Preconceived Notions

I think I was pretty well prepared for this journey, although I must admit that many of my preconceived notions were blown away in just my first month here. I thought that Kenya was going to be really hard—that it would be worth it, but that day-to-day life would be something I would have to be really tough get through. Instead I’m finding myself in a really natural rhythm, falling more and more in love with Kenya each day, and I’m surprised by how comfortable I am living here. [As a side note—I found out where my internship is going to be! I’m going to be working in Msambweni Hospital, and I’m SO excited. Msambweni is a really small town on the Indian Ocean about an hour south of Mombasa. I’ll share more details as they come, but my information is taking its sweet Kenyan time getting to me so I’m still pretty in the dark so far.] Anyways, I think that some of the ease that I’m feeling is because Nairobi is such a big and (surprisingly) international city, and I’m prepared for Msambweni to be completely different in this regard. I’m excited for the challenge; I came to Kenya to really get my hands dirty and I’m sure that the internship will be a great opportunity to do this further.

At the same time that I say I’m comfortable here, I’m so proud of myself for adapting and allowing myself to settle in and feel this peace despite conditions that are drastically different than what I’m used to. I haven’t had running water in 2 weeks due to Kenya’s draught, and whenever it rains our electricity is out for at least the rest of the night. I see things on the street, especially when I go to Kibera, which bring me to my knees. This leads to the next preconceived notion I had that was blown away. I was expecting to have an impact here—and I know that in small ways I am and will continue to do so—but far and away Kenya is changing me far more than I could ever change Kenya. It’s a very humbling reality, but I’m starting to allow myself to embrace it rather than to fight it. I have so much to learn and I’m making a conscious effort to soak in not only the beauty of the country and people but also the pain and the struggles. I don’t want to become numb to the cries of street boys begging for a few shillings, I don’t want to stop watching the sunset because I’ve seen it so many times. I want this experience to permeate my very being so I can come home to America and make the most with what I’ve seen and learned and let it shape the course of my life.

Missing you all and sending big Kenyan hugs! As an aside, we were explaining to our Swahili teacher (in Kiswahili) about the Scott Walker situation today. It was challenging and fun and we were able to get our point across pretty well. To sum it all up: “Scott Walker ni mwanasiasa mbaya na hapendi walimu!” ("He is a bad politician and doesn't like teachers!")

A Maasai girl going into her house

Some of the best teachers around

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!

Maasai Land

Simon, one of the MSID staff, was kind enough to take us to his campsite in Ngong Hills on the border of Maasai Land this weekend. It was a great first glimpse of really rural Kenya. We had dinner and watched the sunset over the Ngong Hills—the beauty took my breath away. It was a genuine rural Kenyan experience… for example we found out that our steripens are great at sterilizing the water in Nairobi but fell somewhat short out at the campsite… they can’t quite do their job when there are tadpoles swimming in the bottom of our nalgenes ;) I also got to take my first piki-piki ride—and it was through the Rift Valley! These are motorcycle/mopeds that are common in rural Kenya. Unfortunately there is definitely work for Protec (my favorite Vietnamese helmet company) to do here, as nobody wears helmets. Don’t worry Dad—I kept up a chorus of “polepole!” (“slower, slower!”) whenever my driver would get too crazy. (Oops, on second thought, that probably only worries you more…)

Ngong is on the Southern border of Maasai land, and the campsite is on the edge of the land where Simon grew up and his family still lives today. On the walk to his home he was telling me about his family. I was shocked to hear he’s one of 17 siblings, but it all made a little more sense when he explained that the Maasai are traditionally polygamists and his family has one dad and three moms. The youngest mom is actually younger than Simon.

It was so interesting to hear about traditional Maasai life, and they were so welcoming to allow 24 mzungu’s into their home and beautiful shady yard for almost 3 hours. Simon’s moms were doing traditional Maasai beadwork as we talked, and we had the chance to buy some of their things as we left. One of the most interesting things we learned was that traditionally Maasai men became warriors at age 16, and would kill a lion before marriage to show that they had fully matured. Today lions are relatively scarce and it’s illegal to kill them, so the Maasai have adapted their tradition so that today, finishing school is the ‘lion killing’. I really appreciated how they had to adapt their culture with modernization but didn’t abandon this important part, they just modified it.

We walked back to camp through the land that Simon used to graze sheep and goats on as a young boy. The hike back from his home was the first time that I stopped dead in my tracks in wonderment. This is it... This is Kenya, this is what I’ve been waiting for, this is where I’m supposed to be. I had similar feelings walking through Kibera but the chaos of the slum made it something that I really had to process afterwards. This was such a peaceful experience that I was really able to soak it all in as it was happening and feel the moment grab hold of me. So great.

Our stomping grounds for the weekend

Rift Valley sunsets can't be beat

The path Simon walked every day as a child herding goats and sheep

Simon's moms doing beadwork