To The Coast

Hey Everyone!

Hope all is well. I am doing fine and finishing out the semester. I finished two final papers within the past week. The first was for my appropriate technology class. I discussed the feasibility of solar panels for Lwanda School. What I found was that to bring electricity to the entire area from the main road was about double the cost of installing solar panels for just the secondary school, so my conclusion was that until the prices of solar panels down (which they will with time, research, and production competition), they are not appropriate for Lwanda. The second paper I wrote was about foreign aid and how it can actually hinder development rather than promote growth due to the poor implementation/distribution, and poor government policies. We have two weeks of class, then two weeks of exams. I can't believe how fast the semester went! The classes I enjoyed most were African Literature and Community Development and the Church. As for next semester, I'll likely spend most of my days interning/volunteering at an organization in Athi River or Nairobi to get some practical experience and break out of the campus life a bit. I'll probably just take two classes here.

This evening I am leaving for the coast of Kenya! I have never been there, and I've never been to the Indian Ocean. Monica and I are traveling by bus, and in a couple days we'll meet up with two friends from school, Raija and Alyssa. My "sister" Lissen Arogo lives there too, so it will be nice to reconnect after three and a half years! So as it snows, just remember I am laying on the beach.