Sojourner
December 16, 2006 lafemmeafrique12
In life, so many moments pass by when you feel the need to share those Oprah “Aha” moments and this time is no exception. Like many Kenyans abroad, I am returning after a long time away. I remember seeing Ngugi wa Thiong’o kiss the ground when he returned after many years away. On numerous occassions I have been the one to welcome the ‘fam’ from abroad, and those early morning flight arrivals are nothing short of momentous. I relished the stories about these faraway lands and often wondered what it would feel like to return after living in a completely different culture.
So far, I await to see the ads on TV now. I honestly hope to say, ” There are some things that just do not change!”. I remember eating nyamchom at some place not far from Eureka near Ngong town, and watching the processions through town on a Sunday near Holy Family Basilica. What a treat. I think to myself, does Nyal’s ( the men’s store) still exist? And THEN, to tell you the truth, the Java Coffee House lost its cache for me. I want the real coffee from a kawaida coffee house, not to pay the same for a cuppa as I would here. Don’t worry, I will not lead a revolution against the chain of coffeehouses. But on the real yo. Stop paying for overpriced coffee.
I will relish being out of touch with the Web for a while and to rest my tired eyes, which may squint at the screen one too many times, after many nights spent writing papers and skimming passages from cover to cover. I want to see the cybercafes and find out where it is at in town. Walalala! I want to get a spa-style treatment when I get home. The full do, hair, maniped, the works. If you are anywhere in the western hemisphere and have not seen a braiding salon that does not cost you any less than $200 damage, wave a hand in the air.
Family comes first people. After seeing one too many a college student cuss out their folks. I was corrected the other day for saying that kids here are out of control, when we shared stories of what would happen if we talked to out parents the same way that some of the kids here do, knowing we may not see the light of another day if that happened. I was raised by the village( community) and want to return.
Thanks be to God for this Christmas season. Not just because of family, but for the miracle of the birth of Jesus and the gift of life!
Entry Filed under: Christmas, family, Kenya, KT, memories
