Training

Of course, the day I finally have time to sit and write an entry my internet isn’t working. Today is December 22 but it doesn’t feel anything like Christmas time. We’re even doing Secret Santa in the Deaf Ed group but it still doesn’t feel like the holidays. I’ve decided that’s a good thing though – maybe I’ll be able to spend 3 Christmas here without ever feeling like I’m missing out. Next year Mom, Dad and Mark hope to visit around Christmas, which should be nice – enough time for me to really be settled in and know my way around.

So, training is almost over. Last week we had a mock LPI (Language Proficiency Interview) and I did alright – need to work on fluency and facial expressions, but my KSL is improving and I’m able to carry on a conversation. This week we are peer teaching (in KSL) and that’s an entirely different story. The move to this new training site has been hard on Deaf Ed. There is no Deaf community to interact with and no Deaf school to practice teaching, so we’ve had very little experience working with Deaf students. Next week is our real LPI. This time, instead of being interviewed by our teacher, we will be interviewed by someone we have not met before. But we’re all pretty excited because we know that it’s going to be our interpreter’s brother who is pretty famous in the Deaf community in Kenya. Then we go to Nairobi to swear-in and head to our site. I’m both excited about getting to my school and nervous about leaving all the great people in my training group. I’ll also be sad to leave my family. I have Mama, 4 sisters, 2 brothers, a niece and a nephew. Mount Kilimanjaro will also be missed. Although I can’t always see it through the clouds, it has been an ever-present comfort when I’m frustrated with training or homesick.

If you’re really feeling the Christmas spirit (or just how much you love me) I will always appreciate…
- email
- hand-written letters
- Burt’s Bees (the pomegranate kind)
- Mixed cds (please send me all the great new music)

All for now,
Erin