Multi-Cultural Kids Culture Shock – Our 2022 Family Holiday In Kenya After 6 Years
‘Submit’.
Done!
That was me applying for an entry visa to Kenya in November for our family holiday in December of 2022.
Which was odd for me, seeking a visa to be allowed back to my country of birth.
Alex and I applied for visas because we were travelling on our Aussie passports. My son and I couldn’t travel on our Kenyan passports due to their recent expiry.
I figured, no point in the fewer half of our family travelling on Aussie passports and the other half on Kenyan passports.
The visa process had changed over the years so that one couldn’t get a visa on arrival – one would need to apply in advance and present the visa on arrival.
I duly applied, paid for the visas on the Kenyan e-citizen portal (kids don’t need visas), and voila, we were good to go and all set for this much anticipated holiday, which was a pretty big deal for us.
We hadn’t seen our families since the beginning of 2017 when we moved to Australia!
They never visited and neither did we because just as we started planning to see each other, COVID royally ruined those plans.
Bygones! Life works out how it works out.
Our proximity to Kenya now means it’s a lot easier to travel home, so when the first opportunity to do so came through the kids’ school holidays in December, the tickets were booked.
Pronto!
Excitement started building up – in Nairobi and in Riyadh.
WORLD CUP FINAL
We travelled on the day the final of the FIFA World Cup was on.
None of us in the family are mad football fans so it wasn’t a deal breaker. We figured we’d catch most of it at the airport and on the plane.
Unfortunately, the World Cup final wasn’t being shown on public screens at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh as we expected it would, being the first World Cup hosted by an Arab nation.
We ended up catching the first few goals on the Domino’s Pizza service staff phones as they were watching a live stream, while we were waiting to grab a quick bite for the kids before boarding!
Once we boarded our Emirates flight, we caught the rest of the historic match being streamed in between safety announcements and pilot briefings.
Memorable!
ARRIVAL IN KENYA
Our arrival was not without some sprinkle of drama!
Firstly, at Passport Control, we did not present the printed e-visas. I had apparently printed the receipt of payment for the e-visas not the actual e-visas.
No worries, I thought.
I requested the passport control guy to verify the e-visa reference number indicated on my receipt on the visa portal.
He replied, rather frostily, that they do not have access to that portal.
Huh?
If he didn’t have access to the portal as the Passport Control Authority, then who did?!
And why did we have e-visas that couldn’t be verified on the online system?
I wasn’t about to point any of that out and be stuck there with exhausted kids. Luckily, he let us through begrudgingly, with an admonishment to bring the right documents next time.
Right.
NOT LOST LUGGAGE?!
Secondly, at the baggage collection, the carousel presented all suitcases but one!
This single one had been left in Dubai where we transited through!
I sent a silent prayer that it wasn’t mine or one of the kids’ because:
A) I don’t travel light and to lose luggage is one step away from a nightmare (plus the family prezzies were in there) and,
B) it would be a mega hustle to shop for the kids to replace the ‘lost’ suitcase items primarily because they are not willing participants in said shopping. It is a frustrating and time consuming exercise – not on holiday thanks!
Luckily, well not really but still, it was Alex’s suitcase that was misplaced.
Due to admin inefficiencies, it took a while to place the claim for the misplaced luggage. We ended up being the last ones to leave the Arrivals area.
What a welcome back home!
Our family waiting outside that area thought we’d legitimately missed the connecting flight but just hadn’t told them.
I wasn’t missing that flight home for nothing!
CUSTOMS
One of our suitcases was tagged by customs. Some guy in the baggage collection area approached me to offer his help with ‘skipping past customs’.
I had already steeled myself for encounters with corruption, constantly reminding myself that systems don’t work as well as they should in Kenya so my patience levels had to be raised.
There was nothing in our luggage to warrant being tagged or to pay a bribe to get out of the luggage being searched.
REUNION
Amazing!
It was of course absolutely awesome to see my Mum, Alex’s Mum and the rest of the family that came to pick us up at the airport after so many years!
They had only been seeing the kids growing up in pictures. But seeing our oldest son Ethan in person, towering over everyone, grandmums, cousins and aunts, was quite the shock to say the least. A really beautiful and memorable reunion.
CULTURE SHOCK
Alex and I grew up in Kenya and left when we were adults so going back to Nairobi was a reminiscent trip. It’s very familiar territory.
On the other hand, our kids left for Australia when they were 9, 6 and 3 respectively so their memories of Kenya were scant or non-existent. Their frame of reference is Adelaide, Australia.
Having said which, it wasn’t a total shock. Probably because we had lived in Riyadh for 3 months and Saudi Arabia has more similarities to Kenya than Kenya has to Australia.
Such as?
Well, the driving for starters!
The first time they saw someone running a red light was in Riyadh. They couldn’t get over it, mouths agape!
It’s a regular occurrence in Riyadh to:
- run a red traffic light
- tail gate at high speeds (though this is unique to Riyadh – never experienced it in Nairobi!)
- jump a queue in traffic or a store
- hoot indiscriminately and spontaneously
- drive on the pedestrian footpaths / off-roading
None of this is obviously an occurrence in Adelaide.
There were other things they witnessed in Nairobi that they’d never seen in Adelaide, such as:
- More than 2 people riding a motorbike (in Kenya they’re called Boda Boda – and yes you have to say it twice, like Moto moto re: ‘Madagascar 2’ movie)
In one instance, they counted 4 people riding pillion, two of them kids. A total of 5 people including the motorbike rider and none of them wearing safety helmets!
They were also shocked by:
- A rider carrying a sofa…
- A rider carrying an unbelievable number of logs
- A rider carrying a ladder…
- People selling their wares in the midst of moving traffic: bandanas, rugs, toys, balloons, fruits, juggling acts…. I would say a very entrepreneurial and survival spirit that’s quite commendable in Kenya.
- Street food from all food groups. Vendors roasting and selling corn on the cob, fried sausages, boiled eggs, cut or whole fruits, shredded spinach…. You name it and there’s bound to be someone selling it somewhere somehow.
In contrast, Australia has a social welfare system so if one is unemployed or on a low income level, one may qualify to receive financial support from the government. No reason (or permission) for anyone to run a business on the streets, certainly not in traffic.
The dichotomy of developing economies versus developed economies I suppose.
BLACKOUT FOR DAYS
In the 3 weeks we were in Kenya, the first week of Christmas holidays we spent in Nairobi, going back and forth between my Mum and Alex’s Mum’s house feasting.
Gotta love home! We made up for all the years of missing home food!
In our second week we were in Mombasa, the coastal town of Kenya. It’s humid, hot and the perfect holiday destination.
In the third and final week because of course time flies, we went upcountry to Meru.
Meru is a rural / regional town in Eastern Kenya. My parents were both born there.
We made a whole family trip and filled up my parents’ house – my brothers, nieces, our family of 5 and my Mum.
On evening 1, we were plunged into a blackout! It wasn’t a neighborhood blackout but a selective one; only 3 houses including ours were affected, thanks to fallen electrical wires.
Go figure.
Well, our kids had never experienced a blackout in Adelaide, much less one that lasted hours.
This one lasted a full night, a whole day and a partial night! The power distributor in Kenya is a monopoly, which leaves their customer service wanting in many many cases.
The lack of wi-fi was a distinct inconvenience for the kids, of course, but so was it one for my Mum missing her favourite evening TV soap. Not many winners in a blackout, frankly.
In that situation, bucket baths weren’t a novelty but a necessity but they soon became enjoyable.
IN THE END
“You will never be completely at home again because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.”
Anonymous
Going back home and spending time with family is such a blessing.
Our kids especially enjoyed bonding with the family. We enjoyed the laughter and the catching up, exchanging stories and experiences from years past over several delicious meals.
Our kids may have experienced culture shock this time round but as they are growing up in a multi-cultural environment, I believe there’ll be less shock factor with increased familiarity.
Going back home, where family is, is our happiest place.
After all, family is forever.
