First Days in Kenya
First Impressions that reminded me of past impressions of Kenya:
- pushing to get in line to board the plane in Amsterdam for Nairobi – very little personal space has begun!
- meeting a couple in the Detroit airport who were going to Kenya – kept running into them until we parted ways in the Nairobi airport
- clapping as we landed in Nairobi brought tears to my eyes (sometimes people even sing)
- community – we went to a Christmas fair on Saturday and ran into a number of people we knew, and our friends and neighbors here have been very welcoming
Things I’m enjoying so far:
- delicious carrots
- the smell of rain
- the time to be home with the kids without other distractions (and the fact that they’re already spending hours playing with their little friends in the neighborhood)
- adventurous driving – today I was following Erik in another car and when we got stuck in traffic we went driving down the wrong side of the road, cut across a field, and finally made it back to a road that eventually got us home
- continuing traditions from before – we hung up Christmas decorations we’d brought with us, are making Christmas cookies we’ve made in years past, and are hoping to have our annual “Christmas tree decorating” party tomorrow
- two monkeys in our compound – watching the kids’ excitement was so very fun (I, of course, was hoping they wouldn’t come into the house and eat our fruit or mess up our stuff! – the difference between being a kid and an adult here – sigh!)
- Lauren’s excitement over her safari boots (Meredith is mad I packed hers in the container)
Things I’m so thankful for:
- Erik’s past experience with technology here – less than 24 hours after landing I had my own phone and we had wireless internet in our house
- The kids are doing well with adjusting – there have been tears, but we keep talking about how there are good and bad things where ever you are and so we need to be thankful for the good things. God has called us here, and so He will also provide for us here. It’s been so neat to watch them determine to be joyful and thankful.
- That I grew up here and spent a lot of time with my mom in the kitchen and around the house. For example, I knew that even though I can’t buy sour cream I can buy “mala milk” and strain it for sour cream, and have a good idea about other household tasks that are different here.
- The extra measure of a sense of humor and patience that God has given me. Our first day here we, couldn’t get water to work anywhere but in the kitchen for a couple hours, then couldn’t figure out how to use the hot water heater so took cold showers and I heated water on the stove for the kids’ bath, the downstairs toilet sprung a leak and I had to drain the roof tank to make the leak stop, and the light burned out in our bedroom (how do you change a lightbulb in our 10’ ceiling with no ladder!!) Needless to say, I’m thankful that the days since then have been much less adventurous.
- Skype, $0.13 international texting, email
Thanks for all your prayers and emails, and for the many good goodbyes before we left. We left feeling very, very loved.
10 comments
So happy to hear how things are going. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Rin…so good to read this post. We think and pray for you and the girls every day (Erik, too, of course). But I also read his many tweets everyday so have more of a feel for what he is up to. It was good to read about how y’all are settling…the challenges and the intentionality in seeing God’s good hand in things. We miss you guys like crazy, but are so happy that you are where God has planted you.
Hey Rin,
I miss you my sister and can’t wait till I can come and see you all. I am glad the girls have made friends and I can picture their excitement about the monkeys. What fun!!
Thanks for the update. I have been thinking of you guys often and wondering how things are going/how the girls are settling in, etc. It has really started to hit me that you guys are gone and I cry often
fun post. thanks. so happy for you guys.
So happy to read this post, Rinnie. I wish I was there to watch the girls making new friends. I remember Anna at that age when we moved to Nairobi and how she started speaking Luo just from being with the kids on our street. We are so happy for you but missing you as well.
I’m so glad things are going well for you guys, Rin! I miss you all to death, but it’s so good to hear from you, and know that you’re only a Skype call away. =)
Thanks so much for posting! miss you guys already. tell you girls that i love them! Can’t wait to visit
Sarah
Yay!! So glad to hear from you!
Oh, Rinnie….thanking God for technology to keep connected.
Glad you had your Christmas decorations…when does the container get there so Meredith can have her safari boots?
It’s just not the same here without you!!! I miss you so much but I’m so glad to be connected and hear about the adjustments you guys have made. I love that I can picture exactly what you’re doing and how you’re doing it since I lived there, too. You had much more time with your mom in the kitchen then I did so I had no idea that mala milk made sour cream. Good thing it’s you living there and not me.
Trying not to cry every time I think of you and the girl. Today I imagined what we would be doing this morning if you were here. Big mistake. 
Hi Rinnie,
So don’t stress out when there’s no water (where I live we get water twice a week at night only), or electricity, or when you keep-right instead of keep-left on the road (lol). Sorry to ramble on, but I don’t know why I got excited about you guys coming to live here. Baraka tele.
You don’t know me, but I used to read your blog until you kind of stopped blogging…:) I’m from Kenya, and I found your blog through the ‘white african’ blog – I’m sort of a techie. I’ve just found out that you’ve moved back to Kenya! Karibu sana from this Kenyan stranger. I’ve met Erik in two of those technology gatherings in Kenya (barcamp and the like), but I’m sure he doesn’t remember me. Anyway, just wanted to tell you that, even as you’ve realised through your water escapades, God is still the LORD even here in Kenya. He will supply your needs according to His riches in glory, and He’s very rich!
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