From Santiago with Chilean Love

The lack of shared culture, history and language between Kenya and Chile is an aspect that fashions an encounter between citizens of two countries into scenes reminiscent of the melee at the Tower of Babel.

While their attempt to marry English and Spanish will innovate new ways to overcome language barriers, their conversation will not struggle for an ice-breaker.

Advancements in communication technology have enabled the two countries to export aspects of their culture, history, and language.

These exports earn them a reputation that precedes them and provides content that can be used to strike conversations.

Ngugi wa Thiong'o's books weigh as much as Pablo Neruda's poems.

Magic of the Maasai Mara

For Kenya's colonial horrors and political turmoils, there is the terror of the dictatorial reign of Agostino Pinochet.

Chileans fill their cups at breakfast with Kenyan tea while Kenyans raise glasses of Chilean wine during nights of merry.

From Marcelo Salas to Alexis Sanchez, Kenyans have high regard for Chilean footballers. From Kipchoge Keino to Eliud Kipchoge, Chileans have great reverence for Kenyan athletes.

Where Chile scores unchallenged with the enigma of the Easter Island, Kenya sprints unassailed with the magic of the Maasai Mara.

It is this cocktail of differences and similarities between Kenya and Chile that questions and explains why 14 Chileans have visited Kenya to participate in the StanChart Nairobi Marathon on Sunday.

After stopovers in New York and Doha, the cheerful Chileans landed in Nairobi on Friday, October 22. Together with them on that 28-hour flight was their coach, manager, and translator, Kenyan Stephen Kamau.

The group's oldest member is 49 years old and, its youngest member is 29.

Among the seven men and seven women, there are four married couples.

Kamau, then 26, left Kenya for Chile in January 2005 to compete in 800m and 1,500m races. He arrived in the South American nation the same year it amended its constitution through parliament.

Back home, Kenyans rejected a proposed new constitution through a referendum vote.

The coincidence of those two events could have been lost on him when a personal decision changed the course of his life.

"I went to Chile for races and, I ended up running into someone who is now my wife and mother of our two children," Kamau said with a laugh. "I also fell in love with the country and, that reinforced my decision to start a new life there," he added. The result of that decision laces his speech nowadays.

Kamau, who hails from Nyahururu, is fluent in Spanish and, when he speaks English, one can catch his Kenyan accent retreating to its sunset years. While Chile's national language has assimilated into his speech to a degree of perfection, he still moves with the poise and rhythm of Kenya's other language - running.

Big appetites for road races.

For someone who trained with legendary athletes like Moses Kiptanui and Noah Ng'eny, Chile's other two languages — football and the Cueca dance — had no chance of winning his complete affection.

"Before I settled in Chile, I was part of the Nyahururu-based Puma Group, an elite club of athletes whose current equivalent is the NN Running Team. Moses Kiptanui was our boss and, Noah Ng'eny and other top athletes at that time were also part of the group," Kamau gave insight into his experience as an athlete.

Santiago does not boast of such elite running clubs but, in the course of adapting to the Chilean way, Kamau connected with running enthusiasts who have big appetites for road races.

One of such connections is the group he has travelled to Kenya with for Sunday's marathon.

"With sporting activities resuming after disruption by the pandemic, the group planned to participate in the London marathon but missed the registration deadline.

“So, when I mentioned to them that there is a marathon in Nairobi, they jumped on it," Kamau explained how the Chileans knew of the Nairobi Marathon.

"The allure of Kenya's wildlife and the opportunity to run with Kenyans is what excited them about visiting Kenya," he added.

Their itinerary packed their yearning to explore Kenya with a pilgrimage to the Mecca of Athletics, Iten, and a jaunt to the home of the eighth wonder of the world, the Maasai Mara.

Kenyan cuisine

"We did not even spend time in Nairobi after landing. We went straight to Iten, where the group enjoyed a great time interacting with athletes and locals. We went to Maasai Mara after leaving Iten and, after that, we will travel to Nairobi on Friday to prepare for the marathon," Kamau said of the group's itinerary.

"The hospitality of Kenyans has warmed their hearts and, the country's scenic landscapes have left them amazed."

As far as Kenyan cuisine goes, Kamau revealed that Chileans' taste buds have yet to befriend ugali but, their palates have applauded chapati.

"They cannot get enough of chapati and, they also like how Kenyan prepare chips," he said with a chuckle.

Kamau added that the group, which comprises engineers, entrepreneurs, and public servants, have been joking about their stage fright at the prospect of meeting elite Kenyan athletes.