Monday, June 6 - Day 1 in Nairobi
It was a beautiful Monday in Nairobi. We are waiting the arrival of the remainder of the pilgrims. There will be 28 of us in total and about half are returning and the other half are new to this experience. We ask that all of the St Monica folks to be open to experiencing the life and culture of East Africa, to get to know the people and places. I asked a few people for their first impressions, here you go...
The journey through airports and hotels was long. 20 plus hours of flying later and we are finally here. It was exciting to see the driver, James at the airport holding a sign with our names on it. We drove to the hotel on the streets of Nairobi. It was my first glimpse of the city and it was quite different than anything I have ever experienced. James was a great driver and I felt completely safe. Outside the van was crazy traffic and rundown shacks with people selling produce, tires, meat, and water tanks. Everything seemed really random. There weren't any sidewalks. People walked next to the rode along with motor cycles, bicycles, and cows. The scent of burning trash filled the air. We pulled into our hotel and it was a stark contrast from what we just experienced. It is a really nice clean place. Rooms are really cool. It is a big property with many restaurants and rooms. It feels a little weird that beyond the walls a completely different world exists. I'm excited about the days to come.
--Flip
I expected to see poverty but was surprised to see the chaos on the streets and the burning of garbage with the smell of smoke in the air all the way to our hotel. Then we drove into paradise..... The Safari Park Hotel. I love it, but somehow feel the difference rather acutely from the purpose of our visit. Stayed tuned.
--Mary Jo
Arriving on Monday morning, it wasn't the traffic, endless potholes, or burning trash that grabbed my initial attention. It was how purposeful people seemed. The guys shaping metal at the Metal Works Shop. The police responding to a fender bender. People walking their cows along the highway headed to the slaughter house. The chaos seemed well organized. People were conquering the day. Making the best of what they have. I did see groups of people standing around, but they were highly engaged with one another. It appears relationship is very important to them.
--Matt
