Getting our African Grove on

Now having been in Kenya for over two weeks, I think Ania and I have crossed over into the comfort zone and are getting used to life here. There are the inevitable things to get used to in any travel: a different bed, different cuisine, lack of knowledge of your surroundings, etc. that probably take a bit to get used to, and we’ve pretty much conquered that over the last few days.

There are also a number of things about being here in Kenya (or in any developing area) and doing what we are doing that have taken some getting used to. The main one is getting yourself in “work mode” while in the environment here. When you are just traveling, you can easily take the bumps in the road or the changing schedule and figuring it out as you go. It has been more difficult to do this while also being focused on getting things done, having deadlines, creating useful research and analysis, communicating over email, having regular meetings, etc. The days can tend to disappear as you merely navigate your surroundings, much less get anything productive done. I think we are finally getting over that hump, which is great as we do have a lot to do here. The other thing that has taken some getting used to is working in less sterile surroundings. This was something I hadn’t really thought about until I got here. In my previous work, the office environment was always squeaky clean. Think about it, when was the last time something in your office or work area was actually dirty? and I mean with dirt, not just unorganized. It is kind of strange. In Kenya, even in Nairobi, everything tends to get a little dirty. Usually for work, I am used to getting dressed in my business casual, making sure I’m sharp, no spots on the shirt, clean, creased pants, with my hair gelled down…professional. Here, if I get through the day without getting everything I own either dirty or sweaty from the humidity (or even start the day with really clean clothes in my closet), and keeping my afro in check, it is a shock. Look, I’m not a metrosexual and anyone who knows me knows that I’m definitely not anal-retentively clean, but next time you go through your day, talking with your boss, presenting to your team, etc., pretend you shoes have mud on them, you shirt is wrinkled with a strategic dirt spot on the sleeve, and there is a good breeze blowing your hair around all day. Takes some getting used to.

The best thing is that these little details and minor changes have been easy to adjust to and I’m starting to feel quite at home sitting here outside, on my deck with the beach nearby, in my swim trunks, writing on my laptop. Of course, right about the time I really get used to it, it will be time to head back to my sterile cube, in a high rise office, in the middle of a big, loud, city. At least at my next job we have a bar in the building, martini lunch anyone?