Life in Kaswanga

I just realized that I've given very vague details of life in Kaswanga, and I'm sure many of you are confused as to what I'm doing here, what brought me here, etc etc. Here are some details!

Kaswanga is Luo village on Rusinga Island located on Lake Victoria. It is a rather isolated village. Everyone lives in a mud or cement hut

and most people have several huts on their property where extended family members live. I live with Ezekiel

and Lydia Tito, their two children Eda and Javier, Jane the houseworker, Ezekiel's brother Moses and another

brother and his family. I'm not sure of the other brother's name, but I'm going to guess it's Peter

... most people are named Peter here. I live in my very own mud hut, and it has become my home. It's pretty cozy! There is no electricity and no running water, but it's amazing how quickly I got used to life without a blowdryer and bathing in Lake Victoria (probably a bad move, what with the bilharzia and all.) I am woken up every morning at 6:30 by not only roosters, but also chickens, a dog, two cats, one cow and about 10 goats. I can now do an amaaaaazing goat impression.

I came to Kaswanga to work with Friends of Rusinga Orphans and Widows Group. This organization is a feeding program for 25 students who come to the Tito's home everyday

for lunch. Most of them are orphans or only have one parent, and this is likely their only meal of the day. Everyday I serve the children lunch, teach at the Agiro Primary School, work on the sweet potato farm and help prepare the food. Island life is pretty relaxed here, so I would rarely do all of those things in one day.

And that is what has brought me to this quiet island village! There are very few wazungu (foreigner, plural) passing through. I confirmed this today while flipping through the local Visitors Book. Aside from one girl from Winnipeg (strangely enough, someone other than me) most of the "visitors" were from Kaswanga...

I hope that has cleared up any confusion! More details to come soon!