I Hope You Stay

It has been 12 days since I waved goodbye to my office and office mates with a heartfelt kwa heri and set off for Mombasa International Airport to fly to Nairobi to meet my new-to-Kenya family. Since then, we have been on a Sajewski adventure, exploring the many national parks of Kenya and allowing me to see a lot more of this beautiful country. Right now, we are driving along the  "Escarpment Road," a narrow, winding road carved into the side of a mountain overlooking the Rift Valley (ah mobile internet, what a wondrous discovery). And although I am definitely enjoying the time with my family and the wild beasts of Africa, at times I can't help but wonder what I'd be doing if I were back in Mombasa. Right now, I'd probably be having lunch.

View from where I have lunch while working in Mombasa

View from our safari vehicle

About a week before I finished my internship with Seureca, I found myself, once again, squished in the cab of our trusty sky-blue CWSB pick-up, bumping along the roads in Kiembeni, this time on our way to check on some meter chamber covers which we have been promised for the past two months (see Challenges of the Field). Our driver, Alex, had his favorite cd playing, which was American country music, naturally. I was feeling a bit nostalgic, as country music is prone to make you feel, as I listened to the soft southern twang of country belles sing about their long gone memories and their horses. My ears perked up when I heard the first words of Lee Ann Womack's "I hope you dance," a country song that is familiar even to New Yorkers like myself who rarely experience the joy of country music on the radio.

A popular song for graduations and weddings, it now makes its appearance in my Kenyan worklife.

 I began singing along quitely to myself. It is hard for me to hear a song I like and not sing along. Just ask anyone who has driven around with my in my Jeep for more than ten minutes.To my surprise, co-workers Jane and Peter, crammed in the cab with me, joined in. After a verse or two, Jane mentioned that this should be my song, except with slightly different words. So Peter and Jane filled in the rest of the song, humming along, and then, in the chorus, instead of the well-known "I hope you dance," they sang,  "I hope you staaaaaayy..... Eleeezabeeeeeth.....I hope you stay." From then on, it became my song, and was stuck in my head, with its new improved verses, for several days. 

I have extremely enjoyed my Kenyan summer and I will miss my Seureca family. The Kenyan attitude, at least in Mombasa, is relaxed and in good humor and surprisingly comfortable and familiar. And although I'm still debating between medicine and engineering and don't know what exactly I'm doing next summer, everyone at work is very sure that I will be back in Kenya soon. Here is a view of a typical conservation during my last days in the office:

Me: "Ah I don't want to leave Kenya."

Henry: "Don't worry, you'll be back."

Me: "Maybe."

Peter: "No maybe, definitely. You are coming back to Mombasa/Kenya."

Jane: "Yes, and you should come to Mombasa for Christmas."

Me: "I totally should. By that time, I'll be a pro at Swahili."

We'll see what actually happens. One thing does seem sure though: I was meant to come to Kenya and, whether it is next summer or in a couple of years, I will be coming back sometime. 

PS Although my internship is done, I'm going to keep blogging for the rest of my time in Kenya. So if you like cute pictures of baby elephants or would enjoy a glimpse into the Saga of Sajewski Safaris, stay tuned!