Anyway, a personal appeal here. My research interest still centralises on Internet Governance and social issues of the Internet, if you happen to have any literature on these topics that you don't want anymore, I will be more than happy to take them in. It will be good if I can borrow from you too.
I am very blessed and am grateful for everything in my life. Hard work without meeting the judge of talent goes down the drain. That is why I make it a point to include everything, living and non-living in my prayers. To be so blessed, I have no better way to show my appreciation than to share my experience. Thus this blog.
Anyway, it was a really eye-opening experience in Nairobi. I might have shared my experience in past post, so let's concentrate on things to do in Nairobi. This is why you click-through my link isn't it?
#1 Have a look at the matatu stop/ have a ride in the matatu
These vans are their local transport and on the several occasions that I passed by, it was really crowded.
#2 Nairobi National Park
Few kilometres away from the city centre, is almost, the most dangerous place. The safari! Giraffe, lion, gazelle, zebra, black rhino, birds, baboon, ostrich and many other animals up close. Book a tour with a local tour operator and hop on those open top vans. It was so fun. The driver had a good network in the park as well, therefore knowing all the right places to view all the different animals.
#3 Nairobi Mamba Village
Was brought to this place for lunch after the Nairobi National Park day tour. This place is quaint, cosy and whips up a good meal. It wasn't expensive too. You can choose to pay in USD or Kenyan Shillings as of most other establishments.
#4 Masai Market
This is one of the best part of Nairobi's culture. Masai is the name of a tribe in Nairobi, and naturally, Masai Market is a marketplace for sale of products representative of the Masai tribe. Handmade with love by the locals. The market's location rotates through out the week, so be sure to research before heading out of hotel. As it can be quite dangerous, it is best to hail a hotel cab. I happened to go to the one at the city centre, so a self walking tour via app is recommended.
The locals are friendly, even though they really try hard to sell. Ignore those touts along the roads that who promises to show you around the market and get good price for you. They are touts, and you'll end up like wingless birds on the chopping board. I've seen how the touts 'chop' the Caucasian tourists. Oh man, cruel. Just go walk around on your own and have the best experience.
Best buy from there is the Shuka, which is the Masai blanket. Very durable and keeps you warm. The Masai people wraps the Shuka like a giant shawl and it protects from them the elements of weather. For me, it is still a very good blanket. Got it from the locals at USD8, they offered 'best price', I felt it was reasonable and took it without haggling. You see the seller even demonstrated how to wrap, and wrapped me up, even before I commit to the purchase. Later on, I got a second Shuka at USD10 for my dad. I felt I could afford a little tips for her friendliness. Saw another tourist got 'chopped' by their tout at USD20 though.
#5 Self Walking City Tour with iphone app
I downloaded a self walking city tour app from app store prior to the trip and it was useful. Walk down the street and have some ice cream, be comfortable. Really, just be comfortable with yourself. It was weird to have so many eyes looking at me because I am fair-skinned. Instantly I was like a walking exhibit. People were saying Jambo (hi in Swahili) to me every now and then. But generally still safe in the day before the beggars come out at night, which is really scary because they will just follow you very closely and pester you in a crowd.
As part of the walking tour, see the judiciary, international convention centre, locals riding on horseback with the traffic, and chill out at Uhuru Park. Uhuru Park is a good place to see the community. Locals having picnic, chilling on grass patch etc.
#6 Try local food
Steamed sweet corn stirred with onion, salsa, condense milk, pepper, salt, capsicum. It was delicious! Sausage stuffed with really spicy stuffs. Fast food. Stony Tangawizi (ginger beer) and all the cuisines. Just try everything from clean places. Tusker beer!
#7 Hire a local and go into Kibera Slum
Get into the biggest slum in East Africa by contact a slum resident as guide. I got William's contact online and arranged for him to pick me up from my hotel for the tour. Kibera Slum is not accessible for non-residence due to triads & gangs and territorial protection. You will need a local to get you in. William told me to hand my camera to him because it's dangerous for a girl to carry a camera around in the slum. Don't worry, William was good in handling camera and he took all the photos. In fact, with the road conditions so bad, I had difficulties 'trekking' the paths. It was great to have him handle the photography. So muddy I had to throw away my favourite sanuk sneakers after that.
This tour into the slum was heart wrenching despite trying to smile. The living conditions were so bad and health risks rampant. I've made a video on my YouTube channel before wrt the slum, maybe you'll want to have a look there.
There is a power women group in the slum and it is a shop ran out of a container space by women with AIDS. They are trying to be independent, and a sweden women helped get them started on this power women group shop. The women draws inspiration from latest products at Nakumatt supermarket and make their own versions of beadwork bracelet, necklace and stuff. Unfortunately, not many people get into the slum and sales is not brisk.
I bought the tshirt and a scarf from them and they were so grateful when they were receiving payment from me. They did a half-kneel to express their gratitude. How am I deserving of that as a human being not different from them. How can anyone have to kneel down. I was broken even till date when I recall that kneel, I am still broken.
The ladies requested that I put on my new tshirt and have a photograph with them. More than happy to do so. They said it was the first tshirt sold. Sniff sniff.
There is also the Tunza Orphanage and school within the slum. Hardworking young lads still doing revision on a holiday. I brought some exercise books and stationery for them. Education is the way to go. I have worked harder in school ever since the trip because I have so much more but didn't appreciate it before. While studying in Liverpool, I had my bank card printed with one of their images as a constant reminder for me to work triply hard if I want to help them some day. Yes seriously, I attribute my first class honours to them too. I have learnt so much about life, not through comparison though.
#8 Woodland market
Just down the road from Westgate (where the kenyan shooting took place last year), is the Woodland market. It is almost a hidden market near the roundabout. Few prominent shops fringing the market, but you'll just have to be daring to walk into the alleys, where the action lies. All the same kind of craft work on sale all over Nairobi, but this is the only place where I saw how they produced the art. Hand drawn motifs on limestone. Happy faces, open-minded locals who tries to chat you up without hardsell. They were so interested in me because I'm fair-skinned, I got a lot of questions asked. One of the seller even wanted to gift me a piece of limestone ornament. He insisted on gifting me even though I wasn't keen in buying his goods. I took it eventually, but I bought a few more from him. I also think they seldom had their photographs taken, they all wanted a photograph each. What we took for granted, was a rarity for them. So much to learn, so hard to swallow.
Extra: #9 Internet Governance Forum
The conference is over and there is no way of revisiting, but I thought I will just give you a peek of it. It was held at United Nations Office at Nairobi, head office of Africa. Needless to say, an awesome experience. I really love the challenges of Internet Governance and social issues of the Internet. I'll urge you to read up on it too. I really hope that I will be able to develop this research interest of mine to benefit the society, be it on IG, child right, ICT4D or even digital divide.
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