Adventures in … Life

Not being able to speak and understand the nuances of the language and culture often make it difficult to get reliable information in Kenya. This requires that you often ask the same question multiple times to multiple people. For example when you go into a store and ask if they have an item, if a Kenyan doesn’t know, they never say “I don’t know” they say “No we don’t have.” So if you think they really do have it, it pays to ask again, or find someone else to ask or come back later. Anyway, so Bebeth and I are walking back from dropping a couple of friends off at the EZ coach stage. Knowing that the POSTA (Post Office) closes early on Saturdays, we decided to walk up and ask Henry, the askari (think rent-a-cop), what time the POSTA opens and closes.

Bebeth: Habari Yako (How are you?)
Henry: Mzuri, na wewe (Fine and you)

Bebeth: What time does the POSTA open?

Henry: It opens at 9.

Bebeth: What time does it close today?

Henry: It closes sharply at six.

Bebeth: SIX!? On Saturday?

Henry: Yes it closes sharply at six.

Bebeth: But on the weekdays it closes at six. Doesn’t the POSTA close early on Saturday?

Henry: Yes it closes today at six.

Bebeth: (Silent for a moment.) Ahhh you mean saa siita (6 o’oclock)?

Henry: Ahh yes pole (sorry) saa siita (6 o’clock).

So after reading that you are wondering, what is the difference between saa siita (6 o’clock) and 6 o’clock. Kenyan’s have two different times that they keep. One is just like ours, whatever time it says on your watch and then there is Swahili time. Swahili time starts at 7 am, which is saa moja (1 o’clock). So to figure it out, you just subtract six from your watch and then say it in Swahili. So when Henry said saa siita (6 o’clock), we needed to translate that to noon our time. Anyway one of those funny cross cultural experiences.

Mark