One Month

I celebrated my one-month anniversary of being in Kenya on the first of October. I was able to look back at the time I have spent here so far, how I felt at the beginning of the trip, how I feel now, and what I expect to experience before I leave.

I remember when I arrived that I felt amazed and helpless. First of all amazed because of all the little things that were different. The unpaved roads and sidewalks, the goats, the chickens, the stray dogs, the fruit/veggie markets, the traditional clothing, baboons, etc. It was amazing and I was in sensory overload. During orientation especially I felt ecstatic at being in Kenya, and I was looking forward to my home stays, the internship, and learning more about Kenya.

But I also felt incredibly helpless. I couldn’t even buy something in a store by myself! I couldn’t walk down the street alone, I couldn’t catch a bus, couldn't do anything. The program did a good job of scaring the shit out of us, telling us that everyone was out to get us. While Nairobi is dangerous and you have to be careful, Kenyans are generally incredibly generous and helpful. I was so afraid because of what people had told me.

However, with time I adjusted. All in all, I adjusted very well! There were little ups and downs, and there definitely still are. There were days when I’d wake up grumpy, or when the cultural confusion (which is perpetual) was too much to handle. But most days I was able to go with the flow and not be too homesick. So far I’ve had maybe one really bad day but it has passed, and now I know that all of those bad days will pass and that I will feel good again about being here and about what I’m doing.

So now, I feel much less helpless. I can take a bus downtown, I can walk alone when it’s light out, and I can even do some weak bargaining for the things that I need around town. While I am still constantly confused and have plenty of cultural bang-ups to keep the American laughing, I feel more in control of my surroundings and myself. I am still amazed sometimes at this country and these people. Sometimes I’ll just laugh and say to myself, “I’m in AFRICA!” It just sounds so silly. So far I can say I’ve been stung by a scorpion, mountain biked with zebras, ridden a camel, and made significant cultural connections. I’m happy! Of course, I am looking forward to my rural home stay and to the internship portion of this program. That’s really why we came, to be challenged and to be in a very different location, and the rural areas will certain satisfy both of those desires!

As for Kenya itself, I am just beginning to understand the diversity that is this country. On one hand you have the Westernized cities, with running water and electricity. There are a few shopping malls and even pizza (no McDonald’s and no Wal-Mart, thank goodness) to satisfy those American urges we have. There are cars and nice homes and people who understand where you come from.

But within those same cities are the slums where people don’t necessarily have running water or electricity. They, in many cases, have 8 people in a small tin shack smaller than a typical dorm room. You can imagine where they go to the bathroom, and what they’re eating. Without any city planning, the shacks are very close together and there are no planned streets. Someone unfamiliar with them can be dangerously lost because the shacks quickly become dense and complicated. The police cannot search for or chase someone in the slums because of how complicated the area is. The lack of urban planning leads to more infrastructure and safety problems than I can imagine.

Outside of the cities are the traditional people living in small houses made of organic material, or again, some sort of metal shack. These areas are a fascinating mix of Western and traditional (those are the best words I can think of), where nearly everyone has a cell phone and a watch. However, these areas are also underdeveloped in that they do not have hospitals or resources in that area. Kenya has pooled its resources into the cities, leaving behind a number of people who could share some of those resources.

And I have only been in a small area of Kenya! I haven't been to Western Kenya, or to the coast. So much to learn! This is an exciting and a complicated place that has been influenced by colonialism, capitalism, traditional values, tribal conflict, and other factors I haven't delved into yet. So much to learn!