Kwa heri East Africa
Trip Start
Nov 19, 2004
1
7
Trip End
Dec 06, 2004
Amy's friend Pam and her boyfriend Eric graciously gave up their day to meet us at the airport and show us around Nairobi. Most impactful was a sobering walk through the Kibera slum, where raggedly-clothed familes live in mud and tin shacks. We got lots of stares, but a smile would always be returned with a happy grin, and maybe even a shy "Jambo". Again, children were intrigued by us, and a couple of the braver ones walked alongside or behind us, with one little girl holding each of our hands in turn. This concept of trustingly initiating physical contact with a stranger seems so unique to this part of the world, at least in my own experience. These moments - the smiles and warm greetings, the way eyes lit up when a greeting was offered, will stay with me for a long time after I say kwa heri to East Africa.
