Kenya Travel Blog

Sorry for any inconvenience, but for the sake of being able to post updates quickly and easily, our group has moved our blog to:
 
http://ewb-orongo.posterous.com
 
The reason for this move is because this site is painfully slow in Kisumu, Kenya and thus it would take us up to fifteen minutes to write even the most basic status update. Using this new blog, we will be able to post via email in just a few minutes!

Hi Everyone!!
We are back in Nairobi! We had a nice dinner with the neighbors last night as a 'farewell'. Alyssa and I made chapati... yeah from scratch and everthing!!
We hope to get out and do some cool stuff tomorrow...
 
We are all healthy and well,
 
<3 Kenya

Ok, this is Pete, posting under Lauren's account. Just came into Kisumu for a few groceries and to make a blog posting.
 
Our time here is really wrapping up, it is odd to realize our work in Orongo is coming to an end. We are starting to do some packing, and say some goodbyes. We have a few dinners/lunches planned with all the great people we've met along the way, but then it's back to Nairobi for a couple days before heading back to the US.
 
That's all for now, we need to get back for a meeting this afternoon! I'm sure we'll be posting a few more details when time permits.

Hi Rob, Abby, Jon, Mom and Dad,
I tried calling home but the answering machine is full and no one else is answering.  We are all doing really well.  The work is moving along and we are getting great response by the local community regarding the projects.  I miss you all very much.  So far we are all heathy, eating and sleeping well.  Even though we are working hard we are also having a very good time.  Right now we are in Kisumu at the opening of Josies new internet cafe.  It sits just outside of a large Kisumu slum.  The boys are roller blading to the delight of the local community.  There is music and the wzungus are a hit, as always.  Anyway, it is great to be able to mix some fun with the work and help these people as they try to figure out the world of the internet.  See you in a couple of weeks. 
Lots of Love, Kaye

Hey guys we are chilling in kisumu helping Josie christen his new internet cafe! A few of us tried calling home with little success...
Today we worked the agro plot and were suprised and pleased with the number of trees still alive after the drought. Nick, Pete, and Lauren went and met with around 16 women from the community, yes nate we held a successful meeting with Peter's help of course. They are all really excited about the chipper. We are planning on taking the Homa Bay trip on Tuesday. Monday we plan to rebuild and tweek the sand filter at Peter's home.
We are doing well and are all healthy,
Kenya

Well hello there, it's another lovely day in Orongo Kenya, although the heat definitely beats anything we've been around all summer. We finally arrived in the village Wednesday afternoon after miraculously loading all of our belongings and ourselves into a matatu. It is definitely something to see. We moved into our home which is right next to an even larger chicken coop so we get to wave to the chicks every time we walk to the bathroom. Then we took a stroll around Orongo. We saw the state of our previous projects. Due to drought, very few plants are growing in the agroforestry field, but we plan to use all of the dried plants to mulch and improve the soil. The sand filter was equally struggling for we found it completely dry due to leaks on the bottom. The good news is that the family was using it every day and found it to be clean water that didn't make any of them (or their animals) sick. So with new materials, new supports, and a few improvements we plan to remake the water filter with community members. We've also been talking with our contacts and new friends about going around the community to talk about sanitation, agroforesty, and the potato chipper, so we're excited to be even more social. It's really fun to walk around the community. Children will yell "mizungo" (white person) and come running, we either greet them, or try our juggling of soccer ball skills... we're working on it. Plus, there are tons of goats everywhere. I love them. After a bit of a chase I caught a baby one yesterday. I'm planning to make all of the goats love me. Everyone is doing well and is healthy. We've been testing our cooking skills, and mainly thanks to Kaye, have been eating wonderfully. We're making crepes tonight with fresh fruit that we're about to get from the market. Tomorrow we're headed to Kisumu again to help our friend Josie promote his new internet cafe charity, which means we'll see Nick and Pete rollerskating around the street, it should be fun, or funny. And hopefully this weekend we'll head to Lake Victoria to see the hippos, which will add to our cool animal sightings of zebras and baboons. I vote that a girraffe is next. Hope all is well at home! Oriti!

Well hello there, it's another lovely day in Orongo Kenya, although the heat definitely beats anything we've been around all summer. We finally arrived in the village Wednesday afternoon after miraculously loading all of our belongings and ourselves into a matatu. It is definitely something to see. We moved into our home which is right next to an even larger chicken coop so we get to wave to the chicks every time we walk to the bathroom. Then we took a stroll around Orongo. We saw the state of our previous projects. Due to drought, very few plants are growing in the agroforestry field, but we plan to use all of the dried plants to mulch and improve the soil. The sand filter was equally struggling for we found it completely dry due to leaks on the bottom. The good news is that the family was using it every day and found it to be clean water that didn't make any of them (or their animals) sick. So with new materials, new supports, and a few improvements we plan to remake the water filter with community members. We've also been talking with our contacts and new friends about going around the community to talk about sanitation, agroforesty, and the potato chipper, so we're excited to be even more social. It's really fun to walk around the community. Children will yell "mizungo" (white person) and come running, we either greet them, or try our juggling of soccer ball skills... we're working on it. Plus, there are tons of goats everywhere. I love them. After a bit of a chase I caught a baby one yesterday. I'm planning to make all of the goats love me. Everyone is doing well and is healthy. We've been testing our cooking skills, and mainly thanks to Kaye, have been eating wonderfully. We're making crepes tonight with fresh fruit that we're about to get from the market. Tomorrow we're headed to Kisumu again to help our friend Josie promote his new internet cafe charity, which means we'll see Nick and Pete rollerskating around the street, it should be fun, or funny. And hopefully this weekend we'll head to Lake Victoria to see the hippos, which will add to our cool animal sightings of zebras and baboons. I vote that a girraffe is next. Hope all is well at home! Oriti!

Wehave arrived and all are safe and full.  I miss you all.  See you in a couple of weeks.
 
Kaye