We lugged my heavy but well planned, packed luggage into my
brother’s car, as he made guesses about how heavy my bags were and his certainty that I was over the weight limit. After all the wait and
build-up, it was finally time to return to Kenya. Although my first time there was only 3 years
prior it felt like a life time ago.
Maybe because then I felt like a much younger version of myself, not
that 25 is really that different from 28, but if you know me, you know how big,
grand, almost catastrophic aging is to me.
As I moved my make-up brush across my face, my brother exclaimed “why
are you putting on make-up for an overnight flight!?” Without even thinking, I responded “You never
know who I might meet as I’m travelling.
Yuh nuh want yuh sista get married?!” completing my sentence in
Patois. He paused then slowly answered, “Yes, actually, I do want you to
get married?!” In the seconds that
followed, I couldn’t help but be surprised at his response. Being his "little" sister, my brother had
always played that “I don’t want my sister to ever date kind of role” I believe it was my first time I heard him openly acknowledge marriage as a rite of passage for me. In that moment, I realized that we were indeed growing up.
Although I said it jokingly, if I must confess! The truth
is I have fantasized, well that sounds suggestive, ahh well let’s say
thought about what it would be like to meet a hot fling, random encounter, love
at first site; okay okay, husband, (along with the theme of growing up) while travelling. It just sounds romantic, two exotic accents
meet above the skies and discuss their love for travel and goals to be great in
the world while sharing pre-package flight dinners and taking advantage of free movies we didn't want to spend money on the theater. Well as great as it all sounds, I didn't
multitask packing and studying for my radiology final, and working in the
hospital to travel just to find love. This trip, this time is about something more.
At the completion of my first year of medical school, I was given the opportunity to live in Kenya for 2 months by my medical school, back then I barely knew how to properly banndage a paper cut (ok am exaggerating, but you get the point) much less work in a hospital. So I spent my two months learning about culture and medicine, and building a bond with Streets that came to Tumaini center. I have always been what I would call "globally inclined", curious about the world out there and the people in it. From the moment I lug my heavy suitcases down the stairs, to flying, to learning a new language (and proudly butchering it to pretend I am one of the locals); I love to immerse myself into a new cultural experience, assimilating proudly as I go along.
Very close to my heart is my passion to become a doctor, now that that reality is only months away, I am looking forward to returning to Kenya to learn and help as much as I can (which is not much at all, so the learning is the primary focus). I humbly present myself to the people of
Kenya and the hospital/clinics where I will work, promising to be like a "sponge", soaking up all the knowledge I can. Promising to open my heart and eyes to be humbled by this experience. I hope you will join me on this journey.
Kwaheri, Till next time.
~Sashana G.
