Getting ready for permanent assignment

I  spent two days last week at the United Nations learning about my new job and the programs.  Things are a little crazy there trying to coordinate the emergency feeding and  the school feeding program.  This month's emergency food was not released by the government until a week and a half  after it was supposed to be.  Not sure what the holdup was but I was at a meeting  at the warehouses when the trucks came rolling in with rice.  That is what they  giving out for the emergency feeding -- rice and oil.  They give it out based on the family size and have records to say how many are in a family.  It's unfortunate that it can't be more nutritious but what they give out is supposed to last a month, hence it cannot be too perishable and these villages have no electricity or running water.

I met a cool woman on Saturday.  We went to a ceremony at the Starfish Academy, which is the project and dream of a local woman who wants to make girls strong and independent.  She and her husband built a library on the family property for the girls and also made it available to the local children.   There was no bathroom so the US embassy donated money for the building materials and the village did the construction.  Yesterday was the dedication of the bathroom.  These were flush toilets with sinks so tres modern.  Quite a few of the girls performed in front of the audience and they were impressive.  The link below is to her website  -- she recruits 6 week volunteers. 

 http://www.starfishinternational.org/about.   

I saw my new house.  It is small but will work out.  City compounds are a lot different than the country compound.  There is no green space in between them, just walled compounds.  Mine actually has a door directly into a small police office so help is very close.  I am also three blocks from the larger police station so I plan to make friends in both places.  I do have electricity and running water so will be a good thing.  Before you know it, home sweet home -- after I spend some money.