Whoa there Betty!

I’ve made it to the magical land, limbs and all, accompanied by some 15 other fine US students on my program. Though we’ve come to study how development really works, my first impressions of Kenya have been confined to a very wealthy part of town. Amid fleeing from a very slow giraffe named Betty a few minutes away from our hostel, I was able to make out the plethora of mansions dotting the countryside outside Nairobi. The district of Karen is home to the vice president, ministers of all sorts, and a large portion of the mzungu (white) population in Nairobi. Imagine a European-style Hamptons with a splash of colonial fervor. That’s our home for the next 4 days as we get acquainted with this little corner of the world often seen as the capital of East Africa.

Kiswahili lessons gave me a lickin’ last night, but Mama Mary (our language coordinator) has declared that we will be fluent within one week if she has anything to do with it. We’ve been out and about a bit too, kicking up clouds of dirt as we kareem through town in our big neon pink bus named the Jazz Quartet. Interior lighting is provided by a number of black lights. Did somebody say rave? I’ve been a bit hesitant to talk with Kenyans when we’re in town. Even if they speak English, which most everyone in Nairobi does, I’m still a bit intimidated. But I’ve learned that the key to starting a sweet conversation lies in your ability to show respect and pick up on subtle queues. When in conversation, many people living in Kenya tend to avoid addressing a topic, issue, or problem directly. It’s just the norm to dance around and imply a message rather than just say it bluntly. This linguistic tradition perforates all types of conversation, and its something that takes a bit of practice to pick up on. I just really want to walk up to someone, start a conversation, and walk away two hours later having learned all about there is to know about life. But I guess that just takes some time.

Today, we spilt into groups to explore different parts of Nairobi. I got to go on a little excursion to the train/bus station with a few other students. What a hoppin place. We kinda just walked around and talked to as many people as we could. Once you get past the whole conversation-starting dealio, Kenyans tend to really open up, especially if you try and throw a few Kiswahili words into the mix. The bus station was home to an army of Matatus, the legendary vans that shuttle people all over Nairobi at all kinds of breakneck speeds. Generally, a Matatu driver will wait until their van is full of people before they will depart for their destination. The fullness of a matatu defies all rules of physical space as goods and commuters are squeezed into every nook and cranny.

Other groups visited the Kenyatta Hospital, University of Nairobi, and a women’s hospital. We had a marathon discussion afterwards as a big group, which is an awesome mix of students who have had some amazing experiences and who are very passionate about international development work. It really adds another element of learning and growth when everyone around you is so focused and driven towards a common goal, kinda like at Colby. But for me, I’m becoming interested in ideas of the media’s influence on public opinion, especially as it relates to development. Questions of how Kenya should develop seem to be at the forefront of many people’s minds, and the local papers and television stations comment on this topic quite frequently. Freedom of speech in Kenya is very progressive and the two major papers in Nairobi, the Daily Nation and the Standard, can comment and critique on whatever they wish without fear of repercussions by the government. In many ways, the media is able to offer more accurate and holistic perspectives than media sources in the US. For a developing nation, freedom of speech can oftentimes be limited or controlled by the ruling power, but its sweet to see this unique media environment here in East Africa.

Over and out Houston.