Karibu Kenya

I’ve been in Kenya for just over two weeks now, and after assuring many people back home that I did indeed intend on blogging while abroad, I’m finally writing. And so it begins...

After perhaps the most stressful departure I have experienced (I don’t recommend trying to travel with a ticket where your name has been misspelled – TSA doesn’t especially appreciate it), my long layover in Amsterdam was perfect. I found my way to the center of town and met a dear friend for lunch outside on one of their first real spring days, followed by a bike tour of the city, complete with several stops for beer. One more overnight flight, and I made it to Nairobi, only to find out that my luggage had not left Amsterdam. Whether or not this was my fault, I’m still unsure, but there was nothing I could do except talk to the desk to figure out when/how I could get my luggage and be thankful that I’d thought to pack a spare outfit in my carry-on.

I arrived in Kisumu and was greeted by Peter, my supervisor, who remarked as to how well I had heeded his advice to “pack light.” Hah. I explained what had happened, and we were off to Kakamega, my new home.

My position with Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) is only a six-month contract, so this international stint has already been very different from my experience in Lesotho. No pre-departure staging in Philly. No group of volunteers to travel with, to compare anxieties and aspirations as we crossed the Atlantic and the equator. No central training center to stay in, no official language instruction, no other Americans. This time, I’m largely in charge of my own training, doing a lot of learning on the fly.

Kakamega is a town of about 80,000 (I’ve seen different numbers from different sources), just across the equator from Kisumu. The neighborhood where I’m staying is definitely in a nicer area of town – it’s mostly pretty quiet and very safe. Unlike my home in Lesotho (which I very much liked for the most part), I have reliable running water, semi-reliable electricity, a hot shower, a fridge, and a few other kitchen appliances I never could’ve dreamed of in Lesotho (microwave, toaster, waffle maker?!). Plus a TV and DVD player in my sitting room! I’ve been reminded, however, that although I pay rent, I am in no way am I the sole inhabitant of the house. At least one rat lives in the ceiling, and I’ve seen three slugs (one was at least six inches long, and the other two made it into my bathroom and bedroom), a handful of gecko/lizards, many (big) moths, and countless other insects. At the end of the day, I’m thankful for the mosquito net above my bed.

The FSD office is in the busy part of town, a 15-20 minute walk from my house, depending on how long it takes to cross the two main roads, which can be quite an undertaking as there are bicycles, motorcycles, tuk-tuks, plus normal cars and trucks, all competing for space, traveling different speeds (along the left side of the road), equally unconcerned with pedestrians. I’ve discovered that if I can time my crossing to coincide with that of a local, I’m usually safe.

Work has been a lot of reading, trying to learn my way around both geographically and in terms of policies and procedures. The first interns won’t arrive until June 11, but there’s plenty of prep with host organizations and host families. I’m working on learning Swahili, but it’s slow going without formal instruction, and my brain commonly reverts to Sesotho or Spanish. I went with my supervisor to see the host organizations last week, and meet with the individuals who will be guiding our interns and their work. I’m reminded how well I learn both by seeing and by doing. The others in the office laugh at my requests for them to show me where something is located on a map (I think I have my father to thank for the map infatuation).

Speaking of running, it continues to be how I truly wake up in the morning, and for that I am thankful. My mileage is down from where it was before I left, but that's to be expected. I had a nice break between leaving Minnesota and the day my bag (with all my running clothes) arrived. I'm settling gradually into a routine: my alarm goes off at 6 and (usually after a snooze - old habits die hard) I stumble out the door by 6:30, as the sun is starting to rise. I’m acclimating to being at mild altitude; the challenge now is really just the temperature and humidity combination. I'm told this is the cool season, and that it will heat up again once the rains stop, maybe mid-June, so I've got that to look forward to. It rains most afternoons, and again sometimes later in the evenings, never on any sort of predictable schedule, but the sky always gives it away. When it doesn't rain one day, the next is noticeably hotter. Gotta love the weather.

As my iPhone is finishing its reboot (I'm practically holding my breath that the power doesn't go out and take the WiFi with it while it's still updating), I've got some other stuff to check on while I have WiFi. I've got regular (low-volume) internet access, so shoot me an email! Skype with video is a bit more of a novelty, especially with the time difference (I'm 8 hours ahead of CST), but is definitely doable.

I miss everyone from home, as well as screens on windows, fresh salad greens, craft beer, and good ice cream, but I'm still confident that my decision to be here was the right one for this point in my life, which is a really encouraging feeling.

-K