Kenya Trip to 7th World Social Forum 2007

Cengkareng Airport, Thursday, 18 January 2007 – 21.00 WIB

Finally, I will be flying to Kenya tonight. I wasn’t sure until yesterday I got the confirmation about the ticket. What a last minute departure!!! I spent days taking care of workshop’s participants tickets, but my own ticket was not confirmed yet.

So, here I am. Walking along the departure hall all by myself. It’s actually awkward to travel so far alone. I have never been traveled this far alone in my entire life. Last time, I had Lette as my companion, and it was to Bangkok, which was not that far away. Being alone can be scarry sometimes! Thank God I’ve checked in through my luggage and my connecting flight, so I don’t have to re-check in while transitting in Dubai tomorrow. By the way, talking about transit in Dubai, it will be a 4 hours long transit!!! I wonder, what should I do there to spend those hours.

It’s good that I got the window seat. I don’t really like flying at night, except for the city lights. I love to see the lights below. It’s always beautiful. So, this is Emirates and I have a seat-matte, an Indonesian woman worker. And there are lots of them too in this flight. They are heading to Dubai to work there. I’m trying hard to get some sleep, but when I finally come to sleep, we had to get off in Singapore for a short transit. I thought this was a direct flight to Dubai, because my ticket didn’t say anything about transitting in Singapore. Those Indonesian women workers were not convinced that they should get off in Singapore for a short transit before they get to Dubai.

Changi Airport, Friday, 19 January 2007 – 01.00 AM [local time]

The stewardess had to work very hard to get those women workers out of the plane. Some of them even refused to stand up. Eventually, they all get off. At the transit room, some of them couldn’t show their boarding pass. Maybe this was their first time to travel by plane and they didn’t know that the boarding pass should be kept during the flight. So, I saw at least 5 of them had to go with the security of the airport. Well, they could get through at last, but they looked frightened.

After 45 minutes of waiting, we went back to the plane. Now, the real journey begins. The long night flight. Somehow, I thank God that I put into a night flight, so, I can sleep during the trip. Although I doubt that I can get a good sleep. The meals was great, though.

Dubai International Airport, Friday, 19 January 2007 – 05.25 AM [local time]

So, here I am. Alone in Dubai International Airport. The first thing that I do was tell daddy, mom and Anciet that I’ve landed safely in Dubai and will be transitting for about 4 hours or so. After that, I went to the toilet to freshing up myself. I saw many women and children were doing the same thing. Then, I wonder around the airport and buy some souvenirs for Dian. A bookmark and a magnetic plate. It was still long way to go. I tried to find where the gate for my next flight, but all schedule was only the flight within 7 AM to 8.30 AM. So, I decided to smoke. It’s been hours since my last cigarettes. But smoking was not taking too much time and I was beginning to run out of cigarettes. Only 3 sticks left and I still have to wait for 3 hours!

I saw many people were sleeping on the floor while waiting for their flights. I missed my daddy so much all of the sudden, when I saw a black and white couple laying down on the floor before my very eyes. While sitting, I was thinking… and I’ve just realized that my life had eventually come to what I dreamed about. Working and traveling, combined as a fine package. Seeing new places, meeting new people. And become a speaker in an international event is not something that everyone can get shortly after they work. This is the kind of life and job that I’ve always wanted. I feel so blessed that I’ve given this opportunity. If I should remember, almost everything that I wished had come true so far. I just hope that this is not be ended here. I hope that there will be more chances for me to see the world.

I have become worried because I didn’t see my flight schedule on screen, while it’s already almost 9 AM local time. So, I decided to go to the Emirates Business Lounge to ask the person about this. She told me that the flight to Nairobi will be from the gate 5. So, I left the counter and heading to gate 5, where had Starbucks Coffee right in front of it. I stopped by to buy a Vanilla Frappuccino and went to the smoking room to finish my last cigarettes. There, I met I wan from KPA Jakarta and Eddi from Pontianak. They are going to Nairobi too. Iwan came to me after he heard I was talking on the phone with daddy. They were actually in the same plane with me. Thank God, I eventually find some friends.

Jomo Kenya International Airport, Friday, 19 January 2007 – 2.25 PM [local time]

Finally, we landed safely in Nairobi. It was a dreadful 5 hours flight because I couldn’t get a good sleep. And by the way, the Friday, 19 January 2007 had become a vey long day to me! Hahahaha! It was more than 24 hours for me. When the plane landed, the stewardess told us that it was already safe to turn on our cell phone. So, I turned it on. But I got no service!!! Last time, in Dubai I still had it. But now, it’s “no service”. Iwan and Eddi had the same problems. So, I guess my provider doesn’t have a connected network in Africa. Damn!!! I have to buy local SIM card then.

Anyway, at least I landed safely here. So, I walked to the visa counter to get my ‘visa on arrival’. Many people do the same thing. I was told by Susan that the process can take hours. But in fact, it was only take not more than 5 minutes. The queueing took longer time than the processing. Then, I went to pick up my luggage. I saw not many luggage on the rail. In fact, I was sure that I’ve seen the same suitcase going round and round before my eyes for at least 3 times, but I didn’t see mine. I started to panick. It wasn’t funny if I should lost my luggage on my first day! that was the last thing I wanted to happen. I decided to ask the airport officer, I was glad to hear that the luggage from Emirates hadn’t been downloaded all, there were still 4 containers of it! About 30 minutes later, I was walking out the custom counter with my suitcase. Well, I’m glad everything went well. And I’m also glad we had pick up service although we have to pay US$ 10, at least we didn’t have to worry about getting lost in a new country.

It’s amazing because the country is no different to Indonesia. Hectic. Crowded. Many beggars, sellers on streets, crazy drivers, sunny yet windy [chilling wind for sure!]. I was dropped first and my hotel is a big surprise for me…! Quite shocking!

Kenya International Hotel, Friday, 19 January 2007 – 5.45 PM [local time]

I was expecting something like the one I had in Bangkok. But this hotel is super! Super surprising! First, it has no air conditioning system in room. Second, it has no mini bar in room. Third, the electricity plug is totally different to mine and they don’t have the adaptor. Fourth, it’s located near the flee market that is thrown a tear-gas bottle to be closed down by the police every night. Fifth, I didn’t get any complimentary drinking water in room. Sixth, it looks like the location is not walking distance to anything I need like money changer, restaurant, supermarket, hairdresser, internet café or else. This is very interesting. I was feeling like I was Leonardo DiCaprio in The Beach movie. It’s like a hotel for backpackers.

I had to calm myself down and let my left brain and right brain synchronize themselves. Then I started to think that the room isn’t that bad, I can sleep with my window open. It’s not hot afterall, the wind is very cool. Then, I had arranged to get a local prepaid SIM card through the hotel, so I can call daddy. Also, the price of the meals in the hotel is not that expensive, it’s apparently affordable, so why bother to get something to eat outside anyway? About the plug, I’ll get it tomorrow from somewhere, some shops here.

So, I ordered mushroom soup and mineral water for my dinner. Send some SMS’s to daddy and tried to get some sleep. It’s kind of noisy but that kind of thing never bothers me too much. I can sleep anyway.

Nairobi, Saturday, 20 January 2007

I woke up early this morning. It was like 3 AM. Well, my body still had Indonesian time. 3 AM here is like 7 AM there, I already woke up at that time. I watched TV and couldn’t get myself back to sleep. I send text to daddy, he’s already out of the house in the Common Room, preparing for the media gathering. I managed myself to rest a little bit more before I went to bath. My cellphone was low bat and I couldn’t get my hair dried with my hair dryer, so, for this once, I just have to let my hair dried naturally.

I went down for breakfast at 7 AM. It was a very limited breakfast buffet. It onle had one kind of cereal, peanuts, some eggs, bacon, and vegetarian food like casava platter, mango juice, passionfruit juice, milk, tea and coffee. Well, I can handle that. It’s still endurable for me. Last night Susan told me that she will send someone to pick me up today to attend the Opening Ceremony. So, I don’t need to worry about how to get to the venue. After I finished my breakfast, I went up to my room because the restaurant is a non-smoking area, so I have to smoke in my room. Everywhere in this hotel is non-smoking area except my room.

Somebody gave me a call at 9.30 AM. Susan told me that the person who will pick me up will come at 10 AM, so I thought it was her/him, but in fact she was not. She was only the committee from ActionAid. I had to register myself downstairs. So, I went down to register myself and found that I should go to the venue by myself. I decided to wait for Susan, because she called me and told me that she was on her way to the hotel. I looked up to the ‘welcome kit’ and I freaked out because it says that we have to find our own way to the venue and the committee does not provide per diems for all participants. I was beginning to worry because I didn’t bring much cash with me.

Susan and Imisa eventually came at 11.30 AM! Susan had a long talk with the hotel receptionist about ActionAid’s guests. After that she came to me and ask me to follow her, because she was going to give my per diems, but only until the 21st while the rest I should get on 22nd. Fine with me. I asked her about the transport. She said that the participants should find their own way to the meeting venue. But I’m not a participant, I’m a speaker, so she will have someone to pick me up everyday. Thank God! Well, it doesn’t matter if I have to take the matatu [public transportation] as long as I have companion, a local person.

Next thing, I found myself in a matatu with Susan, Imisa and Buki from Nigeria, heading up to the Uhuru Park, where the opening ceremony is being held. An opening ceremony in a park? That would interesting. We got off at Odeon and walk to the park. It’s quite far, but I enjoyed myself with the surrounding.

The park was huge and beautiful. I love it. It’s good to have a place where you can sit back and relax under the trees. The opening ceremony was merely a rave party, addressing many issues that will be discussed during the sessions. The theme is “Another World is Possible”. When the DJ played a wide range of variety music from house music to tribal music, everyone was dancing [including me!]. people just love to dance here. They dance everywhere. They don’t have to be in front of the stage, they dance wherever they stand! It was fun! The opening ceremony was like going forever! We left at around 3.30 PM, Imisa didn’t want us to be on the streets when it gets dark because it’s very dangerous for women to stroll along when the daylight’s gone. We managed ourselves to stop by the supermarket to find something to drink and the plug! I really need that thing. It’s a very simple thing, but really hard to find here. The Nakumatt supermarket didn’t have the plug, so Mimisa took us to another shop, an electricity shop. And I found the adaptor there! Hooray! It felt like I was in heaven! I was so releived. After that, we went back to the hotel.

One thing that I found weird was that I didn’t see any motorbike here. Well, I saw one, but it was some sort of delivery service bike. No MacDonalds restaurants, no Starbucks Coffee, no KFC, no Pizza Hut, no Wendy’s, no such things! Everything is local. Suddenly I got the glimps that we’re going to face some difficukties in finding suitable food here.

At 6.30 PM, Buki knocked my room, she was hungry. So, we went out to find something to eat. We stopped by a local fastfood, but they don’t serve rice while Buki was dying to eat some rice. So, we decided to walk a little further through the secondhand market. But we found nothing, so we went back and decided to gave the fastfood a try. Well, the food wasn’t so good and the protion is outrageous! I only ate most of my dinner then we went back to the hotel and checked some emails. I tried to load up my pictures but it didn’t work. Maybe I should do it when I get back.

Key words of the day:
Ashanti : Thank you
Ashanti samu : Thank you very much
Karibu : You’re welcome
Sasa : Hello, hai [greetings in slang word]
Sawa : Ok!

World Social Forum @ Moi International Sports Center – 21 January 2007

Sasa!
It’s good that we had the transport arrangement to the Moi International Sports Center. It was quite far from our hotel. In fact, our hotel’s position is the nearest! I can’t imagine those who stayed downtown, it’s further than us. So, the sports center was a huge place! And Buki and I hadn’t gotten our ID cards! Susan was still working on it. After several minutes of waiting, we could go in, but then the problems didn’t stop there, because we didn’t know exactly where the panel discussion was. So, what we did was go around the sports center and check all booths and meeting venues. We were some sort of lost there, and Susan hadn’t even showed up. We were tired and confused, because we didn’t get the map of the venue.

After several rounds, we finally found the place. I was afraid that they didn’t sell any foods or drinks there, because the place is in the sub-urb, in the middle of nowhere! Thank God I saw a huge tent of food station. It was crowded, but at least it’s there!

We came quite early, the session begun at 11.30 AM, we were already there by 9.30 AM. Buki and Shipwe had the speaking session today. Mine is still on 23rd together with Many from Cambodia. Meanwhile, we were looking around and check some booths. Some organizations had already started the rallies, art performance and discussions. In my opinion, this event is more like organized demo and rallies. Many people come with banners and posters with certain messages or issues. There were many issues like landrights, women’s issues, poverty, child labour, HIV-AIDS, veterans rights, solidarity for Palestine, solidarity for Somalia, solidarity for Ethiopia, reject EPA, against Bush, corruption issues, women’s reproductive rights, capitalism issues, fair trade, human rights, etc.

Our first session was about access to treatment for people living with HIV-AIDS. The speakers were from Tanzania, Nepal, Brazil and Kenya. People were mostly commenting the speech, not asking. Some also share some informations about what is happening in their country. Buki and I were starving after the session and we decided to go to the food station. The line was incredibly long, but our stomach didn’t want to compromise. So, we patiently queued. Buki had the session at 2.30 PM, so I decided to take care of her meals while she went to the seminar venue. It took me an hour to get all the food ready, then I went up to find the seminar venue. It was quite frustrating because there lots of tents that held seminar, so I had to check one by one. Finally I reached the right tent. Buki’s turn hadn’t begin yet. I stood up for a while, then I decided to eat my luch under the trees, not far from the venue. It was kind serene when I was sitting there alone, away from the crowd. The wind blew was cool and across, there was an art performance, so I could hear the music quite clearly.

I went back to the tent to see if Buki had started her speech. She wasn’t. So, I took a seat and wait for her speech. I sneaked a peek on Susan’s schedule sheet, and I found out that tomorrow I have to give some speech too about addressing stigma and discrimination. Wow! I never knew that I had to have speech twice! Of course I got panic! I only prepare for the 23rd. But anyway, Aditi said it was only a contributory speech, to give the audience certain point of view from several different countries. That eventhough the country is different, we are facing the same issue and problem.

When it was getting late, the wind got even more freezing! This morning, when we arrived, the sun was bright but the wind was freezing. I thought in the afternoon it wouldn’t get too freezing, but I was wrong. The sun still shone so brightly, but the wind is also still freezing. Thank God I brought my phasmina, I wore it the whole day! Then, late afternoon, when the sun was getting friendlier, the wind got even more freezing. So, who says Africa was hot????

Today, I saw the first sunset sky of Kenya. It was beautiful! Too bad I didn’t have a nice spot to take a picture because we were on our way back to the hotel. It is true that I’m obsessed with the sky, especially dusk sky. And I found out that each country has different colour of dusk sky. It’s incomparable. All is beautiful in its own way.

Fernanda and Buki asked me to join them to find some dinner, but I was shaking all over. Apparently, a hot dog didn’t enough for me for lunch. I decided not to come, because I didn’t have extra energy left to walk down the street and find something to eat. I’d rather order room service and had dinner in my room. So, I ordered mbuzi ulaya with rice and vanilla milk shake. It was filling my stomach perfectly. I feel exhausted today. I think I’ll have a good sleep tonight.

Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani – Monday, 22 January 2007

The session today is started at 5.30, so I could come to the venue a bit late. I woke up at 3 AM this morning, I replied daddy’s SMS then went back to sleep and got up at 7 AM. It felt good to have enough sleep. Then, I went down for breakfast at 8 AM. At 10.30 AM Buki, Many, Laura [Uruguay] and I went to Kasarani. Shipiwe, Fernanda and Shiva had gone before, at 8.30 AM.

Buki and I decided to take a tour around the area again, because all tents were all ready today. I went around to see some things and collect materials for my writing. I’m planning to write some sort of report after I come back to Indonesia. This is a very interesting event, I just have the feeling that I should write something about it. At least for myself.

I stopped by the booth that had against Coca Cola campaign to ask some questions. It was quite interesting, because in India, Coca Cola had privatized the water resources from local people and left the locals with nothing but waste and dump. They didn’t even do any treatment to the waste. And a research had proved that comparing to other sodas, Coke is poisonous. It has pesticides inside the drink! Wow! That is terrible! I wonder, had they done the same thing in Indonesia also? I should write something about it. India had closed down the biggest bottling factory of Coca Cola there because they violating the nature.

Then, Buki asked me to go to the Human Rights Tent. A discussion towards human rights was being held there everyday and she wanted to attend. I attend half way, then I went out and comfort myslef under the tree to have my lunch. We stopped by the Nakumatt Thikaroad this morning to buy some things, because yesterday we had to queued in a very long line to get our lunch. I found myself enjoying the surrounding under the tree and the cool breeze. Then, a woman came. Her name was Ann. She was originally from Kenya. She was attending a panel in one tent, but she got bored so she went out. We chat about many things. She was 21 and had 1 daughter. We shared many things. She told me that in Kenya, a couple should have VCT before they got married. And they should show the test proof to the religion leader who will marry them both. That is an incredible progress. But in a way, it also against human rights, because VCT should be done not under pressure. But then again, I thought, maybe sometimes we have to push people to protect their own health rights because they are not really aware about it.

After an hour, Buki came and join us. She was sleepy and the breeze just made things even worse for her. I told her that she has to speak today. She didn’t trust me. She said, I was the only one who has to spoke today and tomorrow, not her. And she said that hadn’t prepare anything to speak. I tried to convince her that she really on schedule. The new schedule. She kept saying no. After half an hour, we looked up to the schedule, try to find something interesting to attend to. Then we found one. It was women’s rights and dignity. An open discussion at the C4. so, we bid goodbye to Ann, because she didn’t want to join us. She wanted to go home because she was tired.

What happened next was that we found C4 but there was no activities there. So we just sit there and a little deep talk with some guys who were volunteers. We talked about many things until Imisa called me and said that we should be ready for the session. So, we left the room and headed to “9 IN Upper”. The place was still some sort of empty. Only about 5 people sat there. But then, people kept coming until it was around 100 people! I got nervous this morning because I hadn’t prepared anything. My brain was stuck and I couldn’t think clearly. My hand were so cold this morning. And then, as I saw people kept coming in, I began to worry.

Susan waved and asked me to come to her. There, on her hand, in a piece of paper, I saw Buki’s name was on the list of the speakers today. After I finished talking with Susan, I went back to my seat and told Buki that she was really on the list and I asked her to see Susan. She was panicked. I just laughed. She didn’t trust me at the first place.

Laura was the first to speak, then I followed. The topic was “Addressing Stigma and Discrimination”, so we were expected to share our experience in our country of how to address thise issue to people. Something practical that can be adapted by anyone who attend the session to be implemented. I just spitted out my experience of holding a basic HIV session in a junior high school as a part of advocacy and education. It went well. Not perfect but good enough for someone who didn’t prepare anything. Buki did even better after me. After she got a grip, her story flows perfectly. So, everyone was happy. Apparently, the session was not enough. There were many feedbacks, many supports and comments that could not be acommodated due to limited time. After the session, we had a candle light service. I was feeling like some kind of celebrity, because many people came to talk to me after the session and even asked to get a picture together with me. Hahahaha!

We finished at 8 PM. Exhausted and hungry. I decided to have in dinner in my room again, since there was nowhere to go for dinner. Tomorrow, the session will be started at 10.30 AM, so we have to leave from the hotel at 8.30 AM. I have to have enough sleep tonight.

Kasarani, Tuesday, 23 January 2007

Our session starts at 12 noon, so, Buki and I went to the Human Rights Tent to attend a discussion about Gay and Lesbian. It is an awful story because we heard from this forum that some groups of men will rape lesbian women or women they suspect to be lesbian or women that looked like lesbian. The motive is to make the women back to “normal” again or become heterosexual again, then beat them off. Clearly, this is not a good way to “cure” the sexual orientation because then the women had their own trauma about having sex with men. By getting through this kind of incidents, lesbians even more confused of getting the point how a woman should enjoy having sex with man. The gay and lesbian issues had already been adressed to the government and parliament in Africa, but there’s still no significant result about it. Gay and lesbian should have an equal position in human rights. The situation of being unable to marry the partner just because of the sexual orientation, is considered as violation to human rights.

Dedan Kimathi Room – 12 noon

At first it was only around 50 people who came into this big auditorium. But then people kept coming in until it was more than 200 people. Then Portia, Fernanda, Many, Monalisa and Ludhfina. We were addressing women and HIV-AIDS issue. Jane and Regis were facilitating. We, the speakers, were expecting more questions to come, so that we can share our experience in handling the issue in our country. But then again, as the days before, people were more to make comments rather than asking some questions or asking some alternatives.

Then, there was this man who all of the sudden said something really really wrong at that time. He said that women should not provoke men to do violation. And if a man should provoke woman, woman has the choice to follow or not. He was so at the wrong time and place. We had many feminist activist at that time [including me!], we were addressing women’s issues accordingly to the human rights violation. Well, he should change his mindset of seeing a woman not as a property, but more as human being like himself. Men should see and think about women with clear mind, not with his irge and sexual motives. Then James came to save the day. he said that however the situation is, men should not violate women. Those men who violate women are all coward. The session was hot! Then a man stood up and told us why are we blaming men all the time since the first day of discussion. Because in his opinion, men also vulnerable. Men also don’t know anything about HIV-AIDS. You see, if men feel that way, then they should stand up and fight for their own rights. Just like what women do.

There’s no justification about violating women. Even for religion’s reasons. A-B-C doesn’t work for us. Abstinent is considered to violate human rights because sex is a biological need. Be faithful isn’t guaranteed to avoid people from HIV infection, because women had been brain-washed to be faithful to a husband who’s apparently not faithful to them. Using condoms doesn’t remotely justify those 2 things before. Women also have reproductive rights. Preventing positive women from pregnancy is obviously violating their reproductive rights. Women are not supposed to be blamed for having a baby.

We went back to the hotel early because we all wanted to go to the Massai Market. Many and I bought some necklaces and bracelettes for souvenirs. Then, we went up to find some batteries for my camera and to find something to eat. We stopped by at the Stomach Clinic to get some local food. I had Matumbo [usus & babat] with rice. It was very nice. I really love it.

After walk Dikshya to her hotel, we had small argument about going to Uhuru Park or back to the hotel. Many said the park is close by. But we believe it’s quite far from our spot. So, we decided to go back to the hotel. Again, Many said that she knows the way. But in fact, she almost got us lost because she went straight while we should be turning right at the corner of the street. She jaust had her Efavirens, so we didn’t trust her. Efavirens had made her hard to focus.

At 8 PM we went out again. Not for dinner, because we had our lunch at 5 PM, so we were not really hungry. Many said she wants to dance, so we went to the Ki Klubhouse for some drinks. Well, none of us were dancing there because we were busy discussing things. About the situation in our country. We discussed about FHI, Global Fund, Actionaid and many other things. We swap informations about funding agencies that is potential to give donations for our programs. In the middle of the discussion, a group of middle-aged men approached and asked where were we from. He was surprised when he found out that we came from different countries. I think he was the owner of the place. Then we continued discussing things. Shibu told us that Nepal had rejected funds from FHI because they interfere the programs so much. Nepal got huge amount of funds from JICA, French Funding Agency and Danish Embassy. JICA is building a hospital for positive people in Nepal. He promised to give me the contacts so I can approach to them. He will give the contacts of donors that will give funds for treatment, care and support.

Kasarani, Wednesday, 24 January 2007

Today is the last day of World Social Forum. Leonard was giving the speech, that he supposed to summarize from the first day of session until today. But in fact he didn’t pull the connection between one issue to another. There were many question and comments during his session.

· Orphans of positive people had not being well taken care of. And this should be the government’s responsibility.
· There’s got to be something wrong in the way that we are handling the HIV-AIDS issue, because things are not getting better. We should start to do something in a different way.
· The Global Fund issue. The fund should be distributed directly to the grassroots, not via Ministry of Health. Because there had been a big issue that NGO’s and grassroots movements cannot access the money from the Global Fund.
· Start to do something instead of being demanding.
· No more new commitments from the government. Let’s just implement all the commitments that had already made before.
· Instead of talking in different regions of the country, we must mobilize the whole country and regions.
· Positive women are lost their rights to own land and property in Africa and several South Asian countries.
· What donors do is they invest the money and they tell us what to do with the money accordingly to what happened in donor’s country. In fact, the program should be implemented accordingly to what happened in receptor countries.
· Money investment in HIV-AIDS should be a long term investment, not a year or 2 project.
· Everybody is working based on target that is set by the donors, not based on humanity and service.
· Strengthening the primary healthcare facilities.
· Start social mobilization.
· New issue: PEOPLE LIVING BY HIV-AIDS à groups of people who are taking advantages out of PLWHA. They are getting money by using PLWHA status.
· Most of positive people is living in poverty, that they can’t even afford the transport to get ARV.

Positive People Lounge – noon

We apparently take a lunch break at the Positive People Lounge. We didn’t know about this lounge until yesterday. We were served local food and free massage. The lounge was located far from the crowd to avoid people who take advantages of the service. It was a nice spot under the trees with the numbers of Red Cross volunteers ready to give the service. We didn’t stay too long there because Susan was calling me and asked me to bring everyone to the gate because Sammy will pick us up and take us to the Actionaid office to get the rest of our perdiems. And at 7 PM we have to attend a dinner at the Roaster’s.

Roaster’s Bar and Restaurant

We are invited by James Kamau, the activist, to have dinner at the Roaster’s. So, Aditi, Laura, Fernanda, Buki, Many, Shibu and I went there and arrived at 8 PM. The food was great and we met many people. That was the first time I talked to Regis and Innocent. Regis is from South Africa and Innocent is from Senegal. Regis knows quite much about politics in Asian countries, while Innocent is a psycho-sociologist. Shibu, Many and I stayed over some drinks with James and Regis. Afterward, we dropped Regis at his hotel and we went back to our hotel. He was trying to intimidate us to go clubbing, but we were too tired.

Nairobi, Thursday, 25 January 2007

This morning, Many told me over breakfast that she will recommend me to be invited by Actionaid to the meeting of Asian Positive Women’s Network in Bangalore that will be held in April. After that, we went to the Uhuru Park to join the closing ceremony. We went there early and then we heard the rumours that the City Council is coming to chase away people who sell things in the park. It was pathetic because it was a social forum and everybody was supposed to be allowed to do anything there.

I went dancing on the field with Nancy. Hopping around to the song “Follow The Leader”. Some international photographers took our pictures, maybe because they saw us came from different races and we were like hugging each other. Shibu got tired and went back early. Buki and I met Leonard and we went to the Actionaid office to check my refund and also to get some T-Shirts for us.

We went back to the hotel at 5 PM and I decided to have my dinner at the hotel. Shibu knocked my door at around 6.30 PM and we went down to the coffee shop to get something to eat. I had fried mutton, but Shibu said, he had his lunch at 5 PM so he wasn’t really hungry. Not long after, Innocent came and join our table. But he was just about to go out to have dinner. So, after he went out, Shibu and I continue our chat until Innocent came back. Then we sat together and talk over many things until Fernanda joined us. Then we started to talk about soccer, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and other players. We [Fernanda, Innocent and I] were criticizing Ronaldo because he refused to admit that he is a black man. And also because he paid himself off just to get himself accepted in AC Milan. This is just so awful and disgrace. Shibu was not really focussed. He had a pretty bad mood, I guess. He was supporting Ronaldo because he didn’t catch up the conversation. Clearly, because he was not focussing.

Innocent was very keen in politics. Fernanda and I had to catch up, but we learned a lot from him. We were gossipping about this girl, who spoke out at the closing ceremony. I think she was the one who spoke at the human rights tent about gay and lesbian rights. She was talking about the lesbianism at the closing ceremony and people were shouting at her. When she made her way to came down from the stage, people were trying to beat her, so the activists had to make a circle around her to protect her. And she was escorted by the security guards. It was dreadful. Maybe she thought, she was well accepted at the WSF, so she tried to speak at the open forum. She forgot that the closing ceremony was attended also by public and local people. While gay and lesbian issues are still something that people in Africa doesn’t want to be exposed yet. So, it wasn’t very wise of her to talk about gay and lesbian issue openly in public.

I also heard that some protesters were trying to broke into the forum at Kasarani. We were not witnessing this because we were still in the session. Also, Aditi told us that there was a food fighting at the Windsor tent, because the Windsor belong to someone who has political title in Kenya. People were demanding to be allowed to sell things inside in sport’s center.

We also discussed our feelings towards the whole event. For me, it’s more like an organized demo and rallies. We were given this huge space and we can do pretty much whatever we want there. The place was also far from the town, so we didn’t have too much crowd and chaos. Because Leonard was telling me that this year’s WSF is considered too quiet. We never realized that 4 to 5 trucks of soldiers were placed at the outer line of the sport’s center everyday. But people didn’t really use the forum effectively to find out some solutions. They were merely sharing their feelings about being positive. They were not trying to find out what other country had done to habdle the issue.

Nairobi, Friday, 26 January 2007

Finally! It’s the last day here! I am so reasy to go home! Buki was leaving early at 9 AM. Then, I was told by the receptionist that I had to check out immediately. What??? I have a midnight flight, I have to check out at 12 PM??? We had an argument, then I gave up. I packed up my things and went down. I told the receptionist that somebody had to bring my luggage down because I was about to go out and have lunch.

So, Shibu, Dikshya and I went to the Stomach Clinic again to have local food for the last time. After lunch, we went to the supermarket because I need to buy some things to bring home. Then, we went back to the hotel by taxi because Dikshya was tired. Actually, I wanted to take pictures in front of the Kenya Cetral Archives building, but when I saw Dikshya and Shibu were tired, I got hesitant and cancel the plan.

I stayed over until Shibu and Dikshya left. Then, Fernanda and Susan came. Fernanda was upset because the hotel staff didn’t let her into her room to pack up. I told her that somebody from the reception was telling me that Fernanda had been informed about the check out. In fact, she said, she doesn’t know anything about it. So, Susan went to have a talk with the recptionist. So, after some times, Fernanda could go to her room and I could stay in her room until I’m picked up. That was great. So, I could rest a while.

Fernanda was leaving at 5 PM. I bid her goodbye and stay in her room. At 6.30 PM someone knocked my door. From the way that person knocked, it was like Shibu. But I knew Shibu had already left. When I opened the door, it was him! He said, he and Dikshya missed the flight because they came late to the airport. It was a terrible traffic jam when they on their way. So, they arrived at 4 PM while the flight was at 5 PM and their seats were already sold to other people. He told me that I should be leaving earlier because of the traffic jam. Susan was coming and try to arrange a room for them. I told Susan that I wanted to leave right away because I don’t want to miss my flight. At 8 PM, Ben came to pick me up. It’s better be early because many people are going home at the same day.

It was one hell of an experience, but I’m still feeling so blessed to be given this opportunity to join the forum [no matter how chaotic it was]. And by the way, I saw some motorbike today. About 4 of them, but all were delivery service bikes. Hahahaha! And I saw 3 men smoking on the street today. That was the first time I saw people smoke on the street.