Blogging in Kenya and Loving it!

Britt in New York. Steve in Kenya. Worlds apart. Yet still a couple connected. The post below originally comes from an email I just sent her earlier today. I share it with you now in place of writing something new - enjoy!

By the way, I "accidentally" included Britt's and my correspondence - it's not too revealing and shows you a side of couple-travel that doesn't usually come up in the guidebooks.

On Wed, Mar 4, 2010 at 11:01 AM, Steven Synyshyn <steven.synyshyn@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi,

What a girlfriend you are! Thank you for your email. Please know I take your feelings and thoughts very seriously when deciding something this big. I realize it’s only a month (not like a year or two), however it’s time away and that matters to me. I’ll do as you say and let you know how things turn out.

My “first day” was pretty packed. Started off with finding out that my stay will be better planned than I thought – DOT will likely pay my accommodations, mobile access to internet (i.e., USB modem) and for other necessary expenses including buying a SIM card for my phone. There’s a call happening later today where we will discuss in more depth the proposals I will be doing research for.

Right around lunch time I headed out with the Intern Support Manager (I’ll explain more what DOT does when we talk next I guess) for a graduation ceremony to Uplands, Kenya, one of the communities DOT has a partnership in. About 25 young people (late teen's to early 20s) had gone through a month-long training involving life skills (job searching, CV writing, marketing oneself) and developing business ideas (such as a salon and a computer technical college). Nearly 60% of Kenya’s population is under the age of 30 (or something like that). Just envisioning what that percentage translates into in people helps you understand why DOT has chosen to focus on young people.

In fact, the graduation was more of an experience than I bargained for. Without knowing it, I was included on the agenda under the “speeches” section. Yep. I can now say I have spoken at a graduation ceremony – something I’ve never done before. For your info, I had a quick one minute address which included two pieces of advice – don’t be afraid to fail and don’t hesitate to kick the proverbial “door” the rest of the way open (these two pieces were given to me at one of my graduations (three in total) so they seemed fitting and not overly disconnected from the context i was speaking in). After that, I was again surprised by being told I would be handing out several of the certificates. It felt strange and a little “why am I the one doing this?” but nevertheless good, in a way, to present a certificate to someone who has never received one before. Moreover, my presence there made me think that it might have really made it all seem more “real”. To have someone you've never seen before show up from an organization that made your training funded could have resonated... Likely you're rolling your eyes at this point, haha - just understand it was something different.

After a walk back to a waiting Mutatu, picking up a half-dozen bananas for 30 cents CAD along the way, I was transported back to Nairobi all the while surveying the slums that I passed by. To be honest, I wasn’t so much struck by the poverty and squalor as I was by my first reaction to all of it, “where do we start?” (as in where do we start rebuilding or building, should sanitation or infrastructure be the priority? and so on) There were a few moments there where I felt like committing to another 5 years in University to get a degree in urban (well, inasmuch as you can call slums “urban”) planning. However, a thought or two later and you realize this is the million dollar question in development we’ve been asking ourselves since setting up an organized, international effort to alleviate poverty. So where do we start? I’ll let you know if I figure it out before I leave here.

I promise not to get kidnapped. You promise too – New York isn’t exactly a walk in Nairobi’s beautiful National Park.

Take care. Talk soon.

Steve

From: Britt Novakowski [mailto:britt.novakowski@gmail.com]
Sent: March-03-10 7:03 AM
To: Steven Synyshyn
Subject: Re: Why?

Steve you're probably only going to be in Kenya once and this is something that's really important to you and that you've commited a lot of time and energy towards. If you think you're going to get a lot more out of being there for two months and that it's improtant for you to stay that long, and if it's okay with Grant and the people in Ottawa... then I'll know you're making the right decision if you choose to stay and I'll support that decision.

I anything but love the idea of being away from you for so long, but it will give me a bit more time to figure out what I'm doing as well.

Give it some serious thought (and maybe a few more days), talk about it with DOT and Grant and let me know when you're relatively certain that you've made a decision.

Okay?

In th mean time, do your best to stay unkidnapped.

On Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 10:01 AM, Steven Synyshyn <steven.synyshyn@gmail.com> wrote:

I just read your email from Kenya. You’re my first reply. Love you.

How mad would you be if I stayed here for two months?

Steve

From: Britt Novakowski [mailto:britt.novakowski@gmail.com]
Sent: March-02-10 9:23 AM
To: Steven Synyshyn
Subject: Re: Why?

You're reading this from KENYA!!!!

I miss you. I made myself take the stairs last night after you left so that I would be too winded to cry. Drinking coffee this morning without you wasn't fun at all. You'll be happy to find out, as was I, that men here don't hassle me as much when you aren't around. Either that or I'm just having an ugly day... I don't think so though. I showered this morning and I'm wearing clean clothes. Maybe it's national "don't bother the blondes" day.

I want you to know that I'm okay and that I'm proud of you.

From your text it sounds like everything is going to work out really well with the DOT people. Having a homestay arranged for you will make things so much easier, and potntially save you money (?).

Still no idea what I'm doing so I guess you'll have to wait for tomorrow's email to find out about that one.

Have fun, be safe and make sure you tell everyone how wonderful your girlfriend is.

Love,

Britt (les)