Visit to the Goethe-Institut Nairobi and Downtown

This week I made a trip down into downtown Nairobi to visit the Goethe-Institut there. Where we live feels like the suburbs, with large beautiful gardens (all gated of course) and streets that are relatively calm. No matter where you go in Nairobi, there are always lots of people walking on or on the side of the road, but the streets are wide and the buildings well spaced with lots of green (and walls) in between. Downtown Nairobi is a whole other story, and rather overwelming at first. Cars and people filling narrow streets and 4-5 story buildings lining the streets. Most of them are made of concrete slabs which are in disrepair.

The Goethe-Institut itself is in a rather rundown looking building. The offices and classrooms are on the second floor and rather cramped. There is a nice balcony, but after experts came to look at it, it was decided it wasn't safe to use. Tomorrow the Goethe-Institut will sponsor a street party in front of the building with DJs from the UK, South Africa and Kenya in honor of the director who is leaving next week. Here's a pic of the building:

I met up with Barbara Reich of the program department (since 20 years!) and Thomas von Keller, who was visiting for three weeks from Munich. We took a walk to the former royal theater which is in a complex that house the only music conservatory, a nice gallery (unfortunately empty since funding is scarce) and the office of the director of the arts center.

Barbara Reich and Thomas von Keller in front of the Royal Theater

entrance to the Nairobi Conservatory of Music - looks quite forlorn and in need of funding.