June 8 Post

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

We finally arrived in Nairobi Monday evening.  It is dark here at 7 pm, so we didn’t see much of the city until the next morning.  I had my first experience with mosquito repellent netting over me during the night.  It was interesting to get out of bed to go to the bathroom and get back under the netting. 

Early the next morning, we traveled about 1.5 hours north to Jomo Kenyetta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) to meet with the Director and staff of the Research, Production, and Extension Division.  Their Director is from Kenya and started less than one year ago.  He spent the previous 15 years at Iowa and has moved their Extension organization ahead in a short time.  We spent the day conversing about Extension in our respective countries, touring the Food Science and the Horticulture Departments, and discussing possible collaborations.  Drying of foods for preservation may be an area of interest to collaborate.  The Director is visiting the CYEC on Friday, so we were able to aid in this connection.  The CYEC could use some of the expertise of Extension.  One of  JKUATS main thrusts is the train the trainer model in various areas of agriculture, and the CYEC is doing some of this to help the street children become responsible adults in society. 

The representative from the Food Science Dept. talked to us about some of their research areas, and insects as a food is one of them.  I was amazed to hear ants are high in omega-3’s!  I assume they are a complete protein, another reason they would be so important to the population of Kenya. 

We headed another two hours north to the CYEC.  We arrived after dark, and were met, or should I say bombarded, with the children from the Center.  They were very excited to greet us with a handshake and asking us our names.  They even carried some of our luggage to our living quarters.

One of the reasons I decided to travel to the CYEC in Kenya was to get outside my comfort zone.  Well, I am officially outside my comfort zone, but I am managing.  I did sleep well last night due to pure exhaustion.  

I am traveling with Fran Alloway, Andrea Bressler, Jan Cohen, Robin Kuleck, and Laurie Weinraub-Welch.  As we were preparing for this trip, Fran showed us pictures from when she traveled to the CYEC last year.  I started to become nervous when I saw the toilet had no seat.  My parents just happened to have an extra toilet seat in their linen closet, and I packed it in my suitcase.  Laurie and I are in the same living area, and we fastened it onto the porcelain toilet bowl last night.  Yes, I packed a screwdriver, also.  I think those who thought I was crazy bringing it may be requesting to use “our throne.”  I think I should charge them and give the CYEC a donation before we leave.  The toilet seat will likely go down in history!  BYOTS – Bring Your Own Toilet Seat!

Today, we toured the CYEC and went into Nyeri for lunch and shopping.  I’m feeling a bit weary from jet lag and once I get my thoughts together from today’s experiences, I will post them in the next day or two.