TIPS AND TRICKS FOR DEALING WITH JET LAG

• Adjust one hour at a time to the time zone in Kenya starting 5-7 days earlier
• As you travel to Kenya (and home) try to get onto that time zone’s schedule as soon as possible. So for example, I leave SFO in the evening and I’ll try to sleep on the way to Amsterdam. Then from the time I get to Amsterdam until Nairobi, I’ll try to stay awake - because I arrive in NBO at 10pm at night. So I want to be tired, very tired, by the time I get to the hotel.
• Keep caffeine low on the trip there.
• On the plane trip, hydrate a lot. Get electrolyte packets (recommended in packing list section).
• On the first night (and maybe on subsequent nights) after arriving in Kenya (or home) take something to help you sleep. I’ve tried all the natural stuff, and I find that a benadryl knocks me out enough to help me feel somewhat better the next day. Even when I’ve arrived in a place and felt exhausted and thought surely I’d sleep through the night, I haven’t--and so after much trial, I’ve found that drugging myself like this helps the most.

COMMUNICATING: HOME AND OUT AND WITHIN

• Be sure that you turn off roaming data on your phone once you leave the US! And/or talk to you phone provider company and make very very certain what their international roaming rates are. You could be billed literally thousands of dollars if you don’t turn it off.
• We strongly encourage you to stay away from devices as much as possible until we’re at the hotel during personal or down time so that we can be fully present and totally engaged. And we (Carol & Elena) will be sharing our adventures on Social Media at least a dozen times a day. Your loved ones will be able to follow your adventures this way.
• And so, we’ll be posting on these sites:
  • Bright Morning’s Facebook site
  • Kenya Big Picture Learning’s Facebook site
  • Elena’s Instagram page: elena_aguilar_writer
• There is WiFi at the hotel, however, you may want to consider renting something like this portable WiFi thing. It may be possible to purchase a SIM card for a phone in Kenya, but I’ve found that to be a tricky thing to do in other countries. The only reason you might want or need WiFi when we’re not at the hotel is if you really feel anxious not being able to be reached. And if that’s the case, it’s ok. I understand!
• Once we get to Kenya, we will provide you with a phone number that loved ones can call in an emergency. Each group will have a cell phone with them when visiting schools - so baring power outages and areas where there isn't strong signal, we'll be reachable.
• You are also welcome to give your family my cell phone (Elena): (510) 712-0724. It'll be on at all times, however, I'll have it on Do Not Disturb between about 10pm and 6am. But they are most welcome to call or text if they need to reach you and can't.
• You are also welcome to call or text me (Elena) at any point on your travels to Nairobi, or when we're there. Put my cell into your phone now so that it's there just in case.

PHOTOGRAPHY

One of our hopes for this experience is that you capture it and take it home with you - and we literally mean, capture it in photographs. We hope that upon returning to the US you’ll share the stories of Nairobi and the kids in Kibera with your communities - and yes, we also hope that this might be connected to further fundraising efforts on your part. I’m absolutely sure that after this visit, you’ll be motivated to inspire others to support the work of Kenya Big Picture and so we want you to have visual documentation.

However. We also want to be extremely mindful about how we document our experience given the inherent power dynamics in this learning exchange. There’s a long and ugly history of Westerners exploiting people around the world through their cameras--taking photos when they shouldn’t, taking photos and profiting on those images, taking photos that reduce a human being to just their poverty. And so, we will insist on supreme mindfulness when taking photos. Towards that end, here are some useful guidelines for ethical photography.

That said, if you are inclined to take photos--bring your camera! Bring lenses and whatever you want! Kibera is very safe and we can walk around with cameras dangling off of us. A professional Kenyan photographer will also accompany us and will capture the experience. If you would prefer not to take photos or deal with a camera, we will have a large gallery of photos available for you to use.

OTHER RANDOM TRAVEL RELATED

MONEY, CARDS, CASH:

• You may want to have some Kenyan Shillings - $100 - $200 if you want to purchase souvenirs from people who don't take cards (such as a basket weaver). We suggest you change money at the airport in Nairobi or withdraw cash from an ATM there at the airport. It is very safe to withdraw money there - there is a lot of security at the airport. Do take the time to calculate the exchange rate because you'll be asked to withdraw money in Kenyan Shillings - and if you've been traveling for 30 hours, that math can be challenging (at least it was for me last year. I ended up asking the security guard to help me figure out the math because I was so confused. He was very kind).
• If you are going to take and possibly use any credit or debit cards, make sure to tell your bank. Many banks have a place on their online bank services where you can do this, or call, and tell them the dates you’ll be out of the country and where you might use them. Include any layover locations. Otherwise if you try to use your card in Amsterdam for a cup of coffee they may decline it. And after 12 hours of travel, you may want that coffee.
• It’s always good to carry some dollars with you. Take bills in various denominations, make sure that they are all newer than 2010, and that they are all super crisp and clean and untorn.

EATING IN KENYA

We will make sure that the food we eat is healthy and safely prepared, but these are some general guidelines for traveling in underdeveloped pockets of the world:

• Do not eat uncooked vegetables you did not wash, dry, and cut yourself (Unless from trusted restaurants - the restaurants we’ll eat in are trusted)
• Do not drink unfiltered water.
• When ordering juice or ice at a restaurant, make sure they used filtered water to prepare it.
• Don’t buy ice cream from street vendors.
• Only eat meat if it is well-done and still hot.
• Also know that travel, jet lag and anti-malaria meds can upset your stomach a bit and so you may want to bring your favorite remedies for dealing with digestive issues.
• Also: Don't wash your teeth with tap water.