Vitu vingi

Friday, June 8th, 2007

Random things I have jotted down in my notebook to blog about:

- Signs I’ve seen – faves so far are definitely:

• “Beware of Children and Warthogs” – at the Nairobi Safari Walk as you’re entering the parking lot.

• “Coffins for Sale” – the first thing you see when you drive onto the Life Sciences campus of the University of Nairobi is the mortuary, which while set down a bit off the road behind a copse of trees is literally circled by kites—the bird of prey, not the festive paper thing on a string—and adorned with signs like “Coffins for Sale” and “Cheap Coffins”. A step off from Tufts…


- Brands/advertising:

• “Biddy” margarine is advertised with a jingle to the tune of “Hypnotize” by Notorious B.I.G. Really? Really. And I thought “It’s Crumb-believable!” was the worst jingle ever… “Biddy biddy biddy/ is trans fat free/ Good for you and the whole family”

• “Kobil” – Jamie Galen, this bud’s for you. Remember the “kala”? The Kenyan gala? Á la Mobil, welcome to the Kenyan petrol stations, “Kobil”.


- Food

• Avocadoes: they grow on trees in people’s yards here. There’s a tub of them in the pantry at Ruth’s house. People eat them for dessert, breakfast, anything. Fresh every day for pennies. Amy, I think you would die!

• Tea: everyone has it at least 4 times a day. 10 AM sharp is a definite. I hope I bring this tradition home with me.

• Chapatis: made fresh here at Ruth’s every day. Breakfast is white tea, a couple chapatis, fresh-squeezed OJ, and a banana. As in the US, it is my favorite meal.

• Samosas: also home-made. Whatever, EVERYTHING is home-made and very good.

• Boar Sausage Pizza: ordered it with Laura last weekend from Pizza Inn. Let’s just leave it at that.


More soon! Hooray for working internet!!!

M