Well here in good old Africa it's hot like 89 percent of the time. Oh myLANTA! You must be thinking! It's like a vacation all year round! Except that it's not, because you wear floor length skirts and conservative tops every day. Shorts are a no go. And it does get pretty chilly sometimes, but it is never enough for snow! :( Snow is my favorite, and there is nothing like a snowy holiday season! We aren't really celebrating the holidays here anyway (not in the American sense anyway, they don't have money to spend on decorations or presents for eachother), except for maybe a nice dinner with my family before I leave for the beach....!!! A big group of us have planned out a trip to Diani Beach over Christmas and New Years, and it should be a really fun time! I would definitely rather be around my fiance and family but... if I have to spend the best holiday of the year in Kenya I think on the beach is my best option. Anyway, I don't know if there are any kind souls who are desperately looking to spend more money this holiday season and send me a package, here are some options!
Powdered Popcorn Cheese
Kellog's Fruit Snacks
Dierbergs Watermelon Licorice
Twizzlers
Small packets of Ranch
Thai Kitchen Lemongrass & Chili Soup Bowls
Laffy Taffy
Chili Man
Cheeze Its
Cadbury Christmas Chocolates
PS The next blog will be about Jarred's time here, I promise!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Sunday, December 9, 2012
The most important (and confusing) lesson
So other than teaching at the secondary school, I've completed my door-to-door interviews. Walking around a village for 3 months (trying to interview some 30,000+ people) waaaass... super fun. According to my statistics, I'm living in a village with about a 20% employment rate. EMPLOYMENT. Not unemployment. So if anyone is looking to, I don't know, build a huge factory that will create thousands of jobs in the middle of BFK, please call me.
The lack of jobs in my area is a huge problem. The biggest, I think. How can a Public Health Volunteer help that? My job is supposedly to provide support for health issues, and unfortunately I don't see health as the underlying issue here. That's not to say that health isn't an issue, or that it doesn't affect people's work ethic/ability. But this idea of learned helplessness... is the bane of my existence. There is SO much potential in Kenya (and Africa), so many people, so much money to be made... but no one has the hope to dream. It is extremely discouraging to be around so much hopelessness, when people believe they have no future beyond struggling for a living. Westerners, or white people in general, are seen as dollar signs; a way out- the only way out. Kenyans don't believe they can do it themselves without a sponsor or donor money. If you don't have that, or if you can't connect them with someone who does, your face value to the community was just cut in half. And for good reason, no one has money, and everyone needs it.
I stumbled upon a mama in a health clinic I was visiting on the outskirts of my village. She was with her 2 children; a 6mo. boy and a 2 yr. girl. The 2 year old was in and out of consciousness, unable to keep her eyes open, her limbs like jelly from lack of strength and sustenance. She has to be carried everywhere because she is so malnourished she cannot walk or even speak. She hasn't eaten in days. I recommend the clinic refer her to the district hospital, about 15 k away, or a 100 ksh piki ride (just over $1USD). Obviously, they say, they have seen this mama before and referred her, but she doesn't have the money to get there or pay for the hospital fees. I could stress the importance of seeking medical attention to this mama, and hope that somehow she finds the money to go even though there's probably a 90% chance that she will be unable and this child's health with continue to decline. Or I could take her myself, pay for the fees, and fuel the common belief that white people just have money to give away. What is the right answer? Might it be secret option C, take the child but under the premise that it is not I (the white person) who is funding the medical support but my organization, a CBO (with no funding) in Namanjalala?! In the end, it doesn't matter. We all know I wasn't going to leave that little girl to die in the clinic, and no matter where I say the money is coming from, the mama still continues to call me twice a day asking for more money.
At the end of the day (or rather 23 days, the amount of time she spent admitted in the hospital), when I saw that 2 year old girl transform from a lifeless, lethargic, bag of tiny little bones to a smiling, giggling, healthier child that seemed to know she was there and able to eat because of this disheveled muzungu, I was okay with my decision. I can ignore the phone calls and messages, and passerby asking me for thousands of shillings for whatever reason, but I would never have been able to ignore that girl's face plastered in my mind after walking out of that clinic knowing that just because of her bad luck of being born in Kenya she would die before reaching her 5th birthday.
The lack of jobs in my area is a huge problem. The biggest, I think. How can a Public Health Volunteer help that? My job is supposedly to provide support for health issues, and unfortunately I don't see health as the underlying issue here. That's not to say that health isn't an issue, or that it doesn't affect people's work ethic/ability. But this idea of learned helplessness... is the bane of my existence. There is SO much potential in Kenya (and Africa), so many people, so much money to be made... but no one has the hope to dream. It is extremely discouraging to be around so much hopelessness, when people believe they have no future beyond struggling for a living. Westerners, or white people in general, are seen as dollar signs; a way out- the only way out. Kenyans don't believe they can do it themselves without a sponsor or donor money. If you don't have that, or if you can't connect them with someone who does, your face value to the community was just cut in half. And for good reason, no one has money, and everyone needs it.
I stumbled upon a mama in a health clinic I was visiting on the outskirts of my village. She was with her 2 children; a 6mo. boy and a 2 yr. girl. The 2 year old was in and out of consciousness, unable to keep her eyes open, her limbs like jelly from lack of strength and sustenance. She has to be carried everywhere because she is so malnourished she cannot walk or even speak. She hasn't eaten in days. I recommend the clinic refer her to the district hospital, about 15 k away, or a 100 ksh piki ride (just over $1USD). Obviously, they say, they have seen this mama before and referred her, but she doesn't have the money to get there or pay for the hospital fees. I could stress the importance of seeking medical attention to this mama, and hope that somehow she finds the money to go even though there's probably a 90% chance that she will be unable and this child's health with continue to decline. Or I could take her myself, pay for the fees, and fuel the common belief that white people just have money to give away. What is the right answer? Might it be secret option C, take the child but under the premise that it is not I (the white person) who is funding the medical support but my organization, a CBO (with no funding) in Namanjalala?! In the end, it doesn't matter. We all know I wasn't going to leave that little girl to die in the clinic, and no matter where I say the money is coming from, the mama still continues to call me twice a day asking for more money.
At the end of the day (or rather 23 days, the amount of time she spent admitted in the hospital), when I saw that 2 year old girl transform from a lifeless, lethargic, bag of tiny little bones to a smiling, giggling, healthier child that seemed to know she was there and able to eat because of this disheveled muzungu, I was okay with my decision. I can ignore the phone calls and messages, and passerby asking me for thousands of shillings for whatever reason, but I would never have been able to ignore that girl's face plastered in my mind after walking out of that clinic knowing that just because of her bad luck of being born in Kenya she would die before reaching her 5th birthday.
Friday, December 7, 2012
The day I was a Peace Corps Volunteer
I'm sorry it has been over 2 months since my last blog post! My laptop charger broke and my wonderful fiance (Ah! Don't worry, we'll get to that!) sent me a new one, but it took me awhile to figure out that it was my charger that was the problem. Now the problem is that so much has happened since then I've been procrastinating on writing it in one cohesive blog post!
I'll begin with what I'e been doing in my village since September. The first 3 months at site are supposed to focus on your Community Needs Assessment (CNA) for Peace Corps; a 5-10 pg report on your observations related to the potential needs of your village. In mid-October I had a visit from PC to check-in and see how everything was going. Despite feeling like I hadn't accomplished much in my first 2 months my Public Health supervisor assured me that I was on track and well integrated. I hadn't heard much from my organization until my meeting, and even after the PC meeting the trend continued so I started filling in my own schedule.
I began teaching weekly lessons at a Secondary School in my village, the first set being on HIV. We split up the grades (they go Form 1, 2, 3, 4, which is equivalent to Freshman, Soph, Junior, Senior) with Form 1 and 2 girls only first, then Form 3 and 4 girls, then the boys split by age as well. I wanted to do them in smaller groups because I know that they typically have a lot of questions, and keeping students with their agemates might make them more comfortable to ask questions they would otherwise be too embarrassed to ask. So the first one went well but I wasn't sure if the students really learned that much- they were really smart and seemed to know the basics already. However, when I arrived at the school the next day to teach another lesson, the principal informed me that the girls I just taught had been discussing my lesson and what all they learned with their male classmates and he (the principal) had received several requests from Form 1 and 2 boys to be taught before the Form 3 and 4 girls. I was pretty excited! I liked teaching the girls, but I've noticed that girls around that age here get really weird and embarrassed around me and it's hard for me to not get a little self-conscious when they laugh continuously at me throughout the lesson... Plus I have a few male cousins in the US and they are at the high school age and I just love them, they're not embarrassed around me and they're mostly past that really immature phase so they are fun to interact with.
Ha. ha. ha.
Yeah, let's go talk to my pubescent (sorry, no offense guys) male cousins about why having a small penis would not reduce your chances of spreading HIV... (that was a legitimate question they asked me). Or what the benefits of having sex are besides having children... So I didn't really think that part through, so I did blush pretty hard when trying to answer those kind of questions to 14-17 yr. old boys, but it was probably the most fulfilling thing I've done here so far. The fact that they were comfortable enough with me to ask those questions is super cool. We did almost an hour of questions and I feel like I really left a positive impression on them. The only thing I regret is writing down my real phone number when they asked for my contact information.
I have a bit more to go buuuuuut I tend to ramble so I'm gonna end this here so as to keep your attention ;)
I'll begin with what I'e been doing in my village since September. The first 3 months at site are supposed to focus on your Community Needs Assessment (CNA) for Peace Corps; a 5-10 pg report on your observations related to the potential needs of your village. In mid-October I had a visit from PC to check-in and see how everything was going. Despite feeling like I hadn't accomplished much in my first 2 months my Public Health supervisor assured me that I was on track and well integrated. I hadn't heard much from my organization until my meeting, and even after the PC meeting the trend continued so I started filling in my own schedule.
I began teaching weekly lessons at a Secondary School in my village, the first set being on HIV. We split up the grades (they go Form 1, 2, 3, 4, which is equivalent to Freshman, Soph, Junior, Senior) with Form 1 and 2 girls only first, then Form 3 and 4 girls, then the boys split by age as well. I wanted to do them in smaller groups because I know that they typically have a lot of questions, and keeping students with their agemates might make them more comfortable to ask questions they would otherwise be too embarrassed to ask. So the first one went well but I wasn't sure if the students really learned that much- they were really smart and seemed to know the basics already. However, when I arrived at the school the next day to teach another lesson, the principal informed me that the girls I just taught had been discussing my lesson and what all they learned with their male classmates and he (the principal) had received several requests from Form 1 and 2 boys to be taught before the Form 3 and 4 girls. I was pretty excited! I liked teaching the girls, but I've noticed that girls around that age here get really weird and embarrassed around me and it's hard for me to not get a little self-conscious when they laugh continuously at me throughout the lesson... Plus I have a few male cousins in the US and they are at the high school age and I just love them, they're not embarrassed around me and they're mostly past that really immature phase so they are fun to interact with.
Ha. ha. ha.
Yeah, let's go talk to my pubescent (sorry, no offense guys) male cousins about why having a small penis would not reduce your chances of spreading HIV... (that was a legitimate question they asked me). Or what the benefits of having sex are besides having children... So I didn't really think that part through, so I did blush pretty hard when trying to answer those kind of questions to 14-17 yr. old boys, but it was probably the most fulfilling thing I've done here so far. The fact that they were comfortable enough with me to ask those questions is super cool. We did almost an hour of questions and I feel like I really left a positive impression on them. The only thing I regret is writing down my real phone number when they asked for my contact information.
I have a bit more to go buuuuuut I tend to ramble so I'm gonna end this here so as to keep your attention ;)
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The Resident Muzungu
I'm going to be perfectly blunt with ya'll right now. I have not been a good little volunteer during my first month at site. I have been lazy, ungrateful, annoyed, and insensitive to the hardships around me. What is even worse is that for a little bit I forgot why I am here. I was in one of those places where I convinced myself to be unhappy. I looked at this experience with the attitude of a hormonal teenager. Then, I realized how difficult I was being. If I wanted to get anything done I was going to have to quit being such a baby. It sucks, you know, making that decision to try and put forth some sincere effort even if it won't be reciprocated. I mean I think we all knew that coming into it, that this would be a lot of work with potentially minute results, but we all had this little reserve of hope that maybe life-changing projects would fall into our laps and the negative experiences we heard about were just exceptions. I do think that this decision requires a very open-minded, resiliently positive and flexible person, because it's easy to get sucked into a state of mind that is desensitized to living here.
What I mean by that is letting Kenya get to you. Another volunteer phrased life here as "Definitely simpler, but never easier". Knowing what life is like in America and expecting life in Kenya to be the same will make you lose your patience very fast. The past two weeks I've tried to appreciate the small differences and how they affect the people who live their entire lives dealing with them. I really feel so much better. I've set a goal for myself; to asses the rehabilitation programs for what the Kenyans so affectionately call "street children"here in Kitale. I'm going to focus on the Mental Health aspect and its importance. I already started observing one program and was able to participate in an HIV/AIDS lesson and free lunch for around 100 kids. It was really great getting to meet so many of them because now they know me around Kitale and I don't feel so nervous around them.
So I haven't done too much else. Just a lot of research and information gathering. I also made my mama a rocket stove yesterday! She is just such a sweet lady I wanted to surprise her with something because she is always making sure I am okay. I can't wait until she can actually use it; our kitchen is always filled with smoke because we just do the 3 stone method (a pot sitting on the edge of three stones and the fire in between the stones) which is also pretty inefficient for burning wood compared to the Rocket stove. Plus Peter helped me do a lot and we got to spend the better part of a day doing it so it was a lot of fun!
I am really starting to love my life here! My family is really great, I've started making friends and people know me around town and are really nice. And I've found some motivation to do work! Of course that doesn't mean that I don't miss home. Today is actually my boyfriend's birthday and one of our best friend's birthdays so I am pretty bummed that I can't be there to help them celebrate because we always have a good time. But I'm sure they will still have a great time- so I hope they both just have fun for me :) Also I only have 50 days until Jarred comes to visit me! Yay! My dad is really awesome and they worked together this week to make sure he got his flight booked and everything. I was really excited about that. Well I don't think I have much else going on... I didn't think it had been that long since my last blog post but it has actually been a few weeks! It is crazy how time flies here! It's not like I have even been that busy I don't think, the days themselves feel fairly slow but overall... kind of hard to imagine that I've already been in Kenya 110 days! Wowza.
Until next time :)
What I mean by that is letting Kenya get to you. Another volunteer phrased life here as "Definitely simpler, but never easier". Knowing what life is like in America and expecting life in Kenya to be the same will make you lose your patience very fast. The past two weeks I've tried to appreciate the small differences and how they affect the people who live their entire lives dealing with them. I really feel so much better. I've set a goal for myself; to asses the rehabilitation programs for what the Kenyans so affectionately call "street children"here in Kitale. I'm going to focus on the Mental Health aspect and its importance. I already started observing one program and was able to participate in an HIV/AIDS lesson and free lunch for around 100 kids. It was really great getting to meet so many of them because now they know me around Kitale and I don't feel so nervous around them.
So I haven't done too much else. Just a lot of research and information gathering. I also made my mama a rocket stove yesterday! She is just such a sweet lady I wanted to surprise her with something because she is always making sure I am okay. I can't wait until she can actually use it; our kitchen is always filled with smoke because we just do the 3 stone method (a pot sitting on the edge of three stones and the fire in between the stones) which is also pretty inefficient for burning wood compared to the Rocket stove. Plus Peter helped me do a lot and we got to spend the better part of a day doing it so it was a lot of fun!
I am really starting to love my life here! My family is really great, I've started making friends and people know me around town and are really nice. And I've found some motivation to do work! Of course that doesn't mean that I don't miss home. Today is actually my boyfriend's birthday and one of our best friend's birthdays so I am pretty bummed that I can't be there to help them celebrate because we always have a good time. But I'm sure they will still have a great time- so I hope they both just have fun for me :) Also I only have 50 days until Jarred comes to visit me! Yay! My dad is really awesome and they worked together this week to make sure he got his flight booked and everything. I was really excited about that. Well I don't think I have much else going on... I didn't think it had been that long since my last blog post but it has actually been a few weeks! It is crazy how time flies here! It's not like I have even been that busy I don't think, the days themselves feel fairly slow but overall... kind of hard to imagine that I've already been in Kenya 110 days! Wowza.
Until next time :)
Saturday, September 8, 2012
I can't think of a clever title.
I have been given a Bukusu name, Nekesa. It means harvest, because it is harvest season right now. The chairman of Nacope, the organization I'm working for, gave it to me saying "Because we hope to reap so much from you". I'm not so sure about all that, but it's a pretty name isn't it? This week has been pretty uneventful over all. Monday I threw a little hissy fit about waiting for my coworkers again (patience is not my strongest virtue) and fled to Eldoret to try and figure out my banking issues, but had no luck so really I just ended up spending 400 shillings on the trip. So I'm just going to come to terms with the fact that somehow someone managed to steal 15,000 shillings from me... but I don't know where or how and the bank holds no responsibility. Kenya wins again! However, in Eldoret I got to visit Nakumatt- my very first time! It was heavenly. I found goat cheese and all of the Asian spices I could ever need- they even have lemongrass! The only thing I didn't see was water chesnuts. Would it be weird to ask for those in a package? Also I do not understand what it is with this country and biscuits. Shortbread biscuits everywhere. Real crackers do not exsist. I would cry if someone sent me 5 boxes of triscuits right now.
Speaking of, I think I forgot to post my new address on my blog so here it is; I got my own PO Box and so far it has been super fast! I've already received letters and it only took about a week!
So Wednesday was my brother Peter's birthday. He is my favorite person here that I've met, besides Humphrey in Loitokitok, but he's one of the nicest most badass people I've met ever. Anyway, Peter turned 28. He is awesome. He is a teacher at a private school, but unfortunately he just told me his school is being affected by the public teacher's strike and he doesn't have to work the rest of the week. He's not happy because he loves his kids. It was so adorable; in Kenya birthdays aren't really celebrated or even acknowledged, but Peter's kids marked his birthday in their calendar in school and every class he had sang to him! He was so excited. I told him he must be an awesome teacher. I was asking him the other day what the curse words were in Kiswahili and he explained that in school they are caned for using them so his initial reaction was that he couldn't say them because his brain has hid them because subconsciously he still thinks he will get in trouble! Haha he's so funny.
I have killed three spiders this week. I know it's inhumane, but I'm hoping to make an example of them so other spiders know not to mess with me. I also sprinkled this dust around my house to keep out buggies. Doesn't keep out the damn chickens though. My family owns like 400 and this one half-feathered little rascal keeps creeping into my living room when I'm not looking. I just keep chasing him out, dummy. Also it was my dad's birthday this week! He turned 50! I was bummed to miss such a big one, but I know that we will celebrate when I get back. Maybe this time with more than one keg of Chimay... keeping in mind how that worked out last time.. *cough cough* Pat...
I've been meaning to post about packing for any prospective volunteers reading, so here it is. Overall I am pretty happy with how I packed. But here are a few tips you can take with a grain of salt.
- One fairly heavy jacket/fleece (I brought a few sweatshirts, but sometimes one warmer jacket would be nice, it can get pretty chilly in most of the parts of Kenya volunteers are placed)
- A few plain t-shirts (I brought one and wish I had brought more just monochromatic t-shirts, they're business casual enough for Peace Corps most of the time)
- Close-toed sandals (i.e. Keens, tevas, etc. Maybe don't hvae to be close-toed, but I brought my keens and they're very practical I think. Just think outdoorsy)
- More pants (Girls are generally seen and encouraged to wear long skirts most places, but khakis, linen pants, or just semi-business trousers are totally acceptable in training, and most big-ish cities/while not at work. If they're a little baggier, the better off you'll be)
- Lots of socks and undies (Especially socks for guys because they wear shoes more than sandals, but socks get dirty so fast here and multiple use before washing is rarely an option. I think both are annoying to wash so I brought a lot and only have to wash like every two weeks) (P.S. I'm lazy)
- Envelopes (If you expect to write any letters bring some. They take up no space so why pay for them here?)
- Specialty Deodorant/Toothpaste (Some people have the brands they like, so bring 3 or 4 to last you awhile and then family can send more when needed. Deodorant especially because spray is the predominant form of deodorant in Kenya)
- Face Wash/Baby Wipes (Or both. My face always feels grimy here and a good wash is refreshing)
- Reusable Shopping Bags (I packed one and my mom sent me 2, they actually come in handy for grocery shopping and moving all of my crap that I accumulated during training to site)
- Sauces (You might not be too into sauces, but if you like cooking EVER with say; Sweet Baby Rays, Ranch, or Frank's Hot Sauce, bring one. Most of us have dreamt of having sauces and they aren't too bad to pack) *also applies to spices
- Entertainment (I brought my laptop, Canon 5D Mark II, iPhone, a few books, and a few sketching supplies and I'm happy. I can get the Kindle app on my laptop and exchange books at the Peace Corps office, but a lot of people have a Kindle and that's a good bet too. Just bring things to do during down time)
- Flashlight/headlamp (Unless you know you have electricity at both your homestay and at site. Which you don't, and won't know until like, the day you get there so just bring one)
- Pictures (Just print outs or a photo album. You'll want them to show people and put up in your house)
- Extra hair ties and bobby pins (You'll lose them, they'll break; either way you're SOL so bring like 50)
I think that covers most of the stuff I'm really picky about. Some people might say not to waste the space on some of this stuff if you can buy it here, because you can find pretty much anything you need in Kenya in big enough cities. However, if you're like me, I don't want to spend a bunch of money on stuff here if I can just bring it with me. While things aren't expensive here compared to the U.S., they are in relation to how much we get each month. And while you could just have your family send you everything you need packages from home and more fun when they're filled with goodies rather than a bunch of practical stuff ;) Anyway, that's all I've got for now. I'm going to put up some pictures from my trip to the deformed animal farm on Facebook (yes, it's exactly what it sounds like) so keep an eye out for those :)
Speaking of, I think I forgot to post my new address on my blog so here it is; I got my own PO Box and so far it has been super fast! I've already received letters and it only took about a week!
Rachel Wilson
PO Box 474-30200
Kitale, Kenya
Pretty easy right! I'm excited to go check it tomorrow because I think I might have mail. Yay mail! So anyway, Tuesday, hakuna kazi (no work). Wednesday I went with the Chief of Namanjalala, my Public Health Officer, and the Chairman of Nacope to meet a bunch of people. Basically I just signed a bunch of visitor's books and formally introduced myself. W ended up stuck in the mud in Endebess for about an hour then made it home. Thursday, again hakuna kazi. I kind of foresaw that though and filled it with mostly nothing. Wait, no, I did make some fries and put some vinegar on them in honor of all of the fair food that I missed out on.So Wednesday was my brother Peter's birthday. He is my favorite person here that I've met, besides Humphrey in Loitokitok, but he's one of the nicest most badass people I've met ever. Anyway, Peter turned 28. He is awesome. He is a teacher at a private school, but unfortunately he just told me his school is being affected by the public teacher's strike and he doesn't have to work the rest of the week. He's not happy because he loves his kids. It was so adorable; in Kenya birthdays aren't really celebrated or even acknowledged, but Peter's kids marked his birthday in their calendar in school and every class he had sang to him! He was so excited. I told him he must be an awesome teacher. I was asking him the other day what the curse words were in Kiswahili and he explained that in school they are caned for using them so his initial reaction was that he couldn't say them because his brain has hid them because subconsciously he still thinks he will get in trouble! Haha he's so funny.
I have killed three spiders this week. I know it's inhumane, but I'm hoping to make an example of them so other spiders know not to mess with me. I also sprinkled this dust around my house to keep out buggies. Doesn't keep out the damn chickens though. My family owns like 400 and this one half-feathered little rascal keeps creeping into my living room when I'm not looking. I just keep chasing him out, dummy. Also it was my dad's birthday this week! He turned 50! I was bummed to miss such a big one, but I know that we will celebrate when I get back. Maybe this time with more than one keg of Chimay... keeping in mind how that worked out last time.. *cough cough* Pat...
I've been meaning to post about packing for any prospective volunteers reading, so here it is. Overall I am pretty happy with how I packed. But here are a few tips you can take with a grain of salt.
- One fairly heavy jacket/fleece (I brought a few sweatshirts, but sometimes one warmer jacket would be nice, it can get pretty chilly in most of the parts of Kenya volunteers are placed)
- A few plain t-shirts (I brought one and wish I had brought more just monochromatic t-shirts, they're business casual enough for Peace Corps most of the time)
- Close-toed sandals (i.e. Keens, tevas, etc. Maybe don't hvae to be close-toed, but I brought my keens and they're very practical I think. Just think outdoorsy)
- More pants (Girls are generally seen and encouraged to wear long skirts most places, but khakis, linen pants, or just semi-business trousers are totally acceptable in training, and most big-ish cities/while not at work. If they're a little baggier, the better off you'll be)
- Lots of socks and undies (Especially socks for guys because they wear shoes more than sandals, but socks get dirty so fast here and multiple use before washing is rarely an option. I think both are annoying to wash so I brought a lot and only have to wash like every two weeks) (P.S. I'm lazy)
- Envelopes (If you expect to write any letters bring some. They take up no space so why pay for them here?)
- Specialty Deodorant/Toothpaste (Some people have the brands they like, so bring 3 or 4 to last you awhile and then family can send more when needed. Deodorant especially because spray is the predominant form of deodorant in Kenya)
- Face Wash/Baby Wipes (Or both. My face always feels grimy here and a good wash is refreshing)
- Reusable Shopping Bags (I packed one and my mom sent me 2, they actually come in handy for grocery shopping and moving all of my crap that I accumulated during training to site)
- Sauces (You might not be too into sauces, but if you like cooking EVER with say; Sweet Baby Rays, Ranch, or Frank's Hot Sauce, bring one. Most of us have dreamt of having sauces and they aren't too bad to pack) *also applies to spices
- Entertainment (I brought my laptop, Canon 5D Mark II, iPhone, a few books, and a few sketching supplies and I'm happy. I can get the Kindle app on my laptop and exchange books at the Peace Corps office, but a lot of people have a Kindle and that's a good bet too. Just bring things to do during down time)
- Flashlight/headlamp (Unless you know you have electricity at both your homestay and at site. Which you don't, and won't know until like, the day you get there so just bring one)
- Pictures (Just print outs or a photo album. You'll want them to show people and put up in your house)
- Extra hair ties and bobby pins (You'll lose them, they'll break; either way you're SOL so bring like 50)
I think that covers most of the stuff I'm really picky about. Some people might say not to waste the space on some of this stuff if you can buy it here, because you can find pretty much anything you need in Kenya in big enough cities. However, if you're like me, I don't want to spend a bunch of money on stuff here if I can just bring it with me. While things aren't expensive here compared to the U.S., they are in relation to how much we get each month. And while you could just have your family send you everything you need packages from home and more fun when they're filled with goodies rather than a bunch of practical stuff ;) Anyway, that's all I've got for now. I'm going to put up some pictures from my trip to the deformed animal farm on Facebook (yes, it's exactly what it sounds like) so keep an eye out for those :)
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Life Under an Avocado Tree
Tonight marks the 15th day since my arrival in Namanjalala. Yeah ! Time to go out, get crazy, and... by that I mean crack open a box of chicken rice and finish the scrapbook I'm making for my dad's 50th birthday (yowza!) of our trip to France. Nothing fights loneliness like looking at pictures of excellent cheese and bikeriding through the vineyards... I guess really being in Kenya it just makes me appreciate the trip even more than I already did!
But my house is now finished! I tried to upload the pictures onto here but it didn't work so you'll just have to look at it on Facebook. If you can, no your eyes did not deceive you. I did in fact install brand new hardwood floors. I'll be hosting dinner parties every 2 months, please await your invitation. I also bought a little shelving unit thing which I am lovinnnn. I'm slightly obsessed with keeping my house clean and organized.
Otherwise at work I've pretty much met everyone and started working. I think I'm pretty much a Community Health Worker. I met the Chief, Assistant Chief, the nurses at my dispensary, both of the Public Health Officers and all of the Community Health Workers for my organization. This past week has consisted of going door to door explaining to people why it is important to know your HIV status and asking people if they will get tested. We went to probably 100 households. Most of the people speak Ki-Swahili but a lot speak Ki-Bukusu too so I've been learning that language as well, it's really pretty. Anyway, today we started the VCT side of it- Voluntary Testing and Counseling. We tested around 20 people and have 2 more full days of testing. It went well, but it still surprises me how freaked out people can get over it when they probably don't even understand why they're so scared. We've had two men tell us that we would have to pay them to get tested. I saw what looked like a 15 year old boy run away from his friends when they suggested he get tested too. I think it's because it is seen more as a work of God then of science, and the community isn't knowledgeable enough of the subject to know the difference.
Anyway, what else is new? I have a puppy and a baby cow. They are technically my family's but I pet them and we hang out all the time. I usually feed the puppy too, he's less than a month old. My mama here just told me that she thinks he is lonely so we should get another one so he has a friend. So that will be my job this weekend! Hehe. His name is Simba, obviously. Peter, my brother, named him. He's hilarious. We've also named the cows. The mama is Mama Doa because MaDoa is many spots in Bukusu and she is white with black spots (or vice versa, whatever), and the baby is Moyo, which means heart in Bukusu, because she is caramel colored with a white heart on her head. She is precious. I'm still looking for a kitten. Who knew they were so rare! I just want a tiny one so I can raise it to be awesome. Oh well, someday my kitten will come right?
Well I guess that's pretty much it for now... but I want to say a general thankyou to everyone that loves me in America. I hope that everyone knows how much I miss them and how much I appreciate their love from so far away. I got to spend a lot of time with everyone before I left (for the most part) and I'm very lucky to have such a close bond with my family; every single one of them. My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have all spent a lot of time and money on letters and packages for me, and I savor every single piece of mail I get. It's not easy being away from home, especially with such an amazing family. And my friends... well, I miss midnight yoga, closet sessions, wine and puzzle nights... I can't wait to spend time with everyone when my job here is done- but until then pleeeeaassee know that I love and miss you all!
And here are a few things I can never get enough of if anyone is looking to send me a package ;)
Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuits, Skittles, Canned/packaged Chicken, Cheezits, Aldi's strawberry licorice, Crystal Light Peach Tea, Starbursts, Love, Love notes, yourselves... I think that's about it!
Until next time :)
But my house is now finished! I tried to upload the pictures onto here but it didn't work so you'll just have to look at it on Facebook. If you can, no your eyes did not deceive you. I did in fact install brand new hardwood floors. I'll be hosting dinner parties every 2 months, please await your invitation. I also bought a little shelving unit thing which I am lovinnnn. I'm slightly obsessed with keeping my house clean and organized.
Otherwise at work I've pretty much met everyone and started working. I think I'm pretty much a Community Health Worker. I met the Chief, Assistant Chief, the nurses at my dispensary, both of the Public Health Officers and all of the Community Health Workers for my organization. This past week has consisted of going door to door explaining to people why it is important to know your HIV status and asking people if they will get tested. We went to probably 100 households. Most of the people speak Ki-Swahili but a lot speak Ki-Bukusu too so I've been learning that language as well, it's really pretty. Anyway, today we started the VCT side of it- Voluntary Testing and Counseling. We tested around 20 people and have 2 more full days of testing. It went well, but it still surprises me how freaked out people can get over it when they probably don't even understand why they're so scared. We've had two men tell us that we would have to pay them to get tested. I saw what looked like a 15 year old boy run away from his friends when they suggested he get tested too. I think it's because it is seen more as a work of God then of science, and the community isn't knowledgeable enough of the subject to know the difference.
Anyway, what else is new? I have a puppy and a baby cow. They are technically my family's but I pet them and we hang out all the time. I usually feed the puppy too, he's less than a month old. My mama here just told me that she thinks he is lonely so we should get another one so he has a friend. So that will be my job this weekend! Hehe. His name is Simba, obviously. Peter, my brother, named him. He's hilarious. We've also named the cows. The mama is Mama Doa because MaDoa is many spots in Bukusu and she is white with black spots (or vice versa, whatever), and the baby is Moyo, which means heart in Bukusu, because she is caramel colored with a white heart on her head. She is precious. I'm still looking for a kitten. Who knew they were so rare! I just want a tiny one so I can raise it to be awesome. Oh well, someday my kitten will come right?
Well I guess that's pretty much it for now... but I want to say a general thankyou to everyone that loves me in America. I hope that everyone knows how much I miss them and how much I appreciate their love from so far away. I got to spend a lot of time with everyone before I left (for the most part) and I'm very lucky to have such a close bond with my family; every single one of them. My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have all spent a lot of time and money on letters and packages for me, and I savor every single piece of mail I get. It's not easy being away from home, especially with such an amazing family. And my friends... well, I miss midnight yoga, closet sessions, wine and puzzle nights... I can't wait to spend time with everyone when my job here is done- but until then pleeeeaassee know that I love and miss you all!
And here are a few things I can never get enough of if anyone is looking to send me a package ;)
Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuits, Skittles, Canned/packaged Chicken, Cheezits, Aldi's strawberry licorice, Crystal Light Peach Tea, Starbursts, Love, Love notes, yourselves... I think that's about it!
Until next time :)
Saturday, August 18, 2012
The next step..
It's only been a few days since my last post, but it's my second night alone in Kitale and I have nothing better to do so you people are getting a blog post. Also there's a sweet coffee shop with free wifi, so here ya go. Someone once told me (that's how every good story always starts out right?) that you learn a lot about yourself in Peace Corps, namely during your first three months after Swearing In because you spent the entirety figuring out your village by yourself. What I've learned about myself so far is that I am extremely selfish and not nearly as good of a person as I would like to be. I hope that some of my fellow Volunteers are reading this, because I mean it when I say that they are some of the nicest people I have ever met in my entire life. They are also, every single one of them, batshit crazy. But I mean, what other kind of person could just drop everything or- God forbid actually PLAN to volunteer doing who knows what in a third world country for two years? The people here range from 22 to 72, but the common denominator is definitely that the abnormalness. I'm not saying that I'm that great of a person, like I said I definitely have work to do. My parents would disagree, but I pay them (Christmas/Bday presents). I mean the people in Peace Corps really are the ones that love and want to help other people. They are nice and they want to invoke positive change. I hope that my first three months here also show me that I am confident and proud to call myself a part of that group.
As a newborn Volunteer I also hope to learn a lot about my community, which is technically about a 15 minute ride (+ a 5 min walk) to Kitale town (aka the town center). Rather, my house is about that far in a village called Namanjalala, and the center of Namanjalala is about 5 minutes from my house in the opposite direction of Kitale. Namanjalala is like an outer suburb of Kitale with a population of about 26,000 people... I know, not a village right. So far I have learned that there are probably 5 orphanages within close walking distance from my house, and there are that many or more in all of the surrounding villages of Kitale (of which there are probably 10)... yeah, let's think about that. They have a high HIV/AIDS mortality rate, and little to now electricity or running water throughout the community. Kitale, however, is a fairly large city, in fact, I even managed to find Ritz crackers and Oreos (with the help of 2 of my favorite neighbors, Ryan & Lussia who live a 40 min ride away and oh so graciously came down to show me around the town; seriously, I LOVE them!) not to mention anything else I will need. There might be some things only a Nakummatt will have, but I am very lucky to be so close to so many resources. Which is another reason I am so happy to be working with Namanjalala Community Partnership, all of the Community Health Workers are so knowledgeable about the area and its problems. I am very excited to start my CNA (Community Needs Assessment) and determine the definite statistical scope of the problems.
One of which is circumcision. In Kenya, while female circumcision is illegal it still happens, and male circumcision is still practiced as well. I mention this because as I am writing this I am hearing a circumcision ceremony being performed... I am not sure which one it is, but it is almost midnight and I was told yesterday not to be scared if I was awoken by singing (/chanting?) and drums because it is just the ceremonies this time of year. I am unsure of my opinion because the children are currently on break from school, and I know female circumcisions are done on even-numbered years and during break so that the girls have time to recover given how painful the process is (not to mention life thereafter). But, either way, I guess I honestly just hope they're using a clean knife.
That is definitely one thing Peace Corps has taught me; to try and be aware and open to other cultures. That first part is important because if you aren't aware of the other cultural practices or why they are done, you won't understand why they're cultural in the first place or why you should be open to them. Which you can hopefully then subtly disagree with by stating medicial/scientific/economic reasons that negate said cultural practices. Yep, I think that's pretty much Peace Corps in a nutshell.
Anyway, I'm still getting settled into my house. I was planning on putting some up today but I wasn't resourceful enough with my energy yesterday and my phone died before I could take pictures so they'll have to wait. My house is in a compound of a family that works for the organization I will be working with, and it's just two fairly small rooms (maybe 15x15?), a bedroom and living area. I have to put my kitchen stuff in the living room because I don't have a separate kitchen space. I still need to buy a table/counter space for my kitchen and a dresser for my clothes, and a bedside table. Otherwise I think I pretty much have everything. I am also going to look into a solar panel or something to convert the energy and charge at least my phone.
Well I think that's all for now folks! Just in case you were all wanting to send me something, please wait for just a little bit until I figure out what my new address is in Kitale- I'm not sure of the PO Box and I don't want it to be stuck in Nairobi. Thanks so much! Love you allll!
As a newborn Volunteer I also hope to learn a lot about my community, which is technically about a 15 minute ride (+ a 5 min walk) to Kitale town (aka the town center). Rather, my house is about that far in a village called Namanjalala, and the center of Namanjalala is about 5 minutes from my house in the opposite direction of Kitale. Namanjalala is like an outer suburb of Kitale with a population of about 26,000 people... I know, not a village right. So far I have learned that there are probably 5 orphanages within close walking distance from my house, and there are that many or more in all of the surrounding villages of Kitale (of which there are probably 10)... yeah, let's think about that. They have a high HIV/AIDS mortality rate, and little to now electricity or running water throughout the community. Kitale, however, is a fairly large city, in fact, I even managed to find Ritz crackers and Oreos (with the help of 2 of my favorite neighbors, Ryan & Lussia who live a 40 min ride away and oh so graciously came down to show me around the town; seriously, I LOVE them!) not to mention anything else I will need. There might be some things only a Nakummatt will have, but I am very lucky to be so close to so many resources. Which is another reason I am so happy to be working with Namanjalala Community Partnership, all of the Community Health Workers are so knowledgeable about the area and its problems. I am very excited to start my CNA (Community Needs Assessment) and determine the definite statistical scope of the problems.
One of which is circumcision. In Kenya, while female circumcision is illegal it still happens, and male circumcision is still practiced as well. I mention this because as I am writing this I am hearing a circumcision ceremony being performed... I am not sure which one it is, but it is almost midnight and I was told yesterday not to be scared if I was awoken by singing (/chanting?) and drums because it is just the ceremonies this time of year. I am unsure of my opinion because the children are currently on break from school, and I know female circumcisions are done on even-numbered years and during break so that the girls have time to recover given how painful the process is (not to mention life thereafter). But, either way, I guess I honestly just hope they're using a clean knife.
That is definitely one thing Peace Corps has taught me; to try and be aware and open to other cultures. That first part is important because if you aren't aware of the other cultural practices or why they are done, you won't understand why they're cultural in the first place or why you should be open to them. Which you can hopefully then subtly disagree with by stating medicial/scientific/economic reasons that negate said cultural practices. Yep, I think that's pretty much Peace Corps in a nutshell.
Anyway, I'm still getting settled into my house. I was planning on putting some up today but I wasn't resourceful enough with my energy yesterday and my phone died before I could take pictures so they'll have to wait. My house is in a compound of a family that works for the organization I will be working with, and it's just two fairly small rooms (maybe 15x15?), a bedroom and living area. I have to put my kitchen stuff in the living room because I don't have a separate kitchen space. I still need to buy a table/counter space for my kitchen and a dresser for my clothes, and a bedside table. Otherwise I think I pretty much have everything. I am also going to look into a solar panel or something to convert the energy and charge at least my phone.
Well I think that's all for now folks! Just in case you were all wanting to send me something, please wait for just a little bit until I figure out what my new address is in Kitale- I'm not sure of the PO Box and I don't want it to be stuck in Nairobi. Thanks so much! Love you allll!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Day by day
So I've been slacking a little bit. The end of PST is definitely the busiest (and most stressful) between a weeks vacation in Machakos and the final LPI test. So I really have quite a bit to catch up on, because now we are in Nairobi and I have... over 3 weeks to catch up on.
So the vacation in Machakos wasn't actually vacation, it was an HIV/AIDS workshop but Machakos is a bigger town (about an hour outside of Nairobi) and we stayed in a very nice hotel with amazing food. By amazing food I mean legitimate burgers, and even good fish! We still had classes every day from 8am until 4pm, but we were all in the same hotel so we got to hang out every night as late as we wanted... that sounds a little sad when I actually say it but we really don't get that many opportunities throughout training to all be together and have fun as opposed to sitting in class for hours every day. It was a great bonding experience and really solidified some already close friendships. So we did learn a lot in Machakos too, Antony is the PEPFAR guy and he is hilarious and really did some research to make sure that we took useful field trips and had good guest speakers. But seriously, we took advantage of the actual grocery stores (that actually sold bottles of wine instead of just boxes) and excellent pizza delivered to the hotel rooftop where we spent most of the nights. One night we had a Mr. and Mrs. Peace Corps competition and a Talent Show. This was the night Iwona and I decided to split a bottle of tequila and cover ourselves in glitter. That's a lie, Iwona tastefully put a little bit of glitter on her and I trashed it up, but it was worth it, I'm still finding glitter in my scalp weeks later.
I also stopped by a Safaricom store and was able to get the internet on my phone working so now its way cheaper for me to just send messages on Facebook instead of texting! It has been really nice to be able to talk to people a little bit normally again. I've come to terms with the fact that I rely on technology, because I feel like it supports my mental health. One thing about Peace Corps is that it definitely teaches you a lot about yourself. Seriously, I thought I was a pretty nice person in the U.S., but you meet some of the people in Peace Corps and well, basically I'm an asshole. Don't get me wrong, I love my fellow trainees, but sometimes I feel like such a negative Nancy while they're like... crapping rainbows.
After Machakos we had two weeks until our final LPI exam. The Peace Corps does a good job at making sure you're prepared, or at least aware of how the test is going to be, so you have a practice LPI, which basically shows you how the interview will go. Then two weeks later you have a Mock LPI, and of course you do practices with your language trainer before all of these too, so you end up doing like 2 or 3 LPIs each time. But then three weeks after the Mock LPI is the real LPI, which is done by official LPI testers instead of just a different language trainer other than your own. I wasn't trying to get stressed about it, but according to some of my new friends here I'm a pretty chill person anyway so it probably wouldn't have hurt me to stress a little bit. Regardless, I passed and that's all that matters. We did have a few people that ended up having to retake it to pass, but everyone ended up achieving Intermediate Low so we can all be officially Sworn In!
The last couple weeks in Loitokitok were kind of bittersweet. I think most people will miss their host families, but we are all very excited to get to site and have our own space and freedom. I was sad to say goodbye to my host mama, but I am glad to be back in control of my own eating habits, she fed me like a freaking linebacker and I was nooooot feeling it. We had our Host Family Appreciation day at Outward Bound and it was a nice little gathering. I left my towel at my mama's house... go figure, it's fine though I will just buy a new one when I get to site, I think I had to forget something. After the Appreciation we all stayed at Outward Bound and had one last little party in Loitokitok with a bonfire :).
Sunday we left bright and early for Nairobi and actually made it there in good time, despite off-roading and almost rolling the entire matatu. Sunday afternoon we were able to spend some time out in Nairobi doing whatever we wanted, and I ended up splitting off with Iwona and Britt and Brett (three of my favorite companions) and going to this bar called Gypsy, where we enjoyed some cocktails... (wait for it) on... ICE! Yes, that's right, we had real ice. I then ordered this Rattlesnake drink, which ended up being super delicious. It was a shot of tequila and a chaser of tomato juice/tabasco/lime/pepper! Iwona met up with some others at the mall and Britt, Brett and I went to look for this Mexican restaurant we had heard about. We ended up walking around for almost an hour checking out other places on our way and finding some really good possibilities for other nights. We eventually found the place and enjoyed some sort of Mexican... they did serve chips and salsa which was sweet but the dishes themselves were okay. Luckily I ordered like a 5 year old and got the fried chicken appetizer which turned out to be delicious. After we ate we navigated our way back and managed to catch a matatu all by ourselves and made it back to AFRALTI almost on time. After we got back we all drank a little bit and had a good time.
However, our supervisors arrived in town tonight so we are all taking it easy. Tomorrow we have a workshop with them and Wednesday is our Swearing In. It should be suuuuuper fun. After Swearing In we all head out to our individual sites with our supervisors. I'm not sure what the plan is for the first night we go to site because I am pretty sure that I dont have a bed or anything... hopefully I don't have to sleep on a bare floor. But if I do, I'll just get a few things to make me feel at home :) I'm looking forward to site, but it's daunting at the same time. I guess I will make my final judgement once I get there... haha. It will be nice to have internet all the time and my own place though definitely! I think that's it for now, I'll try to update again soon :)
So the vacation in Machakos wasn't actually vacation, it was an HIV/AIDS workshop but Machakos is a bigger town (about an hour outside of Nairobi) and we stayed in a very nice hotel with amazing food. By amazing food I mean legitimate burgers, and even good fish! We still had classes every day from 8am until 4pm, but we were all in the same hotel so we got to hang out every night as late as we wanted... that sounds a little sad when I actually say it but we really don't get that many opportunities throughout training to all be together and have fun as opposed to sitting in class for hours every day. It was a great bonding experience and really solidified some already close friendships. So we did learn a lot in Machakos too, Antony is the PEPFAR guy and he is hilarious and really did some research to make sure that we took useful field trips and had good guest speakers. But seriously, we took advantage of the actual grocery stores (that actually sold bottles of wine instead of just boxes) and excellent pizza delivered to the hotel rooftop where we spent most of the nights. One night we had a Mr. and Mrs. Peace Corps competition and a Talent Show. This was the night Iwona and I decided to split a bottle of tequila and cover ourselves in glitter. That's a lie, Iwona tastefully put a little bit of glitter on her and I trashed it up, but it was worth it, I'm still finding glitter in my scalp weeks later.
I also stopped by a Safaricom store and was able to get the internet on my phone working so now its way cheaper for me to just send messages on Facebook instead of texting! It has been really nice to be able to talk to people a little bit normally again. I've come to terms with the fact that I rely on technology, because I feel like it supports my mental health. One thing about Peace Corps is that it definitely teaches you a lot about yourself. Seriously, I thought I was a pretty nice person in the U.S., but you meet some of the people in Peace Corps and well, basically I'm an asshole. Don't get me wrong, I love my fellow trainees, but sometimes I feel like such a negative Nancy while they're like... crapping rainbows.
After Machakos we had two weeks until our final LPI exam. The Peace Corps does a good job at making sure you're prepared, or at least aware of how the test is going to be, so you have a practice LPI, which basically shows you how the interview will go. Then two weeks later you have a Mock LPI, and of course you do practices with your language trainer before all of these too, so you end up doing like 2 or 3 LPIs each time. But then three weeks after the Mock LPI is the real LPI, which is done by official LPI testers instead of just a different language trainer other than your own. I wasn't trying to get stressed about it, but according to some of my new friends here I'm a pretty chill person anyway so it probably wouldn't have hurt me to stress a little bit. Regardless, I passed and that's all that matters. We did have a few people that ended up having to retake it to pass, but everyone ended up achieving Intermediate Low so we can all be officially Sworn In!
The last couple weeks in Loitokitok were kind of bittersweet. I think most people will miss their host families, but we are all very excited to get to site and have our own space and freedom. I was sad to say goodbye to my host mama, but I am glad to be back in control of my own eating habits, she fed me like a freaking linebacker and I was nooooot feeling it. We had our Host Family Appreciation day at Outward Bound and it was a nice little gathering. I left my towel at my mama's house... go figure, it's fine though I will just buy a new one when I get to site, I think I had to forget something. After the Appreciation we all stayed at Outward Bound and had one last little party in Loitokitok with a bonfire :).
Sunday we left bright and early for Nairobi and actually made it there in good time, despite off-roading and almost rolling the entire matatu. Sunday afternoon we were able to spend some time out in Nairobi doing whatever we wanted, and I ended up splitting off with Iwona and Britt and Brett (three of my favorite companions) and going to this bar called Gypsy, where we enjoyed some cocktails... (wait for it) on... ICE! Yes, that's right, we had real ice. I then ordered this Rattlesnake drink, which ended up being super delicious. It was a shot of tequila and a chaser of tomato juice/tabasco/lime/pepper! Iwona met up with some others at the mall and Britt, Brett and I went to look for this Mexican restaurant we had heard about. We ended up walking around for almost an hour checking out other places on our way and finding some really good possibilities for other nights. We eventually found the place and enjoyed some sort of Mexican... they did serve chips and salsa which was sweet but the dishes themselves were okay. Luckily I ordered like a 5 year old and got the fried chicken appetizer which turned out to be delicious. After we ate we navigated our way back and managed to catch a matatu all by ourselves and made it back to AFRALTI almost on time. After we got back we all drank a little bit and had a good time.
However, our supervisors arrived in town tonight so we are all taking it easy. Tomorrow we have a workshop with them and Wednesday is our Swearing In. It should be suuuuuper fun. After Swearing In we all head out to our individual sites with our supervisors. I'm not sure what the plan is for the first night we go to site because I am pretty sure that I dont have a bed or anything... hopefully I don't have to sleep on a bare floor. But if I do, I'll just get a few things to make me feel at home :) I'm looking forward to site, but it's daunting at the same time. I guess I will make my final judgement once I get there... haha. It will be nice to have internet all the time and my own place though definitely! I think that's it for now, I'll try to update again soon :)
Thursday, July 26, 2012
I miss wifi
This blog post is one I wrote last week but haven't really had a chance to post it yet so here it is! I'll have another one up about Machakos and everything :)
I am currently in class listening to a lecture about all of the different tribes in Kenya. The tribe I was assigned to research, which is the tribe of the majority of the population in Kitale where my site is, just so happens to be the tribe of my favorite bartender in Kenya. So obviously I got pretty lucky and didn't have to do much research, just talked to him! This week has been pretty boring, I think we are all getting demotivated. PST is quite a tiring experience.
On the other hand, my host mama is pretty awesom. I'm not sure if I have really explained her that much and I am too lazy to go back and look but she used to be a public health advisor, and now she leads women's & youth groups and HIV/AIDS support groups. Her youth group invited me last week to be a part of their group, and they had just begun to build a greenhouse and a drip line irrigation system in a plot of land in front of our boma. It is so cool! The project has been completely funded by Amref and this specific loan program that insures everything too. Last night the group finished the majority of the building process and installation and so obviously there was a celebration and they killed a goat for the party. It was... smelly. I'm not much of a meat eater here at all, even in the U.S. I was on and off with it. However, I tried to be open because I knew it was a big deal for everyone as far as the project goes and killing a goat is a pretty big deal so I tried some... stuff. I don't really want to talk about it... haha to be honest it was all fine but they did all of the cleaning and everything right outside of the house and I could smell it allllll night long.
So anyway right now my host mama is in America at the National HIV/AIDS Conference in Washington D.C. giving a presentation on HIV in the Maasai community of Loitokitok. The Maasai are one of the largest tribes in Kenya, and specifically occupy the area around LTK, so we see them a lot during training. Traditionally the Maasai wear very elaborate beads they make themselves that usually includes a lot of red. They wear beads around their neck (a lot) and in the form of very elaborate earrings, sometimes resulting in a look similar to someone in the U.S. who gauges their ears. I bought myself a Maasai cape that I love... though I'm constantly asked if I can fly people to class.
We just had an Outward Bound party last night (Sat, July 21). It was pretty fun. We had a keg and everyone brought food. Me and Dave made chili, it was supposed to be vegetarian but then we found meat in the githeri which was okay- we just picked out the big fatty pieces. We had other people who made spicy peanut butter noodles, spaghetti, chicken, salsa, guacamole, fruit salad, and chipati! It was all pretty stinking delicious. The keg was done by like 10, no real surprises there. Luckily most everyone brought extra alcohol to supplement. We even found a whole bottle of gin this morning, though no one really wanted to dive into it right away.. hah.
Tomorrow, July 22 we are leaving for Machakos for our HIV/AIDS training and we are staying in a hotel and we get to go out to nice restaurants for dinner! We are there until next Friday (July 27) then we come back to LTK. Next we have the LPI, the language exam for real this time, the next Friday (Aug 3), then a week and we head to Nairobi to swear in! It's scarier the more I think about it, leaving all of my friends here... it will definitely be hard to be away from them and not talk as much, but I am really excited for Machakos.
That's all for now kids :)
<3
I am currently in class listening to a lecture about all of the different tribes in Kenya. The tribe I was assigned to research, which is the tribe of the majority of the population in Kitale where my site is, just so happens to be the tribe of my favorite bartender in Kenya. So obviously I got pretty lucky and didn't have to do much research, just talked to him! This week has been pretty boring, I think we are all getting demotivated. PST is quite a tiring experience.
On the other hand, my host mama is pretty awesom. I'm not sure if I have really explained her that much and I am too lazy to go back and look but she used to be a public health advisor, and now she leads women's & youth groups and HIV/AIDS support groups. Her youth group invited me last week to be a part of their group, and they had just begun to build a greenhouse and a drip line irrigation system in a plot of land in front of our boma. It is so cool! The project has been completely funded by Amref and this specific loan program that insures everything too. Last night the group finished the majority of the building process and installation and so obviously there was a celebration and they killed a goat for the party. It was... smelly. I'm not much of a meat eater here at all, even in the U.S. I was on and off with it. However, I tried to be open because I knew it was a big deal for everyone as far as the project goes and killing a goat is a pretty big deal so I tried some... stuff. I don't really want to talk about it... haha to be honest it was all fine but they did all of the cleaning and everything right outside of the house and I could smell it allllll night long.
So anyway right now my host mama is in America at the National HIV/AIDS Conference in Washington D.C. giving a presentation on HIV in the Maasai community of Loitokitok. The Maasai are one of the largest tribes in Kenya, and specifically occupy the area around LTK, so we see them a lot during training. Traditionally the Maasai wear very elaborate beads they make themselves that usually includes a lot of red. They wear beads around their neck (a lot) and in the form of very elaborate earrings, sometimes resulting in a look similar to someone in the U.S. who gauges their ears. I bought myself a Maasai cape that I love... though I'm constantly asked if I can fly people to class.
We just had an Outward Bound party last night (Sat, July 21). It was pretty fun. We had a keg and everyone brought food. Me and Dave made chili, it was supposed to be vegetarian but then we found meat in the githeri which was okay- we just picked out the big fatty pieces. We had other people who made spicy peanut butter noodles, spaghetti, chicken, salsa, guacamole, fruit salad, and chipati! It was all pretty stinking delicious. The keg was done by like 10, no real surprises there. Luckily most everyone brought extra alcohol to supplement. We even found a whole bottle of gin this morning, though no one really wanted to dive into it right away.. hah.
Tomorrow, July 22 we are leaving for Machakos for our HIV/AIDS training and we are staying in a hotel and we get to go out to nice restaurants for dinner! We are there until next Friday (July 27) then we come back to LTK. Next we have the LPI, the language exam for real this time, the next Friday (Aug 3), then a week and we head to Nairobi to swear in! It's scarier the more I think about it, leaving all of my friends here... it will definitely be hard to be away from them and not talk as much, but I am really excited for Machakos.
That's all for now kids :)
<3
Monday, July 16, 2012
I never thought I would miss sunshine in Africa.
Well today is Monday, the beginning of a new week. I am finally feeling really comfortable here in Loitokitok, or at least I am getting used to the stares haha. We had our Mock LPI (the language test you have to pass in order to be sworn in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer) this past Friday, and everyone scored well. The real LPI is in 2 weeks on Friday, but I'm not really worried. We study Kiswahili so much, if we are at the right level currently in 2 weeks we should be fine to pass with flying colors. Obviously after the mock we all went out to the usual spot... no comment on that. It really is nice to have a place we all feel safe to go, because all of the other bars in Loitokitok are... questionable. Regardless, the weekend went by and was pretty uneventful.
We went to market on Saturday, which is like a huge farmer's market except it is every Tuesday and Saturday here and they sell everything from produce to clothes to random tools... you can find anything there. Except for good American food, that I still haven't managed to find. The market is what really made me realize I am starting to feel comfortable here. I was walking around and didn't feel out of place despite the fact that market days are like a huge cluster with a billion people screaming numbers in kiswahili. However, I have even managed to buy a few things at market! In Kenya it is customary for women to wear skirts below the knee, at least in more rural areas. Since we are trying to integrate into the community we are pretty much required to wear skirts most of the time, and in the market they sell fabric to tie around your waist like a lasso. I bought 2! I love the patterns. I also bought myself a Maasai cape, which everyone loves to make superhero references to, but I wear it anyway.
I am hoping to get more packages this week!!! I think I have 3 on the way from my calculations.. it really never gets old getting mail here. I am currently getting ready to send about a bajillion letters because in my move from my first host family I lost a few things, one of which was a bundle of letters that I just found this week! So now I have more added to them and will be sending them today. I am also continuously thanking the Lord that my mother decided to send me BWW Caribbean Jerk sauce because... well suffice to say I am eating it on everything- hellooooooo FLAVOR hallelujah!
I was able to borrow my friend's modem this weekend because also, new exciting fact, my computer decided to start working again! I plugged it in on Friday and it started right up... poor thing just needed some time to adjust, I wanted to just shut down when I first got here too hahah. We also had a girl leave training last week... it was surprising to have someone seemingly come out of nowhere and go home, but I think we all are glad that she made the right decision for herself, and I think we bring her up at least once a day. This is definitely not as easy as I thought it would be, nor can I really describe it on a blog. If you're thinking about Peace Corps, really try to understand what you're giving up. It's not just American food and friends, but a lot of simple communication. Despite being with people who are in the same boat as you (to an extent), its hard to not feel lonely sometimes. Also, you're giving up cheese. So just think about that.
On to more positive things! This weekend we are planning our first celebration together as a full group- its a combination of Fourth of July (yay America.), Rae's birthday, Mike's Birthday, Britnee's birthday, and my favorite couple ever (Britt and Brett)'s anniversary! Soooo we are getting two kegs and trying out our first African potluck... not sure how it's gonna go because its all of our first time cooking here really, so it definitely won't be an American barbecue. BUT there will be alcohol so we will make it work :) I don't think I'm the only one who is hoping Charles and Joseph will crash the party, they are part of the training staff here, and we've heard they have played beer pong in the past.
I think that's all I've got for now :) I'll write again in a week or so.
Love and miss you all, as usual!
We went to market on Saturday, which is like a huge farmer's market except it is every Tuesday and Saturday here and they sell everything from produce to clothes to random tools... you can find anything there. Except for good American food, that I still haven't managed to find. The market is what really made me realize I am starting to feel comfortable here. I was walking around and didn't feel out of place despite the fact that market days are like a huge cluster with a billion people screaming numbers in kiswahili. However, I have even managed to buy a few things at market! In Kenya it is customary for women to wear skirts below the knee, at least in more rural areas. Since we are trying to integrate into the community we are pretty much required to wear skirts most of the time, and in the market they sell fabric to tie around your waist like a lasso. I bought 2! I love the patterns. I also bought myself a Maasai cape, which everyone loves to make superhero references to, but I wear it anyway.
I am hoping to get more packages this week!!! I think I have 3 on the way from my calculations.. it really never gets old getting mail here. I am currently getting ready to send about a bajillion letters because in my move from my first host family I lost a few things, one of which was a bundle of letters that I just found this week! So now I have more added to them and will be sending them today. I am also continuously thanking the Lord that my mother decided to send me BWW Caribbean Jerk sauce because... well suffice to say I am eating it on everything- hellooooooo FLAVOR hallelujah!
I was able to borrow my friend's modem this weekend because also, new exciting fact, my computer decided to start working again! I plugged it in on Friday and it started right up... poor thing just needed some time to adjust, I wanted to just shut down when I first got here too hahah. We also had a girl leave training last week... it was surprising to have someone seemingly come out of nowhere and go home, but I think we all are glad that she made the right decision for herself, and I think we bring her up at least once a day. This is definitely not as easy as I thought it would be, nor can I really describe it on a blog. If you're thinking about Peace Corps, really try to understand what you're giving up. It's not just American food and friends, but a lot of simple communication. Despite being with people who are in the same boat as you (to an extent), its hard to not feel lonely sometimes. Also, you're giving up cheese. So just think about that.
On to more positive things! This weekend we are planning our first celebration together as a full group- its a combination of Fourth of July (yay America.), Rae's birthday, Mike's Birthday, Britnee's birthday, and my favorite couple ever (Britt and Brett)'s anniversary! Soooo we are getting two kegs and trying out our first African potluck... not sure how it's gonna go because its all of our first time cooking here really, so it definitely won't be an American barbecue. BUT there will be alcohol so we will make it work :) I don't think I'm the only one who is hoping Charles and Joseph will crash the party, they are part of the training staff here, and we've heard they have played beer pong in the past.
I think that's all I've got for now :) I'll write again in a week or so.
Love and miss you all, as usual!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
More package ideas!
Here are some more package ideas- I realize I have a lot of wonderful family members sending me things so I didn't want anyone to feel left out ;) hahaha
Q-tips
Deodorant! Always useful
A little pocket mirror... I didn't bring one with me and I go like a week without seeing myself and then I forget what I look like, it's weird.
Envelopes
Ghardettos
Notebooks
Pistachiooooss
A sketch book- but not a huge one, just like a notebook size
Portable ipod speakers- someone told me you can get them for like $20 at Target or walmart or something
Popcorn cheese! White or sharp cheddar! yum!
White Cheddar Cheeze its... or any other cheeze its, I love them
A big flashlight and some extra batteries for it
Bath soap
Linen pants! My friend got them hers from REI, they are great at looking "business casual" but are sooo comfy. We can't wear traditional jeans very often so linen pants are great- or any similar material. They don't have to be from REI, I'm just not sure where else to find them... maybe target has some cheap linen pants. Size 4 tafadhali! (that's please in swahili)
I think that's it for now- I'm going to put up a more interesting blog post later this week :)
Love you all!
Q-tips
Deodorant! Always useful
A little pocket mirror... I didn't bring one with me and I go like a week without seeing myself and then I forget what I look like, it's weird.
Envelopes
Ghardettos
Notebooks
Pistachiooooss
A sketch book- but not a huge one, just like a notebook size
Portable ipod speakers- someone told me you can get them for like $20 at Target or walmart or something
Popcorn cheese! White or sharp cheddar! yum!
White Cheddar Cheeze its... or any other cheeze its, I love them
A big flashlight and some extra batteries for it
Bath soap
Linen pants! My friend got them hers from REI, they are great at looking "business casual" but are sooo comfy. We can't wear traditional jeans very often so linen pants are great- or any similar material. They don't have to be from REI, I'm just not sure where else to find them... maybe target has some cheap linen pants. Size 4 tafadhali! (that's please in swahili)
I think that's it for now- I'm going to put up a more interesting blog post later this week :)
Love you all!
Friday, July 6, 2012
Another day another...shilling
It has been wayyy too long since I've posted and I don't really have any excuses. I know a lot of people have been waiting for this, it's just so easy to not get on the internet when it isn't at your fingers all the time.We just got back from shadowing current volunteers and I traveled with 3 others to Chebunyo, which is about 9-10 hours travel time from Loitokitok.We had an excellent time! I am very lucky to have had excellent travel partners and excellent host volunteers. Otherwise my time here has been spent in training, which is halfway over I am happy to say! I enjoy being with the other trainees and learning about Kenyan culture and the language, but it's hard to concentrate on anything else when you know where your site for the next 2 years will be- all I want to do is research it and start working! Anyway, we have class beginning at 8:00am every day and going usually until 4:30 or 5pm, but it's not as grueling as it sounds. We get a long lunch break and everything is usually pretty laid back. On the weekends we have class on Saturdays sometimes, but we get to hang out with eachother a lot. We play ultimate frisbee (thank the Lord for some exercise because all of this starch would kill me otherwise), and other normal things in Kenya, like shop at the market which is awesome. I actually haven't bought anything yet except for a blanket because at night it's frickin freezing... like 40 degrees. It's crazy, I never thought I would be cold in Kenya. But tomorrow I am definitely going to buy a wrap or scarf or something :) Kenya is definitely very different, and I am eager to learn more about certain behaviors, but I'm trying to wait until getting to site before I really think about all of that stuff. So my site in Kenya is in a city called Kitale- it's in North/Western Kenya, at the base of Mt. Elgon and only a few hours from the Ugandan border- WHICH I'M SO HAPPY ABOUT!!! It's supposed to be seriously beautiful and green and situated on a lake. Everyone should google it and if you find something awesome tell me because I get so distracted on the internet here and can hardly do anything productive but write the random blog and facebook post- then I realize I've been on for an hour and dnoe like nothing... aka right now. Anyway in Kitale I will be working with HIV/AIDS support groups and in an orphanage! PERFECTO. Thank you Peace Corps for understanding what I want to do in Kenya! I am verrrryyy excited, and can't wait to contact my group for more information. Don't know about electricity at my house there yet but I'm sure I'll still be pooping in a hole- you really get used to it. Now for the good stuff- here's what you can send me!
Starbursts, Gummy Worms, MAC AND CHEEEESSEEE, Bacon Salt (yes it exists, at Target OF COURSE), dark chocolate nature valley granola bars- HELL YES, Kellog's fruit snacks (like the strawberry, blueberry, raspberry ones), fruit smileys (from walmart), packets of chicken or tuna so i can get my proteeeiinnnn, crystal light peach tea packets!, a headlamp and a nalgene!!! Also hair ties or hair thingies in general, nutelllaaa please and thank you and oh mylanta would I appreciate some Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuits, and cheese its!
I think that's all for now, I'll try to write a more organized one soon :) Love you all so mcchhhh
Starbursts, Gummy Worms, MAC AND CHEEEESSEEE, Bacon Salt (yes it exists, at Target OF COURSE), dark chocolate nature valley granola bars- HELL YES, Kellog's fruit snacks (like the strawberry, blueberry, raspberry ones), fruit smileys (from walmart), packets of chicken or tuna so i can get my proteeeiinnnn, crystal light peach tea packets!, a headlamp and a nalgene!!! Also hair ties or hair thingies in general, nutelllaaa please and thank you and oh mylanta would I appreciate some Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuits, and cheese its!
I think that's all for now, I'll try to write a more organized one soon :) Love you all so mcchhhh
Thursday, June 7, 2012
The first few days...
Jambo Marafiki!
I know that's a pretty typical start to any Peace Corps Kenya blog because we've just started learning Kiswahili, but it is pretty cool to be able to speak the native language here when Kenyans don't expect it :) I guess I'll start from the beginning for those reading this who I haven't sent a personal message to already about the first few days. Right now it is about 9:45 in Nairobi on Thursday, June 7, so we have been at the training center for just about 24 hours. We arrived yesterday and had dinner then pretty much went straight to bed. The place we are staying at is way nicer than I expected, it has very tight security and each volunteer has their own room (with the exception of couples, who get to room together) as well as running water (including hot showers) and electricity! We even managed to find a few wifi spots, though not in our rooms so we are all sitting out in the front hallway of the hostel like sad little technology starved Americans... hahah. What's funnier is we originally found it out in the middle of the road that goes through the compound so for like an hour this afternoon there was a group of us just standing in the middle of the road with our phones sending messages to our family because we hadn't been able to since we arrived. Anyway, we started training today, and they briefed us on security issues as well as our schedule for the rest of the week. We will be here until Saturday, when we will travel to Loitokitok (Loy-toke-y-toke) to meet our host families and really start our training. Tomorrow we will have the chance to go to a shopping center, so I am going to try and buy a Sim card which will make my service on my phone muccchhh cheaper. I don't have much time right now, but in time I'll write some posts that include some tips for any Peace Corps hopefuls. At the present I am very happy with what I've packed, I think I have a good amount of clothes (and let me tell you, it is winter here right now so at the beginning and end of the day even in long sleeves and a long skirt I'm chilly), and I think it was a good idea to wait and have my family send me a bike helmet instead of packing one with me, which from what I heard from the other volunteers was a pain in the ass. Everyone we have met is soooo friendly, just like Uganda. I am not at all disappointed with my decision. The only thing I miss is my family, my best friends, my dog, and my ever wonderful boyfriend (<-- who I will see again in 162 days! He keeps me sane, don't judge me).
Here is my address for the wonderful people that will actually send me things! From what I hear for packages, flat rate boxes are international rates so they are cheapest, but I don't think letters are very expensive to send. I know they aren't expensive for me to send so if you'd like a letter let me know, I'll have plenty of time to write :) If you do send a package though send it asap because it is duty free for me in the first 90 days here and it takes a couple weeks to arrive so it's never too early :)
Rachel Wilson
c/o Peace Corps Kenya
PO Box 698-00621
Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya
Goodnight for now,
Rachel
I know that's a pretty typical start to any Peace Corps Kenya blog because we've just started learning Kiswahili, but it is pretty cool to be able to speak the native language here when Kenyans don't expect it :) I guess I'll start from the beginning for those reading this who I haven't sent a personal message to already about the first few days. Right now it is about 9:45 in Nairobi on Thursday, June 7, so we have been at the training center for just about 24 hours. We arrived yesterday and had dinner then pretty much went straight to bed. The place we are staying at is way nicer than I expected, it has very tight security and each volunteer has their own room (with the exception of couples, who get to room together) as well as running water (including hot showers) and electricity! We even managed to find a few wifi spots, though not in our rooms so we are all sitting out in the front hallway of the hostel like sad little technology starved Americans... hahah. What's funnier is we originally found it out in the middle of the road that goes through the compound so for like an hour this afternoon there was a group of us just standing in the middle of the road with our phones sending messages to our family because we hadn't been able to since we arrived. Anyway, we started training today, and they briefed us on security issues as well as our schedule for the rest of the week. We will be here until Saturday, when we will travel to Loitokitok (Loy-toke-y-toke) to meet our host families and really start our training. Tomorrow we will have the chance to go to a shopping center, so I am going to try and buy a Sim card which will make my service on my phone muccchhh cheaper. I don't have much time right now, but in time I'll write some posts that include some tips for any Peace Corps hopefuls. At the present I am very happy with what I've packed, I think I have a good amount of clothes (and let me tell you, it is winter here right now so at the beginning and end of the day even in long sleeves and a long skirt I'm chilly), and I think it was a good idea to wait and have my family send me a bike helmet instead of packing one with me, which from what I heard from the other volunteers was a pain in the ass. Everyone we have met is soooo friendly, just like Uganda. I am not at all disappointed with my decision. The only thing I miss is my family, my best friends, my dog, and my ever wonderful boyfriend (<-- who I will see again in 162 days! He keeps me sane, don't judge me).
Here is my address for the wonderful people that will actually send me things! From what I hear for packages, flat rate boxes are international rates so they are cheapest, but I don't think letters are very expensive to send. I know they aren't expensive for me to send so if you'd like a letter let me know, I'll have plenty of time to write :) If you do send a package though send it asap because it is duty free for me in the first 90 days here and it takes a couple weeks to arrive so it's never too early :)
Rachel Wilson
c/o Peace Corps Kenya
PO Box 698-00621
Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya
Goodnight for now,
Rachel
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