My Security Guard is Wooing Me

At the beginning of my time in Nairobi, my host mom told me to become friendly with the guards who watch the gates of Magiwa Estate. This way if I was ever having a problem with someone following me home they would know me and take care of the issue. Unfortunately I think I did this a little too well… I’m now being wooed by Baraza, one of the Magiwa guards.

Baraza and me, back when I was unaware of his love

We would always smile at each other and I’d greet him with my newly-learned Swahili, things were normal enough. Then one day last week he blurted out what I thought was ‘I love you!’ as I left. Certain that I’d heard him wrong I ignored it, but the next day it became clear that I’d heard right. He handed me this note:

Jane, one of the MSID staff, said that if we’re ever being pursued by a Kenyan guy like this to say that we have a boyfriend—that way their feelings aren’t hurt and they usually don’t continue the chase. So next time I saw Baraza I gently made up a story and told him that I had a boyfriend back in America. I must not have gotten the point across, because the next day I received a full 2 page version of the above note, along with a rose. Coincidently, my made-up American boyfriend and I just happened to get engaged the day after that… Baraza understood that one and the two of us are back to friendly smiles and Swahili greetings now, mission accomplished!