Last week we went on an overnight trip to Nairobi to visit the Peace Corps headquarters and a government health organization. The purpose of the trip was to become acquainted with the various resources available to us while at site, such as HIV manuals and teaching supplements, as well as the large framed photos of our President and Vice President. I was nostalgic for a moment when I realized I recognized those two faces right away although I hadn't seen their smiling faces for several months.
I'm not sure how much news from Kenya makes it's way across the world, but there were some earthquake tremors that began in Tanzania and made it's way to Nairobi last week. My host mama said she felt a tremor while she was sleeping, but I was awake and in the same house and didn't notice a thing. I didn't think much of it until we were packed in a matatu on our way to Nairobi and head an announcement on the radio (in English) mentioning that all rumors from the American Embassy warning it's citizens to evacuate were false, and that everyone should continue on as normal. We all turned to stare at one another because I think this was the first time any of us heard anything about it. Then the news report went on to discredit the headlines made by various religious sects and witchdoctors that claimed they could predict the next big earthquake that was scheduled for later that week as a punishment for wrongdoings in Africa (which did not occur, maybe their lines were crossed). It's incredible how much influence religion has here. Meanwhile, the large California contingent of trainees all laughed at us because they experience earthquakes and tremors (not to mention mudslides/wildfires/celebrities driving under the influence) all of the time and told us not to worry.
So all is well and we're wrapping up the last week of training. Several of my colleagues have dropped out after visiting their site and now they're back safely in the US of A. I'm still hanging in there, as is the chicken who will likely meet it's fate this weekend to mark my departure from Kitui. It has grown significantly and is looking healthy. I've noticed it also gets a little nervous around me, so perhaps it can predict the future.
More updates to come...
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9 comments:
Bravo to you for hanging in there, Anna. Keep on truckin' and persevering!
thank god you are alive. It has been far too long since I have heard from you. I can't imagine you have more important things to do than correspond :)
Hang in there - also, please do not publicize how the chicken meants its end.
Love,
the vegitarian
Hang in there Anna, I am so proud of you! I knew you could do it-mmmmm fresh chicken-heh heh
Cristina
Thanks for keeping us all updated, miss you!
Love the blog! I can't believe you're going to eat that poor chicken. Hang in there!
Patrick
mmm chicken, i want some. ;-)
have i ever told you that i love you?
lindsay lohan was arrested again - dwi and had coke on her - she's still MY role model.
i had a mouse in my apartment for a couple days before the exterminator came. we named her Mo'Nique.
Mo'Nique's (the original) show F.A.T Girls is starting soon - F.A.T as in Fabulous and Thick. I tried out for it, but wasn't fabulous enough :( She's still my girl.
Equality has not yet been acheived.
xoxo
So it sounds like you are having a great time and I am glad that you can still see those smiling faces in even the most remote parts of Africa.Things here are a little more mundane ,we dont have to content with farm animals or earthquakes ,but we do have fire ants! Not sure if chickens practice fatalism, but I am thinking that to the chicken you must look like Col.Sanders after a long fast. As I always like to say, dont get sunburnt and never let them see you sweat!
PS: RJ will be back in a couple of weeks!!!!!
OMG... Billings is SO boring without you. I've started drinking four or five chai lattes every day just to keep awake without you.
Candice Gingrich came out for PRIDE. We bonded over Thai food. I like her.
It's been like 100 degrees here straight for the past 10, 15 days or so. I'm sure you don't feel my pain. Anna W. is about to drop a baby any day now, and there is talk of Mon Mon coming back for her maternity leave. SO MUCH DRAMA.
In other news my house is actually furnished now and looks relatively not bad. I'm now trying to court a mountie and also complete a basement remodeling project. Leave it to me to make life simple.
Miss you!
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