Jambo! Habari? Mzuri sana!
For those of you who don't speak Swahili, I said “Hello! How are you? I am fine!” Just one of the many phrases we have heard since we arrived in Kapenguria, Kenya. I have absolutely loved getting to know this culture and the people in it. We have experienced some fun parts of African and Kenyan culture.
Fasten your seat belts…here's a look into a few bits of what we have experienced in Africa:
Foods we have tried:
–Ugali…a Kenyan staple, which is essentially corn meal and water, formed into a cake shape thing, and then “baked.” (Note…always consume ugali with something like greens or cabbage, or my favorite, hot sauce.)
–Chapatti…aka African gold. For us Americans anyways. This is so good, it's like a thick tortilla, can be used as a burrito, or just eaten on its own. I will definitely be making this when I get home.
–Ndazi…pronounced like “Mandazi.” Delicious pillows of fried dough that we eat for breakfast, snacks, or any time they are around.
–Chips…not to be confused with potato chips, these are french fries. But they don't really look as much like American french fries, much thicker…and usually greasier. But totally good…and tastes delicious with hot sauce too.
–Peptang…African label of hot sauce! You know I would find that gold mine sometime soon. They make “Sweet and Spicy,” which is kind of like sweet and sour sauce, and tomato sauce, which is like ketchup, but either runnier/goopier, and sweeter, chili sauce (smells like Tapatio for those Arizonans who know what that is), garlic and tomato sauce. Basically a veritable gold mine of goodness of spice!
–Chai…African tea in all its glory! This is tea with milk and sugar, and is consumed every morning and afternoon, as well as any time you go visit someone else's house too.
–Maize…also called “minde” in Swahili. This is the corn in Africa, and it is everywhere. You can eat it boiled on the cob, grilled/roasted on the cob, boiled with beans, and probably thousands of other ways I haven't even seen. Their corn is thicker than American corn, but good!
Regular African sites we see in the Rift Valley:
–Farm Animals…at any point in the day, we can probably hear chickens, roosters, or cows going. It is also very common to see cows, goats and sheep being herded along the sides of the road, sometimes by kids who look like they are about 6 years old.
–Farm animals vs. the Road…also at any point, said farm animals will try to cross the road, zig zag in and out of traffic, and come within inches of infamous matatus.
–Breathtaking scenery…here in the Rift Valley we are blessed with some of the most spectacular views and scenery. It is so green and vibrant right now in the rainy season. I am constantly blown away by the flowers, trees, and just general greenness of the area.
-Swarms of children following us…we have an audience almost any time we go out, and if we ever go outside near the compound field, the children are up in the trees and we hear “How are you? How are you?” echoing all around us
-Way too many people in a vehicle…I think this one speaks for itself, but it is everywhere, and I can't help but laugh sometimes.
Everything you need to know about Matatus, and how to survive one:
So just what is a matatu anyways?…Well, a matatu is the main form of transportation if you don't have a car. From the outside they look like a seven passenger mini van from back home. Inside, that's a different story. It's like they stripped out all of the non essentials, and crammed as many seats in as they could.
How many seats are in a matatu?…Generally, in this area, there are nine physical seats.
How many people fit into a matatu?…This one has no defined answer. We have seen up to 15 people in a single matatu. It's all up to how adventurous the driver is feeling, and what “space” is available. That means 3 to 4 people in the front seat, maybe 5 to 6 people in the middle (maybe even a baby), and 4 or 5 in the back seat, and maybe even 1 or 2 in the trunk. It's quite a comical site.
Key survival tips…The most important, it's better not to watch. It's just so much better that way. If you feel the matatu slowing down, brace yourself. It's probably a big pothole. Don't look at the speedometer. I haven't seen many that work, but it's just also better if you don't know. Ignorance just may be bliss in this case. Throw your personal space bubble out the window, because it's about to be popped big time. And finally, just learn to laugh and live through it. My idea of how many people can fit into a car has definitely grown since being in Africa.
I hope you've enjoyed the lighter side of some of the things we have experienced here in Africa! Thanks for coming along on the ride, and I hope if you ever find yourself in Kenya, this may come in handy!
