Across Africa

August 2006 - Posts

• In jail for 6 months awaiting trial

  At the compound where I lived in Nanyuki , we had a night guard which is called an askari in Swahili. He would stand outside for 12 hours a night in the cold air that comes from living on Mt. Kenya. One day our askari was replaced by someone else. After Read More... Posted Sunday, August 20, 2006 6:44 PM by Ron Rioux | 0 Comments

• The boy who painted Christ black

  One day I was at the Sportsman's Arms hotel in [Nanuyki] treating myself to some satellite TV and a nice cold Coke. Sportsman's Arms was about the only place in town where you could get more than the one state-run TV channel which was known for airing Read More... Posted Wednesday, August 16, 2006 12:59 AM by Ron Rioux | 0 Comments

• Some pesticide in your tea, Sir?

  One morning I was sitting in Mother's Choice restaurant in Nanyuki eating a samosa which is a triangular shaped meat pie and drinking a hot mug of chai which is tea with lots of milk and sugar in it. I was facing the back door which opened into the courtyard Read More... Posted Tuesday, August 15, 2006 7:09 PM by Ron Rioux | 0 Comments

• Public Transportation in Kenya

  Here is a picture of a 'Speed Taxi' out of Nanyuki . As you can see, four people have to sit in a seat that is only big enough for three people. Each trip on public transportation in Kenya is white-knuckled ride. The volunteer that I replaced in Nanyuki Read More... Posted Tuesday, August 15, 2006 4:37 PM by Ron Rioux | 0 Comments

• Life in Nanyuki, Kenya

  Here is a picture of an mkokoteni which is how many goods are moved through towns in Kenya. Typically, these are made from the rear axle of a pickup truck so the mkokoteni is quite heavy even when it's empty. I have actually seen a whole car carcase being Read More... Posted Thursday, August 10, 2006 2:04 AM by Ron Rioux | 0 Comments

• Peace Corps

  I served in Peace Corps from 95' through 97' not including 3 months of 'in-country training'. I lived for the remainder of my tour of duty at the base of Mt. Kenya in the small 'frontier' town of Nanyuki . That time of my life was certainly instumental Read More... Posted Monday, August 07, 2006 1:16 AM by Ron Rioux | 0 Comments