The 10 Cent Store and other Respites

"Be Better and Do Good"
-Author Unknown

The weekends are somewhat a saviour in an otherwise busy, hectic and sometimes difficult week. When you see a family of seven in a tin shack with dirt as their ground level and holes in the tin metal roof or you have to turn down another beggar because, we as students still need to pay our tuition bills or you hear another tragic family tale- it not only makes you grateful for everything you have and puts your life into perspective - it can also be harmful.

Why harmful? You learn pretty fast that life sucks. You learn even faster that there is no easy fix. Why are we so privileged? Why are kids born in the slums? Why is the gap between the rich and the poor so severe? Why can't all people have access to clean drinking water? It can be very depressing- traumatizing even. Luckily, the Beyond Borders Class of 2011 has put a lot of effort to understanding the situations we are in and Conor, Sam, Emma and I debrief each night on what our day was like, the joys and sorrows we have all encountered.

The weekend is an escape from the day to day societal troubles that we learn about in Kariobangi. Maybe you can now tell where this blog is going. Tourism. Its been a hot button topic and issue in our classes. I have tried not to share my opinion about tourism a lot because I didn't want to offer an opinion until I got to Kenya and could be more educated on the topic. I knew I wanted to be living and learning in Kenya before fully sharing my opinion on tourism, volunteering or even volun-tourism.

For the past two weekends, my Kenya pals and I have done very tourist type things. The first was a safari walk in Nairobi national park. The other was the Bomas of Kenya, a tribal dance and music show that showcases some of the traditional Kenya tribal dances. Some of you may judge and say we are not doing the work we said we are doing, others might be curious to see pictures of us petting cheetahs or watching some of our videos of the overwhelming music we heard from Kenyan tribes. Are we abusing the privileges we have by engaging in tourism? I would argue that tourism is a necessary part of long term development and tourism can benefit the tourist and country.

I think tourism is a necessary part of development work because it provides an opportunity for rest. The four of us have only done tourist type things on our time off and it has not impacted our work. When we have taken part in tourism, it has been an escape from the reality we now live in. Not that we're trying to forget about the real challenges but the escape allows us to calm down and come back Monday recharged to give our full attention to our work. Personally, I know that I will enter the classroom tomorrow morning, fully charged and ready to engage my Class Five and Seven English classes, their learning and functioning. At home, it might be escaping to a celebrity blog or reality television show to give me some entertainment in a rather serious student, extracurricular and social schedule. Tourism has allowed me time to be 'off' and not worry about how those living in the slums can overcome serious life obstacles.

The second point- tourism supports learning, cultural diversity and industry. The four of us have toured Kenya with the complete support of our site supervisor, George. George helped me better inform my opinion about tourism when I asked him what he thought the impact of tourism was on Kenya. George has no problems with tourism at large because he understands that it is the largest money generator for the Kenya government. For example, the Safari Walk I did. The money from our ticket will support rehabilitation of animals in Nairobi National park and keep wildlife reserves just the way they are without making them into parking lots.

George also supports tourism as long as real socio-cultural learning takes place. The Bomas of Kenya was a way, all Kenya students learned about traditional Kenyan tribes which many Kenyans including George and Sarafina still hold close to their hearts. I understand that the vast majority of Africans don't dress traditionally, live in grass huts or dance together but it was still fascinating to learn about the way of African life for hundreds of years before Westernization changed the way of dress, food and life. Our ticket purchases will go towards more African children learning about their own heritage in a hands on way or experiential much like the Beyond Borders program is doing to fourteen students this Spring Term.

For those wondering about the ten cent store: The ten cent store is the equivalent to our Dollarama's. Conor, Sam, Emma and I all purchased reusable plastic containers to put lunch in too take to work. When we ventured into the city, we were able to get supplies that will last us all summer long. We were not able to find these plastic containers in the variety of businesses and kijiji's (village markets) around Kariobangi so it was good to finally find these supplies in the city centre.

This summer, I am making a promise to promote tourism that allows cultural learning. I hope that you will make a pledge to promote cultural learning when you go on your summer travel plans. This week I will go back to trying to inspire students to reach their goals and achieve their dreams while living in the Kariobangi Slums. I already have met some extraordinary people at Education for Life that have reached beyond anything they thought possible and are now making the courageous decision to help students be better while living in ordinary circumstances.