The first weekend I was here, I made a day trip with a bunch of other gals here doing research with various institutions to the Kakamega rainforest, the only shard left in Kenya of the vast rainforest that once stretched all the way across Africa.
We saw a lot of monkeys, but my camera doesn’t take reasonable pictures of monkeys in tree tops (believe me, I tried). The old trees were amazing. Here’s me inside one:
We climbed a hill to the highest spot in the forest (1700m) and stopped for a rest and a snack.
On the side of the hill is a small cave that shelters three species of bats.
Gratuitous close up flower shot:
And yes, I actually did come here to work! Monday, May 14, we officially started our study, loading up a minivan with supplies and heading out to Bondo, which is an hour away on pretty good roads.
Here are our two clinical officers (essentially physician’s assistants – function much like doctors here) and two nurses hanging out in our clinic. They have been great to get to know and work with. 
And here is the very first patient we enrolled, looking on while the clinical officer finishes up the paperwork. Poor sad sick kiddo eyes. It has been fun to see her back for follow up visits looking much better. 
We’ve been enrolling for two weeks now, and ironing out bumps as they arise, but things are going pretty smoothly. I really enjoy being in a clinic again. As the room we have is in the maternal and child health clinic, and there are about 250 patients per day that pass through the doors, we sometimes help out with the other patients and I’m enjoying being called to assist with interesting cases. I also very much enjoy the ride out and back every day. The country side is beautiful. Kenya also has great birds, and I go “telephone pole bird watching”. There is a bird sitting on just about every stretch of wire or pole. There are lots of starlings, doves, fierce looking shrikes, large brown hawks called black kites, kingfishers, crows, great black crested eagles with a long crests that curl over there foreheads, hammerkops (brown stork-like birds that have feathers at the backs of their heads that makes their head look like the head of a hammer), ibis, grey plantain eaters…The other fun thing about being back is getting to know Kisumu. I get dropped off in town most evenings, do an errand or two, and walk the mile or so to my house. I found a tailor who makes beautiful suits, so I’m having a suit tailored. It was a lot of fun to sit down with the tailor and discuss the details. I think it will be gorgeous, and at a fraction of the cost that I’d pay in the US. I also found a salon that caters to “musungus” – foreigners. They do great pedicures, massages, waxing, etc. The other day, I had a one hour pedicure for $5. My feet were exfoliated and massaged to within an inch of their lives. J I got my arms waxed (just for the heck of it) for another $5 – not nearly as painful as I thought it would be! I’m going to go to church with Chris Odero, my study coordinator – I was supposed to go last weekend, but he was called out of town at the last minute.
There are several other EIS officers here on various projects.
I’ll be here until June 10, so I’ve got so more time to enjoy it!
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