Quick update, sorry it's been so long

I've really got a lot to talk about, I just haven't finished getting it all on (proverbial) paper just yet, I've been very busy.

Quick summary:

--Earlier last week there was the big Grameen CKW/Question Box event. I've written up a bit about it, haven't quite finished it yet. Met the CKWs (Community Knowledge Workers) as well as some of the AppLab team, had focus groups about the AQB (AppLab Question Box, sorry, I went to Berkeley, I love me my TLAs [ahem, three letter acronyms]) service, as well as the newly public Google SMS services (the CKWs have been testing/using them for a while), and it was nice to hear that neither the CKWs nor Grameen sounds like they view the SMS tools as a replacement for our service. There's a writeup about it at the new Question Box blog (to which I'll also contribute), located here, as well as pictures from it that Jon took. Some pictures I took either are or soon will be on Flickr.

--My next set of projects at work involve the software: studying how it differs from the original spec that was agreed upon for it, figuring out if anything ought to or needs to be changed as part of that, etc, as well as describing it in great detail for an intellectual property agreement between Appfrica (who created the software and houses the project; Jon's company) and Open Mind (the parent nonprofit of Question Box; Rose's organization) about the software. I'm also working to improve some major recordkeeping issues (such as one that made it look as though, based on the data to which I had access, our answer rate was about 60% -- in reality this reflected those that could be answered without escalation to an expert, and the real rate is more like 95%). And uh, in case I'm saying more about any of this than I'm supposed to (I don't think so, but still), don't go publishing any of this without asking me first, OK?

--I'm moved into my new place. It's very nice! There are pictures on Flickr.

--The commute is taking some getting used to, I haven't fine-tuned it yet. Last week it was hard, so I kept stopping halfway at Good African Coffee to get some work done there. Their internet is also better than the office's, so both times I went Jon ended up going there, too. They know and love Jon there, and so I'm well-liked by association, and will be a regular soon...they're coffee's very good, and pretty inexpensive. A small African coffee (brewed coffee with steamed milk), which is easily two cups worth (it comes in a little kettle) is 4000 shillings, or less than two dollars. Not bad compared to coffee shops in the Bay Area. Speaking of coffee, over the weekend I got myself a French press so I could make myself coffee. It seemed pretty expensive (like $20!) but I figured I'll always use one, I like them a lot, and I'll certainly get a lot of use out of it here and home/wherever, so I was willing to pay it, since they're not all that easy to find here. Then I got it home and it's cracked, and I probably won't get a chance to return it until at least Tuesday, if not later. I really hope they don't accuse me of cracking it, but I think I've got to try, though I don't think the chances of exchanging it are all that great, given what I've heard. And it will work as is, and only leaks very little very slowly, but it's the principle, especially given how much it cost. Plus I want it to last, and the glass is always as risk from the temperature extremes. Don't need it starting out weakened. Sigh. Also it seems to be impossible (here) to buy just the glass part for if/when it breaks like you'd hope you could.

Anyway, today I walked about half way to work and took a taxi (mutatu) the other half. It took a long time (about an hour) but only cost 500 (about a quarter) and now I know a way that avoids the icky busy street until almost where it's easy to get a mutatu. It was really nice, too, when I got to the bottom of the hill, Benon, the special driver I know best, was heading up to the hill to pick somebody else up, and offered me a lift. (That's the only reason I was as on time as I was; otherwise it would've been another ten minutes probably -- it's not far, but it is steep!).

I know another route for the first half of the commute that could be better, as it could involve two mutatus, so quicker and less walking (still at least 10 minutes on either end though, one each uphill and downhill each way -- I'd still get plenty of exercise) but so far I haven't had much luck actually getting a mutatu for the first stretch, they're all full by the time they get there, so I just end up walking further along a stretch of big road that's not great for walking because it's really busy and the sidewalk path wanders away from it through markets, dilapidated houses, and so forth, and isn't very efficient (as well as at times a little uncomfortable). So what I did today worked better, it's just a bit time-consuming.

--The 4th of July weekend was fun. Friday I met up with some people (via Naashom, who I got my place from, but herself couldn't make it, as she was stuck in traffic into Kampala from Jinja) about whom I'd heard but never met, another group of this same circle of muzungu development workers. I ended up going to their 4th of July barbeque rather than the official ARA (American Recreation Association?) one which sounded fun-ish but cost money and I didn't really know who'd be going. So I went with the known known and went to the smaller barbeque, which I'm pleased to say involved excellent veggie kebabs and (!) veggie burgers and sausages from the pseudo-Morningstar farms brand they sell at ShopRite (which are quite good, and even come in green boxes! Very exciting).

--I think that's all for now. Oh yeah, Jon and Sarah's other roommate, whose room I stayed in while I was here, just got back and I met him. I'd heard a lot about him, so that was exciting. He's just finish(ed/ing) an MBA at Oxford (!). I think I'll join him and Jon and co. for dinner tonight.

--I'll write more as I have it and have the time and energy to write it up. But in short, everything's great, work is going well, I'm settling into my new place and new (long) commute, getting familiar with the city and transportation in it, and getting to know a good group of people to hang out with. Also, I'm eating well, if fairly simply, and now I've got a safer plug adapter for the electric range and nothing's caught fire yet.

--Once again, if you're interested in Question Box, have a look at the blog! It's just starting out, but should become a good source of updates on it and how it fits into Grameen's rural ICTD program.