So excited!!

First impressions…

It’s so different…the hustle and bustle of a pretty large city that is more urbanized than I expected…our first stop was the supermarket which offers most of what we are familiar with just different brands. Only question is can the average person afford it. The exchange rate is 4700 kwachas to $1 US! This means if a household staffer earns 700,000 kwachas monthly, which is VERY good, then they are earning $170 dollars [approx].   We were told that to save $3000 to visit the US would take a person about 25 years to save all the money necessary. The people are so nice…everyone wishes us a good visit and are pleased to know that we will be here long enough to enjoy their country.   The cosmopolitan, multiculturalism is fabulous…my seat mate at one point was a Kenyan who was taking her son to visit her mother and learn about Kenya because he’s growing up in Sweden.

The weather…the prices aren’t unreasonable for our standards…a nice sweater costs about 185,000 kwachas or about $40. Right now we are in the winter season, which means maybe high 60’so and low 70’so and definitely cold/cool at nights and in the mornings. This will change by August…thank God.   I’ll blame it on Bo J he misled us so we do not have enough layers of clothing.

Slow down and be patient…ok, the left-handed drive is unnerving! Can I say anymore…believe me it would take a bit of doing to familiarize myself with this. So far it’s the circles that get me…I haven’t guessed the correct lane yet! J Also have to be patient [ye olde American child] because [surprise, surprise] they do things at a completely different pace. This was truly noticeable as soon as we hit Nairobi. We really had to set aside our American expectations for quick action quick!    They don’t get on the plane’s in order then everyone fusses because  by the time they get to their seating area most of the overhead luggage space is gone and then they start rearranging stuff…which causes more aggravation, etc., etc. grrrrrrr