Greetings from Sotik!

Walking between the raindrops,

Riding the aftershock beside you,

Off into the sunset

Living like there’s nothing left to lose

Chasing after goldmines,

Crossing the fine lines we knew

Hold on and take a breath,

I’ll be here every step,

Walking between the raindrops with you.

-Between the Raindrops by Lifehouse & Natasha Bedingfield

If ever you are to move house, make sure you pack your stuff in labeled boxes. Or something. Anything that will make it easy for you to find stuff when you need…stuff. Since chances are high that you will not be able to unpack everything at once, you might have to live off boxes and suitcases for a few days. Labeled boxes will make life easier for you. You’re so welcome!

Or maybe it’s just me?

Well, we moved.  From Nairobi all the way to the South Rift region. For you who have no clue where this is, think Bomet County. Think Isaac Ruto - We need devolution to work by the way. Na sio tafadhali. Ha! Look at me going all ‘County Development talk’ on you guys!

Forgive my digression: We upped and left like it was no big deal. Like we are used to this kind of thing; Living in one town then moving to a totally different region when we get the itch to do so. Md and I uprooted our kids from a home they have known for a while, a school they have known since they started school, and friends they have known since they started socializing. We bundled our earthly belongings in a big Lorry and said Adios to Nairobi. 

Destination Sotik constituency. It is indeed a whole new scene. Where the grass is green, and it meets you at your doorstep. You don’t have to go looking for it in a park or in the leafy suburbs of Runda. It’s right there. Anywhere. Everywhere. It sticks with you, keeps you company, wades off the dust while at it.

Nature is in your face. Making no apologies for its presence. The vegetation refuses to be tamed; obstinately wild. Tall trees. Fertile land. Land that feeds you-and don’t you forget it. The wind blows, nay, howls like a boss. The sun shines on cue every morning. It comes up quite early. The sun doesn’t just rise. It makes a grand entrance. Bright and yellow and oh-so-warm!  You look forward to its warmth because the nights, the nights are something else. Freezing cold. It’s as if the sun gathers all the remaining warmth when it sets in the evening. Leaving nothing to get us through the night. And when it rises in the morning, it does so majestically like a god. To deliver you from your misery.

I now understand why some communities (Ahem!) worshipped the sun. It knows that earthlings wait for it all night long. That they endure the cold night just so they can enjoy the sunrise. It is not blind to the fact that the world longs for its warm caress. Make no mistake now, you are privileged to be touched by the sun.  It is beautiful. And I don’t worship the sun. It is awesome!

Sunrise in Sotik

Yet even with its grandiosity, the sun respectfully gives way to the rains. It rains whenever it dang feels like. Morning, noon or night. The sun tucks itself under the clouds and bam! Rain. Without warning. Well, it owes you zilch after all!

You learn the lesson pretty fast when you come here: Nature owes you nothing! You submit to it. You recognize it. You acknowledge it. You have no choice but to appreciate it. Respect it.

Our big move has been all we hoped it would be and more. And we are grateful for that. Kids are adjusting well to the weather, the new environment, the new home, the new school (It’s been three days of school so I am still keeping my fingers crossed on this one).

One major problem though: Connecting to ‘le Internet’.  Safaricom is like that lover you were crazy about at some point in the past, then you grow apart and you wonder what you ever saw in them in the first place. They just don’t love you the way you want to be loved. A few years into the relationship, they became complacent and arrogant. They grew fat, acquired a potbelly, and became quite unattractive. You therefore look for something more workable. You forge a new relationship-Airtel has a dazzling smile, abs to die for. He is the perfect gentleman. He treats you right. You fall deeply in love. Airtel knows the essence of your relationship: Reliability.

Other than the internet hiccups, let me just report back that Sotik is treating us well so far. The kids thankfully adjusted so fast it’s like we never moved! The upside of uprooting anything is that you get to plant it in a place with high chances of good yields. What’s more, our stuff has slowly made its way from the suitcases to the closets. We are not jumping over boxes to get around anymore.

Do I miss Nairobi? Well…let me just say that I miss the people I left behind. On the other hand, I don’t miss the noise, pollution, thuggery, high level of insecurity, bad roads…you get my point. Since the people I left behind know where to find me, it all works out perfectly in the end. 

I send you warm greetings from Sotik.

PS: I wrote this while listening to the song Between The Raindrops by Lifehouse ft Natasha Bedingfield. It is a beautiful song, no?