Home Sweet Office

I have almost completed my first full week of work! Or should I say, volunteering as a fellow, though it does feel like going to work at an office. Except that the office is in the home.  Now, I know a lot of people may have a home office, but usually it does not involve having anywhere from 8 to 18 people working from there at a time.  But it’s lovely having a commute that consists of walking only 11 steps from one’s bedroom after commuting an hour each way in Southern California! 

My room

The office has almost a schoolhouse feel with wooden desks and chairs.  The dining room also doubles as overflow office space. We have wifi (when there is power), and many meetings are conducted over skype. However, due to slower internet speeds and frequent power outages, it can be challenging conducting virtual meetings between Kenya and Uganda. So far, it seems like everyone has a more sensitive ear than I to decipher the staccato conversations, but I’m sure I’ll eventually catch on.  Fortunately, as it turns out, most of the power outages are supposed to be brief here in Kenya, and we have a back up generator when needed which allows the office to continue to run.

Office

And if you need to have a meeting, there is a board room, which was converted from a garage. I love it because it opens to a garden and you get to listen to exotic Kenyan birds chirping during your meeting.  There’s also another area that serves as a meeting room during the day and a living room at night.  

Board Room

The kitchen is where those of us who live in the house cook our meals (yes, I’m actually cooking) and is also where office lunches are prepared. (When there are big meetings with staff members coming from the field to the office, lunch is provided since people are having to travel to get there.) I do miss having a microwave, but am really enjoying trying the local food.  I also had the opportunity to cook by headlamp last night when we were in the middle of a longer power outage.

Kitchen

I’d better wrap up for now before the power goes out again (as it’s been doing at regular intervals for the past hour).  Hope this note finds everyone doing well!  And be sure to think twice before complaining about a brief power outage on the rare occasion that you experience one in the U.S.  I know I will when I get back! 

A Kenyan back massage!

Yesterday I took the 8 -- or should have been 8 -- but ended up being an 11 hour ride from Nairobi to Kakamega.  When I was buying my bus ticket, the guys behind the counter enthusiastically told me that I would enjoy my Kenyan back massage on the way to Kakamega!  Translation, very bumpy road.  Though not nearly as bad as I was expecting.  And, as you can see from the pics below, the drive was beautiful, as the road goes through the Great Rift Valley, a UNESCO world heritage site. Along the way I also saw lots of donkeys and sheep, as well as cows, goats, antelope and zebras (I think the last two were in a wildlife preserve that we drove by).

I had heard travel times in Kenya and Uganda can vary greatly due to the frequency of breakdowns and whatnot, and yesterday was no exception, and a good introduction to life on the African roadways.  It was smooth sailing for the first 5 hours or so.  Then we came upon traffic that would put LA freeways to shame.  Apparently a truck had overturned and blocked the highway, and then traffic began to build up. This resulted in a 3 hour delay while we waited for people to come to move the truck, and then much longer after that for the traffic congestion to clear.

View of traffic & people trying alternate routes

On the plus side, everyone on the bus was incredibly nice.  A woman across the aisle from me kindly invited me to her home the next time I’m in Nairobi, and several people helped to make sure I got off at the right stop when we finally reached it. They also enthusiastically pointed out the road to Obama’s ancestral home, which is apparently not far from Kakamega. 

I arrived in time to meet my new roommates/co-workers, who had kindly cooked a delicious dinner. Then attempted unpacking and went to bed. 

Kariboo! (Arrival in Kenya)

Not too much to report yet, but just wanted to let everyone know that I made it safely to Kenya this morning.  It was quite a journey, starting with a few days of training in San Francisco, then a 10 hour flight that left Thursday afternoon for London, followed by 10+ hours in Heathrow airport, and a 9 hour flight to Nairobi.  The driver who picked me up enthusiastically welcomed me to Kenya (Kariboo is Swahili for Welcome).   

I'm staying overnight here at the Wildebeest Lodge (http://www.wildebeestcamp.com/).  I then head to the bus station early tomorrow morning for an 8 hour bus ride to Kakamega, where I will be staying for about a month or so.

Here is the view as I type and wait for my room (or tent) or whatever my accommodation will be. Not too shabby!

More to come!  I'll try to send another update soon once I get to Kakamega.  Thanks again for all of the well-wishes and support!

Preparations & Parting

After lots of encouragement, I decided to start this blog to chronicle the next year of my life while in Uganda and Kenya for a volunteer fellowship.

This first post will be short and sweet to get the blog going and get the address link out to everyone.

I thought it best to start with a very big THANK YOU to all of my friends and family for their support, love and encouragement as I prepare to depart. I know some of the support is a bit reluctant because you care and worry about me, but I so appreciate it, and everything you have done, and continue to do for me. 

I also want to express my sincerest thanks to all of my friends and colleagues at SCE for wishing me well in this adventure and providing a warm and generous send off!  Loved this beautiful cake with farewell, good luck and well wishes in many languages!

I look forward to staying in touch with everyone and please also feel free to reach out to me via skype or email too!

Love,
Kim