The water project is doing well. I spoke with the lady who
lives down by the pump and she showed me around her new garden. She has been
using some of the water to grow kale and they have already sprouted. She also
said that people have been coming from very far to get water; even people from
the shore of the lake have been coming to get their drinking and cooking water.
My research…not going as well. There is a teachers strike for
better wages (a document they prepared and have been trying to pass since the
mid ‘90s) so none of the schools are starting. Some of the secondary school
students told me that they will still go back to their boarding schools so they
can be together and study. I may try to go on Thursday and see if anyone wants
me to still run the health club, but I’m honestly not sure if anyone will be
there.
Jimmy is having the same trouble with the teachers’ strike
multiplied by nine since he works with nine different schools. He was also
supposed to be expanding to new schools this term. The good thing is this gives
his team some extra time to plan, but we are both hoping the strike ends soon.
We had a great weekend in Kisii together though. It was nice to get away and
see a city (with running water, toilets, electricity, a variety of food, and
even supermarkets). Mostly, it was just good to see Jimmy! It is his birthday
today so please send him many birthday wishes and tarheel football updates. :)
I’m still doing program evaluation with Lubi and Ellie,
albeit from a distance. I miss having them with me in person, but it is nice to
work with them from afar. I also managed to use the stove for the first time
today. I cooked a giant pot of spaghetti that I brought back from Kisii. All of
the ingredients came from Kisii except for the tomatoes and onions. It was
crazy cooking in large quantities and feeding over 20 people, but it was nice
finally cooking for the families who always cook for me.
I miss everyone in California (and my East Coast friends if
any of you are reading this). Please send me lots of e-mails telling me how you
are doing since facebook is sometimes hard to load. I hope the start of the
school year is going well. Miss you all!
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