Nairobi, Kenya I wrote this story while working in Nairobi, but I held off on posting it because I didn’t want to scare people. However, reading back through it, I realize how much I changed while in Nairobi, and how quickly we adapt and become desensitized to our environment. My first month of walking home, … More A Walk on the Wild Side
Nairobi, Kenya This is not how I expected to spend my Friday night. In the dark, whispering with my roommates while peeking out one window to the next. I had heard about mob justice in Kenya. The guidebook even warns to be extremely careful before yelling ‘thief’. But I hadn’t expected to witness it so … More Mob Justice from my Apartment Window
Nairobi, Kenya Compared to museums in other cities, the Kenyan National Museum feels small and antiquated, but I think it’s worth the money for a glimpse into Kenyan culture. It includes exhibits on local tribes, Kenya’s struggle from pre-colonialism to post-colonialism, the evolution of man (after all Kenya is the Cradle of Man) and … More Kangas: Fabric of Kenyan Culture
Nairobi, Kenya A big, huge, massive part of any expat experience is learning to cope with change and new obstacles. Myers-Briggs says I deal with change via freedom, flexibility and action. (ISTP- It’s creepy how accurate Myers-Briggs is.) However, since moving to Nairobi, I’ve been struggling with a lack of these. Lack of freedom … More Nairobi is Cramping my Style
Nairobi, Kenya What Africa lacks in cuisine (in my humble opinion) it more than makes up for in music. Music has an incredible power to lift your spirits, energize you, and draw strangers together in an incredible collective experience. Whether it’s music blasting in a matatu or a free weekend concert, it’s hard not to … More Slum Drummers: Music Does the Soul Good
Nairobi, Kenya My first week at Kiva was similar in some ways to on-boarding I’ve experienced at other companies. There were long hours spent in a conference room looking at PowerPoint presentations, listening to guest speakers, trying to learn new software and procedures, and, of course, a fun group dinner. But it was also unlike … More Venturing into Kibera- Week 1 with Kiva
Nairobi, Kenya After 40 hours of travel, I arrived in Nairobi blurred eyed and exhausted. Kiva’s trusty cabbie, Saidie, met me at the airport, and we battled Nairobi’s legendary traffic. Was it sleep deprivation or car exhaust fumes that were making me dizzy? The current Kiva fellows are graciously letting me (several of … More Getting Settled
One Girl's Wanderlust Adventures 