Settling in

I’ve already been in Nairobi for over a week. Technically on the outskirts, in something akin to suburbs, called Kasarani. For the first week I was luckily able to stay at the guesthouse on the premises of where I will be doing my research. Here I could adjust and start getting my experiments organized. My research is mostly behavior oriented so there is a lot of preparation and then starring at fruit flies waiting for them to do something. I’m not going to lie, I love it. Somehow I’ve found myself actually working at my dream job. Of course my dream job would lack for pay, but money has never been all that important to me.

Mostly I have been busy with work but I have had a handful of experiences out and about. I did manage to find a flat with some french scientists right near the institute. I also went out to eat a few times. Twice for Ethiopian, which was delicious both times and quite a different way of eating. Ethiopian food is eaten with your hands, which is funny after living in Germany for two years where they even eat french fries with utensils. Last Wednesday was labor day so we had the day free. My ever so kindly guide here showed me how to get into town using public transport – matatu. It was quite the chaotic journey. Our journey in was filled with the commentary by a man selling some sort of healing pills which cured everything from Malaria to infertility and diabetes. On the packaging they said something along the lines of “God saves – we heal.”

But the highlight would have been heading home. We stayed longer than intended in town. When we were heading home it was a mess. We searched though the matatus with men waving fingers in the air to express the fair and eventually found one for an acceptable price. These colorful buses are practically a disco inside in the evening – blasting american rap and reggae, decorated by neon lights and more colorful imagery. As we pulled out to head to the highway the matatus scraped passed eachother, several minor collisions were afforded before finally making it to the main road and heading out of the city center.

Unfortunately I am very limited in pictures I can take. I have been advised to avoid pulling out my camera or phone in public here. But when I make it to the parks I will be sure to take plenty.