I MADE A NEW FRIEND

Today I had an appointment with a ‘friend of a friend’. It was my first proper referral I have had since I have been here and I was nervous and looking forward to it all at the same time. I was told it was some-one I could trust if I needed some advice, so it was reassuring to know that I had some-one else I hadn’t even met yet that I could rely upon if I needed. Let’s see if I feel the same after we have met. There are some people in this world you instantly connect with and there are also people that you instantly know that you don’t. But I have an open mind and I just hope that my charming personality and good looks will shine through.

I have been on to Charles the last 5 days about my cable TV situation. I didn’t have to get the dish installed as the apartment building had a dish already, so I just had to buy the cable box, plug it in and set up an account and it should have all just worked. Yeah well in a perfect electronic world. Well today the DStv cable guy came. Hooray! I just hated paying for the damn service and not being able to use it. Well I think the cable guy was here for a total of not even 10 minutes and he had it all working! He checked the 2 connections with a machine, took a look at the cables and wallah it worked. This is the part of the story I HATE though and I knew what was happening as it happened but he asked for 2000KSH (23AUD) as a connection fee. I knew it was dodgy but what could I say on the spot? I paid it, and then I came up with all these great come backs after he had left. Like I’m going to phone DSTV to see if that was right. I should have asked for a receipt before I paid. I could have just flat refused-oh yes all well and good thinking about all this after he had left. Charles was there as well and I was a little disappointed that he didn’t say something, but then maybe he was getting a cut? Maybe he didn’t want to upset his friend? I don’t know but I know I got ripped off and I think it is the first time since I got here, well that I know of anyway, but at least my cable is now fixed and I have 107 channels to now peruse.

I had a driver picking me up at 11.45am that came recommended by Charles. I had no idea on how long it would take me to get to Hurlingham from my place and I am sure that most people travelling around the city would be used to people arriving late all the time due to the traffic congestion but I allowed 45 minutes and I could always text Joshua if I was going to be late. I’m sure he would understand. I have a map on the laundry wall, so I had an idea on where it was, just not how long it would take. I asked Charles to get a price from the driver and the way they work their pricing around the city is in sections. It was going to cost 500KSH to the Village which is what I paid yesterday-so that was right and then 1000KSH to get to my destination, which also looked about right, as I know how much it is from the airport to the city, 2000KSH, and it looked a similar distance but on the other side of town. At least I am getting some of the city down pat, if not just a small section and I am getting to know how much it is going to cost me to move around.

It felt great to have an appointment today and I really wasn’t sure what I hoped to get out of the meeting, but to meet someone was all I was looking for at this point. I did pack in my resume-just in case, as I always like to be prepared. I started to get ready and knowing that first impressions really do count, I am glad that I carried that additional bag with me for the whole 4 weeks before arriving into Africa as I was able to pull out a smart skirt and a nice casual top and it was also nice to add a touch of makeup and do my hair, finally busting out my hair straighteners-nothing like a little bit of eye shadow and mascara and straight hair to lift a gals spirits. I hadn’t realised just how much my hair has grown since I got it cut just before leaving home. I may have to use the hairdresser at The Village sooner than I think.

The taxi guy, Steven, was right on-time. I waited at the front of the apartments for him and when a car arrived he was about to make a call when I asked if he was a friend of Charles and when he said yes, I said I’m your ride. I showed him the message that Joshua sent with the address and he knew where to head, not exactly where the exact place was, but that seems to be the norm, people know where to head and then you just ask people when you get to the said area and you are pointed in the right direction. That is one of many things that Kenyans are good at, and that is they aren’t scared to ask for directions. I got a few stares from the locals as I waited out front, but I guess they will have to get used to me and my ‘whiteness’ and I need to feel more comfortable standing out the front of my own residence. There really are not a lot of white people here. Steven was really cool and his English was impeccable. Ruaka is his base, so he wasn’t going to be bringing me back, I was to find another taxi to bring me back, but I am sure Joshua will help me find one when I am ready to leave. I did get some tips from Steven about the taxis and I also got his mobile number so if I need to go anywhere else starting from Ruaka/home then he was someone I could call. He did say that it was better to get recommendations for taxis when you leave the city. The city has its own taxis with a yellow painted stripe on them to differentiate them but they don’t really commence travel from the burbs. Some have the taxi lights on the top of the cars and then there are cars like Stevens that don’t have either, and hence the statement about getting recommendations. I like the quoted costs for the fares and not having a meter as there would be nothing worse sitting in traffic or even worse not evening moving in a traffic jam, which is common, and seeing a meter tick over. That is why the fares are a little more here, as you are guaranteed to get stuck in traffic somewhere on your journey, and depending on the time of day will depend how long you are caught in it. Steven was saying that the cost of the taxis will also vary based on that as well. The mornings and afternoons will always be more expensive than any other part of the day. I was taking note of road names and suburbs, asking Steven where we were at times and making a mental note so I could look at my map on the wall back home and get some perspective and bearings. At one point we nearly had an accident as a lady in a fancy car pulled out of a side street right in front of us and we really we hit the brakes, screeched and skidded to a stop, no joke, 3cm from her car. She was a Mazungu (foreigner) and she said sorry but it didn’t really look to sincere to either of us. You really need to have your wits about you driving here and you need to be a confident and abrasive driver to get anywhere, especially in traffic-which we hit around the Westgate/Westland’s area. This area has the biggest and most expensive hospital in the city and 2 shopping centres, so traffic really is a nightmare around here. Steven put my window up around here as we were moving at a snail’s pace as I checked my phone and he said you need to have windows up in this traffic with phones as it has been known for people to snatch them from you out the window and do a runner. We passed the Australian Consulate and I gave a small wave and it was comforting to see the Australian flag flying high at the front gates. We passed through a few suburbs, some of them were on my rental hunt list and I was glad to know that even if I did pay the extra 235AUD a month it was going to cost to live this side of the city I still like where I am which is a GREAT. Even with the traffic I made it on time to my destination. I said thanks to Steven and I will call him again, he really was cool to talk to. He told me to ‘ping’ his phone, which means I call his number, so he now had my phone number and then he saves it and I have checked his. Kenyans are big for this-I have done it with the bed man, the couch man and Charles.

I asked the security guards to point me in the right direction of the office as it was an apartment building that had been converted into offices. This meeting was a referral from an ex-co-worker in Brisbane and I was nervous. What do you talk to a complete stranger about and what do I expect/they expect from the meeting? As it worked out I had nothing to worry about and Joshua was so easy going. We met at his office and he was on the phone when I was let into the room by a female. I was asked to take a seat by a male and he asked what my name was and I said Bernie and he said well that is hard to pronounce and he said just go on through once Joshua was off the phone. Not too friendly. So we chatted in his office for around 30 minutes and I was just myself, I was honest and told him I would love to get into Charity/ Aid work and he asked about getting back into the travel industry and I said I did love working in travel, so it wouldn’t be off the cards. Joshua mentioned that he has 2 clients that are into charity work and he will have a talk to them. Like I have mentioned before I don’t expect anyone to get me a job, but a foot in the door or a contact is worth a million bucks in this country. In the meantime he said I was more than welcome to come into the office and see what they do and how they operate. They were a little quite at the moment in the run up to the Presidential Elections next month, but he said if I ever get bored to just come into the office. It was so refreshing to be speaking to someone and we decided to go and have lunch at a small café in the complex. We talked about Africa, visas and he even said he will ask some questions about a work visa and that his company could sponsor me so that I can stay without having to be on the tourist visa. He’ll keep his ear to the ground, and that I should think about buying a car which he could help with as he has a friend in the business. He reiterated that the taxis were expensive here (no shit) and the whole meeting was just so encouraging. 2 hours later I left with one of their brochures, a business card and with a wave to the non-friendlies, I was walked to the front gate, made sure I got into a taxi that security had arranged and I left there with a smile on my face. You must check the taxi prices before you get moving, this guy was going to charge 2000KSH, when I paid 1500KSH coming over and it is a matter of a little haggling and agreeing on a price. It is always so much easier when you know what the price of things are as a starting point. I got the return fare for 1500KSH. Joshua said if I need anything that I can phone him. It is reassuring that I have a friend of a friend that I can rely on if I really need it and I am hoping that I won’t ever have to make that type of call and I do hope that I will see him again. He seems pretty high up in the travel industry on some boards and hopefully knows a lot of people that he may be able to refer me to in the future. It’s a start, and it feels like a positive one at that. It wasn’t the cheapest trip at 3000KSH (36AUD) but again I can’t put a price on that contact-it was worth every penny. I am not sure about visiting the office frequently based on the welcome I got from his staff and the cost of the taxi-but maybe I can set up a lunch meeting again, just to keep me in his vision if something pops up!?

So it was my first proper journey out of the apartments and it felt great. The taxi came back a different way from the way that Steven and I had taken in the morning, but I am happy to report I knew where we were 90% of the time, so it was good to know that firstly I knew we were heading in the right direction and secondly that I am starting to recognise where I am with my limited trips out of my suburb. I got a card from this driver, David, and if I am ever in the Hurlingham part of town, that was his base, to give him a call. I may not be making many new friends but I am getting a nice selection of driver’s numbers.

So a shout out to Clodagh for what her act of kindness has given me, hopefully a new friend in Nairobi, and a heartfelt thanks also to Joshua for his time and hope for my future. It sounds heavy I know, but it is how it all is at the moment and any ray of hope is always more than welcome.