Life in the Countryside – The contrasts

Refreshing change

It has been three weeks since I moved up-country and the contrast between Nairobi and my home town is amazing:

I wake up each morning to the chirping of birds and not the irritating hooting of ‘matatus’ at ungodly hours.

I can actually smell the air which is characterized by a soft freshness that I have not experienced in a long time.

I am learning to eat healthy traditional foods including those “bitter herbs” I used to loathe when growing up and “brown” (millet) flour.

I walk. I do not stand by the roadside and wait for a 48 to drop me two blocks away; I actually walk to town from my temporary office or when I need to run errands. The countryside is greener than the city – there are trees, albeit not as many as they should be but they are there nonetheless. My home town is not yet a concrete jungle.

Most importantly, people up-country have not lost their sense of community coupled with concern for others. The other day I witnessed a group of women stop in the middle of their chores to enquire about a terrified three year old boy who had lost his way. I think in the big city we would quickly walk past the crying boy, casting suspicious looks at him while clutching our handbags like our lives depended on them!

Most of us are working women who are caught up in the fast-paced city life and by the time we get home and try to unwind, we are more frustrated than relaxed by the many things in our homes that need our attention. The frustration is worse when one is a mother-to-be since her condition alone is exhausting enough.

It is not uncommon to see mothers-to-be queuing at bus stops or supermarkets or walking to work looking so drained. The problem is further compounded by seemingly uncaring neighbours, colleagues, friends and sometimes even family. Actually, the people around us may not be uncaring; they are also caught up in the demands that city life places on them and with each passing day, they are compelled to work harder and harder to make ends meet for themselves and their families. City life is also not kind to the fainthearted; one needs a lot of stamina and a great sense of aggressiveness to survive so we cannot blame anyone who seems uncaring.

Weekend getaway
As a mother-to-be, it may be worthwhile to begin considering taking a break from city life for a change. You could take a weekend off and visit your family or friends who live in rural settings. Each time I talk to female friends, clients or family about going away, I hear countless excuses and most end up not taking that break. As a result, they are caught up in a cycle of PLANNING – EXCUSE MAKING – POSTPONING -FEELING DOWN – GUILT – GIVING UP – WEARINESS – TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY CANNOT SEEM TO GO THROUGH WITH THEIR PLANS.

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