Sorry it has been so long since I have posted anything. I have been pretty busy since Christmas time. So let’s just start there, Christmas was really fun a PCV friend,David came up to spend it with me. The night before the church had some skits so I went to that, the skits lasted till midnight but I didn’t and end up going home at 11pm. The next morning there was Christmas mass so I was back at the church again. The mass had been going on for about 3 when David and I decided to leave and go to the Christmas party I had been invited to. It was with a family who mainly stays in Nairobi but had come back for the holidays since this is where they were raised. It was really good food and there was more English than I normally get so that was nice too! After that I showed David around Wongonyi. The more people that come to visit me, the more I reaslize how lucky I am to be here. I really like how beautiful it is here and other PCVs are always telling me the same thing. That night we had some wine played x-mas music and played Pente(one of my favorite games). Oh yeah David also brought x-mas decorations that are still in my house and I don’t plan to take down till I leave.
The next day my counterpart, John’s brother was getting married in Voi. The weddding was pretty fun. It was cool to compare the village wedding to the big town wedding. There were little things different but a lot of the same things. So the next day I wanted to get to Mombasa to start my long trip to Zambia the following morning..This was pretty doable if the wedding would have started on time I think it started like 3 hours late…I should have just left after the wedding but…. I didn’t and went to the reception that was also starting very slowing. All I could think about is, “I really need to get to MSA”. So I had to get going and here was my jam. If I leave wit out saying good bye that is very rude and if I say good bye they will not let me leave without eating… I decided to say good bye and they made me eat before EVERYONE. Just when they brought my plate, the father of the groom brought me to the head table with only the bride, grooms and their best person! I was like,”sorry I need to get going.” I quick ate some food away from everyone and was on my way.
The next day I had to leave MSA at 6am to start what end up to be a 3 day bus ride to Zambia to visit my good college friend Ut. It was an adventure to get there. I finally made it to Zambia and stayed with Ut’s family. I kind of thought I would be some huge tourist but I wasn’t which was really nice. I just hang out with Ut and his family a lot. They are really a nice family. Be time I left I really felt like I was part to their family(calling and I myself the favorite son) I want to even try to visit again after I am done with my service. While in Zambia I saw two copper mines. Zambia is one of the biggest producers of copper in the world! Going into the mines I hard to wear a hard hat and all. I also went to a lot of holiday parties that were really fun. So Ut(for those for you who don’t know) is Indian so at these parties and his house I had some really good Indian food, My month is just watering talking about it! I was so spoiled in Zambia! I also got to see the end of the Bears/Vikings game(That is all I saw of the season and that is ok with me too!). After seeing Ut I had gone to visit Peace Corps Zambia since they do lots of fish farming. I talk to a guy who is the adviser for the PCV there. We compared how it was being done there to my project. I learned a lot and got a ton of information I still need to look over. That night I was able to meet some volunteers from PC Zambia. It was really fun to travel across Zambia and Tanzania. I went by bus and train. The train was fun it lasted 2 days. The first day I had the car for 6 people (still not o big of a car) to myself and then in the middle of night it got filled it up. One of the guys was a teacher in Tanzania and was working with a PCV at his school. 2nd day on the train we went through an animal park as well. Doing all of this traveling made me really want to travel some more after service. I am not sure for how long though.
So I got back to Zambia cleaned my house really good. In the process I found ton termites! They ate pretty much ALL of my journal and letters from my mom! I know I had termites but in the past year they have pretty much just stayed to eating my house( I am ok with that). I put kerosene on where they were since I friend here said that would help and so far they have not come back. I am kind of annoyed but then on the other hand it is kind funny too…
I head to Nairobi after that to pick up Erica. Ok so sorry if you are reading my blog and Erica form this point on because we may end up taking about some of same things. My friend Mich was in Nairobi as well and went with me to get her. It was so nice to seeing her again. After being away for so long it was unreal having her here! She just came over to it is kind of weird now talking about her on with her right next to me! We have been spending a lot of time and I have been trying to teach her how things are in the hills. Erica gets things really fast and if I don’t keep up with Swahili she is going to get better than me!
Just this just week another PCV, Pat come up and we along with Erica and counterpart went up to the forest to talk about eco tourism. My project really wants to get started with the eco tourism now. We are going to be defining the trails and clearing them soon! I have also been keeping busy organizing the library. So I have a computer that can keep a super big charge to the plan is to email and blog more. As long as the computer doesn’t crash again I plan to hold to this! Thanks for reading!