The First Week

I am seated in near darkness. The only light eminates from the LED of my iPod speaker, and the display off this sweet smartphone which I bought in Kisumu. Ahh, that glorious city. I spent the weekend there with some other volunteers. Staying in cheap hotels and drinking like a freshman. I am happy in the knowledge that there is an escape should I require it.

Hard to imagine that it is only 20 clicks away, I haven't even left the district! And yet my town is without electricity, roads, adequate water or sanitation, and the people live in houses made of mud. The frontier of development as it were.

The closest big town is Ahero, located on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway, 10 km from Lake Victoria. The power ends after kilometer 5, and my town is at kilometer 7. The surrounding area is floodplains and bush, so lots of rice growing and mosquitoes.

And the school! Ah, the school. I think I shall grow to love it with time. It's quite small, about 200 students. Eight teachers, including myself, the principal and deputy principal. There were nine, but the Biology teacher skipped town last week. So who is making up the difference? You guessed it, the Dom. It's fine for the moment, as the form 1 students have yet to arrive. But once they do it will be hell. They keep telling me they are going to get somebody, but I grow more skeptical by the day. But oh well, whatever comes. And my co-teachers are cool as shit. (I went drinking with the religion teacher yesterday). The students are fine. Half the time they are mocking me, but the other half they are rapt with attention. I think a few of them may even escape this places.

So yeah, in summary, this phone is awesome. Samsung B7320. Tell your freinds. G'night.