Researching...

It’s been a while. Sorry about that. Also, you should know that my camera is officially dead. Not like battery, just-charge-it-for-miraculous-resurrection- dead. It is actually no longer working. So I can no longer post pictures I took. Sorry for that too. Take it up with Sony.

Earlier in the month, we went to Hell’s Gate. The gorge that Mufasa dies in in the Lion King is based on Hell’s Gate. Tomb Raider was also filmed there. Here are picture other people took:

Natural hot spring (taken by Anna)

(taken by Anna)

(taken by Anna)

(taken by Eric)

(taken by Eric)

We are about three weeks into the research month. My topic has switched more times than I can count due to lack of information and lack of response. I originally was going to look at cross-cultural counseling in Kenya. Since talk therapy is mostly practiced in “western” countries, I assumed that there were mostly “western” counselors practicing in Kenya, which could be a problem when it comes to dealing with cultural issues. Which, I found out, is all true. But the woman who told me this had actually done here thesis paper on this exact topic and showed me a copy during the interview. So much for an original idea.

So, now, I’m looking at HIV testing and counseling, which has a small aspect of talk therapy, but not really. While it’s not the topic I dreamed of, the NGO I am now working with is. Anyone remember Carolina for Kibera? (go back a few posts) That’s where I am. So far they have been extremely helpful and easily some of the friendliest people I’ve meet in Kenya. My roommate is also working with them to study the Paka Skippers (paka means cat), the jump rope team. These kids are incredible. They do flips and tricks that are hard to do when you’re not holding a rope in your hand.

In about two weeks we leave Nairobi to present our research. It will either be at the coast or Mt. Kenya. We all want to go to the coast, but we have to get the ok from the US embassy.

It’s really hard to believe I’ll be back in the US in less than a month. It’s also weird to think that this Thursday is Thanksgiving. It is still 70-80 degrees here most days. Winter back home is going to be a cruel reality.