Post by Aly on Jun 23, 2007 5:59:05 GMT -5
I was in Africa for a total of 5 days. Now I'm back with my mother in New Haven with stomach parasites and stuff.
I've been sick for... this is the fifth day now.
Multiple reasons why i came back early, turns out I don't want to do aid work in Africa.
I rediscovered what i already knew about being on the ground, and what i want to do with my life: I don't want to take policy and enact it, i want to make better policy.
Because that old saying, "You can give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day but you can teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime"...
it has flaws.
it assumes that people want to learn to fish (when its easier for them to ask for a fish everday than to do it themselves, and deal with the reprecussions of having something people covet rather than being among the masses of the have nots)
and it assumes there are fish and tools to fish with (which there aren't in Africa yet)
so too bad for that, Africa has only a few fisherman who don't share anyway
life lessons from me.
Or cynicism. whichever.
But Africa hasn't changed. the people on the ground still don't know the right conversion rate, so I got anywhere between 55 (the correct rate, better for Kenyans and me if I'm converting from shillings to dollars) to 80 (only good if I have dollars in hand, not shillings).
Additionally despite the increase in the value of the currency, the city seems exactly the same. those who could afford businesses still have them, the same mango seller is on the same stoop and the same ice cream vendor on the same corner.
But the population has increased, more and more people are filling the mombasa streets, and crowding the slums around the city.
This is depressing me so I'm going to stop writing for now and get some juice, of which I'm certain there is none in this house, as usual.
bye guys. Keep in Touch.
I've been sick for... this is the fifth day now.
Multiple reasons why i came back early, turns out I don't want to do aid work in Africa.
I rediscovered what i already knew about being on the ground, and what i want to do with my life: I don't want to take policy and enact it, i want to make better policy.
Because that old saying, "You can give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day but you can teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime"...
it has flaws.
it assumes that people want to learn to fish (when its easier for them to ask for a fish everday than to do it themselves, and deal with the reprecussions of having something people covet rather than being among the masses of the have nots)
and it assumes there are fish and tools to fish with (which there aren't in Africa yet)
so too bad for that, Africa has only a few fisherman who don't share anyway
life lessons from me.
Or cynicism. whichever.
But Africa hasn't changed. the people on the ground still don't know the right conversion rate, so I got anywhere between 55 (the correct rate, better for Kenyans and me if I'm converting from shillings to dollars) to 80 (only good if I have dollars in hand, not shillings).
Additionally despite the increase in the value of the currency, the city seems exactly the same. those who could afford businesses still have them, the same mango seller is on the same stoop and the same ice cream vendor on the same corner.
But the population has increased, more and more people are filling the mombasa streets, and crowding the slums around the city.
This is depressing me so I'm going to stop writing for now and get some juice, of which I'm certain there is none in this house, as usual.
bye guys. Keep in Touch.