This past week, we had a language training, and it was really nice. We stayed in a nice hotel, with hot showers and nice beds. We got to refresh our language skills, and I learned how to say, "I will beat you" and "Get a job" in my local language. I think it will be very helpful.

When I do speak the local language the people seem to appreciate it so much, and they laugh, and they really love it. In the market it is especially fun because you can make jokes and get better deals that way. I bought 3 necklaces for 200 Uganda Shillings each this week in the market, which is about, um not very much money (like 10 or 20 cents?), haha, math skills are not there.

Our language training was in a small town, Pallisa, so one of the nights, for our "cultural immersion", we went to the local brew spots to drink "malawa" which is fermented millet that is alcohol... it was good. It is served in a pot, warm, with a really long straw, and you sit around in a circle and drink. You can't drink too much, or you won't be able to walk home, so we just had a few sips. hehe. I felt very immersed.

Today, I had the chance to visit with a women's group, Iki-ki Widows and Orphan Initiative Association. We gathered under a mango tree, and everyone sat on the ground, but first they gathered leaves from the tree to sit on... make-shift seat, ha, good use of local resources. I tried to see what I can do to help, most of the women are HIV positive, and the main concerns are what will happen to their children they leave behind. They have established themselves as an official group recognized by the sub-county, and there are about 70 women and 50 OVCs (orphans and vulnerable children). They have fields to grow crops, few cattle and some goats to get started. The Chairperson led the meeting, and I know only some Lugwere, so most of what I said had to be translated. The woman that sat next to me told me her name was Sarah and that she was HIV positive. I told her that I have a best friend from home named Sarah, so it is a nice name. She looked at me and said, "That's fine, I love her." ha, this was funny for me to hear, so Sarah, you now have at least 2 people that love you in Uganda. For some reason when she said this to me, it hit me weird, just made me be like, "huh, you love my friend Sarah" haha.
Anyways, I think the women and children were really happy I was there to visit with them, I just hope they don't think I am God and will be able to answer all their prayers, maybe only some. We shall see.

Black boogars
Every time I blow my nose in Uganda, what comes out, but lovely black boogars. haha, this is actually true. It is usually worse when I travel, but I was talking with another volunteer that says this is not good. (haha, I will agree, no, it's not good). Now, it's not just me either, so don't think I am this extremely dirty, it happens to everyone. (If you are a person in Uganda reading this, don't write any comments about how this doesn't happen to you) haha, because I'm sure it does, maybe you just don't blow your nose often enough, and that's even grosser. So, my thoughts on this are, let's clean up our world, and get rid of these black boogars, I'm ready for clear or even greenish will be fine. Dad, I hope you like this post, it's mainly for you, so you can think of me. Smile, cheese.

Country music
Ugandans love country music! Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain, and many more always on the radio. This is also funny to me, but good, because I love listening to country music very much too.

Kneeling
Girls kneel here, it is something they do as a part of their culture, but then I'm like, well why don't boys? Yesturday I was at a school, and a little girl walked by me, but as she got near to me, she kneeled. Most girls and even women kneel when they greet me. At first, I was not too comfortable only because I want them to know they are equal with me, so they shouldn't have to kneel, but mostly it's just out of respect (according to their culture). I don't kneel because it's not a part of my culture.

Before this,
Lately life had been a little down, just because I haven't really known what in the world I am supposed to be doing here in Uganda, ha, soon though, soon I see some light shining somewhere sometimes, so for now, I guess that's enough. Sometimes I want to do a hundred billion things, but I need to really just focus on a few. I know this anyways.

Coke makes my eyes water

I was coming to Kampala this weekend because an old cavity of mine was messed up. The dentist left a gap between the filling and the tooth, so I couldn't eat on my left side. The dentist had to drill out 2 old fillings completely and then re-fill them, lovely. I don't usually like the dentist anyways, so it really wasn't fun, but it was nice coming to Kampala.

So, I think that I need to stop drinking soda or something. Coke makes my eyes water anyways, which I always think is weird.



Visitor's book:

Lately I have had the opportunity to visit a lot of the schools in my outreach area, and the visitor's book is this book you have to sign as soon as you get to a school. It is kind of a funny thing, because when you sign it, you really have to, and it is really, really important that you do. I know it's important because it is the very first thing I do at every school I reach. This one school I was at, there was a man who arrived late, but had to make a speech. As he is in the middle of his speech a man comes up and places the visitor book in front of him to sign... yes, it's really important as you can see.

Bee's in my pit latrine:
I have these weird blueish/black bees in my pit latrine. It is very scary because now every time I go, I get freaked out a bee will fly up and eww... I don't like the situation. I think I will have to smoke them out or something, but I don't know how to do that, so I guess eventually I will have to ask a neighbor to help me. Wish me luck.