Patience is a virtue

It has been a busy week since my family left. On Monday morning I met with a woman from African Flying Doctors. They have an educational part of their organization where they train nurses. They're very interested in integrating my program into what they do. My goal now in these last months is to train as many people as possible so that when I leave the project goes on. Everyone is so enthusiastic about it and the need is so clearly there that I hope that goal will be met. On Tuesday I went to the village for a few days to check on how the classes were going there. I traveled with Nicholas, the head of the village, Joseph the Kenyan nurse who works there and our driver Justin. We had a very late start leaving Nairobi so most of the travel was in the dark. We stopped in Machakos, the last "city" of any size before you reach the rural area and the bush. We arrived quite late so had to go deep into the city to find a place to eat. I felt very safe with the guys, and was able to eat some real African food. Which, to Nicholas's amazement I actually ate and enjoyed. We got to listen to some music and hang out with some local people. The rest of the drive was as quick as road conditions would allow as we were all tired and anxious to get there. I listened to my IPOD and watched the stars through the car window, I mostly hid behind the supplies we were carrying so nobody would know there was a mizungo in the car, they only had me show my face at the police checks. There my presence increased the likelihood of a wave through. We were all glad to finally arrive. The classes are going well and Joseph is enjoying teaching them. I really love being there now, I walk through the village and people call out my name in greeting, I'm known there now and it feels very good. Late Wednesday night I had to help Joseph clean out a wound on the bottom of a little girl's foot, using a scalpel blade a needle and a flashlight, no electricity. The hug and whispered thank you I got from her was so touching, especially when she told Joseph that I was the village nurse too.
On Friday I had to go to Nairobi to get my visa extended. When it was extended in April it was only for 3 months. There has been all sorts of confusion as to what kind of visa I need because even though the Fulbright grant is a student grant I am not affiliated with a school here and I'm not a professor. The one year visa I paid for and got from the Kenyan embassy in DC was stamped for 3 months when I arrived in January. Anyway, the minister of science and technology had told me to come to his office on Friday and they would give me a letter explaining my status to take to immigration. When we climbed up the 10 flights of stairs and got there the man who was supposed to do it decided that I didn't need it, he wasn't going to do it,it was my problem and an immigration problem not their problem. Of course the minister was not there. He finally agreed to call and speak to immigration. They told him to send me over with a copy of my research permit. I had the permit back at Nyumbani but didn't bring it, since my phone and copy of my passport were stolen on a matatu, I am a bit hesitant to carry originals with me. I was uneasy enough having lots of shillings and my passport with me. The man told me I had to go back to Nyumbani and get the original permit.The whole time he is sitting there with their copy of my permit. When I told him it would take hours, he yelled at me and said well I had all day to do it! He finally agreed to make me a copy. Then it was down 10 flights of stairs, the elevators weren't working, across downtown Nairobi dodging peddlers, beggars, traffic, crowds over to the immigration building, a big yellow monstrosity. I was fortunate to have a Kenyan, Richard, from Nyumbani with me. We go there and the line for the elevator was out the door so we trudged again up 6 flights of stairs to meet Mr. Otumbe, who proceeded to yell at me that this was all highly irregular, that Nyumbani should have applied for a work permit for me if I was going to be here for more than 6 months. He takes out a copy of the immigration law and angrily points to the section about work permits and says I should have known that, I asked him where I would have gotten a copy of it and he said it wasn't available to the public. I tried to explain that I wasn't working, they weren't paying me, it was a student grant from the US State Dept., he grabbed my passport and papers, said he had to discuss this with someone higher up, and stomped off. Richard and I sat and waited, and waited. finally he returned and pretty much rudely repeated what he had said before. He then decided that perhaps, yes, the best idea would be for me to leave the country, actually leave East Africa, for a few days, then return and they would give me another 3 month stamp. He suggested a 2 day bus trip to Rwanda. And his cousin can recommend a bus company. I'm thinking I have to go on a bus to Rwanda? Then, he reaches down and takes out and puts on a hat that says "say no to corruption" Richard and I just look at each other, I don't know whether to laugh, cry, or just slug him. "Fulbright scholar arrested for assaulting immigration official." Upon further discussion he finally realized that I had left the country and returned in June, he examines my passport again and discovers that above the stamp dated June 5th there was some illegible writing that extended my visa until September 5th! Which I of course couldn't read and had never been told. Off he stomped again to the "higher up" as this was new information and even more highly irregular. Once again we waited,and waited. Finally he returned and said: Come back on monday.
We all just sat and looked at each other for awhile, then he begrudgingly said, have nyumbani write a letter explaining your role, we will extend you until November 18th. BUT YOU MUST LEAVE THE COUNTRY ON NOVEMBER 18th.
Richard was profusely apologizing for it all, had only planned on showing me the route between buildings but had decided he couldn't leave me to fight the war alone. I took him to lunch to thank him and the waitress screwed up the whole order.
I go back on Monday.
TIA This is Africa.
Kuwa salama (stay safe)and Happy Birthday Officer Tim, xoxoxo little boy Happy 5th Anniversary E and B