Kenyan Idol

After the English version there is also translation to Estonian.

27. January

Kenya is sun, hotness, music, amazing views, lots of green nature with blossoms everywhere, red soil and other colours, pimped up matatus (small busses), intensive communicating, terrible roads, laughing, quite fanatical Christianity, poor people who are usually still good people with positive view of life. I’m totally in love with this country. Already now it came to my mind that one day I have to leave this place and it made me tad sad. I will certainly start searching possibility how to come back here.

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We just drove from Eldoret to east. To the Rift Valley again. Rift Valley Is like a great canyon that starts from Ethiopia and goes through the middle of the Kenya, Tanzania and in Malawi it goes into Indian ocean. It is really wide and deep. At the Kerio Valley (the exact location we went this time) I think it is at least 1 km deep. Of course this wonder of the world haven’t been created by river like normal canyons, but by splitting continental plates.

But first we visited one sport club, where we probably come back to swim. We saw a lot of white people there. In town we had so far seen only few. But yesterday one German man came to talk with us. As a first thing he asked if we are from Estonia. What? Of course I weared the university shirt this day, from what he read that out. Yet at first I didn’t understand that and I was really surprised how someone could know that. In shop I also saw one nice white girl who smiled at me, but as I had to move on quickly, I couldn’t talk with her.

Anyway, after the sport club we rode to the Kerio cliffs. Unbelievable views! With three steps/terraces the canyon is really so deep, that the bottom is lighter like all the things that are far away. On the edge the altitude was around 2500 meters. So bottom should be around 1500 m from sea level. And what a wonderful rock formations! In some places rocks are like fingers that stretch out from the ground, as some giant would rip the earth into two. The other side was so far that cliffs were absolutely blue. In bottom it is the land of the winds. After every little while some whirlwind lifted up the pillar of dust.

We went down one level, to the nice place called Lelin camp resides. As I understood the owner of this place was the good friend of Wesley. In that paradise we ate the lunch, just rested and talked about our countries and about the politics with the neighbors. Kenyans are really interested about European countries, people, the ways and conditions of living. And also we got to know some things about Kenya and their neighbors.

When we rode back, we visited Wheatfield School. The same one where two of us are needed as teachers. Now it is so that me and Mariann can’t go, and basically I/we think that the reason is because all the time Swedish girls really sucked up to our local supervisors. So Elsa and Sarah will go, and actually when to think now, then it is good. Finally we’ll get rid of them. They have only created bad atmosphere. All other of us are much more bonded, and understanding. Moreover, although people at this school were really warmhearted, it actually scares me that this place is so deeply catholic. And of course I like the place and company where we live now.

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Yesterday we visited few schools at Eld. East. We walked quite a way. Most of the time I talked with Sarah and Kate, very cool and pretty local girls. Sarah promised to do me either afro-braids or dreads sometime in the future. She also said that she could take me and Carlos to do some rock climbing. Also they teach us some Swahili. I think we should invite them to some dance club soon.

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Now sometimes it seems to me that Mariann is little bit trying to create some distance from me. Well yeah, maybe I was bit too insistent sometimes and searching the closeness with her too much. Let it be! Also, although I would prefer her to locals, I would say that probability to get something with Kate or Sarah is bigger. It is bit weird that although interest between Carlos and Helen has been really obvious, it seems, that now also Carlos has an eye up for Sarah. But that is enough for moment about such complex things.

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Today we visited two schools in Eld. South. It was unbelievable. In both we were greeted by kids as some real superstars. I can’t guess how many of them had never seen a white people. Anyway they were really delighted. In the first school they instantly stormed to us, as everyone of them had to touch the white skin. We had to use both hands for greeting them and these both hands were still swallowed by tens of boys and girls at the same time. Sometimes it really felt that I will be dragged to the ground under their feet. In other school they started jumping excitedly and danced and singed some time before they were sent to the classes. Also we went to the principal’s office for a while, but later when we came out and went to see the “sport field”, also their classes were finished. Literally again the mass of little black children flowed towards us. They surrounded us completely. When we moved (if we could), all this circle around us moved along. One little boy who had fallen, escaped the trampling by others only thanks to Mariann’s helping hand. At first boy cried, but as soon as he saw that it was mzungu who helped him up, he instantly ceased it. Children followed us by the street through the slum, until we stepped through the gate of Kate’s home. That isn’t even like in a movie anymore, but as from some fantastic epical tale. Really I felt such happiness that tear came to my eye, and now thinking back to it, again. White human is for them almost like god. They admire us, they await great deeds and they offer everything best they have (kind of like making offerings) and often hoping that we can give them happiness (gifts, money, sometimes just friendship) or take them to paradise (Europe or America). Well ok, not gods in a direct meaning as Christianity is really strong here, but at least so they act. At least we are their great idols.

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Funny is that Kate sent me an SMS message last night, wishing me good night, but she wrote my name as THORNO.. like Thor, the prime god of Northlands. Another interesting thing with my name is that in Kalenjin (the tribe, or actually tribal union of both Kate and Sarah) language, there is similar word Taunet, that means the beginning and/or genesis.

Everyone here knows what tribe they are descended from and sometimes they speak in their own tribal language. Roots are strong but basically because the 2008 post-election violence was actually a fight between the tribes, they now try to be tolerant and friendly to everyone and see tribalism as bad as corruption or even homosexualism.

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As I already said, the other thing that is deep-rooted in this society is Christianity (I wouldn’t call it a real Catholicism, but the power of faith, dogmas and fanaticism are as strong here). One guy who visits the schools with us, is really religious. He is saying prayers all the time. Also Christian songs are widely popular here. Probably even more than traditional ones. This man whom I was talking about, tried to teach us one. Everyone singed, but not me, after what came of course the question why. I didn’t have a heart to say that I’m not a Christian. I was quiet some time, thinking what kind of answer may disturb them and how tolerant they really are about questions regarding religion. But then suddenly someone else proposed that maybe I’m just listening carefully, learning all the words and that my soul sings inside. Let it be! But from Caroline who already had invited us to join her in the church, I asked if I could or should go to church if I’m not Christian. She took it really well and said that yes, certainly I both may and should go.

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At Kate’s place it was funny that on the walls there were pictures of holy family, photos of probably Kate’s brothers, Bob Marley, rooster and chicken with some chicklings, poster of Manchester United, picture of some nice looking food (cakes and some other stuff) and other poster of some action hero whose face was covered with the photo of probably again her brother. Also busses have some kind of religious phrases, catchwords or names written on them. Or sometimes these have something like “Coolest”, what is written on the matatu that already three days has driven us around. Yes, these small busses with all the paintwork, bling and neon lights, not to mention the loud music that comes from inside, are actually already seeming quite cool. Also shops have sometimes names that have something to do with religion, but not so often. Today I saw a “Baraka Shop”, and because for me the word Baraka was known as movie title, I wanted to know what it means. It means blessing.

Sere – blessings, but also means many or a lot (in Kalenjin)

Mungu akubariki – God bless you (in Swahili)

Keenia Superstaar

27. jaanuar

Keenia on päike, kuumus, muusika, piltilusad vaated, palju rohelust ja õisi, punane muld, ära pimpitud matatud (väikebussid), intensiivne suhtlemine, hirmsad teed, naermine, fanaatiline kristlus, vaesed ja ometi enamasti head ja positiivse ellu suhtumisega inimesed. Mao olen sellesse paika totaalselt ära armunud. Juba praegu tuli mul pähe, et ühel hetkel pean ma siit ära minema ja see tegi meele veidi kurvaks. Ma hakkan kindlasti otsima võimalust kuidas siia tagasi tulla.

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Sõitsime just Eldoretist ida poole. Jälle Rift Valley juurde. Rift Valley on nagu tohutu suur kanjon mis algab Etioopiast, läheb läbi Keenia, Tansaania ning lõpuks Malawis läheb India ookeani. See on tõesti väga sügav ja lai. Kerio Valley’s (meie seekordne täpsem sihtpunkt) on see kindlasti vähemalt kilomeetri sügavune. Muidugi ei ole see loodusime tekkinud jõe uuristatuna nagu tavalised kanjonid, vaid tekkis kuna mandrilaamad eemalduvad sellel alal üksteisest.

Aga kõigepealt käisime ühes spordiklubis, kuhu tuleme ilmselt tagasi ujuma. Seal nägime päris palju valgeid. Linnas oleme vaid mõnda üksikut kohanud. Eile tuli üks sakslane ise meiega rääkima. Esimese asjana küsis kas me oleme Eestist. Mis asja? Loomulikult oli mul ülikooli särk seljas ja sealt ta selle siis välja lugeski, aga algul küll ei saanud üldse aru, et kuidas saab nii moodi ära arvata. Hull üllatus oli. Poes nägin ka ühte toredat valget tüdrukut, kes mulle naeratas, aga kuna pidin kohe edasi liikuma, ei saanud temaga rääkida.

Niisiis, pärast spordiklubi sõitsime Kerio järskudele kuristikele. Uskumatud vaated. Kolme astmega langeb kanjon tõesti nii sügavale, et põhjas olev on heledam nagu ikka kaugete asjade puhul juhtub. Üleval äärel oli kõrgus merepinnast 2500 meetri kandis, seega põhi kuskil 1500. Ja millised imelised kivimoodustised seal olid. Mõnes kohas meenutasid kivikamakad sõrmi, mis maa seest välja sirutusid justkui üritaks keegi hiiglane maad kaheks rebida. Kanjoni vastaskülg oli nii kaugel, et mäed näisid täiesti sinised. Põhjas on aga tuulte elupaik. Iga natukese aja tagant tõstis mõni tuulekeeris üles tolmusamba.

Ühe astme jagu sõitsime mööda mäekülge alla, kus asus Lelin Camp’i nimeline imeline puhkekeskus. Kui ma õigesti aru sain, siis selle omanik oli Wesley hea sõber. Selles paradiisis sõime me lõunat, vedelesime niisama ja rääkisime nii oma maadest kui ka poliitikast naabritega. Keenialased on väga huvitatud Euroopa riikidest, rahvastest, eluviisidest ja –oludest. Ka meie saime Keenia ja nende naabrite kohta üht teist teada.

Kui me tagasi sõitsime, siis külastasime ka Wheatfieldi kooli. Seda sama, kuhu kahte meist oleks õpetajateks vaja. Nüüd on siis nii, et mina ja Mariann ei saa sinna. Põhjus selles, et Rootsi tüdrukud pugesid täiega meie kohalike ülemuste ees. Wesley teatas, et need, kes sinna õpetama lähevad, on Sara ja Elsa, aga tegelikult kui nüüd järele mõelda, siis hea ongi. Lõpuks ometi saame neist lahti. Nad on vaid tekitanud halba õhkkonda. Kõik teised on palju arusaavamad ja omavahel paremini sobivamad. Pealegi, kuigi inimesed selles koolis olid väga südamlikud, hakkas mind hirmutama asjaolu, et see koht nii sügavalt katoliiklik on. Ja loomulikult meeldib mulle siingi kus praegu elame ja meie seltskond.

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Eile käisime Eld. East’i (Ida-Eldoret) mõningaid koole külastamas. Paraja maa kõndisime maha. Enamuse aega rääkisin ma väga lahedate ja kenade kohalike tüdrukute, Sarah ja Kate’ga. Sarah lubas mulle kas afropatsid või dreadid teha millalgi. Samuti ütles ta, et võib mind ja Carlost viia mägironimist tegema. Loomulikult õpetavad nad meile ka juba veidi suahiili keelt. Ma mõtlen, et me Carlosega võiks nad varsti millalgi klubisse tantsima kutsuda.

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Vahel tundub nüüd, et Mariann üritab minust veidi distantsi hoida. Nojah, eks ma vist olin ka väheke liiga pealetükkiv ja otsisin tema lähedust liiga tihti. Las siis olla nii! Pealegi, kuigi ma eelistaksin kohalikele tüdrukutele teda, on palju tõenäolisem, et muutun Kate’I või Sarah’ga lähedasemaks. On üpris veider , et kuigi Carlose ja Heleni vaheline huvi oli väga ilmne, tundub nüüd, et ka Carlos heidab nüüd silma Sarah’le. Aga aitab ka hetkeks sellistest keerulistest asjadest.

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Täna käisime kahes Eld. South’i (lõunas) koolis. Täiesti uskumatu. Mõlemas võtsid lapsed meid vastu nagu tõeliseid superstaare. Ei teagi kui paljud neist üldse valget inimest näinud polnud. Igal juhul olid nad ülimas vaimustuses. Esimeses koolis jooksid nad kohe meie peale tormi, sest igaüks pidi ju valget nahka katsuma. Nende tervitamiseks pidime mõlemad käed kasutusele võtma ja ikka mattusid me mõlemad käed kümnete väikeste mustade käekeste alla. Vahel oli täitsa tunne, et on oht kukkuda nende jalge alla. Teises koolis hakkasid nad meid nähes hüppama, laulma ja tantsima, aga pidid kohe varsti tundi minema. Ka meie läksime vahepeal direktori kabinetti, aga kui me sealt välja tulime ja läksime „spordiväljakut“ vaatama, siis lõppesid ka lastel tunnid ja kohe voolas meie ümber väikeste mustade laste mass. Kui meie liikusime (juhul muidugi kui me üldse liikuda saime), liikus ka ühtlaselt meie ümber lastepundar meie ümber. Üks väike poiss pääses teiste poolt jalge alla trampimisest vaid tänu Marianni hoolitsevale abikäele. Algul poiss nuttis, aga kohe kui, et see, kes ta püsti tõstis oli mzungu, jättis järgi. Lapsed jälitasid meid isegi koolist välja, mööda aguli tänavat kuni me lõpuks Kate’i koduni jõudsime ja väravast sisse astusime. See ei tundu enam isegi mitte nagu filmis vaid nagu mõnes fantastilises eepilises jutus. Tõsiselt selline rõõm tekkis, et pisar tuli silma ja nüüd sellele mõeldes uuesti. Valge inimene on siin peaaegu nagu jumal. Meid armastatakse, imetletakse, meilt oodatakse suuri tegusid, meile pakutakse kõike paremat mis neil on (enam vähem nagu ohverduste tegemine) ja loodetakse, et me neile omapoolse õnnistusega vastaksime (kingid, raha, enamasti on nad aga lihtsalt juba meie tundmisest õnnelikud. Ok, päris jumalaga nad meid muidugi samastada ei saa, aga umbes nii nad meisse suhtuvad küll. Nimetagem meid siis Keenia iidoliteks.

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Naljakas oli lugeda, kui Kate mulle eile õhtul SMS’i saatis, soovimaks head ööd, aga nimeks kirjutas THORNO.. nagu Thor, põhjala peajumal. Teine huvitav asi mu nimega on see, et Kate’i ja Sarah hõimu (vüi tegelikult hõimude liidu), Kalenjin’i keeles on samuti mu nimele väga sarnane sõna taunet, mis tähendab algust või isegi genesist (kogu maailma teket).

Kõik siin teavad, mis hõimust nad pärit on ja vahel räägivad nad omavahel ka oma hõimu keeles. Juured on tugevad, aga põhimõtteliselt kuna 2008 aasta valimiste järgne möll oli tegelikult võitlus hõimude vahel, siis nüüd nad üritavad olla kõigi suhtes võimalikult tolerantsed ja sõbralikud ning peavad tribalismi (hõimustumist) võrdväärselt halvaks korruptsiooni või isegi homoseksuaalsusega.

Nagu juba öeldud, teine asi, mis selles ühiskonnas väga tugevalt juurdunud, on kristlus (Katoliikluseks ma seda muidugi küll ei nimetaks, aga usu tugevus ja fanaatilisus ning dogmad on küll sellele sarnased). Üks mees, kes meiega koolides kaasa käib, on eriti usklik.. loeb pidevalt palveid. Ka kristlikud laulud on siin väga populaarsed/levinud. Võib olla, et isegi rohkem kui traditsionaalsed. Ühte üritas see sama mees meile õpetada. Kõik teised peale minu laulsid. Seepeale tuli küsimus, et miks mina mitte. Kohe mitte ei olnud sel hetkel südant öelda, et ma pole kristlane. Olin vait mõeldes, et kuidas nad millisele vastusele reageeriksid ja kui tolerantsed nad usuküsimustes ikkagi on, aga siis keegi pakkus, et äkki ma lihtsalt kuulan hoolikalt, õpin sõnu pähe ja, et samaaegselt mu hing seesmiselt laulab. Las siis olla! Samas kodus Caroline’lt kes meid juba endaga kaasa kirikusse kutsus, küsisin küll, et kas ma mitte kristlasena üldse tohiksin või peaksin kirikusse minema. Tema võttis asja küll väga normaalselt ja ütles, et muidugi võin ja ikkagi peaksin tulema.

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Kate’i kodus oli naljakas, et seintel rippusid üksteise kõrval pildid pühast perekonnast, foto siis ilmselt tema vendadest, Bob Marley, kukk, kana ja tibudega, Manchester United’i poster, pilt kookidest ja muust väga uhkest söögist ja siis veel üks poster mingist märulifilmi kangelasest, kelle näo asemele oli pandud jällegi ilmselt tema venna foto. Ka bussidel on tihti suurelt peale kirjutatud mingeid religioosseid sõnakõlkse või nimesid. Või siis midagi sellist nagu „Coolest“, mis on meid juba kolmandat päeva vedaval matatul. Nojah, kusjuures hakkavad juba need ära maalitud, blingi ja neoonvalgustusega varustatud ja muidugi valju muusikaga masinad päris lahedad tunduma tõesti. Ka poodidel on mõni kord nimi kuidagi kristlusest pärit. Näiteks täna nägin „Baraka Shop’i“ ja kuna mulle oli Baraka tuttav filmi nimena, siis olin huvitatud, et mis see tähendab. Õnnistust tähendab.

Sere – õnnistus, samas võib ka tähendada paljut või mitut ( Kalenjin’i keeles)

Mungu akubariki – jumal õnnistagu sind (Suahiili)