The Rift Valley and Beyond

The smell of a new(old) world tickled my nostrils as I exited the door of the boeing 777. The ceilings were low and wood paneled. Everything seemed a bit muted. I felt as thought I was watching an episode of "Welcome Back, Kotter" on Nick at Night. Making my way through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport(Jomo Kenyatta was the founding father of Kenya's independence from the British in 1963) to immigration. I had received an inside tip just days prior...."when approaching the immigration lines pick the shortest line even if the sign reads 'Pilots and Cabin crew only'... signs don't matter". It turned out to be absolutely spot on. I received my 90day visa and I had officially arrived in Nairobi, Kenya. How did I make it this far....



Starting out was easy...late morning on Friday August 6 from my parents house in suburban Detroit we made a family field trip DTW. I was excited, nervous, anxious and admittedly a bit sad. There was no time to dwell, I was on an adventure and I needed to push on forward. From DTW I landed at O'hare where I had to cross through security again into the international terminal (for the 2nd of 3 times on this trip) where I boarded a flight to London. I passed the hours sitting and sleeping and reading and thinking and thinking and sleeping until the Boeing 777 touched down in the uber updated and industrial London Heathrow airport. While in transit across the pond I read a bimonthly call the Monocle. This was my first experience with this publication. The content of this edition, Urban restoration and revivals...I am still uncertain whether this is theme of each volume of the Monocle but I found myself captivated by the articles and rankings of the most livable cities (Munich placed first followed by Copenhagen), the 25 most innovative mayors (the mayor from Minneapolis struck me...RT 'something' because of his work in marketing Minneapolis's water to the public, promoting biking as a viable means of transportation and his promotion of local food to table initiatives) and other keys to successful, innovative and livable urban centers. I dreamed and envisioned cities like Baltimore and Detroit and the potential of a well architected and foundational infrastructure, with strong, contributing institutions, organizations and individuals that can make these cities a great place to live. It takes public, private and civic leadership to accomplish this. It takes a vision and a communal effort. It takes change and breaking the paradigm. Each individual is a critical contributor to the success of a community and of a city. Slight tangent.

The flight from London to Nairobi was fairly uneventful except the two gentlemen I met while stretching my legs half way through the 9 hour flight. Both Nairobian and both very different.

Thomas a youthful looking, hardworking, 43 year old father of four. His skin was radiant, blemish free and dark as ebony accentuated by his all white track suit. He works 12 hours days as the manager of a Walmart in Plano, Texas arriving in his "club on wheels" as he calls his car that is more fit for a production studio than a commuter vehicle. He dreams of a bright future for his children. His eldest, a 17 year old daughter who is going to be a senior in high school. When I ask if she knows where she is going to college. His intensity immediately increases "My wife is working on that and everyone one of my children WILL attend college". We talked for almost an hour and he gave me some useful insight for my time in Kenya.

While Thomas and I were occupying the rear of the plane we were joined by another Nairobian, Chaz (not sure if that is the correct spelling but that is what it sounded like)with his one year old, wide eyed, thick curly haired daughter Anya. Chaz and his family were returning to Nairobi to visit family. Chaz and his wife reside in Birmingham, England where he is an aerospace engineer for a european discount airline. Chaz is soft spoken with a proper English ascent and although born and raised in Nairobi he resembles a man who's forefathers probably came from north India.

I would soon realize that these two individuals would be fairly representative of the people I would see in Nairobi.

The adventure and experience has just begun......