Three Weeks In

I have been in Kenya for three weeks now. I’ve settled into a stable routine at the office in Kianyaga. I know my way decently around much of the town: which places serve the best chapatti; the butcher with the best cut of beef; the vegetable and fruitstand lady with the best selection of produce; what types of food can be found in stores and the ones I need to stock up on during my occasional visits to Nairobi (Vinnegar and Tabasco).  I’ve grown used to living without a fridge and only buying perishables which I plan on eating in the next few hours. My weekday routine consist of waking up before 8 am. I can’t wake up any later than that because work starts at that time. Lucky for me, I live in the office. My field officers have proven a pleasure to work with. I look forward to knowing them better over the next year.

The town itself is nothing special and is probably typical of most lower-middle income countries. Kirinyaga is definitely not the poorest region of Kenya. Located in the highlands to the south of Mount Kenya, the red clay soil is abundantly fertile. Banana and avocados are everywhere. The town is surrounded by homesteads—“shambas”—usually no more than a few acres but from what I’ve seen they produce enough for farming families enough to get buy. At least this part of the country has passed the threshold of agricultural self-sufficiency long ago. Destitute to the point of starvation it is not.

For at least the next two weeks, I intend to focus on getting into the groove with office procedures. I have not had much time to explore as a tourist and for good reason. My predecessor, who is about to wrap up her 13 month stay, will be here for a couple more days. I’ve aimed to learn as much as I can from her while she is still here. I have tremendous respect and admiration for her as she seems to know this town inside out. She knows basic Kikuyu and has picked up on the area’s cultural nuances. She’s a firm negotiator. Though not dictatorial, she does know where to draw the line with the staff. I can see they respect her a lot.