a bit of everything all mushed into a few paragraphs…
on our first day our exploring in nairobi, in particular around the kawangware slum, I showed mum the t-intersection where I was hit by the car in 2013. since then, if we’ve been past it she’s sighs, saying “oh victoria” like only a mother can and if she was catholic, i’m certain she’d do the whole sign of the cross thing too. it’s a very funny story now looking back and I am very lucky to be able to laugh about it but yes mum, I do agree I’d hate to be on the receiving end of that phone call also.
one of the days on our safari in the maasai mara, we were encouraged to join in the welcome dance. nobody else wasn’t game enough to do something out of their comfort zone so I obviously put my hand up to join in. the higher a warrior jumps, it means the lesser number of cows he has to pay for his future wife. I am not the highest jumper, or the most graceful. dad was also offered 20 cows for me to marry the tribe chiefs son john (who was super cute, by the way), however I told him I’m worth at least 50. unfortunately he doesn’t have 50 cows – yet.
one thing I never miss about nairobi is the smells. I certainly never miss the smell of shit in the air, or the smell when it’s rubbish day, the constant haze of smoke of people burning their rubbish on the side of the road, the body odour or when buses or matatus spit out thick black smoke right in your face as your walking. my lungs definitely appreciate going home to australia!.
our safari driver thomas told us he affectionately refers to impalas as “money back”, because if you don’t get tired from seeing them on your safari, you need to get your money back. he also taught us a new phrase… “african massage”. it’s what he uses to describe the almost 6 hour drive from nairobi to masaai mara (dirt roads/pot holes, crumbling ashphalt, etc). I had such a giggle. he also took a big liking to me as I’d been in kenya before and can speak a little swahili.
as I’ve written before, when I’m in kenya I wear a wedding ring. in past trips, it’s just been easier to say my husband is at home working or some other excuse as men can be quite relentless in their “flirting” (read: marriage proposals, mostly). however this trip, mum was called “mother in law” by most of the men working at the lodge on our safari, insinuating I was to marry one. because really, there aren’t many 26 year old “married women” who travel with their mother. (but even if I was married, I’d still come to kenya with you mum), one of the guys also told me that “you obviously belong in africa, therefore should marry an african man and I am 30 and you are 26 so this is good”. I can’t 😂 just the brazenness – is that a word?! – how good would life be if everyone just said what they were thinking, asked people out and didn’t beat around the bush? #thesimplelife
our last day at school was so much fun. popcorn and biscuits, sweets and lollipops, fanta and face masks. usually on a friday, sammy (one of the helpers) has music playing and the kids take it in turns to dance in groups. but considering our last day was wednesday and we were having a bit of a party, the dancing started at about 3pm and didn’t finish until at least 5:30pm. these kids have the best moves, so natural, unlike me! I can whip out the old awkward side step, maybe the microwave and the sprinkler, and that’s as adventurous as I can get.
malaria still causes as many issues as it has, with numerous kids at school being treated for it over the past while, including little beth, evelyn’s youngest daughter named after my sister. malaria is a cruel disease which still kills an obscenely huge amount of people in sub-saharan africa each year. we have purchased a further 38 mosquito nets for the newest kids as well as for the remaining kids who hadn’t yet received one from donations from a friend in canada, kelsey. no more mos-kwee-toes (how it’s pronounced here!!). speaking of malaria, you should watch a film called martha and mary.
apparently kenya is going plastic-bag free in august this year. thankgod, is all I can say because this city – as well as all in the countryside – is littered with plastic bags. so much so that they’re impacted into the earth and in some places actually look like the ground is growing plastic. can’t wait to (hopefully) see a difference the next time I’m here and also, find out what they will use instead.
just a little note to all those who have sponsored a child with us… thankyou. I know we’ve said it before but I truly, swear to god, hand on my heart mean it. three weeks ago we arrived in kenya to arrive at school and see all our sponsored kids in their new uniforms. three weeks later, on our last day, a few came to pick up their siblings from little ray and it was so wonderful to see them so happy, smiling with their friends and dirt on their uniforms…. getting to be kids. it’s just fantastic, so thankyou!
many people have written on photos or sent messages saying how amazing it is what I’m doing/what mums doing. that’s very kind however we do next to nothing compared to the day in day out constant work that our staff do. teachers evelyn, rachel and harriet, as well as our cook agnetta, are the ones who do this everyday, every week, every month, during the year. it’s extremely humbling to be a part of and I feel like I am the lucky one. lucky that that almost four years ago, I came across this place and these kids, and then could share so many responsibilities with someone who has fallen in love as much as I have, anna. I admire her so so much for living here and seeing the kids every week. you can see just how much they love her – I wish I could stay for a long time again but it’s just not possible, yet. I was once told a quote by a very wise person: “the two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why”… and I am certain that this place is my why.
until next time, kenya. x
travelling alone 