Happy Valentine day!

Happy V-day from Kenya

Happy Valentine's day everyone!

Fresh start

So, moving to a new site after three months is like starting all over again. Luckily I am not too far from my previous site so at least the local language is still the same. However, its new organization, new community, new home so its a new fresh start.

Now I have been at my new site for about 3 weeks mainly setting in and making a new home. First order business, since I love working with students, I already re-started my health clubs in 3 local primary schools.

water project!

My host organization is implementing the first clean water source for my community. That means, they are placing a big water tank in town center. They will be pumping the water from the lake and treating it. This tank will be the only clean water source in my community, which will be available to community members at a small coast.

We will be training our Community Health Workers (CHWs) about water and sanitation this coming week because we would like them to go door to door and mobilize the community for this project. After the training I will be joining them as they spread the word and educate oh how to keep water clean till consumption.

The purpose of this water project is to decrease water born diseases in our community. Pictures and videos about this water project will be updated here soon!  

Other than that, hope the new year is starting out good for you all!  

New Site

After two week of site development I have been assigned to a new site. Luckily, I am in an island called Rusinga on lake Victoria and still close enough to service my previous site from time to time.

This island isn't much different than my previous one and poverty still a big issue. However, it is closer to inland making food very easily accessible.

I am supper excited to serve again!!!

Mt. Longonot

Me and 6 other PCVs climbed Mt. Longonot. It was my first real hike and it was amazing. The view from the peak of the ring is a killer! Below are some facts about the mountain from wikipedia. 

Mount Longonot is a stratovolcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya, Africa. It is thought to have last erupted in the 1860s. Its name is derived from the Maasaiword oloonong'ot, meaning "mountains of many spurs" or "steep ridges".

Mount Longonot is protected by Kenya Wildlife Service as part of Mount Longonot National Park. A trail runs from the park entrance up to the crater rim, and continues in a loop encircling the crater. The whole tour is only about 8–9 km long but very steep, so that the round trip of park gate - Longonot Peak - park gate takes around 3 to 4 hrs hiking. The gate is around 2150 m asl and the peak at 2780 m asl but following the jagged rim involves substantially more than the 630 m vertical difference.

A forest of small trees covers the crater floor, and small steam vents are found spaced around the walls of the crater. The mountain is home to various species of wildlife, notably zebra and giraffe andbuffaloes (droppings on the rim) and hartebeest. Leopards have also been reported but are extremely difficult to spot.

Happy Holidays!!!

Hope everyone had a merry merry christmas!!! My Christmas was great, got to open some presents from home. Spent christmas with my dog in a hotel.

New year is coming up and want to wish you all the best! 2013 has been so good to me and I am so grateful and blessed!!! Happy New year!

I have been taken off the island and now I am currently in a transition between sites. I don't know where my new site will be in Kenya or what my new assignment will be. Everything is up in the air right now and the holidays have delayed the transition. 

Thats all I got today, happy holiday all!

In Service Training (IST)

We are now 3 month into site and our 2 week in service training has just begun. To me two days to get to our venue. We are staying in a really nice camp and eating some great food. First time outside of my island and back into the real world.

Finally found a scale and weighed my self, to discover I have lost 25 pounds in three month. Not sure whats going on maybe just change of environment and lack of verity of food.

On the plus note we are eating 5 times a day here at IST. Three meals and two tea breaks! I had forgotten that this much verities of food still exists. So good to be satisfied after meals, very grateful!

Crayfish Camp

Camp dinning hall

Missed real food

Enjoying IST

What a weekend!

Had the chance to host at my site for the first time. 3 volunteers came over this weekend. We biked around the island, went swimming, had bond fire and then did some business sessions with local groups. Great weekend #VeryGrateful

Biking around the island for the 2nd time

about to start

My friend just cut the banana from the tree and gave it to me

Bond fire

Enjoying that island life