It's not all work in Nairobi

Hi all,

This is my favourite picture from the weekend.

This is me kissing a giraffe, much to the amusement of those around me.  (Actually they just lick your face..lovely!)

As part of our first weekend in Kenya we felt we should really take in a couple of the tourist sites so Lonely Planet took us to the Giraffe centre on the outskirts of town where you can feed....and kiss the giraffes. It feels a little like a glorified zoo that only stocks giraffes, but it's definitely an opportunity to get up close and personal which was kind of cool. That said I think we need to go back at a different time - arriving at the same time as the buses of japanese tourists, armed with an entire warehouse of photographic kit somewhat marrs the experience!


Also touristy and somewhat overrated was the infamous Carnivore resaturant, where the meat is unlimited and they keep serving you off giant swords until you concede defeat. (Although I hasten to add they no longer serve game)

One for the lads I think as unlimited meat is not really my idea of culinary excellence. It was a definitely an experience, but not one I'll be repeating at any time in the near future.

This weekend was also an opportunity to meet some new friends and we have been very lucky in being pulled to the epicentre of the Nairobi social scene through mutual friends. This lead to a very sociable Saturday brunch, complete with bacon and eggs, followed by few beers watching his dogs chase monkeys in the back yard. I guess they're just the local squirrel equivalent?!

So it's back to work today and we're finally hoping to get stuck into our project. Last week was a fascinating introduction to AMREF, providing an overview of how this extraordinary organisation fits together, but we didn't come here purely to listen so this week is all about starting work and seeing where it takes us.

Kim x

Today we have a glimmer of sunshine 'leo kuna jewa' (yes I am working on my swahili!)..although for all of you back in the UK I hasten to add that it is still cold and mostly grey, so I won't be sporting any kind of tan when you next see me.

We're finally settling into a routine here, getting into the office early at 7.45 and leaving at 4.30 (awesome). The early run takes 10mins...the ride hope can take 45mins due to crazy driving and crazy traffic. Like many countries in the developing world the number of cars has grown exponentially, but the infrastructure hasn't kept up.

Being in a lovely clean spacious taxi also makes me feel a little guilty, as the route to work and our location clearly juxtaposes the haves..and the have nots. Our apartment block backs onto a golf course, and just beyond that is the huge, sprawling Nairobi slum, Kibera. Our drive to work takes us past a couple of the main entrances and the hoardes of people leaving Kibera to walk to work...like a giant line of ants we see leaving the slum in the day, and heading home there at night.

AMREF work in Kibera, so Garret and I are hoping to visit next week to give us a better perspective on life there and how despite such an impoverished existence almost everyone still leaves looking smart and well turned out for work.

From a work perspective we're still in limbo. Today is our final day of inductions and meeting people before the real work begins next week. It is already clear there are some very high calibre and capable people here and that an organisation they do some fantastic work. That said there is also duplication, silo-ed working and lack of visibility between directorates (much like GSK), so Garret and I are hoping to be able to cut across this to move our project forwards.

Have a great weekend, we're off to be tourist tomorrow and take in the animal orphanage and the giraffe manor, hopefully that means I'll have some good pictures to share with you all.

Kim x

Hi everyone and welcome to my personal blog, which will aim to detail my latest experiences, frustrations, successes, trials and tribulations here in Kenya.

(This is intended to be the more informal partner to the central PULSE blog on which I will be adding occasional more formal posts!) www.gskpulsevolunteer.wordpress.com

For someone who has never 'blogged' before I'm having to learn fast!

So here we are...day one at AMREF HQ in Nairobi: Garret and Dorothy (my fellow PULSE volunteers) all looking a little formal and awkward after a day being introduced around the office to literally EVERYONE. Trying to memorise around 100 names in a day is pretty tough work. Thank goodness I took notes!

It's a challenge trying to understand the organisation, and how all the directorates fit together, but we're gradually completing the jigsaw and working our where our project is going to sit and add value. Our project is shaping up to sound pretty exciting and very challenging so I hope we can deliver on their expectations!

Kim x