Traffic!

I couldn’t help myself but to write about the traffic today!

Imagine yourself sitting at traffic. Your destination is only 10 kms away and it takes you an hour to get there! Ok, I know all of you are saying that all metropolitan cities have bad traffic. But let’s not compare Nairobi with any metropolitan city we know. Even the population of Nairobi doesn’t compare to metropolitan cities around the world.
Anyway, since we moved here, I try not to drive as much as possible. It’s not because there is traffic (I drove in Istanbul and beltway in DC), but because of the reckless driving of matatus and buses, very slow moving people and cars (it is like watching a movie in a slow motion!), huge holes in the roads, no traffic lights or signs whatsoever.

So I was driving my kids to school on Langata Road this morning, when all of a sudden, traffic stopped. Still being naive about Nairobi traffic, I thought there was an accident or something pretty bad had happened, otherwise why would you stop and not be able to move an inch for 30-40 minutes, right? There’s gotta be a reasonable explanation.

Well, not really! After the cars started to move little by little, I saw a man standing next to his car, in the middle of the road talking on his cellphone. It seemed like his car broke down, which is totally understandable, but neither he nor people around him bothered to move his car to the left, where you let the traffic move. Here, people do not bother to provide assistance-- you are on your own. If you do not have basic common sense (like moving your broken car to the side, or giving way to other cars if you drive a heavy weight truck), you ruin other people's days in the traffic for something could be solved very easily!

Drive safe, and stay away from matatus!

Life Coaching!

Probably all of us have heard the term "life coaching" and have a basic understanding of what it is. I had been interested in life coaching for years, but never got a chance to pursue it, or maybe I just didn’t yet have the will.

While living in Kenya, I went through some self-discoveries, self-thinking, and worked through what I wanted to do with my life next. I found myself searching for life coach training. I was so surprised at the number of resources out there-- blogs, companies, interest groups, different types of training, certifications, etc.

After some research I have decided to get my life coach training from Coach U, a U.S.-based company on the market for over 20 years. Coach U provides live training for students all over the world who come from many different backgrounds.

At some point in our lives, I believe we all need a mentor to help us see the big picture. We are so busy with the challenges of daily life-- working, raising kids in today’s digital world, socializing, feeling the pressure of being active on social media, trying to be fit, eating and living healthy... and so much more.

All these expectations create so much pressure for us. I sometimes feel like we have to carry a couple of identities to be accepted. And at some point, we feel restless, fatigued, lost, and don’t know where to look. Sometimes these feelings are too hard to confess to ourselves, let alone to our friends and family. This is where life coaching plays a great role. The best thing about it is that you’re not alone and don’t have to feel and live that way.

I heard a saying, "You can only be successful in the things you are passionate about." Isn't that a powerful thought? This is how the journey started for me. How about you?

Outdoor Activities for Kids

It’s great to be a kid in Kenya because the weather is clear and nice throughout the year and that’s a great excuse for kids to be outside all day. Since we moved here, my now 7 year-old and 2.5 year-old literally live outside :). They bike, play hide and seek, scoot around on their scooters, swim, run, and just enjoy being outside with their friends.

I remember how free I felt when I was a kid. We didn’t have internet, iPads, Facebook or anything-- we just played outside all day long. A carefree and playful childhood is what I had hoped for my kids when we had them. These days, when I look at my kids, I see myself. You can imagine how happy it makes me. I’m so glad they are able to grow freely and carelessly.

Unfortunately, nowadays kids spend most of their time in front of a TV or computer. They do not get to be a child.  So my biggest motivation to live and enjoy everyday of my life here is to see my children growing purely, in this beautiful weather, amidst lush gardens and clean air.

After the Attack

It has been two weeks since the Westgate attack and still not much is known. The Kenyan government said so many things that we’re not sure which one is right. What I know is, many people are still missing, whatever that means....and 68+ people are dead and hundreds are wounded.  

And now, I am reading that the Kenyan government had intelligence reports about this attack months ago! There are events in life that are hard to prevent. I believe we all have to live our lives as normally as possible. But the government not taking any preventive measurements is unbelievable and unacceptable!

It will take years to get back on track here in Kenya. The country is already fragile because of its economy, border problems with Somali, elections, high unemployment rate and many more factors.

I heard Westgate Mall top floors are totally demolished, stores are moving out, restaurants and small shops don’t have many customers anymore. Wounded people's hospital bills are so high that they don’t know what to... should they be worrying about their health or the huge hospital bill? I hope the Kenyan government will step in and provide financial assistance and emotional support to all of the survivors and family of lost ones...