Well didn’t think I’d be writing for a while as I knew there wasn’t much planned for us this week, however I’m quickly becoming to realise that Stephanie Goodall – living in Kenya - there’s always going to be story or trauma ha!!
Only been here 5 days and it is overwhelming how welcoming everybody is, wherever you go locals always say hello/welcome (Jambo/Karibu) some then do try to sell you something but generally everyone just wants you to feel welcomed and I guess it is polite to speak to people– they would certainly have a shock if they visited London, where people don’t speak to anyone ever! your lucky if you get a grunt!!!!
You’ll be all pleased to know that since my first traumatic night of bug fest, nights have calmed down massively and I haven’t seen or heard any large creatures in my room at night, they could obviously just sense my nerves the first night. However a couple did jump out of my cutlery draw on Tues night and I did return home on Mon to find a Gecko on my wall!!! Apparently they are good things to have as they eat all the bugs, but it’s still not nice thinking of where it could turn up so I chased it across the wall with a broom – I don’t know how it got in or how/if it got out but I at least didn’t have to look at it anymore.
I’ve come to realise that with my flat I get a personal alarm clock in the form of a cockerel!!! Really annoying – starts at 6ish – sure it will be helpful in term time though!! Every cloud!
Had a meeting at my school all seems lovely I have 7 students in my year 10 GCSE group which is a lot compared to the 2 in year 11! It was very surreal they have something called a ‘Banda’ (I think) which is like a really small covered patio area – it’s tiny but apparently the whole school sits underneath it to eat their lunch! Really puts in to perspective how small the school is! We stood looking at the facilities for a while and were suddenly surrounded by monkeys. I can only imagine the numbers increasing during term time when there is food and waste etc., definitely something to keep an eye on but I’m still fascinated by them (apparently that wears off).
I have had a few exploring ventures this week, firstly we got taken through Mtwapa (an interesting journey in itself) but we were shown good little market stalls for fruit and veg the one we were recommended was a lady called Katherine she calls me ‘staf’ but she was lovely. I got 5 passion fruits, 2 slices of pineapple, garlic and an orange all for about 50p it’s ridiculous!
After my successful guided trip to the market I decided it was time to venture out on my own, I had been told that there was a small, local beach about 10 mins up the road, I had enquired if it was easy to find – yes, was it safe – yes, could I sit with my ereader without getting mugged – yes!! Excellent, the weather was beautiful so I thought why not! So I packed my bags and off I went – I mean how hard could it really be!!!!
Yes you guessed it – EXTREMELY hard, now let’s not lose the point, I did end up at A beach I just don’t think I ended up at the THE beach that i was supposed to!! The 10 min walk was turning into 40 and everyone I asked assured me I was going in the right direction, I was definitely amongst local Kenyans. I passed houses, went through a forest, building areas, chickens, cows, more local houses, more chickens, I had turned that many corners I was beginning to worry I wouldn’t find my way back, bearing in mind I don’t actually have an address and I didn’t currently have a working Kenyan phone!!! Anyway I eventually, in stifling heats arrived at the beach, well I did have to wade through dry seaweed (which would have gone up to my waist if I had of stepped on the wrong area) just to get to the tiny bit of sand!! There was no-one on the beach which only confirmed that I was definitely not on the lovely, local family beach I had been told about!!! I stayed approximately 5 minutes then panicked I wouldn’t be able to find my way home – which I couldn’t!! I did contemplate a motorbike taxi at one point but 1. I have no address and 2. They don’t have licences!! I eventually remembered the name of a restaurant not far from my flat so used that for directions and found my way home! Phew!!
My next traumatic experience was washing!! Obviously there are no washing machines here so everything has to be hand washed!!My usual hand washing tactic is to leave it in my laundry bag until I’m going home to my parents then ask my mum “Can you help me hand wash this at some point, I’m not sure what I’m doing so can you show me” which normally means by Sunday when I’m leaving it’s, washed, dried, ironed and ready to go!!! Spoilt I know! But I managed to wash a few items I’m still waiting to determine if I actually got the soap out!!
Oh and the gecko that was in my flat …. I found it ….. I tried getting it to run out the door …..Even kicked its tail a little bit …… it looked a bit pale ….IT WAS DEAD!!!!! I then had the horrible task of getting a dead gecko out my flat with a broom!!! Again think it’s the DOOM spray it apparently kills everything!!!! Hmm might try it on the cockerel!!
Well today is Thurs and I think I had my hardest day yest!! The weather was poor, I was stuck in my flat with no mobile, and I could hear a creature somewhere in my shelving unit but in my pathetic state did not dare look for it! (apparently could be wood terminates inside my cupboards as anything else would definitely be dead by now with the amount of doom I have sprayed in there!) I spent most the afternoon crying but did get to watch an episode of Emmerdale that I had downloaded, only problem being I started downloading it on Mon (Mondays episode) by the time it had downloaded I’d missed more episodes ha! Anyway I had been told that wed night was “volleyball” which is in Nyali apparently every weds a group of expats and some Kenyans get together – some guys play volleyball, everyone has a drink and then goes on for food. It was obviously a bit intimidating initially but I was lucky I had been taken along by 2 girls who have lived here for a year so they introduced me to everyone etc. We went to an Indian for a very cheap tea and then on to the casino!!! Was just what I needed!
So today I felt brave and decided it was time to experience a ‘Matatu’ which is a local mode of transport, it’s a cross between a mini bus and a taxi, generally overcrowded with loud music and terrible driving skills – it cost me 30bob to get to the supermarket in Nyali which is about 20p – Ridiculous, although I did have to share my seat with some kind of air compressor machinery and half a sweaty guy but hey it was 20p I was not complaining!!. I finally managed to get a phone that works and made my way home safely!! A trauma free trip I was very pleased with myself – even treated myself to a bounty chocolate bar not quite the same but almost! I’ve then spent the rest of the day sunbathing by the pool seen as how the weather was so nice. I definitely suffer from that SAD!!
Final thought ‘I’m starting to realise that there is no such thing as feeling clean here!!’
Xxxxxxxx Steph xxxxxxxxX
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