridays. For our first weekend, we split up into three groups to learn more about Kazuri Beads, Lea Toto, and Ocean Sole.

Kazuri Beads

The women of Kazuri using clay from the base of Mt. Kenya to roll and shape beads  

Kazuri is a bead and ceramics factory located in Karen. It began in 1975 as a tiny workshop, with an idea to experiment and try new bead and jewelry designs. The founder of Kazuri started by hiring two single mothers, but quickly realized that there were many more disadvantaged women struggling to get by in Kenya that could contribute to the business. This initial premise led Kazuri to grow exponentially in the last few decades, with a workforce of now over 340 women. This increase in employment is important, as Kazuri’s customer base has grown widely as well. Not only popular at home in Kenya, Kazuri ships orders to nations all over the world. The meaning of Kazuri in Swahili, “small and beautiful” is easy to understand once you walk into their little shop and see all of the jewelry, ceramics and trinkets waiting on the shelves.

We started off our morning with Kazuri by meeting some of the staff and getting the tour of the factory. We walked through the bead-making process, from rolling clay and shaping it, to firing it through the kiln, hand-painting and glazing, all done right there at the Kazuri factory. Kazuri also makes pottery, such as mugs, plates, bowls, and small animals. After our comprehensive tour, we were allowed to choose any part of the bead-making process to observe and participate in. Because there is no place better to start than the beginning, we sat down to roll and shape beads.

Shania’s handmade beads 

The women at Kazuri were extremely welcoming, and are clearly experts at their work. They showed us how to take portions of clay and shape them into spheres or squares of different sizes, depending on which beads needed to be made. It’s safe to say it isn’t as easy as it looks, although some of us were better at it than others. As they worked, the women chatted and compared beads and materials, all while producing perfect spheres and cubes to be made into dazzling jewelry. Next, we moved to the painting room. Here women take beads that have been put through the kiln, and paint them with various colors, depending on what each order calls for. This takes a steady hand and a watchful eye, as each bead needs to be fully coated without any cracks.

While working with the women of Kazuri, it was inspiring to see how many disadvantaged women are now employed because of this business. Additionally, many of them have been with Kazuri for years, some for decades! These women are experts at their craft, and produce some of the most beautiful art we have seen so far in Kenya. We ended our day at Kazuri with a trip to the gift shop, and a plan to return again before the semester ends! (to learn more visit their website: http://kazuri.com)

 

Lea Toto

 

Lea Toto is an outreach program started by Nyumbani, a Catholic organization founded by American Jesuit Priest, Father Angelo D’Agastino, in 1992.  Nyumbani’s goals are straight forward – to reduce HIV/AIDS transmission rates and improve the quality of life for affected children and families.  To accomplish these goals, they currently work to provide assistance to children with HIV/AIDS through diagnostic services, medical care, holistic family and community building, preventative care, education and preventative care, environmental and sustainability education, and promoting self reliance.  Many of their programs target children in low income areas. They currently serve over 4,000 HIV/AIDS survivors every year taking small but important steps towards improving the lives of the over 200,000 Kenyan children under the age of 14 with HIV/AIDS and the approximately 1.1 million children orphaned due to AIDS (http://www.nyumbani.org)

Nyumbani is unique in that their approach focuses on a “whole-child model” meaning they view each child as an individual with specific wants and needs.  Lea Toto is a fantastic example of this model in work.  Swahili for “to raise the child,” Lea Toto works within Kenya’s slums to provide home-based care to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS.  Home-based care is important because it means less time and money is spent during hospital visits. In other words, it helps ensure that familial comfort does not have to be sacrificed simply because of a disease; “families can live better within their own homes.”  Since its creation in 1998, Lea Toto has served between 2,100 and 3,100 HIV positive children and 15,000 family members each year.

We spend the morning visiting Kenya’s Kangemi slum, home to one of Lea Toto’s 8 outreach sites. We began our visit with a meeting with some of the staff at the branch.  We discussed some of the programs and care they provide and what challenges they face. They told us that one of the biggest challenges of working within low income areas is ensuring basic medical, nutritional, and housing needs are met in addition to providing HIV related care.

With this in mind, and armed with the gift of a heavy box full of non-perishable food we broke up into two groups and, accompanied by some of Lea Toto’s dedicated social workers, went on home visits. Each group met with an individual or family that is involved with Lea Toto. We were welcomed into our hosts homes and we had the opportunity to get to know each other and to ask all sorts of questions ranging from what kind of assistance they receive from Lea Toto, the benefits and challenges of receiving aid before they became involved with Lea Toto and now with Lea Toto.  One group visited a young man receiving in home treatment and assistance while another group met with the mother of two children that are doing very well with a self administered treatment program and are going to boarding school with the help of Lea Toto!

After our respective visits, we regrouped at the main offices and got to discuss our experiences and ask any more questions we had. Our visits were vert different, but that’s the beauty of Lea Toto. They embrace each individual and family as the unique people they are and strive to provide individualized care.  Whether that be in the form of caregiver training, nutrition and food counseling, spiritual guidance, community building  training, or so much more.  Medical treatment of the disease does not necessarily equate to an improved life because diseases affect so much more than just an individual’s health; this is what sets Lea Toto and Nyumbani apart from the rest (to learn more about the work Lea Toto and Nyumbani do check out their websites! http://www.nyumbani.org/nyumbani-lea-toto-community-outreach/ and http://www.nyumbani.org)

Ocean Sole

Ocean Sole works to turn flip flop pollution in the oceans into art and functional products as a means to promote conservation of the oceans. In 1998 in Kiwayu, Kenya tons of flip flop pollution was washing up on the beaches creating an environmental disaster to the marine ecosystem and local communities. A year later, founder Julie Church, encouraged local women to collect, wash and cut these flip flops into the colorful products we see today. By 2000, these products were being sold commercially in Nairobi and in 2005 the company was officially established. Since then these colorful art pieces and functional products have gone global, raising awareness on flip flop pollution while improving upon local poverty through employment. Since the establishment of the company, Ocean Sole has cleaned up over 1,000 tons of flip flops from the Ocean and waterways of Kenya, provided steady income to over 150 Kenyans in the company and contributed over 10% of its revenue to marine conservation programs (to learn more about this incredible organization go to their website: http://oceansole.co.ke/).

An Ocean Sole employee works on the
final touches of a larger giraffe piece

Students started off their trip with a tour of the facilities. Our tour guide walked us through various stations that turned ordinary flip flops into pieces of art. Before anything could be done with the flip flops, they had to be scrubbed clean. Then they were sent to various work stations. Some workers pressed the shoes together to make templates and others used the flip flops to cover larger pieces. For these big pieces recycled house insulation is used to create the shape of the piece and it is then covered up with the flip flops. It is incredible how resourceful they are! We got to see them working on a life sized camel, one of their biggest projects yet.

Students pose in front of the life-sized camel.
One of the biggest projects yet! 

After our tour we got to experience, we got our hands dirty and helped out in the process for the remainder of our trip. We all started scrubbing the flip flops and engaged with the employees. One of the women we were working with had only been working there for 2 weeks. After a while, we all split up and helped at the individual stations. Some helped tediously glue the manes onto the lions, while others started from the beginning and helped construct hippos. There isn’t anything quite as valuable as experiencing something first hand. We all gained a new appreciation for the art pieces and the work that goes behind them while increasing our awareness of the issues the marine environment faces. Our day ended in the gift shop, a perfect place to get souvenirs for friends and family!

Karura Forest 

Our second friday in Nairobi was spent at Karura Forest, a beautiful expanse of trees and small wildlife. Found in the northern part of Nairobi city, the forest is managed by the Kenya Forest Service, and is approximately 1,041 hectares in size, making it one of the largest protected forests in the world. However, the forest wasn’t always so revered by all of Kenya. While the forest was officially gazetted decades ago, there was a significant struggle, especially during the 90’s, to develop housing projects that would have decimated a large portion of Karura. Fortunately, through prolonged and passionate environmental activism, Wangari Maathai and others were able to save the forest. Since then, Karura is a shining example of resisting land-grabbing by corrupt politicians, as well as a gorgeous sanctuary that poor and wealthy alike can enjoy.

The tall towering trees of Karura Forest 

Students started their visit to Karura with an educational video on the history of the forest, featuring one of their newly found idols, Wangari Maathai, whose book the students read earlier in the semester. They were then able to engage in a question and answer with Professor Karanja Njoroge, a board member of Friends of Karura Forest and was a colleague of the late Maathai. Soon after they left for a guided walk around the forest. They admired the tall towering trees and saw various animals frockling through the forest as they made their way to the historical caves of the forest that were used as Mau Mau hideouts during the fight for independence from the colonial British government. Further down the students passed a waterfall cascading down into a river before returning to the trailhead.

Students admiring and learning about
the caves used as a Mau Mau hideouts during the anti-colonial rebellion of the 1950s 

We would also like to thank a fellow Saint, Jay Ireland ‘77, President and CEO of GE Africa, for hosting us at the GE offices after our day at the forest and teaching us about his work. SLU connections are everywhere!

 

Urban Homestay: Nairobi Fall 2017

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After spending an exciting week in Tanzania with the Hadzabe we were off on a new adventure: urban homestays! Each of us had the pleasure of becoming part of a family for three weeks in neighborhoods all over Nairobi. We all had a great time with our families and exploring the city while also attending classes as a group. Some of the places that we visited with our  families included: the Nairobi Animal Orphanage, the Giraffe Center, Ngong Hills, a traditional Kenyan wedding, and church. One homestay family even invited the entire group over for an afternoon barbeque. In addition to the outings with our families, we also had the fabulous opportunity to choose one of three organizations to visit: Kazuri Beads, Ocean Sole, and Lea Toto.

Meeting families and embarking on the three week homestay throughout the city

Kazuri

Kazuri, meaning “small and beautiful” in Swahili, is an organization that provides employment opportunities for disadvantaged members of Kenya, mainly women. It began as a small workshop in 1975 experimenting with homemade beads and has expanded into a full fledged bead-making operation. Their mission statement really resonated with me especially this segment, “In the developing world of today’s Africa, the greatest contribution we can make is to create employment, especially for the disadvantaged and this remains our guiding philosophy. The result is reflected in the strength of the Kazuri Family and the beauty of our products.” We found beauty in the empowerment of women, as well as the actual product- each bead was made out of love!

(The​ ​employees​ ​helped​ ​teach​ ​the​ ​students​ ​how​ ​to
make​ ​beads from clay)

While we were visiting we had the opportunity to sit with some of the women and construct some of our own beads. Employees spend their days rolling and shaping a variety of shapes and sizes of beads and in the few hours we spent there we realized how skilled these women are. In the time we were there we had a great time chatting with the employees and trying to perfect rolling the clay into spheres. We stayed primarily in the first phase of bead construction which involved making clay into the variety of shapes in sizes that the beads come in. After this they are put into the kiln and then glazed in a beautiful array of colors and then put back in the kiln for a final firing. Finally, the now finished beads are strung together into the final product and sold all over the world. It was wonderful getting to talk to the women as we worked and we were truly able to feel the sense of community especially during our chai break where everyone shared snacks they had brought from home.

Ocean Sole

On the first weekend a small group of us went to Ocean Sole, a small organization that turns old flip flops into artwork. As we walked around a guide told us “flip flops are the poor man’s shoe…everyone has a pair”. As a result, many of these flipflops are discarded and many of them are winding up in the ocean. Ocean Sole started collecting flip flops and recycling them into artwork of all different shapes and sizes. This organization took off after the United Nations ordered a few hundred key chains, which provided the money to build the organization headquarters in Nairobi, and to fund both the flip flop collectors and artists.

Ocean Sole Art

I was immediately struck by all of the colors. I stood next to an elephant statue that was bigger than I was and it was sporting electric greens, pinks, blues, and yellows of the flip flops that once wandered about Kenya. We were given a brief tour and then we were put to work. First we started by washing flip flops. Scrubbing off all the dirt and mysterious gunk that was caked on them. Once the flipflops are washed, they are cut, glued together into block like shapes, and then carved into the desired statue. After washing some of us went to the glueing station and others started to carve. I thoroughly enjoyed the time that I spent at Ocean Sole. I love the idea of recycling something- something gross and dirty like the remnants of an old flip flop, into something beautiful.

Lea Toto

Another component to the urban home stay, was small group participation in different local organizations close to Karen. One organization that we visited was called Lea Toto which means “To Raise a Small Child”. Lea Toto is a community based outreach program that helps to extend care to HIV+ children through medical services, nutrition, and counseling. Lea Toto works towards improving the quality of life that children and young adults have in poor informal settlements through community home based care. Through the use of community home based care the organization provides care directly to the child at home. While the children can still receive services at the center, members from Lea Toto come on site to the child’s home. Lea Toto provides services that the children might not be able to receive without this organization.  This allows for privacy, and for the organization to provide services to many more children compared to if they were caring for children directly at the center. Through Lea Toto we had the unique experience to talk to a few children who benefited from the services offered in the program. They welcomed us into their homes and we had a very interesting discussion about the stigmas associated with being HIV+.  We also discussed how Lea Toto has helped them both physically by providing medication but also mentally with counseling as well as providing a safe place and open community for discussion about the disease. The work that this organization does is extremely important and allows people living in poor informal settlements to seek the medical attention that they need while also getting educated and informed about HIV.

Karura Forest Urban Field Trip

I love to walk in the forest. “When you walk into the forest- you will not leave without a smile” Joyce, Emily’s host mother said to me as we walked into the gate of Karura Forest. What a special place. Karura Forest is a 2,570 acre woodland that was first established in 1932 and later protected by Wangari Maathai. Originally the forest was not exactly a place you wanted to be because it was dangerous. The forest was later threatened by development in the 1990s, but because of Wangari Maathai’s efforts- the forests stands today. In addition to this, the forest is a now a nice, safe, green space for the people in Nairobi.

Reflection with Amber:

Over the course of the Urban Homestay I spent a lot of time in this forest. I went walking with so many important people in my life here, my host family, my actual mother, and my friends. We even took a field trip the forest as a group.  There were so many interesting nooks, crannies, and little wonderlands in the forest. There were pine trees dripping with old man’s beard moss that reminded me of home, there were dense pockets of greenery and vines tangled over a stream that was inhabited by frogs and little fish, and then there were the trees. The lovely, beautiful, incredible trees. Some of them were ancient, some were in their first year of life, but all of them were working hard to bring fresh clean air to the city of Nairobi. That is such a gift. My family lived close to the forest and every afternoon I when I returned home from school I would sit outside and take in the fresh forest air, no burning trash, no car fumes- just the good stuff.

I really valued the time that I spent with my host family, especially at this time. Because of the re-elections the political climate has been interesting to say the least. It was so interesting to watch the news, to get into debates with my family over dinner, and to feel like I was pretty in the know with what was going on. I also felt very humbled by the kindness of my family- they welcomed me into their home with open arms and I quickly felt right at home. I found that relationship to be a two way street and I am thankful that I was able to spend a lot of time with my family and I look forward to staying in touch with them for a long time.

Reflection with Ella:

I am so incredibly grateful for my experience with my urban host family- I wish it was longer than three weeks! I was able to get very close with my two host brothers and two host sisters. I didn’t realize how alike we are, we all loved similar music and movie genres, as well as being outdoors and spending time with our families. I was also able to understand Swahili a lot more while at my time there. Although my family spoke fluent English as well, they would speak easy Swahili to me so I can learn and speak back to them. I appreciated our conversations regarding Kenyan politics, education, and society; I was able to really feel what it is like living in urban Kenya. This is such a great component of the Kenya Semester Program, and I am so happy to have a Kenyan family I can keep in contact with and hopefully see in the near future!

Urban Homestay Spring 2017

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Jambo! After returning from Tanzania, we all set out for the urban homestay component of the semester. All sixteen of us each lived with a family for three weeks, placed in different homes throughout Nairobi. The families took us in as their own while we also attended classes at the United Kenya Club during the week. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the day to day experiences of students in Nairobi.

One of the great things about each of us staying with different families within the city and surrounding suburbs of Nairobi was that we were able to have our own individual experiences with the city and with a household that was open to showing us their favorite parts.

One student’s family took her to the International Jazz Festival that is held in Nairobi annually. The festival featured a headliner and about eight supporting acts that performed throughout the course of a day. The majority of the acts originated from countries such as Israel and England, but there were a few performers that were local Kenyans or nearby Tanzanian neighbors. This wide variety of acts called for an equally diverse audience. It was interesting to witness that in a place with so many different cultures, the music was able to play such a unifying role. As long as the bands were playing, people were happy and dancing together. We were able to fully immerse ourselves in the lives of our families. We tagged along for the grocery shopping, church, visits to grandma and even afternoon workouts.

International Jazz Festival which is held in Nairobi annually

We also had the opportunity to attend multiple Kenyan weddings with our host families and as a group. One student went to a family friend’s wedding in Thika, and was able to learn more about Kenyan weddings, join in on the dancing, and enjoy a traditional Kenyan wedding feast.We were also invited to a wedding by our program director Wairimu, who called her relative (the father of the bride) to have an extra table set for sixteen people last minute. Almost all of us were able to attend the Kikuyu wedding, which was set outdoors and attended by hundreds of people. We enjoyed lots of dancing, examining gender roles in Kenya, and creating lasting memories.

Some of the girls at the traditional Kikuyu wedding with Dr. Wairimu

We were able to spend every Friday of our urban homestay exploring Nairobi and taking advantage of living in a cosmopolitan African city. On the first Friday, we chose from three different local organizations to spend the morning with: Kazuri Beads, Ocean Sole, and Lea Toto Outreach Program.

Some of us went to Kazuri Beads which was founded in 1975 and located close to the St. Lawrence compound in Karen. Kazuri is a swahili word which means “small and beautiful.” The organization employs single mothers in its factory, in line with its mission to provide and sustain employment opportunities for disadvantaged Kenyans. Those of us who went to the factory were able to engage with the workers and get to know more about them. The experience was made even better as we participated in each step of the bead-making process. We sat with the women, rolled the clay into different shapes, then painted and glazed them. Most of us enjoyed the stringing of beads into necklaces that would end up in different parts of the world. We were touched to be in such an empowered space where the women enjoyed their work. Chai time was an hour into our visit so we joined the queue of workers and got our containers filled with tea. The women also brought their own snacks such as mandazi (fried doughnut) and did not hesitate to share with us and each other. It is safe to say that we all left with a greater appreciation for Kazuri’s handcrafted jewels and the hardworking women who do it all.

Another group had the opportunity to visit Lea Toto, a medical center focused on providing care for people with HIV and AIDS in Kangemi, an informal settlement in Nairobi. We toured their facility and learned more about ARVs and the challenges associated with providing care, as well about the organization’s strong focus on education and community involvement. We also had the unique chance to sit down and talk with some of our peers who have benefited from the services provided by Lea Toto. We talked about stigma associated with being HIV positive in both Kenya and America. After our group discussion, our new friends gave us a tour of their neighborhood and welcomed us into their homes.

The last group went to visit Ocean Sole, an organization based in Karen that takes old washed up flip-flops collected along the Kenyan coast and transforms them into anything from small iguana keychains to life size giraffe sculptures. The organization was started by Julie Church, a marine conservationist and local Kenyan who wanted to find an effective and productive way to reduce the amount of waste found in the Indian Ocean and on the surrounding beaches. By constructing these creations, Ocean Sole is able to provide over 100 individuals with jobs and take away 400,000 flip-flops from the Indian Ocean every year. While we were at the organization’s base in Karen, we were able to not only see what the process of completing the final product consisted of after the flip-flops had been collected and delivered, but we were also able to try it for ourselves. This process included cleaning the flip-flops that had recently arrived, gluing the flip-flops together, carving the flip-flops into the shape of the desired animal, and giving the final creations a final rinse.

The second Friday, we travelled to Karura Forest to learn more about Wangari Maathai, the Green Belt Movement, and green spaces and conservation in Nairobi. Karura Forest is an urban forest located in Nairobi. It was established in 1932 and managed by the Kenya Forest Service, but because of demand for development and high crime rates within the forest, it was largely ignored and fell into disrepair. In the late 1990s, Wangari Maathai and the Green Belt Movement protested development of the forest, leading to her rise in fame and her eventual Nobel Peace Prize. The reestablishment of Karura Forest continued in 2009, with the formation of “Friends of Karura Community Forest Association,” led by the British High Commissioner’s wife and members of the Nairobi community. In the past few years, the forest has been transformed into a popular space for hiking, walking, biking, and horseback riding. Over 70% of the forest’s visitors are Kenyan, and Karura’s revitalization has provided many of its disadvantaged neighbors with jobs.

Karua Forest

Urban Homestay Fall 2016

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Our second major homestay component of the program is based in around Nairobi, allowing us to travel and become more comfortable in the city through class trips, weekends out and exploring the streets between lectures.  This component lasted three weeks, each student being placed with families in Nairobi and the surrounding suburbs. On Sunday Sept. 25 our new parents and siblings came to the compound in Karen to gather us. We all packed our bags, put on our nice outfits and waited for our parents to pick us up. The yard was decorated beautifully with a large tent and chairs and Seth, our chef, made snacks and tea for the occasion. Families came and went with their new American children. Those who were left at the end anxiously waited as we watched our friends leave excited to meet our new families. That night we all enjoyed dinner in our new houses, exchanging stories with new mothers and fathers and new brothers and sisters.

Students enrolled in the history class were taken by their professor to learn and see the history of Nairobi. This is a view from the top of the Kenyatta International Convention Center.

Monday morning meant another week of classes for us. However, with the urban homestay we only have classes four days a week with Fridays off for field trips. Each of us went to classes, using the time between them to go explore the nearby city of Nairobi. Whether trying a new place for lunch, bargaining at city market or finding new stores in the winding streets, these three weeks allowed for us to become more comfortable in the city we live so close to. After classes we’d go home and get to spend the evening with a family, a nice change from the more college style living at the compound. We now had people who asked about our classes at dinner, made sure we were finishing our homework, and helped us pack lunches. Our new families were very much appreciated, making it a little easier to be away from home for all of us.

On Friday of the first week we all got to experience different parts of the city, through three different organizations. One group went to talk to PAWA 254, an art-ivism (art-activism) group based in Nairobi. They call themselves a “hub for visual creatives in Kenya,” providing a spaces for artists of all kinds to work and have a chance to take classes and share their pieces. The pieces and projects they support help to create social change. Students who went here for to explore the workspace, hear about projects and see where performances take place. Another group went to Kibera, the largest slum in East Africa, and went to different organizations that are working with the youth here. First they went to Uweza, a program that helps students with school funds and provides safe and empowering programs for them. These programs include things like a soccer team and art clubs, which help develop talent, build life skills, and improve emotional and mental well-being. After this, they went to the Red Rose School. This institution provides primary education for over 400 children in Kibera. This school is actually supported by a number of groups at St. Lawrence, including Omicron Kappa Delta. The last group went to Lea Toto, a community-based outreach program which extends care of HIV+ children in the Kangemi slum. They do this by providing medical services, nutrition, counseling and capacity building to children affected by HIV/AIDs as well as educating their parents and caregivers. Everyone learned a lot from their trips and enjoyed being able to share their experiences with each other.

Student artists showing off their work in the Uweza art gallery. Pieces can be purchased online, profits help buy more materials as well as going to the student’s education

Student artists showing off their work in the Uweza art gallery. Pieces can be purchased online, profits help buy more materials as well as going to the student’s education

Not only do we get to explore on Fridays, but sometimes during the week we got to as well. On Wednesday Sept 12th we took the day off of some of our classes to go to a town hall meeting hosted by the US Ambassador to Kenya Bob Godec at his residence. Here students had the chance to vote in the upcoming election, talk to people who work at the embassy and then ask questions. We all enjoyed conversing with fellow Americans and seeing what they were doing here in Kenya as well as hearing about what our Ambassador had to say about Kenyan modern events. While here we learned lots of things, such as the lowering of travel warnings for Mombasa, which hopefully means students, can begin to travel there again through the program and for IDS. Overall this was a very educational opportunity, one of the best parts of this semester are all the chances for experiential learning.

During our time in Nairobi we also had the chance to explore the neighboring town. One really fun thing that a group of girls did was go get dresses made at a tailor. Mia, Erin and I (Emily) had a day off together and went on an adventure. Erin’s host mother Flo is a well known tailor who was gracious enough to make time for us during her busy week to meet and talk to us about her job and then help us choose fabric and design a shape. While here she told us about working with the President’s mother and niece to design clothes, it was crazy to think this women was making us things too! We each chose patterns of cloth and then talked with Flo about what shape would look best on us and with the fabric. Then we each got measured for the dress, a first for all of us to have something fitted to our own bodies. We returned a week later to try on our new creations and get any alterations that were needed. Each of us loved our creations so much we couldn’t help but order another beautiful dress. Now we all have hand-made, one of a kind pieces of clothing to bring back home that will always remind us of our time here.

During our urban homestays all of us had the opportunity to familiarize ourselves with the city of Nairobi. By living with families scattered around the city we learned how to use public transit to navigate the city.  Due to the complexities of public transit in Nairobi we all were helped by our homestay siblings. My older brother Emmanuel, who is a SLU graduate, class of 2015, was there to help me. Having Emmanuel there to help me was amazing. He didn’t just help me get where I needed to go but he was eager to show me new places around the city and take me to spots that I as a foreigner would not have otherwise visited such as the Kangemi Market. The Kangemi market was near our house and that is adjacent to the Kangemi slum. Being able to go to this market allowed me to see an entirely new aspect of Nairobi and without my Emmanuel I most likely would not have been able to visit it.

Emmanuel, my other brother George and myself also visited the Giraffe Center in Nairobi. The Giraffe Center is a tourist attraction where you can feed and pet giraffes and they have a museum on the cite to inform its visitors about the animals. As fun as we had at the center I can not say the same about journey there. To get there we were taking public transportation and had planned on taking two busses. This plan quickly dissolved. After our first Matutu (the Nairobi busses) we got on our second that said it was going to Karen, the part of the city where the Giraffe Center is, but halfway through the drive it took a turn and ended its route in a very different spot from where it said it was going. At this point our only option was to take an uber the rest of the way. Uber in Nairobi is relatively new and they have not quite figured out the most effective way to manage it. When we called the uber it said it was 6 minutes away but due to the faults in the uber system over here we finally got the uber after an hour. It took 3 ½ hours to get the the Giraffe Center but it was worth the journey.

Some of us enjoying a trip to the Giraffe Center

Some of us enjoying a trip to the Giraffe Center

Nairobi as strange as it may sound is a hot spot for SLU graduates. Max Miller from the class of 2014 is currently living in Nairobi. He moved here several months ago and before that he was located in Mombasa on the eastern coast of Kenya. Max attended KSP during his time at St. Lawrence and moved back right after he graduated. To any extent possible he is always looking to be involved with the program and is a great connection to have in the city.

During the Urban homestay our core course class had planned Friday activities. One of the activities was visiting the Karura Forest. The Karura forest is located in the middle of the city and is a staple of the greenbelt movement in Kenya. In the recent past this land was being taken over by questionable means and being used for development but in an effort to save the forest there has been improvement to the forest security and there is much more government involvement in maintaining it.

We also were taking our Swahili classes in Nairobi rather than on the SLU compound. We got the chance to go to breakfast in the city and visit the city market so we could utilize what we have learned.

Mia ’16 on top of the PAWA building just outside of downtown Nairobi. This space acts as a performance hall for musicians as well as a canvas for artists

Mia ’16 on top of the PAWA building just outside of downtown Nairobi. This space acts as a performance hall for musicians as well as a canvas for artists

 

Urban Homestay Fall 2015

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Over the past three weeks the KSP students were all experiencing Nairobi through the lense of Urban Homestay families in and around the city. Be it in New Kitisuru, Kilamani, or Riverside we all had differing experiences culminating in three amazing and memorable weeks.

These past three weeks have been in stark contrast to our experiences in Tanzania and our rural homestay. Many of us were surprised at how progressive our families were, and took comfort in the similarities that existed between Nairobi and our respective hometowns.

During our UHS we attended daily Swahili classes as well as our elective courses. This large period of academic time allowed us delve deeper into the areas of government organization, historical issues, biodiversity topics, and gender inequality in Kenya. Many of these issues we were able to experience first hand within the city. Our core course professors also took us on weekly field components which played a great role in our experiential learning.

The first experiential component included in our core course was a visit to Kibera. Being the second largest slum in Africa, we were exposed to aspects of life many of us had never experienced. We visited an organization called Carolina for Kibera that introduced us to the area, and guided us around the slum. This organization aims to “develop local leaders, catalyze positive change, and alleviate poverty in Kibera” (Carolina for Kibera). We walked around for a few hours in small groups because the non-profit organization aims to discourage slum tourism.image001 We visited the homes of three high school aged students. These students have all received grants from Carolina for Kibera to further their education and help provide them with opportunities they might not otherwise receive. We met the students and their families and were able to talk openly about everyday life. We were also able to visit one of Kibera’s nutritional aid centers. Centers like these provide nutritional aid for children below six months of age to age four. In addition, we visited the largest health center in Kibera. We were able to see first hand some of the new technological resources available to communities. This includes new X-ray machines, laboratories, and various pharmaceutical resources. Overall, this trip was very enriching, and as always, we found great similarities between our lives and those of the people who live in Kibera.

near the "Mau Mau" caves, Karura forest, Nairobi

near the “Mau Mau” caves, Karura forest, Nairobi

The second excursion was to Karura Forest. Karura is a protected national forest in the heart of Nairobi. It is open to the public for various leisure activities such as biking, walking, hiking, etc., on well-maintained, beautiful trails. It is the home of the infamous Mau Mau caves where the Mau Mau freedom fighters hid during their fight for independence. We were able to take a guided tour through the forest to see the caves in addition to waterfalls, wildlife, and countless scenic views. Karura is a great example of how conservation is taking a front seat in Kenya politics, and spaces like Karura are exemplars for sustainable living.

Later that same afternoon we were also able to visit one of the many curio shops throughout Nairobi. This one was the Maasai market, located at Village Market. We were encouraged to use as much Swahili as possible to both better our skills and avoid being overcharged for our foreigner status. We came away from the afternoon of bartering exhausted but satisfied with souvenirs to show for our work. Every time we go to markets to barter we are determined to further our Swahili, gain a greater cultural understanding of the market economy, and hopefully make some friends in the process.

Maasai Market goods on display

Maasai Market goods on display

The final activity we were able to take part in during our Urban Homestays was a Relay for Life event raising money for cancer prevention, a major issue in Kenya due to lacking resources and funding. Haley’s homestay mom, Katheke, is a breast cancer survivor turned activist. She organized the event featuring 24 hours of food, dance, and honorary lantern lightings in the Nyayo National Stadium. Haley’s host family’s participation in the event was a great example of how cancer awareness is growing in Kenya, and we were thrilled to be a part of that progress for a night. This is yet another example of how we were able to find similarities between the lives of Kenyan people and our own lives.

Alison, Haley, and Alita at the Relay for Life event

Alison, Haley, and Alita at the Relay for Life event

Overall, our urban experience in Nairobi has flown by. We are so grateful to the families that so generously took us in, and the people that welcomed us throughout our time in the city. Although our main time in Nairobi is over, we made lasting connections with our families and plan to maintain our ties for years to come. Although we are now switching directions and entering another rural component of our semester, we will take with us both everything that we have learned and the new connections we have made. Stay tuned to hear about our upcoming adventures in Kisumu and Amboseli.

Kwa Heri!

 

 

Nairobi: Urban Homestay

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Class weeks 3, 4, and 5/Urban Homestay Blog Entry
By Klare Nevins, Claire Pacione, Maggie Cummins,
Kate Tuttle, Wei Song, and Ashley McDuffee

Hello every one! So this blog post is covering the week three, four and five of classes. In addition to attending classes at the United Kenya Club in downtown Nairobi we also began our three-week urban homestay component. Each student was placed with a family that lives in or just outside of Nairobi. Many students went to live with families that have been hosting St. Lawrence KSP students for many years, while others were the first students to be hosted by families. I think I can speak for us all when I say leading up to the day before our new families came to pick us up at the compound we were feeling a whole mixed bag of emotions. Having just come back from and intense but unforgettable week in Tanzania, we all were still reeling from the prospect of adjusting yet again to a new environment, with new people and new experiences. This is the nature of the KSP program; we do a lot in not a lot of time. We are so grateful for all the experiences, but we have a real understanding of how this semester is intense in more ways than just adjusting to a foreign country.

Now let’s hear from some students – here is what they had to say about some of the standout experiences they had during their Urban Homestays:

Claire Pacione:

Here we are ready for the First Lady's Half Marathon. Over 10,000 people participated!

Here we are ready for the First Lady’s Half Marathon. Over 10,000 people participated!

Jambo marafiki wangu!

Looking over the Kenya semester program schedule, I was honestly most apprehensive about our three-week urban homestay. Having grown up in a small town near the Pacific Ocean in New England, I had never lived in a city before. Although I have experiences of venturing into Boston, a 40-minute train ride away, I expected that Nairobi would be a different kind of city than Boston, or even New York.

One of the aspects of this program I was most excited about was learning from cross-cultural relationships. When transitioning into my urban homestay, it was the relationships built with my homestay family, and in the city, that allowed me to prosper during the urban homestay I originally assumed would be most difficult!

Living in a household with my Kikuyu host family, their Kenyan Canadian friend, my Kenyan host cousin (41) who was raised entirely in Britain and his Armenian wife made for interesting conversations around the table!

In support of Kenya’s First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta’s, Beyond Zero Campaign focused on maternal and infant health, a few of the girls and I decided to take part in the Beyond Zero 10k / Half Marathon! I have been a runner since I was in high school and enjoy supporting and experiencing races; Kenyatta’s race was the largest city race I have ever taken part in. Upon registration we picked up purple shirts that displayed the First Lady on the back of them raising up a healthy child. The campaign seems to be highly supported by the individuals I have spoken with during my homestay. Generally, my Kenyan friends feel as though the First Lady is taking into her hands a necessary conflict and confidently moving forward with it. Through talking with my host mother about the campaign, I slowly but surely talked her into coming along and it was a great experience!

The race experience opened my eyes to the great support Margaret Kenyatta’s campaign holds. Once again, it is through these cultural-relationships built that have taught me, and my classmates, more about Kenya, its people, and more about ourselves and our growing perceptions of this world.

Beyond Zero is the organization that the Half Marathon was fundraising for. Check out the website for more information! http://www.beyondzero.or.ke/

Beyond Zero is the organization that the Half Marathon was fundraising for. Check out the website for more information! http://www.beyondzero.or.ke/

Maggie Cummins:

My experience in the urban home stay was not life changing; I did not pick up any new skills, learn experiences of people that vastly differ from my own, or spend nights in living conditions in which I had not previously encountered. This trip, rather than introduce me to yet another dissimilarity between Kenyan and American culture, showed me a plethora of similarities between the experiences of urban people (in this context, I consider myself to live an urban lifestyle in the States). My host sister was 22, had recently graduated from a school in South Africa, and was currently job surfing, a foreshadowing of my own future after graduation. We shared a similar sense of humor and enjoyed the same things, and I found that conversation flowed easily with her and her mother, and I never felt the need to censor myself (both in the sense of context and language). This is more than likely due in part to their English, which might have been better than my own, and their education. In the rural areas, I found little commonalities in conversation, and in Nairobi, I felt as a though I was able to express my own thoughts and begin to shift perspective a little more to understand the views of my family. It was comforting to come home after school and be greeted by an overstuffed couch and TLC on the television, a reflection of afternoons spent in the states, and I won’t lie, I loved the luxury of having a house keeper!

While the hands on activities were few, unlike my rural experience, I felt as though my urban experience gave me the opportunity to learn more about the diversity of Kenya as it’s represented in Nairobi, and I additionally had several opportunities to network and make connections with Kenyans my age. Many factors contribute to diversity of culture; nationality, ethnic group, gender, class, religion etc., but being in Nairobi contributed to the visibility of this diversity rather than isolate one group. My urban home stay was a valuable experience that offered me a wealth of knowledge that differed from my other experiences in Kenya so far. I’m sure a significant part of my attraction to the urban home stay is the comfort of living, where I had working water (for the most part), electricity, and wanted for nothing (‘ceptAnnie’s mac&cheese). But all in all, the communication played a vital role in my overall experience. I was fortunate to have a family educated in interests similar to my own. And those couches were ON POINT! Overall, an amazing experience!

Kate Tuttle:

Hamjambo marafiki! I also had a very enriching, and educational three-week urban homestay. While my peers and I were all taking our regular classes at the United Kenya Club, the most insightful learning I did during these weeks was after school. My urban host family consisted of my mom, dad, and sister, Diana. They also have one other daughter, who is currently abroad in Canada at university. However, Diana was unfortunately in the hospital for the first two weeks that I was there, with a condition that they described pretty vaguely when I asked; so, I naturally kept my curiosities to myself, with the assumption that it was something the family did not feel comfortable discussing. The beauty in having three weeks with a different family of your own is being able to distinguish how families react to certain hardships like these. While I may not have had full insight on exactly what had happened to Diana to make her go to the hospital, I did see how the family acted while they were genuinely worried and concerned for their daughter’s well-being. In addition to visiting Diana whenever we could, and even during my Mom’s work hours, the family turned to religion to help alleviate the situation. In our classes here, we have been learning about the devoutness of Kenyans to Christianity since the implementation of missionaries during the colonial times. Yet, I did not realize the extent to which the members of my urban family would turn to religion for peace of mind, as I did not witness such religious devotion at my rural homestay. While I have had my doubts about religion in the past, I will admit it was refreshing to adopt their optimistic and thankful outlook on life. For example, every few days before meals I was expected to say what I was grateful for. While it not only put into perspective all of the luxuries I have each day, it also was a bonding moment for me and my family to put aside our issues and look at what is more meaningful in life—health, family, and happiness. I do not intend to attend church or religiously affiliate myself after this homestay, however I do think I will—and already have begun to— start realizing what is important to fear or worry about, and what is not.

Ashley McDuffee:

It is extremely hard to categorize any experience here in Kenya as your favorite, because you experience so many incredible things each day. However, the Urban Homestay is certainly among my favorite experiences here. I was extremely apprehensive about this component; I’m a country girl through and through and have never liked cities. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Wairimu and Sinnary were right as always. They place the component at a time when you’ve gotten comfortable enough in Kenya to brave Nairobi life with the homestay families. I had already spent a few weeks exploring Nairobi in-between classes held at the UKC. Once I got my bearings the city was no longer as terrifying as it had once been. Before long all of us were finding favorite coffee shops and restaurants and bargaining at theMassai market like true Kenyans. As far as my family was concerned, I have never felt more at home in Kenya. I had amazing parents and three sisters, one of which was my age and still living at home. I truly felt like these people were as much my family as my mom, dad and brother at home. Anytime we would go to an outing they would introduce me as their daughter “Anyango”, a Luo name they gave me. One of my favorite experiences was when my sister, an aspiring singer, had rehearsal with her friends for an upcoming gig. She allowed me to sit in on their rehearsal. I hadn’t told her I’m a singer as well, and have taken formal lessons since a young age. They were having trouble with a harmony so I sang an alternative one; they had no idea I sang. I immediately became one of their group and even helped create a mashup which they opened the show with. Although I was not in Nairobi to perform with them I had an incredible time bonding with my sister through something we both love. After this experience I will always have a home and a family here, and that is something truly priceless to me.

Ashley McDuffee with her host sister Prisca. They got along really well, especially when they found out they both have a passion for singing!

Ashley McDuffee with her host sister Prisca. They got along really well, especially when they found out they both have a passion for singing!

Wei Song:

Wei Song with her Urban Homestay sisters

Wei Song with her Urban Homestay sisters

Habari zenu! My three-week urban homestay was definitely one of the best experiences I had in Kenya. I grew up in a small city in China with a population of three million, so everything my homestay family did for me really helped make me feel like home. I’m a psychology major, and fortunately my host stay mom turned out to be a psychology teacher! She teaches in an International high school in Nairobi. We had so many great conversations at anytime – even when we were watching television, driving, or doing work. She took me to her school and let me join a Chinese class (Chinese happens to be my first language) and her psychology class so I got a chance to appreciate the one of the best International schools in Kenya. She also introduced me to her students and friends, one who became a good friend of mine. My two host sisters were ten and twelve years and they were so outgoing, kind, and we always played together. I really feel like we are real sisters and a real family. Although we didn’t have much time spent together, we tried our best to make the time we were together meaningful. They took me to the elephant orphanage, and we went out for swimming and dinner during the weekend. They have a house help named Mercy, and she is really like a family member in the house. We would make jokes of each other, and we shared our different life experiences. She is only twenty-three years old, and my mom told me that she wants Mercy to go back to school and would even be willing to pay her tuition. I feel so lucky that I had the best family, which I still consider as my family even after I have left. We still talk to each other and my mom still calls me daughter. I really feel I have a home in Kenya now, and I’ll always miss them and remember the great time we spent together. SAFI SANA

Wei Song with her Urban Homestay mother

Wei Song with her Urban Homestay mother

Klare Nevins:

Thank you to all the students who took the time to share their experiences. After the Urban Homestays, I think we all were surprised just how much we felt like we were a part of a family, in a way that we haven’t been since we left home in January. My personal experience was incredible, and I truly could not have asked for a more open, thoughtful and caring family to live with. One of the biggest things I got out of the experience was a realization that I could live in a major urban city, and live in it functionally. If you had asked me if I would feel this way at the beginning of the semester I would have said absolutely not. By seeing how families live on a daily basis and build the structure of their days around the same things I value in my home, I was truly able to understand not only the adaptability of humans but also recognize that we all are more alike than we think we are. As an Anthropology major, the classes I take mostly revolve around the diversity of different cultures around the world. By learning about different cultures we can in turn be more open and accepting of versions of the human experience that may differ from our own. Although this is vital to comprehend, I was most struck this week by the understanding that even though I had never met my family before and had no basis of connection other than their willingness to open their home to me, I left feeling like I truly had a Kenyan family. How was this possible? I saw it through the universal connectors of humanity – feelings of compassion, love, family and kindness. I think to at least some extent every single person feels these emotions, therefore we all have the capability to connect with anyone in the entire world. I don’t know about you but that makes me feel pretty inspired.

Thank you for all those who take the time to read this, and as always, we thank those at home and in our St. Lawrence community that have helped us make this incredible experience possible!

Asante Sana