bending_sickle | Presses down on her like the news of a death, the death of her own heart...* (Reply)

...like the loss of everything she's ever loved.*

Rabies injection site is still pinkish (whee!), raised and tender. Itches too. :(

Remember Gloria from my last post, the one who killed my internship's metaphorical puppy?

Before you read this, keep in mind that I'm going to be working in a National Park, where only morons go about at night, and occasionally going to Maasai manyattas (villages), and not a) big cities or b) poor shanty towns. Why Amboseli National Park? There's collared lions that have been tracked for the past 2 years and the umbrella project is centered on that area, being the Amboseli Lion Project.

I'm editing Gloria's email for spelling, and adding omgwtf emphasis in bold. I'm keeping the wacked-out Dutchified grammar.

As the Kenya case still bothers me, (even although [Supervisor's] daughter is going there too). I made this morning a phonecall to the Ministry of Foreign affairs to get more info. They stick to their written advice, which is still up-to-date to their opinion. In short: you should be vigilant all times, muggings and armed attacks by gangs really occur at any time. You should never go outside in the dark, you should never walk (but use the car with chauffeur all the times). A white nose = money = robbery. You need a very good guidance from the first till the last minute of your stay. They find it absolute unsafe to do fieldwork alone. (They suggest you to do the fieldwork in TANZANIA if possible as there are also MAASAI people and lions)

Please have also a severe look to the UK Government travel advise about Kenya: (which saves me the exact translation of the Dutch site of our Ministry of Foreign affairs as it is even more extensive:)

FCO.gov.uk's Travel Advice: Kenya

[Sickle], please forward it to your parents, discuss it and ask them if they still want you to go.

Later this week I'll discuss this matter further with my boss, [...], and with [Supervisor], after which it is decided whether you can go or not.

I am sorry I can not be more positive

Mom's response? (Translated and spliced from 3 emails.)

Either this woman is an alarmist or [Supervisor] is irresponsible.

It's always been that way: never go outside in the dark. I remember the fear I used to have driving less than 1 km from [Friend's] house, for example. Or that coming back from someplace late at night I'd get a flat tire... In sum, I don't know, was the woman not up to date with anything??? I don't get it.

We haven't been able to talk to anyone from the Mexican embassy of Nairobi. (It's late.)

I think the situation is perhaps a bit worse than before the elections, but even so I find this woman really alarmist. As if right when you arrive to the airport you were signing a death sentence. Sure this isn't paradise, there's no doubt about that... You couldn't travel at night on the highway before, either. I'm quite clear on that. And avoid the matatos [Note: typo? safari car? folks?], definitely. But hey.

And what about [Supervisor]? I think he's very careless, I don't know, not putting any interest in some things...

In memory of Miriam Makeba (4 March 1932 - 9 November 2008), South African singer, civil rights activist and "Mama Afrika", here are some of her songs.

Pata Pata (live 1979) - A classic of hers

Kawuleza (live 1966, with historical and language explanation)

Akana Nkomo (live 1966, with cultural explanation)

Ask the Rising Sun (live 1966)

When I've Passed On (live 1966)

Malaika (live, audio only) - A classic song sung by many. Also, ♥

Soweto Blues (live with Hugh Masekela, 1987) - Oh gods, apartheid.

Africa Is Where My Heart Lies (live 2008)

Unembeddable but awesome and one of her classics:
The Click Song (live 1979 - With language explanation. (Xhosa)
The Click Song (live 1966)

ETA: The Click Song, studio version (but its better live, so listen to that first).

Oh gods, you wonderful woman you. ♥

Links of the Day:
News: Politics:
TheEditingRoom's W: The Abridged Script - The George W. Bush Years
's Barack Obama: The 50 Facts You Might Not Know - Harry Potter ftw!