Touchdown! Bus Ride, Move in! Bungoma town!

So yes. That's out the window over Ethiopia, at the hostel, and the hut I'm staying in.

I made my way here marvelously. Any trepidation was ill felt.

The weather delayed my first two flights mildly, but I made it The views from the planes were excellent--I've never seen something from 40,000 feet so magnificent as the deserts of Northern Africa. Kenyan countrysde is such a great experience. The bus from Nairobi was beautiful. The stay at the hostel was very brief, but nice, and cost less than 10$.

The ICODEI farm is amazing. Sugar cane all around, the schoolyard nearby, and everyone is so nice. Two Canadians, a Scot, and a guy from Tennessee at present.

I really get to start working on the VCT stuff net Monday. I met Reuben, but need to talk with him a bit more before deciding how to proceed. We have a few rooms in the Bill Selke Memorial Clinic just on the farm. A wonderful lady named Joyce gave me an orientation and tour yesterday.

The food is amazing, and yes I've had Ugali. It's actually quite bland and not a common thing to feed the volunteers; I was worried because dad said he didn't really enjoy it when his dad made it when he was young. Had great dough nuts this morning. All the food is so fresh, pineapple and cabbage and rice and beans. I hope to have to have some time to wander the fields and volunteer in Epico Jahns Academy, the school on the grounds where I'm living.

The time difference as rough on the first night, but last night I slept normal time quite satisfactorily. Today we came into town on a matatu--these vans that are sort of like big taxis. Also, got a phone. May call mom and dad/Patrick before they all go to work.

The scenes, smells, everything. Amazing. And the people have been so helpful, it's practically overwhelming. This is going to be a fantastic summer.

More volunteers are arriving soon. A group of a bunch of Canadian doctors I believe. Can't wait.

I'll try to update the blog with a picture or so as often as I'm in town! There are so many things I want to show everyone.

I met some HIV positive people that are an organic farming collective. They offered to teach me to fish with nets. Gertrude and Justus. Also, a little boy with Malaria.

The temperature is quite ideal, the hut that I'm staying in so comfortable, and plenty PLENTY of time to read etc.

I met some interesting people traveling here, a runner that was coming back from Italy, an administrator from Grinnell, and the South Dakota high schoolers going to London...

The only thing on my mind, other than getting to work on the VCT stuff and the idyllic scenes/temperature, is medical school. I think aplying from here will pose some unique challenges, but hey. It's a necessity, and I think it'll work fine.

Wow, this internet cafe smelled so terrible when we came in. The other two that we tried to go to (that were actually cheaper) were really nice, but they were full. Well, this place doesn't smell anymore. I rather like it.

The other volunteers are so interesting, and were so welcoming when I arrived! The ICODEI compound is such a nice place.

Okay, enough for now--I'll update again soon. Sorry if this sounded disorganized. It's really not that much to digest when you're doing it, quite another story to try to distill a few days into words!