KENYA!

East Africa.

Country Biography.

Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in the African Great Lakes region of East Africa. Its capital and largest city is Nairobi. Kenya lies on the equator with the Indian Ocean to the south-east, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, South Sudan to the north-west, Ethiopia to the north and Somalia to the north-east.

Kenya covers 581,309 km2(224,445 sq mi) and has a population of approximately 44 million as of July 2013.

Art and Music.

Kenya’s culture exemplifies the art of adornment and decoration, and history shows that this has been a long and influential tradition. the use of decorative beading is extremely significant, and jewelry is used to emphasize social status and to signify stages of initiation and passage. Modern forms of art came to Kenya progressively. The art of carving was practiced throughout Kenya to produce both functional and decorative items. 

Traditionally, Kenyan music originates from several sources. Many of the Nomadic tribes of this region share some common ground in the use of songs and chants.

Influence on Kenyan music was considerable, and much of popular Kenyan music derives its central rhythms and guitar lines from Congolese pop. Even today Lingala and Congolese music is extremely popular throughout Kenya.

Art and Music.

Music sample- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDr-MMIyjyU

Architecture.

Kenya has beautiful buildings and monuments. Truly work of art.

1. Fort Jesus Museum – located in Mombasa, Kenya. Built in 1593 by the Portuguese and used as barracks for soldiers between 1837 and 1895, the year that was converted into a prison. In 1958, was declared National Park and became museum in 1962.

2. Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) - located in Nairobi, Kenya is a 28-story building. The KICC is located in the central business district of Nairobi. It is an internationally renowned venue for conferences, meetings, exhibitions and special events within walking distance of several five star hotels. During its 39-year history it has been the host of several international conferences, seminars, exhibitions and summits.

Architecture.

1. Fort Jesus. 2. KICC.

Fashion.

Kenya is one of the most diverse countries in Africa. Clothing varies from region to region. Urban cities such as Nairobi, Mombasa, machakos, nakuru and etc. have very modernized and laid back clothing.

Food.

Due to kenya being home of many different cultures, they have a vast selection of food. But although they are from different places they have some common food .i.e. ugali, pilau, chapati, samosa, nyama choma, sukuma wiki….. These are common food.

Language.

Swahili also called Kiswahili is the national language of Kenya. It is a unifying African language spoken by nearly 100% of the Kenyan population. English is the official language which is spoken in schools, social setups and places of business in Kenya.

Swahili language sample-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9f7SXmzDdE

Vacation Spots.

Kenya is a very tourist friendly country. Numerous places one could go for vacation. Top pick for vacationing is Mombasa. The coast of Kenya. Hot sunny weather white beaches, great night life, it is the perfect vacation spot.

Sports. Kenyans are Sports fanatics. The favorite

sports in Kenya are, football(soccer), rugby, rallying and distance running. Although they have other sports, majority prefer these ones.

Some famous athletes from Kenya are David Rudisha, Catherine Ndereba, Congestina, Achieng, and David Oliech.

International Travel Tips.

What do you need to know for safe travels? Don’t carry excess cash and stay in a group ALWAYS.

What do you need to travel abroad? A u.s passport, visa fee and flight ticket.

What are some things to look out for as far as safety? Dark areas, pick pocketers and muggers.

What to do if you’re sick? Call for an ambulance at #999 and ask to be taken to a city hospital.

International Travel Tips.

Where do you go if you feel your life is in danger? If you feel as if your life is in danger go straight to the U.S embassy or call the U.S consulate.

Where is the US embassy located? It is located on 11 Gigiri drive, Nairobi, Kenya

Who is the US Embassy rep? The U.S rep in Kenya is Joseph. P. Murphy.

Who is the US UN rep to your destination? Mathew Fliermans.

International Travel Tips.

What currency does your destination use? Kenya uses Shillings.

What is the climate and seasonal patterns? Mostly sunny with showers from July- august.

When would be the best time to visit your destination? Beginning of the year or the end of the year.