Day 11: Nimetosheka

Today was a busy day. I woke up early for breakfast but didn't feel an appetite at all. I just felt dehydrated. I told the staff that I just wanted to buy a water, they thought I was crazy and didn't understand. None-the-less, they gave me a water and I sat in the lobby to wait for Patrick to pick me up.

I looked up to see Patrick, Njoroge, Amos and the little girl from the salon had arrived. The little girl was Amos's daughter, her name was Purity and she was absolutely adorable. We walked the driveway down to the main road to catch a matatu and were on our way to Nanyuki to see the Bantu staff in a traditional dance competition.

I think it cost 100ksh to get in (1.20-ish) and being I requested to go I volunteered to pay. Patrick was determined to find me and Njoroge a student discount. After waiting several minutes Patrick finally gave up and we paid full price. I guess not everything in Kenya is negotiable.

The fair was similar to that in the states which occurred about thirty years ago. There were educational exhibits, rides, entertainment and merchants. First we just walked around to find my Bantu friends. We found their booth but they weren't sure when they were going to be performing. Amos and Patrick decided they were going to go see if they had any animals there. Njoroge, Purity and I waited by the Bantu booth as to stay in the shade. Njoroge saw and ice cream vendor and took Purity over to get some. A minute later Purity walked over with an ice cream cone for me as well. Mine and Njoroge's ice cream was gone in a minute, we looked down at Purity and she had still barely touched hers. We sat there and waited for a while and I shared with Njoroge that if the same rides were in America there would be several lawsuits. The swings, for instance, had no buckle and parents would just hold their kids on their laps while the ride was in motion. In between rides there were people working on the ride to keep it maintained. I told him about the kind of rides we had at home and thought it would be fun to take him there someday.

Purity had finally ate all her ice cream but not the cone. We explained to her that she could and she carefully separated the soggy napkin from the soggy cone ensuring she ate every piece. I used my water bottle and charmin-to-go to clean her hands and just as I had finished Amos and Patrick returned. There were no animals, which I was okay with. I'm in Kenya to see the animals in their natural setting not the likes of which I would see at home in the zoo.

We started making our way through the fair. At this point I was observing how close of an eye Amos kept on Purity too see if it was the constant contact required in the states. It wasn't. We walked through several exhibits, mostly about the Kenya 2030 plan with the mission to make Kenya a middle class country by 2030. A part of me wants to tell them it's not that great. Sure in Kenya people are living in poverty but the majority of the people seem happy, opposite of that in the states. If you ask someone in Kenya how they are doing and they are having a bad day they reply "good but...." they won't say that things are bad first. I love Kenya the way it is.

On occasion Purity would hold my hand and smile at me. I enjoyed spending time with her. When we passed the merchants she purchased a doll that was maybe similar to that you would see in a dollar store. She was so excited, she tucked it away in her coat but occasionally would pull it out and show it to me with a smile and a giggle. I really wanted to get her a real doll.

We moved on to the next merchant, jewelry!! We sat there looking at everything for probably fifteen minutes. Once she had given me the price of 50ksh for something I had spent 250ksh on before I knew I was in a good spot and was ready to spend some money.

I bought gifts for everyone with me and picked out a necklace for Amos's and Patrick's wives and then bought pretty much everything I liked. I walked away with a bag full of jewelry in which I think I spent about $0.25-$0.50 on each item.

We then moved on to a few more exhibits one of which was all about the good things the British Army was doing in Kenya. The military guy there was very quick to show me pictures of all the charitable works they did. I felt a little foggy in my head again wishing I had researched more about the political and historical elements of Kenya. Every ounce of me wanted to ask what else they did in Kenya besides charitable works but I wasn't sure of the freedom of speech rights in Kenya so I remained quiet. Personally I felt that if you had to broadcast the good works that you are doing so that people would know it must mean something else is going on. You shouldn't have to sell yourself to be welcome, it should just come naturally. Uneducated on the subject as I was I tried not to jump to any conclusions.

We made our way over to watch the dance competition. We gathered on the side and they told me I could take a picture. "Are you sure?" I asked and they confirmed. I pulled and my camera and Njoroge took it to get a better shot. We were standing right in the hot Kenyan sun so Patrick decided to escort us into the shade. We sat down for a while, Purity sat between me and Amos and Njoroge was on the other side of me. A moment later a guy called Njoroge over and a conversation ensued. Amos told me Njoroge took a picture of the kids when they were practicing rather then performing which apparently is not preferred. Taking pictures is different in Kenya, it can be offensive to some and I was told in some tribes its considered to steal their soul. We were warned on our first or second day in Kenya to always ask before we take a picture of someone and be prepared to pay for it if we do. Some parents will send their children out in front of tourists in hopes they take a picture and then they will expect payment from you.

A short dramatic sketch would take place between dances. Amos explained that it had to do with aids, alcohol and domestic abuse, three things that are apparently troublesome in Kenya. I asked Njoroge if it was more educational or comical since audience members would laugh every now and then. He said it was mostly educational with a bit of comedy.

Purity sat in a chair in front of us as the dancing continued. When she would get excited she would scoot her chair closer or turn around and smile at us. I wish I would have been able to spend more time with her while I was in Kenya but I knew I had a whole school of children waiting to play with me in a few days.
Amos explained to me that the performers we were watching were street boys and girls, children without parents. Njoroge had my camera still and was taking plenty of photos which allowed me to just enjoy the performance.

After that performance was over Patrick said it was a lunch break and that we should walk into town for lunch. As we made our way I asked Njoroge questions about the British Army in Kenya as well as religious missions in Kenya. When I asked Njoroge if he liked people coming here to spread their faith Amos turned around and smiled. I'm not really sure what that meant but I would like to find out someday.

Merchants came up to Amos repeatedly trying to sell balloon hats. Because this is the kind of treat children would enjoy for free at home I asked Amos how much they were charging. He said it had varied between 10-20ksh but he was trying to get one for 5ksh. I told him if Purity wanted one she should get one and I gave him the 20ksh coin I had in my pocket, he handed it to Purity.

Before we knew it Patrick had lead us to the transit station, he wanted to just head back to Naro Maru. I looked at Amos and told him to run and get Purity a balloon and I'd keep an eye on her. For reasons unbeknownst to me Patrick was in a hurry but I stood my ground, told Patrick we were on Kenyan time and waited outside the matatu with Purity until Amos was back. I had spent almost two hours of my time waiting for Patrick while he was running late over the week, I figured the two minutes wouldn't hurt him. Amos returned and Purity was smiling as we climbed into the matatu and headed to Naro Maru.

After lunch we again headed over to Amos's wife's salon to get my braids redone in a way that would allow my head not to get so sunburnt and make it easier for me to clean and style my hair. Everyone seemed to be around this time, people were peeking in from the front door and the back ally. Another lady came in and wanted to do my nails. I knew it wouldn't last long but she wanted to so I let her. It was a fun experience and I actually now miss my braids, I may have to return to Kenya in order to get my hair done again.

We headed back to the office where we sat and joked around some more while Patrick worked. I don't remember what I exactly said but I laughed hysterically when Njoroge said, "now you are hitting below the belt."

I asked Amos if he had given the necklace to his wife and he hadn't so we walked back over to the salon to give it to her. I had inquired to Amos about tipping her earlier in hopes that it was not offensive and now asked if giving her a necklace was okay. He said it was and asked why I was so concerned. I explained that there was a fine line between nice and rude, especially when it came to the children of others. He said that for him it was okay and that I shouldn't worry.

I like to make people smile and the day made me feel good. We walked back to the office and Amos asked if it was the last time I'd be in town since my classmates were coming off the mountain the next morning. We made plans to both be at the gate to meet them. It was my last night in Kenya solo and I was pretty sad about it.

I returned back to Bantu for dinner and then like always I took my normal spot in the lounge for coffee. Steven, Mrefu, Charles, Mathew and I stay up late discussing all things and the difference between how it is viewed in American and Kenyan culture. Aids, benefits, healthcare, Obama, education, gay marriage and the separation of church and state. The separation of church and state came up in my response to their question on how I felt about gay marriage and they had a hard time believing I could so easily separate the two. I told them the second I start telling someone they can't legally do something because of something the bible may or may not say is the second they can do the same to me and that goes against the very foundation of our nation. I was thrilled that I was in Kenya discussing and debating such things and completely comfortable to do so. I wish I would have had at least another week there being we were all just reaching that comfort level.

Before the night was over they inquired as to why I was so tired all the time. I explained that I was not sleeping as much, drinking as much or eating as much. They asked me my favorite foods and insisted on specially making me pancakes in the morning. I argued a little saying it was not necessary but they insisted and I was very much looking forward to it.