"Karibu" to Kenya: A "Typical" Weekend in Nairobi

Despite starting the weekend at the doctors office on Friday, my weekend was actually quite eventful. I spent Friday evening and all day Saturday in bed, reading a book and watching several DVDs loaned to me by my host, Achieng. (I'm hooked on Season 5 of Desperate Housewives now!) Then, James - a friend that I met through one of my classmates - invited me to attend a book launch in honor of his friend's contribution to the book on Sudanese refugees. I took a "bus" to meet him in the city center, missing my stop along the way but getting to see more of Nairobi. Since I was early (yes, early, believe it or not!), we decided to walk around a little. I got to try my bargaining skills at Masai Market, a large, mobile market where hawkers sell jewelry, paintings, and other crafts. I bought 2 pairs of earrings for 150 Kenyan shillings (just under US$2), which was 1/4 the price of the first seller who tried to give me the muzungo (White person/foreigner) price. I really need to learn Swahili!!!

After leaving the market, James and I made our way to a large park by the Kenyatta International Conference Center, where the government has set up a projector and seating for audiences to watch the World Cup. This building was initially the tallest building in East Africa (which, if you can see from the picture, is not really that tall), but has now been replaced by the nearby Times Tower. Since the game wasn't playing, the speakers played some African music. Surprisingly, most of the music listened to here is foreign music (U.S., Nigeria, Tanzania) but gospel music is the latest trend in Kenyan music; they even play it in the night clubs!

James in front of the statue of Kenyatta, Kenya's first president.

Me in front of the International Conference Center (round sky scraper) and the Times Tower (behind it).

Since the 7pm book launch didn't start by 10 pm, James and I decided to watch the Cameroon/Denmark match instead. We watched the first half at a club called "Tacos" (named after Taco Bell, although I'm not sure the franchise knows it), and then the second half across the street at "Club Bettyz." As soon as the game finished, the music started blaring and people started dancing right beside their tables, since there was no proper dance floor. I also tried my first Kenyan beer!

Tusker malt and Tusker, Kenyan beer.

Oh Taco Bell...

Later on, I met up with Lena, Yasmine, and Helen at another club called "Club Soundd" (with 2 D's). The club resembled a small American lounge/restaurant, complete with a small dance floor that fit more people than I thought was possible! A dental school student named Vitalis offered to buy my a drink and then formally invited me to dance with him. I mostly bobbed my head and gently shook my hips to the beat while Vitalis was, in true fashion of Kenyan men, really dancing! Kenyans - like all Africans, I suppose - really love to dance, but the men especially get into it! The formality of inviting a woman to dance was also so refreshing, in contrast to the more aggressive side I have seen of some of my African brothers! I have not been converted to Kenyan men, or really any men at this point in time, but I think that I'm really going to enjoy the going to clubs here! Although I had planned to be home by 1 am, we left around 3 am, while the club was still going strong.

On Sunday, I got to meet up with Manu, a friend from my undergrad days at Michigan State University! He moved here to work with his father in the construction industry after graduating in 2007, so it was fun to have a reunion half way across the world. We walked around Village Market, an upscale, expat mall in Gigiri located near the enormous UN Compound and the super secure U.S. Embassy. We enjoyed gelato and played a round of mini-golf. Then he drove me around Gigiri and Westlands where I saw beautiful mansions and some of the most expensive housing in Nairobi!