A Sad Sad Day...

Today has been very long. A Peace Corps car came to my house around 9:30 to pick up my bags....I have to say I had one more bag then what I came to Kenya with. Oh well.

My sister and I cleaned finished all of the cleaning. This included the laundry, filling the jerry cans in the house with water and cleaning them out, and moping the floors. Moping the floors is done quite differently here in Kenya. I have to bend at the wast and go back and forth with a wet towel. I moped the floors wile my sister did the laundry. Laundry is not my favorite thing to do in Kenya. It includes three different basins and lots and lots of scrubbing will bending at the wast.

When we were done I we got the kids ready to go. This includes bathing them and dressing them. One thing that I should say is that I am not the typical trainee. I have taken a very active role in my family. I am considered a daughter and member of the family. My sister Winnie is 17. Whatever she does I do. This is how I have learned to clean my clothes, cook, and clean the house. It is also how I have become truly part of the family. I am always doing something and helping with the kids.

Finally after Winnie was ready to go (She is always the last one ready because she takes a long time getting ready) everyone got into the car and we went by the shop to pick mama up. Edward my cousin stayed at the shop while we went to outward bound.

There we had a nice program to thank the families for everything they have done for us. We put together skits and speeches to show our appreciation. There was also lunch after that. Finally we took family pictures and said our good byes.

After everyone had left we had a short meeting then were told we were free for the rest of the day. Dinner was at 7:30 and then tomorrow breakfast is at 6am because we leave for Nairobi at 7am.

I then walked into town and meet my sister Winnie at the market. We preceded to do our normal shopping of food for the family. After that I took Winnie back to school shopping. Then we said our good byes. No matter how many times I say good by it never gets easier. I have become very close to my sister Winnie and will miss her greatly. It helps a little to know that she leaves on Tuesday to go back to her secondary school where she will be starting form 3. I will hopefully be able to make it back in April to see my family and sister again.

Today is a sad day because it represents a closure to a stage of my life that I will miss greatly and a beginning to a new adventure.

Now I just got done with a wonderful HOT shower and am thinking about either going to bed or going to see the movie that is on in the dining hall. Both are very tempting.

We leave for Nairobi tomorrow and then on the 6th we will be swearing in as official Peace Corps Volunteers. Then on the 7th we leave for our sites where we will be working for the next two years. It is all going so fast. Apparently our swearing in will be a big advent because we are celebrating 45 years of Peace Corps being in Kenya this year.