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!