Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Poleeeee.....

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm alive and well... the internet is REEEEALLY slow today... so it's taken me half an hour to write one email and this post... but I promise I will update something juicy (or not?) soon. This is our last week of training, so things are really winding down (and up!). So exciting. We haveour host family appreciation party on Saturday, a language exam on Sunday and "Prom" on Monday night, so between all that, I will have an amusing post next week. You know me and "prom" type events. Wooo! Love and miss.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Semaaaaa

Ha!! This is awesome. I'm sitting in the high speed inet cafe in Nairobi and it is hot as HELL so I'm all sweaty and nasty (which isn't too out of the ordinary) and the power keeps flickering on and off. A wise man once said, "TIA" (Leo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond. Right around the time when he disses the Peace Corps. Classic.). But, so, yeah. TIA. *cringe. :)

I had a three hour matatu ride (to Nairobi) to think of insightful things I wanted to post when I got here, and now I'm sitting here and all I can think is to make horrible movie references. Hmmm.

I guess I can get the ball rolling by saying that the past week has been a bit intense. We got back from our future site visits, and people kind of started dropping like flies (slash... deciding to "early terminate" and go back to the states). I guess it's pretty common after future site visit, but it still really sucks, particularly since two of the three people who left happened to be the closest volunteers (distance wise) to me. No more volunteer 5km away; no more volunteer in the next town either. I was pretty affected by people deciding to leave for a couple reasons; first, I've realized that because so much of this experience is a TOTAL mystery until whatever it is happens, I put a lot of emotional weight in to my expectations. In fact, they are really all I have to go off of, and they are what keep me sane sometimes (it's hard to not know what your life will be like in 2 weeks). So, I expected to have a buddy 5km away to walk to market with, to speak EE (effortless English) with, etc. etc... and in an instant, my entire imaginary world of expectations crumbled.

PC lesson #482: Do not invest so much (or anything) in your expectations. Often, they are just crap and fall apart and actually make you feel WORSE than the slight discomfort/anxiety you felt because you didn't know what to expect. So there.

After I got over the initial shock ("People can actually just LEAVE??"), I started to feel really wonderful about not wanting/being ready at all to leave (no offense). I mean... I haven't done anything yet. And... the community I went and visited is really expecting and wanting me to come. How could I not go back and at least try? I have the luxury of picking up and leaving whatever challenges of daily life I get next to for the next two years whenever I want. The people I am going to be living with don't have that choice. So... to not even show my face again seems (what's the word).... wrong? Some volunteers suggested that I request a site change so that I can be closer to other volunteers, but it's not like my community's need for a volunteer is going anywhere just because TWO other volunteers bailed. On the contrary, now there are THREE (at least) organizations that are expecting help and only one of me. I can't WAIT to go back, to be honest... and I hate to sound like such a cheerleader, but really. I want to show these communities that I am really serious about being here... and that I really consider myself lucky to be working with them... and that I'm not just going to leave because it's hard.

Having said that... I have NO idea how I'm going to get all my stuff to site now, particularly without any travel buddies. But... hey. I'll figure it out. I'm a fighter. :) It's weird that other people leaving made me feel so good (not initially, obviously, but after the fact)-- now it just seems much more real to be here. Knowing that I can leave, easily, at any time (by choice) makes me really excited and happy about my choice, every day, to stick it out. Ha. I'm such a cheese ball. Mmmm. Cheese. God. I miss cheese. *sigh.

I toured the Nairobi Peace Corps office today. It was.... an office... in Nairobi.... for the Peace Corps. Good. Good. I did score a couple books from the volunteer book collection-- among others, I'm going to read "marathon training for dummies." I figure if I can become a good runner in Kenya, I'll be unstoppable at home. Who knows.

Other than that, I think I need another three hour matatu ride to think of more to post (this one is too long already). I will be back in Kitui tomorrow, so... I'll try to post more this week. Thank you, all of you for all your emails of support-- you have no idea how much they mean to me. They really do make my days (especially on days when I get followed and laughed at by groups of school children. I went to church with my family to be nice, and even at CHURCH I was like the village freak. At church. I thought I would be safe. Alas, no. Who knew?).

I hope all is well. Much love.

H

Monday, July 9, 2007

An update...

I made it back in one peice from my future site visit. I actually only spent one day at my site--the rest of my week was spent in transit (literally). So... yeah. I'm never leaving my site. :) Just kidding.

We left Nairobi around noon on Wednesday (our bus left 3 hours late) and 9 hours later had made it to Kisumu (this was due to the fact that the roads in Kenya are unlike any roads I have EVER experienced. The ride is supposed to take about 4 hours I was told...). Anyway, because it was already late, we stayed the night in Kisumu and left really early on Thursday to catch a 2 hour matatu to Bumala. Once we got to Bumala, we got on another matatu, and 45 minutes later arrived at my town, where we got on boda bodas (bikes) and were taken a few more kms to my compound. I was met along the way by a group of women from my compound who were clapping and singing and dancing (apparently Lous like to sing and dance).... so I hopped off the boda boda and danced and sang all the way back to our compound. It was SO my style... we were laughing and in general making a scene (they later remarked that they are "so blessed to have been brought a happy person").

My set up is pretty sweet-- my house really is HUGE... huge sitting room, huge bedroom... my very own choo.... and the compuond I'm on is HUGE, too. There are about 5 houses, a jikoni (kitchen building) and it's all surrounded by shamba. My Baba, two of his wives, several of his (15) children and some other people all live on the compound, so... I'm surrounded by people. And some cows. There are also beautiful streams in the area with huge boulders in them.

I only stayed over night (the next day we went back to Kisumu), but from what I gathered, my life will be pretty sweet. Really rural, a bit isolated, but really sweet.

I'm getting booted off the net (story of my life).... promise to continue the saga ASAP.

Love and miss,
H

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

The West is the Best!

Big news: for the next two years, I'll be posted in Western (province), near(ish) the towns of Busia and Bumela (I think that's what it's called)!! I know that's kind of a big area, but... I'm somewhere a little off the beaten path in that general area. Ah! The past couple days, all of the trainees in my class and I have been in Nairobi for a supervisor's workshop-- we all now know where our sites are and who are supervisors are! I'm working with a women's group that was started in 2005; I'll be doing peer education and counseling for PLWAs. I'll also probably do some nutrition related things for PLWAs (and perhaps branch in to home based care options for PLWAs). Tomorrow I am actually going to my site (I'll get to see my community, my house, etc), so I'll have more of an idea of what life will be like when I get back to Kitui on Sunday!

It is really nice to know (generally, at least) where I'll be, though it will I'm really close to Uganda, which is awesome-- there is talk that we'll go rafting on the Nile, in which case, my location is prime. :) My house, from the description I got, is "really big" (I don't know what that means); mud/brick with an iron sheet roof; it's on a family compound; I have my own choo and bafu; no electricity; a bore hole 5 minutes away; market 1km away (close!); public transport 1/2km away (closer); AND I'll be getting my own bike, which apparently is KEY. My supervisor described the climate as "friendly," wet and hot. The closest volunteer to me is 5km away, so that's not too bad, either. Other than that, I really don't know much at all, but I will let you all know as soon as I do!

I will be at site until Saturday morning, when all the volunteers in Western, Nianza and... other places... are going in to Kisumu for a crazy PC pool party. Should be pretty crazy.

I had an INCREDIBLE cheeseburger last night.... and a chocolate banana milkshake... real coffee this morning... ahhh, Nairobi life. I am missing sukuma wiki and ugali a little, but... I have a feeling I'll be able to take care of that this week.

More to come! xoxoxo, H