Water and Power

Hi everyone! It is 1:30am in Nairobi and 5:30pm in Chicago. I arrived safely and with all my stuff intact and not stolen :)

And the Kenyan visa was only $25 USD this time, instead of $50...

I landed after 8:30pm and was picked up within an hour (after immigration, long wait for the baggage, and a quick stop at an ATM). Had a late dinner with Wendy, Kenya's wonderful in-country coordinator and city host, and we talked till 12:30am! We agreed that even though the last time I was here was 2008 it only felt like last year at the longest, or yesterday.

Nairobi is like most major cities with all the modern amenities of internet, plumbing, and 24-hour electricity. Depending on a volunteer's arrival time and preferences, volunteers stay overnight in Nairobi before embarking on the long shuttle rides out to the villages the following morning. The shuttles don't have a set departure time; they wait in the lot until the seats are filled. Since it's a weekday, people are less likely to want to go to villages, so I may end up waiting there for 3 hours... we never know! Wendy recommends leaving her home by 6am or 6:30 at the latest, so that I can at least pick a good seat. There are some uncomfortable middle seats or back seats that I'd want to avoid having to sit in for the 8-10 hour rides.

Weatherwise, I feel like it's a perfect, cozy room-temperature, indoors and out. That means some Kenyans are wearing sweaters tonight and I'll be the one sweating by the time the sun comes out. :: sigh ::

In any case, this really will be the last time I'll have internet for a while. So I figured I should take this opportunity to post something of mild interest before you have to wait a while for my next update. I wanted to show you how I sterilize water with a SteriPen, and show off my trusty universal plug.

Cleaning Water

First I fill my bottle up to .5 liter or more. Then I push twice on my SteriPen for .5 L or once for 1 L and wait for the little green light to flash.

Next I immerse it into the water and when the SteriPen senses liquid, its ultraviolet light switches on to eliminates over 99.9% of bacteria, viruses and protozoa that cause water-borne illness. I agitate the water to ensure full penetration. After about a minute, the light turns off to indicate it's done.

After drying off and wiping down the edge of the bottle with anti-bacterial stuff, it is safe to drink directly from it. This is also water that I must use for brushing my teeth.


Universal Plug

Goals for Kenya

Namunyak Maasai Welfare: April 1-12

• video clips for fundraising, website updates, and other stuff


• workshops and trainings for teachers on special education, literacy development, and other stuff


• interview, profile kids with disabilities around the community; caregiver consultation and training


• interview, gather info, discuss with Emmanuel for the book we want to write about his life


• work with Emmanuel to decide everything he wants for the website I'll create for him upon return, about his NGO and school


• profile children who need or have sponsors for website and sponsor updates


• determine people appropriate for wheelchairs and gather preliminary measurements


• Read to the children after school every day (Harry Potter!!!!)

Dago Dala Hera: April 12-20

• video clips for fundraising, website updates, and other stuff


• interview, profile kids with disabilities around the community; caregiver consultation and training


• gather caregivers to meet each other to form a support group


• determine people appropriate for wheelchairs and gather preliminary measurements


• discuss possibility of sending special education teachers to train a local teacher to run a special education program (which I had visited in 2008 but had since stopped because that teacher left and now those students with special needs have nowhere to go)

Sister Freda's Foundation: April 20-27

• video clips for fundraising, website updates, and other stuff


• interview, profile kids with disabilities around the community; caregiver consultation and training


• determine people appropriate for wheelchairs and gather preliminary measurements


• learn about the programs here: hospital, orphan feeding, clinic, etc. and determine therapy needs (this will be my first visit to this village)

Sample of Expenses for 7 weeks in Africa

Medical Prevention

Travel Medicine Consultation: $42

Mefloquine (anti-malarial): 14 count = $173.18
Azithromycin (for traveler's diarrhea): 10 count = $152.59

Oral typhoid: $84

Flu shot: $9.67
Immunization administration: $21.83

Hep A vaccine: $112
Immunization administration: $23

Consult with PA about whether I should take birth control to postpone menstruation for duration of trip (conclusion was no): $113

My insurance won't pay for these because it's preventative... I haven't yet received the bill for my meningitis, MMR, and Tdap shots (and their administration costs!)

Donations

10 skirts from thrift stores which I can wear and donate: $30

25 children's books from thrift stores: about $10

5 copies of "Don't Call Me Special", which I recently discovered at Barnes & Noble (one for each village I will visit): $42

Suitcase from Goodwill: $4.99

Haircut at nice salon near downtown participating in Locks of Love: $10 tip, $3 parking, $5 in gas

Copies of documents I will use for trainings and workshops: $10

Insurance

Travel medical insurance (from March 2-May 19 with $250 deductible and policy max at $1,000,000): $98.10

Traveler's insurance (for same period): $90.40

MedjetAssist Annual Membership (since I will be traveling overseas more than a few times in a year): $250
--> This is not an insurance plan. "As a member, if you are ever hospitalized 150 miles or more away from home, MedjetAssist will arrange for medical transfer to the hospital of your choice — at no additional charge. No transportation cost limitations. No pre-existing condition exclusions." <--

Fees

Village Volunteers fees (covering housing, water, 3 meals/day, in-country transport, escorts, logistics coordination, etc): $2,365

Ghana visa (Embassy cost $60 + processing service $59): $119

Kenya visa (paid at airport upon arrival): $50

Flights

Chicago to Nairobi via KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Kenya Airways: $779.57

Nairobi to Accra via Ethiopian Airlines: $568

Accra to Chicago via Alitalia: $1134.70

Dear shower in my bathroom,

We're not breaking up; I just think we need to spend some time away from each other for a while. You are strong, hot and steamy. I'm going to miss you.

XOXO,
Linda