The New Old Adventure

I have made it home! I left Tuesday for staging and was very anxious about my decision and as we flew to Holland but when I arrive in Kenya it as if all my anxiety melted away! Africa excites me and of the places I have been in the world I believe it is the most beautiful and the most challenging. Kenya is no exception. The deaf education volunteers where separated from the other 36 volunteers in order to experience deaf schools on the coast. So here I am in Mombassa an island off the Indian Ocean!

Peace Corps Kenya is in a new and different situation, due to the upheaval surrounding the election in December PC evacuated. Hundreds of volunteers left 25 returned in June. Kenya is one of the PC oldest programs so it was a devastating blow! We are the first group back, trying to rebuild the program.

Life as a peace corps trainee consists of waking up at 7 to eat, Kenyan Sign Language Class from 8:30 until 10:30, medical session ( which includes pricking our fingers to collect blood for malaria testing) from 10:30 until 12:30, then visiting deaf schools until 5:30. I am still adjusting to the time difference so I normally fall asleep at 6 pm!

The need for deaf education is so great here. We've had the opportunity to visit schools and speak with current volunteers and I have learned so much already. The deaf community is large due to childhood illness and lack of hearing aides, therefore of the 42 major tribes in Kenya the Deaf are known as the 43rd. Many times parents believe there deaf children are dumb or someone has placed a curse on them, often times taking them to witch doctors for cures, in extreme situations deaf children are raised with animals-- because of this Deaf schools try to promote awareness to the parents as well. Imagine never being able to communicate with you parents or your child, this is what a deaf child faces, so often times teachers must demonstrates what the concept of language is.

With that said many of you know that I do not know Kenyan Sign Language! The intense immersion classes are helping a lot, the teachers are very nice and know a lot about the material. I somehow was moved into an advanced section of KSL, they believed I was good enough to be in a class with a trainee who is a ASL interpreter in the states, and a deaf trainee, needless to say in this class I am the slowest, but I believe I will learn more this way!

The people of Kenya are very friendly and many greet you with Jambo the typical greeting to Mazungos aka foreigners. They all love Obama, I hear America Obama or Obama is my cousin a lot around Mombassa! I think my appreciation and understanding of the people will only grow from here and I look forward to what I learn!

On Friday we will travel to our home Loitoktok on the base of Mount Kilimanjaro! There we will meet our home stay families. This is the first time Peace Corps have been located at this site, so the families have never had volunteers before-- I may even be the first non-African they have ever seen! I was told to be ready for no electricity and no running water--quite the stereotypical Peace Corps experience, with that said ...PLEASE SEND ME MAIL! My access to internet will be few and far and I would love some letters to read!

I have many adjustments in the next 27 months, at times it can feel overwhelming to learn 2 languages and adjust to lack of the familiar but my time here already has breathed new life into my soul, and I feel alive with curiosity and happiness.

I miss everyone and wish to someday show you Africa!