A Day in the Life of a Joyful Journalist

First, let me start by sharing a story about an unusual pedestrian we encountered a few weekends ago. We were on our way to church on Sunday morning, when, through the car window, we saw nothing less than a camel! It was just walking all by itself up the road, looking like it knew exactly where it was going, and not even sparing us a glance as we passed by. 

This has probably been my favorite surprise animal encounter in Kenya so far. It has become quite customary to see donkeys, cows, and sheep in the middle of the highway – not just a few, but sometimes entire herds. The camel, however, was a very cool new experience.

And so we come to an essential part of everyday life here: Kenya’s equivalent of buses, called “matatus”. These are small, privately owned vans fitted with about 15 seats. It would be a mistake, however, to think that they therefore seat only 15 people! Instead, they squeeze in as many passengers as possible, often with at least two men standing and hanging out of the door. The “conductor,” who arranges everyone inside, is what I would call a modern-day cowboy; the only thing missing really is the horse! They hang out of the van, shouting at people, and often jump on and off while the vehicle is moving. They even wear that distinct cowboy-style hat and are usually very charming.

I remember one occasion when we had gone out for a meal in the evening and were looking for a matatu home with our best friend, James. Nighttime is the hardest time to find any vehicle; this is when you’ll even see people hanging out of the boot of the matatu. My husband hailed one, and they managed to convince us there was space. I ended up sitting on my friend’s knee while my husband balanced out of the door. When I looked behind me after boarding the matatu that night, all I could see were gleaming eyes and teeth. 

When one person arrives at their stop and needs to get off, everyone else needs to get out too. The first person back inside the matatu gets the better seat, usually by the window. Matatu drivers often love blasting loud music through the speakers and decorating their vans with multicolored, flashing lights. So the whole ride can feel rather like being squeezed into a tiny disco on wheels! For all the Harry Potter fans (like myself), the best way to describe the experience would be the Knight Bus from “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”. 

Another key aspect of life here, for me as a white person in Kenya, is being greeted by random people on the street. When my husband and I go for walks, many children in particular shout  “Mzungu! Mzungu!” (which in Swahili essentially means “white person”), while others just wave. Since my eyesight isn’t the best over long distances, my husband often tells me where to wave – for example, “Wave to the right, to the bushes over there” – which is rather amusing, as I often can’t even see who I’m waving to. 

I have also developed the habit of wearing dark sunglasses, not just because of the sun, but more importantly so I don’t give away my facial expressions too easily. In Kenya, there is no such thing as “too busy”; there is always time to greet people and stop to have a lengthy conversation on your way somewhere. This is where sunglasses come in handy, especially if, like me, your face doesn’t always cooperate quickly and you don’t want to be impolite; but it can be a little frustrating when you are interrupted en route somewhere. My husband Alvin is not only talkative but also quite well known, not just where we live, seemingly everywhere we go. And of course, I make it very easy to be recognized from a distance; as a white person, it’s hard for me to blend in or ‘camouflage’ at all. So the sunglasses are a very helpful small way of hiding. 

There is truly never a dull moment here in Kenya. From chaotic matatu rides that rival the Knight Bus, to exciting encounters with all creatures great and small, to being greeted like a celebrity on the street and nearly bowled over by a boisterously affectionate crowd of children (see image below!) – who knows what tomorrow’s adventure might bring? One quote captures it perfectly:

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” (Helen Keller)