Greetings
to friends and family – wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a great New
Year 2013
Well
once again time rampages on and usually I would take a glance at last year’s
version to familiarize myself with what I wrote – hard drive crashed in March
and I was not properly backed up and have lost 2010 and 2011 Christmas letters!!
This should be a lesson to us all – BACK UP!
So
– please send me an e mail as I lost a lot of addresses – twomlows@btinternet.com
I
always find this time of year a time for reflection ... and as I look back on
2012– it has been a year of serious highs and depressing lows coupled with some
major changes and subsequent adjustments.
At
this point it is probably best to get the lows put of the way;
In
2012 we lost Steve’s Dad after a somewhat brief illness, although at the time
it seemed to be a long and protracted few weeks exacerbated by distance. He was
unwell from the beginning of the year, and a definitive diagnosis took many
weeks, by which time, after they had ruled out one by one less worrying
explanations, we had a fairly good idea that this was indeed serious and
actually turned out to be terminal. The challenge for us in Kenya was logistics
of distance and the fact that this was in the lead up to Anna’s IB exams. We
received the news that he had left us on May 1st – exams started the
next day! Steve had just returned from UK on 29 April and we are grateful that
he saw his Dad and that he was able to lend support to his Mum. Incidentally,
she is coping remarkably well and will stay in the house alone for the
foreseeable future.
2012
was a year of farewells. As Anna finished High School, this was a threshold for
several friends to call it a day on Nairobi, with their kids moving on to
college/university. It’s been quite emotional seeing so many off to pastures
new, but we have met some new people and of course, as in all things, life
rolls on. In addition 2 lots of neighbours left within a month of each other,
so the dynamic in the compound has altered with new Canadians and Italians
taking up residence.
Steve
started a new job in the UN in the middle of January, for IFAD (International
Fund for Agricultural Development) He moved across the UN compound to a new
office and from my perspective not a lot changed. HQ is now in Rome so he has
travelled there several times this year. He has visited many countries in the
region, Ethiopia, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zanzibar,
Lesotho, Rwanda. There is a suggestion
that we may have to move to Rome sometime in the future, but Steve’s work would
remain the same and so he would be travelling back to Africa frequently – does not
make sense to us – AND IFAD have recently committed to keeping the office here,
open so we are crossing fingers that the suggestion is on the most extreme
backburner for now! I have continued to work for UNKLESA in the orientation
program (assisting UN (from specific agencies) employees and their families
relocating to Nairobi) and have developed the service to a level that hopefully
my clients find efficient and useful.
The
biggest changes in 2012 lie with Anna. She finished school having worked
extremely hard and with amazing focus and dedication towards her IB. We
attended a wonderful graduation ceremony – based on the American High School
system but a fitting tribute to the Class of 2012.Senior week was very busy,
with parties, a Senior Parent banquet on the day the IB exams finished and of
course too many farewells.We were lucky that my Dad was able to share this with
us- his arrival a surprise for Anna!
Anna’s
friend Kirsty from Zimbabwe came to stay once the exams were over and arrived
in time for the Graduation. The ceremony coincided with an old neighbour from
Nairobi visiting so Anna was delighted that she could join us, along with 2 existing
neighbours.
Anna
received an offer from Durham University on her 18th Birthday – it
was a tough one and a challenge which she accepted. She scored an IB40 (2nd
highest in the school) but unfortunately she did not quite get the combination
of scores that Durham asked for. After a LONG and excruciating wait – 6 July to
10 August - she finally heard that she had gained a place at University College,
Durham - BSc Geography. This by coincidence is my Father’s alma mater – Dad,
Anna and I met with my Godfather and his Grandson who started at the same time –
white haired guys, friends since their Castle days! Funny how life loops back?
Luke
survived Middle School Grade 6 and seems to have transitioned well. He has
enjoyed the socials continues to attend swim training and compete in Galas. In
Grade 7 he has joined drumline – a small band of various drums – meets twice a
week before school. He played the role of a handsome blind Prince in a recent
production at school called Beauty is a Beast. At International Day Luke
proudly walks with Zimbabwe!
He
has taken up golf along with his Father but the latter is way more keen and
committed! He misses his sister but has coped way better than I was expecting.
He turns 13 in December and the best gift will be the prodigal sister returning
the previous day!
We
have had some interesting holidays this year – not especially by destination
but by combinations of family members!
For
March break we went to Turtle Bay as part of a big group – my brother was
visiting at the time and helped to balance the genders slightly but it was a
very female dominated bunch!! There were other families at the hotel who we
knew and we even managed to fit in some card games amongst the eating,
swimming, reading and sunbathing. Anna dedicated a lot of her day to revision
and just socialized in the evenings
The
last 2 weeks of June, Steve and Luke headed off to UK which was part of the ‘worst
summer on record’? They had one decent day, meanwhile Anna and I had a 3 night
trip to the coast where we basked in barmy winter temperatures of 28 degrees!
The lads took Steve’s Mum on a brief trip and they visited Durham and York
which were Anna’s 1st and 2nd choice universities
respectively. This has retrospectively proved to have been a very prudent move,
as all 3 can picture, very well, where Anna now stays. Anna took off to
Zimbabwe after her IB results and caught up with her mates from Bulawayo –
majority of who were back for university vacations from South Africa.
At
the end of July just before Luke started back at school in August we headed off
on a family safari spending 2 nights in Samburu and 1 night in Meru National
Park. Both these areas have links to Elsa the lioness. We have now
circumnavigated Mount Kenya by road and experienced the most amazing and
contrasting scenery.
On
23rd August Anna headed off to UK, stayed mainly with my Dad, sorted
out UK driving licence, bank account, shopped for winter clothes etc. She
visited Steve’s family and started to get a hang of public transport, as well
as working out how to get the best ticket prices for train travel.
I
joined her on 16 September – my feet hit the ground running and I barely paused
for breath until I left on 4 October! I had a packed itinerary catching up with
various mates – including my dear friend Sandy from Zimbabwe who was visiting
her eldest in London. Anna and I went down to London for just one night; we
visited our old Nairobi neighbor (the one who came to graduation), in a hospice
in St John’s Wood – she has since passed away. We met an old Bulawayo school friend
of Anna’s in Covent Garden for dinner then headed back to the hotel. The next
day, with Sandy and Wendy, we tramped round the British Museum followed by an
afternoon at her Majesty’s theatre watching Phantom of the Opera. We headed off
to a book signing by John Barrowman before grabbing a traditional pub meal and
heading back up North. The main purpose of my trip was of course to dispatch
Anna off to university. My brother took some time off work to be chauffeur and
support in Steve’s absence. We had a hectic 4 days moving her in, completing
the requisite shopping at IKEA, ASDA, Durham Market etc. There was a parent fresher lunch in the Great
Hall of the Castle – very Harry Potter esque! John and I stayed about 45
minutes South of Durham with Rosi Keatinge (wife of Steve’s ex-boss from
ICRISAT days) – this prevented me from being a helicopter parent!! We met Anna’s
roommate and her Mother and a got a minor feel for life in DH1 ( I have told Anna
, she will probably never again live within a city centre postcode!!) I also
manage to squeeze in a quick pit stop with our next door neighbor from Zimbabwe
– eldest daughter – who has now settled in UK. I had a fabulous time in the UK –
the weather reminded why I live in Africa – wet, cold and windy. We were
travelling to Durham around the time that the A1 northbound was closed due to
flooding!!
Once
the Kenyan contingent of the family were all back in residence we headed off to
the coast for October break.
We
took a day trip on a Dhow with other Nairobi friends staying close by. For this
we had a road transfer to just north of the border with Tanzania then hopped on
the Dhow for a morning of diving and snorkeling followed by a crab and fish
lunch on Wasini Island. In the afternoon there was sufficient wind to hoist the
sail on the Dhow and switch off the engine – what a peaceful experience.
We
stayed in an amazing house on Tiwi Beach, South of Mombasa, with 2 other
families. It was a lovely experience and very different to our holidays in
Watamu on the North Coast. The seafood was wonderful and as the house came
equipped with a cook, housekeeper and general domestic, all we had to do was
ensure that the cupboards were full of food!!
So
now all thoughts are turning to the Festive season, once again, to be characterized
by many parties. We are planning the usual compound Christmas Bash on 7
December and I foolishly offered to be the coordinator of this event!
We
have holiday visitors arriving a various times – Anna and my Dad are due in together
on 17 December and the following day Anna’s friend Mara jets in from the US. On
December 24 my brother arrives – we will have a family Christmas traditional
style meal on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day we are joining with 4 other
households in the compound all contributing various national dishes to what I
think will be a feast of note.
So
we started 2012 with Anna’s 18th birthday -
a
year in which she realized her Durham dream and we bade her au revoir. Overall
2012 was truly an emotional rollercoaster, not something I would wish to
repeat. Usually I struggle with the change of year – entering the unknown -but
I will not see off this year with any wistful emotion! As in the past 2 years
we will be at the coast for New Year along with the family from next door –
home away from home!
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year 2013
