Random Thoughts of a Girl in Nairobi

Some folks complain about 'adulting'. Introverts complain about 'people-ing'    When I was in High school we had an annual parents’ open day for the form two students. Basically all your teachers sat at different tables and you and your folks went round from table to table so that they ( your folks ) could meet the teachers and discuss how you’re doing and what-not. I was struggling a bit with some of my grades and it didn’t help for me to have the teachers for the two subjects I was struggling the most in: Math and chemistry – tell my parents that I barely participated in class. I was deeply offended. In my view I was doing very well at class participation. I was practically slaying class participation. Those teachers had it wrong and my parents were equally as wrong for not believing me. That’s what it’s like to be an introvert.    Of course the only people who can appreciate that deep struggle are fellow introverts and ambiverts ( Ambiverts are...

   The hashtag #WhatADoctorLooksLike is sweeping the internet and with good reason.  In case you're not familiar with the story, I'll catch-you-up. Last week a man on a Delta airlines flight collapsed. So the flight attendant did what we've all watched in movies but few have seen in real life.  She asked if there was a doctor on board. A young African-American OBGYN ( The kind of doctor that attends to women during pregnancy, pregnancy related issues and all other female-specific health issues ) raised her hand because duh! She's a doctor. And even th The flight attendant saw her but automatically assumed she wanted to ask about something else, so she dismissed her and asked again for a doctor. She managed to get the attendant's attention again and this time informed her that she is a doctor.  So the unnecessary time-wasting and possible patient-killing Q & A ensued. Apparently the flight attendant was having a hard time believing that our young Afr...

   I am obsessed with Indian food. My family knows it and I know it. I’m currently looking for a support group. One which hopefully bankrolls trips to local Indian restaurants.  :-D  So you can only imagine the glee I felt when I stumbled across this gem of a recipe on Pinterest . It’s quite simple especially if your chapatti making skills are on point! And even if they’re not on point, it’s still easy enough.  I modified the recipe a bit and improvised here and there but it still turned out great!  So without further ado: Ingredients 3⁄4 cup warm water 1 tsp. honey 1 teaspoon active dry yeast 2 cups all-purpose flour 1⁄2 cup plain yogurt 2 tablespoon cooking oil 1⁄2 teaspoon salt ½ a cup of melted butter ( or cooking oil ) ½ cup chopped cilantro ( Dhania ) Instructions 1.        Stir the water and honey in a bowl; add yeast and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. 2.   ...

   It’s been a while. Months actually since I last wrote anything. School got so crazy that I could barely muster the strength to write anything worth-while. And I don’t do things half-way. Go big or go home right? But I have a bit of a reprieve at the moment and this is me trying to get back on the writing saddle. What better way to do it than with a recipe that will absolutely blow your taste-buds!       I mentioned a while back how much I love fruit-juice marinades. They have this unique flavor and have a way of making food sweet without being as overwhelming as sugar can be at times. Plus, they are healthy!    Short biology lesson: Pineapple juice contains an enzyme called bromelain which actually breaks down tough proteins, such as the ones found in the harder cuts of meat therefore softening the meat. It’s a natural meat tenderizer! No more boiling for hours on end or using a pressure cooker to make meat chewable. Just marinate...

   What are the things that keep you up at night? Are they your studies? Work? The simple task of feeding your kids from one day to the next? It took me a while to come to terms with the fact that for the average Kenyan, a little ache here or a pain there can wait. A cough that’s lasted for more than a month despite having drank an arsenal of cough syrups is only slightly worrisome. Please don’t get me started on our unhealthy tendency to self-medicate. I’m guilty of doing it myself.  The average Kenyan goes to the hospital when the pain is so much that it wakes them up at night. When the headache starts affecting their sight. In other words, when they can’t put it off any longer. And who can blame them; they have bigger problems to worry about. They can’t afford to miss a day or even a morning of work to go to the hospital. They can’t afford transport to the nearest hospital or health centre. They have to choose between feeding themselves and their loved ones and...

Brusque - Synonyms:  curt, abrupt, blunt, short, sharp, terse, peremptory, gruff;  offhand, discourteous, impolite, rude   Being a Christian and a Nairobian is a delicate balancing act. On one hand I want to be kind and accommodating toward people. But on the other I'm hyper-aware of the rampant conman-ship we encounter on a daily basis. So you genuinely try to be concerned about the needs of other...but from a slight distance, you know. Just in case.    I met a woman in the bus the other day. She was sitting next to me and I probably wouldn't have spoken to her if it wasn't for the fact that the bus ran out of fuel and abruptly stalled in the middle of the road....at 7.30 pm in the evening. And yes I’ll admit it. Up until that moment my face was firmly glued to my phone screen. So she sighed and asked me how she would get to the hospital ( Kenyatta National Hospital ) considering that the ...

   It’s been a while since I made a Foodie Friday post. I could say it’s because I’ve been experimenting a lot with my palate. But mostly it’s because I’ve been busy. And hopefully you guys will get to see what my palate has discovered when I’m not busy.    So I’m sure you saw this photo doing the rounds on Facebook a while back:    Since that day this recipe has been a culinary goal for me. So yesterday I figured, why not! I borrowed the basic concept of the photo and combined it with what I know about pasta cooking and bam! This is what I got. So without further ado... Ingredients For the pasta: 10 sausages sliced into thick chunks Spaghetti 4 cloves garlic finely chopped 1 tablespoon of parsley ½ tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon cooking oil 5 cups hot water For the marinara sauce: 1 large onion finely chopped 4 cloves garlic finely chopped 1 table spoon butter 4 large ripe tomatoes Red chilli / Cayenne pepp...