Nairobi...crime (but it's reputation--Nairobbery--seems worse than the reality), chaotic traffic, glue-sniffing-AIDS-orphaned street kids. Too many safari pushers and people just hanging out. Excellent shopping, good food, a shortage of live music, lots of 20 somethings. Cybercafes, cellphones and security guards are ubiquitous. A positive vibe, potential.

Kenyans are hospitable and polite (more so away from the capital) and like their music loud and their beer (often) warm. I found out the hard way to always add 'cold' before the word beer when ordering. Coming from very Muslim Mali it's weird seeing packed bars with me as the only white person. Bars in Bamako have at least a significant minority of expats. But Kenya is a bit further along (more developed, better stocked), so they have the means and the attitude.

At the bar I struck up a conversation with Fred, a 27 yr old marketing manager with Samsung. He insisted on buying my beers as we talked business, politics, sports, travel, women. He's been to Detroit, Texas, Mali, Senegal and South Africa among a few others. We had eerily similar opinions on nearly everything. After about half an hour it hit me--this guy was a Kenyan version of me.

Fred explained that the street kids usually aren't orphans and that the government now penalizes their parents if they don't go to school. He was well informed about America's aid programs in Kenya. He was optimistic--but in a critical, realistic way--about Kenya's new government and Africa's future in general. Meeting someone like Fred gives me hope that Africa has a future absent the wars, corruption, disease and poverty it's always associated with. It was a good night.