Guess who I just heard from? Why it's Leslie, that great Woman of the World, for the first time reporting from her new Peace Corps assignment in Kenya. I had heard from her mother following that and happily she's not been affected by the recent bombings and we all hope all will continue to be well. Following is her latest email update and I must say it's quite interesting to hear what life is like there on the African continent:

"Sorry for the delayed update of my life in Kenya. For all those who have waited patiently, know that I have tried to email many times but where our training was, Naivasha, the internet was so slow that reading just two emails took a half hour, forget about replying. However I am now in Mombassa and it is fast and cheep so you will be hearing a lot more from me...

"I am now an official PCV for the second time!! Yahoo, sometimes I wonder how I made it through a second training, it is defiantly an intense experience. We were sworn in on Thurs the 5th so it has been a few days of delirious bliss and travel hell. Try taking a 12 plus hour train ride with 9 other people that carry more luggage than a tour group, I guess you could say we stuck out a bit. So you are probably all wondering where I am and what I am doing.

"Originally, as some of you know, I was posted on lake Victoria (a great big beautiful lake, I could see Tanz and Uganda from my front door!) in a place near Kendu Bay. It is beatifull warm Luo country where women carry things on there head. There were round thatched hut roofs and lots of birds, bats, lizards and guano (sp). The west is very different from other parts of Kenya, it is very tropical, kinda like West Africa. Nice country, lots of fish and Ugali (a white cornmealish staple food with a blob like shape and no flavor). Anyway, though the area was pleasant and peaceful, I was in an hour from any town and 3.5 hours from the city which is really the only place to get anything done and buy anything all in all the job was not right for me. I was to work at a community development center that the Norwegian built and left no sustain ability. I was to make it sustainable, well to make a long story short the community didn't really care about the center and I don't know how to built an irrigation system powered by a wind mill... nor did I feel like I should spend two years witting proposals. So I talked to my APCD and switched sites to Mombassa.

"I never thought I would miss the call to prayer from, but I have to admit I was beginning to long for the drownd out sound of the Mosques speaker. I don't have a house yet but I will be living some place near Mombassa, just north I think near my new work site which is an Environmental Org funded by USAID that works with locals to preserve and generate income from Wildlife:) Ya you all know its exactly what I wanted to be doing. My org is called PACT and has 5 projects throughout the country. Lakipia, Tsavo, Ambosseli, Mom bassa (reef) and and elephant Sanctuary down south on the cost.:) There are currently 3 PCV's working with them that love their projects. My best buddie here Serena and I (how this happened i don't know) will be joining our colleagues this week. I am based in the main cost office helping out with reef stuff and any other place along the cost. Serena whom I will be working with a lot is based in Voi/Tsavo and is setting up a sanctuary and tourist center there. I will give you more details when I begin working.

"Everything seemed to work out great, it always does in this part of the world some how. I love mombassa, it is so diverse and so colorful. Everyone speaks Swahili and the food is so flavorful. Life is very relaxed because it is so hot!! I feel very safe despite the recent bomb blast, go figure... With the upcoming elections things may get a little crazy again I am suppose to stay in my home. Dec. 27th will be a day to sleep!!

"All in all things are great. I miss you all very much and can't wait to see you folks in the Bay Area in July...."

Love ya,
Leslie