Jambo sana,

Today is day TATU (three). I have finished my orientation with Volunteer International Community Development Africa (VICDA). So far, they have been extremely professional and really easy to work with. We have had our own personal drivers to and from orientation days. Today we had traditional Kenyan meals for lunch. The five of us volunteers ordered all different dishes and shared them.

One of their big dishes is Ugali, which is corn flour cooked in boiling water until it becomes the consistency of thick, thick mashed potatoes. It is extremely dry and flavourless but you are meant to eat it along side stewed meats and veggies. They also have Chipati, which is the African version of Naan bread. I tried Malako, which is similar to stewed banana in Jamaican dishes. My stomach has been fine thus far, so I am knocking on wood that it holds up.

This morning before orientation we were taken to an Animal Orphanage in Nairobi. This is where a lot of animals from the National Parks and the wild are brought when they are not surviving on their own. They are all healthy and domesticated in this environment. I saw warthogs, all sorts of feline species, including, lions, tigers, cheetas and leopards. We were even allowed to enter into a cheeta cage and pet one of the cheetas. AMAZING.

The monkeys were equally amazing. I love monkeys. I have a treat video of something involving monkeys as well. We also saw African buffalo, parrots, a male ostrich and many other native animals to this East African country.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow, as it is my first day in the clinic. I will be taken there by my house Mama Charity in the morning. It is a 25min walk from my volunteer house, along a village road. Will be really symbolic each morning walking along the street as many Kenyans do, to go help out. I am sure tomorrow will mostly be spent shadowing the medical staff at the clinic until I feel comfortable jumping in on my own.

I will continue to keep you updated. Thanks for reading the blog and PLEASE leave comments. It is nice to hear from you. Share the blog with family and friends so more people can see and learn from my experience.

Lots of love,

Jake