Today looked like this...

I figure I will take advantage of the presence of internet in my life while I have it and give you a run down of what’s being going on in Kenya. 

After another short night of not so great sleep I woke up in a panic thinking I was late and had to tangle myself out of the mosquito net to see that I did not oversleep afterall.   In fact, at breakfast I realized after having talked with fellow PCV’s (Peace Corps Volunteers) I had set my watch for the wrong time and was an hour early for breakfast and training.   What can I say I’m just that eager.

We had a full day today of our first safety and security class, medical information, more paperwork – to set up a bank account, more medical papers, a few other papers.  We met PC Kenya staff.  Heard stories from 4 current PCV’s.  Got some more shots, with still more to come.  We also got a PC medical kit stocked full of everything we might need.  Malaria pills are now a daily routine for the next 2+ years.  We got a mosquito net for our site and when we travel.  And we had our first Swahili lesson.  Oh we also had 2 tea breaks.  Tea breaks are huge over here.  You pretty much hang out and drink tea multiple times throughout the day.  It’s just something you do.  Tea is also the 2^nd largest export for Kenya after coffee. 

So far I haven’t had to bust out any of the food I brought with me.  Surprisingly my stomach is allowing me to eat pretty well.   However, this may change as we move to our actual training site.  I’ll keep ya posted.  But I’m pretty sure I downed some goat tonight. 

So there ya have it.  My day in a nutshell.  

Wait...What....I'm on my way to Kenya!

So this is for real.  It is finally here.  I cannot believe that after so long of talking about doing this I am NOW doing it.

I arrived in Philly this afternoon for staging and it has confirmed 2 things for me.  1) It has reassured me of how much I want to do this and 2) that it will be the most difficult thing I have ever and may ever do.

Ahhhhhhh I am so excited.

So we are going to the clinic tomorrow morning which basically means a heck of a lot of shots.  Then we take a bus to JFK airport and depart at 6:10pm.  We will arrive in Nairobi on June 8 at 10:30pm.  There are 55 of us in this training class.  The next day we will meet the Kenya staff and will jump right in to our first lesson in Swahili.  This weekend we will meet and go "home" with our host families.

We were told tonight that we will not have access to communication for the duration of training.  So if you don't hear anything from me in 10 weeks don't be alarmed.  Hopefully after that I will be able to have access to an internet cafe.

Here is my address if you wish to write me the old school way...

Use this address for the first 10 weeks.

Sarah Kaufmann, Peace Corps Trainee

P.O. Box 698-00621

Nairobi, Kenya

Or this address at any time of my service...

Sarah Kaufmann, PCV

U.S. Peace Corps

P.O. Box 698-00621

Village Market

Nairobi, Kenya

Just a few words on that....number the letters as mail could get lost and takes a while to receive. This way we will know if we've missed a letter or they are out of order.

For those of you who have offered to send packages... The PC recommends that packages be sent in padded envelopes if possible, as boxes tend to be taxed more frequently.  Custom fees can be quite expensive. 


Ok I think that is about it for now.  I'll talk to you in 10 weeks after I have (hopefully) passed my language proficiency exam and training.