i got caught in some rain this afternoon. which is a little bit frustrating, but something I can’t complain about because this country has needed rain for quite a while now. i just wish it hadn’t decided to come while I was walking outside.

one of my colleages (sp?) asked me if I had been blessed. He said that in his tribe when a baby pees on you, they like to say that a person has been blessed. When I walked back into the office it looked like alot of babies had taken a wee on my trousers.

i am blessed, i can’t deny that. it is just really easy to forget about that sometimes and feel a bit sorry for one’s self. espescially on one’s birthday. today is my birthday.

i was trying to forget about it for weeks, but it always just stuck right there in the front of my brain. i didn’t want to let one stupid day get me down in the mouth. but somehow it managed to sneak up and go “boo!” and I remembered that I turned one year older and closer to that 30 something gap. and i started to worry about a whole bunch of things in my life and kinda started to freak out a little bit.

now its raining and the only ting i have to really worry about is how I am going to get back to my house without getting completely soaked. i already recieved my blessing for the day, not sure if I need a whole lot more.:)

rain is so much fun.

i was supposed to have gone into South Sudan this week to attend a “peace” meeting. It was also going to be a chance for me to meet the family of Mary and begin discussions on dowry and fun things like that.

apparantly those organizing the meeting decided to disagree before the could get together in person to disagree… there is a small chance that it will still take place, and an even smaller chance that I can manage to get out of current obligations and go that direction.

I’m taking a “vacation” next week. kinda. going to Sudan to meet Mary’s family. Or more precisely her father. is going to be interesting because I will also be attending a “peace” meeting between at least three different tribes, all who seem to have it out for each other at different points in time - the murle, nuer & dinka. her family will be attending, so that is why we are headed that direction to meet each other.

in other Sudan news, with an increase of refugees returning home and alot of areas not ready to recieve them, various diseases are starting to crop up. Cholera is hitting the towns of juba and yei. Cholera is horrible and has the potential to wipe out alot of people if it spreads and doesn’t get treated quickly.

in kenya, the drought is getting worse and the majority of the country is very, very dry. and according to this news story because people think of Kenya as a safari paradise, they have problems envisioning a famine and sending support.

a photo from wajir kenya from last december:

click on photo to read story from the Standard.

click on this link to view a long list of agencies and other related information to this situation. If you feel so inclined to see how you could help or if you know of someone who might be interested, this is a great place to start and gather information about what is going on and who is doing what where.

this drought is not only in Kenya, but the whole of the horn of east africa. It is affecting Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibuti and even parts of Southern Sudan.

tags: kenya droughttags: cholerasudanfamineeast africa

i get a little nervous carrying my camera around in public. there were so many cool things to see in the city and take photos of. I just get scared someone would try to swipe the camera or want to charge me some small bits of money for taking their photo. so i often resort to the “out of the car window” photos. And now I proudly present my “out of car window” photos of tags: kampala.

click on any to see the full set of images.

here are my favorites:

this man is apparantly making sure none of the goods at the back of the truck fall off. at least he is there to catch something if the truck hits a nice bump while moving at a speed of 60 mph. did i mention that those bags more than likely weigh the same amount as that man on the back?

boda boda!!! the coolest form of cheap transportation around town and probably the most dangerous too.

cows… they fascinate me for some reason.

hope you enjoy these and all the rest.

tags: kampalatags: cowstags: bodabodatags: east africa

im back in nairobi. trying to figure out what is next.

im working with an education program. im supposed to be based in Sudan, but at the moment I am stuck somewhere between here and there.

im supposed to be designing books for the education program, but the materials i need to use to layout are not ready for me. Then the program itself has hit a major funding snag and it looks like everything is shutting down in the course of the next few months. So I am not completley clear if I will continue to make books or not. I think so. I just don’t know if I will be making them from here in Nairobi of if I will go back to Sudan to continue from there for a period of time. its a little frustrating. and there doesn’t seem to be anybody that can give me a clear answer, cause I don’t think any of them know the answer themselves.

hmm…

im feeling alot better. kinda. at least I have finished the drugs and didn’t pick up the nasty side effects.

so i am currently in Kampala, Uganda working for a week with our editors on a few of the books we are producing and then I head back to Nairobi. I have been stuck in a lovely house for the majority of the time, but have managed to get out and around the city a little bit.

I really like Kampala. It is slightly cleaner and runs a bit more effeciently than Nairobi dose. Saftey seems to be a bit better as well. You can move around at night and breath a little easier and not think you could be car-jacked, high-jacked or robbed at gunpoint. that is a definate plus.

hopefully i’ll have some better photos by the time i leave in the meantime you can check these out:

this one is for my momma:) its a panoramic of my living room in Nairobi. not very clear, but its ok. the walls are still a bit bear, but will be working on that.

tags: kenyaugandanairobikampalacar jackinghorn of africa