The Good Life

My new pleasure is yoga in the garden. I had tried before in our living room here but without a mat my feet slipped along the tile floor. In our local grocery store called the Nakumatt there is an upstairs area filled with curtains, clothes (the selection is pretty entertaining…), and exercise equipment, including yoga mats. But due to import taxes they have been marked up to a whopping 3000 shillings (more than $30), so it hardly seems worth it, especially when I have a beautiful green grass covered area. The ground underneath my feet feels good and I figure the odd stone I step on only improves my balancing skills. In plank or child’s pose by face gets close enough that the grass tickles my nose. I watch a mosquito persistently trying to bite me through my yoga pants and I can stay still, knowing I’m protected. The ants scamper over my feet and between my toes in their search for something good to eat. Staring at the beautiful hibiscus plant directly in front of me and the Nandi flame tree overhead relieves my boredom in long poses. As the clouds roll in and the breeze picks up, the afternoon is cooler than the hot mid-day and perfect for being outside and moving my body. Close by the birds are chirping and in the distance I can hear the basketball bouncing and celebratory shouts from the men playing nearby. I have found my sanctuary where I can relieve some stress, build my body’s strength, re-center myself when needed, and feel the muscles I have been straining while working. It reminds me of my mom, who I always gain strength from, and I hear her voice guiding me through the poses.

My new ritual is grocery shopping on Sundays. It is less busy than Saturday as everyone is at church, but still crowded. And there are plenty of muzungus (white people) there- more than I have ever seen in Eldoret before. I wonder out loud where they are from & someone tells me that most are missionaries or work for NGOs in the rural areas around here. On Sunday they are coming into the “big city” to stock up on non-perishables and experience the relative luxury the city has to offer. The aisles are filled with pretty much anything I could want and there really isn’t anything I am missing (yet). But first we stop by the produce market where very nice young men compete to tempt you with all of their delicious fruit & vegetables- I usually get bananas, mangoes, pineapples, cauliflower, green beans, and broccoli.  Everyone in the organization I work in also has a garden with lettuce, carrots, beets, & plenty of herbs, all free for the sharing. Our garden is only in the beginning phase, so nothing much yet but I have high hopes for our arugula and basil.

I have also discovered I have a skill at driving here- it’s actually kind of fun. I think the only thing that makes me a good driver here is my lack of fear and my fairly aggressive driving. The fun part is the challenge. There are no lanes, so whenever the road gets a little wider a car instantly appears along side you (on the right or the left, doesn’t much matter) and when it gets skinnier you have to merge again. The motorcycles and bikes are constantly swerving in and around you and people are walking scarily close to the side of the car, seemingly about to run into your side mirror, and crossing the street every few feet or so. No stop lights or stop signs at the intersections, but because everyone is fearless and aggressive somehow it works out that you all just drive through & once in a while you slow down for someone to go past you from the other direction. The chaos that clearly works kind of makes all of the structure and stopping in our road system seems pointless and wasteful. There are so many fewer accidents here because everyone has the right of way so everyone goes, just a little bit slower so you don’t hit anyone. Whereas in the US when it’s “your turn” you just speed through & if someone is in your way, you’re going to hit them.