Being Kenyan is a God-given gift. Identity is something we all have. A wise man once said that you need to know your identity to know the direction that you are going. If I was born in any other country, I'd most likely have interacted with different people and developed different goals. I love my life as a Kenyan, with it's joys and it's sorrows. Even people from the first world cry.
Being a Kenyan for me means:
- Having a religious belief – believe me, I've met people who don't know what going to church and or wearing Sunday best is.
- Being asked if you are a good runner.
- Finishing KCPE, breaking pens and pencils and thinking that life has just begun.
- Asking the girl you adore most in your class to keep your eraser and sharpener.
- Doing CPA or ICDL before joining University.
- Watching Spanish/South American soaps with the folks.
- Going to Shade Hotel or Hillock Inn or Cabanas on special occasions.
- Having dreams to go to the west when you've just finished high school.
- Accepting that monolisation is a stage, and suffering through your first year in secondary school.
- Listening to late date (back-in-the-day) or Late night Capital and hoping your sore heart will get some soothing.
- Spending X-mas with your family and having nyama-choma.
- Experiencing peer-pressure in high school where sex and alcohol and drugs came into play.
I can go on and on and maybe my sentiments do not apply to Kenya as a whole but if I never went through none of these things, I wouldn't be who I am today.
Natulenge juu!!
kenyangal said,
May 31, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Starcherian!!
Groove said,
May 31, 2006 at 3:21 pm
Ha ha…I never went to starehe@Kenyangal. Close enough though.
Mocha! said,
May 31, 2006 at 10:10 pm
LOL…..aki your descriptions are spot on. Lakini, I have beef with you. Why did you go and open the homesick closet? EH EH EH???
kabinti said,
June 1, 2006 at 2:14 am
lol being Kenyan is also having a “bonfire” for your uniform and books after KCSE because you have “cleared”
Mentalacrobatics said,
June 1, 2006 at 10:06 am
ati you can keep my sharperner! LOL! Nice one.
uaridi said,
June 1, 2006 at 6:06 pm
Definately a “late date” girl.
As for the good runner thing – a teacher’s heart was broken beceause when he saw me he thought KENYAN+Runner = new girl on the track team.
Happy Madaraka day
KenyaUnlimited Admin Blog » Kenyan Bloggers’ Day said,
June 3, 2006 at 5:28 pm
[...] Kenyan Groove [...]
Mama JunkYard said,
June 3, 2006 at 5:34 pm
Love the list.
There is one other thing that came to mind – Being asked what your ‘home name’ is
Hope you enjoyed Madaraka Day.
Thanks for joining in
rockwatching said,
June 5, 2006 at 3:00 am
How totally refreshing to meet such a positive person. I could learn a lot from you. Thanks. Mick http://rockwatching.wordpress.com
Groove said,
June 6, 2006 at 2:59 pm
I thank everyone for their wonderful comments…
costa said,
September 27, 2006 at 5:14 pm
proper list groove. i think being kenyan also meant
1. carrying ugali packed lunch in your thermos flask to school.
2. Organising dog fights between jericho’s finest (black jack) and uhuru’s top dog (timmy)
3. Skiving school on closing day coz you are “Wanted”.
4.Going ocha (up counntry) on school hols.
5. watching Ramayan with sub titles on KBC every sunday .” Jay Shree ram!!!” (who knows what that meant)
Maximus said,
December 20, 2007 at 2:23 pm
I would like to see a continuation of the topic