112
Or, It Was A Time
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Pinning this update for the last time:
I was able to get a new phone last week but one thanks to the cash and Bonga points donations I obtained + breaking a piggy bank. Mama Mike has ensured that I’ll not be eating instant noodles for a bit but feel free to send this potatoes and chicken gworl some lunch money 🙂
Massive thanks to everyone who chipped in! x
Reader,
On the Saturday of an event I’d spoken about more times than one can count - the Silent Book Club November meeting - I was not at the event (I promise it’s not a pattern!). I had promised my cousin I’d go on a day trip to Suswa on the day and paid for it in a moment when I’d forgotten the meeting date. Not wanting to lose my money or the chance to spend time with my (younger) cousin, I woke up on Saturday morning and headed to the (inaccurately named, in my opinion) Nairobi SGR Terminus with them.
The trip got off to a bit of a shaky start - tickets were not ready when we arrived, for instance - but I was willing to overlook it for what promised to be an interesting train ride to a place I’d never been to before. Because I am almost incapable of looking out the window all through a trip (it’s just under 2.5 hours from the Nairobi Terminus to Suswa Station), I had prepared my entertainment - my Kindle, tablet and Nintendo Switch were all ready to go. Of course there was the option to speak to my cousin, but even a yapper (me) needs a break sometimes.
My cousin and I were the first to enter our coach and we had company soon afterwards - people around her age who came equipped with a boombox Bluetooth speaker and tons of energy. I love a party as much as the next person but apparently I love rules too? When the rail worker reminded them there’s a rule against playing music in the coach, they negotiated a situation where they could play the music at a lower volume. Meanwhile, I was mildly panicking because Aunt Flo was still with me (I need to seek help!) and we had been informed that there were no bathrooms on board— we’d have to use the bathrooms at the stations we stopped at. I’m saying all this to situate you in what unfolded over the rest of the day.
I’d downloaded a few comic books on my tablet and some books on my Kindle for the trip so I set up a 25/5 Pomodoro cycle (25 minutes of reading, 5 minutes of looking out or playing a game on my Switch) to get my reading in. Earlier this year, I obtained a Literature Translation Institute of Korea digital library membership and I was able to read 2 titles - The Waiting by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim and Palimpsest: Documents From a Korean Adoption by Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom - during the trip. I’ve been called a “vintage baddie” in the recent past by a person under 25 who I sat next to on the bus as I sang along to early 2000s music. The group in the coach didn’t feel like it would call me that - I was married to my seat, and I was ruining the vibe, is what it felt like.
We finally got to Suswa Station and it quickly became apparent that the organisers had not planned for our transportation from the station. You don’t think about the work that is logistics until things aren’t going swimmingly and you’re standing under the rain outside a railway station as the trip organiser tries to find a car and then shepherds you to a car where you’re packed like sardines (no, calling shotgun didn’t guarantee that there’d be nobody between me and the driver; is all I can say). What was evident as we waited for the car was how popular the destination seems to be. I can’t remember the last time I saw so many groups clearly out for an excursion.
The itinerary had promised “adventure, connections, challenges, and a chance to recharge” before “a relaxing meal together, free time & exploration” and a chance to “swim, play games or have a mini-photo shoot”. The only things that happened were lunch and games. I’m sure the rain had scuttled some of their plans but (and this might be my age showing!) there were clearly no contingency plans. So we ate that Kenyan mainstay - nyama choma - and the youth played some games. I love a group as much as the next person, as you know, but I quickly found myself retreating into the world of books as I worked hard not to be the Debbie Downer in a physical environment that was making me itchy (leaking banda roof, inadequate bathrooms, only one serving of veg and kachumbari for a group of 9) - Your Honour I was not having a good time.
Folks who’ve been here for a while are probably wondering, “Didn’t the Mara trip teach you anything?” and to that I’ll say hope springs eternal. For what it’s worth, I’m grateful this place had bathrooms (as with this trip, I was also having my period during that trip. There’s nothing worse than going behind a bush in a national reserve) and that there was food but goodness, what a low bar. It didn’t help that we left really close to the departure time (and were drenched as we waited outside the establishment; grateful for the foresight to carry one’s raincoat) — I’m starting to fear that I may not be a good match for these out of town day trips.
On the way back, I’m happy to say the coach was quiet (as quiet as a non-silent coach can be) and I was able to read some more, look out every so often (mountains! I love them!) and use my headphones as a noise dampener as I had on my way there (thank goodness for the friend who suggested this!). On the buses home, I was able to read some more so the one thing I’ll give the day is that I started and finished 2 books and finished one. Point for leaving town for a bit.
Quick news/ things that may be of interest:
Subscribe to my WhatsApp channel for texts I find while I spend time online
If you’re in the Global North and would be open to engaging in the North-South solidarity that is sharing a library card, please email or message me so we can figure things out. Thank you!
My friend Agnes Waruguru’s show What the water left behind opens tomorrow at Circle Art Gallery. Please see it if you can!
Free books from Haymarket Books
The fantastic Abigail Arunga has a new book out. It’s open access so have at it!
A dear friend has organised a collection for children and mothers at Langata Women's Prison who they’ll be visiting on Friday (22/11). There's an extensive list I'm sharing below as screenshots from Bluesky (thread here, Twitter thread here). I should also add that children’s books in good condition are most welcome.
Here's what's on the list. Please share! Mark your calendar for the Zine Club meeting on the 29th. You can find out more about the club in the poster below and start your own via this form.
Since Elon seems to want (some of) us gone, I’m trying to post more often on Bluesky. Follow me there if you’re on it!
Sign the Refusing Complicity in Israel's Literary Institutions letter
Issue 1 of Will This Be A Problem?, the magazine, is out. Download it here.
Words for Resilience, Community Care, and Survival, a list curated by the Queer Liberation Library
Available for free till 11th December: How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams by Christina M. Greer
A bookish podcast I recently started listening to that I’m enjoying: Bookends with Mattea Roach
You can send me books, postcards, letters, and assorted items via PO Box 102439, Jamia Posta 00101, Nairobi, Kenya
As I highlighted, the day trip helped me get some reading in...as well as the walking and chores I did yesterday. I have finished five books since I last wrote to you - 3 e-books: Palimpsest: Documents From a Korean Adoption by Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom (translated from Swedish by Hanna Stromberg), The Waiting by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim (translated from Korean by Janet Hong) and Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture by Kyle Chayka as well as 2 audiobooks: The Good Ones are Taken by Taj McCoy (narrated by Adenrele Ojo) and Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement by Ashley Shew (narrated by Maria Pendolino). I hope to get back to making videos soon so I can share my thoughts on recent titles. Before then, please go ahead and subscribe to the channel.
As ever, please write back to me and tell me what books you’re reading or looking forward to reading — it’s always a great time talking about books.
Thank you for reading 🙂
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Enjoy the week ahead and have a lovely time reading. Talk to you soon!