The last two weeks of my trip were a real mix of emotions- excitement to come home and see my family and friends, sadness at leaving the students and feeling a bit lost at the idea of coming home not having a volunteering project to work on.

Three other volunteers at the house were completing teaching placements at a school within the slum, and they spoke regularly about the need within the school for supplies. Children had to share a set of stationary amongst the school, and had to borrow them from other classrooms. While I was there the volunteers bought school shoes for one student who sometimes came to school barefoot, and had to take another student to hospital as she had cut their finger on the tin that the school is built out of. I decided to spend some of my donation money creating supplies for the children in the school- buying water bottles, popcorn, toothbrushes and toothpaste, as well as chocolate, lollies and lollipops (they are kids, after all!). I coupled this with the stationary donations I was provided with before I left (thanks, Mike!), and the donations my mum gave me, and bundled these into packs to dish out.

The other lovely volunteers kindly helped me walk all the supplies to school. On the way into the school several young primary children were milling outside sans uniform, the result of being unable to pay the $100 school fee for the year, and are hence no longer able to attend school- heartbreaking. I met with the principal, who said that money is one of their major challenges- to obtain resources and pay the teachers (there often aren't enough teachers, so children sit in the classroom alone for the entire day, without anything to do), but also in that eventually the children rack's up too much debt in school fees and they have to ask them to stop attending until they can afford to come again. He explained how some of the mothers make bracelets they sell for income to help the school, and then proceeded to give me a handmade key ring and necklace and bracelet set as a thank you for donating, and obstinately refused to let me pay him! The principal was absolutely fabulous, and the volunteers rave about the hard work he does- even coming on weekends.

When I handed out the supplies the principal (called the head teacher), introduced me to every classroom, and helped us divide up the supplies into those to be provided now as a treat, those to be used as prizes during teaching, and those to be kept to share amongst everyone. Interestingly, the students fought most for the water bottles and toothbrush and toothpaste- a remarkable comparison to Western kids!

I did a final NVS trip- a day excursion to the equator. After 3 hours of driving I had to laugh when we finally arrived at the equator- simply a sign on the side of the road that literally just informed us the equator was here! A local did come over to us, however, to demonstrate how the magnetic pull changes by pouring water into a bowl and placing a toothpick in the bowl. On one side of the sign it span clockwise, a few metres away it spun anticlockwise, directly under the sign it didn't spin at all. Afterwards we visited a gorgeous waterfall, with a hike back to the top of about 3 billion consecutive steps! We concluded the day with a mountain hike- a 2 hour return climb that almost murdered me! I never notice my low iron levels until we attempt something like this! At some points it was so steep we were almost on hands and knees. The view was spectacular, but just as we reached the top it pissed with rain, and we had to descend while it poured. I was a muddy, sweaty mess when I reached the bottom!

In my second last week another volunteer and I decided to get our hair braided, Kenyan style! The braids took 5 hours to put in (and 5 hours to take out, mind you!). I have since been informed I look lovely as a hippie- not quite the look I was going for. While I can see why braids are beneficial in a place you don't have the ability to regularly wash your hair, they aren't a hairstyle I think I'll continue in Australia. They were painful for days after they were put in, super heavy when I attempted to wash them and the fake hair itched my skin no end. Certainly a lot of fun, and a look I have never had before, but I was definitely happy to see the end of them!

While I had been away on my trips, the sanitary pads I'd ordered for the teenage girls at the HIV clinic had arrived. I recruited a NVS staff member and Mary Alice to help me transport the 6000 pads through the slum from the doctor's to the clinic. The lady at the clinic was stoked to receive them, and kept blessing me and telling me how much I will be in their prayers. These donations will be enough to return up to 100 girls to school for an entire year- THANK YOU TO MY BRILLIANT DONATORS!

We then went to visit the students I had put into course's to gain employment- one wasn't there as her mum had a toothache and didn't want to wheel her daughter to the course (!!), so we had a chat with her about commitment, and the other was doing fantastically. We received great reviews from the employer, and I got a chance to say goodbye to our student, and to pay the remainder of his course. He is now 2 months through his 8 month panel beating traineeship, and has 8 weeks of income in his pocketJ.

For my last weekend in Kenya we decided to briefly revisit Kisumu- since the last trip there didn't quite go to plan- and stay in a beautiful rainforest tree house. We took an 8 hour night bus, arriving in Kisumu at 5am. I'd like to say I watched the sunrise in this rural town, but to be honest I slept at the bus station until well after the sun came up. We took a trip to the lake, did a boat tour, and ate lunch overlooking the water. We then took a 2 hour matatu, and a 30 minute motorbike ride to our accommodation. We had dinner cooked for us by the local staff and bedded early in preparation for an early rainforest trip. We woke up at 4:30 am the next morning, and took off on a sunrise hike. It was pitch black when we left, and even though I was kitted out in my sexy head torch, I still managed to stack it in the slippery mud- courtesy of the storm the night before. When we hiked the mountain I remembered why I don't ever attempt exercising in the morning- but was rewarded when I reached the top by a breathtaking sunrise view over the rainforest! My friend who got braids with me, Thora, and I took some photos and we look like we are a hippie band posing for a cover photo!

That afternoon we hiked to a posh teahouse and had tea and cake in the beautiful surrounds, and at night the boys cooked pasta we had bought on the fireplace, and we ate spaghetti by candlelight in the middle of the rainforest- not a shabby last weekend! The following day we had breakfast (using our fingers to spread peanut butter onto bread since we did not realise cutlery would be provided- sticky, sticky!), did a walk through the rainforest, and our guide pointed out a peppermint plant and various plants they use to treat asthma, malaria and even prostate cancer! After a day of relaxing we then took the return 30 minute bus trip, 2 hour matatu ride, and 8 hour bus ride to arrive back at 5am. I didn't sleep a wink on the bus back and arrived utterly pooped! The house said they hadn't had any running water the entire 5 days we were away, so we definitely timed this trip well!

On my last day I went into school and gave presents to each of the students, the staff members and the NVS staff members who had really gone above and beyond to make my donation requests possible. I also ran an interview skills training session with one of the NVS staff members who had never attended a job interview and was nervous about the prospect of ever attending one. I can't believe how easily the words came out, I felt like I was back in my old job, running an interview skills session with one of our job seekers! Afterwards the 2 NVS staff members took me through Kibera slum to take photos I was unable to take without their presence. At the volunteer house I put surprise thank you presents on my friends beds- Thora, who lent me her laptop to communicate with you all, Mary Alice- who was a superstar volunteer to be paired with on my project, and Matt, who is constructing our over toilet aide.

I then began the 32 journey home- a 1hr trip to the airport, a 9 hour flight to Thailand, 11 hour overlay (where mumma paid for me to spend a few hours in a lovely hotel to rest my back and stuff my belly full of a brilliant buffet to kill time- thanks ma!) and 9 hour flight to Aus.

Now that I've been home for a few days I'm finding it hard to adapt back to our Western first world life. I love all the small things- that everything is SO CLEAN, having hot water, having consistent running water that I don't stress will run out, eating meat and fruit and vege, using an ATM card, places having change for a $10 note, and how instantaneous everything in the first world is, but I am finding it hard to have empathy for the things people are complaining about, or even to find things worthwhile to do. After helping someone who has had a stroke from HIV to learn to walk again or paying for someone to do a course to get them out of the slum, I'm really struggling to work up the enthusiasm for paying my RACQ bill, or dusting the house! My friends who have left already said it can take weeks to adjust back home again.

To be honest, I'm not sure I want to totally adjust and go back to normal. I want the experiences I've had, the things I've seen, and the stories I've heard to somehow change me for the better. How, I'm yet to find out, but I'll keep you updated if I ever figure that out. To all my beautiful friends and family, thank you for your support- financial and emotional, I couldn't have done this trip without you. This has been one of the most exciting, scary, challenging, confronting, moving and overwhelming experiences of my life, but I wouldn't change a second of it. I have met some wonderful people; the students at the school, the local staff, the NVS workers, my house mums and the other volunteers. I have made lifelong memories, and hopefully some lifelong friends too.

ASANTE SANA!

NAKUPENDA!