Embracing Nairobi, experiencing UN

About a year ago, an MHC alumna who had worked in UN Environmental Program told me that it was a critical time for UNEP, in the aftermath of the Kenya political turmoil and UNEP's own internal changes. It would be a good timing if you were interested...Yeah sure, I said, life and death, I am interested, just need to wait until I get my masters and Phds.

Or maybe I don't have to. UN is always in need of college students to labor for it anyway. It worked out between me and UNEP.

Now Kenya's new power-sharing government has been once again stabilized (both sides realized the cost of damage done to their once relatively stable prosperous country). A serious of activities led me here, even Satinder, the director of the communication divison who made me a recommendation was surprised to see me here. You never know. Stepping into the security gate, and walking alongside the 200-sth national flags that lead to the main office building, my heart cramped. I dont even remember since when I had the obsession with UN. This was historical for me.

UNEP and CYCAN has had long standing collaboration over the past. A lot of what I will be doing could be largely drawn from my experience working with CYCAN with youth outreach, media relations. Our focus for this summer will be on the promotion of World Environmental Day (http://www.unep.org/wed/2010/english/) on our Chinese website and social networking site RenRen (the Chinese version of facebook, basically), and the later the same for UNEP's opening in the Shanghai Expo and other media events with two Chinese actresses, also UN goodwill ambassodors. It is therefore the "China Gang"'s job to get the words out via online media. Just a side promotional tip, this year's WED goes in tandem with the UNEP's campaign on International Year of Biological Diversity. Right now a three-week long conference (http://www.cbd.int/) is going on right here. It has the same model as the COP 15 in Copenhagen.

The office is really lively and friendly. One can find both the UN professionalism and non-profit type of casualness in work attitude and dressing stuff.

On the other hand, I have also been introduced to many Kenyan friends from Africano Youth Initiatives on Climate Change through Energy Crossroads Denmark. In the past two days I have almost met all of them, all of whom tried their best to make me feel part of the family and assure me that I will want to extend my internship for six months... I am soon to get a Swahili name from them as well, and I requested it to have sth to do with food and energy...This is sometoimes the dangerous part as I often have the illusion that wherever you go you will find families there. There is no where on this planet you will be lonely.

Some words on my "settledment"here. Right now i am staying in a guest house owned by an 87-year-old Indian man. It is a big house with five bedromms.But right now there are only two other tenants. One is also an intern at UN-Habitat (a UN division on urban environment and human settlement) from France. The other girl interns at a German TV station but is leaving in two weeks so I can move up to the second floor. There is supposed to be one more guy coming back to the house later. I have not really talked much with my landlord Salim. But just hearing from Christine, he was born here in Kenya. His father was first employeed for the construction of the railway from the costal city Mombassa, to Nairobi to the capital city of Uganda-Canpala. He once owned a plantation here in Africa. He takes good care of the occupants and expect them to treat the house like their own home -- hence the name Home 51. Yet he could get pissed up at us leaving the lights on (oh I like that) and bringing in African friends (racist, hardcore). Another houserule is we cant wash our dishes cuz that;s for the house servant Jackson, who makes excellent Indian food btw.

my office, the division of communications and public information (DCPI)

inside the UN compound

The PASS