For the non-swahili speakers out there, jambo means hello and twiga means giraffe. You might think, given the title of my blog, that I speak Swahili. Let me not lead you astray . . . I might impress you during the first 30 seconds of a conversation, but after hello and "my name is" that's the end of it.
During my visit to Kenya last November I told our van driver that he was a "dereva bora"! That means "best driver"! At least, I felt that way until he stopped at three different markets to get the best price while we watched flies buzz around the carcasses hanging in the butcher shop windows. But all in all, he took good care of our group and managed to keep us alive during games of chicken in the many chaotic roundabouts throughout downtown Nairobi.
I work for Project Baobab, a non-profit organization working in Kenya to promote economic independence through entrepreneurship education and micro-grants among young women. The Baobab is an African tree, and it's funny when people assume that our mission is to cultivate them. These things are gigantic, large enough to stand up to an elephant on the rampage. And they can survive just about anywhere, making them an apt symbol for survival in harsh conditions. If you've been to Africa, "harsh" may take on a new meaning.
I could write all night long about my experience in Kenya, why I believe Africa is the most fascinating place in the world, and how I should never start a new writing project at 11:20pm. But alas, I must actually do some work for Project Baobab when the sun rises tomorrow.
Lala salama (sleep well) to all you fellow bloggers and blog readers.
