Please Write

please write to me
Lee Von Hofe
US Peace Corps
PO box 225 50102
Mumias, Kenya
Africa

Please Write

please write to me
Lee Von Hofe
Peace Corps Kenya
PO Box 698-00621
Village Market
Nairobi Kenya

First few days

I arrived in Nairobi Wednesday evening with 27 other volunteers. We were greeted by current volunteers at the airport.We all loaded a bus and were taken to our hostel for our initial training, overall rules and expectations for PCV’s (Peace Corps Volunteers. Living and spending time with this many people 24 seven, you get close really fast. I was surprised and still am of how well we all get along. We are from all over the US. I guess it could consist of how we al want to help and serve the common man.

Our group consist of teachers: deaf education, math and science. Starting today Sunday, we will begin our official Pre-service training. This will consist of our language, culture and everything we need to know to be successful in our service. We are going on a 7 hour bus ride to the side which is roughly 150 miles (of which I have been told). I guess that only means the roads are not that great.

Yesterday I had my interview regarding where and what I wanted to teach at my school. I said I wanted to teach PE, math and Religion. I chose to be in a Christian community rather than Muslim or other. There is a curriculum that we go by, because the standardized test are based off of what is in the curriculum. From what I understand we can interject our opinion and thoughts and subjects. Of course the placement solely depends on PC. There were also choices for Isolated, rural, peri urban and urban. I chose peri urban and urban, with the hopes I get urban. Most if not all deaf schools are in either of those two areas. We also got to chose the climate. Hot/humid, cool/cold, wet/dry. I chose cool/cold and wet/dry.

I will post again on my mailing address if so incline to send something. Letters would be wonderful.

All of the deaf ed volunteers will be will do their training together. We have up to 9 weeks to take and complete the sign language proficiency test. We can take the test as early as after the first two weeks. If that happens then we can learn our local dialect and or Kiswalli. My goal is to pass the test at the first two week mark.

Just a few weeks

In the next 10-15 days I should receive information from Sato travel. They will send me information about orientation on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3. For now i just wait for those pieces of paper to arrive in the mail.

All Cleared

All of my forms and papers have been submitted and have been ok'ed for my departure for Kenya. I now wait for additional information from my host country, plane tickets and orientation in the coming weeks. The days are coming near.

Last dental forms sent

As the months and days fly by toward departure day, my assignments are getting crossed off my list. I mailed in my dental forms yesterday. I had to resubmit them because they were not recent. My last ones were done last spring due to the fact i was planning on leaving last fall. That did not come to fruition.

My next assignment is 6-8 weeks before departure I have to consider and think about getting personal property insurance. My gut feeling is that I will get that.

Application Update

A few days ago I received noticed that my dental information had expired. I was told that I was going to need an updated dental evaluation. It expired because it had been a year since i last did it. I was planning on leaving last october so my dental information would have been valid. Now that am I leaving 6 months after my dental expired new information is needed. My appointment is July 2.

Kenya bound

I got a formal written invitation to serve in the Peace Corps. I will be teaching deaf education in Kenya leaving November 3, 2009. There is a lot of paperwork that I must do before then.

Invitation Sent

I am been invited to become a Peace Corps Volunteer.  An invitation packet was sent on April 29, 2009. With in 10 days of receiving my packet I have to contact the Peace Corps Office to tell them whether I will accept the invitation.

Formal Invitation

My placement officer called me Wednesday March 4, 2009 and said that this is  formal invitation to serve in the Peace Corps. You have been assigned to Africa, teaching sign language. A written invitation will be sent out early May with the departure date of early October.

It is clear from looking at blogs and websites that the country is Kenya.

In the meantime i am strongly encouraged to learn ASL.

For now I wait for the written paperwork.