Response Questions

1. How did you experience the book? It's not always helpful to talk about whether or not you liked the book, but rather how you felt as you were reading it? Were you pulled effortlessly into the book...or did you have difficulty getting into it? Why?

I enjoyed the detail of the book. It was very interesting to hear about what is happening in Kenya today.


2. Were you happy about your book choice? Why or why not?

Yes. I was happy because it taught me a lot about Kenya.



3. Which place discussed in the book did you find the most intriguing? Why do you think that was the case?

I enjoyed Nairobi, Kenya because it had a ton of culture and music.



4. What central ideas might the author be exploring-the novel's themes? Consider ideas about the nature of love, the requirements of goodness, the meaning of justice, the burden of the past...basic human issues that are at stake in the book.

The main idea of this book is the meaning of justice and the human issues that exist in this world.


5. What do you feel you learned from this project? Please consider the book, the technology involved with producing the project, or any other aspect regarding the project.

I learned about the troubles of Kenya. I also learned how to work blogger.com. I did not know how to upload videos or pictures and I learned how to do that.



6. What was the most enjoyable part of the project? Please explain why you felt this way.

The most enjoyable part was being able to design and create a blog because I have never done a blog before.


7. What was the most difficult part of the project? Please explain why you felt this way.

The most difficult part was uploading the videos because it opened a new post when it added the video. Then I had to copy and paste my old post into the new video post.

Bibliography

Bryson, Bill. Bill Bryson's African Diary. New York: Broadway, 2002. Print.

"Google Image Result for Http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38297000/gif/_38297313_kenya_nairobi_kibera_150.gif." Google. Web. 20 Nov. 2010. 

"Google Image Result for Http://formaementis.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/kibera-nairobi-kenya.jpg." Google. Web. 14 Nov. 2010. 

"Google Image Result for Http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/files/imagecache/news/files/20060909_skullskenya_1.jpg." Google. 2006. Web. 14 Nov. 2010.

"YouTube - The Kibera Slums, Kenya." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 18 Oct. 2008. Web. 14
Nov. 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CvXcBi827w.

"Google Image Result for

Http://anthro.palomar.edu/earlyprimates/images/map_of_great_rift_valley.gif." Google. Web. 20 Nov. 2010.

"Google Image Result for Http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/ladbroke_grove_crash_051099.jpg." Google. Web. 15 Nov. 2010.

"YouTube - The Gedi Ruins, Malindi, Kenya." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 19 Nov. 2006. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9SL2JYCWx4&feature=related>.

"Google Image Result for Http://www.care.org/photos/_full/dadaab_influx_full.jpg." Google. 10 Dec. 2000. Web. 28 Nov. 2010.

"YouTube - Kenya Music." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 25 Apr. 2007. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXvKJKUtPKI>.

"Google Image Result for Http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Mount-dempo-tea-plantation.jpg." Google. 23 May 2003. Web. 28 Nov. 2010.

Day 7- Leaving from Kenya

Well, it is my last day in Kenya. I did not have time to visit all of the camps in Kenya but what I saw changed my life forever. The last thing I did before I went to the airport was to visit the tea plantations in Kericho. They had beautiful flowers on the shore of Lake Naivasha. I could not stay long because I had to pack. It was very sad to have to leave all the nice people that I met in Kenya. I finally got in a car to drive to the airport. When I arrived, a few of the wonderful people I met in Kenya were there to say farwell. I was very touched. Unfortunately, I had to get on the plane to head back to London.

Day 6- CARE's Refugee Camp in Nairobi

Now we are headed to Nairobi in a 90 minute flight. Unfortunately there was a storm up ahead. I was so worried but Nino acted very calm. Then the storm got worse and Nino started to move his head from side to side because he could not see. We were all very scared and we didn't even have windsheild wipers. Luckily, we landed on the ground safely. When I met the wonderful people of Nairobi, I realized how terrible their conditions were. When I got to know them I realized how they made a bad situation into a good one.  Instead of always being so sad about their lives, they have so much culture.  They were always so lively and they all cared about one another. Their music was so uplifting. I recorded a couple of people who were performing in the streets. Even though they were very lively in their culture they still had many people that were in need of medical attention.

Day 6- CARE's Refugee Camp in Dadaab

Today I am in a Third World nation and I am going to fly into a bandit country in a charter plane. Nick has done this many times and so I was glad he was there to reassure my safe return. Unfortunately he told me that these planes crash all the time and that he was scared too. We arrived at the Malindi Airport an hour later. We are going to two of CARE's refugee camps in Dadaab and Nairobi. Our pilot, Nino, looked very reassuring and reliable. We got on the plane and headed for Dadaab. Luckily, we landed safely. I learned that during the fighting in Somalia many refugees came to Dadaab for help. Unfortunately, in Dadaab there has been years of drought. This is a huge problem for the 134,000 people that live there and there are only three units in this camp. CARE only has 175 workers to take care of thousands of people. The entire day we learned more about the camp. We toured the food distribution center, the sanitization process, and schools. Many people there are in bad conditions. They are either dying, malnourished, or in need of a doctor. It was extremely devastating.

Day 5- The Gedi Ruins, Malindi, Kenya

After thirteen long hours, I finally arrive in Mombasa! First I went to meet Nick Southern. Nick Southern is CARE's regional manager in Kenya. He is going to accompany me for my next five days in Kenya. Then we went to Watamu, a small resort in Mombasa. As we were driving there, I was amazed by the beautiful plants and animals. Unfortunately Nick told me that not many get the chance of seeing this beauty. Tourism has actually declined because people do not think of Kenya as a hotspot for beaches and hotels. It really is terrible because Kenya has excellent beaches, exotic wildlife and mild climate. Next we went to the Gedi ruins. Nick told me that the Gedi ruins were inhabited by Muslims. The Muslims would trade with people all around the world. Archaeologists have found artifacts from China, India, Spain and many other places. In this 45 acre site there are uncovered mosques, tombs and a grand palace. It was fascinating. But after a long day I wanted to go back to my hotel and go to bed.

Day 4- Nairobi to Mombasa

This is a picture from the accident at Man Eater's Junction.

Tonight, I am taking the overnight sleeper from Nairobi to Mombasa, and to tell the truth, I am terrified. In 1999, the overnight train jumped rails at a place called "Man Eater's Junction" and killed 32 people. It is called Man Eater's Junction because many people were eaten by lions there. In 2000, 30 more people were killed in another two accidents. In 1993, the worst accident of all happened. The overnight train flew off a bridge into the Ngai Ndeithya River and killed 140 people. Its name means "God help us" and it is crocodile infested. So, to say in the least, I am completely mortified. The train ride takes 13 hours. The train on the inside was actually very nice. They gave us a three course dinner and we each had our own cabins. Unfortunately, the beds were small and hard, plus it is going to be a little hard to sleep with the train shaking all night. But that is okay because in 13 hours I will be in Mombasa!