What to Say?

Man... I've been thinking all week about what to write here. I've been told my blog is lame (sniffle), and I've been told it looks like I'm 'having a lot of fun', so maybe my content hasn't been quite right. I just... got nothin' better.

For the last 2 weeks my knee has still been a pain. I have a knot in there, which seems like a not-good thing. Turns out, walking a lot isn't nice, but a whole lot better than chooing. That deep of a squat, with all my weight - super painful! I can hear it crack and grind, too, which is just nasty. Whatever. Monday I crashed, again, on the very same knee. We were on the way to my house -almost there!- and slid in the mud. It was enough to bruise and scratch it, but mostly just hurt my poor knee's pride. So, I'm deciding to take a whole month off from boda bodas. We'll see if that helps.

My org is planning a World AIDS Day event. Sort of. If we can move past donors onto actual activities and content, at least. So, don't hold your breath.

I've been practicing the cloth pads from the Many Moons design. It's good, and seems to be working. They are costing around 20/= a piece. When I asked the women what they would charge/pay for these, they say 10/=. Regular disposables cost 10/=!! We clearly need to have some talk on pricing goods, as well as investment. But, the positive, we are generating interest and curiousity.

As for the assistance from you all, from Cheryl and OU, and the other private donors out there, let me again say Thank You! I am thinking about a "symbolic" donation, where a certain amount of money equals a number of pads. We could then just buy the materials here with that money, saving the shipping expense and stress. Or, directing that money to LunaPads, to keep things concentrated and to also give props to the ladies there for their generosity and kindness. What do you all think?

Also: I doubt I'll be back here for 3 weeks, until just before Thanksgiving. We are going out to Nairobi to dine with Embassy families, which is awesome! Sorry for the slightly long delay there. But, after that, life will be sweet - a week for turkey day, then a week at site, then back to Kitui for IST, followed by Xmas (also in Nairobi) and then a trip to Lamu for the New Year.

It sounds like a big vacation, I know, but I swear - we do work sometimes! And all of us are realizing Kenya doesn't really need PH PCVs. Good thing then there are 52 set to arrive in May! (where the hell are they going to stick all those suckers???)

Oh, and, the body count is now at 5. So, that's, what... 36 of us left?

And, before I forget, 'cause I know you're all just dying to hear, Cathy really has died. I was going on the hibernation thing, until I came home and found him, um, 'skeletal', due to the efficient red ants. Happily (?) he has been replaced by a loudmouth too rude to introduce himself. At least the new one poops less.

Unlucky 13

Friday the 13th. Never a day with much swing for me before, but today really rocks. Wanna hear all about it?? Of course you do!

I wake up at 5:30am today, intending to catch the Pastor's matatu and get a ride to Kisumu. That's fine, no worries. I wake, I pack, I get out the door at about 10 to 6. Cannot shut my door. Well, it does, sort of, but not enough, like it should, to allow me to latch it. wtf. I try and try and try. Nothing. Go down to the Pastor's, planning to ask him and his fellas for help, only to find his garage open and empty. He left!!!

I round up a farmboy to help me, and he can't get it either. Even with a friend helping him. They pop the latch off with a panga and say it was only on with a bit of sand and cement. Great, thanks. So, I figure I'll be getting robbed this weekend. I'm trying not to focus too much on that.

I begin my walk to Kilingili, catching a boda boda about halfway. Alright, not too bad. Even the kids on their way to school weren't too obnoxious or rude. We're getting there.

I checked the Posta in Kilingili and it is completely empty. Not even a Newsweek from PC. Damn! I grab my boda boda man, a fella who's driven me before, and start the trip to Stendkisa. He's inquiring if I am a Christrian and how I worship. About 2/3rds the way there, we ride waaayyyy too close to another bike and *BAM* my ass is turtled, clutching my beyond-throbbing knee. I don't know what it hit, exactly, but it was a hard hit. God, that (does still) hurt! It's somewhat swollen now, and I don't know what to do in a country without ice. Scraped my hand and elbow, too. Got to cry a little in the middle of a street, right out front of a Primary school, with kids hollering about the mzungu.

It's been okay since then - mandazis and chai at my fav place, new books to read, seeing my PCV pals... My knee is big and stiff and not cool. I'm gonna see how it is tomorrow before I bug PC about it. I would have taken ibuprofen for it, but there wasn't any at the office, so it's just tylenol for me. sweet.

In other news:

You are all the coolest, most supportive people a PCV could ask for! My email to LunaPads was successful - they are intersted in helping and will be figuring out how. It might take a little while, but that is very likely to happen.

I am SO happy that Cheryl has been pursuing this, also, at OU. The more sources the better, I say. Lighten the load a bit for everyone. A.Jean brings a good point on shipping, which is a wasteful place to spend donated dollars. I'll have to give that one some thought and see what might be done. Just now I am thinking, I wonder if X, the husband of my fellow mzungu would be willing to carry them over in Dec. when he comes to visit. You can bring 2 50lb bags on international flights, so maybe if one was just pads..? I'll have to ask.

Please keep asking around and being creative. I have visited 2 Secondary and 3 Primary schools so far, all with this need. It's about 200 gals at each 2nd and 100 in the 1st schools. There are a few more in the area, so we're looking at 1,000 to be a one-per-woman kind of thing. I've got a sewing pattern, so that's what I'm really hoping for, beyond an initial donation to pique interest. That then becomes business and income for women. Sustainable!!

And on that note, I'd like to encourage you all to read this article, given to my by Hugo. Very interesting.

Oh, p.s. I think Cathy (the bat) has died. He's stuck to the wall and hasn't moved in a few days. I took pics, dad, so don't worry! And it seems I'm going to have to remove him and dispose, so I might take a few more. Mixed feelings on the issue...