First Trans-Atlantic flight
Ambien did NOTHING for me on the overnight trip! I think I was awake for most of the 8 hours from Minneapolis to Amsterdam. Movies, Ipod, ….and two meals and a snack. Plus up and down the aisle just to stretch my legs.
Very nice airport in Amsterdam….kept thinking about ‘Girl with the Dragon Tatoo’ !! Steig really did capture the rather cold efficiency of the Danish design . Had a great cappuccino though, and took a nap on an ultra modern loveseat that was part of an arrangement around a faux fireplace. In considering the fireplace and surroundings, really nothing seemed quite ‘real’ …..inlcuding the flawless flight attendants from KHS. Their crisp periwinkle suits and click, click heels were so Austin Powers. Yeah, baby.
Flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi was TORTURE!! Didn’t know my knees could hurt so much from being folded up for two 8 hour flights. In addition, we sat on the tarmac for 2 hours in Amsterdam. Something about ‘no fly zone’ over Lybia means busy air traffic over other routes’….thus the delay. Napped only a little and finished 'Out of Africa' (it's been awhile!). Can't wait to see the Karen Blixen house and museum.
First Time on Africa Soil!
Arrived Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi at 10:00 pm East Africa time which was 1:00 pm MST. Stood in line and paid the $50.00 for my ‘tourist visa’, for which ISK will reimburse me. Waited patiently for three very heavy bags and my golf clubs. Snagged two carts and an attendant to help me load it all up and go to the customs line. Handed the attendant $5.00 USD and didn’t have to pay any duty or open any of my luggage. Don’t know if that was because I tipped the attendant in front of the customs agent, but I was glad I didn’t have to pay duty on the golf clubs that cost more to ship than they are really worth!!
As promised, there were two ISK teachers waiting with many others just outside security. most holding up signs. Easy to see ISK Keena Unruh on the sign they were holding…..Yay, that’s ME! One teacher, John (the IT guy) stayed behind to meet the next to arrive. Good to know there was one more teacher coming in later than I. Heard later that John had actually waited FOUR HOURS with a couple that brought their two Dachshunds (okay…weenie dogs!) with them. He’s a patient guy from South Africa with a great sense of humor.
Anyway, Daniel, the band director dude who is also in charge of ‘Newbies’ (as we are known) and Moses, the bus driver loaded me into the blue and white mini bus for the 40 minute drive from the airport to the apartment complex where I will live in Westlands. Saw the hotel where Prince William proposed to Kate while driving through Nairobi! I know my friend, Karen would have appreciated a photo, but it was night time. Sorry, Karen!
First Time to live on the 5th floor of a mid-rise apartment building with NO elevator!
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| View from apartment balcony. |
Daniel, Moses, and Keena trudge up five flights of stairs in the very nice apartment building to the 5th floor, apartment C7, bags in tow. Greeted by Michael and Griffins, two of the ‘operations’ guys from ISK who begin the ‘tour’ of my 3 bedroom apartment.
Mind you, I’ve just been traveling 26 straight hours and they are trying to explain all the ‘details’ of my so called ‘furnished’ apartment…… the gas’ cooker’ (how you turn it on and where the gas tank is); a quick look at the food, dishes, pots and pans etc. that the school has provided; attention paid to the emergency light, phone and phone numbers. Then comes the most provocative thing of the tour….the RED PANIC BUTTONS in every single room!! YIKES!! They give a quick explanation of the security system, a few more ‘here is this , here is that’ …then I notice a huge fresh flower arrangement on the dining room table!! WOW! I thank them for the flowers and everything else I can think of, then they are gone.
I take a whole Ambien; wash my face, brush my teeth, get out of the clothes I’ve worn for 26 hours and fall into bed. I SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT, which is still actually daytime in Colorado. I notice that the mattress on the bed is VERY HARD, but I sleep anyway. Not sure if it’s the ‘No JetLag’ that Sue and Gene gave me, or the Ambien, or the 26 hours straight of travel, but I’m happy to sleep through my first night in Kenya.
AUGUST 1, 8:00 AM - NEW TEACHER ORIENTATION!!
As promised, the mini school bus is at the apartment building a 8:30 am. Daniel trudges up the stairs to ring my doorbell and we are off for the first look at International School of Kenya! Other ‘newbies’ are on the bus; we exchange pleasantries, jet lag details, apartment comparisons…..and try to figure out how the heck the bus driver (a Kenyan named Daniel) is negotiating this bus on a narrow road with pedestrians and bicycles on both sides of the road. First glimpse into the craziness of driving in Kenya.
Arrive at school…..WOW. What a process it’s been to get here. I feel amazingly not jetlagged….I think.
Coffee, tea, pastries and more introductions. Karibu Sana (welcome) papers, folders, the usual beginning of school stuff handed out and we’re off. Power Point Presentation with the school’s history, mission statement, current statistics, and the ubiquitous CONSTRUCTION PROJECT (bvsd friends!)……okay, still pretty normal school stuff, but I’m in Africa!!
I’m noticing that many people have a British accent. Okay, well….they did own pretty much everything until 1963. The Kenyans (when not speaking Swahili) have the most beautiful style of speech….a definite British accent without the ‘posh’ sound you normally relate to Brits. I’m learning to pay attention to the colloquial-isms of both the Brits and the Kenyans. I have to listen carefully to process all that is being said.
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| Campus signs at ISK. |
Off to a tour of the 50 acre campus, which as I mentioned also has a HUGE construction project underway. At this point, it’s difficult for all of us to think that we will actually be able to find our way around here! LOTS of buildings as it is a K-12 school, so there is the Elementary (ES), Middle School (MS), and HS.
We also see the ancillary buildings: HR, the gym, Health Office, Security, Operations, Canteens, upper and lower soccer fields, swimming pool, etc. etc. Vegetation is lush; flagstone and brick walks everywhere; and many old , stone buildings. The campus was once a coffee plantation Elementary buildings are circular ‘pods’ ….part of the soon to be replaced buildings in the construction plan. They are very quaint, but dated and not so functional for today’s educational needs.
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| A view of the ES 'Pods'. Note the covered picnic tables. Lunch is always served outside! Each 'pod' has their picnic table area. |
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| ES Office where tea, coffee, and biscuits (cookies) are always available, thanks to Ms. SallehMatta, our principal. Lively conversation in Swahili and English can always be heard. It's a happy place! |
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| Arts Centre Sign |
After a delicious lunch with a distinct Kenyan flavor (lentils, greens, rice), we head to the IT Center for the lowdown on logging in as ISK teachers and our first chance to COMMUNICATE with our friends and family. I can't type fast enough when I'm finally logged on! This is an important moment for all of the new hires as most of us have just arrived and need to let our friends an families know that we've safely arrived.
Information regarding phone and Internet access (SafariCom!) is provided at lunchtime. All bases are covered, as far as getting us connected…..but it will all be done Kenyan style. SO not how things are done in America, but we are advised and guided and reassured that it will all happen with time, patience, and of course....a few thousand Kenyan schillings! (currently 92 schillings to 1 usd.....must get used to zeros!)
First SHOPPING Experience in Kenya
ON THE VERY FIRST AFTERNOON, we are taken by school bus to Westlands Mall, where we are instructed to buy the things we deem necessary for our apartments / houses. The Mall is very modern, clean, and the ever present Security is apparent. We also are shown how to exchange our currency at the ‘FOUREX’, also located in the Mall. At least there are NOT armed guards at the banks as there were when I was in Guatemela last summer! The exchange rate of 92 Schillings to $1.00 is good for ex-pats like me, but not so good for Kenyans.
THE NAKUMATT store is located at the end of the three story mall. It’s US equivalent is Walmart (ugh!). Indian owned and the ‘anchor tenant’ of every mall here, the Nakumatt is going to be difficult to avoid, but I sense over time will be just as despised as Walmart is for me in the States.
Jetlagged and numb, we wheel our carts around and buy some essentials for survival in our new living spaces. Thanks to the school, we do have a ‘welcome kit’ that includes a few dishes, soap, towels, sheets, iron and board, etc. We are expected to turn the Welcome Kit in when our personal shipments arrive, but it’s very helpful to have some of the essentials for housekeeping already in place. Well done, ISK Operations!! I buy a trashcan, mop, broom, additional towels, and cleaning STUFF. My apartment is very clean, and I’m anxious to keep it that way!
I’m most excited about my coffee maker and my FIRST BAG OF KENYAN COFFEE! I just had to buy the ‘Out of Africa’ Organic coffee. Who wouldn’t??
Shopping finished. We all load our bags and purchases onto the school bus and go to Director John Roberts’ home for an early dinner.
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| John Roberts, Director of ISK. Patricia SallehMatta, ES Principal in pink sweater in background. |
Wow, very impressive. The blue and white ISK school bus driver is quite skilled at negotiating the narrow, two lane roads leading up the hill to the lovely home of our school’s Director.
Security guards open the gate, and the bus parks in the driveway. As is customary here, the dinner party is outside in the large and lush back yard. Outdoor ‘chimineas’ are around the perimeter of the yard as it is the ‘winter’ of Nairobi…..cloudy and cool like our mountains in Colorado. (I feel a bit guilty knowing my family and friends in Kansas are sweltering!
Douglas (an employee from ISK) is tending bar, David Gray (wha??) and a mix of African music is playing on the sound system, and we are greeted by John Roberts (our director) and his wife, Charlene who is a teacher in the MS. Dinner is served under from a catering ‘tent’ (by the ubiquitous ‘househelp’).
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| ISK 'Newbies' |
Schoolbus (and our amazing orientation guides, Eddie and Daniel) transport us back to our apartments / houses , help us unload our Nakumatt purchases and my FIRST DAY in Kenya is done. I unpack a few things from my two large suitcases, read a little on my Kindle, try hard not to feel homesick, and thankfully sleep through the night, despite the very hard mattress on the bed the school has provided. It was a very full day.....confusing some of the time, but extremely interesting all of the time.
Bright and early, the blue and white bus arrives for day two. Tea and coffee (a staple at each and every school gathering....including staff meetings) and pastries are served in our meeting room. I notice many say 'teacoffee' as if it's all one word.
After a morning of internet protocols and a visit from SafariCom (to sign up for cell phone service) we have another Kenyan inspired lunch and then head out on the bus to start (insert scary music here)…… THE DREADED CAR PURCHASE.
First Car Shopping Experience
For me, this is the most stressful event. I LOVE my Nissan Juke, for which I am making monthly payments in US! Nevertheless, as I was made acutely aware in all the information provided by the school, a car purchase is a necessary evil of living and working in Kenya. Public transportation consists of the VERY SKETCH and somewhat dangerous Matatus, which are VW buses loaded with Africans and perhaps some very brave tourists or expats. So, we are required to stimulate the Kenyan economy and add our newly purchased vehicles to the crowded and crazy traffic of Nairobi.
For now…..George (mechanic and busdriver for the school) and Eddie (PE teacher and orientation leader) are guiding us through the car shopping and purchase process in Kenya. Lots to learn. They do most of the talking in Swahili while we take pictures of and write down information on potential cars in the various lots we visit. Nobody scores, so we make a plan to go to the ‘Nairobi Car Bazaar’ on Sunday.
I’m constantly aware of the ‘driving on the left side of the road’ flip that my brain is soon going to have to do. For now, I just can’t imagine that I’ll be able to do it.
The evening is lovely once again with dinner and drinks at the HS principal’s grand home. He was proud to announce that his staff had prepared a Mexican style meal, with Margaritas and Sangria as complements. Let’s just say it was a good effort and good Mexican food will be one of the tastes I’ll miss the most!! Nevertheless, the outdoor ambiance with the fireplaces, lively conversation, and getting to know new friends and colleagues made for a very enjoyable evening and helped relieve the stress of shopping for a car.
Orientation continues on Wednesday
Robert Onyango, a very tall, articulate Kenyan man is head of IT Security (and seemingly a lot of other stuff) for ISK. I can’t really go into the details of all he told us as it definitely sounds more scary than it actually is, and yet security and safety are a primary concern for the school and all who are employed.
As promised, each apartment complex and house occupied by ISK teachers is provided with 24 hour security. We are given phone numbers to put on speed dial that will contact Security for everything from an escort home after dark to assistance in a traffic situation. We have all noticed the many blue uniformed security personnel on campus, however I’ve observed that aside from the two or three dog handlers in the security force at the school, the only other deterrents (besides their sheer numbers) is the high stone wall that surrounds the campus, and single entrance and exit security gates. Nevertheless, they are a sort of omnipresence, not only for ISK teacher housing and the school, but also in the shopping malls, and at most gates of businesses and houses of the Kenyan middle class and expats living in Kenya for whatever reason. At any rate, the security effort appears to be good. I hope I don’t have reason to test what might happen if I am involved in an actual emergency, but I will say that I’ve received instruction on what to do should that occur.
Tomorrow will be the start of school for ALL the ISK staff. I can hardly wait to meet Jane Elleby, the ES Art teacher who I sense is a kindred spirit.
