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Checking in
Jan. 18th, 2007 02:28 pmCurrently in the Guest House's "business centre", feeling almost nostalgic as I use 1990s-speed internet.
The last couple of days have been relatively miserable, since I got my usual flying-cold and have been full of sniffles and headaches and a lack of delight at dealing with the world. Now that the cold is wearing off and I'm merely a bit sniffly I'm feeling a lot more positive about the coming weeks.
I find it interesting watching myself switch modes. In Sweden I was mostly around friends who know how Sweden works, and I tended to hide behind people and sit quietly in corners (or at least relatively quietly, by my standards). Here I am already in New Place mode, wanting to sort things out myself and talking to strangers and trying to get the hang of the place.
The hotel's taxi wasn't at the airport, but happily the WSF was arranging shuttle buses for participants. I ended up in a bus with a few Americans, Norwegians, a Swede (my friend F), and two Italian girls. Everyone was sitting very quietly (apart from the Italian girls, who'd just finished off some Tusker), so I asked where everyone was from and what they were doing here. Turns out the Americans are here as part of their uni's study program, which is run by a guy who's good friends with F. The Italian girls are here on their own steam to go to the WSF and also to work with street kids, maybe teaching some capoeira as a way to structure things. So of course we swapped contact details, and I said I'd love to help out. Could be fun, if it eventuates.
This morning I noticed a guy wearing a Narmada Bachao Andolan shirt, so I asked him (Antonio) and the woman with him (Bettina?) if they wanted to join F and I for breakfast. Turns out Antonio doesn't work with NBA, but he and possibly-Bettina are doing interviews with people from the WSF for various European TV stations (or something like that, I didn't quite get the logistics), and were keen to interview various notables from the delegation F's travelling with. More contact details swapped, more interesting discussion.
I like all these links. The way people fit together, the way different bits of the world connect. Of course, it's partly a function of the kind of people I'm talking to (including my "online" talking) - people at the WSF or on the Ubuntu forums or in other such places - but I can still appreciate it.
Now it's time to go out and explore Nairobi, and try to work out what this place is like. Today is for buying a local sim card, booking a ticket to South Africa, and registering for the conference.
I leave you with my two favourite conversations so far:
1:
Me, looking at the machete in the boot of the WSF minibus: Um. What is the machete for?
Guy: In case we get stuck - you know African roads.
Me: Hmm. I guess you could use it to... um... level yourself out, or something?
Guy: Or cut branches. Or defend yourself from wild animals.
Me: Yes. Good, good. [Goes in the general direction of away.]
2:
Guy at hotel: Would you like a big bottle of water or a small one?
Me: A big one, please.
Guy: We only have small ones.
Me: A small one, please.
Maybe you had to be there? I suspect so.
That is all!
The last couple of days have been relatively miserable, since I got my usual flying-cold and have been full of sniffles and headaches and a lack of delight at dealing with the world. Now that the cold is wearing off and I'm merely a bit sniffly I'm feeling a lot more positive about the coming weeks.
I find it interesting watching myself switch modes. In Sweden I was mostly around friends who know how Sweden works, and I tended to hide behind people and sit quietly in corners (or at least relatively quietly, by my standards). Here I am already in New Place mode, wanting to sort things out myself and talking to strangers and trying to get the hang of the place.
The hotel's taxi wasn't at the airport, but happily the WSF was arranging shuttle buses for participants. I ended up in a bus with a few Americans, Norwegians, a Swede (my friend F), and two Italian girls. Everyone was sitting very quietly (apart from the Italian girls, who'd just finished off some Tusker), so I asked where everyone was from and what they were doing here. Turns out the Americans are here as part of their uni's study program, which is run by a guy who's good friends with F. The Italian girls are here on their own steam to go to the WSF and also to work with street kids, maybe teaching some capoeira as a way to structure things. So of course we swapped contact details, and I said I'd love to help out. Could be fun, if it eventuates.
This morning I noticed a guy wearing a Narmada Bachao Andolan shirt, so I asked him (Antonio) and the woman with him (Bettina?) if they wanted to join F and I for breakfast. Turns out Antonio doesn't work with NBA, but he and possibly-Bettina are doing interviews with people from the WSF for various European TV stations (or something like that, I didn't quite get the logistics), and were keen to interview various notables from the delegation F's travelling with. More contact details swapped, more interesting discussion.
I like all these links. The way people fit together, the way different bits of the world connect. Of course, it's partly a function of the kind of people I'm talking to (including my "online" talking) - people at the WSF or on the Ubuntu forums or in other such places - but I can still appreciate it.
Now it's time to go out and explore Nairobi, and try to work out what this place is like. Today is for buying a local sim card, booking a ticket to South Africa, and registering for the conference.
I leave you with my two favourite conversations so far:
1:
Me, looking at the machete in the boot of the WSF minibus: Um. What is the machete for?
Guy: In case we get stuck - you know African roads.
Me: Hmm. I guess you could use it to... um... level yourself out, or something?
Guy: Or cut branches. Or defend yourself from wild animals.
Me: Yes. Good, good. [Goes in the general direction of away.]
2:
Guy at hotel: Would you like a big bottle of water or a small one?
Me: A big one, please.
Guy: We only have small ones.
Me: A small one, please.
Maybe you had to be there? I suspect so.
That is all!