Karibu

My first week in Kenya has been quite the adventure! After nearly 48 hours of travel and an unexpected overnight stay in Doha, Qatar, I arrived in Nairobi and was met by my AIESEC buddy Diana, a psychology student at Kenyatta University. With Diana's help, I settled into the intern house and met the other interns -- hailing from Germany, Colombia, Canada, and China. The house holds 12 interns but we currently only have 6, so I have my own room! Breakfast and dinner are provided in the house each day, with dinner always a hot cooked traditional Kenyan meal.

I spent the next few days adjusting to my new time zone and exploring Nairobi. Armed with a Kenyan SIM card and phone, I am now able to connect with my LC contacts and fellow interns. I also learned how to get from my neighborhood to the city center of Nairobi in a matatu, a van that seats 8-10 people and serves as the preferred public transportation in Kenya.

On Saturday, I went with Diana to a foreign film festival at the French Institute of Nairobi. We stopped on the way to eat fish and chips (one of the many remnants of colonial influence apparent in Kenya) at a favorite restaurant of hers. After, we saw a Czech film about Czechoslovakian pilots fighting with British RAF in WWII.

Sunday was Madaraka Day, celebrated the first day of June to mark the day Kenya attained internal self-rule in 1963. Because of Madaraka Day, Monday was a public holiday. Three of the other interns and I decided to travel to Lake Naivasha and climb Mount Longonot, a beautiful mountainous crater with views stretching for miles. The hike was a challenging ninety minute ascent up a steep and sandy path. Though this is the cooler season in Kenya, the equatorial nation is invariably sunny and hot in the middle of the day -- we worked up quite the sweat!

The view into the crater from Mt Logonot

Yesterday was an exciting day as well, for it marked my first day at my internship. I went with two other interns to St. Catherine's school, a Catholic school serving children from nursery until age 14. After learning of my ability in Kiswahili, the school administration suggested I try helping with the nursery children (aged 3-6) who are taught primarily in Kiswahili. I spent the day meeting the children, having countless small hands curiously examine my hands and hair, and helping to teach a simple addition lesson. In the coming days I'm interested in working with older classes as well. 

Overall, I've had an excellent introduction to Kenya, and can't wait to get more involved with my project and the bustling city around me.