Writer's Block

Props to authors everywhere! I am trying to consistently get the thoughts form my head to the paper and that is not an easy endeavor. The secret appears to be that there is no secret. You just have to force yourself to sit down and start. After all, you won't have anything to edit if there is nothing on the paper to begin with. Sigh....

The Writing Begins...actually continues

Time has really flown. I got back almost a month ago already and yep, jet lag bites. You need a day for every hour you are off and it really did take me nine days to catch up. I particularly hate waking up in the middle of the night ravenous. Week 2 I was gradually getting back into the swing of things, I went into the office. It is now Week 3 and I am sick. Should have taken some time off. Fortunately getting over it after taking it easy this week. I attack with avengeance next week.

Anyway, I had a great conversation with my advisor-extraordinaire, Karlyn, upon my return and she thinks I am ready to write everything up and (gasp) finish my degree. Sweet!! What does that mean exactly? Well my Committee and I agreed that long gone are the days of the old school thesis which no one reads. Instead, I would write three articles for publication. One down (AWRA IMPACT, March 2013), two to go!

Eek! I leave in two days

Actually, it is more like one day since technically, I leave Kisumu tomorrow.

In the last two weeks, I have been taking stock of what I have collected so far in terms of data needed to write some papers. Who knows if I will have to come back at this point, I have to connect with the Committee.

I have also had a few interviews that I set up by phone and an interesting trend has emerged. Apparently, I sound like a "Mzungu" which in Kiswahilli means a Caucasian. What? Hmm.

Soulmates

One thing Kenyans appear not shy about asking is you marital status. Good thing "Love is only a phone call away". The Daily Nation, one of the local newspapers runs adds for singles in the Saturday paper in a column called "Soulmates". Here are a few of the gems for your reading pleasure.

Bachelor Number 1:  Can someone tell me what medium size means?

I’M HARRY, 22 YEARS OLD, OF MEDIUM SIZE and chocolate complexioned. I’m romantic, charming and with a heart of a lamb. I’m looking for a financially stable woman, whether an American or an African (soulmate) who will love me back. She should be living in Nairobi or its outskirts. Age or race not an issue. If interested, please call 0729-7XXXX9 or e-mail XXXX@yahoo.com.

Bachelor Number 2: I don't think things bode well for this guy.

I’M COLLINS, 37, A CIVIL SERVANT WORKING AND living in Western Kenya. I’m looking for a woman who seriously wants to settle down in marriage, with or without children. Age: between 30 and 40. No jokes. No flashing. No SMS. Just call 0726-2XXXX8. Note: I’m not financially stable.

Bachelor Number 3...and Number 4:

MARCUS AND LEON, AGED 35 and 45 respectively, are looking for mature, adventurous princesses of any age above 35. If you want a discreet, fun-filled romantic time with no strings attached. Please call 0712-2XXXX1 and share your fun-tasy.

21 Days.....

Sounds like a zombie movie....Wait a  minute, that was 28 Days. Ah well, I have 21 days left until I am on a plane back to Minnesota.

The final week of the internship was of course, the most frantic time. I found a funding opportunity that I had to repsond to so in between doing the work I was supposed to be doing, I was writing education (to finish this millenium) and career (to get a job) goals, tracking down letters of recommendation, and dusting the old resume off. Kudos to my advisor extraordinaire who managed to get me a letter in record time given that she was in India. Kudos are also due to the other recommender, Dean Current, another Committee member. He too managed to get me a letter in time despite the fact that he was recovering from jet lag.

I definitely have a lot to do before I head back. There are (still) surveys to be launched, one more case-study organization to find, a visit to a good friend in Uganda, and a partridge in a pear tree,

The donors are coming! The donors are coming!

Week 1and Week 2of the attachment have really flown by. Week 1 was interrupted by the Kenya version of the Primary Elections. The road I have to use to get to town was impassable due to disgruntled voters setting fire to things in the middle of the street in protest over their candidate missing out in the Elections. Life was, thankfully, back to normal by Monday.

I happened to be interning at just the right time because there were donors coming to check up on projects they have funded. As such, I got the chance to go to the field and see some of the work being done. The project I visited combines Health (mainly family planning),Water and Sanitation (Water tanks in homes and eco-friendly toilets with a hand-washing station), and Conservation (tree-planting and other income-generating activities).

 Members of the Women's Groups lead the convoy to the sites.
(It would not be a function in Africa without singing and dancing)

An Ecosan Latrine

These things are pretty cool. Liquid waste is separated from solids. Solids are combined with ash to kill bacteria and composted for about six months before being used as fertilizer. Liquid waste is also recycled apparently as a natural insecticide on crops. These are great for places with poor soil conditions because they are above ground.

One of the vegetable patches and tree seedling nurseries.
The tree seedlings are sold.

A person from the local community explains what they have achieved with the donor funds.

The Attachment Begins

Today is Day One of working with Organization Number 2 of the case-studies.* Apparently internships in Kenya are called Attachments. Don't know why I find that a weird name. Anywho, in comparison to Org. 1 where I basically reviewed documents and interviewed staff at my leisure, Org 2 has a timetable of all the things they want me to see and do. At the end, I am to present them with my observations of what they are doing well and what they can improve. I am nervous about giving them recommendations but oh well, that is part of what we do right? This is a two-way street after all. Today I go a crash course in all the projects the Org does. Tomorrow we move on to the environmental projects specifically. There are some field visits planned as well which I am excited to see.

I also had a You-are-not-in-America experience today when at 10:00 a lady walked in to the office where I was sitting with a bunch of cups and proceeded to serve us 10:00 o'clock tea. Whaaaat? Tea time? Brought to me? I could get used to this.


* If you are wondering why I haven't given names of the organizations I am working with, it is because Organization 1 asked to remain undisclosed and I am yet to clear a reveal with Organization 2.

Onward and forward!

I am happy to report that it looks like the stars are aligning well this year so far on the research front! I just spent two weeks working with a non-governmental organization that is one of my (hopefully) three case studies for a more in-depth look at the realities of evaluation and monitoring development projects. I am also planning to get a first-hand look at their project which is about a two-hour drive away from me. Looking forward to opportunities for taking pictures and speaking to some people in the community. I start work with the second organization next week and am in the midst of getting the third one lined up.

Post-Holidaze

Happy New year to one and all!! I am a bit late, I know but I am still recovering from the masses that descended on us during the holidays. My sister-in-law and nephew were in town from the U.S. too so we had family over to meet her. Christmas Day was spent with about 30 people in the house. I am so used to cold Christmases that it felt weird grilling outside.

Now that the fun has come to the end, it is back to the grind. I am headed back to the U.S. in February so I don't have much time and a lot of work to do. Stay tuned...