Willy M.Tuva: Half-naked women put me off

I first came to Nairobi just after the  1998 bomb blast. I lighted at South B where I spent the night having travelled from Mombasa at night.

I visited the city centre the next day but had to cut short my business since I met people walking so fast and thought there was a demonstration.

With all the stories I had heard about tear gas, being roughed up by riot police or even robbed off in the process, I was really scared.

I was not taking chances and so I hopped into the next matatu and headed back to home.

I was looking forward for the 7pm news to hear what the demonstrations were all about.

But alas! I later learnt everyone in Nairobi is always in a hurry.

In my first few days as a Nairobian, I also learnt that it was almost a ‘crime’ to say ‘hi’ to random people in the streets. People would stare at me as if I was going to steal from them. My polite gesture was only earning me uneasy stares.

The Nairobi thieves who had the guts to steal in broad daylight also shocked me. I could not understand how one could steal a vehicle’s side mirror in broad daylight.

Women in Nairobi were also a sight to behold. How one could walk half naked while no one seemed to care. To make the matters worse, it was freezing outside!

I also suffered language barrier and culture shock. The most amazing bit was how one could comfortably say: “Hizi maji ni zangu” (This water belongs to me). To-date I am yet to pronounce ‘bad’ Swahili or even speak in sheng.