Where do you come from and how would you describe it?

[YB*]

Originally Posted by Nomaswazi

I come from South Africa,born and bred in the Gauteng Province, living in the Eastrand reagion in a town called Benoni.

Gauteng is very metropolitan, with Johannesburg(Main City), always buzzing with new opportunities, the City that never rest.

Life in that part of SA is very fast, people are always in a rush.Its either they are busy chasing money, fame, beauty or love.Were have all the SA tribes, and half of East, North,West and central africa residing in the surrounding areas.

Hmmm, JNB and Gauteng are scary to visitors I must say. My experience was relatively safe, probably owing to the fact that I charged everything to my employer, so managed to stay in Sandton . But my buds have not had good experiences there, especially the daylight muggings.

Also I must say it was the first place I experienced overt racism, hmm was a new experience, so I was rather amused than annoyed.

When travelling to sun city, there is a small strip of low quality roads and bush - Is this still Gauteng?? But its much more welcoming than the cape I must say.

[Nomaswazi]

Originally Posted by YB*

Hmmm, JNB and Gauteng are scary to visitors I must say. My experience was relatively safe, probably owing to the fact that I charged everything to my employer, so managed to stay in Sandton . But my buds have not had good experiences there, especially the daylight muggings.

Also I must say it was the first place I experienced overt racism, hmm was a new experience, so I was rather amused than annoyed.

When travelling to sun city, there is a small strip of low quality roads and bush - Is this still Gauteng?? But its much more welcoming than the cape I must say.

No, it the North West province.SunCity is beautiful though.I hate the Cape, full of white people who get surprised when they see a rich black person.There is lost or reverse racism in Gauteng, you find white people going on about being treated badly because they are white.The affluent black people here are very open about their dislike for white people, some of our lower segments are still shy to voice their views

[True]

Originally Posted by Nomaswazi

No, it the North West province.SunCity is beautiful though.I hate the Cape, full of white people who get surprised when they see a rich black person.There is lost or reverse racism in Gauteng, you find white people going on about being treated badly because they are white.The affluent black people here are very open about their dislike for white people, some of our lower segments are still shy to voice their views

nomaswazi just remind me hw u blacks SA call each other in zulu.not the term kafiri'somethng like animals or predotars sought off

[KEMINOKANA]

Originally Posted by McBush

How would you descibe where you come from?

I come from Muranga North, a place of serene beauty tucked away between Nyeri, Nyandurua and Muranga districts. A place far away from civilisation of glitters and glamours of Nairobi but a countryside like no other in Kenya! With an elevation of more than 7,000 feet above the sea level, the landscape is picturesque and undulating with rolling green hills, valleys, streaming wells, lush green vegetation, forests... During the day the air is limpid, fresh and thin but at nights it's cold and can get shivery. (No mosquitoes though!)

During the noon-day, the air in the atmopshere is restful and as you sit by the shade and watch the profusion of mighty, weightless, ever-changing clouds passes by up high in the skies, there is this scintillating feeling to your soul that is so therapeutic! . Oh Nostalgia Nostalgia!!

The main cash crop in the area is Tea and to some coffee although the land is considered to be unsuitable for coffee farming due to the high altitude. And in recent times some (so I hear) have ventured into horticultural and some few very brave ones into unknown territories of vineyards and wine-making.
We also grow bananas, sweet potatoes, all kind of fruits, etc etc, and we also rear cattle, sheep, goats, chicken, pigs, turkey and ducks.

The area is accessible from Nairobi, either through Naro Moru via Nyahururu, or if you are travelling through southern route, Thika, Muranga highway.

I wonder if anyone here have these kinds of vivid memories of where you come from (ancestral homeland) that usually gives you those deep nostalgic feelings?

You brought back some good memories there. Nyandarua is one of the finest place. The elevation, landscape and serenity afforded by a low population and inaccessible roads make it a very nice vacation spot for lovers.

[YB*]

Am a Nairobian through and through.

Born and raised in the EastSide, Schooled there too, well for my prima at least. Wont say I was toughened by that life, but I can say I was enriched.

There is nothing Ghetto about the so called Ghetto estates in Nairobi during the '80's. Jeri, Lumush, Salem, Uhuru, outer, umoja, K-south. All these places were populated with middle income earners. (Maybe lower middle income), The children went to good free schools around there.

Good sanitation and water availability, easy transportation, it was the kids spirit of adventure and absent parents that 'ghettorised' these kids. Most of the guys we went 'stealing' sugarcane with at 'mzee pangas' had a car at home. Same to the 'mpararo clique'.

The East ghetto in the '80's could easily be - Maringo, Bahati, Kaloleni, Makongeni, Mbotela, Ofafa Kunguni...But of course most of these places have had their status changed. Komarock did not exist then as did kayole.

[A.M Nafusi]

Lets begin with Western (when western was simply Busia, Bungoma, Kakamega).

Kakamega Forest- Most africans get offended when called monkeys yet I saw so many white monkeys here; they are called colubus or something; I do not get it. They are not scared of people. Stop ur car, get out, they are just staring. But thats not all, there is the weeping stone where we'd pour libations of fanta and ask for favors from our forefathers. Nothing rivals the colorful birds that swarm around in the evenings. We are talking over 300 species of birds. Life was made easier by the fact that our grandparents live around here, so a boda ride got us there, or serious walking.

On your way to Kitale via Webuye: between Webuye and Lugulu. Assuming nothing has changed; it is the most breathtaking landscape I ever saw. Every April, my father would make us stop and take a look. A rich lush green, with layers of trees, hugged by hills and kissed by rivers on a misty morning. (Hope to God my kids get to see this)But I am not about to forget the largest homogenous stone in Western (maybe Kenya) right behind my paternal grandma's house: The Muanda rock. Xmas in the village was no xmas without echo competition by the rock (yelling each other's names and determing whose echo travelled a longer distance before bouncing back)

That Webuye landscape, I always painted in my art classes.

My hometowns have to be the most beautiful place in Kenya. The rains can be annoying for when it begins to rain, it RAINS.

Foreign Territory:

The goodest time as a teenager was living right behind the Thompson Falls in Nyahururu. Five minutes walk in the moring to look at the white misty rush down is a magnificen view. Then the Ndaragwa forest that looks like the afterbirth of the falls.But what am I saying without the scary but beautiful ride from Nairobi to Nyahururu (someone drop the names) looking down at the gorgeous dip of the rift valley; scared that u might just tip into it, but again amazed at the landscape.

The only bad thing with Nyahururu was the constant robberies and murders with dead bodies dumped in Ndaragwa. We almost needed a cop to walk us to the Falls everytime...twisted.

@Let me rekindle more memories of hunting butterflies from the Arab Sokokwe forest! And the odacious mtwapa monkeys; come to your house, not ask for permission or even say hi, and get food from your kitchen and walk out.

[Ghetto Love]

I come from mwatate,Taita taveta, we have sisal plantations which make it difficult to experience adventure of making love in the bush,but we have cute girls who know how to make love and peace.
Make love and peace guys...its healthy!!
You guys can also visit Tsavo and see some elephants amking out,its quite a scene.

[Mzungu-Mweusi]

Wee Ghetto, you mentioned the word make out and love more than 4times. wacha manyege.

Mcbush,what was the original name of Muranga North? Muranga?. I love that town, i have some really cool pics of it.

[realistpolitico]

Originally Posted by McBush

How would you descibe where you come from?

I come from Muranga North, a place of serene beauty tucked away between Nyeri, Nyandurua and Muranga districts. A place far away from civilisation of glitters and glamours of Nairobi but a countryside like no other in Kenya! With an elevation of more than 7,000 feet above the sea level, the landscape is picturesque and undulating with rolling green hills, valleys, streaming wells, lush green vegetation, forests... During the day the air is limpid, fresh and thin but at nights it's cold and can get shivery. (No mosquitoes though!)

During the noon-day, the air in the atmopshere is restful and as you sit by the shade and watch the profusion of mighty, weightless, ever-changing clouds passes by up high in the skies, there is this scintillating feeling to your soul that is so therapeutic! . Oh Nostalgia Nostalgia!!

The main cash crop in the area is Tea and to some coffee although the land is considered to be unsuitable for coffee farming due to the high altitude. And in recent times some (so I hear) have ventured into horticultural and some few very brave ones into unknown territories of vineyards and wine-making.
We also grow bananas, sweet potatoes, all kind of fruits, etc etc, and we also rear cattle, sheep, goats, chicken, pigs, turkey and ducks.

The area is accessible from Nairobi, either through Naro Moru via Nyahururu, or if you are travelling through southern route, Thika, Muranga highway.

I wonder if anyone here have these kinds of vivid memories of where you come from (ancestral homeland) that usually gives you those deep nostalgic feelings?

oooohhhhhh lovely,that is some awesome writing, had to hold back tears as l read thru the excerpt.My guka came from murang'a(tuthu) but the saddest thing is that l have never been there. All my relatives always tell me of how serene and breathtaking the place is. l grew up in njoro tho. A beautiful country also save for the elevation as this is a plateuah. l also reminisce the njoro-moro touts that are way too famous.And the girls, lemi just say you get blessed when you see their oh so beautiful faces.but l have to visit murang'a when l go back home for sure.

[realistpolitico]

Originally Posted by Nomaswazi

oh no darling, there is no need for us to slaughter kenyans, why waste that energy, what for, i mean its not like you guys are a threat of any sort, meek east africans? apart from that darling:d, you guys do a perfect job around december of each year.riot for no aparrent reason, slaughter each other, stupid tribal wars. so why the hell do you think you need us to come do something you do sooooooooooo well already?

why do u sound a bit like a braggard here.You shud thank God coz ur country is made up of all Bantu tribes, sort of like TZ. that is the only reason that makes u not fight each other because u r almost similar. East and Central African countries have an amalgamation of bantu and nilote tribes, somewhat disimilar ppl in all aspects. That is the sole reason we have problems so be thankful, and quit being a braggadacio.