In case you were wondering...

This is what I mean by a bumpy back road.

Mt. Kuvansa

On Sunday I climbed a mountain. And yesterday I had my fingers painted purple. So far my activities here have included digging holes, a great deal of welding, carpentry, solar panel installation, motor bike repair, teaching, making clay stoves, cooking the occasional exotic pizza, painting a mural, and maintenance on on a few necessary machines along with an assortment of various tools. Playing with the kids is a given because that's a bonus on any day, hence the purple nails today. Another set of volunteers has left and I've realized how attached I get now to someone after knowing them for only 2-3 weeks. It makes me wonder what it's like for some of these kids (KSVP I miss you already). My weekends have mostly filled up with projects now, but I still managed to get out with two new friends from a neighboring village on Sunday. My new compatriot Benson and I trekked out a few hours to Kuvansa for a little bike repair and after some time met his neighbor Patrick, a nice guy who I was introduced to the weekend before. The three of us back tracked a bit to this nearby mountain and although I was tired, I gotta say the journey was worth the shaky legs. Beautiful view of the valley below, from Nyumbani to the Kosanya river and well beyond. I could even see Kitui town below the horizon. Afterwards we split some mangoes and I got a speedy ride back to the village on Patrick's motorbike in time for the sunset. Some of the back roads were a bit wild, but it sure beat walking. At dinner I found out the Irish volunteers had left us a sweet surprise. Marshmallows! Now I can add building a fire to my list of activities.

Hello everyone! Anyone?

I've been here in the Nyumbani Village (outside Kitui and Kwa Vonza) for roughly a month and a half now and I still sometimes feel like the first sun burnt puritan in the new world. Although I feel pretty well adjusted to life here in the village now, I have to say that I still see and experience things here that amaze and confuse me on a daily basis. When I got here I had a vague idea of what I might be doing in the polytechnic department and after seeing all the other jobs to do I jumped into things here with 5 projects at once. It's true that things can sometimes move slowly, but that doesn't stop the staff and myself from working hard through each day. I like to work, I sleep better that way. This blog has been a long time coming so I will try to update it as much as possible with stories and explanations of life here in Kenya. I'll also include pictures from my adventures, some relating, some not. This first one is from my Christmas in the Nyumbani Karen home, and I think it sums up my attitude pretty perfectly right now. I am fueled with the heat seeking power of a baby Moses.