Month: November 2008

I’m at an internet cafe in Mombasa.  First Internet for a while.  It’s slow and I’m not prepared (no USB stick in my pocket), so the longer what-I’ve-been doing post will have to wait.  Some highlights from my notes:

• My goodbye present was amazing.  Thanks so much to everyone who called in.
• They didn’t weigh or measure my bags AT ALL.  I’m sad now that we pulled so many things out at the last minute.
• I drank a white port in Amsterdam during the layover– a final treat!
• I sat next to the CEO of microcare.co.org during the 2nd flight– cool guy who gave good advice for a long life in Africa: “go to bed early” and “don’t eat salad.”
• During the bus ride to Mombasa, we had to stop because GIRAFFES WERE RUNNING ACROSS THE ROAD.  Video to follow.
• I already knew this, but Obama is HUGE here.
• Mosquito nets over my bed in the hotel during training.  Emergency malaria meds in a kit courtesy of Novartis.

Today we visited 2 deaf schools around Mombasa.  My hair poofed up during the bus rides due to all the wind (needed because it’s HUMID), and the kids at the second school named me (meaning that this is my “sign name” for life, KSL, ASL, or otherwise).  My name goes like this: wiggle your fingers on your right hand while you trace your hand from the top of your scalp down toward your right ear.  Basically, indicate long curly hair.  They also named a girl in our group by tracing the shape of her scarf on her head.   Other volunteers will be named as time passes.  I like my name.

I really like the other volunteers.  There are a few of us who came from a multimedia background and we’re all hoping to apply it somehow here.

I’ll be in town for roughly a week before catching back up with the other trainees, at which point internet access will drop off even more.  I’ll try to over-post before that happens.  Wish me luck in learning Kenya Sign Language!