No Stars in Nairobi

Phew. I have finally arrived in Nairobi, and for the first time am feeling ok.

Monday and Tuesday were hell, and I am not exaggerating. I totally lost it last night. Complete breakdown. I am so grateful for Rebecca Cobern... she called me and let me totally vent, and yes... cried. I am safe, and no physical harm or robbery happened... just a lot of logistical craziness.

Thankfully today, things got a bit better.

Africa can be HARSH. And Nairobi is not my type of place. I don't like really big cities, I like medium cities. Nairobi is HUGE. It is the London of Africa. And I really don't like London.

I really don't know anyone here, and the people I am in contact with are nice, but not super helpful. There were issues with my accommodation last night. The place I stayed the first night was full, for one night. After a lot of crazy run around I ended up having to spend 4,000 Ksh on a room... that is about 60 dollars! AHHH!! That is WAY out of my budget for sure. And that was just for a room and breakfast. I only ate a small breakfast yesterday... that was it. I guess it was a fast day. This morning I ate a ton at the hotel all you can eat breakfast.

So Nairobi is crazy. But today I feel a lot better about things. I took public transport alone and it was fine. I also got to actually DO something at the Human Rights office, instead of just sitting. I went with Patrick who works in the office to check out so work being done in Kibera.

I love Kibera. It is my kind of place. The people are beautiful, the life is really simple. Hard, smelly, and terrible... but beautiful. I'm getting good at jumping steams of sewage. I met a lot of people and laughed, and listened to the beat of the place. I had lunch in a little restaurant where we watched Gospel music videos and drank water out of coffee mugs. I really like Kibera. I am hoping that there will be more work for me soon, but today was good. Kibera is the type of place I want to be.

You look into the people's eyes and you see their worth. You look around and you see how they have created a like inside of a hole, and that life is actually good. People refer to the people who live in Kibera as "Slum dwellers"... I really don't like that term. It sounds so sinister, so gross. But these are PEOPLE. Human being, so laugh and cry and love. And they are really wonderful people.

I am glad to be seeing an office which is struggling to empower these beautiful people.

So I am now staying at a backpacker place. Not the sort of place I was expecting to end up. But I think it is where I am suppose to be. I'll be staying in a tent, I finally get to use my sleeping bag (with the blankets provided... it's REALLY cold here in Nairobi!!) It's a place for white people really... there are loads of them. But that's ok. I'll survive. Nairobi is expensive... but I am trying to be as cost effective as possible.

I'll hit a grocery store after here and buy a little food so I don't have to buy things at the back packers place. Thankfully everything in Kibera is SUPER cheap... 2 of us had lunch for about 80 cents. Hopefully it won't kill me. ;)

Outside of Kibera, Nairobi could be ANY city. It is so western and ... normal. It is weird. I am glad I am learning to use public transport because taxis are expensive, though sometimes really helpful.

So I am here.. .I am a live. I am ok. So sorry about the lack of updates. The computer I had access to wouldn't let me do very much. Hopefully this cafe will work well for the next few weeks.

Asanti!! ...thanks for reading.


(There are no stars in Nairobi... too much light. Sometimes I don't like development, sometimes it takes away beautiful things.)