Africa Expat Wives Club
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Looking forward to being there and learning the ropes lol :)

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Looking forward to being there and learning the ropes lol :) Empty Looking forward to being there and learning the ropes lol :)

Post  Angelfyre444 Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:41 pm

Hi All,

My husband just accepted a position in Nairobi helping to finish a hotel project at 14 Riverside.
He's coming from Beirut April 18th - and we are following from Virginia Smile

Our 22 year old daughter is going to stay until Christmas I think, and she's very keen on getting involved in some humanitarian projects.
She was an organizer of AIDS Tanzania at Wm & Mary, and while she organized the trip - she wasn't able to travel with them because of commitments to her choir. Any suggestions about where she might present herself to get involved?

Our 21 year old (today!) son is still in college & living at home (with his puppy Wesley lol) - so looks like I am going to be traveling back and forth.
We did 7 years in Beirut, so I know all about bringing packages & goodies from home and how wonderful it is to find a group of ladies to share info on the best shopping, familiar brands & ferrying letters, cards etc from loved ones back home.

I'm excited to join this group Smile Love the blog and really like the energy of the board. Very glad to be coming to your corner of the world!

Would love to hear anything you think might be helpful - and also wondered how I might procure a copy of the relocation guide?
Sounds like it's chock full of what I need to know.

Thanks,
Shauna
(\O/)
-/_\-

Angelfyre444

Posts : 4
Join date : 2012-04-13

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Looking forward to being there and learning the ropes lol :) Empty Looking forward to relocating

Post  Admin Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:53 pm

Hi there!
Thanks for posting! Great to hear from you.
I am writing the relocation guide for The World bank - but thinking of posting pages onto my blog for information. There are loads of networks for spouses (american women's group etc).

I would feel your way a bit in Kenya before your daughter commits to any aid work. It is obviously worthwhile but also incredibly harrowing here since the disparity of wealth is so huge. Kenyan people are hugely friendly and welcoming - but sometimes their personal situations seem so unbelievably hard and they have grown used to people offering help and often (understandably) manipulate the situation. Many people I have met have attempted to help (remember the friends who set up an orphanage, Acacia House), but in the end felt that the whole system was against them, they were victims of theft, burglary, harrassment - and they returned home very bitter about the whole experience.

Not wanting to sound so negative - but how about a term volunteering at one of the private schools to start off with (especially if you daughter is interested in sports or music?). Kenton College is a prep/primary school located near Riverside (kids from 6-13 years) - they love gap year students - the kids and staff at the school are half Kenyan, Indian/Asian and international. It's still a cultural experience. The school also sponsors a small school in Kibera slum - your daughter could get involved fund raising for this? other similar schools that take gap year students include The Banda - Langata, Pembroke House (primary boarding school) upcountry, past Naivasha in Nakuru (this position would obviously include accommodation). Alternatively, get in touch with ISK (International School Kenya) - which is an american system. They may have some leads. A great American Christian organisation is called Camp Bluesky - they run residential summer camps for 5 weeks from early June to mid July (all volunteers are in their early to mid 20s) - and they run other day camps throughout the year. www.campbluesky.org That way she'd meet plenty of people her own age.

Good luck good luck and let me know if you'd like any more help!!! Laughing


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Looking forward to being there and learning the ropes lol :) Empty Many, many thanks!

Post  Angelfyre444 Thu Apr 19, 2012 3:14 pm

Thank you SO much for your reply! I guess I didn't understand the part about the World Bank ~ but yes, it would be wonderful if you would post snippets from your work Smile

As to Meg's volunteering ~ I don't think you're a bit negative, merely a realist who having hard-won experience acts as a sign post to others considering this path. We will take your advice to heart and I have copied your post for her to follow-up on researching the schools, areas etc.

My husband arrived there this morning and was pleasantly surprised to find that they'd put him into a 3 bedroom, 2 bath apartment at Njema Court, which if I understand correctly is very near the Westlands. We just checked the website and it looks very nice. Just waiting until he gets a bit settled to make our reservations and come in your direction.

Is there anything that we can bring from the States for you? When I lived in Lebanon back during the war, I missed some things SO much: Bit-O-Hunny bars or Reese's Peanut Butter cups, and the smell of Coast soap. When people would travel, they'd call my Mom and ask if she would like to send anything and we both were so very grateful. I know we don't have everything that you might be missing from the UK (my father's family is in Fife & Hull and I've spent a good deal of time there) but I would be honored to bring any little thing that might brighten your spirits ~ especially considering your situation with the renovation work lol Very Happy Brave woman!

And again, thank you for creating this open space to ask & share & grow.

Cheers!
Shauna
(\O/)
-/_\-

Angelfyre444

Posts : 4
Join date : 2012-04-13

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