My husband sent me this joke this morning! Ha ha!
Joking aside, World Cup Fever has certainly hit Kenya. Suffice to say, my husband came home with a huge flatscreen TV last week and he's not even particularly a football fan! Perfectly happy with our antique grey box that you needed glasses to see across the room ... I was horrified. The whole family is now on a diet of bread and water until the end of the month!
We went out to watch the England Algeria game on Friday night at a packed bar with an even bigger screen that the one we now have at home. More than half of the assembled crowd were supporting Algeria (whether black, white, green whatever, simply because they were an African side). For this reason I was kind of glad that nobody scored - but what a disappointment for England! As a rank amateur on the subject of football, my impression was that under all the fancy footwork, there is simply no substance to the England team. The UK side evidently are overpaid and worry too much about their hair and clothes endorsements.
Having said this, I understand that most of the World Cup matches so far have made disappointing viewing. Perhaps other teams have struggled with the dreaded Vuvuzelas that sound like the mother of all swarming wasps. Perhaps this noise is so deafening that critical team communication is failing to take place on the pitch. Watching the German/Italian/British coaches' agonised faces is always amusing though.
The best thing about the FIFA World Cup is that it's drawing the world's attention to not just South Africa, but Africa as a whole - and this time it's not just a flash in the pan; a coup here, a riot there, a humanitarian disaster. What a blessed relief! It's great to see those, French, US, English, German supporters etc. who have 'braved' Africa to watch the game.
Now the column inches on Africa are now rolling for more than one month worldwide and it's broadcasting hopefully positive feedback from the Continent for a change. A proud moment for anybody who is from here.
One thing I have noticed; Here in Nairobi we haven't had a single power cut since the World Cup started! Way to go KPLC (Kenya Power & Lighting)!! Shows they can do it when they want to!!
"Perhaps other teams have struggled with the dreaded Vuvuzelas that sound like the mother of all swarming wasps."
ReplyDeleteBased on your experience, do Africans have a prediliction for noise?
Obviously that came out wrong. For 'other' read 'all the'. Was not making a differentiation!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, the England team are far too well paid and all they do is MOAN! with £164 000 a week in wages what could you possibly have to complain about!
ReplyDeleteTo African Expat,
ReplyDeleteA little out of topic but I have always wanted to ask you: Since you've lived in Kenya for so long, do you eat some of the local foods eg..ugali, Githeri, roast Goat,chapati etc..or you just make English foods?
I transplanted to the USA,( been here almost ten years) and I like to try all different recepies ( american, Italian, etc..foods)..., baking all sorts of pastries and so on... the other kenyans over here don't cook anything else except Kenyan dishes with the occasional fast food like pizza, and chinnese foods.
My friends find me odd in how I embraced all the non kenyan foods lol....
Also.., have you ever used a matatu?
I used to read a blog about one missionary who lived in kenya for seven years with her family. They really did blend in with the community but I think it's because they were in Kitale and it's very local there. Very different experience from living in Nairobi. They moved back to the US after their son developed diabetes and needed to use an insulin pump daily..( could not find that kind of care in Kitale and had to give up thier mission)
Thanks so much for keeping your blog going. It's fun to read about a "Mzungu's " perspective on Kenyan life being a Kenyan myself.
And Glad KPlC are honoring the World cup. Kenyans need some fun and distraction from all the constitution debate.
Hi Jo, Wow, is that what they are paid?!?
ReplyDeleteAnon,
Thanks for your questions.
I have tried quite a few Kenyan/East African dishes, I love sukuma wiki and chapatis and coastal style coconut fish soup, not so sure about roast goat and ugali - though I have tried both. I must admit I've never eaten githeri, though it sounds good. I also love mandazis and samosas! Moving to the region has taught me how to enjoy green and red chillis and spicey food.
To be honest, I do the cooking in our house and it tends to be the easy stuff: English style stews, Italian bolognaise sauce with spagetti or rice, homemade pizzas and the odd Chinese stir fry - so quite a mix!
I have been on a matatu - though this was in Tanzania/Dar where they are called dhalla-dhallas. Since having children, I confess I've been firmly behind the wheel of my own car all the time with the kids strapped into the back.
Githeri really is a kenyan parent obsession.
ReplyDeleteGitheri is to kenyan kids what broccoli or vegetables (never understood this) is to western kids.
I for one have a proper kenyan's boring pallet. Cant stand cheese, have an insatiable love for ugali (don’t know why?? someone once asked me what it tastes like and all i could come up with was 'Unflavoured soft tortilla chips'..think about it).
I’m a proper Nairobi kid, educated on Kenyan boarding schools since I was 9. The thing about Kenyan boarding schools is that they make you believe that fruits are actually treats. Due to this, I have a crazy love of fruits and vegetables.
Only problem with this is, living in the UK, a decent sized pawpaw (papaya), which by the way is smaller that what you get in Kenya, costs about 5 pounds???? and stuff like avocado are as expensive as Moi's rungu stool.
I find it incredible that you have tasted local foods though. I would steer clear of Githeri though, its not exactly gravel, but I don’t think you can come closer to tasting some.
Sorry for going off topic BTW. Football YEAHHH!!. There sorted.
Oh yer they do earn that much. There is a bit of a row at the moment because their wives and girlfriends accepted 9000 pound gift bags in 'starving' south africa.
ReplyDeleteA paper had a nice joke yesterday with Coleen calling rooney, after getting the bag, saying "Yer, and we didnt have to do anything, just show up".
On a slightly different note, do you get offended when people call you a 'mzungu'? this came up a few days ago amongst my friends and i can understand why this might be offensive.
Wikipedia says:
Mzungu (pronounced "Mmm-zoo-ngooo") is the Swahili word for "Person of European Descent". Literaly translated it means "someone who roams around aimlessly" (Blame Livingstone et'al for that)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZBEwYOKHtw
I don't find the term Mzungu offensive. Probably because life is too short, though I do struggle with the whole political correctness of terminology such as; black African/White African/African.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first moved over here, my Swahili language book translated 'Mzungu' as simply 'foreigner or visitor'. Not necessarily a white person. In fact it said that you may be from the same country but just out of town, so traditionally a black Kenyan might have been called a 'mzungu' by others when not on his home turf.
This might explain why some black Africans are called 'Mzungu' - I knew of one in Uganda. Or am I totally off here?
I guess that the girl on the YouTube clip might have grown tired of kids shouting 'mzungu' at her wherever she went... but I think that it's no big deal.
I also think 'Mzungu' translates more to 'Foreigner' than white person.
ReplyDeleteohh and that white/blue/green correctness drives me up the wall. During the recent london sevens tour,
The kenyan flag would never pass a PC test as it has colors symbolising black people (Racist), blood (too violent)and green landscape (Tree hugger).
Dear Expat Housewife,
ReplyDeleteDo you wear animal skins, smear ochre on your body and apply heavy oils to your hair in Nairobi? Do you think your African experience would be enriched if you did so? You might have thought about it but possibly shied away from doing so only because educated middle class Kenyans don't do this anymore, preferring to wear trousers and straightening their hair out of embarrasment and a sense of insecurity. I think its good to enjoy the local culture without inhibitions. Enjoy Kenya.
Thanks for your response about the local foods and as always for blogging:) :)
ReplyDelete