So...training ended and we were off to Nairobi. After two months of ugali& cabbage, my tastebuds immediately went into sensory overload. Everything is at least 5x more expensive in Nairobi but that didn't stop us from immediately gorging on pizza, chinese food, cocktails, sushi, tacos, and anything else we were craving. We also spent way too many hours in Nakumatt, a mix between a Wal-mart and a Target. On Wednesday July 21, we were sworn in at the ambassador's house and feasted on Doritos and mini pizzas to celebrate becoming official volunteers. Classy & yummy. Then on Thursday we all split in our separate directions to our new homes for the next two years.
In the previous post I stated that there is no stereotypical "Peace Corps" experience. Only a handful of the 36 in our group have what people think of when they think Peace Corps: mud huts, no running water or electricity, small villages. Most have nicer accomodations than they had in the US and I would say the majority of our group has access to electricity and water. My town, Narok, is a legit town of about 40,000 people. It is the last stop to get fuel or food before heading 100km into Maasai Mara- the great wildlife reserve which stretches to the Serengeti in Tanzana.
As far as work, I have a few primary projects. As I said in a previous post, the house that I live in is a safehouse for girls that have escaped early marriage and/or female circumcision. Most students in Kenya attend boarding school in secondary (high) school, so the girls are only here when school is out. Also, the school system here is a rotation of 3 months of school followed by a 2-4 week break. August is a break month so the girls are here now, taking the total to about 22 in the house. The head of the organization, who is my supervisor, also lives in the house with his 2 year old daughter and wife. They have been extremely welcoming and I'm excited for our work together the next two years. My actual "house" is a 12x12 room outside of the main house. I will post a video but I have managed to fit into this small space a kitchen, living room, bedroom, office, and occasional bathroom. Thankfully I haven't had any issues with wild animals or creepy crawlers but we do have two guard dogs who are only out at night and one of them got into my room yesterday and chewed through my mosquito net. Fun.
So far I haven't done much with the girls, partly because there is a significant language barrier. I was taught Maasai in training but since this is a town with many different tribes, most people speak KiSwahili. I'm working on it though. We play a lot of card games and I'm going to try to make a Kenyan version of the game of LIFE. Also, any suggestions on activities and games for high school age girls are most welcome.
My other projects so far are working with a woman's group on microcredit and helping with trainings for women on rights, family planning, health and business. I have my first training tomorrow and I was supposed to meet the woman's group on Tuesday but I will be going to Nairobi. They are voting on a new constitution next Wednesday so as a precaution my area (Lower Rift Valley) is being consolidated to Nairobi for one week. Bring on the pizza!!!
OK, now that I have caught up on the blog I will try to post more frequently so I can give better experiences instead of just a recap. Tutaoana! (see you later)
Friday, July 30, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
It's so hard to say good-bye
We finished up training in Loitoktok (LTK) about a week and a half ago and I have been meaning to write a post ever since. I will split up my thoughts into two different posts- training and swearing in/site- to save you guys the pain of reading a horrendously long post.
It really was a bit sad to say bye to the LTK, our home for the last two months and our official welcome place to Kenya. I bonded really well with my host family and I will miss my mama's cooking and chatting with my brother and his bomb chapati. My training project also ended quite nicely. Myself and another business volunteer were partnered with a nascent (that's for you Adam) group who wanted to sell eggs. Well, at first they wanted to be a middleman buyer/seller of eggs but there was no money in that. Then they wanted to raise chickens but that was going to take a long time. In the end, they ended up raising funds internally, buying chickens, and getting a few eggs. Sadly, two of the chickens we bought were menopausal, i.e. they were no longer laying eggs, but they were able to "return" them and look for new chickens. At our closing ceremony with our partner groups, our group presented us with traditional Maasai jewlery, which was completely unexpected and greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, my first necklace was too small for my head so they had to exchange it for me (stop laughing Aja!).
A few notes about training for those reading who may be about to embark on this Peace Corps journey themselves... Bring clothes you like. We were told to dress modestly- skirts knee length or below and collared shirts. This, however, does not mean that you have to be dowdy. It's better to bring less clothes but clothes you actually like to wear than to have an assortment but you don't feel like yourself in them. Remember, you are going to be meeting people and working in them for two years- it's worth it to bring a couple of pieces that you just feel great when you put them on.
That ties into the second point: Just because you are in the Peace Corps doesn't mean you have to (insert stereotype here). You can be a girly girl and still be a great Peace Corps Volunteer. Or a gadget guy. Or whatever it is that you identify with. A fellow PCV had a rough day a few weeks back and she went home, did a full face of makeup and sat and watched some mindless American TV for a few minutes, washed it all off and felt tons better. Even though you are here, you are still YOU! There's no typical PCV or PC experience so the things that comfort you at home will probably comfort you here.
Which brings me to my next point: packing. I stressed over packing before I left. First, you only have a little bit of time to prepare (I had one month) and second, you just have no freakin idea what to pack. My suggestion: reach out to a current PCV in your country. If you are coming to Kenya, pack light! You can find just about anything your little heart desires in Nairobi and other parts of the country. I would bring enough toiletries to get you through training and then just buy what you need in country (why did I bring 4 toothbrushes???). If you want to know if something is here, just ask! As far as clothes- quick dry (especially undies) are a worthwhile investment. Stick to dark/earth colors (black, brown, green) because you will get dirty and washing clothes isn't just as simple as throwing things in the machine. Oh and bring an extra empty duffel bag. You will work so hard to pack everything for the next two years and just have it fit in your suitcases, only to get a bundle of papers, manuals, handbooks, and medical supplies from Peace Corps. On the same note- don't bother bringing first aid/medical supplies unless it's prescription or very specific. Peace Corps Medical hooks you up with everything from asprin to pepto bismol to vitamins to hand sanitizer. For all those on the path to PC, I hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions if you have them.
Sorry if that was boring for the rest of you but a RPCV helped me pack and it was invaluable. All in all, it was a great two months in the LTK. Other than the DUST! I would walk outside a by the time I reached class, my feet and legs were two different colors. When I washed clothes the water would immediately turn brown when I put my skirts in because of all the dust. And, anytime a car or pikipiki (motorbike) drove by, forget about it. Eat my dust became a literal daily activity. I will miss looking at Mt. Kilimanjaro every day and watching her become covered by clouds. But most of all, I will miss seeing my new Peace Corps family every day...
It really was a bit sad to say bye to the LTK, our home for the last two months and our official welcome place to Kenya. I bonded really well with my host family and I will miss my mama's cooking and chatting with my brother and his bomb chapati. My training project also ended quite nicely. Myself and another business volunteer were partnered with a nascent (that's for you Adam) group who wanted to sell eggs. Well, at first they wanted to be a middleman buyer/seller of eggs but there was no money in that. Then they wanted to raise chickens but that was going to take a long time. In the end, they ended up raising funds internally, buying chickens, and getting a few eggs. Sadly, two of the chickens we bought were menopausal, i.e. they were no longer laying eggs, but they were able to "return" them and look for new chickens. At our closing ceremony with our partner groups, our group presented us with traditional Maasai jewlery, which was completely unexpected and greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, my first necklace was too small for my head so they had to exchange it for me (stop laughing Aja!).
A few notes about training for those reading who may be about to embark on this Peace Corps journey themselves... Bring clothes you like. We were told to dress modestly- skirts knee length or below and collared shirts. This, however, does not mean that you have to be dowdy. It's better to bring less clothes but clothes you actually like to wear than to have an assortment but you don't feel like yourself in them. Remember, you are going to be meeting people and working in them for two years- it's worth it to bring a couple of pieces that you just feel great when you put them on.
That ties into the second point: Just because you are in the Peace Corps doesn't mean you have to (insert stereotype here). You can be a girly girl and still be a great Peace Corps Volunteer. Or a gadget guy. Or whatever it is that you identify with. A fellow PCV had a rough day a few weeks back and she went home, did a full face of makeup and sat and watched some mindless American TV for a few minutes, washed it all off and felt tons better. Even though you are here, you are still YOU! There's no typical PCV or PC experience so the things that comfort you at home will probably comfort you here.
Which brings me to my next point: packing. I stressed over packing before I left. First, you only have a little bit of time to prepare (I had one month) and second, you just have no freakin idea what to pack. My suggestion: reach out to a current PCV in your country. If you are coming to Kenya, pack light! You can find just about anything your little heart desires in Nairobi and other parts of the country. I would bring enough toiletries to get you through training and then just buy what you need in country (why did I bring 4 toothbrushes???). If you want to know if something is here, just ask! As far as clothes- quick dry (especially undies) are a worthwhile investment. Stick to dark/earth colors (black, brown, green) because you will get dirty and washing clothes isn't just as simple as throwing things in the machine. Oh and bring an extra empty duffel bag. You will work so hard to pack everything for the next two years and just have it fit in your suitcases, only to get a bundle of papers, manuals, handbooks, and medical supplies from Peace Corps. On the same note- don't bother bringing first aid/medical supplies unless it's prescription or very specific. Peace Corps Medical hooks you up with everything from asprin to pepto bismol to vitamins to hand sanitizer. For all those on the path to PC, I hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions if you have them.
Sorry if that was boring for the rest of you but a RPCV helped me pack and it was invaluable. All in all, it was a great two months in the LTK. Other than the DUST! I would walk outside a by the time I reached class, my feet and legs were two different colors. When I washed clothes the water would immediately turn brown when I put my skirts in because of all the dust. And, anytime a car or pikipiki (motorbike) drove by, forget about it. Eat my dust became a literal daily activity. I will miss looking at Mt. Kilimanjaro every day and watching her become covered by clouds. But most of all, I will miss seeing my new Peace Corps family every day...
Monday, July 5, 2010
Small successes
Yesterday I cooked an entire meal for my family by myself. Ordinarily this would be no big feat. It wasn't even anything elaborate (spaghetti and spinach). However, nothing is quite as simple as it would be at home here. First, let me just say I love my mama teKenya. She knows I hate cooking so most days I get by with just helping chop vegetables and setting the table. But, this past weekend my broter cooked me lunch and I am trying show him reciprocity and that gender roles don't have to be pre-determined so I decided to cook two of his favorites for dinner Monday. If I were cooking this in America, what would I do? Put two pots on the stove, one for the spaghetti and one for the spinach and start a pan for the sauce. Thirty mintues later, we would be eating. Let's see how things are a bit different here:
1) The "kitchen". Our kitchen is a wooden shack in front of the main house. There is a dirt floor, a bench, a wooden stump (for sitting by the fire), three cinderblocks under which the wood is burned and a cupboard with various dishes and utensils. So, the first thing I have to do is start the fire. I am not good at this and it gives my family hours of amusement to watch me try. Ok, now the fire is going but I can only put one pot on at a time...
2) Space. There's no cutting board or island or counter to set things on. I chopped the spinach just with it in my hands (you cut into your hand- directly contrary to all knife admonitions from childhood) into a plastic bowl and chopped the onions directly into the pan with oil.
3) Convenience. After I put the spinach in the pot I realized I needed some water to cook it down. I have to go around back of the house to the water tank and fill up a bucket. Oh, the water bucket has leftover milk from the cow in it. Now I have to wash the bucket and then fill it up with water. And quickly before the spinach burns. Ok, the spinach is now simmering, time to start the spaghetti.
4) The stove. My family uses a combination of wood-burning fire and a charcoal stove (jiko) to cook. So we light the jiko, fill it with charcoal and set a pot of water on there to boil for the spaghetti. In the meantime the spinach is cooking too fast...
5)Temperature control. Part of the difficulty in cooking here is you never know what temperature you are at. There is no oven telling you 350 degrees, no burner to set to hi-med-low. When it's too hot, you take a log out. Not enough heat? Add some more wood!
6) Vision. It gets dark between 6:45 and 7 here and I get home at 6:30 so there is only a bit of a window when I can actually see what I'm cooking. I try to use the kerosene lamp to peer over the pot but then I get a blast of heat and smoke and I can't see anything. I spent about 30 minutes crying in the kitchen between the onions and the smoke :-( This also is amusing to my mama because of course it doesn't bother her eyes. She also doesn't use anything to remove pots from the fire half the time.
All in all, the meal turned out well. The spaghetti got a little overcooked because I was trying to get the sauce together and couldn't get to the jiko for a couple of minutes to check on it. And the sauce was a bit bland because I only had onion, tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt to work with. Garlic and cilantro are available but only on market days (Saturday and Tuesday). My family liked it (at least they said they did) and they ate it so I call that a success!
1) The "kitchen". Our kitchen is a wooden shack in front of the main house. There is a dirt floor, a bench, a wooden stump (for sitting by the fire), three cinderblocks under which the wood is burned and a cupboard with various dishes and utensils. So, the first thing I have to do is start the fire. I am not good at this and it gives my family hours of amusement to watch me try. Ok, now the fire is going but I can only put one pot on at a time...
2) Space. There's no cutting board or island or counter to set things on. I chopped the spinach just with it in my hands (you cut into your hand- directly contrary to all knife admonitions from childhood) into a plastic bowl and chopped the onions directly into the pan with oil.
3) Convenience. After I put the spinach in the pot I realized I needed some water to cook it down. I have to go around back of the house to the water tank and fill up a bucket. Oh, the water bucket has leftover milk from the cow in it. Now I have to wash the bucket and then fill it up with water. And quickly before the spinach burns. Ok, the spinach is now simmering, time to start the spaghetti.
4) The stove. My family uses a combination of wood-burning fire and a charcoal stove (jiko) to cook. So we light the jiko, fill it with charcoal and set a pot of water on there to boil for the spaghetti. In the meantime the spinach is cooking too fast...
5)Temperature control. Part of the difficulty in cooking here is you never know what temperature you are at. There is no oven telling you 350 degrees, no burner to set to hi-med-low. When it's too hot, you take a log out. Not enough heat? Add some more wood!
6) Vision. It gets dark between 6:45 and 7 here and I get home at 6:30 so there is only a bit of a window when I can actually see what I'm cooking. I try to use the kerosene lamp to peer over the pot but then I get a blast of heat and smoke and I can't see anything. I spent about 30 minutes crying in the kitchen between the onions and the smoke :-( This also is amusing to my mama because of course it doesn't bother her eyes. She also doesn't use anything to remove pots from the fire half the time.
All in all, the meal turned out well. The spaghetti got a little overcooked because I was trying to get the sauce together and couldn't get to the jiko for a couple of minutes to check on it. And the sauce was a bit bland because I only had onion, tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt to work with. Garlic and cilantro are available but only on market days (Saturday and Tuesday). My family liked it (at least they said they did) and they ate it so I call that a success!
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