Monday's News

Hamjambo! (Hello everyone!)
The days are already starting to roll into one another-we're doing so much! I'll try to go back to when I first arrived since so much is going on & it's rare to get on the computer...

The drive from the airport to the Home Base was 45 minutes & really interesting! I saw huge banana trucks, goats,donkeys & cows right alongside the road, women carrying things on their heads, roadside fruit stands & little huts/shacks like houses,I guess. It's SO green here! I love it! Our grounds at the Home Base are so beautiful-palm tress, plumeria, green,green,green. Today I saw 4 different lizards! Of course, I took pics of all of them.

The Home Base reminds me of the mountain house in Brownies. Everything you need is here but modest. I sleep in a bottom bunk w/ a mosquito net w/ 3 other girls. Everyone here is so nice, we just talk all day & all night. 15 of us are brand new & about 15 others have been here awhile. It's great getting their input & advice! The bathroom has 3 toilets w/ shower stalls. There's no shower curtain so the whole place gets very wet. You don't want anything to touch the floor so you have to be careful. You get used to it. Meals are great-well rounded & healthy. So far we had beef, chicken (I think!) & fish w/ lots of veggies. I'm glad I brought my peanut butter Tastycakes though.

Our first whole day on Sunday, we had orientation at 4pm. So the whole morning 10 of us newbies walked into town. Cool! It was neat to get familiar w/ where everything is. It's a very busy town-people walking everywhere, on bikes & lots of traffic. People are VERY welcoming, calling out "Jambo! (Hello) Mambo! (what's up) Karibu!(welcome)". It's so cool to understand them & be able to respond to them w/ "Nzuri! (good) Poa (cool) Asante (thank you)!"
I found some really cool things but didn't buy yet-I want to compare prices.

Our orientation was just going over policies & permits-dull.

Today (Monday) was much more full & exciting. Orientation was at 8am. We wrote personal goals & expectations & shared w/ the group. Then we had a scavenger hut assignment! It was so great. We each partnered up & had a task to go into town & meet w/ the community. My task was to walk to the YMCA & ask how to get to the Mr. Price Supermarket & write down some things to buy there. It was great- but my mistake, I took us to the YWCA-oh well! 3 women were working at the entrance & I said, "Jambo! Mr. Price, wapi?" (where) One awesome guy actually walked us all the way through town to show us. Everyone was sooo nice. SO much fun! Everyone came back w/ neat stories of who they met & what happened. People here are very welcoming of us.

I do not have culture shock-I love it! It feels fabulous to be here. Later, Richard, our van driver, took us on a tour around town. We stopped at a batik shop that is popular w/ the girls to get clothing made. I didn't buy anything yet. We stopped at a different Mr. Price closer to us & I found a super cool shaker instrument & a sistrum! (Trish-you're going to freak!)

We also met w/ our placement representatives today. Sam & I met Andrew-the man who started up the school where we'll be. He's a wonderful, soft-spoken man w/ a huge heart. This school is for underpriveledged kids & has virtually nothing.

Tomorrow is a BIG day- 1st day of placement!! I'm nervous & excited! It will be a relief to finally meet the kids & find out what level of English they're at so we know what to do with them. Ooo boy! Better get a good night's sleep!

I will write more as I can. We are planning a safari this weekend!
Love to you all~
Jes