Ok, so I was a bit rubbish at posting.....Again

Can you believe that I've now been back for just over a month?!
Time goes so fast and I still feel like I just arrived.

First my new address:
Laura Griffin
Intercultural Youth Exchange - Kenya
Po Box 66118 - 00800
Westlands
Nairobi
Kenya

The competition is on for the most exciting post that you can get into a small padded envelope. Prizes will be awarded :-p
Current leaders (since I've only received one letter so far!) are Kathy and Nathan who made me laugh out loud with their Little Miss Stubborn and Helpful books! (you decide which one suits me more?)
I've written to quite a lot of people so post could be on its way to you. If you haven't given me your address and would like a postcard, let me know!

Suppose I should tell you what I've been doing over the last month that's made me too busy to blog about it!
I'm based in the ICYE Kenya office and now I have a clearer idea of the task ahead of me...
I am conducting a piece of action research into the 'impact of volunteering in Kenya'. To do this I'm visiting projects, volunteers and host families to carry out questionnaires and interviews. I will also be writing a section within the research that shows a 'country contextual profile' of volunteering and it's history here.... I'm also making a video presentation on volunteering and the projects in Kenya....helping to update the website database with photos and profiles....helping with ICYE camps and orientations....meeting up with other volunteers.....learning to live with a new host family.....trying to understand Nairobi....practicing Kiswahili (hmm, a bit)....trying to decide where I'll travel during my time off (most important :p) ....and....learning more about what it is I want to do/who I am (yeah, it's a personal learning experience right?!)

So you see why I've not written?

So far I've visited some projects in Nairobi and Kitui. We were due to head to Isiolo this week. However, I received some bad news that my Host Uncle in Kiptere passed away. This is really sad because he was a young man, talented carpenter, husband and father. I've been given permission to visit 'home' for the funeral. I'll be traveling there sometime today. I will admit that I'm a bit nervous about returning 'home'. I've been gone almost 5 months now so things could be different. But I'm looking forward to seeing everyone, even in this sad circumstance.
I'll return to Nairobi on Saturday or Sunday.

It feels like I never really left Kenya in the first place. It has been fairly easy to adapt to the surroundings of Nairobi and it really is not as bad as I was fearing. Even my 2hr commute to work every day is alright...
I really feel for the other EVS - Volunteering Matters participants who are adapting to new cultures, languages and ICYE offices all around the world. We're working together, separately on this project, hoping to create something that can make a difference to volunteering.

The cyber I'm in right now is within Mzungu Land...so it's a bit expensive...I think I'll have to leave it there for today. I will try to write more often...
Love to hear from you too!