Goodbye For Now

Vitamin C's graduation song, anyone remember this one? (Sorry for the cliche).

Yeah so, this is it I guess. They say starting to write is the most difficult part - you just have start somewhere, but I think the end is just as hard. I guess this would be the time to pass on my 'learning experiences' from my stay in Uganda, maybe sum up the good things vs. the harder ones, or just write a hell of a thoughtful, provoking last post as food for thought. But honestly, I've got nothing for you...

Except for this, this is good!                                             

It's Really Cool That You Studied Abroad In Africa. But The Way You Talk About It? Not So Cool.

Franchesca Ramsey

I'll never forget the look of surprise and wonder on my sixth-grade geography teacher's face when looking at a photo of the Johannesburg cityscape. I can't remember the exact photo, but this one will do:

Beautiful right? I kid you not, she exclaimed: "WOW! I had no idea they had cities in Africa!"
Did I mention this was a private school? Talk about face palm central. The thing is, it's not uncommon for people, even EDUCATED people, to assume that Africa is just one big desolate country (ahem, it's a continent y'all) filled with starving kids, bare-breasted women, and wild animals. Spoiler alert: It's not.

Yeah okay so the video is a bit weird, but the author has some good points. I just read this 'article' on Instagram (you know those long captions that are more like paragraphs?) about an American Peace Corps Volunteer who was in Uganda working on a coffee farm close to the Rwenzori Moutains, and how she went on and on explaining how different it was, how life was much simpler without any cell phones, but also simultaneously harder with the 5-hour walk every day to get water. But you know, it was a great learning experience, seeing how these 'Africans' got on with their lives, struggling day by day.

The Rwenzori Mountains - are you surprised there's no cell phone reception up here?

I guess my point is that that is not the 'Africa' I know, at least not the Uganda I know. Kampala has a skyline just as impressive - if not more -  than Oslo, the capital of one of the richest countries in the world! There are more bars, clubs and cafes here than in my home city, and I live just a stone's throw away from a fancy Country Club with tennis courts, a huge pool, sauna, basketball court, a restuarant, etc. If I get on a boda or matatu, I'll be in one of the nicer suburbs in 10 minutes, with a huge mall with a cinema, spa, and an excellent French restuarant. 5 more minutes, past one of the nicest golf courses I've ever seen, I'm down town Kampala, which is actually quite an impressive, vibrant area, with even more independent shops, cafes, parks, and even casinos!

Part of Kampala's skyline

So what about the slums we hear so much about, the wars we see on the news, or the poor kids who desperately needs a sponsor? Well, they exist, but there's also so much more that you haven't heard about. Our picture of Africa seems to be like this is a continent in great despair, only waiting to be saved by the West, in the form of NGOs and benevolent volunteer workers. Well guess what, 'they' are getting by quite okay actually, without our help. I'm not saying we shouldn't reach out, but only that we shouldn't fool ourselves to think that 'we' are making a huge difference, or saving anyone for that matter. I would dare to argue that most people actually are better off than we'd like to think, at least if we buy into all the propaganda from the aid agencies.

Cause you know, all African kids are poor and in desperate need of YOUR help

So 'in conclusion', or as a parting thought (I've heard you should never conclude with the former, at least in academic papers), I would like to say this: Don't buy into everything you read in the news, see on TV, or hear from people. You will only get one side of the story, and that single story does not portray the whole picture. Africa is more than poor people living in beautiful, but rural areas. Kampala is one of the nicest cities I've ever been to, and for that I am truly grateful I got this opportunity. 

Thanks for bearing with me.

Now I'm off to New York!

XOXO

The Coast of Kenya

Fridtjof on Diani Beach, just south of Mombasa

Two weeks ago - in the middle of Kenya's bloodiest month in years with several blasts on buses and in markets - we decided to go to the coast of Kenya for a little "well-deserved" beach vacation (#yolo). No but we had already booked the tickets, and made sure we traveled by road as little as possible, and stayed away from big gatherings of people, places of worship, markets, etc. This meant that we didn't get to see any of the 'real' Mombasa, which is Kenya's second largest city with a huge port that has served as a historic trading centre. Instead, we got to spend some time on the beach, which really wasn't all that bad (it was just like being on any beach in "syden"!).

The Indian Ocean

 The first stop on our itinerary was Kilifi, a small city on the coast just a bit north of Mombasa. We had been recommended this place by some friends who had been there and loved it, because it is a bit more quiet and not as touristy as some of the other places, like Nyali and Malindi. We stayed at a very hippie eco-lodge there, with no flushing toilets, outdoor bamboo showers, various crops around on the compound, and very basic, but 'cozy' accomodation.

The dorms. We were always a bit afraid it would rain in, as the walls didn't seem too water-resistent.

The shower 'facilities'

But of course, they did have a pool AND wi-fi

After a few days in what seemed like an eternity in the wilderness (the lodge was located far away from everything, except the village we had to pass through to get there), we decided to continue down the coast to Diani, a typical tourist destination, with plenty of resorts and a several miles long white, beach. We checked in at Diani Backpackers, which was less remote and only a stone's throw from the ocean.

 

 

 

Found this guy chilling on the beach

Diani was really nice, but it was low season when we were there, so a lot of the shops were closed, and we basically had the whole beach to ourselves - which was nice, but also a bit creepy... On top of that the British had evacuated a couple of hundred tourists from the area the week before we arrived, and the Germans evacuated all their interns while we were there, so the streets seemed even more empty than a scene from the Walking Dead.

Enjoying the view from our very own 'Lion King' rocks

Sunset with Tanzania and Kilimanjaro in the distance

All in all it was a relaxing get-away from the bustling noise of the city, although we were all glad to get back in one piece. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend anyone to go to the coast of Kenya!