Kenya Arrival July 13, 2023
07/10 We finally made it here to Nairobi, only to discover that both check in bags are MIA. I spent the morning running back and forth across the airport as I looked for anyone who could help. This would be day 4 of travel since leaving Pensacola. After a few hours, I was able to submit a lost baggage ticket. We then flagged down a taxi driver and proceeded to a hotel in the city. We plan on staying here in the city for a couple of days as our bags have been promised to arrive within 48hours.
It was a rough trip, but we are finally in Kenya. And as if we needed a reminder of where we are, a welcoming party of African wildlife greeted us at the airport exit. Right there, on the side of the road, multiple zebras scattered the field and a giraffe stood tall between them! The taxi driver pulled over so these two white ladies could have their little safari. We hopped out and trekked across the grass only to see mom bust a move and break her shoe. A few indistinguishable pictures and we continued on.
7/11 Mom got sick from exhaustion and dehydration, but she is feeling better now. The good news is, the hotel has an in-room kitchen. We have been cooking authentic Kenyan pasta. We also had to extend our stay in the city by another day as the bag has yet to arrive. The bags have vital materials for the work we will be doing in Migori. There are chicken feeders, a water purifier, and tons of vitamins. We were assured just one more day. This will be our last attempt before calling it quits. The good news is, the museum of Kenya and the Maasai Market are right around the corner from the hotel. So, let’s make the best of this!
7/12 One of the bags is here!!! But we can’t get to it...
We woke to the front gate of the hotel partially closed and all the staff on edge. We were advised not the leave the hotel under any conditions. There are many times in my travels where I am treated only as a foreigner. In Kenya, I am referred to as Mzungu “White Woman” in every day conversation. This term may be in reference to my skin color, but it holds much more weight. To most, it means money, which puts a target on my back. Others see me as a weak or fragile being that needs to be protected or taken advantage of. There is no denying, because of my skin color, I am different. With that in mind, I push through barriers and work hard to be seen as an equal. I rarely take no as the final answer.
This, however, was different. Looking out from our windows, the once bustling streets were silent. Even the locals stayed in. What was going on?
I walked up to a friend that I made who worked at the front desk. She was watching something on her computer screen, and she waved me to come around. I saw an explosion, fires scattered through the street, and people running. Live feed from a few blocks over. Needless to say, when the locals don’t travel, neither do I.
The protests resulted in dismantled roadways and many fires through the city. There were sad cases where police arrived to disperse the crowds, and there was bloodshed. The President has increased taxes and pulled back from social spending to decrease inflation. His opposition is rallying the people to rise up and protest these changes. Whether you see the logic of one position or the other, it is evident that Kenya is still growing. This is a new democracy, and there is a check and balance process that is working itself out. It is exciting to be the birthing place of a nation, yet it is also heartbreaking to see the pains and sacrifices that this growth requires.
