Monday, December 16, 2013

Kwaheri Dadaab-Its been real

I sit on my desk thinking what!!!!!!!!! so this is goodbye and the way I love this desk (although my back is to the door and I can't get away with doing my own stuff at work as everyone sees my computer screen) this has been a really beautiful/happy time in Dadaab (with a few tears but mostly joy). When I was coming here I did not know what to expect but had very low expectations and to say I have been pleasantly surprised will be a big understatement the DMO is a  city on its own.

What I have learnt in these few months is a lot and truly different from what I knew before and most importantly that not everybody that smiles and laughs with you has your best interests at heart,people are so hungry for praise and will do everything to be seen(poor me who is much of a background person)

With this said I'll miss the place/people so very much................dangers of getting too attached too easily.I will miss the following things the most(in no particular order)

The ice-cream place at IOM will be deeply missed really nice ice-cream and at affordable(read cheap) prices and the friendly guy who sells them who also can  make some really nice cakes for any occasion of course it can't compare to those fancy cakes made by cake houses in Nairobi but it still serves the purpose like Bye Rehema(in Pink no less). The beautiful chairs and outside sitting arrangement where we would mostly sit to discuss crazy stuff like the way we must bring the driving school quicker to Ifo 2 than LWF and hence shinda them,which agency has the nicest guys and prettiest ladies UNHCR/DRA and Redcross wins hands down respectively.

Free zumba classes:Yes free zumba classes for an hour everyday Monday-Saturday and I have learnt to 'dance''and that there are some things that should be marked female only like zumba because I feel its not a manly thing to belly dance and especially in public.Also that I'm pretty inflexible and happiest during the parts of the class that involves jumping :-).

House parties:People here love parties and will mostly invite you....................I have seen crazy dance styles,shisha, and stuff I had never seen before and eaten more cake than I have in a long time,witnessed drama like the lady who locked her boyfriend's room plus the room of the lady she suspected he was cheating on her with and they remained stranded outside at 3 am :-) I have no idea how this ended but would really love to know and the guys who drink each day of the week and come to the office drunk and smelling of alcohol on Monday morning but they still are able to work and achieve their targets some how!!!

Generous dudes from agency X otherwise known as the refugee agency:The number of free juice/sodas and lunches/dinners that we have been bought for are just too many considering I used to hang out on my own a lot before I came here lesson learnt be a lady never pay your own bill if you are with a dude that's why they are men its part of their responsibilities.

The convoy:So many cars!!!!!!!!The convoy leaves to the camps everyday at 8am which means you must leave the compound at 7:50am and with all the items/papers you'll need to use in the field.To see some people who are late each single day run around unfortunately this includes me some days and I was actually left by the driver some day and had to walk/run to catch up with him and then he goes like learn to plan your work!!

The opportunity to meet programming legends:I have had the opportunity to meet some of the best programmers ever who'll tell you stories about any kind of programme you ask about and have been to so many places that I feel its unfair to the rest of us.They should be stuck in one place for sometime and us guys be given the chance to go to different places(wishful thinking is allowed)

Dagahaley: My beloved camp will be missed a lot the demanding camp leadership that once even asked for laptops,the beneficiaries who threaten you by telling you we will report you to UNHCR for not including us the minorities,the awesome incentive staff and even the long camp coordination meetings

The fries and chicken at grease pit:The guys there have some serious skills and I love love their fries but considering how much weight I have put on these cannot be good for me but life is short right eat all the things you love :-) :-)


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