Settled!

January 11, 2011

         Settled. I’m sorry that I have not posted anything for quite some time and I’d like to say that its because I have been busy but I haven’t been. For the past 3 almost four weeks I have been trying to figure out what living in Nkurakan is going to be like but I think that’s going to take a much longer time to find an answer. Somethings I did do however is set up my kitchen I now have a table for cooking and a shelf unit to store all my food and supplies. Having things made is very expensive so I waited until I got paid in January to have the carpenter build me a shelf for my room. I had wanted to make these things myself because I can but there were more obstacles than paths so I decided to take the easy way. I am very happy with my two shelves, they are nothing fancy but they give my stuff a place that’s not the ground or my bags. Oh I also procured a desk and chair after trying not to offend the family here but getting something I need. I know the world does not revolve around me but when I came to site I expected a little more help to settle in but the onset of the whole family being here delayed that to a grinding hault. It also made it awkward to bring anything home that I had got at market to in Kof because it was almost like I was flaunting the little money I have here, and the fact that they wanted to see everything I had bought was a little off putting.  

             Now that I have made a space for myself and am satisfied for the most part with my rooms (there are always places for improvement) I can focus on what I am supposed to be doing here.  I have been out to the farming villages we are working with a couple times in the past two weeks to help… well observe chicken pens being constructed. I am still struggling with the language, as in I haven’t learned anything yet, so participating even if they would let me would be really hard. Im looking forward to knowing what a project is about from start to finish and running my own trainings because right now the farmers do not see me contributing anything. This chicken pen construction is going to last the rest of January but then there will be a bee training in February that I hope to be more involved in.  School has started for the first time since I’ve been at site so I will hopefully get a chance to meet with some teachers and seeing if they are open to let me do some projects with the students.

         Im sorry this is kinda just a blob of information but soon I hope to be able to update regularly like a real blog.