My first impression getting in Kenya

I took the 3 hours flight to Cairo, Egypt air`s food is disgusting (Flight Malta-Nairobi-Nairobi-Madrid 480€).

When i was about to land in Cairo I was looking for the pyramids everywhere hehehe i couldn’t see them.. I got in Cairo and dying to smoke i went to one of this smoking areas at the airport full of old men looking how I was rolling my cigarette, I felt weird. Then I check into “Transfer” and wait for the plain.
One flight more and 5 hours to get in Nairobi where Bea will be waiting for me. The aircraft landed and here goes my first impression.. I thought I was in the worse stop od Madrid’s subway, but it was just the airport that looks a bit poor and weird.

I finally got out of the airport after of course pay the visa 40€… I saw Bea waiting for me!!! OMG We took a Taxi to Nairobi city (Taxi 1500ksh) where she had booked a hotel room in Salama Hotel (1.200ksh).

”what a room!!! A small room with double bed, a window, a bathroom with hot water, and small cockroaches all around the room” hehehe
It was 4:30 in the morning and the city was already a chaos! People shouting in street, Matatus, tuk tuks, motorbikes everywhere so early.. We didn’t sleep at all chatting about everything happened during our time being separated.
We went for breakfast to a restaurant (Steps Restaurant ”Bea’s favorite”) which didn’t have anything from the menu in the kitchen so we had to look for another one (Very common in Kenya to don’t have most of the menu)..
We took breakfast in other one (Breakfast 200ksh) and start to tourist a bit around Nairobi!!!

I didn’t see that much as I was very tired and just wanted to go to Nakuru and rest a bit.
After all that we went to take “matatu”

(like a bus 300ksh) to go to Nakuru 3 hours far from there.. Already in the matatu I could see some zebras, monkeys and others animals.
We got in Nakuru, very tired hehehe. First thing to do was go for lunch even with the 3 suitcases.. The lunch in Nakuru is cheaper than in Nairobi about 250ksh for both of us ! I will talk about food later on..
I was dying to get home!!! It was already 20 hours since I left Irene´s flat in Malta, I needed so much to rest. We don’t live in Nakuru, we live near Nakuru, a small area not to bad call Rohnda.
We took a tuck tuck (a motorbike covered for 2 sits plus a small back suitcase area 150ksh)

The way was short, around 10 min.. the views are incredible, you can see the real Kenya . Animals like cows, dogs, sheerts, chikens in the middle of the road, people walking long distance and loads of young kids by themselves plying on the road with dangerous things..
A very typical thing kids do in Kenya when they see a “MOSUNGO” (a white color skin person), is to say “How are you?” whatever you answer they don’t understand coz they don’t speak English because they are young, if you don’t answer them, they can still shouting “how are you musungo” till go have gone .. heheh I'ts really cute and annoying sometimes hehe but I love it.. They are so cute!!!
Ok so, I got at home! Buff long trip till here hee!! Hehehe The house I'm living in is of the owner of the organization, James. The house has 2 bedrooms (one for him, and one with 4 beds for the volunteers) .At this moment we are just Bea and myself. Next to us lives James’s brother “Samu” In a similar house…
That day Bea showed me around Rhonda.

She introduce me to James family.
Every night ,we have to go to James’s mum house to have dinner, so we did it and then directed to our beds… Finally off to sleep!!!! Tomorrow will be the first day at Melon!!! I really want to meet these children 
Good night everyone…

Collecting ...

If I am going to Kenya, I can´t go with my hands empty!
First we decided to collect clothes and shoes

Thanks so much to everyone who give clothes...

Thanks for the shoes!!!!
Many people wanted to donate clothes from Spain and other countries but It was so expensive to send it to Kenya, so we decided give to people the possibility to donate money :)
In Kenya everything is cheaper so with a little money here we can do a lot in Kenya!
Collecting started with this note on Facebook...

As some of you already know and still others will share this wonderful experience with me, I'm going to Kenya, volunteering at MELON AFRICA, a school situated in Rhonda, one of the 'slums' of Nakuru, a town about three hours from Nairobi, the capital.
Melon Africa Organization
Since 2003 education in Kenya is 'public' but not mandatory.Writing published in quotation marks. as for families if they want to send their children to school, this will cost money (school supplies, uniform, economic aid for the cole etc ...) that sometimes they can not afford. That's the main reason why many school-age children can not afford the 'luxury' to study
Currently there are 450 children in Melon Africa who are not charged anything to attend classes or by the meal (most often miserable) serving at noon.
The history of each child and the reasons for that are here are different, some are orphans who have lost their parents due to illness, others are rescued children directly from the street or we also found children whose families are extremely poor.
Education might not be the best as there are few teachers (all volunteers) for many children and few resources but it is always better than beeing on the street and end up stealing, prostituting or sniffing glue (very common to see these cases in the streets of any city in Kenya)
At this point I will say that I do not trust in orgs, that is the main reason for going there. I want to see and make sure that if I spend money that I dont really have is for the kids and not for rich people!
Now I'm sure because me and my friend Beatrice (who is there already) will pay, buy and share. I would like to share with you, and if someone is able and willing to help, you can be 100% sure that it wont go to anyone other than children.
The first idea that occurred to me was to make shipments of clothes, toys, school supplies, etc ... (That many times if our surplus) but I've heard that a shipment of 10 kg from Spain or Malta to Kenya is 180 euros, which is not worth it ...
Anyway, if anyone knows a better way and cheaper we can discuss (and sometimes the ideas are even better than money).
So seeing how expensive the shipping is and how cheap things are there, I thought that really the money best, however slightly.For instance, I will say that 12 books of 96 pages each 1 euro slopes change, which means that for 1 euro (we spent on any bullshit and we do not even come for a coffee) 12 children have to write to the least a month. It's amazing, I know.
They eat on the floor and plates needed to be washed as soon as they finish it as there are not enough plates.
This is the first time I do this and not know where to begin or whether it will work, but if not try never know.

I thought to list the main objectives of the organization and a list of some prices of things in Kenya to give you an idea.
1 - Melon has, say, two areas to house 450 children. One is the Nursery School, where classes are the smallest and the kitchen and the other is the Primary School, where classes are boys 6 to 16 years. Rented accommodation are two (close together) but separated.
Expires in December of the Nursery School rent so no place to stay for the kids and will have to regroup them all where they are now the primary.
So this would be (and is) the first target. Getting money to buy a land and to build a school there for everyone.
For more information about this topic and many others you can visit www.melonafrica.org.
2 - Food: They eat a ration every day at school (many of them just that in the whole day) and the size of the ration, sometimes leaves much to be desired.
It is always the same. Ugali (corn paste insipida very typical here in Kenya) and some vegetables. In some photos from the album Melon Africa on Facebook * * you can see it.
Since my friend Bea is been there (about a month and a half) has been different food (rice, lentils, potatoes ...) only when the volunteers have purchased.
To get an idea of the prices of food:
Pasta: 10 Kg 1070 KSH (about 8 euros) and about 30 pounds of pasta a day eat all.
Rice: 25 Kg 2600 KSH (about 20 euros) and 25 kg of rice a day also eats all.
We also looked at the price of different types of vegetables, fruit, milk, potatoes, etc ... and all are like that. With a little effort and could change the food at least once a week.
You can not imagine the faces of joy to see, for example, instead of Ugali rice on the plate.
If anyone wants to know the price of something concrete or send money for something in particular no longer has to ask:)
This time just Ugali, they still happy having something to eat
3 - School supplies: There is a shortage. It is very common to enter a class and see that someone can not do the exercise the teacher sent because doesnt have a book or simply watch how 4 children are sharing a pencil in Spain or Malta we had already retired long ago.
To give you an idea of the prices of school supplies wholesale:
Ksh 12 121 books (about one Euro)
Ksh 178 25 pens (1.20 euros)
72 pencils ksh 152 (1.10 euros)
The price of erasers or pencils sharpened less than one euro cent per unit. The crayons are also very cheap, a box of about 12 euro.
Are also important textbooks for teachers, so they can guide them when to teach. I have not been informed about the prices of textbooks, but I imagine it will not be very high.
Check out the face of this child with the new book Beatriz bought for her.
4 - Sponsorship: In Melon is also carried out a program to sponsor children. For more information about this topic you can visit or send a private www.melonafrica.org for any specific questions.
5 - Clothing & Footwear: If some of you are interested in sendingmoney for clothes and shoes (the shoes are much more important because it is very common to see barefoot children in school) Its difficult to get good prises in the market being white (mzungu). But we can always haggle. For my part, and I have 46 kilos between clothesand shoes to take with me on the plane this Sunday. The airline which im flying with I am allow to take 46 klilos( more a hand luggage for me). Thanks to Irene, Luke, Elenor, Ana, Priscilla and her entire family and more people. THANK YOU.
I leave an account number Caja Madrid
2038 1774 3430 0097 2726
For people in Malta, you can give me in hand.
If you urge to send something, you can tell me private and the amount that you prefer us to use it. This is something I have noteven clear how to do so accept suggestions:) So far I have thought about taking photos of things that go shopping with your money and tag you on Facebook, commenting on the photo that such person has made it possible for many children to have notebooks or food or whatever you want. What you think?
A little bit for us is much for them! The minimum income limit will be about 0.01 cents. Please do not be ashamed to enter or give me some money and at the end do not give anything by not being able to give much.

Ah! Finally, and did not want to forget this, I would like to explainit is called Melon Melon. It seemed incredible when I explained it.
In English, it says watermelon water melon, watermelon andgrows wild in dry and even, ironically is a very sweet fruit andplenty of water, a favorite in Kenya and good for quenching your thirst on hot summer days . Well, as happens with these children melon, having nothing and grow in dry and arid insideare rich, intelligent and with a big heart:)

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this:)

a hug
THANK YOU !!!
THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO IS COLLABORATING...
I wanted to post here a comment from a person I dind´t even meet know, I got really impressed.
Ana Manzano: Mi hija Marta, que está a punto de cumplir 4 años y en breve empezará el cole, me ha preguntado al ver las fotos y le he explicado. Ha ido a por su mochila, cuadernos y colores y me ha dicho que ella se los regala. Pero le he explicado que mejor es mandar dinero y desde allí se les compra lo que necesiten y la pobre me ha traído su hucha. Luego iremos a hacer el ingreso de nuestra pequeña aportación. Y oajalá nadie deje de hacerlo por poco que sea, que de euro en euro, cuantos más nos animemos más sumamos...
As well I want to say a special Thanks to my mum and Inma.. I know how things are in Spain right now, and specially for you girls, even like that I din´t even need to talk to you about this donation.. As soon as you read it on Facebook I got the donation in my account. It means a lot for me I LOVE YOU MUM, I LOVE YOU INMA!
Of course thanks to everyone else.. I will thank you posting here everything we bought for them.. Thankssss
As I am in Malta I wanted my friends in Malta to colaborate so I did a "charity box" and I left it in my job MINT.

I must really Thanks to everyone at mint! Waiters donate their tips, clients collaborated a lot.. I learnt something here, I realized that the people who less money have put a lot of money and people who actually have much more did not even put... Thanks to everyone.. We recollect a lot!!!!!
Il-Gabbana donated their tips also... A lot!!! Thanks very much to all the waiters who donated it!!! Thanks
Irene did a "charity box" for Combino Pharm, Her job in Malta..

Thanks to all Combino Pharm!!!
Bea from Kenya was the one who started all this about donation! We tried to help as much as we could.. She gave her account number too so for sure she got some donation too... :)))
Kids are really gonna appreciate all this guys!! Thanks, really thanks ... Today is the day im going to Kenya, and let me say we recollect about 500€ in just 4 days more or less... Thank you

Aims

The Aims on Kenya´s adventure are :
Spend four weeks in Melon Africa ORG/ONG with children.

SAFARI in Massai Mara which is a larga Sabana with Lions, Hippopotamus, Rhinoceros, Cheetahs, Hyenas.. or in Amboseli National Park which has views of Kilimanjaro, Elephants, Zebras, Buffalo ...

Visit to Mombasa and its paradise beaches. Diani Beach one of the best...

Lamu, Kenya's oldest town, was one of the original Swahili settlements along coastal East Africa

Lago Nakuru with millions of flamingos..

And of course Nairobi, Kenyan Capital.

At the moment that is all.. hehehe Another Aim is to take the flight back.. ??¿¿¿ hehehe

Things to do before go ...

First thing to do was "book the flights" from Madrid or from Mlata?? I didnt have time to go to Spain so I booked them from Malta.
Malta - Nairobi... Nairobi -M adrid 480€ No bad :)

Second and very important things to do.. Get vaccinate!!

17/08/2011 I went to Floriana Clinic in Malta and I got my first Hep A + B vaccinate (45,66€) and Typhoid (17,29€) Total 72,95€ :(
24/08/2011 Hap A + B (45,66€), Yellow Fever (39,85€) Plus first Malaria pill (One per week a total of 10 pills 20€) !!!
My arms start hurting :( But im happy :))
31/08/2011 Meningito (23.05€) and Boootrix (32.74€)
03/09/2011 Hep A + B (45.66€)
Insect repellents with D.E.E.T (four of them 20€)

... And I am ready to go to Kenya hehehehe

When everything started...

Winter 2010-2011
I was in Nyc with Beita Vila. We were planning what to do after Nyc.. She came up with the idea of going to Kenya, Africa to do a volunteer.(excuse me? Kenya) No way! The idea of the volunteer was not the problem. The problem was Africa. I have never thought in going to Africa... She was for months trying to convince me to go with her but at the end she went to Kenya...

and I went to Malta (A small Island in the Mediterranean)

Summer is running out, she fell in love with Kenya, the children, friends and culture..Me .. Me bufff Malta is good for the first summer, everything new, you are always excited about everything and everyone you meet. Even for the second time you still excited and I must confess Malta was amazing on the third time I came here, But I guess fourth times are to many and after Nyc it was a big big change hehehe Anyways It was great but I should have spen the whole summer with Beita taking care of kids in Kenya.. I have decided to go to Kenya in two weeks! :)
I will go there for one month, I will stay in Melon Africa Organitation in Nakuru, a small village three hours away from Nairobi (Kenyan capital) The plan is spend there four weeks while we travel around.