Sweat.
Mid-western love.
Beauty.
The three adjectives I’d choose if I had to sum up my first week in Mombasa, Kenya.
Number one: Sweat.
I sweat every minute of every day. While I’m sleeping, when I wake up, even when I shower. This is a dramatic change from Addis, where I was wearing jeans and a scarf (light-weight) practically every day despite the heat. The main factor- humidity. Mombasa is on the coast (and it’s beautiful.., more of that later). It’s also right before rainy season, so it’s the most humid time of the year… lucky me. The jeans have been retired, along with the tim’s, and replaced by my one nice pair of sandals that I’ve already managed to break (well, someone stepped on the back of them and broke a strap, but they’re still functional). I have another pair of flip-flops that I’d planned to keep as shower shoes, but those have made their debut.
Thankfully, clothing as well as shoes are much, much cheaper here than in Addis. I never went shopping in Ethiopia- a tank top could go for $30, sandals for $50. Here, dresses and tongas (large pieces of cloth that women wear as skirts and cover-ups) are everywhere and in the $5-10 range. There’s a large clothing market in the main part of the town that I’m hoping to get to sometime next week. They have set prices, so I don’t have to worry about my mizungo (white) self getting ripped off; though I cannot imagine trying any clothes on in this heat (which from what I can tell is done by putting it over what one’s currently wearing).
Number two: Mid-western love.
The advice I got when I first arrived, the same advice given to me by three different people, was to greet everyone I walked by. If you’re from the mid-West like me, it comes naturally.It’s considered rude if you don’t respond to someone’s hello or how are you. When you enter into a room, it’s expected to go around, shaking everyone’s hand. It’s awkward if you don’t. Being able to walk down the street and not hear “you, you!” or “frinji” or “mzungu” (foreigner/white person in Amharic and Swahili, respectively) have once again brought back the joy of being in public.
Number three: Beauty.
I eat breakfast and dinner on my porch, looking out at the Indian Ocean. The waters are crystal clear up close. It's only a 5 min walk down to the beach. I’ve started a few of my mornings out collecting seashells. The palm trees still surprise me despite seeing them in every direction.
It’s so new and surreal that I actually live in this place... that I actually get to call it home.
