Today I have been at the house working on a plethora of datasheet templates, uploading documents, and composing other data collection related things. As a result, today will be the first edition of “A Snippet of Life in Kenya.”
The weather here is quite pleasant. I’m not sure of the exact temperature since there are no thermometers nearby, but it’s roughly ambient temperature in the high 70s/low 80s. Breezes are on the cooler end and in the sunlight it is warmer. I think this climate doesn't change too much throughout the year (other than precipitation levels) due to the proxomity to the equator.
Maize seems to be the primary crop in the immediate area, but as witnessed from my trip earlier this year there are other crops such as tea and cotton grown fairly nearby.
Electricity, internet, and other such modern conveniences are available but not to be taken for granted. If any one of you were to move to Kenya and have your current salary then you would be able to have basically every modern convenience. Speeds may be slower, but hey, life moves at a slower pace here. There is a lack of infrastructure for many things such as water and internet, but these can be overcome if one has the financial resources…unfortunately, salaries here are low meaning the hurdle of monetary resources is quite high.
One of the things that Kenya has going for it is its natural beauty. I was amazed by the Rift Valley last year when traveling to Eldoret from Nairobi. Many of the national parks are off the beaten path meaning that they can be difficult to get to and have little tourist infrastructure. If you’re willing to rough it a little though then there are many beauties to be seen. Isaac, ACI’s Eldoret coordinator, was telling me about his favorite parts of Kenya near Nakuru, his hometown. Hopefully, I will be able to travel with him for a weekend to some of the places he was describing!
The food is not too much different other than a general lower quality of meat and different brands with slightly different recipes and thus textures. The prices however are different due to the difference in climate when compared to the US. Here, an avocado costs a quarter, but oranges cost $6. Corn/maize is a food here rather than a input to fuel, food processing, or animal feed.
Public transportation in Kenya is much different than in the US or Europe. Mutatus, minibuses that can be packed with 10-13 people, are the primary means. The closest US vehicle resemblance that I can think of is the old VW hippy vans. (I’m sure this is not the best way to describe them, but hopefully you know what I mean.) Each mutatu has its own catch phrase or other unique decal, but I have yet to determine if each bus runs the same route every day. The destination is generally not marked. If you’re lucky then they’ll have a cardboard sign in the large front window.
Well, time to go make some tea. J
-Steven
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