The orientation at AIM Headquarters went excellently. I was both informed and inspired by the sessions ranging from travel, finances, and even culture training. It was really beneficial for preparing me for trip that I have now embarked. Currently, I am writing on a layover in London at Heathrow airport. There was only a minimal of confusion of which terminal I was supposed to be at bu I'm in the right one now. Call me an eternal optimist, but at least I had the opportunity of seeing more of the airport and get used to the left side of the road deal that I will be living with, for 9 months, henceforth.
My flight across the Atlantic was long, but I enjoyed the feeling of superiority as I sat near the front of the airplane in business class, declining the multiple offers of champagne from the stewardess' and catching up on the stocks from my personal adjustable flat screen monitor... I am totally pulling your leg here. I'm a missionary (I didn't even get a window seat). Actually the guy next to me hadn't cleaned himself in a while, which I noticed at first but by the end of the flight I couldn't tell anymore (probably because we both smelled the same by then). I will fit right in smell wise when I arrive in Nairobi :) .
I find it humorous how they herd passengers in "economy" through all the "business", "club", "first", "gold class", etc., etc. seats to show you what you could have if you weren't "ordinary". I believe that British Airways is especially excellent at this skill because they are used to the social class system and showing off royalty :) . I actually think that they have developed new techniques of stuffing more humans into a certain amount of space never before seen by the human race, while increasing the upper "levels" of the craft to provide more and more space for the increasing call for more luxury in flight. Soon children will count as "carry-ons" and will have to fit in the specific child compartment or underneath the seat (I believe the Japanese may have tried to use this technique a few years ago). There will be signs outside of the terminal saying things such as "your child must be this short to enter the aircraft, otherwise you will have to return them to the security gate and check them as an express shipping baggage." (I'm not actually complaining, I love flying enough that I am allowed to poke some fun at the inevitable downsides of it... besides it could solve overpopulation and the obesity epidemic too.)
On a much more serious note, I had my first cultural experience although I was still in London. While sitting and waiting at the terminal for my Nairobi flight's gate number to appear, I saw a Muslim girl wearing traditional robes while traveling with who I'm guessing is her older brother, whom she walked two steps behind. It turned out that she was also on the same flight as I because while I waited for it to start boarding, she crossed the room to talk to another girl who was wearing a traditional headscarf (sitting only a few seats away from myself). Then she asked her if she was traveling to Kenya also and about if they needed to check in or anything special before the flight, and the other girl told her they didn't. What struck me next was that the fully robed girl told the other one that her brother had made her come ask. I found this interesting because it is was part of a culture that I had never seen with my own eyes. The brother sent his sister to go talk to the only other Muslim looking person on a flight full of mostly tourists and missionaries. He also didn't ask himself because it would have been improper for him to talk to a female. All I can say is that I am in for a wild experience once I immerse myself in Kenyan culture.
Before the end of my flight to Nairobi, which was also long, but much more comfortable since no one was sitting next to me, during the landing cycle, I looked out the window and the land was completely black. No town lights. No road lamps. Not even a few camping fires. Everything was pitch black until we got closer to the airport, where I began to see clusters of randomly assorted lights. Instead of a gradual increase of lights before getting to the city (as it is in the US) the lights were gradually larger random clusters. There were many lights I could tell were electric, most likely building parking lots, but then the rest were flickering and inconsistent. Then I figure out what the clusters were. They are slums that are surrounding the city. Slums that people cannot afford any electronic lights so they have barrel fires. The largest cluster of fire lights that stretched for miles was what I am assuming is Kibera, one of the largest slums in all of Africa, right in the middle of it all.
Getting through customs was interesting. At first I stood in the Non- African passport line, filled with tourists, and a couple obvious Americans (myself probably being one of them). There were at least 5 or 6 other lines, all marked with different signs such as East African Passports Only, Kenyan Passports Only, Flight Crew, etc. I was in the longest line, and I expected to be there for a while. But I discovered that rules are subject to change in the third world. A worker at the airport told a few others and I to go in the East African Passport only line because it would be faster. It would never happen in a US airport, but it actually made a lot of sense. Why make more loud and impatient Americans stay longer in your airport just because they are supposed to stay in their designated line?
My reunion with the Brown's was wonderful and all the kids were definitely older. Robbie and Avery had fun lifting up my packed bike, and Sydney is not a shy baby anymore. She kept telling me all about my room at their house and then fell asleep on my lap during the drive to the guesthouse I will be staying for a week for more orientation. I expect to be going through a lot of culture shock soon and I'm sure I will have many more stories to tell.
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