The Chai Life

Children playing in the tea farm

Sorry for my unintentional hiatus. I started quite a few entries and just never finished them...sorry! Please bear with me.

During a long weekend, I stayed at my friend's place in Kahawa West. It's still considered Nairobi but way on the outskirts. When speaking with her neighbors, they tried to impress/scare me by telling me that the area used to be the bush and there were lions.

I laughed.
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My friend's family had a gathering up-country at her uncle's tea farm for the holiday so I joined the festivities. We piled into a car with her 2 brothers, cousin, her 2 kiddos, her sister, and her brother-in-law and drove up-country. Yup, it was a full house (or car) and it was a super fun, mini road trip...belting out kiswahili songs, playing long-distance-drive games, being overwhelmed by fruit hawkers, looking at the scenery....

(almost) the entire family:

Because it was in a rural area... most of her relatives have never seen a "mzungu" (white person) before... and yes, although I'm Chinese, I apparently qualify as white. So they were amused-->

Exhibit A: The child below literally stared at me with that exact expression the entire time I was there. Literally.Tea farms are everywhere in this part of Kenya because of a conducive climate.

In fact, Kenya is one of the top three tea producers/exporters in the world.

I wish life was so carefree and simple.

As mentioned, because I'm a mzungu... the family had a field day. First, each family group introduced themself... and they made me introduce myself too (above) and yes, I was as awkward as I looked.

Then, one of the aunties took me to the tea field, followed by the kids and other family members, and pulled out a HUGE tea-picking basket. My initial reaction: *laughter* and then... "Wait, are you serious?!" Either they didn't understand me or chose to ignore my question because they placed the basket on me.

With the basket in place, she led me to the top of the hill and taught me how to pick tea. My friends and I couldn't stop laughing as I attempted to throw the tea leaves into the basket behind me....and missed.

Two words: Child Labor.

(haha, just kidding, it was fun and... I don't think I qualify as a child anymore)

And heeey, if social work doesn't work out.... I now have something to fall back on

Kids watching the spectacle.

Afterwards, everyone wanted a picture with me...and no, it wasn't a group photo... they each wanted individual pictures with me. I felt like Minnie Mouse at Disneyland...or something. And yall know how adverse I am to being photographed but I decided to be a good sport. :)

Overall, I had a lot of fun with the family and enjoyed my time there. So much so that I'm tempted to go rural.

Maxed out on being photographed,

Y