Hits and Misses, Part 2

On to The Misses...the top 3 things I miss most about living in Kenya:


1. Walking Distance
At Tenwek, everything I would need on a daily basis was within a 15 minute walking distance: the hospital, the church, all my friends' houses and several small dukas (shops - where I could get phone cards, sugar, cooking oil, fresh produce).  Though I hated walking up the steep hill at a high altitude to work every morning (or in the middle of the night), I now miss being about to walk to get somewhere.  Here in the US, I drive everywhere - work, store, to meet friends.  I have to schedule walking.  Tonight, I need to go for a walk.  Suddenly, that seems crazy! 

 

2. Equatorial Weather
Seasons are overrated.  Seriously.  Variety in weather is not the spice of life.  Year around temperatures of 55 to 85 degrees F - that is just heaven! 

Tenwek is about 0.5 degrees south of the equator (it runs through the country near Mt. Kenya) and the altitude is ~ 7000 feet.  This means that the days are basically the same length all year around and the tempatures do not widely fluctuate.  I have always said that Tenwek has 2 seasons- night and day, because any weather changes seem fairly unremarkable.

The stable weather in Kenya allows beautiful flowers like these to be grown everywhere, all year around,
hence they are VERY affordable.

There are 2 rainy seasons: the long rains and the short rains.  But honestly, it rains a lot at Tenwek anyway and the rainy season just seems to be marked by raining MORE.

Despite the lovely temperatures, Kenyans seem to have a very different cold threshhold than Americans.  They get very cold and are wearing multiple layers while the missionaries are running around in just maybe a long sleeved t-shirt.

One of the hospital guards at Tenwek dressed for the cool night air.
Okay...maybe this is really not a picture from Kenya - but you get the idea.

This also means that most everyday of the year is sunny and most evenings are cool enough for a fire - if one so desires.  Otherwise, no one at Tenwek had heating or AC - it wasn't needed.  And a nice cup of tea by the fireplace was just the perfect end to the day! 


3. Rain
You might think that I should have included this under #2, but the rains in Tenwek are a very different memory to me.  I remember lying in bed at night and hearing the steady rain on the metal roof of my house lulling me to sleep.  The way it would start so suddenly and ferociously on my afternoon walks home....soaking through my white coat....beading on the green fields and trees.  It was life-giving rain, comforting rain.  Rains that people needed for their crops, for drinking and it seemed to help wash away the stress and dirtiness of the day.

Love, love this picture!

I miss the bright green color of the fields and reds and pinks of my flowers.  And at night, I miss lying in bed and hearing the sound of rain and thinking that it was God's lullaby just for me.

Other honorable mentions.....

Delicious home-cooked meals (that I did not cook) .......*missing Sara, my house helper!*

Chai time with friends and co-workers.....a lovely time of learning, laughing and fellowship

Hits and Misses

Now that I have been back in the US for 11 weeks, I have had some time to think about what I miss about Kenya and what is so wonderful about being back in my home country. 

I left wonderful friends behind and have re-connected with awesome friends here....but I wanted to blog about some of the non-relational comforts.

First: The Hits....the top 3 things I enjoy most about being back in the United States:

1. Internet EVERYWHERE!
I have heard stories about "back when" missionaries when to Africa and had no internet, no phones and a very unreliable mail system, forced then to use only on letter-writing.  I am very thankful that I had some internet access in Kenya, but am more thankful still for the amazing fast internet that is available here in the US!  And it is everywhere!  Restaurants, hotels, airports....no matter where you go, you can reach out to your "web circle" and stay connected.  Not too mention shopping online, TV online, online research, downloading books, movies and music!  We are perpetually being entertained!  And I must say...I love it!

 

2. Transportation
Travelling in Kenya was always a bit of an iffy situation.  You were never sure when the matatu would leave or when it would arrive.  Even travelling by private car had unknowns - the perils of livestock in the roadways, flat tires or getting stuck in the mud.  Not too mention the paucity of restrooms and being able to find food/water along the way.

Recently when I travelled to the northwest for a conference, I took a plane, a rental car, a train and a bus.  The bus was delayed at one stop for 2 hours because the emergency window somehow shattered and rendered the bus undrivable.  So we had to wait for a replacement bus. 

It was a beautiful sunny day.  We were at a stop with a restaurant, clean bathrooms and plenty of benches.  I didn't even get upset.  In Kenya - there wouldn't even be a replacement bus!

Then my train was delayed on the tracks by 3 hours because of a fire near the tracks.  I was inside the train - again with food, water and this time - with free wifi! 

The more you travel, the more you realize that there are always things that will go wrong - delays, lost bags, rude people, missed flights...and on and on.  But I am so happy to be in a country that has comfortable (for when there are delays!) and generally reliable means of travel.

Where there's a will......

 

 

3. Instant Access
One of the difficulties I encountered in Kenya was having access to certain..."necessaties."  Mainly, diet Pepsi and ice cream.  The stores in Nairobi had Diet Pepsi, but Nairobi was 3-4 hours away and I rarely was able to get off work long enough to go in for supplies.  So, I had to rely on the kindness of my neighbors who would help me procur my "fix" and I had to buy in bulk.  And if the supply ran out.....too bad. 

Oh Edy....I missed you!

Ahhh...the elixir of the gods....

In the US, its a little scary just HOW accessible processed food and soda is!  In fact it is MORE accessible and cheaper than healthy, organic foods and produce.  No matter where you are in the US, you can find a place that sells soda and snacks.  And though I love having my Diet Pepsi and ice cream....it scares me a little too.  Like maybe it is all a little TOO accessible....and now I have chips for a snack instead of carrot sticks.  This "hit" may require some close monitoring!

Maybe too accessible?!

Coming up.....The Misses...the top things I miss most about living in Kenya!