Nairobi-You would think space was at a premium here in Kenya the way everyone bunches up into unnecessarily small spaces. I don’t think that the concept of spatial relations really exists here. Both on the road and in the pool, as far as I can gather, Kenyans’ ideas of space and time are very different than a girl who grew up in one of the most under-populated countries in the world and was kicked out of swim practice if she arrived a minute late. Whether it is being on time or being sent back in time as pirates rule the shores, I wonder whether anyone is wearing a watch or using a clock.
Kenya occupies 582,650 sq km, or twice the size of 2 Nevadas, with a population of about 38 million people. Canada, where I grew up, is the second largest country geographically (behind Russia) and occupies 9,984,670 sq km, just larger than the size of the US, with a population of just over 33 million. Of that total, 90% are concentrated within 160 km of the US border. Sure, that’s a lot more space for a similar amount of people, but still Kenya is doing pretty good when it comes to space. Yet still, I can’t get anyone to spread out.
The girls I am coaching have some serious problems with space! One issue is that they don’t have any goggles, which means they cannot swim up the sides and down the middle to save their lives. It is a nightmare; not dissimilar to Nairobi’s infamous traffic jams.
Ah, transportation in Kenya! I must say, I was completely shocked at the state of Kenya’s roads upon arrival. I really thought they would be decent, but they are the worst I have ever seen. Supposedly the problem is political, you only get proper roads if there is a politician in power from your area, and even then, most contractors pour only 1 of 4 inches of tar and pocket the cost of the other 3 inches. In addition to bad roads, there are unlimited “jams,” caused by a myriad of factors: old cars that break down, accidents, and then just plain old running out of gas scenarios.
Everyday I take a matatu to work. These are mini-vans that seat 15, including the driver and conductor who leans out the window shouting for new passengers. Most often another 2 are squeezed in and when this happens, the conductor sits on your lap. Matatus are famous for pickpockets, but so far, so good. My bigger problem is sharing my lap with the conductor, bumping my forehead on the way out, or having to sit in the back row and hitting my head on the roof as we bump along over potholes and curbs. The good news is that it only costs 20 Kenyan Shillings ( 27 cents). So far I have avoided the front seat up with the driver. It is lovingly referred to as the “death seat.”
Did I mention they blast hi- hop and rap music, and quite often videos if they are retrofitted with screens? If you are really lucky the seats have actual cushions and don’t have wires sticking out. Most are also decorated with appropriate urban design, complete with pictures of Missy Elliot, Dre, and Lil Wayne. When the traffic is backed up drivers take matters into their own hands, sometimes crossing into on-coming traffic to pass the long line of backed up vehicles. Even better is when they meet another car, they shift not back into their lane, but onto the sidewalk of the on-coming lane and drive right up. At least I get to work on time.
I must admit that after I gave my swimmers a little chat about coming to workout before it starts, they have been very punctual. When they are late they come up and say, “I am sorry Miss, but I was in class.” I don’t think I have ever been called “Miss” in all my life, but it sure beats “Ma’am.”
My swimmer girls don’t have pace clocks, which makes it near impossible for me to get them to give each other sufficient space to swim. Not only do they swim crooked, but they insist on swimming on top of one another; my two biggest pet peeves in the pool. Alas, without a clock, how can I teach them to leave 10 or even 5 apart? On Friday I tried to teach them dives since they had a meet this weekend (which was possibly the most painful experience I have had here. I had to sit through 4 hours of aged 7-17 year olds swimming just to watch my girls in about 6 races). So, I had them spread out across the length of the pool and said that every other girl would be in the first wave, and then the others in the second. Do you think they could figure that out even after we counted out 1, 3, 5, etc.?
There are also times when I feel like I have been sent back in time, and I don’t mean the hunter-gatherer tribes or pastoralists who populate Kenya. Last week Somalian pirates took over an Ukrainian ship filled to the brink with 22 battle tanks, grenade launchers, and a “substantial amount of ammunition.” The pirates’ ransom for the 21 member crew and its cargo has fallen from 35 million to 20 million now that it is surrounded by ships including a US destroyer. This is the 24th attack by pirates this year off the coast of Somalia.
I thought piracy went out with the 19th century. Yet somehow, the seas are filled with them here, and unfortunately these guys don’t look much like Johnny Depp.
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