Joy in Daily "Inconveniences"

Recently, I've been thinking about how living here is… well, comfortable. And some people might think that sounds strange, to say that living in the slums is comfortable. But, almost 9 months in, I can honestly say that this place feels like home. The things that used to be inconvenient I can now see some beauty… or humor in. Let me give you a little picture of the daily “inconveniences” that now make me feel at home here in Kibera.

1.      Bucket Baths

The infamous bucket baths. I would wager that almost everyone who’s ever been on a short-term mission trip overseas has encountered one of these. Most people, including myself, are initially shocked at how little water they have to bathe in and struggle to cup their hands appropriately in order to splash themselves with water without wasting any (this is an art form, trust me). This is what I do every day, and after about a week of it, I began to really appreciate my bucket baths. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I spend too much time in the shower, and this has been an excellent way to cut back on my daily “prep” time. Plus, there’s something that just feels good about conserving water use, and then reusing the water from my bucket bath the “flush” my squatty potty (thanks to my brother for inspiring and encouraging me to be more environmentally friendly with my life).

My bathroom: complete with cleaning supplies, "flush" bucket, squatty potty, and bathing basin.

2.      Squatty Potties

Like bucket baths, almost anyone who has ever been overseas has probably used one of these. Again, the technique takes some time to learn, but I have found that squatty potties are really pretty great! Not only does it take less time to use the restroom, it uses less water (because you pour it in yourself, instead of allowing a machine to automatically add more than is needed), AND it’s a workout for your legs! Be gone thunder thighs!

3.      Filling Water Buckets

For those back at home, it might be hard to think about not having access to running water. But for people in the slums, this is completely normal and almost universal. Initially, the downside was having to cart water to my house from the compound area in buckets (we have three: one for kitchen use, one for bathroom use, and one for bathing). But when you think about it, it’s actually not that bad. You’re using much less water than leaving the faucet running and again, you get a free workout! If you want to get rid of any arm flab, simply stop using running water – your arms will thank you.

4.      Unreliable Electricity

Here in Kibera, a lot of people use tapped electrical lines to obtain electricity. We don’t do that in my house, but regardless, my line is one of the worst for electrical reliability in my neighborhood. Just a week or so ago, we went 5 days without any electricity. It was kind of an inconvenience that time, but most times our electricity goes out it’s only for a day or two. But, you want to know what’s great about electrical outages? It’s actually quiet in the slums. No TVs are blaring, music isn't constantly in the background, and people actually talk to each other. Imagine everyone in your neighborhood’s electricity went off for a few days. You might actually get to know your neighbors a bit more, wouldn't you? Plus, it’s an excuse to have candle-lit dinners every night, for all of you romantics out there.

Life teaches you to be creative - Don't have candle holders? Tin coffee mugs do the trick!

5.      Matatus

If I haven’t mentioned matatus before, these are souped-up 15 passenger vans that are used as the main form of public transportation around Nairobi and Kenya. Initially, they’re kind of intimidating. There’s typically a man hanging from the door, shouting prices and locations, and it’s honestly confusing for the first few times. But, once you get the hang of it, matatus are great! It’s really cheap transportation (typically $0.11 – $0.57 per trip), you don’t have to drive, you don’t need to know exactly how to get there (which is great for directionally challenged people like me), and it’s usually pretty quick. Plus, you occasionally get to randomly meet your friends on the way, which doesn’t really happen if you’re driving your own separate cars.

6.      Shopping

Okay, I need to be honest. Shopping initially scared me here. First of all, I’m not a huge fan of shopping, but on top of that, I didn’t know what fair prices were or even where to find things. But now that I’ve been here for a while, I know all of those things and I’ve made friends with the shop vendors around my house. In the mornings, I barely have to walk more than 100 yards to get my milk and eggs. And Mama Lucy, the lady I always buy them from, knows exactly which brand of milk I prefer and how many eggs I typically need. Much better than driving to the grocery store and I’ve made a great friend as well!

7.      Unannounced Visitors

This might be the only thing that still sometimes feels like an inconvenience, but I’m really starting to appreciate this quirk about living in Kibera. In the U.S., we always call our friends and arrange a time to stop by and visit. In Kibera, people think you’re strange if you do that. Just come over! If I’m home, then that’s great. If not, I’ll probably be home in an hour, so just wait for me. That’s the general attitude of the people here, and it’s typically true. Women are usually in their homes or around nearby, and since I typically only visit women, this is often what I do. There is something wonderful about being able to just go and stop by your friend’s house without informing them. It makes the friendship seem that much more real and unconditional, that no matter the time of day, you are always welcome in your friend’s house. I often get sporadic visitors – my favorite being the little 2 year old from my host family, my immediate neighbors. He often just pops in during the day to say hello, laugh, and eat my oranges, if I have any.

Fadhili, my "little man"

So, there it is. Life in Kibera. The simplicity of living here is so refreshing, and while it may have seemed burdensome at first, the joy I find in living simply here with my new found friends and family is going to be the hardest part of saying goodbye, when the time comes. May you be encouraged to live simply where you are and to find beauty and humor in the “simple things”.