From Nairobi to Murang’a: Discovering family, food and shared traditions in the countryside

Last Saturday, I travelled to Murang’a with a friend, to visit her aunt. I looked forward to that trip the same way children look forward to wearing their new clothes on Christmas day! A chance to be out of Nairobi even for a few hours is always refreshing.

Two weeks ago when my mentor and friend, Prof Jennifer Muchiri, called to invite me to the trip to her ushago , I had asked her if I needed to carry a change of clothes. She said I did not need to because we would not sleep over. I unconsciously asked, “are you sure?” and the answer was something along the lines of “What do you mean am I sure? Of course, I know where I was born and how long it takes me to get there.”