OGEA 2012 – It Begins!

Today is the day. Our first two participants for OGEA 2012 touch down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi tonight, and Muneeb and I couldn’t be more excited!

The past two weeks have been a blur of long overland bus rides, many cups of sweet tea, and the never ending search for street signs and working toilets. Our bodies finally seem to have caught up to our newest timezone, and our minds have finally wrapped themselves around the exchange rates for the three different local currencies we will be working in. We have taken the last few days in Nairobi to relax a bit, finalize last-minute details and gather our thoughts. From Kigali to Kampala, Marigoli to Kisumu, and finally Nairobi, we are ready! Our partners are all excited for us to arrive, almost as excited as we are to be working with them. We have figured out local currency exchange rates, and the best spots in each city for cheap food and good, clean fun.

It is with full confidence that I state that this impending trip will be an incredible experience for all involved, packed full of excitement and thrills and experiencing an entirely new place in an unconventional way. I can guarantee that we will be inspired and challenged every single day, and will push ourselves to our physical limits. We will discuss complicated issues, to which there are no right answers, and use our experiences, and the experiences of our local partners to attempt to devise unique and sustainable solutions.

In fact, Muneeb and I are so excited for the trip to begin that we even did laundry last night to celebrate the occasion! Three hours worth, in fact.

For more on the region of East Africa – check out Sabrina’s blog!http://sandwichesandsuitcases.wordpress.com/