Photo Update

Hey to all!  It's been a while since I've last posted, so I thought I'd take the time to share some photos with you.  

This is my very spacious and very comfortable bedroom! :) I was pleasantly surprised with how much room and storage space I was given.  And it's been great having some space of my very own.  The blue net that is knotted up over my bed is my mosquito net (or, rather, princess canopy).  And yes, I do tie away the net and make my bed every single morning. The wrap that's draped across my desk chair is what I use to cover up going to and from the "shower", which is just down the narrow hallway in the house.  The table that I use as my desk is about the same height as the seat of my chair, which doesn't make for an ideal working space, but I'm getting used to it.  On the far side of my window there is a small table where I keep a jug of clean water and a cup for brushing my teeth.  I have electricity (that is, if it hasn't been turned off due to rationing) and even my own outlet.

This is a picture of my house from the outside.  The blue door is the main door and leads into a small porch.  Just to the left of the porch is the living room/ dining room.  And the window on the left is the one in my room.  The roof above functions as both a roof and a ceiling- the individual rooms do not have separate ceilings.  I tried to get a better picture of the house, but the other houses in the compound are fairly close; right behind me is one of the other houses.  There are about 5 families in the compound, but I can't be sure because some separate houses share a wall (including my family's home).  It's typical for every family in the compound to be related, but in this compound we are just neighbors and don't really interact, other than sharing a pit latrine and maybe saying hello on the way into the house.

This photo was taken in Kisumu, the 3rd largest city in Kenya.  Kisumu sits right next to Lake Victoria, which is a gorgeous and huge freshwater lake that Kenya shares with Uganda and Tanzania.  Just don't touch the water- you may end up with schistosomiasis, a parasitic and chronic illness that eats away at your internal organs.  This is the boat the other interns and I road to go around the lake and see some hippos.

"Woodpecker" is the name of our favorite bungalow at the very western Golf Hotel.  We like to come here on Saturdays after our weekly seminars to relax, catch up on stories, and utilize the free internet service. 

This is a picture of my first matatu ride into Kisumu.  When we first boarded it was quite spacious and comfortable, but that changed quickly.  After 12 more people crammed into the vehicle we were finally "full enough" to begin our journey to Kisumu.

This is my office at Mahiakalo CDC.  I was surprised to get my own space at work, and although it's small, it's plenty of space for my purposes, and the desk-to-chair height ratio is just right.  My office also functions as a library for the 258 children who come in on Saturdays, but currently the center is working on getting funds to construct and furnish a new library just next door.  

Here is part of Mahiakalo from the outside.  The window to the left is to a conference room (where I was trained in first aid) and the window to the right is to the office of the social worker.  The other three offices/library are in the white building.  There's plenty of grassy space around and behind where I'm standing for the kids to play.  

I hope these pictures have given you a better idea of what I'm seeing every day!  :)