Kenya

The good, the bad and the ugali

Sitting at Malawi’s Kamuzu international airport in this year’s already singeing summer has me bored, constipated and wishing I was somewhere else. I’ve been dropped off an hour and half early and am finding it difficult to breathe. This has nothing to do with my premature arrival, but with a rather wild weekend in Nairobi a few days prior that will remain a story for another day. I’m on my way back home though, which is good.

The reason I’ve whipped my laptop out is really a mixture of envy, nostalgia and arrogance.

I’ve just been watching someone whom I think to be a Malawian on his way out of his country for the very first time.

Photo credit

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Notes on being Ugandan in Kenya

Kabozi: notes from a Ugandan abroad, is the journal of a Ugandan professional who has lived in various places but now calls Nairobi home.

Dealing with the everyday – where to get a snack in Nairobi, Safaricom’s latest tv ad, a roadside potters stall – as well as practical matters for expats – dual citizenship and buying a flat in Nairobi – this is an interesting peek into modern Kenya.

Read more:
More East African blogs on Blogs of the World
A roadside snack in Nairobi
The Chitenge: a Zambian fashion essential

Colours of Kenya

Mutua Matheka is “Painting the colours of Kenya, one shot at a time”. He’s a Kenyan architecture graduate currently working as an interior designer. And in his spare time he likes to take photographs.

If you enjoyed these, head over to Mutua’s blog to find many more.

Read more:
More East African blogs on Blogs of the World
A roadside snack in Nairobi
Chitenge – a Zambian fashion essential

“Like we were born on the same street”

Erin (from the USA) and Lionel (from Kenya) wrote in to share their story. Thank you!

Erin: We met in Juba, Southern Sudan in 2007 where we were both working at the time, at a Halloween Party at the US Government compound. Lionel was dressed as an angry mechanic complete with coveralls, a wrench and a hideous mask, and I was dressed as a flamenco dancer (only because I had a red dress with flowers – resources for costumes were limited in Sudan!). We now live in London where we are both furthering our education.

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A roadside snack in Nairobi

Thanks again to Isabelle Prondzynski who is a regular contributor to our Food of the World Flickr group. These vegetable samosas were being fried at the roadside in Nairobi, Kenya.

Isabelle wrote: “They were the best I have ever eaten! I am sure I shall be back for more…”

Pocketcultures loves to talk about food from around the world. If you have some photos, why not join our Food of the World Flickr group?

Read more:
I love Madagascar on Blogs of the World
Nshima and Zambia’s food culture
A Kenyan festive lunch

Cooking chapati in Nairobi, Kenya

This photo comes to us from Isabelle Prondzynski (prondis_in_kenya).

She says, “Cooking chapati on a jiko. Laborious work!

The charcoal fired jiko drops its ashes below; the little door at the bottom regulates the heat if necessary. The chapatis are cooked on a thick iron griddle which spreads the heat evenly and is used only for this purpose.”

I say, “It looks delicious!”

Pocketcultures loves to talk about food from around the world. If you have some photos, why not join our Food of the World Flickr group?

Read more:
Home-made Chinese pancakes (Food of the World)
A Kenyan festive lunch (Food of the World)