We've Settled Into Our Place!

Emily and I missed breakfast, of course, so all we could get for food was a rather nondescript muffin and a cappuccino at the Hilton’s Café American. We sat there nibbling, wishing we had more food, and reading the International Herald Tribune.

Dami and Mercy (our hostess here in Nairobi) arrived to pick us up at noon. We loaded our bags into the back of the cab, and then decided to take the time (since we were downtown) to get some Kenyan money and see if we couldn’t find SIM cards for our cell phones and Internet aircards.

I wasn’t sure what to expect in Nairobi, but I have to say that the most refreshing thing is the skyline. There are only a couple skyscrapers, the highest of which is maybe 35 stories. Nairobi may be a bustling metropolis of four million people, but the downtown still retains a comfortable charm, or quaintness. Here, the stampede of human feet holds precedent over cars. McDonalds is non-existent, but Wimpy Burger is everywhere. Nairobi’s main drag, four-lane Kenyatta Avenue, snakes through the city and connects the outlying areas – from slums to rich estates.
 Dotting the way are palm trees, lush green plants, and suicidal buses called matatus — fast rides distinguishable by their splashy paint-on names such as Ice Cube, Manchester United, and Player Hater.

At about 2, the cab brought us “home,” which for the next two weeks will be Mercy’s apartment. She has a wonderful three bedroom flat about a half a mile from the hospital we’ll be volunteering at. It’s a great place! Just what we need and she’s an amazing hostess. She is only 21 – a 3^rd year medical student – and while she absolutely looks 21 she carries herself with such sophistication she could easily be much older. We’re so very lucky to be staying with her!

Mercy took us to a nearby mall, which was great because we were all starving and they had really good food. Emily and I both had Indian and loved it.
It’s funny – being here is such culture shock that it’s almost overwhelming. I almost feel as though my brain is short-circuiting, or maybe just completely shutting down. I know this is only temporary, but it is still a weird feeling. I suppose it’s healthy.

We took a matutu back to the apartment. This is one of those suicidal buses that involves what looks like an old VW Vanagon covered in all sorts of bumper stickers. In addition to a driver, there’s a full-time guy who keeps track of when people want to get in/out. It’s so funny – he opens the sliding door LONG before the van stops. It’s quite the adventure. For 20 KSH, you can pretty much go anywhere you need to go.

When we got out, we had a little walk back to the apt. On the way we were suddenly presented with the overwhelming smell of marijuana. Emily and I looked at each other and started laughing. Dami looked confused. “What??” We explained and she said “oh – I thought that was just car smoke.” That’s the new name for pot: car smoke.