Short Cut Culture

I lived in Nyalenda for two and a half years. For those who have no idea where Nyalenda is, it is a ‘suburb’ in Kisumu city. I intentionally use ‘suburb’ to avoid calling it a slum as it is referred to by those who classify living standards (or lack thereof) in an area. My sweet little house was made of baked clay bricks finished nicely with smooth plaster on the inside, and keyed joints on the outside beautifully sealed in with varnish. My house was different from some of the common but not so classy mud houses which most people would associate with Nyalenda.

In spite of the disparity in living standards in our vast ‘estate’, the people of Nyalenda had one thing in common. They were warm hearted and friendly to a fault. Within the first few weeks of my residence there, I had several friends. I would therefore often find someone to walk with as I went to work in the morning and back home in the evening. Each of these friends would show me a different shortcut, short here being relative because they always seemed longer than just using the main road. The shortcuts were also complicated in much like finding my way through a maze. You see, in most of Nyalenda, homesteads had no fences and you were literally walking through people’s compounds who, instead of accusing you of trespassing, always greeted you cheerfully.

Always an Alternative

My life in Nyalenda taught me an important lesson about Kenyans. They believe there is always an alternative way of doing something. This alternative is considered quicker and more effective in reaching a destination or attaining an objective. A lot of Kenyans take an inordinate amount of time trying to discover innovative ways of doing things. This has become the new normal and those who stick to orthodox ways of working are considered to be not so bright (or just plain stupid).

Get-Rich-Quick

Our ancestors were stupid. This is the belief of many with regards to ways of making money. They ask, “Why wait for years to get rich when you can do so today?” I know people who are on the verge of developing business plans in the area of gambling and betting. It is now considered a legitimate way of making a living and placed alongside trading in stocks and other high profile investment options. Pyramid schemes are now openly promoted and people always fall for them.

Instant Dating

I can vividly recall the day I went to my wife’s father and asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage. It took a lot of courage to do that but earned my marriage respect and legitimacy. Things are now different. People are cohabiting without as much as informing even their immediate neighbours. Even close friends are learning of some ‘marriages’ when they break up. Welcome to the world of instant dating. People are meeting on Facebook and moving in together within a few weeks.

Quick Sale

Whenever I look at classified vehicle ads, I can’t help but wonder what people mean by ‘quick sale’. It is possible to see a car with superb specs being put up for sale and the effect getting spoilt by those two terrible words. What do people mean by quick sale? I always get the impression that the car has some serious flaws and the owner wants to get rid of it quickly before it falls apart on him. It is a kind of passing the button of trouble to some unsuspecting buyer.

Instant Food and Drinks

I used to be sent to buy premium coffee in Java for use in the office when we had many Europeans working there. I would buy freshly roasted Kenya AA coffee beans and have them ground to medium consistency. I would then carry the sweet smelling packages in the car but during the short drive there, I would have enough caffeine in my body to last a week, just from the fumes! That is how portent the quality is in premium coffee. However, most Kenyans prefer instant coffee. They like instant everything. Those things you get from colourful packages and just ‘add hot water’.

Forget the Information Age; we are living in the Shortcut Age!

P.S. A long time ago before people in my village could afford instant coffee, there used to be coffee that had to be boiled for hours known as ‘Kahawa No. 1’. I wonder if it still exists.