2023– big year, big move

Karibu Kenya

I’ve been dreaming in Kiswahili. I kid you not. The other night Mama ni mpishi mzuri was going round and round in my head. I’m not going to translate for you, you can jolly well go and check out Google Translate (I can already hear my Kenya colleagues and clients laughing at me). I’ve been learning the language for over 100 days now as the app Duolingo helpfully tells me. When living in Kenya a few years ago I fell in love with the language, my brain connected with the sounds and now with an imminent move back to Kenya this year, I thought I would take it back up so I can at least ask for a ndizi without receiving a soseji (I had to google that one, I haven’t made it to meat-based products yet!). 

I try and fit in 15 minutes every day, choosing to go on Duolingo than mindless scrolling of the Gram (that still happens too, just slightly less). I feel I’m preparing my mind for our big move back to Kenya. An exciting but extremely daunting prospect. It feels very different since our previous move back in 2017. Then we had one two year old, I had finished my job and we were moving from rented accommodation. This time we have a 7 year old, 4 year old twins, I have Contented and we’re moving from our own home. There are now five people’s expectations that need managing, anxieties to be addressed, a whole load of stuff to sort through and decide on what needs to come with us, what is no longer needed (a lot I fear!) and what can go into storage.

But the motivation behind all of the hard work and worry that comes with this move is the excited belief that we’re coming to set up shop in Kenya. Since I started Contented in 2019 we have worked with Kenyan organisations and I’m excited to see our work there expand. To grow our team and to be on the ground. Remote working is our foundation, but face-to-face meetings and pitches will never be replaced. I can’t promise I’ll be pitching in Swahili but I’m certainly going to try.

I’m hoping to write monthly updates for you on preparing to move, so watch this space. For now, I will say tutaonana baadaye.

Harriette Foulkes-Arnold