It has been quite some time since my last update, hasn’t it? I have all sorts of excuses, of course – minor illnesses, a guest, lack of time – but I really will try to keep you guys in the loop more. Time is passing so quickly. My time in Kenya is almost half over already!
I’d forgotten how chilly Nairobi gets in July. This is relative, of course. I don’t think it ever dips below 5°C, even at night, but when you’re used to sunny days and temperatures between 25 and 35C, it seems mighty cold when the temperature rarely rises above 15. Most days are cloudy and there has been quite a lot of drizzle recently as well. This is when Nairobians pull out their “winter” gear – hats, scarves, gloves and jackets. Some of the people you see on the street look geared up enough for a Canadian winter! To me it feels very spring-like, but without the giddiness and feeling of lightness that comes along with melting snow. The drop in temperature also means that everyone suddenly gets sick I’ve had a nasty cold for the past week or so, and am missing my staple sick-comforts of home: a hot bath, chicken noodle soup, and NeoCitron. But I’m making do with a hot water bottle, and am constantly sipping hot lemon water with honey. Last night, I even made chicken noodle soup from scratch, with the recipe help of a dear friend back home who is an excellent cook. It was delicious! Anyway, my cold isn’t enough to keep me home from work, but it has certainly drained me of energy for the moment.
Earlier in the month, I had a Canadian visitor, which was fabulous. Mirey was one of the students who was with me on the initial trip to Kenya in 2005. Back in Canada she lives halfway across the country from me, so we had only seen each other once since then, very briefly. It was great to be able to really catch up with her, and to spend time with her in the country with which we both fell in love. Most of our time together was spent in Nairobi – we went to Mathare, Kibera, city centre, the markets, South C. One night we also did one of the most Western things you can do in Kenya; we went to the movie theatre. The place we went, the ironically named Village Market, is the centre of all things extravagant and foreign. There you can find up market stores, a food court with a variety of cuisines (including Italian, Chinese, German and Thai), a bowling alley (the only one in Nairobi, perhaps in all of Kenya), and even mini-golf. I think there is a water park in the area as well, which is folly in a city where water is rationed. The Village Market is very near the UN complex, and is frequented by a mix of nationalities. When you’re inside, it feels like you could be anywhere – Africa, Europe, North America – which I find a bit disorienting somehow.
On this particular occasion, however, I was the one to drag Mirey and George to the Village Market because it was the closest place to town where they were showing The Dark Knight. It was a week after the North American release and, being a huge Batman nerd, I desperately wanted to see it as soon as possible. I was not let down – it was dark and philosophical, just how I like my Batman. As everyone else has mentioned, Heath Ledger gave a stunning and disturbing performance as the Joker.
As Western as it is to go see a movie here, there are a few Kenyan touches to the experience. They don’t do this at all of the theatres, but most of them require you to choose your seats before entering, as you would at an expensive play or concert back home. I’m not sure why they do this, since I’ve never seen a theatre more than half full and it’s very easy to find seats. The also play the national anthem before the previews. A grainy image of a Kenyan flag flapping in the wind appears onscreen, and everyone stands. The anthem itself sounds as if it is being performed by a school marching band, with the added crackling and off-pitch wanderings of a slightly warped record.
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