It’s the beginning of week 5 of my time in Africa, which means that I’m approaching the end of my first month on the continent. It seems fitting that I include a bit of personal reflection in this blog, as well as a breakdown of transportation options in Kakamega.
Some Things Change, and Some Things Change Even More
On Saturdays I travel about half an hour via matatu (See below) into Kakamega Town from my rural home to a FSD workshop with the other student interns. We reflect on our time with our host families, our host organizations, and talk about the way forward our time in Kakamega. After a week in isolation in rural Kenya, spending a full day with nine other American’s (and one Canadian) is a bit culturally jarring. That led me to think about the person I am in Lusui, versus the person I am in a normal environment around other Americans. So how does Lusui Kurt differ from Portland/USA Kurt? Well, here you go:
My Kenyan accent
I spend most of my days in Lusui talking. But not in a normal way. At Friends Secondary School Lusui I teach students with a wide variety of English skills. This means talking slowly and emulating a Kenyan accent is vital to being understood. How is this different? First, I have to articulate every syllable. So my don’ts isn’t, and vegetables have become do nots, is nots, and veg-e-ta-bles. I also have to eliminate complex phrases and “American” sayings from my vocabulary. For instance, I can never say “You passed with flying colors!” What does that even mean anyway? Lastly, I must pronounce my T’s. I’ve never really realized it before, but when we say “matter”, we really are sounding like “madder.” But to be understood here you must say “mat-ter” and pronounce my “t”’s. These habits have spilled over into my communication with my fellow interns, and usually spark a smile or laugh.
No waste, no worries
My house does not have running water, a mirror, a trash can, a refrigerator, a traditional ceiling, or any of a number of other comforts that we get used to in America. And you know what, I don’t mind. Back in Portland I love recycling, reducing waste, and all of the traditional activities that come with an environmentally conscious Portlander. So living in a rural home that makes/grow the majority of its food, produces almost zero waste, and uses a fraction of the energy of a home in the US is quite appealing. Returning to Kakamega town means a return to more commercial, consumer area that is removed from these values.
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| Frying up some homemade Chapati (a lot like Pita bread, or Naan) |
He who laughs the loudest:
This is probably my favorite change, and something that I certainly hope to carry over to the US. I’ve always loved humor and try to be a smily, happy person. But I’ve never been much of a laugher. I’m not sure why. But in Lusui, that has changed. My laugh has certainly gotten louder, jollier, and more frequent. I’ve just picked this up from those around me. Kenyans as a culture are very free in the giving of their loud and boisterous laughs (which means even my bad jokes are guaranteed winners), and I’m come to respect and emulate this habit.
8 hours a night, consistently? Can it be!?
Living in Lusui I go to bed around 10:30 nightly, get at least 8 hours of sleep, exercise 3-4 times a week, spend quality time with my Kenyan family, and have time to read, contact friends and family back in the US, blog, and keep a personal journal. All of these factors combine to create an intensely healthy and restorative personal environment. I don’t mean to say that my personal well-being is usually low in Portland, but I frequently had to sacrifice self-maintenance for spending time on schoolwork, hanging out with friends, doing RA things, or many other commitments. Of course, those sacrifices were worth it, and I definitely miss all of those things (ok, maybe not schoolwork). But for now I’m enjoying living the slow life, and the time for reflection and growth.
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| Like this scenery, my lifestyle in Kenya is calm, simple, and beautiful. |
The Teirs and Tribulations of Transport in Kakamega
Wow, I love titling things. Anyways, it seems to me that the culture and personality of Kenya can be viewed through its different types of public and private transport in Kakamega, Kenya, including Boda bodas, piki pikis, and matatu’s. Even the names have character!
Using your legs
I’ll start with an old favorite, walking. Yes, in Kenya people walk to and fro if the distance doesn’t prohibit such activity. And no, they don’t power walk. Although I’m sure explaining the concept of walking fast just for exercise would elicit a loud chorus of laughter in rural Kenya. Here, walking is always to serve a purpose. It is common to see a woman walking and balancing a load of firewood or maize on her head, or a man walking and pushing a bicycle piled high with stacks of maize or other goods. Walking is a time tested reliable mode of transport, and at a price of zero shillings, it’s the most cost-effective form of travel.
Boda Boda (sounds like border-border)
Named for their involvement in illicit border-border trafficking of illegal goods, Boda-bodas are simply bicycles with a seat on the back for carrying people. They only exist in the city limits of Kakamega town and are operated by individual entrepreneurs (always male) who will laboriously pedal you to your destination for 20 shillings (about 22 cents). Beware, if you have white skin (mzungu), they might try to charge you 30 shillings. Tip: Just laugh, say you will only pay twenty, begin to walk away, and they will drop the price.
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| My boda boda driver, Emmanuel, posing for a picture after brining me to visit Adrienne and Jenny. |
Piki Pikis
Piki Pikis are the older, more mature cousin of Boda Bodas. Simply, they are motorcycles with a seat that has room for a passenger or two. Like Boda Bodas, they are operated by an individual entrepreneur (always a man) who will offer rides to any location within about 20km. Fare prices escalating with distance, and are open for negotiation. The average price is around 50 shillings for a ride around town. But don’t let their strong engines fool you, these motorbikes also have a wild side. Piki Pikis become very dangerous after rain showers (especially on dirt roads, which make up 95% of Kenyan roads), and are well known in the area for experiencing accidents. So they are almost always reliable, but sometimes extremely perilous.
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| This enterprising Piki Piki driver carries to passengers. Luckily the roads are dry and safe. |
Matatus
These 14 seat, 20 passenger mini-busses are the most common form of transport in Kenya. If boda bodas are the young brother and piki pikis are the old cousin, Matatus are the eccentric, crazy grandmothers who can’t say no to helping any of their grandchildren but are always unpredictable . Often adorned with large sticker signs (I’ve seen “Kanye West”, “Respect”, and “Yes I Can”, among many others) these mini-busses form the background of the Kenya public transport system. They are manned by two-man teams of entrepreneurs (also all-male), one driver, and one person who collects the fare from the passengers and watches for potential customers standing along the road. They say that Matatus are never really full, which is a truth that is often felt physically. Once every seat is full, there are usually about four or five spots to fill by using the aisle and various laps. Even with the cramped conditions, riding Matatus is an inexpensive and efficient (sometimes) experience authentic to Kenya. Prices range from 20 schillings to 200, depending on distance travelled.
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| For a Matatu this is less than half full. |
Private taxis
Yes, Kakamega even has a private car Taxi service. This is a lot like a taxi in the United States except for the fact that fare is negotiated before the ride, and not calculated by a machine in the vehicle. This is an expensive mode of transport though, often at least 300 schillings for a ride around town. Of course, expensive is relative. 300 schillings is about $3.75. Lower than the base fare for most taxis in the US.
I know that I keep promising a discussion of international poverty, but it keeps being supplanted by other topics. Trust me, it will be coming soon to my blog, and when it does, it will be worth the wait. So in the future, look forward to that, insights into Kenya’s “cultural staples” such as types of food, and more reflection about my time at Friends Lusui Secondary School.
Also, since you've already read this far, why no go a bit further? What I mean is, you are currently reading my blog, so if you feel like sharing what you think I would really appreciate it! If you have any good or bad comments just want to know something specific about Kenya, write on my Facebook wall, or send me an email!
Also, since you've already read this far, why no go a bit further? What I mean is, you are currently reading my blog, so if you feel like sharing what you think I would really appreciate it! If you have any good or bad comments just want to know something specific about Kenya, write on my Facebook wall, or send me an email!
Cheers,
Kurt