FAQ

Ok. I just sent out an email to my entire contact list directing them to this blog, so I figured I should put some more details about our trip here for the curious among us.

Here are the Frequently Asked Questions we've gotten so far.

1.) Where in Kenya will you be going?

• Short Answer: We don't know yet.
• Long Answer: For the first 3 months we'll be receieving training in Loitokitok, Kenya which is near the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro. At the end of training they'll pick a specific location for us based on the current needs and our skillset.

2.) What do you do during training?

• Training will focus on language (Kiswahili), cultural, and education training all to make us more affective teachers at our final post. We'll live with a "host family" during this time to help immerse us in the language/culture.
• The town has electricity, water, and cell phone coverage so I'll be updating the blog and adding picture fairly regularly.

3.) Will you have electricity & water?

• Our final post will most likely be without running and electricity. Some PCV's (Peace Corp Volunteers) do get modern amenities, but I believe the majority don't.
• We're preparing for this by packing solar chargers for cell phone, batteries, solar showers, etc.

4.) How can we contact you in Kenya?

• Email is the best method. Around half of Kenya has cell phone coverage at 900 Mhz. We just bought a quad-band PDA phone that will work in Kenya. We also bought a solar charger that will work with the phone so there is a good chance that we'll be able to check email and "text" people using local SIM cards almost daily.

5.) Is Kenya safe?

• As I understand it, Kenya is one of the more peaceful countries in the region. Peace Corps is also very thorough in picking safe locations for volunteers and ensuring their continued safety.

6.) Can we come and visit you?

• Please do! We can have visitors after 6 months (after April, 2010). We'll also accumulate vacation days and may even have weeks off when the school kids are on vacation. We're planning on traveling around the area on our free time and we'd be happy to have you with us!

7.) What will you be doing?

• Our primary job is to teach Math & Science. We don't have all the details yet, but typically we'll have fellow teachers (Kenyan) and a principal for guidance.
• The main goal is to prepare the students for the national exam. See link for details.
• We're also encouraged to have side projects within the community.

Until next time.

Jon & Mandy