8-15th July – New Volunteers

There are 3 intakes of volunteers a year for VSO Jitolee and July sees another group arrive. This time there were 8 – from Holland, Philippines, England and Uganda. I had volunteered to help with some of the sessions again which also gets me into Nairobi to catch up with the other volunteers, have meetings with VSO and I also had a meeting with Vision Africa too, so a busy week.

The new volunteers arrive on Friday night and then are in Nairobi for a week of orientation. This includes sessions on the full spectrum of issues and background that they need to best prepare them for life in Kenya. These include over 7 hours of Kiswahilli, VSO processes and admin, culture, meeting new partner organisation, etc. The sessions I helped with were: Transparency and Governance, 3-way Partnership and Reality of Volunteering. There are also the “informal sessions” alternatively known as chatting in the bar!!

Half way through the week there is a social evening where the new volunteers get to meet more of the VSO staff, serving volunteers etc for a relaxing meal and a few drinks.

At the end of the week there was a party for Nicole and Nick. Nicole who arrived in my group last November had just moved into a new apartment and Nick her boyfriend was one of the new volunteers in this intake. Friday night was their house warming a great end to the week and good timing for the newbies too.

Saturday was spent having a leisurely breakfast at Nicole and Nicks (where I had crashed the night before) and Dan and Helen (who had visited me at Kandara the weekend before) came round too. I dropped in to Nairobi later and then there was another party at Steak and Ale which, as the name suggests is an eating and drinking place but also a karaoke club too. Volunteer life is not usually all partying – honest!! The occasion was a leaving party for Dan and Helen, Annie and Gemma plus another chance for all the volunteers who had travelled in from the distant towns and villages of Kenya to strut their stuff! The frustrated rock stars of the group belted out classic hits and did impressions of Mick Jagger’s strutting much to the amusements of the locals. The singing was interspersed with dancing and a great night was had by all.

After a weekend of hot showers, sit on toilets and the luxury of hotels it was back to Kandara on the Sunday. Strangely whilst I do enjoy the trips to the city I do miss the simplicity of life in Kandara and have got used to the bucket washes and the social side of collecting water etc. So it was good to be back.