Kenya has once again become my home. For those of you who didn't know, I attended boarding school here in Kenya for all of high school. I left in 2005 and returned last September for a program through my graduate school, Nazarene Theological Seminary, called 365m. 365m sends students all over the world for practicul intercultural experience and to continue taking classes online through our school. I've been based at Africa Nazarene University and have loved (or come to love) every second of it. Here are some of the top things I'll miss:
- The people. They are amongst the kindest I’ve met anywhere. I'll miss walking down to the tuk tuk corner hand in hand with Lucy's kids.
- Their hospitality. The very first weekend I was here some new friends invited me to spend the weekend at their house. They and others have cooked elaborate meals for me, over which I’ve learned much. Other times I've been in the middle of town with thousands of people around me when some kind soul comes up and offers to take me where I need to go, and have even paid my bus fares along the way.
- Church. The church I’ve been attending is the local Nazarene church on campus. We’re very diverse with a huge group of students from many countries in Africa. We also have probably the largest kids group on the East Africa Field for the Nazarene Church. Our church is vibrant and does some incredible things for the community. Just today I paused and listened whilst everyone around me sang his or her praises to God. I got the chills and a couple of tears in my eyes. Gonna miss Sunday’s here.
- The students on campus and their diversity. Our students come from multiple countries, ethnicities, and tribes. They speak hundreds of languages (combined). I have learned so much from our dialogues during and outside of class.
- My co-workers in the religion department, especially my office mate Rev. Gift Mtukwa. He (and the others) has become a great friend. I’ve learned much about God and how he works in the world.
- Incredibly cheap and handy public transport. Some kind of transport will take you almost anywhere you need to go. People with cars hate matatus, but for those of us inside them, it’s nice to have them skirt around traffic illegallyJ
- Wildlife/nature. I live right next to Nairobi National Park. 97% of the nights I’ve been here I’ve heard hyenas. I’ve occasionally heard the distant sound of lions. I’ve also encountered several snakes. A lengthy Rock Python slithered right between my legs whilst I was mid-stride. Countless birds chirp starting about 3:30 in the morning till late. The park provides great scenery for many a run along its borders.
- Slow pace of life. At times I have hated this, but I think the majority of the time I’ve enjoyed it. You never really have to worry about being late, as it’s not that big of a deal. You rock up when you can in Kenya. It’s gonna take some adjusting getting use to a more scheduled life in the States.
- The food. The Kenyan staple foods are great. My favorite is probably chapati. It’s a flour based bread type of food half way between a tortilla and a crepe in texture. Kenyan’s used it to pick up other foods like stew and the like. I’ll also miss the price of food. Kenyan food from local joints is especially cheap. There’s a place across the street where I can eat to my heart’s content for just under two bucks. Non-Kenyan food is also quite cheap. A relatively classy meal here is way cheaper than the US.
- The rains. I’ve written about this elsewhere, but the rains in Kenya and Africa have what seems to me to be a greater significance than I’ve noticed in the other places I’ve lived. In the US, the places I’ve lived have received moisture all year through rain in the summer and snow in the winter. Here, there are two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. The moment the rainy season begins, life comes back to creation. Things turn green again, bugs come, animals regain their lost kgs from the dry season, the mud returns, etc.
There are other things I'll miss as well. Maybe I'll write a part II with these sometime.
