It's Been a Year

It’s been a year since I boarded a plane and left my home of so many wonderful years; a year in which:

-          I’ve not felt the intensity of the equatorial sun, nor the deluge of African rain;

-          Nor been woken by the raucous squawks of ibis or the untimely crowing of roosters.

-          I haven’t been aware of the “sound of Africa”, the continual sweeping of compounds using brooms made of twigs.

-          My neighbours aren’t having their vehicles washed daily, and mine has not once been filled with clouds of dust.

-          I’ve been incognito amongst this sea of white faces, no longer a minority.

-          I’ve not heard the delightful chirruping of tiny frogs at night, nor the tones of Abyssinian nightjar, nor the high pitched sound of cicadas, or the ringing of Don Bosco’s bells.

-          My journey to work lacks multiple exchanges of greetings.

-          Security checks have been virtually unknown, access to hotels, shopping centres, and supermarkets being open.

-          I don’t start each day anticipating regular adventures to be had: on safari; on Nairobi’s roads; in the office…...

-          I’ve had clean feet (!), seemingly dust-free homes, and clothes that haven’t taken on a reddish brown hue.

-          I’ve not been an integral part of the music scene, and my flute has yet to be heard in a worship team.

-          I’ve barely used my binoculars, having exchanged the vibrant beauty of bee-eaters, African paradise flycatchers, weavers, fire finches…. at my window for their rather duller cousins.

-          The wonders of Kenya’s varying landscapes and wildlife have only been enjoyed in 2-dimensional form, rather than as a 4-dimensional experience.

-          I’ve not been woken by a mozzie once (!), nor have had need to slay a 'swarm' in the bathroom before bed.

-          I’ve not dodged construction vehicles nor encountered ‘deviations’ over unmade roads……

-          I’m not been part of a diverse community, my world (particularly relating to music) having been predominantly monolingual, monocultural and monochrome.

So many things, most very positive, some less so, but all were part of a life in a country that I’m so very thankful for, and which I think of and miss each and every day.