Last Day in Nairobi

Jambo, my dear readers!

Time sure goes by nicely and quickly when you are on somebody's schedule.  We had our trainings on different topics, including some Kiswahili (more on this soon).  The electricity constantly went out like every 10 minutes during the day, so it affected the presenter's LCD projector, and unfortunately wifi for some of us who depend on it for our emails (and blog for me).  But then we remember we are really in AFRICA and going Hakuna Matatu-ing about everything.  

Although it is not exactly life-threatening for me, I have a little withdrawal syndrome with access to everything.  I have to learn that the vibrations in my pocket is only a phantom pager that is no longer living in it.   

We all received our walking money -- $120 in Philly, and recently $6,500.  We are rich!  Well, not exactly, its actually worth $77.  But if I understand it should last us until October 20th, with some leftovers.  Notice all the bills have the same portrait of their president.  I would think a photo of their elephant or lion on some would be better.  We were to buy our phones and stuff using it

I thought I was smart to bring my old unlocked Blackberry Tour thinking I could just insert a SIM card from Safaricom.  Everything worked, at first glance, but at a closer look, it was sending "private call" on others, which is not acceptable because when I contact Peace Corps for emergencies or stuff, they need to see my name or phone number.  So, after wrangling crowded Safaricom shop, and they ended up having 3 staff working on it, and it finally worked.  Me happy?  No.  Later I found out that it refused to let me "top up" (we purchase a scratch off cards) on my phone to increase the airtime.  So, I thought I would google it up, but duh me, internet has not been that accessible.  So I guess I will just buy a cheap phone in Machakos (cheap Samsungs go like $20) and learn how to text using the numeric keypad.

Heres another photo of us, Deafies and KSL interpreters.  They all are very friendly, helpful, and mostly very patient.  I am still struggling to remember their, and anyone's, names.

Josephine, Monica, Carolyn, Me, Joseph, Isabella, and

I am learning, but not yet getting the hang of, new daily habits. The photo below is my view up while I am on my bed.  I need to use water bottle to brush my teeth with (there are tap water, but we were encouraged not to use them), taking my malaria pills (this Monday, I will switch over to different type that allows me to take weekly instead of daily).

Few tidbits.

For few people, I have been ribbing (maybe not, as I really want to) about losing weight and being more fit and healthy.  I learned from Joseph that in Kenyan's culture, being thin is viewed as one having problems while being heavy as one being happy.  Oops.  I better shut up about this topic and lose weight in silence.

Now about learning Kiswahili.  We were broken up into groups of threes.  A Kenyan teacher along with my two KSL interpreters worked with three of us. The teacher went off introducing Swahili to us, and then trying to prompt dialogue.  The teacher did not realize that I am learning TWO languages - Swahili and KSL.  So I receive Swahili information (alot of spelling) along with KSL and I am trying to remember my KSL and learn Swahili.  While my mind is grinding its gear 110%, I keep finding the teacher looking at me waiting for a rapid response. Fortunately, learning Swahili is an option for Deaf Education because the Deaf Kenyans are not required to know Swahili as it seems to be mainly a spoken language.  There are some Swahili written on signs and papers, but everything is mainly English.  But unfortunately I will go through this for one more week before I (and other Deaf Ed PCVs) will be totally emerged in KSL for the rest of our training time.

On other note, as I mentioned, many of PCVs in our group know ASL, varying in skills.  They keep asking me "what is the sign for this and that" and I keep warning them that they will have to learn these signs again in KSL as almost all of them will be different.  Now we are here in Kenya, with me immersed in KSL, and a few of them picking up a sign or two, I struggle on what I should use to communicate -- ASL or KSL.  And when they ask me for a sign, I struggle on which language to show them.  I told Davin that we gotta all agree to just stop using ASL and use KSL full time.  Seesee.

Today, after water treatment training is done, we will load up and head out to Machakos.  The Deaf Educators will live there for the next 10 weeks.  The rest of the PCVs (19, and all secondary education teachers) will head off to Liotokitok.  Davin (Physics) and I (Math) will travel to Liotokitok for few days about three times during the 10 week training time.  I think all of us 28 will be together again in Liotokitok during our last week for swearing in. More on that later. 

I also hear internet access is even worse in Machakos and Loitokitok, so bear with me if I do not post regularly.  

Also, I hoped to post short, quick and sweet posts for simple reading and not be too wordy, like Deb Skj likes to say about me, but its only possible if I had good access to the internet.  Maybe eventually my news and updates will dwindle down once routine takes over.

Hakuna Matata.