All work and some play...

As most of you know (or remember), there are always bad things about "working"... mundane tasks, politics, long days, and tight deadlines. But it really makes a difference where you're working, who you're working for/with, and why you're doing what you're doing.

So, no complaints about being part of the UNICEF Education team here in Nairobi! :) These past few weeks have been extremely busy and I still can't believe that I get to be involved in so many cool (potentially life-changing) projects! 

The Acting Representative (Head of UNICEF Kenya Office) and Deputy Representative know who I am, as do a number of people at the Ministry of Education and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD). You cannot buy this kind of exposure (or get paid apparently, lol).

Name dropping aside, the projects themselves are fascinating and inspiring. I've been up to my eyeballs in national Curriculum Reform, helping to organize the World Day Against Child Labour, supporting my team at the launch of the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK), and the previously mentioned Education for All (EFA) Global Action Week (GAW). I also got to attend a meeting with the Kenya Primary School Headteachers Association (KEPSHA) about a very cool SMS technology that's being used to reach every teacher in Kenya and gather data about initiatives like the Child Friendly Schools program.

Now I get to look at all of our data to see how my team is meeting our targets and contributing to Education for All and the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF)....a dream come true for a self-professed data geek!

KICD - my office away from the office this week

Block E - my actual office

Well, is it??

Block C - beautiful UN campus

KEPSHA

NACONEK launch

But it's not been all work (that would make me a dull girl!). I've been out with my flatmates having a few beverages and checking out the Nairobi nightlife, there's been brunches with the girls, shopping trips to the malls, and I even fit in a haircut! I've started driving here so as I get more comfortable I'll have more freedom to venture around the city (however, I'm not sure when I'll be ready to tackle the Nairobi traffic, stay tuned!). 

How I typically unwind - slightly addicted to arrowroot chips

New hangover cure...mango milkshake from Java

Shopping! Two for the price of one (?) probably not, have to get better at haggling

The haircut and blow dry!

And I've just booked my first vacation to the coast, SO excited!! Safari to follow in the not too distant future.

What can I say? I'm having an absolute blast over here and these past 7 weeks have been everything I had hoped for and more.

And now for the acronym quiz...lol.

Are Kenyans the friendliest people on the planet?

It would certainly seem so to me.

I thought Canadians were super friendly (in addition to being "nice" and "polite") but the Kenyans put our passing "hey, how's it going? Good, you? Good." to shame.

Everyday, each person that walks into the office greets everyone else with a "Habari!" and a special kind of handshake/high five. It's a gesture that's so full of genuine emotion and happiness. And when they look you in the eye and ask how your evening or weekend was, they really want to know. Imagine that!

Even people you are first introduced to hold your hand for a REALLY long time while they ask you many questions about yourself. And they remember your name when they see you again!

I really lucked out with my office and my flat. In the office, there is so much laughter with everyone teasing each other (including me!) - regardless of where in the country (or out of the country) you come from, religion, gender, title or level. The other day my flatmates amused themselves for a quite a while talking about Celine Dion.

I really appreciated the welcome I've received and the camaraderie that's developed at work and at home.

On the flip side, I've also seen many people, especially in the service industry, with a look on their faces like they couldn't care less to be there and "here comes another "muzungu", complete with *eye rolling*. This got me thinking about how we foreigners treat the local people we come into contact with every day. You know, the people working in the cafeteria, supermarket, petrol station, restaurants, our housekeepers and numerous security guards. Sad to say I've seen quite a few people, mostly Americans and Brits, being "polite" in a "I'm paying you so you'd better do it exactly how I want it, when I want it" kind of way. In a word, rude.

I don't know if this is more apparent to me because I'm Canadian or because of how my parents raised me. How I saw them interact with EVERYONE in Mauritius seemed quite normal for me but now I realize that it's quite special. That is to say, they treated all people, foreign and local, like...people. This is accomplished by being genuinely nice and polite, joking around with them, when they scratch your back you scratch theirs, paying/tipping fairly and not trying to nickel and dime them to save, literally, a dollar. For those that you see regularly, taking an interest in their lives - knowing their names and maybe even the names of their family members.

I know there is a lot of talk about crime here and people ripping you off, and I'm sure that does happen in some places (actually I paid way too much for a jacket already but I love it so I don't mind) but for the most part I think the old adage "treat people how you would like to be treated" still holds true.

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A few pics from the past two weeks for those not on Facebook or Instagram.

All day meeting at the Tribe Hotel...very swish!

Memorial service for our fallen colleagues :(

Topiary at the UN Complex

Sunday hike up to the top of Longonot crater

Zebras!

Harder than it looks

Worth every step!

Now you want to walk AROUND the crater?! No thanks

Selfie!

Spot the giraffes

Education for All meeting with my boss and colleagues

With the President and Speaker of the Children's Government