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Author Topic: Poshboy goes to Kenya. A 2007 Flashback Diary.  (Read 22715 times)
shipitgood
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« Reply #30 on: April 28, 2015, 12:51:23 AM »

Interesting read Alex.

Not to sure if you have a degree, if not how would you feel about going to University for 3 years?

Would be a noble profession though and the holidays aren't to shabby either:P

The great thing is you have total freedom and flexibility to choose what you want to do, which poker has afforded you.

There is no wrong decisions only what is right for you, and whatever you decide poker will always be there even if it's only part-time, or to get you through further education.



 

 
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« Reply #31 on: April 28, 2015, 10:18:24 AM »

One of the few things I envy in other people is their education.
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« Reply #32 on: April 28, 2015, 12:42:03 PM »

One of the few things I envy in other people is their education.

Id swop you my private school education for your tash.

The tash would get me further.
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« Reply #33 on: April 28, 2015, 01:39:35 PM »

One of the few things I envy in other people is their education.

Id swop you my private school education for your tash.

The tash would get me further.

They have private schools that far north?

Tom, what did you education involve?
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« Reply #34 on: April 28, 2015, 02:21:42 PM »

One of the few things I envy in other people is their education.

Id swop you my private school education for your tash.

The tash would get me further.

They have private schools that far north?


Must mean borstal..
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« Reply #35 on: April 28, 2015, 07:58:40 PM »

One of the few things I envy in other people is their education.

Id swop you my private school education for your tash.

The tash would get me further.

They have private schools that far north?

Tom, what did you education involve?



That's actually quite a complex question Alex, and the answer depends on how you define education. I only had about 6 months in school but I've spent a lifetime learning things and it's been wonderful.

For me, the more I learn, the more I appreciate life, the more in awe I am of the wonder and beauty of the world, and (hopefully) the more tolerant and compassionate I become, and I think that, by and large, that is true for everyone.

When I said I envy some people their education, I think I mean that it must be fantastic to have such a flying start at appreciating and enjoying everything. (I hope that makes sense).

I don't see anything at all negative in getting a good education or "being posh" as tikay calls it, but I do believe that you have to have that work hard, play hard mentality to to benefit from it.

For the record, I think my education was excellent, (if a little unusual) but I learned my lessons so slowly, and there is so much that interests me that I will now never quite 'get'.

What I really need is to go around again.


There is so much more I would like to say in this post, but I think I've made it confusing enough already.
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« Reply #36 on: April 29, 2015, 03:20:43 PM »

One of the few things I envy in other people is their education.

Id swop you my private school education for your tash.

The tash would get me further.

They have private schools that far north?

Tom, what did you education involve?



That's actually quite a complex question Alex, and the answer depends on how you define education. I only had about 6 months in school but I've spent a lifetime learning things and it's been wonderful.

For me, the more I learn, the more I appreciate life, the more in awe I am of the wonder and beauty of the world, and (hopefully) the more tolerant and compassionate I become, and I think that, by and large, that is true for everyone.

When I said I envy some people their education, I think I mean that it must be fantastic to have such a flying start at appreciating and enjoying everything. (I hope that makes sense).

I don't see anything at all negative in getting a good education or "being posh" as tikay calls it, but I do believe that you have to have that work hard, play hard mentality to to benefit from it.

For the record, I think my education was excellent, (if a little unusual) but I learned my lessons so slowly, and there is so much that interests me that I will now never quite 'get'.

What I really need is to go around again.


There is so much more I would like to say in this post, but I think I've made it confusing enough already.

Fascinating stuff Tom. I won't pull a Tikay and say how well you've turned out in spite of your upbringing lol. Certainly an inspiration though. You said you had more to say, I'd very much like to here it - perhaps in your thread would be better - if you did feel like sharing more.
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« Reply #37 on: April 29, 2015, 03:40:17 PM »

26th October 2007

Instead of school today, I went to Nairobi for the day with Nancy and two guys from the college. The journey was awful. The roads are terrible and you have to sit on basically a wooden plank the whole 4 hours. Whenever we reach a stretch of tarmac and get some speed up, it's short-lived because there are speed bumps all over the place which take you (and the driver apparently) by complete  surprise as who would put speed bumps on a motorway!? So you get flung into the air (obviously no seat belts) at random intervals - not fun.

What's worse is that we keep stopping on the way to pick up and drop people off or do a bit of shopping or stop to see Nancy's house and then the house she's building for her son. Both are complete dumps. I can see I'm lucky to be living in Kabare which is clearly a well off village by these standards - there is power the majority of the time, and when it rains at night - I don't get wet.

Nairobi is a shithole. It is honestly such a dump. The buildings all look as if they are about to collapse, it smells like a sewer, it was hot and sticky and generally an unpleasant place to be. We got dropped off just outside the centre and got a "Matatu" the rest of the way.

These Matatu's are minivans in terrible condition and driven far too fast. They invariably have one angry Kenyan hanging out the side trying to pick up more passengers when the bus is already jam packed full of dirty sweaty Kenyans. Just when you think there surely can't be room for anyone else, he manages to squeeze another small family and a few chickens in. The driver drives off when he is ready, usually when he's finished his sandwich or something, regardless of whether there are still people boarding the bus. These people have to jump in while the driver honks his horn at random intervals to get other cars to move out of his way.

There is no concept of lanes. In Kabare (my village) if two cars are coming at each other, the one who is going faster will stay on the road, the other will sheepishly move to the side of the road (left or right depending on the condition of each side) and waits for the other car to drive by (again usually honking his horn randomly). However, in Nairobi, there is so much traffic, they do have a concept of left and right, but cars generally just go where there is space.

Crossing the road is not advisable. It generally involves a mad sprint and praying to the gods.

Once the Matatu is on its way, the guy hanging out the side will get in and request money from everyone who's just boarded. They seem to have a remarkable memory about who's paid and who hasn't. He might not have change for someone but always goes back to them once he's got change and remembers who's owed what change etc. The fare is usually about 15p but much higher for a white man.

It was an experience, but I'll be happy to not experience it again!
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« Reply #38 on: April 30, 2015, 01:05:06 AM »

How much more for a white man do you remember?  A friend of mine spent time in Delhi with work, he tells me how they used to barter with the cycle taxi things (I forget their name) for ages, and would after think 'I've just spent 5 minutes argueing over 20p for a trip that I could of walked in the time I spent argueing!'  The whole point of bartering them down he said though was because you just knew they were taking the piss with the price because you were white and do obviously had too much money.
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« Reply #39 on: April 30, 2015, 02:56:48 AM »

How much more for a white man do you remember?  A friend of mine spent time in Delhi with work, he tells me how they used to barter with the cycle taxi things (I forget their name) for ages, and would after think 'I've just spent 5 minutes argueing over 20p for a trip that I could of walked in the time I spent argueing!'  The whole point of bartering them down he said though was because you just knew they were taking the piss with the price because you were white and do obviously had too much money.

Think it was something like 7 or 8 times as expensive. I always haggle when I know I'm getting mugged off for being white regardless of how much it is on principle.

Found some printed photos from this trip so I'll get them scanned in and will post tomorrow.
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« Reply #40 on: April 30, 2015, 02:19:41 PM »

One of the few things I envy in other people is their education.

Id swop you my private school education for your tash.

The tash would get me further.

They have private schools that far north?

Tom, what did you education involve?



That's actually quite a complex question Alex, and the answer depends on how you define education. I only had about 6 months in school but I've spent a lifetime learning things and it's been wonderful.

For me, the more I learn, the more I appreciate life, the more in awe I am of the wonder and beauty of the world, and (hopefully) the more tolerant and compassionate I become, and I think that, by and large, that is true for everyone.

When I said I envy some people their education, I think I mean that it must be fantastic to have such a flying start at appreciating and enjoying everything. (I hope that makes sense).

I don't see anything at all negative in getting a good education or "being posh" as tikay calls it, but I do believe that you have to have that work hard, play hard mentality to to benefit from it.

For the record, I think my education was excellent, (if a little unusual) but I learned my lessons so slowly, and there is so much that interests me that I will now never quite 'get'.

What I really need is to go around again.


There is so much more I would like to say in this post, but I think I've made it confusing enough already.

Fascinating stuff Tom. I won't pull a Tikay and say how well you've turned out in spite of your upbringing lol. Certainly an inspiration though. You said you had more to say, I'd very much like to here it - perhaps in your thread would be better - if you did feel like sharing more.

Seems like I touched a nerve there.......Wink

When time permits, we'll debate it further on your diary, I don't want to derail this. I already mentioned one matter on your Diary, which you have so far studiously avoided replying to......
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« Reply #41 on: April 30, 2015, 08:37:01 PM »

Hope these pictures will give you a much clearer idea of the sort of environment I was in - the school, the girls, the countryside, the food etc.

Standard 4, the youngest class. This was my favourite class to teach.

 Click to see full-size image.


The countryside, this was taken just round the corner of my guesthouse, which was also just a couple of minutes away from the school

 Click to see full-size image.


My best pal, teacher Njagi, with a gift for me. I took this home (live) on the bus in a plastic bag and gave it to my neighbour, who "prepared" it for me.

 Click to see full-size image.


Staff lunch. This wasn't every day, but it was the most common dish. The right hand dish is called Ugali, a maize based food - it tastes like it looks - horrendous.

 Click to see full-size image.


And one last one - church

 Click to see full-size image.


More to come but will spread them out over the course of the diary.
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« Reply #42 on: May 01, 2015, 01:17:38 PM »

28th October 2007

Good weekend. Went to the castle today with Shadreck and his friend Fred. Amazing place, it's not actually a castle, just a huge forest with some cottages at the top. The cottages are delightful - like little self contained BnBs overlooking Mount Kenya and acres and acres of lush green forests and a gorgeous gorge complete with a waterfall to go with it. Not that Kabare has much hustle and bustle, but if it did, this would be the perfect hideout - completely serene and quiet with very few signs of life - no wonder Queen Elizabeth II wanted to stay here during the war (so I was told...)

 Click to see full-size image.


The journey to and from was interesting. On the way there we ran out of petrol and had to wait for Fred to turn up with a top up! This was awkward because where we stopped was a pretty rough area I think and I kept getting hassled by drunk kenyans asking for money etc, and it was really annoying. I am really getting sick of being starred at everywhere I go.

Anyway, the journey back was worse - we broke down in the same place again and, in the dark this time, had to wait for a mechanic to come and fix the car. I was getting hassled again, this time by annoying kids who would follow me wherever I went. I got really annoyed by this and actually told them to piss off but they didn't understand this and proceeded to mock me.

By the time I got home, I was very hungry and ready for bed, at just 8pm!
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« Reply #43 on: May 04, 2015, 12:02:23 AM »

really enjoying this so far, its one thing i really want to do at some point sooner rather than later, go and see the world!
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« Reply #44 on: May 04, 2015, 03:30:42 AM »

31st October 2007

School is still good although I'm slightly worried that it'll become a rutt where my day to day routine is the same. Something of note usually happens each day however and future weekend trips promise adventure at the very least.

Today, Njagi and I were planning his trip to England where he will stay with me for free and work in our garden! I told him we had a lawn mower, he replied "Ai no, I will use my hands, I am faster than a machine"!

He told me a story about a Kenyan who married twin sisters at the same time! Here followed another classic conversation-

Njagi: "Do you pay a lot of money for wives in England?"
Me: "You don't have to pay anything"
"Why not?"
"Because that's like treating them like property"
"Ai, my property."

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