So long and thanks for all the fish!

This MLK Day Vow to Keep His Spirit Alive

2012-01-16T22:04:00.004+03:00

While today ends a three day weekend for many Americans and provides a rare opportunity to sleep in on a Monday, this day is representative of much more than many think about or remember. As a white American I would venture to say that MLK Day does not hold quite the same significance for me as it does for my African American friends. However, as a human rights activist, I appreciate the work that Dr. King did to break down barriers and move forward the civil rights movement peacefully. He made a huge impact on America and the country-wide celebration of the accomplishments made by him and other civil rights leaders of his time was a big step in the country's history. While I know that the US has made significant advances since the days Dr. King stood up and fought for equal rights for all races; tensions obviously still exist. My hope is that one day people of all races, religions, and social and economic statuses can stand together throughout the world without judgment or prejudice.

Iconic photo of Dr. King

While MLK, Jr. advanced rights in the US for our African American friends and neighbors, not everyone around the world is lucky enough to have their own Dr. King. So I ask you on this MLK Day to think about how much better we could make this world, your country, your community, your life if everyone stood up and did something selfless for somebody else. As honorable as it is to set aside a day to commemorate a movement that made our country what it is today, I urge you to take it a step further. Take a moment to think about how you can impact your community to make it a better place for everyone to live together. Go forth and spread hope and love today! It doesn't have to be something extravagant like spearheading a movement to end discrimination or leading a one-man crusade to end the exploitation and trafficking of African women, but it could be something as small as a random act of kindness or even just taking the time to reflect on your situation and giving thanks for the life you are able to lead thanks to Dr. King's vision.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

"Ditch the degree, pick up the diapers..."

2012-01-15T17:25:00.005+03:00

...reads the title of a feature in Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper. The article interviews three women who have university degrees, a rarity amongst many Kenyans, who have happily decided to quit their jobs and stay home to care for their children. Their reasoning includes tension of wondering if the baby was ok with the babysitter, a baby drugged by the nanny in order to force him to sleep, higher rates of medical problems when leaving the baby with the househelp, and the discomfort of leaving the child until he is old enough to attend school.

“'I decided to raise a family first, as one of our lecturers who encouraged us to start families before we got immersed up in our careers, advised' says Felishinah, a mother of one daughter."

This coming from an educator in a country with an estimated 40% unemployment rate, one of the highest in the world. It ranked 16 out of 198 countries with high unemployment in 2008.

As a single woman without children I obviously do not have the authority to comment on what a mother feels when she leaves her child to go to work. And by no means am I discouraging women from being a stay at home mother if that suits their family dynamic. However, I am appalled that a prominent Kenyan newspaper would run a story encouraging the country's successful young women to quit their jobs and return to the home and remain dependent on men for support. The women of this country have come so far in recent years and I believe this article is masking a deeper agenda of a deeply patriarchal society trying to marginalize women's roles in business and politics.

The Saturday Magazine article proclaims: "It isn’t easy for professional women to put their jobs or businesses aside to raise up kids. But some young Kenyan mothers are brave enough to take this leap and take care of their children and husbands."

In a society where single women over the age of 30 are the minority and women traditionally remain at home with the children, I find this statement very contradictory to reality. I applaud the women working in the male dominated business world in Kenya for being "brave enough" to make the life choice to pursue a family and career.

Furthermore, the issues the women gave throughout the article of why they as mothers do not feel comfortable leaving their children alone with the househelp seems to stem from a more systemic social problem rather than a need for all working moms to give up their goals in order to save their children. If the Kenyan government would stop pocketing millions in bribes and use those funds to provide social services for their citizens instead then perhaps families wouldn't be employing underpaid and unqualified women to watch their children. And if companies paid their employees living wages then their staff could afford to put their children in daycare or pay more competent and certified people to watch their children.

Your thoughts?

Is it this color that makes me look crazy or what?

2012-01-13T11:48:00.002+03:00

Maybe it's the collection of Holocaust and genocide literature littering the coffee table. Or because when asked for titles for some light airplane reading my list included: Night, Machete Season, and King Leopold's Ghost. Perhaps it's the fact that I have been known to holiday in death camps and torture centers throughout the world in an ongoing effort to keep the first world better informed about what has and continues to happen outside their bubble. Or that my roommate and I have a collection of photos of ourselves in front of various human rights sites giving goofy thumbs up poses. (I should probably explain that we only choose the most appropriate of sites to throw our thumbs up. We're not celebrating the gas chambers but we do like Eva Peron's tomb. Because she was cool. And Schindler's Factory. You know, because he saved people.)

I have always been a history fanatic. I remember checking out the Diary of Anne Frank from the school library in 3rd or 4th grade, which, in retrospect, is probably where my obsession began. I loved going to my friend's house for dinner and talking to her dad about his experiences in WW2. I took AP European History for fun. My elective courses in History during undergrad were so numerous I nearly earned a second minor. I spent Spring Break my senior year in El Salvador learning about the atrocities perpetrated by graduates of the School of the Americas on Jesuit priests at the University of San Salvador and the town of El Mozote. I believe my fascination with the ill behavior of countries throughout the world stemmed from the fact that they are rarely, if ever, discussed in American mainstream media or even general history classes. As such it also instigated my enrollment in a masters program that allowed me to focus on human rights and global studies and led me to where I am today.

So I ask you, is this interest abnormal? The coffee table books get some odd looks and offhand remarks and I have been told the fascination with genocides is a bit morbid. However, I truly believe that it is important for people to visit the sites of these atrocities and keep the memory alive of the people who died there. It's not enough for just the survivors to remember, we all need to know our world's history so one day our governments will stop killing their people based on their ethnicity, religion, or political beliefs. I know there aren't many other people out there that share this interest and I do get excited when I get the opportunity to discuss such topics but I'm not completely alone in this. Right? A little affirmation here, please.

Another Year Another List

2012-01-12T23:59:00.002+03:00

Does three years make a tradition? Either way, here comes another list; not of resolutions but of aspirations. A few things remain the same as I have yet to conquer my fear of heights and take a hot air balloon ride or find a live cheetah to pet. And I have more than a few new things I'd like to do and places I'd like to see. Here are this year's goals:

Fun times yet to be had:
. Explore more than the South Africa airport
. Have sundowners in the Ngong hills
. Hike Lake Navaisha
. Take a hot air balloon safari
. Pet a live cheetah
. Visit the Serengeti
. Veg on the beach in Zanzibar
. Track gorillas in Uganda (I don't know how feasible this is since I heard they are raising the already exorbitant price from $500 for an hour with the gorillas to a cool thousand in the new year but if some wealthy benefactor would like to sponsor me for this trip I'd be happy to take lots of pictures and write a detailed blog about the experience!)

Places to go, things to see:
. Trek up Mount Suswa
. Ride a camel in the annual Maralal Camel Derby
. Travel to Manchester to meet baby midget ameringlish
. Start a new hobby
. Check out Kenya's rainforests
. Safari through Tsavo East
. Let my bud Jana show me the many things she loves about Arusha

Yet Another Best of Edition

2012-01-12T00:49:00.001+03:00

So happy belated new year and all that jazz. As I think back over the last year I have lots of memories; some good, some bad. However, instead of dwelling on things that didn't go the way I wanted in 2011, I want to take some time and recount all the good times. Because, you know, while it's important to take the bad with the good you should always remember how much you have going for you even when the chips are down. And yes, I know my little stroll down memory lane is a bit belated, but let's just chalk it up to all the traveling and the ongoing jet lag (and not my procrastination in getting around to buying internet airtime). So even though I have a list of all the wonderful things I remember from the last year, I'm far to lazy to actually upload pictures and post a new slideshow capturing all of the fabulousness in one place. Instead you can either A) use your imagination or B) click the links I have so thoughtfully included below to enable you to easily relive the greatness through past posts and photos.

January:
Rang in the New Year at the Fashion Institute Gallery's NYE bash in downtown Dallas
Returned to Kenya in a blaze of glory
Began a new contract with GHARP-KRA
Made it through Hell's Gate
Traveled upcountry to Laikipia West and Thompson Falls for a KRA project commissioning

February:
Learned more about Kenya's fascination with rugby
Camped with the Hashers in Kedong

March:
Went Out of Africa at the Karen Blixen Museum
Got back to my charity ball roots in celebration of St. Patty's Day

April:
Welcomed my first visitor to Kenya (my sister)
Ran through Nakuru's flower farms with the Hashers
Celebrated Easter with the Masai

May:
Glamped in Kapiti

June:
Introduced my mom to Kenya
Ren (or is it Stimpy?) came to Kenya on holiday
Discovered delectable cheeses at Brown's cheese farm in Limuru
Pet elephants, fed giraffes, zebra watched, and spotted crocodiles all in Nairobi
Relaxed at Lake Elementaita
Flocked to Lake Nakuru
Wandered through the craziness of Kitengela
Vegged on the beaches of Diani

July:
Ran the hash in Naro Moru
Celebrated my birth in grandeur
Moved to Tanzania
Bussed it to Dar es Salaam

August:
Returned to Kenya in a blaze of glory
Started a new job with RSC
Convinced Ren to stay in Nairobi indefinitely and moved into a new flat

September:
Chilled in Dadaab

October:
Traveled to Uganda

November:
Safaried in Amboseli
Experienced Ethiopia

December:
Returned home for the holidays
Ushered out 2011 over dinner with old friends

Where Were You When We Partied Like It Was 1999?

2011-12-31T18:28:00.002+03:00

As I sit trying to decide what to do tonight to celebrate New Years Eve this year my mind wanders back over the years and I try to remember where I was each NYE. I don't know why we make such a big deal out of this one day of the year but personally I love the holiday and enjoy being new places to celebrate it.

Last year I celebrated it in typical party fashion at Fashion Institute Gallery's shindig in Dallas. NYE 2009 was spent celebrating the wedding weekend of my friends Meg and Cheerio. As the years pass, the memories grow blurrier and I can't remember specifically where I was and who I was with on each and every holiday, but I do know that each year was started off right spending time with good friends. However, there are some years that stand out as more memorable. NYE 2008 was spent with a good friend in Cleveland, Ohio; it was definitely a true wintry New Years celebration, snow and all. And I ended 2006 in Basel, Switzerland watching fireworks over the Rhine with another longtime friend. Years before that I rang in 2001 watching fireworks over the harbor bridge at the arboretum in Sydney, Australia. And of course, there's the year that no one can forget: NYE 1999, the Millennial New Year.

In 1999 I was 19 years old and in my second year at a small Texas college. I remember the hoopla surrounding the millennial new year celebration and the fear that it inspired in the armageddonists. Will the Y2K bug revert the world's computers to 1900 and effectively stop commerce, business, and life itself? Some people stockpiled supplies in fear of the end times as the world prepared to usher in the new millennium. I, on the other hand, was ready to party it up just in case there was no tomorrow.

As part of the liberal arts college experience at this particular school, students are required to take three Jan Term courses (otherwise known as the best class ever) during the course of their studies. These classes were to have nothing to do with your major and while they offered some on campus options, who wants to spend a month in Sherman, TX when you could be somewhere exotic and exciting instead? So my junmore year (I graduated a year early so my sophomore and junior years were rolled up into one) I decided that I wanted to ~~knock another continent off my list~~ study the globalization of eastern Asia so I signed up to go to Japan, Korea, and China for Jan Term. So that is how I was able to spend NYE 1999 ringing in the new year in Tokyo, Japan. As fun as I remember it was, the evening really didn't entail much; we got dressed up in our best going out clothes and danced the night away at Roppongi's nightclubs after jumping up and down trying to be seen on CNN's live broadcast in Shibuya's Time Square. We were a classy bunch.

Where were you for the big ball drop in 1999? Do you try to do something special for NYE or is it just another night? What is your favorite NYE memory?

Happy New Year, y'all! I hope that all of my friends near and far have a wonderful end to 2011 and wish you all the very best for 2012.

Finding Home and the Meaning of (My) Life

2011-12-31T15:30:00.000+03:00

Unfortunately, as I've discovered, the answer is not always 42. I used to think I had everything figured out. I had a plan and I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I set goals and accomplished them. And when I left Kenya a little over a year ago I knew I would stop at nothing to return to the country I felt like was a home away from home. And I didn't.

However, now I'm listless and floundering and I have all these questions floating around in my head. Do I stay in Kenya or do I move somewhere else in Africa? What about another continent? Or stateside? I guess there is something to be said for living in the moment but it would be nice to know what it actually is that I do want in the long term. Maybe it's just the commitment-phobia is rearing its ugly head now that I'm quasi settled somewhere.

And while I'm contemplating all of these things I'm also thinking that I should just suck it up and get over myself. Who do I think I am to complain when I have this great life? I have a job that is everything I wanted, while 40% of Kenya is unemployed as well as a large percentage of Americans.

I like my job; I work with refugees, travel, and am based in Nairobi, giving the illusion that I'm settled even though I'm away about 75% of the time. I get to use my background in human rights and finally put my diminished French skills to use. I have a great life, great friends, and no room for complaints (unless it involves Nairobi taxi drivers. They are the bane of my existence. I need a car.).

It's just that during these last few months I seem to have lost my center. I'm not really sure what my long term goals are anymore. I'm not sure if I should chalk this up to having a rough year and make it a resolution to figure things out in 2012 or what. Hopefully the new year will bring some clarity and shed some light on new goals for me to aspire towards.

#firstworldproblemsinathirdworldcountry

Singletons, Beware!

2011-12-28T03:00:00.005+03:00

Smug Marrieds are lurking behind every poinsettia bush and Christmas tree. As Bridget Jones laments, why is it that all smug marrieds think it's appropriate to ask singletons about their love lives? I can't tell you how many times in the last week people have asked me the status of my dating life. Just substitute Bridget for Captain Awesome and the conversation usually goes a little something like this (just a lot less British and not quite so witty):

No, I'm not married. I prefer to embrace my inner cat lady.

"Hey, Bridge, how's your love life?
Oh...
You really out to hurry up and get sprugged up, you know old girl? Time's a-runnin out. Tick tock.
Yes, yes.
Seriously, though. Offices full of single girls in their thirties--fine physical specimens but they just can't seem to hold down a chap. Why is that?
Yes, why is it that there are so many unmarried women in their thirties these days, Bridget?
Oh, I don't know. Suppose it doesn't help that underneath our clothes our entire bodies are covered in scales."

Seriously. From practical strangers.

If you know me, then fine, thank you for taking an active interest in my life. As long as that's not the first and only question you ask about me and you don't venture a negative comment or proffer any opinions about where I should be at this point in my life then I'm not opposed to the question coming up in conversation.

If you do not fall in this category, then really, how is my love life any of your business? Why on earth do you care if or who I am seeing? You didn't ask my twin sister who she is dating. She's my age and not married either. Bug her. Is it more exotic if I'm seeing someone abroad? Or am I less likely to find someone because I live in a foreign country? How is my life any less fulfilled because I don't make finding a husband my number 1 priority?

Argh. *Stepping down off the soapbox now.*

The Neuron Project

2011-12-27T17:18:00.001+03:00

So this past year has been a rough one. As you know, I went through a traumatic event that produced some unintended side effects that have stubbornly lingered on. I'm not one to talk about my feelings or outwardly express emotion but, in an effort to appease the powers that be (my parents), I spoke to someone about the persistent remnants of this event that I continue to experience. (I promise my blog is not going to turn into some ooey gooey emotionally sappy space. I am just giving you a little background of why I am starting this so-called project.)

So this guy talked to me about how building neurons (apparently this IS possible- partiers rejoice, you CAN rebuild brain cells after a long night of drinking) and new pathways can help get rid of traumatic recollections. Among other things, he suggested I take up a new hobby to stimulate new areas of my brain that would also be a way to calm the brain when it starts focusing on unwanted memories.

Hippocampal pyramidal neuron doin its thing

Some hobbies I am thinking about exploring include cooking (we've seen how that's gone the few times I've attempted it so that should be entertaining/death defying to say the least), crocheting (it does not involve a lot of supplies and can be taken to exotic locale when I travel for work), yoga (clumsy and uncoordinated should make for an interesting combination), and learning a new language (I haven't committed to any languages yet; I am considering attempting Somali because of the field and region which I live and work or I may just hone my French and Swahili skills instead). I also considered dance lessons. Salsa is super popular in Nairobi and I have some friends that take tango lessons, but I decided that since I'm not in town with any regularity that I can't commit to something with a schedule.

Any other suggestions that I haven't thought of yet?

Amboseli Game Drive

2011-12-26T15:37:00.002+03:00

The weekend before I went to Ethiopia for work I took a road trip to Amboseli National Park. Amboseli sits on the Kenya/Tanzania border next to Mount Kilimanjaro. It is well known for the free range elephants that wander through the park letting visitors get up close and personal with their herd. The views and the animals were magnificent. I'll let them speak for themselves:

Home for the Holidays

2011-12-25T16:50:00.001+03:00

One layover and 25 hours later I made it home to Dallas. I'm still recuperating from jetlag and have spent the last several days getting the basics out of the way (i.e. doctor's appointments and IKEA, Target, & of course Christmas shopping) so I can enjoy the holidays and catching up with friends.

Needless to say my cats (and of course my family) are thrilled by my return. My mom has been telling them for the last few months that their momma is coming home just to see them and I think Wylie believes her. He doesn't let me out of his sight and is much more affectionate than he ever was when he lived with me. I think his neuroses might stem from untreated abandonment issues. (Yet another reason I should probably never procreate real babies.)

Merry Christmas from Fleur and Bubba!

Harar Hyenas: An Adventure Waiting to Maim and Kill Someone

2011-12-24T21:34:00.004+03:00

...fortunately that someone was not me. While in Ethiopia for work recently some colleagues and I decided to travel to Harar* for some sightseeing and locally brewed beers. When I heard they also had trained hyenas that came when called and I could feed them I was all in. I mean what's a missing finger or two in the name of a good time?

Evidence that it really did happen and I didn't run screaming into the night after the break.

Trying not to look apprehensive as hyenas pace behind me waiting to be fed.

"Here; put this stick in your mouth." "Um, ok."

"Errrr, what's that you're putting on the stick?"

"Don't worry, it's totally safe, I've trained them not to bite the face of those that feed them."

"Everything's fine. Everything's good. Wait, what's that sneaking up behind me?"

No animals (namely me) were harmed in the making of this spectacle. If you are ever in Ethiopia I would highly recommend taking a side trip to Harar. It's about an hour and a half drive from Dire Dawa, Ethiopia's 2nd largest city. It's a lovely place to explore, even on a Sunday when everything is closed. You can eat local fare; drink locally brewed beers; shop at the market; walk through Old Town; visit the Rimbaud Cultural Center and local museum; and end the day feeding the hyenas or, for the faint of heart, watch others let the hungry beasts lunge at their body parts in the pursuit of dinner.

*Fun facts about Harar: The walled city located in the eastern Somali region of Ethiopia is considered the fourth most sacred Islamic city by Ethiopian Muslims. French poet Arthur Rimbaud lived here for 10 years until his death.

Ethiopia! I'm ready for our love affair.

2011-11-18T21:51:00.000+03:00

Have you ever walked into a place so different but so familiar at the same time? Ethiopia reminds me of many countries I have visited throughout Africa but the one thing that struck me was the one thing that was so much like home. What was this, you ask? Left hand drive on the right side of the road. It has only been a year since I've last been home and driven around the States but for some reason it was completely disconcerting to me to have the driver sitting on the left and driving on the right. Call me crazy but that's what stuck with me upon arrival to Ethiopia.

I spent one short night in Addis Ababa upon arrival so I did not get a chance to explore Ethiopia's most well-known city. Fortunately I'll have another chance to explore the city on my way to Shire in a couple of weeks. Early the next morning we headed out to the 2nd largest city in Ethiopia, Dire Dawa. We have been here about 4 days and I have been fairly lazy about getting out and about. We hit up the pool bar at our hotel the first couple nights and then tried out a restaurant at another nearby hotel. Tonight we hit up a local Ethiopian joint and had some delicious njera and shiro. I could eat this all day every day.

5 days down, 3 1/2 weeks to go. Bring it, Ethiopia!

Kenya's War: Over the Line or Good to Go?

2011-11-09T17:49:00.002+03:00

So for those of you who don't know, Kenya is at war; they broke the news over Twitter just a few weeks ago. Locals have been inundated with newspaper stories of the developments made each day in the military's campaign to take down Al Shabaab's stronghold on various Somali towns. I have been keeping up with the local news here but to gain a more international and less potentially biased perspective, I also monitor Al Jazeera's news updates as I have found they provide the most reliable coverage on issues in Africa over other news stations.

So my question is, what do you think of Kenya's invasion of Somalia, a sovereign nation not backing the attacks on Kenya or supporting the terrorist group involved? I have had several discussions with various people about this topic and have received mixed responses. Some argue that because Somalia is a sovereign state Kenya does not have the right to saunter in there to attack Al Shabaab. Others maintain that war sucks, but that's how it goes. Should Kenya have sent Al Shabaab an engraved invitation to parlay with the Kenyan military just over the Somali border in Kenya?

Conflicting reports have said that Somali invited Kenya or at least agreed to allow their military to join in the fight against Al Shabaab, but Transitional Federal Government (TFG) president, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, denies the agreement. In a carefully worded statement presented shortly after Kenya's invasion, Ahmed pretty much said that Kenya was there against the TFG's wishes but that they should respect that fact that they were both fighting a common enemy. Another speech by Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli initially backed the Kenyan's incursion and sparked speculation of a rift between the PM and president, something that could only strengthen the rebel fighters, but apparently they've now gotten on the same page as Abdiweli has been quoted as saying, "We do not have an agreement with Kenya. We understood that we need to defend against the militants but and there is no proof saying we agreed with Kenya." However, other MPs and the pro-government militias continue to support Kenya's efforts.

Multiple African countries including Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania have sent troops as part of the African United Mission to Somalia (ANISOM) effort to combat the growing strength of the Islamic Courts Union, now Al Shabaab, under the UN Security Council's authorization of the African Union's mission. So why now is the head of the Transitional Federal Government opposed to help from their neighbors who are also under attack by the extremist faction causing their country so many problems? Some believe that the president does not want to be seen as supporting Kenya because the tribal leaders he so desperately needs the support of would not approve of what could be perceived as an occupying power.

It's true the laws of war have been changed over the years, the US president can no longer sponsor never ending wars without Congressional support and former President George W. Bush set a precedent of declaring war publicly prior to an invasion or attack with his speech announcing the US war on terror. Despite the confusion over whether Kenya did or did not receive diplomatic backing from the TFG before their incursion into Somalia, it seems clear they did announce their intentions in advance in accordance with the new standards of war. "George Saitoti, Kenya's interior security minister, held a press conference on Saturday (October 15, 2011) and promised Kenyan forces would attack al-Shabab 'wherever they will be.'"

So what is your opinion on this debate? Even if you were unaware of Kenya's controversial invasion, do you agree or disagree with the government's incursion into a sovereign state that has asked for help to fight terrorist cells within their country in the past? Does Kenya have the right to pursue a group that they believe to be actively attacking Kenyans and expatriates in Kenya in another country? Even if you don't believe that the early attacks were planned by Al Shabaab and they should not be held responsible for attacks carried out by lone individuals or sympathizers, do you think that now Al Shabaab has delivered a threat against the Kenyan government to retreat or risk attacks within Kenya that Kenya has the right to respond accordingly?

Easy Schmeasy...Cooking for the Clinically Insane

2011-11-07T23:35:00.001+03:00

Since my initial cooking attempt of Tex Mex went off without a hitch I decided I would spend my first day of R&R cooking dinner for a few friends. Fortunately it was not at my house as I do not have a oven or even a very functional stove. (I did just procure a slightly used microwave though...oh the possibilities!)

Disclaimer: I am typing this as I cook. Therefore there will be frequent updates and perhaps a random fire or two.

The menu: pulled chicken wraps with broccoli pasta alfredo and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. I decided to also throw in a guacamole starter since that takes me approximately 10 minutes to make including chopping and taste testing plus I figured it would keep the boys occupied as I attempt to finish the rest of dinner.

Around 2pm: I returned from grocery shopping and started chopping and cleaning vegetables. I threw 4 small avocados, some chopped onion and red pepper, and a jalapeno in the blender until mixed. I added lemon juice and a little salt to taste. There was an unfortunate incident where I put the spoon in to test the consistency a few seconds before the blender actually came to a complete stop. Happily it didn't break or kill the blender or take out my eye for that matter when it came flying out of the blender at me.

Since I am incapable of chopping broccoli I asked the housegirl to chop that for me so I didn't come off as a complete imbecile when there were huge chunks of uncut broccoli in the pasta later. She did an amazing job and puts my chopping skills to shame.

Around 4pm: I took the chicken that was quasi defrosted (hopefully it's ok to continue on it's defrostation while in the oven?) and sprinkled Hidden Valley ranch seasoning on it and drizzled some barbecue sauce on it. I set the oven on as high as it can go because I know it takes longer to cook and you have to put things on higher temperatures since we're at a higher altitude. Unfortunately, I don't actually know what that equates to in cooking terms but hopefully 300 degrees Celsius is adequate to get the job done.

Live blogging commences. Continue on here:

4:17pm: I just heard popping noises from the oven. Maybe I should go investigate.

4:30pm: Oh shit. The handle on the top of the pot is completely melted into a little circle on top of the lid. Ooops. The chicken looks alright though.

4:43pm: Crisis averted and wine is definitely in order. Just removed the screw that fell from the lid and pulled the chicken apart.

4:55pm: Was just informed that chicken only needs to be cooked at 160 degrees Fahrenheit so 300 degrees Celsius may be overdoing it. Just threw some more bbq sauce on to prevent the chicken from drying out, turned down the temp, found a solid metal lid this time, and popped it back in the oven to continue cooking.

4:58pm: Where is the wine?!?! Now to figure out how to cook the broccoli part of the pasta. I'm guessing just throw it in a pot and boil it for a few minutes. Maybe that should wait til I start on the pasta. That part shouldn't take too long.

5:00pm: Chocolate chip cookie recipe time.

5:06pm: Have a glass of Blue Nun cabsav in my hand. And I didn't break the cork or the corkscrew in the opening process. Go me. Read through chocolate chip recipe online. Doesn't seem that difficult. Thank you, allrecipes.com for including the Celsius cooking degrees for those of us challenged with conversion rates. 350F=175C. Good to know.

5:11pm: Computer dying. Raining outside. Please electricity, don't go out. Recipes all online. Could lead to disaster.

5:14pm: Very concerned about dry chicken. Dumped the majority of the remaining bbq sauce on the chicken and turned down the temp again.

5:15pm: One dining companion canceled due to a last minute international meeting time change. As he called prior to the first post I'm choosing to believe it had nothing to do with my cooking skills (or lack thereof for that matter) and more to do with dumb people not understanding time zones. Any brave readers want to join my dining adventure?

5:31pm: Success! Recruited two more unsuspecting dining companions to join in the experiment.

5:32pm: Ummmm, how many grams are in a cup? Awesome, I just realized the website has an option to let you change from American to metric. Best idea ever! AND they have a What to Drink sidebar. Thanks for validating my decision to booze it up while cooking, allrecipes.com!

5:40pm: Great. Just realized that there are no measuring cups in here. After the last cooking attempt there were grill tongs procured, unfortunately I didn't try to bake on that occasion or maybe I would have measurement devices now. Guess I'm going to have to eyeball it.

5:46pm: Have recruited a chopper. He doesn't know it yet but he will be in charge of the remainder of the chopping responsibilities for the evening. I have a scar to prove the fact that I indeed suck at chopping things. Is that enough to guilt trip someone into assisting?

5:52pm: It worked! I proved my incompetence with a sad puppy face and a scar story.

5:55pm: So I'm not sure that white granulated sugar actually exists in Kenya so I have 2 kinds of brown sugar for the cookies. I wonder how this will affect the taste.

5:59pm: Have resorted to calling home to the States for a chat with ma chère mère. "Cookies matter, you have to have the proportions right. Don't just guess at a random cup." Helpful, mom, real helpful. We decided that I should shove the butter into a container to determine a device that should be used to measure the sugars and determine the measurement from there.

6:09pm: Curry Delight completes his chopping duties.

6:14pm: "Nooo, you can't use the hand blender. This is for wet things." Well fine then, don't make my life easier. Now you can mix the butter and sugars together for me, thankyouverymuch.

6:20pm: Vanilla extract and essence of vanilla. Same enough, right? Bicarbonate soda = baking soda? Ok, sure, probably. Wish I'd listened closer in 10th grade home ec class.

6:30pm: Curry Delight is showing signs of stress.

So there are no chocolate chips in Kenya. Therefore I made an executive decision the other day to buy white chocolate and dark cooking chocolate. SOMEONE misplaced the dark chocolate therefore we are now grating the white into flakes for the dough.

6:32pm: Hurrah, he has walnuts.

6:40pm: Cookie dough tastes ok, they should turn out. Maybe. (If you're reading this Mom, no, of course I did not taste the cookie dough. No, I will not risk my life for salmonella and taste uncooked cookie dough. You raised me better than that.)

6:44pm: The ultimate question in life....if the pasta bag breaks and the contents spill on the floor but no one sees, it doesn't count right? Shhh, don't tell the guests.

6:50pm: "This is how you chop quickly. Trust me, I know how much pressure I am putting so my fingers won't get chopped." Touche, sir, touche. That'll teach me to bat my eyes and ask for assistance over a prior injury due to sheer stupidity.

6:55pm: STOP READING WHILE I'M WRITING, CURRY DELIGHT! Yes, your infinite genius finally fixed the interwebs.

7:09pm: Pasta is boiling. Extra virgin olive oil is added.

7:11pm: Annnd, I just realized that I'm using a Johnnie Walker glass for my cup measurements. Classy, real classy. And I'm halfway through the bottle of wine. Don't judge me.

7:18pm: Broccoli and red and yellow peppers are on the stove. I'm not really sure how you cook such things but I'm guessing if I throw them in some water and set it to boil, it'll be fine. (Fingers crossed.)

7:19pm: DING. Cookies are done! And more proof that I really AM Captain Awesome! And I just taught Mr. Master Chef himself something about checking how done cookies are. (FYI It involved a knife tip and a determination of its cleanliness. If it looks doughy when it's extracted it's still not done.)

7:45pm: Shit. Lost track of time and didn't hear the oven ding. Walked back out and rescued the cookies before they burned.

7:50pm: Pasta and veggies drained. Couldn't find alfredo sauce at the store (despite the HUGE section of tomato pasta sauces. Ragu is taking over the world!) so I resorted to "chicken tonight" creamy peppercorn with red, green, and black peppers. Boiling now.

8:00pm: Poured boiling alfredo-esque sauce on on the pasta without burning/maiming anyone. Tasted and pronounced "good." Also CD keeps stealing cookies. Can't be a bad sign, can it?

8:01pm: So there is enough cookie dough left for maybe 2 or 3 more cookies. Decisions, decisions. Do I make the last of the cookies or do I ~~eat the yummy yummy dough~~ get rid of the very little bit left?

8:10pm: So I just realized I cannot judge the amount of food I should make; ever. I have a GIANT pot of pasta and a TON of chicken.

8:15pm: People arrive. Four people show up in lieu of one. Good thing I cook a lot. And yes, they're here while I'm updating.

8:21pm: Convince CD to put out banana crisps with the guacamole so I could make sure the rest of dinner is ready.

8:27pm: I believe dinner and cookies are done. Must heat up tortillas once we progress to dining point. Chatting and drinking have ensued. Enough time to sneak away for a shower? Dilemmas, dilemmas.

8:31pm: Ok, so 4 replace 2. Roommate bails on dinner as well. She knows my track record with cooking and cannot be blamed. CD is silently judging me as I check the food and update the blog. Priorities, CD, priorities. (He claims he wasn't being judgey. Really, CD? Calling me out in front of the guests and telling me to come be social isn't judgey? Who's to say I don't have a reader checking back every few minutes to find out my next faux pas?)

8:36pm: CD presents the guacamole. Finally. And mispronounces it. I'm pretty sure they're all confused by this concoction.

8:49pm: CD lets the final cookies burn. He claims it dinged and he collected them. I don't believe him. I'm pretty sure he missed the ding and let them sit and burn.

9:10pm: Double judgement. SOMEONE has an article due and refuses to come to dinner. I believe this was poor planning and could have been avoided if this person had come and hung out with me earlier in the day and therefore would have been able to join for dinner now. Not naming names. But she was a debutante earlier in life and currently lives with me.

9:34pm: Tortillas are being heated up. We might migrate upstairs to the balcony to eat eventually. One can only hope.

10:13pm: The pasta was overcooked but seeing as no one here really eats pasta I don't think they noticed. The chicken was good and the cookies were a hit. I declare, despite the cooking drama involved in preparation, it was all in all a success.

11:31pm: Dinner finished and guests have departed. "It was excellent. The cookies were crunchy and nice and the food was awesome." Clearly someone has been hanging out with me way too often. Awesome, CD? I don't believe you came up with that term on your own. BTW, crunchy cookies are not a good thing for future reference.

Saving the World, One Refugee at a Time

2011-09-25T15:59:00.001+03:00

So it's been awhile since I posted about what's going on in my world. A few things have changed in the last month and a half. First off, I"ve returned from exile from small *town* (I use that word loosely) Tanzania. I am back (based, anyway) in Nairobi. My contract with Skillshare/Kenya Rainwater Association ended in mid-August and I am now working for RSC (Resettlement Support Center), better known as JVA.

RSC's objective is to process refugees for potential resettlement to the US. As a caseworker, my job entails collecting biographical data and preparing case histories describing individuals' flight stories and persecution accounts to compose testimonies describing why people cannot return to their country of origin or integrate into their country of asylum. We do not decide who gets to be resettled. We are contracted by the US government to process claims given to us by UNHCR and partner agencies and to forward the information on to the State Department for them to determine who will be approved for resettlement.

Less than 1% of the world's refugees get resettled. It is the very last resort for refugees to be able to apply for resettlement to another country. The first option is always voluntary repatriation followed by integration into the host community. In many countries refugees are given status but are not given any sort of rights so they are unable to gain citizenship or work in their first country of asylum. Moving to the US, Canada, UK, Australia, the countries that accept the largest numbers of refugees, gives the refugees in the worst case scenarios a chance to live a "normal" life and make something for themselves and their families.

Before you go off on some tirade in my comments about how refugees are ruining the US or other countries around the world, draining the nations' resources, or are potential terrorists; stop. I'm not saying these aren't valid arguments, but I'm suggesting you look at it from a diferent perspective. First, think about what these people have been through in their country of origin; many have been attacked, tortured, or had family members killed. Second, consider the people in your political party/religion/community that you consider completely crazy and would never associate with and think about how you would feel if you were being compared to them; not everyone who is a Muslim believes in terrorism. Just like not everyone who is Republican thinks Rick Perry, Michelle Bachman, or Sarah Palin is God's gift to the GOP. And not every Christian is a judgmental, hypocritical jerk. Third, think about how even though the refugees have survived one bad situation they're in a new situation, far from home, and not much better than the one they left.

Refugees are people too; they deserve a chance to have a life, just like anyone else. Think about how fortunate you are to have been born anywhere in the West. If you were born in the US, no matter what your economic situation, you have been afforded more opportunities than most people in the world. Do not begrudge refugees the opportunity to join you in bettering themselves and/or possibly you. Think of what scientific discoveries we would have missed out on if Albert Einstein had not been granted refugee status during the Holocaust and allowed to resettle to the US. Sigmund Freud and Hans Kreb fled during WWII and have contributed greatly to their scientific communities as well. Some other names you might recognize include: Andy Garcia, Mika, Wyclef Jean, M.I.A., Bob Marley, K'Naan, Madeleine Albright, Henry Kissinger, Karl Marx, Sitting Bull, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Claude Levi-Strauss. These men and women have affected different aspects of popular culture, politics, and science due to the fact that they were able to survive terrible conditions and escape against all possible odds to relocate to a new country and begin a new life. The refugee the US admits in today may be the next Albert Einstein tomorrow.

I am currently in Dadaab, Kenya. It is in the Northeast province of the country, bordering Somalia. Refugees are flooding across the border due not only to the instability of the current regime and insecurity with Al-Shabaab, but also because of the persistent drought and famine. Consider the desperation these people must feel to leave their homes to cross the border into a foreign country in search of food and safety. These people are not able to return to their home country and cannot stay in their country of asylum. Most are not allowed to leave the camps and move freely throughout the country; they are vulnerable and targeted by corrupt police and preyed on by bandits. Living conditions in the camps is not easy; there are food ration shortages, a lack of clean drinking water, and not enough shelter to house everyone.

So before you jump to the offense and argue that the US should not be accepting refugees while our country is in the economic state they face today, think about how maybe one of these refugees may hold the key to solving the financial crisis. Not all refugees are poor and uneducated, they are people just like you who just had the bad luck of being born into a country in the midst of a civil war, uprising, whatever.

Again, I've heard the arguments before, I'm not saying they're not logical. I'm not even saying that the US and other countries shouldn't be focusing on fixing themselves before fixing other countries problems, but if we do that all the time and ignore the people who are suffering it won't make your life any better. Ignoring problems and pretending like they don't exisit is how hate spreads and terrorism is bred. It's a cycle that begins with one suffering person seeing how uncaring others were to his plight. He watches while those others focus on themselves and strive to make themselves richer with no thought of the struggle of others. He is then corrupted by hate mongers into believing that the way to fix these people is to turn to terrorism. Now, think about how this affects your world. Terrorism is a threat to us all, no matter where we live or who we are. If you can't get on board with helping others to have a better life, then be altruistic, think of it as one link to helping keep your world a safer place.

Where were you when? Yet another 9/11 tribute

2011-09-11T22:43:00.003+03:00

My sister started a blog series asking readers to remember where they were during pivotal moments of history. Since I've been promising her a guest post for awhile now I thought I'd take this opportunity to reminisce about where I was ten years ago today before the events of September 11th became synonymous with anti-Muslim rhetoric and the country was bankrupted by two wars started in response to this fateful day.
Ten years. It doesn't seem like it's been that long since the last terrorist attack on US soil was carried out. I didn't wake up this morning thinking about the attacks and, for that matter, I hadn't really thought about the fact that the anniversary was approaching until I received a warden message from the US ambassador to Kenya on Friday reminding us to take a moment to remember the Americans who perished ten years ago. That said, I have been in the field for the last 10 days without consistent internet so I have missed most of the coverage and hoopla surrounding the commemoration of this milestone in American history.

To get the whole where was I when this happened question out of the way before I get on my soapbox, I was at home getting ready for work when my mom called to tell me to turn on the news. I watched as the first of the Twin Towers poured with black smoke and recoiled in horror as the second plane plummeted into the other tower. I called into the children's museum where I worked at the time to let them know why I was running late and was told not to come in because the mall was closing for the day in response to reports that various public buildings were potential targets for additional attacks. As with many other national tragedies, news stations inundated us with images, disseminated misinformation, and harped on every little tidbit that came along. I remember hearing early speculations that the first crash was an accident until it became evident with the second, third, and fourth crashes that these were planned attacks against our country.

It's with mixed feelings I look back on this day. Today marks the deaths of thousands of innocent Americans but it also ended an age of innocence and oblivion on many people’s parts. I, for one, had never thought about war in a concrete way until this attack. However, many people around the world live with violence as a part of their daily lives. They know the perils of war and the hazards of doing something as simple as going to work or shopping at the market where they could become the victim of a suicide bomber.

Rightfully so, many Americans were angry about what they considered an unprovoked attack on innocent people. These individuals were not on the front lines and had not enlisted to fight against a known enemy; they were going on about their day to day business and were attacked out of nowhere. And, as we all know, in the aftermath of the attacks, and partially in response to this anger, the US declared war against those who supposedly implemented this campaign of terror against America. However, I don't think that the American public realized exactly what this declaration entailed and how this would affect the lives of many civilians, such as themselves, in seemingly distant countries. While the government’s primary concerns were finding supposed weapons of mass destruction and hunting down terrorists they were seemingly indifferent to the consequences of their decisions on everyday citizens and how their actions were destroying governments as well as countries’ stability and how this would affect their lives.

So while I mourn today for the thousands who died needlessly and a nation’s innocence lost, I also think about how the rest of the world changed because of this act of terrorism. The death and destruction didn’t end on September 12, 2001; it continues today. I reflect on how the US government’s actions will affect future generations and hope that one day the world will heal from the actions of a few against the many.

I Have Turned Into a Mush-brained Zombie

2011-08-01T11:13:00.005+03:00

I used to be one of those expats who kept up with the news not only in the country I was living and/or working in, but also kept my ear to the ground about issues pertaining to my home country. I got google alerts, checked Al Jazeera and All Africa, and actually read my New York Times updates rather than just skimming the headlines before deleting. What happened? Now I read chick lit and prefer not to contemplate the debt crisis America is facing. Is it that I don't care anymore? I don't think it's that; I am about to start a new job taking testimonies of refugees and writing case histories in order to help them get resettled in the States. I do still care about human rights issues; I am just not motivated to read or hear about it at the moment. Am I burnt out from too much genocide literature and in some sort of post-graduation rebellion stage? Or am I turning into one of those people who lives in a bubble, oblivious to the issues around me? Dear God, I hope not. How do you combat boredom with current affairs? I need suggestions to get me out of my self-imposed media exile.

Update at 12:51 pm: This is what I spend my time looking at instead of reading about important things:

Catbeard entertainment provided courtesy of Jonathan

Don't judge me:

My Short-lived Stint Living in Tanzania

2011-07-29T15:15:00.001+03:00

Good try sending me to TZ, Kenya, but you can't rid of me that easily. As I mentioned previously, my org shipped me off to a small village, Anjari, about 30 km outside of Moshi, a larger town a couple of hours away from Arusha that is primarily known for its proximity to Mount Kilimanjaro and the starting point for many hikers' journey up the mountain.

In an effort to fulfill another blog request, I took pictures daily of the village, work, and just about anything that struck my fancy. This may not be an entire month in the life of moi thanks to a quick reprieve and subsequent return to Nairobi, but here is a montage of pictures taken throughout Tanzania during my short time there. Enjoy!

Can't Buy My Love...

2011-07-28T18:01:00.002+03:00

But apparently you *can* buy my friends' love. It's not that my friends don't like my current Curry Delight, it's just that they are very particular (as am I....although my decisions are a bit more biased than theirs) in approving of the guys I date. I tend to wear blinders around the guys I fancy, constantly ignoring the sound and sage advice of friends to get over my crush on Nairobi's Poster Boy for Players and ignore the flirtations of cute but scandalous mhindis. However, I have recently discovered a loophole to gain backdoor approval for said men from the judge-y friends. Bribery.

I've been talking/seeing/hanging out/whatever you want to call it with Curry Delight for a few months now and at first the friends were Disapprovers. It's not that they don't like him, he's a snappy dresser and an all around nice guy, but they don't think he's perfect. However, when he showed up with a bottle of pricey, peet-y scotch (my favorite as well) at Donald Disapprover's dinner and subsequently purchased him drinks at the bar the disapproving looks disappeared. And when he and his friends treated Debbie Disapprover and me to a weekend of movies, dinner, lounging lazily by the pool, and errand running, enjoyment of his company by Debbie increased and approval was forthcoming.

This said, bribery won't necessarily get you into my affections but if you've already managed to charm your way into my good graces and you're next seeking my friends' approval you now possess the secret to success; drinks, food, and allowing for general laziness while you run errands and we laze about. Good luck and God speed.

Africa Is Not A Country

2011-07-14T17:33:00.001+03:00

As I am sure most of you are aware, Africa is not a country. So I don't understand why people insist on referring to it like all the countries here are one and the same. Each country here has its own political system and individual history. You cannot judge one country's stability, safety, whatever by what is going on in a completely different area. It's like deciding to not travel to Texas because there's a protest in D.C.

This is not a new belief and sadly, it is not something that is going away despite the growing global ability to access a plethora of information via this lovely new fandangled thingy called the world wide web. I actually had people tell me that they wouldn't go to the World Cup in South Africa last year because of violence the Togo football team experienced in Angola. Ok, people, admittedly, Angola is not the most stable of governments and this event should raise concern. For. That. Country. However, just because a World Cup team was attacked. In. Another. Country. doesn't make South Africa unsafe. South Africa has its issues but judge them based on those, not another country's problems.

And while we're calling people out, let's discuss the media and how it likes to shape people's opinions in general but specifically about African countries. There was a tongue in cheek article that touched on this issue a few years back, but I feel like a few too many journalists read this and thought, "awesome, a how-to guide will make my writing about this country that most people have never ever heard of so much more interesting!" Since there are very few non-partisan news agencies out there, I personally prefer to get my news from Al Jazeera as they have less of an agenda than most western agencies to skew public views on Africa, in my opinion. When there is a news story about a country here, the spin is focused to gain the most viewer/readership; therefore what you end up hearing and seeing are many more stories of death and destruction and much less on those countries thriving peacefully and accomplishing great things, because who wants a feel-good story when you can hear about blood and gore?

So in saying this, all I'm trying to get at is that you as an individual should take control of your knowledge. Be aware of what's going on outside your bubble and in the greater global community. Yes, there is corruption; yes, there is crime, however that happens all over the world. I could be robbed living in Dallas so it's ridiculous to think that my life is any worse living in Kenya or Tanzania than Texas. Terrible things happen everywhere. And no, there is no threat of genocide; I live in Nairobi; not Darfur or Abyei. And I would like to point out that there are human rights atrocities that have taken place in every country of the world so there's no escaping those either.

Sidenote: If you are thinking of traveling to *any* country, not just one in Africa, be smart. For my American friends, go to the US travel warning website and see what they have to say. (For all of my non-American readers, I am sure that your country has something similar, but I also am biased in thinking that you are probably a little more aware of traveling abroad to more exotic locale than the majority of Americans.) However, do keep in mind that these warnings are issued to be overly cautious so in case something does happen the government cannot be held responsible for not warning their citizens. I'm not saying don't listen to them, I'm just saying it should be only one factor of your decision. While you're there, take a minute to register your trip as well so you can get updates and be contactable by the US consulate or embassy if necessary. Also, talk to people who you know that have lived/traveled in the region; they are likely to be the ones that will be most brutally honest with you.

The Joys of Village Life

2011-07-14T15:38:00.005+03:00

So, I moved to Tanzania this past weekend. When I was told that I would have to transfer to Moshi for work I wasn't sure what to expect. I had some friends who had lived in Arusha and Moshi before who told me a bit about the region. What my organization didn't bother to mention to me was that I wasn't moving to Moshi proper, but would be staying 30km outside of town in rural Moshi. And when I say rural, I mean up the mountain, 40 minutes from town, in the village. Thanks for the heads up, guys! Fortunately, I am here with another colleague so I have a partner in crime to experience everything with.

Perks include: running water and intermittent electricity. Cell and internet service are sparse but are accessible from the office in town. My Swahili is also somewhat improving as most people here don't know a lot of English. And the added bonus of earning "development worker street cred."

What you are missing by living in the big city:

Hours of loud and off key church music blaring from God knows where
Boiling water for bucket baths
Cooking hodge podge meals of miscellaneous vegetables and pasta/rice in the dark
Driving a manual gearshift...for the first time in 10 years...using your left hand...on the opposite side of the road...up a mountain
Hours of loud music blaring from the makeshift bar across the road
Appearance of mini tadpoles slash random squiggly things in your boiled water from the spring fed water faucets
Melted improvised candle holders (i.e. the ice cube tray)

Wonders of the Natural World

2011-06-28T12:24:00.004+03:00

Despite my new found love of camping, I embraced the wilderness from the comfort of a lovely banda during my trip upcountry a few weekends ago. And by wilderness I mean exotic birds and hammocks.

My mom came to visit me in early June for just over a week. It was her first time to Kenya as well as Africa in general. Since there's not many touristy things to see and do in Nairobi proper despite it being quite cosmopolitan for the region and the hub for East Africa, I was all too happy to get out of town to show her Kenya's natural beauty. Getting away for a weekend and surrounding myself with animals, nature, and gorgeous scenery are among my favorite things to do here.

Lake Elementaita

She's not so much the outdoorsy, camping type so instead I found us a nice lodge to stay by Lake Elementaita. Our accommodations at Sunbird Lodge were ah-mazing. The banda overlooked the lake and I spent most of my time with my friend Brittany lounging in the hammocks on our patio during the afternoon storms. It was beautiful and oh so relaxing.

It's a rough life.

While there we visited the Menengai Crater and Nakuru National Park. Again, not a ton to do, but then again, who cares, it's so gorgeous, it's nice to relax and enjoy the scenery.

Menengai Caldera

The Rift Valley is just a couple of hours outside of Nairobi so it's a super convenient jaunt down the highway. Since my mom is a bit of a freak over flamingos, the fact that millions of them hang out in those two lakes was a huge draw.

Pelicans and flamingos on the lake

Alas, we didn't get to see any large cats while there and all of our rhino sightings were from afar, but a fun and relaxing time was had by all and hopefully my mom had a glimpse of one of the many reasons why I love this country so much.

Charming Is as Charming Does

2011-06-24T11:58:00.002+03:00

Reason #472 why I don't date: follow through.

Why is this such a difficult concept for most guys? The ones I encounter either have too much or not enough. Usually it's the latter. Girls are simple. You boys think we're all tough to figure out and confusing, but usually we're really not. Disclaimer: I speak for myself here, I'm sure some girls are complicated and mysterious but I just don't have the time or energy to play those games. What's the point?

There was one guy recently that would.not.stop.calling. I met said guy out and about and let him buy me a drink. While other guys I know have lots of charm but zero follow through, this guy was completely the opposite. He obviously wasn't a complete dud or I wouldn't have spoken to him in the first place, but I definitely wasn't that interested in him in general and definitely not after numerous phone calls. Dude just did not get the point. A) Don't call during work hours. No matter how many times I texted him after his call to say I'm at work; can't talk, he persisted. If you have something to say between 8-5 sms first. I would say leave a voicemail but that's pretty much unheard over here; no one wants to use their airtime to leave a message. B) Don't send sappy texts when you don't know the girl. You talked to me for 10 minutes; I'm pretty sure you don't remember what my voice sounds like much less miss it. That's not charming; that's creepy.

So on to those of you out there with no follow through, you know who you are. You're the charasmatic, outgoing fellow everyone wants to be around. While too much follow through isn't appealing, neither is repeatedly asking a girl out and never calling to actually plan something. Be nice. Be polite. Be complimentary. That's great. You're a nice guy, we get it. However, you're not actually charming if you just say things to without meaning them; then you're just fake. Don't throw out invitations if you have no intention of actually calling to follow up at some later date (preferably in the near future). It just makes you seem disingenious. So if you're not interested then stop it. Don't be flirty; just be friendly.

Cooking for Dummies

2011-06-23T08:52:00.004+03:00

Aaand by dummies, I mean me. So, as you've probably figured out, I am going to give you a cooking blog today. This one is for Anonymous Carly (yet again) who commented on my Request Line post. (You too can make the monkey jump. Just comment here, there, or anywhere about what you'd like to read about and this monkey is happy to oblige.) So back to Carly, she asked that I write about cooking a meal (because she's mean and knows that my cooking experience is nil) with all Kenyan ingredients and explain the preparation (i.e. the shopping, cooking, and results).

So, let's begin by lowering your expectations just a bit. When I say "cooking", I really mean "attempting not to burn down the kitchen while recreating simple recipes". And by "simple recipes" I actually mean food that a child should be able to make, but under my watch are still not usually successful. (Think gas stove, open flame, and throw in some underdeveloped cooking skills due to many years of throwing frozen dinners into the microwave. And sadly, I no longer have access to a microwave. Oh, the travesty of it all.)

So, what you are about to encounter won't be delicious or fabulous, if you want to read about *good* food, hit up the baking and food posts over on my friend's page. Otherwise, this will have to suffice.

Since my friend Brittany arrived I have been staying home and cooking more thanks to her homebody influence. However, neither of us are excellent cooks and our attempts usually end up edible but not great. Our first attempt was macaroni and cheese. And no, it wasn't from a box.

The most important part of cooking is the appetizers and drinks to keep you going while actually having to take part in the cooking process (i.e. wine). This was particularly bad white wine purchased from Chandarana or some such store.

Blue cheese from Brown's, a small cheese company in Limuru. You can buy their cheese while partaking in a wine and cheese tasting tour of their factory like we did or from most supermarkets in Nairobi.

We can boil pasta.

More cheese from Brown's.

Fresh tomatoes are a must in any pasta. I usually buy my vegetables at the stand down the road from my apartment. They have better prices than most chain grocery stores.

Spices didn't help much. I assume these are from Nakumatt or some such store. They are in the community cabinet of our kitchen. I know nothing about spices. We just tossed some on there and hoped for the best.

It was edible...