Today (Sept 1, wow time is flying) we moved closer to the city center of Nairobi. We’re staying at another hostel for two days so we can become familiar with the area surrounding our homestays and the SIT office where we’ll have classes. We ate lunch here at the hostel, had a brief Q & A with our Swahili teachers about how to be culturally competent in our homestays, and went on a walking tour of this part of Nairobi.
We walked through Kibera along a route we may walk to school each day, depending on where our family lives. My group walked further into Kibera, through the slum areas. It was a surreal experience navigating the dusty, narrow streets and seeing all the tiny shops. Though my group was only 4 students and a Swahili tutor, we were far from inconspicuous. I’m beginning to adjust to being so obviously the minority group here. It’s strange to be stared at and feel so out of place. A white person here is referred to as a “Mizungu” in Swahili, and I certainly heard that word enough today to remember it.
After the tour, a few of us tried our hand at navigating the neighborhood without our instructors. We made it to Java, the American-like coffee chain, without a problem. They have typical coffee drinks, milkshakes, desserts, and American food. It’s within walking distance of the school and I have a feeling it will be a popular lunch stop.
My feet have never been so brown as they were after we returned to the hostel. It was an exhausting day and I can barely keep my eyes open.
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