Sunday October 31st, 2010
If you know my story or have read my blog from start to finish then you understand the origin of this trip. I will summarize the story again just to remind you again or inform you for the first time. Though, I do suggest reading from the beginning!
While at the University of Minnesota, I earned a leadership minor. In my senior year I took the capstone class for the minor and completed a final project which encompassed all of the relevant training and education we received. Each group proposed a systematic project to alleviate a sociopolitical issue within a specific country. The project my group developed for Kenya was widely accepted and admired as a benchmark example of success within the requirements.
One of my group mates, Eric, was dating Laurel, who was at the time studying in Kenya with my roommate Amanda (try to follow). Eric and I both worked with a special interest in the issues and also were given insights from our friends who were living the life we were studying. With the energy of our academic success and the background stories of our friends, Eric and I both had extra motivation to travel to Kenya. The energy we possessed to make this research a reality resonated within our group and it was a common topic of conversation then.
Eric was part of my welcoming crew to Kenya. He moved here, with Laurel, one month before I made the journey myself. As we embraced we both commented on the success of carrying out our ambitions and living within our dreams. Friday night, Eric and Laurel helped introduce me to the Nairobi nightlife (more on that crazy good time later) and as a group of foreigners sitting in the corner of a local tavern, naturally we engaged in conversations about the roots of our presence in Kenya. Eric and I immediately reminisced about the work we did back in Minnesota and were energized in the thought of our simultaneous presence in Kenya. The others listened to our stories and were taken back by our own story. It is truly an amazing feat that both of us began this journey together then went our separate ways and continued to strive for and accomplish the same goal.
I think the leadership minor faculty would be very proud to hear this story. I believe in the training that I was given as it has been my guide, support and transport to where I am and the person I strive to be. It’s refreshing to know the student loan debt I have waiting for me in the U.S. is worth it J It’s all part of the larger picture and this time will be great to reflect upon as I continue to adventure towards a career.
Monday November 1, 2010
IT’S NOVEMBER ALREADY!! WHAT? No internet – boring day. I share an office with a man named Samson who I am supposed to be getting most of my work from. My office was visited so many times today with coworkers looking for Samson but he was always out. From his absence and scurrying about today, I can tell he is a busy and important man within the KNCHR. We are meeting on Thursday to discuss work he can delegate to me. I hope he has the ability to delegate – I know how hard that can be.
Carol Abong returned to the office today, as well. It was so great to see her as she is the reason I am in Kenya. We embraced with warmth as if we are life long cronies. I can tell she has told many of her colleagues about me and is encouraging them to take me on trips and special assignments so I can get a really good view of all of the work that the KNCHR does. I hope to some day, properly thank her for granting me this opportunity.
As I meet new people within the Commission and others we work with, most are surprised to hear that I am not trained in Law. I would say at least 70% of the commission staff/interns have law degrees which made me feel inadequate at first. The kind of work and the manner in which lawyers process information is so intense and really focused on the nitty-gritty details of words, laws, bills, etc within the work that we do. Maybe I just need to become more acclimated to the context of our industry in order to understand all of the conversations throughout the day but I am honest with myself in knowing where my work ability and work ethic collide. I would love to say I have the same brain capacity as any other person but I know this is not true when it comes to academics.
With flaws come challenges and with challenges come goals. I am promising myself to work on and become a natural at paying attention to detail within the entirety of my tasks as well as the Commissions mandates. I have been taught to ask questions about information I come across and assess other views. Dedication is all it takes to make sure I follow through and pay attention to working hard. School made working hard so much easier. I was always working for a grade – Now I have to be self determined and motivated in order to live up to my higher expectations. After all, I didn’t put all of my life savings into this trip to come over here and be lazy. I came here to better my understanding of the world, find a graduate education path and gain the experience and knowledge necessary to get to the next step in my career path.
The more I learn and observe, the more I understand that Law School is the key to opening doors within politics as well as civil society services. The law is the ruling body of this world and without an understanding of its functions; I will be ruled out of future positions. Law school, eh? Can I really do it?
Tuesday November 2, 2010
Out of 32 people in a hotel conference room downtown Nairobi, I am the only white person - my how the tables have turned. I was not uncomfortable being the minority, though. Instead I was embarrassed due to my choice of attire for that day. I was completely underdressed for the company at this legal forum. While I was wearing a white shirt and casual green pants, I met the chair person of the KNCHR and many other valuable contacts and officials within the Kenyan government systems.
I don’t have the nicest clothes and definitely underestimated the degree of formal interactions I would have within my internship. I brought two business outfits that depended on my black pants. To my surprise, my black pants no longer fit therefore I had zero business outfits for the first week of work. Last Saturday, I went to market that was recommended for a “fashionable girl on a budget” and which happens to be right down the road from where I stay. Toy Market is a mass of stands selling second hand clothing and other random goods all for a bartered price. The bartering game is fun, beneficial to those who know how to play it and also exhausting! I found a few key pieces to get me through the next few weeks. I can’t pull the poor American intern card among members of parliament, ambassadors of European countries and high religious leaders.
Those are a few titles of the company I have been among in the first two weeks of my internship. I work within a very progressive and prominent force among the government and civil society. Since the enactment of Kenya’s brand new constitution in August, corruption matters and justice issues have been the focus of the KNCHR. Politicians and government officials are being investigated for corruption offences which may turn out to be a part of the pathetic political number games that raise some up and cut others right below the knees but may also be the rule of law necessary to set a crooked ruling history straight. We strive hard to understand and promote the human rights matters that affect the political processes and civil matters that have a heightened importance and urgency since the new constitution. The voices of the KNCHR are not only heard, our commissioner’s opinions and ideals are highly respected and looked to for guidance concerning such difficult justice and human rights matters.
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