Saying Goodbye
I write this from a necessarily heated flat in London - wearing three sweaters, two pairs of socks and wool trousers - reflecting constantly on what now seemed like a very long, beautiful, hot and crazy dream...
My last week in Kenya:
Sunday - March 11
Spent the morning going for a walk along the beach in Diani, Mombasa. Enjoy a quiet breakfast overlooking the pool. Read the paper to excitingly find that an article of mine was published (Standard, March 11 - "The Right to Legal Aid and the Faltering National Scheme.") Catch a taxi to the airport with Kim and Andrea, and fly back to Nairobi. The three of us go for an indulgent and rich dinner at one of my favourite Italian spots. We slowly drag ourselves home.
Monday - March 12
Kim and Andrea leave at 6am for the airport to go back to Vancouver. I get ready and make my way to work. After work, I begin packing, spend the evening hanging out with Nafisa.
Tuesday - March 13
Back at work, then dinner afterwards with my good friend Dominic followed by drinks and smoking sheesha at my neighbour's downstairs. Midnight comes and I doggedly make my way upstairs to sleep.
Wednesday - March 14
Again, work, going into town, getting things done. Meeting with a colleague for lunch. Back to work. Afterwards, meet up with another good friend, Evans Monari (and LSK Council Member) - spend the evening going from one club/restaurant to the next. Stumble home at 2am.
Thursday - March 15
Work, but very little, meeting with friends for lunch again. Back to work then to another restaurant for a farewell party in my honour - attended mostly by local lawyers. Leave a few hours later to meet with Nafisa - dinner and shopping for my final going-away party on Friday. Come home late - lock myself out of my apartment - drive around town with Nafisa trying to find Sheila with the extra set of keys. Make it home even later. Finish packing - can't sleep - finally manage to by 3am.
Friday - March 16
Alcohol and party shopping with my neighbour Sona. Paying bills and running errands. Moving furniture and putting up xmas lights and candles. Heading to work for my farewell party there - during which everyone tells cute stories about me and I try to not cry. I cut the cake and open the gifts they so thoughtfully gave me. I can't believe it's already come to this. I kiss and hug everyone goodbye and rush out with my co-worker Judy, trying to make it home through traffic before the other party guests arrive. Make it home to quickly get ready, light the candles and pour a glass of wine with all my girlfriends who had already arrived. People start to trickle in. The band (thank you Natalie, Dennis and Karly!) arrives with their beautiful drums, guitar, flute and violin which they then proceed to master in a melodious harmony of sounds. The candles in my apartment are flickering, the band is playing, people are talking and laughing and I am esctatically surrounded by all (or at least most) of the people who have come to mean so much to me. Once they leave, much later in the night, I still can't sleep - still can't believe it's already come to this.
Saturday, March 17
I wake up early to a chaotic mess in my apartment that didn't look so bad the night before. I clean up and leave to have breakfast and go shopping with Dominic. Afterwards I meet with Nafisa to go to the spa for a massage - a luxury I stupidly didn't treat myself to earlier during my stay... I come home and finally finish packing. In the evening, Imani, Brian and Nafisa - the first people I met when I came to Nairobi, and some of my closest friends -come over to have some wine and conversation, listen to 50s blues and reminisce. We eventually pull ourselves away from our very relaxing surroundings and head to Galileo's, a nearby club, to see our friend Shu perform. We squeeze through the crowds to get to the front row and mock at all the women drooling over him as he performs beautiful, jazzy songs. After he's finished and we've said our hellos, Nafisa and I go on to stay out until 4am, hitting different bars, just the two of us - celebrating my last night in Kenya.
Sunday, March 18
I wake up early again - sleep seems to be escaping me this whole week. I can't stay in bed knowing today is my last day. My friend James from work, comes over with his wife and child. I pack up most of my things that I'm leaving behind to give to them. They share a taxi with me as I head to Kibera to say goodbye to my dear friends, Fred and Robert. There, the three of us sit quietly in their very-humble surroundings, a bit disbelieving that I'm actually leaving - after all we've done in the past few months. I give them my laptop rather procedurally, not wanting to get emotional, but it's difficult. I hate leaving them like this, here, to go back to where I'm going to - there. With a few tears, I say goodbye and decide to take the matatus back home - for one final ride. I pass through many neighbourhoods, continuously thinking, this is the last time I'll see these places, at least like this. I pass by the LSK office and the shopping centre and market where I would buy my lunch everyday. The colourful fruit and vegetable stands. I jump off the 2nd matatu and walk to the third stop. As I'm doing so, a matatu sharply pulls up in front of me and one of the first matatu boys I met while here, calls out to me while hanging out the side, "come for a ride!" ... Not knowing or caring where they're going, I jump in for one last ride and to say goodbye to him as well. He tells me that he has three brothers and no sisters, he feels like I'm a sister to him and will miss me very much. Eventually the matatus comes around my route and they drop me off. I walk slowly back to my apartment, talking to all the guards along the way, saying bye and taking photos. Once back at my apartment, it's bare floors and empty walls remind me that I'm really leaving. I make a cup of tea and sit on the balcony to admire the many beautiful trees and birds in my backyard for the last time. I go downstairs to hang out with Sona and Chets, my neighbours, while waiting for Nafisa to pick me for the airport. When she arrives, we lug my excess luggage down the three flights of stairs, cram them into the car and head to the airport. She's only able to quickly say bye as a security guard rushes her away.
... and I'm left there with all my bags and a long face, that hasn't really disappeared yet.
I can't believe it's already come to this.
My last week in Kenya:
Sunday - March 11
Spent the morning going for a walk along the beach in Diani, Mombasa. Enjoy a quiet breakfast overlooking the pool. Read the paper to excitingly find that an article of mine was published (Standard, March 11 - "The Right to Legal Aid and the Faltering National Scheme.") Catch a taxi to the airport with Kim and Andrea, and fly back to Nairobi. The three of us go for an indulgent and rich dinner at one of my favourite Italian spots. We slowly drag ourselves home.
Monday - March 12
Kim and Andrea leave at 6am for the airport to go back to Vancouver. I get ready and make my way to work. After work, I begin packing, spend the evening hanging out with Nafisa.
Tuesday - March 13
Back at work, then dinner afterwards with my good friend Dominic followed by drinks and smoking sheesha at my neighbour's downstairs. Midnight comes and I doggedly make my way upstairs to sleep.
Wednesday - March 14
Again, work, going into town, getting things done. Meeting with a colleague for lunch. Back to work. Afterwards, meet up with another good friend, Evans Monari (and LSK Council Member) - spend the evening going from one club/restaurant to the next. Stumble home at 2am.
Thursday - March 15
Work, but very little, meeting with friends for lunch again. Back to work then to another restaurant for a farewell party in my honour - attended mostly by local lawyers. Leave a few hours later to meet with Nafisa - dinner and shopping for my final going-away party on Friday. Come home late - lock myself out of my apartment - drive around town with Nafisa trying to find Sheila with the extra set of keys. Make it home even later. Finish packing - can't sleep - finally manage to by 3am.
Friday - March 16
Alcohol and party shopping with my neighbour Sona. Paying bills and running errands. Moving furniture and putting up xmas lights and candles. Heading to work for my farewell party there - during which everyone tells cute stories about me and I try to not cry. I cut the cake and open the gifts they so thoughtfully gave me. I can't believe it's already come to this. I kiss and hug everyone goodbye and rush out with my co-worker Judy, trying to make it home through traffic before the other party guests arrive. Make it home to quickly get ready, light the candles and pour a glass of wine with all my girlfriends who had already arrived. People start to trickle in. The band (thank you Natalie, Dennis and Karly!) arrives with their beautiful drums, guitar, flute and violin which they then proceed to master in a melodious harmony of sounds. The candles in my apartment are flickering, the band is playing, people are talking and laughing and I am esctatically surrounded by all (or at least most) of the people who have come to mean so much to me. Once they leave, much later in the night, I still can't sleep - still can't believe it's already come to this.
Saturday, March 17
I wake up early to a chaotic mess in my apartment that didn't look so bad the night before. I clean up and leave to have breakfast and go shopping with Dominic. Afterwards I meet with Nafisa to go to the spa for a massage - a luxury I stupidly didn't treat myself to earlier during my stay... I come home and finally finish packing. In the evening, Imani, Brian and Nafisa - the first people I met when I came to Nairobi, and some of my closest friends -come over to have some wine and conversation, listen to 50s blues and reminisce. We eventually pull ourselves away from our very relaxing surroundings and head to Galileo's, a nearby club, to see our friend Shu perform. We squeeze through the crowds to get to the front row and mock at all the women drooling over him as he performs beautiful, jazzy songs. After he's finished and we've said our hellos, Nafisa and I go on to stay out until 4am, hitting different bars, just the two of us - celebrating my last night in Kenya.
Sunday, March 18
I wake up early again - sleep seems to be escaping me this whole week. I can't stay in bed knowing today is my last day. My friend James from work, comes over with his wife and child. I pack up most of my things that I'm leaving behind to give to them. They share a taxi with me as I head to Kibera to say goodbye to my dear friends, Fred and Robert. There, the three of us sit quietly in their very-humble surroundings, a bit disbelieving that I'm actually leaving - after all we've done in the past few months. I give them my laptop rather procedurally, not wanting to get emotional, but it's difficult. I hate leaving them like this, here, to go back to where I'm going to - there. With a few tears, I say goodbye and decide to take the matatus back home - for one final ride. I pass through many neighbourhoods, continuously thinking, this is the last time I'll see these places, at least like this. I pass by the LSK office and the shopping centre and market where I would buy my lunch everyday. The colourful fruit and vegetable stands. I jump off the 2nd matatu and walk to the third stop. As I'm doing so, a matatu sharply pulls up in front of me and one of the first matatu boys I met while here, calls out to me while hanging out the side, "come for a ride!" ... Not knowing or caring where they're going, I jump in for one last ride and to say goodbye to him as well. He tells me that he has three brothers and no sisters, he feels like I'm a sister to him and will miss me very much. Eventually the matatus comes around my route and they drop me off. I walk slowly back to my apartment, talking to all the guards along the way, saying bye and taking photos. Once back at my apartment, it's bare floors and empty walls remind me that I'm really leaving. I make a cup of tea and sit on the balcony to admire the many beautiful trees and birds in my backyard for the last time. I go downstairs to hang out with Sona and Chets, my neighbours, while waiting for Nafisa to pick me for the airport. When she arrives, we lug my excess luggage down the three flights of stairs, cram them into the car and head to the airport. She's only able to quickly say bye as a security guard rushes her away.
... and I'm left there with all my bags and a long face, that hasn't really disappeared yet.
I can't believe it's already come to this.
posted by Nadia at
6:07 AM
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