I walked to Mbale one day from my house. It’s about 30 Kilometers! (that's about 17 miles) It was way too long, and once I arrived in town I felt like someone had taken a pole and beaten me down with it. Haha. Really though, the adventure was fun until the end… Along the way we (me and Julianna) stopped to eat some jack fruit on the side of the road, and the woman was so nice, she brought us a grain sack to sit on and water to wash our hands once we were finished. Very kind. We stopped for a few waters along the trading centers and everyone seemed to think we were crazy for "footing" to Mbale. About half way, my friend got a blister and had to go home. The rest of the way people would come up to me and walk for a few minutes, or even a few kilometers and we would talk... One man was on a usual walk, 5 km home, another woman I talked with was on the way to the hospital to see her sick sister, and I was reminded once again that God and prayers will save us all. Near the end, there were these 2 little girls, no older than 6 that follwed me for about 2km until they finally trailed off somewhere...
My neighbors live in one house with 5 teachers, which is actually 5 independent families in one house, probably the size of 2 of my living rooms back home. It is so small! Total, there are 5 teachers, 3 wives, and 9 children, which equals 17 people in one small house! The rooms are somehow divided by the walls that reach only a certain height because of course there are no ceilings, so surely you can hear everything, and if you wanted, you could throw something over and it would reach the other families room/house.
The kids here are so crafty, and I would love it if some of the kids back home would learn a few things from using creativity to make toys rather than spend tons of money on these things that are bad for the environment anyway... The kids here make jump ropes out of vines from trees (and they work rather well), they make toy guns from just about anything (one kid was using an aloe vera plant), they make balls from plastic bags people have thrown away, they use tops from bottles as wheels for cars they've made out of pieces of old wire, they were using old grain sacks like a sled and pulling each other across the lawn for fun... really, I always love to see what they will invent next.
I went to Soroti to work with some primary school girls on a psychosocial art therapy program. I really enjoyed working with them, and I think they had a lot of fun... at least I hope so. Getting to Soroti was an adventure... We took a taxi to begin our journey, and after riding for about 1 hour, the taxi came to a stop, but we were still 20km out from Soroti. Then we got on bicycle boda bodas (one man is driving the bike, and you sit on the back overtop of the back tire, but on a cushion), and they took us about 3km through about 6 inches of water covering the road. The next mode of transport was a wooden canoe that had to take us across the flooded road until we eventually reached a part of the road that wasn't completely flooded and we got back in a taxi to take us the rest of the way. It was fun.
On the way back, we decided to go the "faster way" according to some... however, we went around through a dirt road, and it ended up taking 4 hours! Way too long. The roads were so dirty that when I would wipe my face, literally you could see a layer of dirt come off and on to my hand. The inside of my ear looked like someone threw dirt at me, and oh, my nose, it definitely was loaded. haha. My friend said they could even see the dirt on my eyelashes and eye brows... beauty queen time.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Say some prayers...
Sipi Falls is beautiful, see.
Rough week buddy:
This week at school, one day I visited a primary school and 4 out of 10 teachers were present, I even, well my eyes started poofing up in the office just especially because when I think about the kids... it can be hard to think about. One of the teachers, actually he was the deputy, so this is like the principal, he had taken his class to his own garden to plow during class time, grr... it made me mad. Another class was without a teacher all morning, and I'm just like woah dude.
I think there is this cycle. ... Uganda is living life as a circle, and I suppose as we all are...
A circle that goes around and around, and only can be stopped or broken if someone actually steps up and does something... please God, do something someone. haha, I am trying, but not sure if I can manage this large task.
"Corruption is killing our souls", and yes, it really is. I always see corruption everywhere here too... I see it in town, at the police station, even in church.
Some days, I am not sure if there is anything I can do, but some days I think I can... when I got to a good school, I think woo, now we are getting somewhere.
Let's all look up.
I had a random conversation with a Kenyan man on the street the other day... we got into a usual conversation about life here, and what the answers/ solutions were to some of the madness going on.
He told me, "the only answer is prayer"... he said that the only thing that would save any of us would be to look to God and hope for the best.
haha, at first this made me laugh, because I am thinking, well of course there is more we can do than just say a few prayers, even Jewel says, "We pray for peace, but if praying were enough, it would have come to be."... and she is smart, so I was thinking there is more we should do.. who knows.
But then sometimes I think about the power of prayer, and the power of positive thoughts, and everything like that, and maybe that is the answer... maybe just enough people aren't involved. So let's all get involved and do some praying. hehe. Seriously though, do it.
Pray for us here in Uganda, and everyone else in the world that faces the hard times of poverty, disease, sickness, sadness, etc.
Ok, I'll start...
Now your turn. woo!
Night time heaven
The stars here and the sky always are amazing, I love them so much. I think I can surely see when I look up like that. This weekend I went on a trip to Sipi Falls, it is a place in the mountains of Mbale and it is lovely, lovely. There were rainbows almost daily, and one day there was one that arched completely over a waterfall, and it looked so beautiful, I thought maybe it wasn’t even real. Haha.
We tented out over this cliff and at night it got so freezing. I tried to wrap myself up, but it never worked... yes, it does get cold in Uganda, although this is rare.
This week at school, one day I visited a primary school and 4 out of 10 teachers were present, I even, well my eyes started poofing up in the office just especially because when I think about the kids... it can be hard to think about. One of the teachers, actually he was the deputy, so this is like the principal, he had taken his class to his own garden to plow during class time, grr... it made me mad. Another class was without a teacher all morning, and I'm just like woah dude.
I think there is this cycle. ... Uganda is living life as a circle, and I suppose as we all are...
A circle that goes around and around, and only can be stopped or broken if someone actually steps up and does something... please God, do something someone. haha, I am trying, but not sure if I can manage this large task.
"Corruption is killing our souls", and yes, it really is. I always see corruption everywhere here too... I see it in town, at the police station, even in church.
Some days, I am not sure if there is anything I can do, but some days I think I can... when I got to a good school, I think woo, now we are getting somewhere.
Let's all look up.
I had a random conversation with a Kenyan man on the street the other day... we got into a usual conversation about life here, and what the answers/ solutions were to some of the madness going on.
He told me, "the only answer is prayer"... he said that the only thing that would save any of us would be to look to God and hope for the best.
haha, at first this made me laugh, because I am thinking, well of course there is more we can do than just say a few prayers, even Jewel says, "We pray for peace, but if praying were enough, it would have come to be."... and she is smart, so I was thinking there is more we should do.. who knows.
But then sometimes I think about the power of prayer, and the power of positive thoughts, and everything like that, and maybe that is the answer... maybe just enough people aren't involved. So let's all get involved and do some praying. hehe. Seriously though, do it.
Pray for us here in Uganda, and everyone else in the world that faces the hard times of poverty, disease, sickness, sadness, etc.
Ok, I'll start...
Now your turn. woo!
Night time heaven
The stars here and the sky always are amazing, I love them so much. I think I can surely see when I look up like that. This weekend I went on a trip to Sipi Falls, it is a place in the mountains of Mbale and it is lovely, lovely. There were rainbows almost daily, and one day there was one that arched completely over a waterfall, and it looked so beautiful, I thought maybe it wasn’t even real. Haha.
We tented out over this cliff and at night it got so freezing. I tried to wrap myself up, but it never worked... yes, it does get cold in Uganda, although this is rare.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
B-dubs
My dad says he is going to Buffalo Wild Wings this weekend, and man, I miss that place.
I was thinking death was such a sad subject, i better spice this blog up with some happiness, so B-dubs makes me happy, there we go.
Death is this crazy thing here. It comes and goes like the wind. Every time I turn around, it's there, right in your face. Right there, always.
Here they tell me that when you die, you don't really die, but you live on. You live on through other people.
This morning I was supposed to go visit a school, but my counterpart messaged me saying he couldn't come because his niece had just died. Like today I'm starting to become not as surprised, but sometimes it just hits me differently. Today, it made me sad.
Just yesturday, a P.7 girl at my school asked me why there is so much death here? She told me she hears that it's not as much or as often in other places. I told her that death is everywhere and sometimes we have no control, but that other times it was based on knowledge and how to take care of yourself through washing your hands, sleeping under a mosquito net, etc.
Death really is this crazy thing here, and sometimes it is overwhelmingly present. I wish sometimes I could play God and stop it just for a moment, at least when the children are taken away.
I was thinking death was such a sad subject, i better spice this blog up with some happiness, so B-dubs makes me happy, there we go.
Death is this crazy thing here. It comes and goes like the wind. Every time I turn around, it's there, right in your face. Right there, always.
Here they tell me that when you die, you don't really die, but you live on. You live on through other people.
This morning I was supposed to go visit a school, but my counterpart messaged me saying he couldn't come because his niece had just died. Like today I'm starting to become not as surprised, but sometimes it just hits me differently. Today, it made me sad.
Just yesturday, a P.7 girl at my school asked me why there is so much death here? She told me she hears that it's not as much or as often in other places. I told her that death is everywhere and sometimes we have no control, but that other times it was based on knowledge and how to take care of yourself through washing your hands, sleeping under a mosquito net, etc.
Death really is this crazy thing here, and sometimes it is overwhelmingly present. I wish sometimes I could play God and stop it just for a moment, at least when the children are taken away.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
It's your Uganda
A few weeks ago, a man slashing some grass drank a bottle of water, and once he was finished with it he just tossed it beside him in the yard.
One of my friends looked at him and kindly asked him to give her the bottle he just threw, and then she said, "I't s your Uganda..."
Pretty much what she was trying to say was that it's his Uganda, because we will be leaving after our service in 2 years, so if he doesn't take care of it, then who will?
This is quite a problem... no one facing the facts here... just looking the other way or something... so, I really like the statement made, "It's your Uganda..."
uh huh...
"Where are you going?"
haha, people ask this question hundreds and billions of times, like in your face, "where are you going?" haha, like they really want to know or something, maybe as if their life depends on it. It's really funny.
As I always say, public transportation here is really insane, and somehow out of control. If I were to die in this country, chances are highly that it would be due to some form of public transportation accident.
Perfect example, on the way into town today our taxi broke down and we were stranded on the side of the road for about 30 minutes until finally someone "fixed" the taxi... by "fixed" I mean the vehicle was able to move again. haha.
Actually it's pretty funny at this point, and mostly I just try to laugh.
More examples of recent:
The bus ride home from Kampala to Budaka (about a 5 hour bus ride), the woman sitting in front of me spit a big wad of spit out the window and it managed to land on my arm. I was like gee thanks. A few minutes later she spit again, this time the spit smeared all over the window, so I asked her, "excuse me, can you please NOT do that", ha, she said "sorry".
Then, I saw a miget walking down the street.
Then the woman next to me ordered some greasy street chicken on a stick and had me open her water bottle because her hands were too greasey... as she is eating, I am seated next to the window and she is beside me... so as she finishes parts of the chicken she flings the bones across my body out of the window. haha. Once again, I'm like gee, thanks.
One of my friends looked at him and kindly asked him to give her the bottle he just threw, and then she said, "I't s your Uganda..."
Pretty much what she was trying to say was that it's his Uganda, because we will be leaving after our service in 2 years, so if he doesn't take care of it, then who will?
This is quite a problem... no one facing the facts here... just looking the other way or something... so, I really like the statement made, "It's your Uganda..."
uh huh...
"Where are you going?"
haha, people ask this question hundreds and billions of times, like in your face, "where are you going?" haha, like they really want to know or something, maybe as if their life depends on it. It's really funny.
As I always say, public transportation here is really insane, and somehow out of control. If I were to die in this country, chances are highly that it would be due to some form of public transportation accident.
Perfect example, on the way into town today our taxi broke down and we were stranded on the side of the road for about 30 minutes until finally someone "fixed" the taxi... by "fixed" I mean the vehicle was able to move again. haha.
Actually it's pretty funny at this point, and mostly I just try to laugh.
More examples of recent:
The bus ride home from Kampala to Budaka (about a 5 hour bus ride), the woman sitting in front of me spit a big wad of spit out the window and it managed to land on my arm. I was like gee thanks. A few minutes later she spit again, this time the spit smeared all over the window, so I asked her, "excuse me, can you please NOT do that", ha, she said "sorry".
Then, I saw a miget walking down the street.
Then the woman next to me ordered some greasy street chicken on a stick and had me open her water bottle because her hands were too greasey... as she is eating, I am seated next to the window and she is beside me... so as she finishes parts of the chicken she flings the bones across my body out of the window. haha. Once again, I'm like gee, thanks.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Uganda vs. Niger
Uganda beat Niger this weekend 3-1. Woo Uganda!
I went to the football/ soccer game, it was on Saturday...
The crowd was cheering almost the entire time, it was nuts! Really though, I had the time of my life.. it was crazy kind of funny. Just lots and lots of people and happy people...
The stadium was in Kampala and it was 100 % packed fully of screaming fans. Everyone was decked out in Ugandan clothes, face paint, flags, everything.
I had my first beer on tap in Uganda also, and that was quite a highlight.
After the game we left the stadium, and there were lines of cars and peoples for miles you could see up the road. We walked along the railroad tracks, following the leaders on our way out of there. The sun was even setting, people were still cheering, man it was cool.
It was too far to walk all the way, so we took a taxi the rest. Ha ha, some man gave me a maraca as I was leaving the stadium, so the whole taxi ride people were still cheering, and me too with my new maraca. It was just lovely.
We had our bus ride home today from Kampala and it took about 5 hours. There is a road, about an hour section of not goodness. It is bumpy, dirt flying in your face, even when I wipe my face, a layer of dirt comes with it. Woah. We usually sit in the back of the bus, and it's almost like a rollercoaster at Kings Dominion or something. We fly up in the air after speed bumps, which do come about every 2 feet. haha, exaggerating, but it feels like it sometimes.
The thing is though, when I have a window seat and my ipod on, I love to sit back, even if I'm a little squished, it's just really nice.
One funny random thing that happened this week... another volunteer has this ring that has symbols including skulls on it. I realized he has left it on a table, so I picked it up for him. I overheard some men asking where the ring went and someone pointed to me. Their heads turned so fast in my direction...
They thought the ring may have belonged to a devil worshipper...
I told them it wasn't mine, but one of my friends, and then I explained that the volunteer who owned the ring was mearly a pirate, so they shouldn't be worried. hehe.
I went to the football/ soccer game, it was on Saturday...
The crowd was cheering almost the entire time, it was nuts! Really though, I had the time of my life.. it was crazy kind of funny. Just lots and lots of people and happy people...
The stadium was in Kampala and it was 100 % packed fully of screaming fans. Everyone was decked out in Ugandan clothes, face paint, flags, everything.
I had my first beer on tap in Uganda also, and that was quite a highlight.
After the game we left the stadium, and there were lines of cars and peoples for miles you could see up the road. We walked along the railroad tracks, following the leaders on our way out of there. The sun was even setting, people were still cheering, man it was cool.
It was too far to walk all the way, so we took a taxi the rest. Ha ha, some man gave me a maraca as I was leaving the stadium, so the whole taxi ride people were still cheering, and me too with my new maraca. It was just lovely.
We had our bus ride home today from Kampala and it took about 5 hours. There is a road, about an hour section of not goodness. It is bumpy, dirt flying in your face, even when I wipe my face, a layer of dirt comes with it. Woah. We usually sit in the back of the bus, and it's almost like a rollercoaster at Kings Dominion or something. We fly up in the air after speed bumps, which do come about every 2 feet. haha, exaggerating, but it feels like it sometimes.
The thing is though, when I have a window seat and my ipod on, I love to sit back, even if I'm a little squished, it's just really nice.
One funny random thing that happened this week... another volunteer has this ring that has symbols including skulls on it. I realized he has left it on a table, so I picked it up for him. I overheard some men asking where the ring went and someone pointed to me. Their heads turned so fast in my direction...
They thought the ring may have belonged to a devil worshipper...
I told them it wasn't mine, but one of my friends, and then I explained that the volunteer who owned the ring was mearly a pirate, so they shouldn't be worried. hehe.
Friday, August 24, 2007
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.
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