To Kenya and back again

This month Hald gave me a chance to attend Infield Africa (a follow up course for our students having their internship in Africa) in Nairobi. Like I have already told several people, the fact that I actually receive salary for traveling to Kenya goes on the now pretty long list of why God has blessed me with the most awesome job I could ever dream of!

(Picture taken from the internet)

Being the horribly irresponsible blogger that I am, I headed for Africa without a camera. That means that I don't have a single photo to document my two weeks spent in Kenya, but what I do have is a whole lot of good stories to tell. They could not possible fit in this blog post, so I'll just jot down a few key events here. If you know me you should however know that the next time you meet me I will be more than happy to tell you about everything that I saw and experienced, thought and learnt.

Here are some of the highlights:

- Farewell from Norway in my Bolivian friend Silvia's house; together with Julio and Fabian from Peru. Lots of gløgg (Norwegian Christmas tea or something) and "La Familia P. Luche" (Mexican family sitcom) on the TV. Thank you guys so much for really letting me have something to look forward to come back to in Kristiansand. :)

(This hilarious show used to be on at dinner time everyday in Mexico. Picture taken from the internet)

- The plane was 13 hours delayed from Amsterdam, which resulted in a night spent in a really fancy hotel, free food and lots of free soap. I got to know a crew of Danish TV producers, a sweet lady from Connecticut and three nice chics from Mexico.

(No problem being stuck in Amsterdam when you get all this for free. Felt kind of out of place though, but hey, that's what exposure is about. Picture taken from the internet)

- Almost being denied the visa to enter Kenya, seeing how I overstayed by a week last time. When I finally got it, I payed with borrowed money which unwillfully became stolen money (my German friend from the airport, if you read this: please give me your account number and I will pay you back!). When I finally got out of the airport a whole welcome crew was waiting, and they had even rented a car! We got in, then got back out to push it, then got back in when the engine started running. When we're finally driving along the wonderfully bumpy roads of Nairobi I remember: "Where are we going, really?"

(Oh, I smiled. Picture taken from the internet)

- Seeing the kids again! It was truly overwhelming to be outside the door, knowing the boys where just inside. I was sure I was going to fall through the floor when I saw Ken standing in the door. It was late, and some of them were already asleep but they soon woke up. We jumped, shouted, laughed, cried, and ate lots of banana cake. They told me about how they'd been, showed me school assignments, report cards and made fun of my rusty Swahili. Since last time another guy has joined us, Peter. He is a quiet, but social and friendly guy, who has found his place in this original family.

(This is going to be a long post!)

- Arriving at MWC, being attacked by known and unknown kids, plus four Norwegians whom I like to refer to as my team junior. After some minutes of catching up with the people at church, I am invited to town for pizza together with the wazungu crew and the oldest kids in the primary school. We get into a loud mat, local hip hop blasting at a level I am no longer used to, and head for town.

(How I had missed these death machines. Picture taken from the internet)

- A haywire trip to Western Kenya. Every three months the kids have four weeks of holiday. Both we and the kids themselves want them to spend their holidays with their biological families. And so it was that Antony, Charlie P, the eight boys and myself found ourselves in the back seat of a Matunda Bus, some on top of others, some on the floor etc. Eight or nine hours later we had arrived in Kitale, tired but excited. The entire day was spent traveling up and down the rurals outside of Kitale by mat, tuk tuk and motorcycle, leaving the kids with their parents and receiving avocados, mangos and other treasures in return for the effort. Especially memorable was it to visit Peter's home. His parents had not heard from him in a year, and knew nothing about how he was. His father turned out to be a pastor, and blessed us thoroughly before we left. From Kitale we went on to Webuye and finally we arrived in Kakamega. By the time we got there and had sent Ken home, there was no other bus back to Nairobi until next morning. And so we ended up spending the night in a 24 hour cafe at the bus station. We arrived back in Nairobi a noon the next day, after 48 hours of not seeing a shower, a toothbrush, clean underwear or a bed.

(We really got to explore the roads of Kenya during these few days. Picture taken from the internet.)

- Seeing the Hald students again! It was great to catch up, see how they are doing so far and how their time in Africa is shaping them in all kinds of different ways.

- Taking the Hald students to visit the Lepta Community, who had prepared an awesome program for the day (you guys never let me down)! First we divided into groups of three where each group got two guides from Lepta. We walked around Mathare, visited the homes of our guides, talked about our lives and shared experiences with one another. After eating at my favourite place in Eastleigh we went back to "The Dream Centre", Steve and John talked about Lepta and MI Faya sang two of their songs. It was in that moment it dawned on me that I was actually back in Kenya, back in Mathare, back home. 

(The Recreation Factory is part of the Lepta Community, picture taken from the internet)

The greatest highlight of all was of course to see all my friends again, talk, share and spend time together. The love that I was met with was overwhelming. As I told Antony the night I was leaving: considering how much I move around, I am extremely grateful to be remembered and loved in the places I have called home so far. It would be understandable, myself coming and going as much as I do, that people would forget me or at least not be willing to involve themselves in my life to a great extent. However I have experienced time and time again that I am remembered and even missed. This is what it means to be a part of God's kingdom, and can't stop thanking God for it. I can't wait for the day that we will all be united at His table, having finished the race well to His glory.   

(And we get to take part in it! Picture taken from the internet)

    Have a wonderful new year, may all your dreams come true!

Nothing special

As a few of you know, I have this nerdy hobby of translating songs that I like from Spanish to English. It's a bit because I like languages and a bit because there are lots of beautiful songs out there that I want to share with my friends who don't speak Spanish. However I have had to come to realize that it's nearly impossible to put across the same feel of a song once it's translated. So I have kind of given up the whole thing.

But today I will make an exception. Lately I have been listening a lot a song by the band Bacilos ("Germs" in English) which I think lots of us ex-halders can identify with. I know I do, and this song is kind of a reminder of what I don't want to happen to me.

So I recommend that you look up the song "Nada Especial" by Bacilos on Spotify. And courtesy of your nerdy friend, you'll find the lyrics with my attempt of an English translation underneath:

Estamos sentados en una piedra – We're sitting on a rock
Sabiendo que el mundo está vuelto mierda, sí, señor – Knowing that the world has turned into crap, yes sir

Estamos quemando lo que tenemos – We're burning what we have
Estamos jugando al que no sabemos – We're pretending to be something we don't know
Estamos en medio del apogeo – We're in the middle of the highlight
De un mundo que tiene mucho deseo aún – Of a world which still has much desire left
Los números dicen que estamos bien – The numbers tell us we're fine
Lo dicen los genios de CNN – That's what they say, the geniuses on CNN

Y cuando te acercas a la realidad – And when you get close to reality
Otro comercial vuelve a anesteciarlo todo – Another commercial numbs it all down again


Y al final – And in the end
Me voy convirtiendo en un animal – I am turning into an animal
En un viejo más – Into another old man
De esos que se pierden por la ciudad – Like those who get lost in town
Sin sueño ni plan; abeja en panal – Without dreams or plans; a bee in a hive
Nada especial, nada especial – Nothing special, nothing special

Estamos jugandonos la camisa – We're putting our shirts on the line
Tratando de hablarles de la sonrisa gris del perdedor – Trying to tell them about the loser's faint smile
Estamos tratando de resolver – We're looking for solutions
Fregandole platos al mercader de nuestra propia idiotez – Doing dishes for the shopkeeper of our own stupidity

Y un hueco en el cielo – And a hole in the sky
Nos va a recordar que la realidad – Will remind us that reality
No va a negociar contigo ni conmigo – Won't negotiate with any of us

Y al final – And in the end
Me voy convirtiendo en un animal – I am turning into an animal
En un viejo más – Into another old man
De esos que se pierden por la ciudad – Like those who get lost in town
Sin sueño ni plan, abeja en panal – Without dreams or plans, a bee in a hive

Nada especial, nada especial – Nothing special, nothing special