Having lived out of my motherland for two decades, I have had to return to the place I call home- home is where your heart is. As I try to find my way around, I am getting great lessons in patience and humility. The physical landscape has changed beyond recognition and so has the moral fabric that once held us together. Sometimes I feel as if I am listening to a new language altogether.
As they say: East, west, home is best. I am gradually carving a path for myself through it all. I am determined not to fail for I feel that this is where I belong.One other quote comes to my mind: To change is difficult, not to change is fatal.
I know for sure that if I am not changed to my core values- principles and beliefs, I cannot lose myself.
I have never been a passive observer and I do not intend to start now; otherwise a part of me would be dying off slowly. My biggest problem now is moving from point A to point B, whether on foot or by a car. It is now an elaborate affair which has to be planned well in advance: considering the time of day and the traffic peak hours. Many times I have been caught in the tangled city traffic jams for hours. It is a frightening and frustrating situation to say the least. I have now learned that best way to go through this when you are not driving yourself , is to find something to distract you from it. You could read newspapers, a novel or check and reply to the messages on your phone.
For anyone crossing any of the streets in the city or walking on the pavement, the motorcycle taxis- boda boda, carrying or dropping off passengers, is the biggest threat to your life. The motorcycles seem to come from any direction and like the elephants in a national park; they have the right of the way. I am training myself to watch out carefully for them and wait patiently for them as they pass by.
Local problems demand for locally tailored solutions so I have come to learn that apart from learning to be patient and humble, one has to find other appropriate and effective solutions to accessing the basic services like shopping for the groceries.
Careful planning and knowing when to leave or stay in a place, removes the stress out of moving within the city to a remarkable degree. But identifying a centre near where you live that has most of the basic services you need, will save you time, money and mental annoyance. This centre then becomes your One-stop centre. It has to have: a branch of your Bank, a forex bureau, a super market with a large parking area- where you park then buy all your groceries, fresh fruits and vegetables, a good family doctor’s clinic, a dentist’s clinic and a small animal clinic- to take care of your pets. There has to be a well stocked pharmacy run by a pharmacist, a gym preferably with some physiotherapy services. For the ladies; a good hairdressing salon is a basic requirement. You will also need a place where you can eat a snack or sit down with a friend and watch the world go round.
You may have to look around for a nearby Police station in case you lose your valuables , a good lawyer and a good mechanic for your type of car. Over time, you can add on other service provider as the need arises.
As Charles Darwin said:It is not the strongest of the species that survive nor the most intelligent that survive. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.
I am slowly but surely getting there. I must admit that it is not for the faint -hearted.
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A Page from Munaku's Book 