Nairobi accommodation and Swahili lessons

there are homestays around karen

Look up Kwality Hotel through this link.

Its in Hurlingham, about 10-15 mins walk to Nairobi Hospital.

Alternatively, try contacting the hospital admin to see if they can accomodate you in either the doctors', nurses' or students' quarters adjacent to the hospital (Next to the dental school)... it's a long shot but you have nothing to lose!

Another long-shot alternative: There are hundreds of ex-Nairobi Hospital staff now working in the UK (mostly nurses and doctors). You may contact them through various means, one of which is internet forums, and see if any of them can help you with their connections back home. Post a message on the notice board here, and see if it gets you anywhere.

Having said that, I am not sure whether you want to mingle with the locals (read "black s")... as you have specifically asked for expatriates who live near the hospital....

Sorry, I forgot:
You may find this map useful

Good Luck

Mwenyeji... if you live in Kenya, then you would know that Kenyans are not just black, but Asian and white as well (okay, so they are minorities, but still, part of Kenyan society). You are implying that local people are black and expats are white, and that isn't fair. An expat would be much more welcoming to the prospect of a short term student than a local family would be.

Indian sweetmeats in Kenya are the best ever <3

Thank you Mr(?) Skylar, for your ever-so-informative post.... I mean; how was I to know that Kenya was like any other country in the world - with Asian and White communities?

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>An expat would be much more welcoming to the prospect of a short term student than a local family would be.<hr></blockquote>

And pray, may I ask, oh most learned one; why is this so? Does it also apply to black expats - from other parts of Africa as well?

Maybe I should just let you know... I have lived in different places all over the world; and the African community are the most warm-hearted and welcoming people. This is unlike the majority of the white community, who wear a broad smile on their face, but their hearts are black with conniving guile.

FYI - we forumers at LP are not stupid - we recognise a Freudian slip when we read one. We know all about overt and covert racism; and know how several whites feel deep down inside about their African counterparts. We also know about the extent to which some people will go to mask their feelings and cover up for their ilk (as can be seen in some of the posts above).

Finally, we all know that if an African, Asian and Englishman commited an identical offence in the United Kingdom, the sentences handed down would be:

African = 30 years

Asian = 15 years

Englishman = 2 years' suspended sentence.

The Judge (who may be the chairman of the local Racial Equalites Steering Group) will the claim the last sentence was watered down due to "over-crowding in Jails"!
Regards,

Mwenyeji

ok chill out guys. Neither of you are making a good name for yourself.

That is the strangest post I've read in a long time. I myself have lived in Turkey, Thailand, England and Australia. The former two I have lived as part of a minority; the other two the majority. In England I was teased quite a lot in the north, because the colour of my skin is olive as opposed to pale. I don't have any hangups about it.

You are condescending and arrogant and it is because of people like you that cross-cultural understanding is impeded. I don't care where you are from, or what ethnicity you are, but it is your attitude and your upbringing that counts, neither of which is adaptable in this modern multicultural world. You're stuck in colonial times and are being left behind, whereas I'm part of a multicultural Generation Y. Kenya has a long way to go though - there's too few international schools and too many 'white' schools... I have always gone to an international school or a multicultural school myself.

Plus, I am female. Dork. Most of my mother's family in Nairobi is too scared to let anyone they don't know stay at their places because they are robbed and held up fairly often. They are of an Italian/French (Seychellois) background, not English. You really need to open up your mind that white people living in Kenya are of other ethnicities than English. We live in the 2000s, not the 1950s. I think you should go and have a chat to some Indians and eat their food... pop along to a Japanese or Korean place and eat bibimbap and sushi and have some karaoke. You'll have fun when you go back.

I'm glad someone is offering a homestay here.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>You're stuck in colonial times and are being left behind, whereas I'm part of a multicultural Generation Y.<hr></blockquote>

Right. Before you start to post threads in mature forums, you need to grow up and grow a brain. Otherwise you are better off sticking to chat room banter.

Now that you are fuming at the ears and dying to punch away at the keyboard, let me give you some advice.

Finish reading the rest of the post, digest it carefully and try to understand what is being said. Don't try to assume it means whatever you would like it to.

Then feel free to type away.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>In England I was teased quite a lot in the north, because the colour of my skin is olive ...<hr></blockquote>

I know you don't have any hangups about it but have you ever wondered why it is so, or to what extent the problem lies? (not that I expect someone with a kebab brain like yours to have done so..)

Do you know how much the British government spent in 2005/6 on combating all forms of inequality, including racism? Do you when the latest legislation was enacted, and what its objectives are?

In summary, it is to protect and raise awareness in ignoramuses like you.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>Plus, I am female. Dork<hr></blockquote>

Stupidity galore... try to understand (within your limited capabilities) the purpose of the question mark against your name in my original post.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>Most of my mother's family in Nairobi is too scared to let anyone they don't know stay at their places because they are robbed and held up fairly often.<hr></blockquote>

Who give a fart about your mother's family? Can you try to restict mentioning your daddy, mummy, aunties and pets to your chatroom folk?

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>They are of an Italian/French (Seychellois) background, not English. You really need to open up your mind that white people living in Kenya are of other ethnicities than English...<hr></blockquote>

I am not interested in whether they are English, Italian or a series of cross breeds between a hyena and a Siamese cat. My constant reference to England and the English people arises from two faucets:

(1) The original question's source was about a friendly UK medical student; and

(2) I live in the UK myself.

For your information, I do know all about Kenya, its people and its deep cultural history. Dig up my previous posts and try to fathom my understanding of that country.

To all other TTeers:

My apologies for taking this tone of 'voice'.

If you read my initial post (No 2 - above), I tried to be as helpful as possible, while merely pointing out that "there could have been an element of error - and that it is important to watch one's step".

Regards,

Mwenyeji

Actually, I am wondering as to why you profess to know all about Kenya and its culture and people when you conveniently forget some facts in constructing your arguments. You are being a dork, so admit it and grow from it. You have not tried to be as helpful as possible - you have chastised one member of the forum for asking if Christmas is just another day but replying that it is just another day and you didn't explain why. You were semi helpful, and then you ruined the post by implying that the OP only wants to stay with white people.

You may say it is important to watch one's step, but explaining why is just as important. Listing prison sentences in the UK for people of various ethnicities doesn't help anyone either. This is the Kenya forum, and here we discuss things about Kenya. You assumed that I was male by simply adding the Mr, never mind the question mark. You also can't understand why people want to go backpacking and abused lese a couple of pages back for listing places that backpackers might like to try. You have little to no understanding of cross cultural issues and I am quite tired of you consistently implying that I have racist motives. I don't. You are racist and your racial tirades against me are unacceptable. I have never experienced someone with your extremist attitutes before and certainly hope I won't ever again - there is no place for it.

Sure, I was teased about my skin colour and it made me cry, but children are ignorant and like to exclude others and make other children feel uncomfortable. I was also teased about my mother being from Kenya, but at the end of the day we can all accept that we do not come from the same background or have the same experiences - I rose above it instead of becoming twisted and bitter. Beauty is only skin deep, and it's inside that counts!

My family is important in constructing my arguments as my mother's family is Kenyan. They are local and don't offer homestay because they are robbed often. My cousin's house has been broken into twice. My uncle went away to Italy for a month and when he returned, everything in his house had disappeared. Another cousin was held up by 10 men with guns for his mobile. In the last month, a second cousin's house was broken into by 16 men and everything was taken. I don't really want to scare the OP, but these incidents have all happened in the last 3 years. These are people who are Kenyan and experience the Nairobi way of life as it is and this is why I mention them. Your abuse is not appropriate.

I am a young person (26) and as a result haven't lived through Mau Mau, independence or colonial times. Neither have I been to school in Kenya, so I haven't experienced the old school way of learning. I feel that this is advantageous as I am more flexible than those who have had to endure the tension of the times.

You are clearly militant and anti-white. I'm sorry your that your view of Kenya consists of black-white relations, but you do need to see that it is people such as yourself is not contributing to progress and cross-cultural understanding.

I'm not fuming at the ears. I just don't understand why you see things as black and white. Those belong in last century - you should just try to move forward and take things easy instead of being so old fashioned, rigid in your opinions and uptight. Give people here some solutions, not problems.

You're welcome to meet me in Kenya or England should we happen to be in the same country at the same time.