Routine is routine - even in Kenya

1/3 of the internship is done.
Two is the amount of months I've been in Nairobi.
Six is how it feels like.

First month in a nutshell:
- being sick
- being homesick
- trying to go out and meet new people, even if I've been dead tired
- figuring out my duties at work.

They say you can get used to almost anything in 30 days. I think that's true.

Second month = considerably easier.
Made new friends.

Went out more, and because I wanted to. 

Had more fun. 

Made great progress at work.

Established routine.

Routine is surprisingly comforting. My morning routines have become the same every day, the structure of my work days is fairly similar and during the weekends I go out and enjoy myself.

Occasionally I, of course, still miss home. In fact sometimes I miss the people back home so much it aches. Luckily those moments don't take over my life here (or do so only momentarily). I can think about my loved ones fondly, re-live a warm memory, and maybe send them a message on Whatsapp.

All in all I do like this place. Sure, I've complained my fair share (also in this blog) but I do enjoy the international atmosphere and the company of academic and driven people. I'm thankful for having a chance to learn so much and for continuously being impressed by my boss. I feel like my mind is blown by him on a weekly basis. This must be how the artists on the Voice feel like, when they're being mentored by a superstar.

I'm looking forward to this third month, which I expect to be all the more enjoyable than the second month. I'm going to the paradise island of ZANZIBAR over Easter and perhaps for a weekend trip to Kampala, Uganda at the end of the month!

Expat or immigrant?

The word expat has come up every once in awhile in my blog postings and for those of you not in the know, an expatriate  "is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of their citizenship. The word comes from the Latin terms ex ("out of") and patria ("country, fatherland"). In common usage, the term is often used in the context of professionals or skilled workers sent abroad by their companies."

But isn't that the same thing as an immigrant? It seems that this topic circulates among expats every once in a while, and when it does, it usually sparks up a heated argument, as it's done twice within a few months in the Facebook-group called Nairobi Expat Social (NES, closed group for expats/immigrants in Nairobi)... Some people think it's a racist term used by white people to describe themselves as they work abroad, as if to lift themselves up above the ordinary, the black, the poor immigrants. Sort of like: "When we Westerns go to another country, we're expats, but when other people come to our country, they're immigrants."

If you're interested to read more about the dilemma, you can check out this article in The Wall Street Journal, a commentary on it in the Guardian or in Finnish here.

I discussed this with my boss, who has spent the last 15 years away from Finland, working in China and Kenya. He thinks it's very simple: if you go somewhere to work, you're an expat. If you're staying in a country permanently, you're part of the society, you're maybe even applying for a citizenship there or planning to do so, you're an immigrant. No matter the skin color. So coming from the Western world, the columns state that I am then an expat and not an immigrant. However Koutonin urges people to fight the term, as it's racist, and "deny their privileges of a racist system".

I'm sorry, but I have to ask: doing a basically unpaid internship here, which privileges do I have in my everyday life here in Nairobi?
I can't wear shorts even if it's 30 degrees out.
 I can't go alone anywhere after dark.
I don't have my residency yet, so entrances to museums and national parks cost 2-10 times more for me.
People try to screw me over for money left, right and center - one of the most irritating ones being every bleeping morning when the matatu guy charges me another price than the local sitting next to me. Like, if you're going to do that, at least be discreet about it. If it's equality you want, it works both freakin ways.

PS. My boss feels that the term expat doesn't even apply to me, as I'm not really paid for my work and I'm here only for 6 months. He thinks I'm more like a visitor.

The most fun weekend so far

I finally had an awesome weekend!

On Saturday I went with Grace to listen to a classical concert, the first one in my life, which made Grace gasp: "Where on earth do you come from?!"

We heard four symphonies by Prokofiev, Elgar, Beethoven and Smetana. The experience was just lovely! 

Afterwards it was time for my first proper night of clubbing in Nairobi! Grace and I were joined by two locals, who drove us around and took us to all the most popular clubs in Westlands. We started from Havana, where they played the typical radio hits from the Western world.

At Tree House we enjoyed house music by a Swedish DJ, at Gypsies it was more reggae-styled music and at Black Diamond local radio hits and hip hop.

Biggest differences to clubbing in Finland: everyone drinks and drives, no cloak rooms, clubs are open until morning and you're allowed to smoke in-doors. 

On Sunday my "music weekend" continued with the Koroga Festival at Arboretum park.

It was very well organized and nice, which was good since entrance was 2000 bob! (20 € is a lot here...). 

Luckily the shows were in a tent, so we could stay for the whole day inspite of the heat.

I went with the intern at the embassy and her boyfriend.

There were three performers: Fena Gitu (Kenyan singer-songwriter), Nameless (one of the biggest hip hop artists in Kenya) and Yvonne Chaka Chaka (a South African singer). The picture here above shows the latter behind me - her show was amazing!

All in all, an excellent weekend music-wise!

Tan lines

Tove gave me a ring to use during my time here. Wearing a ring doesn't really mean anything to local guys, but I've liked wearing it as it makes me feel closer to L (and the guys really haven't bothered me anyway).

 Only once has someone asked about it and I answered: "No, I'm not actually married or even engaged but wearing a ring is closer to the truth than not wearing it!" 

Now it's starting to give me tan lines, though, and I've begunå to rethink it. 

Can you imagine how this will look like after 6 months under the African sun? L would HAVE to give me a real one just to cover it up! :D

Friday the 13th

Sitting on a terrace, with all kinds of expats, listening to the wildest stories of a Finnish expat, who's travelled in this part of the world a lot. Tusker, the local beer, tastes pretty good right about now. 

After dinner at this nice English (albeit somewhat colonialistic) restaurant we continued to an equally mzungu-favored place for drinks. 

It was a lovely night :) 

PS. We made plans for going horse-riding next Saturday, yey!

Lunch

A client took us to lunch today as a thank you for a job well done. 

The Chinese food was delicious and plentiful. According to the local custom, we flushed it down with some Tusker.

Top 10 things this week - and it's only Tuesday!

1. The "Great! Well done!" -e-mail I got from my boss today!
Something I've been preparing for the last couple of weeks is going well at work, so yey! :)

2. The job opportunities I found in Finland 
I'm looking for something part-time starting in August, that I can do without it disturbing my studies too much but is still interesting enough. I was worried I wouldn't find anything like that and even if I'm not sure if I'm the right fit for either of the jobs I found, knowing something like that exists gives me hope.

3. Putting in motion something that has been pending
I finally sent the insurance claim for my medical bills from February (380 €, thankyouverymuch). Those of you who don't know, I was pretty sick for a couple of weeks and had to go to the emergency room three times. Nothing serious, thankfully.

4. A new project!
I get to be a part of an interesting project at work because the person in charge of it quit a few weeks ago. Turns out that thanks to my work experience I even know something about it!

5. Advancing my studies in spite of this internship
 My professor gave me some online assignments, which helps me advance my studies even though I'm abroad. I was worrying about not getting enough credits this academic year but turns out teeny tiny faculties are willing to help in all ways to help their students graduate... ;)

6. Zanzibar!
Yesterday I bought tickets to Zanzibar over Easter! I'm going to travel with Grace (remember? The one from Singapore). You know that Finnish saying of going where the pepper grows? THAT'S ZANZIBAR. Google "Zanzibar beaches". Paradise awaits.

7. Relief from home-sickness
My home-sickness has reached the point where it's in the back of my mind all the time, but it doesn't make me cry every night. L is just starting to miss me, so that also feels good.

8. L
Distance really makes the heart grow fonder. We talk on Skype everyday and it makes all the difference.

9. Good food!
 I FINALLY managed to cook something decent - I even had a tasty lunch yesterday. Farewell, bad food karma!

10. Lovely news from home
It makes me extremely happy to hear when good things happen to good people. <3