As I get ready to move for my new role in China, I can't help but have mixed feelings about my imminent departure from Africa. My life in Africa has been filled with a colorful collection of maddening frustration, wild amusement, life-changing personal (& professional) lessons, and endearing friendships. This has been one of the most memorable and worthwhile thing I've done in my life so far...a big THANK YOU, to everyone here (friends, chance encounters, strangers on the street), for making the last 18 months so memorable and meaningful!
There are many things I will miss, but other things I'm eager to do without:
I will miss the most random conversations / encountering I have while working / traveling that can be both hilarious and frustrating at the same time (but certainly make good stories)
I will not miss having to follow up on people 100 times to remind them to do their job and frequently yell at people from the top of my lung in order to get something simple done (that's someone else's daily job / profession)
I will miss getting uttermost attention (not to be confused with great service) at even very cheap hotels and restaurants, being called "Ms. Arlin", and feeling very respected (this is more so the case in Nigeria)
I will not miss feeling like not being able to fit in, that people will always look at you as though you're a upper class citizen, and giving you differential treatment or do not voice their opinion because they are afraid of making a mistake in front of you
I will miss the smell of sun on my clean laundry
I will not miss doing laundry by hand, especially after a very muddy hike over the beautiful, iron-rich African soil
I will miss the sandwich lady who visits my office every day, bringing delicious samosa and swahili dishes for 200 ksh...
I will not miss pizza Friday at the office, where our office manager forces us this horrible diet every Friday, missing the point that its main purpose is to get everyone together on a casual note rather than eat pizza, despite of the name "pizza Friday" (it's better because it's free, but still...)
I will miss my undeserved celebrity status (for being foreign and thus "special")
I will not miss getting marriage proposals from random nameless guys wherever I go ...no, I don't roll that way!
I will miss the beautiful Nairobian weather year round at 28C
I will not miss the horde of big fat termites when it rains that have their way of invading your house despite of all the locked doors and windows
I will miss the big smile all Kenyans carry on their face and the endless good jokes from fun-loving Nigerians
I will not miss the hopelessly corrupt policemen who make your life miserable just to make 400ksh
I will miss being so close to raw, untouched nature & walking safaris where the animals look at you, recognize you exist, but do not run away...makes it feel truly like you're living and sharing this world together
I will not miss tourists on safaris with their giant cameras and showering $1 bills / pens to local children (creating a horrible culture/expectations)
I will miss having the routine of a fixed (taxi) driver, someone I can chat with, and learn more about culture and just life in general
I will not miss having to take a taxi everywhere and can never just go outside impromptu
I will miss River Cafe and Honey Beauty in Gigiri, where it's the perfect santuary for good food, followed by out of this world massage pampering
I will not miss seeing the ridiculous wealth among the diplomatic / international aid circle and feeling like I'm part of some sort of neo-colonial era
I will miss enjoying beautiful (and super affordable @ $1-2) flowers whenever I want a bouquet to freshen up my flat
I will not miss the never ending awkward moments when the street hawker persistently try to get my guy friends to buy me flowers
Lastly...
I will miss the amazing friendships I've developed and being part of a league of extraordinary folks trying to make a difference in the world!
This is not the end, I shall be back!
There are many things I will miss, but other things I'm eager to do without:
I will miss the most random conversations / encountering I have while working / traveling that can be both hilarious and frustrating at the same time (but certainly make good stories)
I will not miss having to follow up on people 100 times to remind them to do their job and frequently yell at people from the top of my lung in order to get something simple done (that's someone else's daily job / profession)
I will miss getting uttermost attention (not to be confused with great service) at even very cheap hotels and restaurants, being called "Ms. Arlin", and feeling very respected (this is more so the case in Nigeria)
I will not miss feeling like not being able to fit in, that people will always look at you as though you're a upper class citizen, and giving you differential treatment or do not voice their opinion because they are afraid of making a mistake in front of you
I will miss the smell of sun on my clean laundry
I will not miss doing laundry by hand, especially after a very muddy hike over the beautiful, iron-rich African soil
I will miss the sandwich lady who visits my office every day, bringing delicious samosa and swahili dishes for 200 ksh...
I will not miss pizza Friday at the office, where our office manager forces us this horrible diet every Friday, missing the point that its main purpose is to get everyone together on a casual note rather than eat pizza, despite of the name "pizza Friday" (it's better because it's free, but still...)
I will miss my undeserved celebrity status (for being foreign and thus "special")
I will not miss getting marriage proposals from random nameless guys wherever I go ...no, I don't roll that way!
I will miss the beautiful Nairobian weather year round at 28C
I will not miss the horde of big fat termites when it rains that have their way of invading your house despite of all the locked doors and windows
I will miss the big smile all Kenyans carry on their face and the endless good jokes from fun-loving Nigerians
I will not miss the hopelessly corrupt policemen who make your life miserable just to make 400ksh
I will miss being so close to raw, untouched nature & walking safaris where the animals look at you, recognize you exist, but do not run away...makes it feel truly like you're living and sharing this world together
I will not miss tourists on safaris with their giant cameras and showering $1 bills / pens to local children (creating a horrible culture/expectations)
I will miss having the routine of a fixed (taxi) driver, someone I can chat with, and learn more about culture and just life in general
I will not miss having to take a taxi everywhere and can never just go outside impromptu
I will miss River Cafe and Honey Beauty in Gigiri, where it's the perfect santuary for good food, followed by out of this world massage pampering
I will not miss seeing the ridiculous wealth among the diplomatic / international aid circle and feeling like I'm part of some sort of neo-colonial era
I will miss enjoying beautiful (and super affordable @ $1-2) flowers whenever I want a bouquet to freshen up my flat
I will not miss the never ending awkward moments when the street hawker persistently try to get my guy friends to buy me flowers
Lastly...
I will miss the amazing friendships I've developed and being part of a league of extraordinary folks trying to make a difference in the world!
This is not the end, I shall be back!
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