Hello everyone!
I am back in Kampala for the night after my adventures throughout the Pearl of Africa.
White Water Rafting on the Nile River was so incredible, it's difficult to capture in words. No- I think it's impossible to capture in words. But it was amazing. 5 hours of non-stop fun. The rapids were class 5 and my raft was the only one that didn't tip over. After about 4 rapids, we were getting jealous of the other 4 rafts that were getting a better "feel" of the Nile...so were paddled our way back up through the rapid to try to tip over. It took us 3 tries, but we finally forced our way out of the raft and tipped over! After 10 seconds underwater, we emerged and floated downstream! We were ecstatic!! It was really funny because all the other rafters were trying to stay IN their rafts, while we were celebrating our forced defeat! We had a great group and called ourselves professional rafters! hahah....The last rapid - the largest and most unpredictable - The "Nile Special" (also a Ugandan beer!) didn't even phase us. We had to back paddle through again and then just jumped out last minute! We were adrenaline junkies to be sure!
Our Ugandan guides were hilarious! They kept paddling between the 4 other rafts to "visit" or "harass" us! One guide, Nathan, paddled up behind me and pulled me overboard. It was a pleasant break swimming in the cool water, but I started looking for ways to get him back. I soon found my opportunity after they served us freshly sliced sweet pineapple (that's right - fresh cold pineapple slices on a raft in the Nile River!). I kept the husk after the next rapid, and asked our raft to paddle over to Nathan's. When he wasn't looking, I threw it at him, missed, and hit a girl from Chicago in the knee. Ooops! Hahahah...needless to say, her knee was fine, and the two rafts got a good laugh out of it. The whole day was like that. Laughter, screaming, swimming, eating...they served us a BBQ after the trip which was a delight because they served green salads and vegetables (like green beans) that none of us had eaten in weeks! We are all craving veggies and salads when we go home! It was absolutely stunning the views on the Nile, and so much fun. I wanted the guides' jobs!!! :)
We ate nutella with banana chipatti for dinner (a real good dessert! I will be making chipatti when I return home for SURE) and hung out at the hostel bar with the other rafters of the day. We watched the rafting film they made of us and many of us bought the DVD to remember the day and show our families back home our experience. I did buy a DVD, so if you want to watch it, let me know!
The next day, we walked around Jinja town and found the source of the Nile (or so they say)! We visited craft markets (which were way overpriced due to the tourism in the town) and ate Fish and Chips - the fish being a WHOLE fish BBQ'd; eyes and bones and all!! We made our way back to our respective locations and I stayed the following night in Kampala, awaiting a bus to safari to Murchinson Falls on the Nile!
I boarded my safari trip the morning we received news of Osama bin Ladin's death! Congrats my fellow Americans! Although we know the battle against terrorists isn't over (by a long shot), the symbol Osama represented was nothing comforting to Americans, and it is some measure of relief to know that his leadership is finished on earth. So, hope you all had a beer for me! I was thinking of you!
I went on safari with 7 others - 3 couples and another lone traveler woman like myself working for the UN military in Southern Sudan! We all got along wonderfully and got to know each other fairly well through our sunset cruise on the Nile, Game Drive through the park (yes, we saw elephant, giraffe, water buffalo, lion, Ugandan Cob, more hippos than I could count, crocodiles, warthogs, baboons, and many birds!), and a Nile Cruise up to Murchison Falls. It was breathtaking and inspiring. I felt so full as we meandered downstream, basking in the sunset on the River that has given life to so many before us - human and animal alike - eons before I stepped foot in its waters. I love the Nile and its richness emerging up into us. Its energy is impossible to miss once you're on it. Sort of like how people describe New York City and its energy - only the Nile's is more natural and comforting to me! It's awesome.
We shared our safari campsite with the local "pets" - warthogs and baboons who came within 1 meter of me, searching for food and left behind snacks! hahah...it was peaceful and quiet in the National Park away from all the buzz and hubble of Kampala. We left after the third morning hiking up to the Murchison Falls where immense amounts of water passed through a 7km space and into the Nile! Hemmingway actually came to visit this site in the 1950s and his plane crashed very closely to the falls! I wouldn't want to crash land into the shores here...the crocs are quite large! It was a beautiful trip and so worth it.
So, I arrived this evening back at the hostel in Kampala, and I leave in the morning for more craft markets on my way back to House of Hope. I've missed the kids, and look forward to my last few weeks giving more lessons and craft activities with the kids! That also means that I may have limited internet access until I get home! So, I look forward to writing again soon, unknowing when that will be.
Hope all is well back home and you've enjoyed my updates. Until next time,
Jillian
4.29.2011
Ntenjeru
Oli Otya? Sula Bulungi.
I am back in Mukono after two days in Ntenjeru with Nick's Ugandan family. Elise and I had a wonderful time making friendships with the people there. We worked about 8 hours yesterday doing menial labor building more classrooms at a primary school. We loaded, shoveled, and carried wheelbarrows of dirt and brick. I think I'm going to make a massage appointment when I get home!
After yesterday's long work day, Nick's friend Steve caught up with us walking back "home". He invited us to a beer, which we couldn't refuse! Steve is a retired father of 9 boys, and was a very good conversationalist. We also found out that he is a huge fan of 1970's pop band Abba!! He turned to us and asked "Do you like Bob Marley?" to which we replied "But of course!!" He gave a DVD to the waitress who put it into the DVD player in this bar of two tables (yes, this was a VERY fancy place because not only did it have a tv on the wall, but it also had christmas lights surrounding the beer shelves!) But what made us laugh to ourselves was what appeared on the TV: not notorious Bob Marley but 1970's music videos of "Mamma Mia"...hehe hehe...Steve is funny. It was extremely generous and sweet of him to buy us all a beer and chat with us. We left after one beer to walk back the 30 minutes to our host family's for dinner. Steve and his generousity is just one small example of African hospitality. Although they are very hard workers, Africans are truly interested in the relationships that enrich their lives and how they can help your life. Some good mindsets that I hope are rubbing off on me!
We made it back to dinner later than we hoped, and helped make Lidiya's famous Chipati...the best in all of Africa. And my friends, let me tell you: it IS!! Lidiya is a school administrator at the school Nick worked for, and she puts onion, carrot, and green peppers in her Chipati...making it the most delicious anyone's ever had. I will DEFINETELY miss Chipati back home...I think I could eat it everyday. Especially Lidiya's. They made a huge feast for us: chicken, g nut sauce, rice, chipati, eggplant, and sweet potatoes. It was all pretty good. And we felt so honored to be fed so well!
We really got to know the girls and boys of Nick's house: Lidiya mother of two (Teddy- smartest 6 yr old I know, and Martha - super cute with braided hair), Molly and Joyce (orphaned sisters), Maureen (student), Fred, Hassan, Idi, Isaac, and "JaJa" or Festus - the "father" of them all! He is the director of the placement and a very educated, responsible man. I had a really cool conversation with him last night about what Ugandan orphans and children really need, US politics, and education. I would love to come back to Uganda and spend more time with this family. It's been time well spent building relationships with these people. They love to teach us Lugandan and ask us how many fiances we had!!
Today was Nick's last full day of work in Ntenjeru. For volunteers in the GVN program, you can do whatever you want for your last day in your placement. Many volunteers have a special meal prepared or take their host families out to eat. Some leave a present. For Nick's last work day in his village, he took his whole host family and the construction workers swimming at a nice hotel in Mukono, and treated them all to lunch! Elise and I got to join in as well. They were SO excited...they could barely work this morning as we were shoveling dirt! Then we showed up to the pool...and we were the only ones who could swim!! None of the Ugandans could swim! In fact, 3 of them refused to even get into the water because they feared it so much!! So, we spent some time giving swimming lessons and bouncing the little ones in the water. They LOVED it. It was so awesome to hear their squeals and laughs and watch them flounder around making splashes. Maybe not a day full of building schools or feeding children, but a great day giving a special memory to 15 people and building friendships with some who've seen too much hardships in life.
Maureen wanted to show us her secondary school and her dormitory. So we went with her after swimming and she proudly showed us her school and dorm. It was fascinating to see how much she loved her school and greeted everyone there with pride...showing off all her "muzungu brothers and sisters" (us white people with her). We felt lucky to know where she would be going to school and living once Easter break ended and we felt so proud of her and her studies to become a teacher (even though her dream is to be a doctor...she has not enough funds to accomplish this now in life).
We had wet eyes when we said goodbye. I'm amazed at how much these people have meant to me in only two days...but then again, should I be surprised? This is Uganda after all. And I love it.
We are staying in the Guesthouse in Mukono tonight, leaving in the morning for Jinja and White Water Rafting. Elise and I are super sore, but stoked to get into the Nile and have some more fun! Should be a fantastic experience!
Still no photos...sorry. The computers take about 4 hours to download (if at all possible), and sometimes the hard drives are full. I will try in Jinja this weekend.
Until then, much love and smiles to you all...I wish I could carry you all in my pocket through this magical country! I think you'd all find things to love.
Jillian
I am back in Mukono after two days in Ntenjeru with Nick's Ugandan family. Elise and I had a wonderful time making friendships with the people there. We worked about 8 hours yesterday doing menial labor building more classrooms at a primary school. We loaded, shoveled, and carried wheelbarrows of dirt and brick. I think I'm going to make a massage appointment when I get home!
After yesterday's long work day, Nick's friend Steve caught up with us walking back "home". He invited us to a beer, which we couldn't refuse! Steve is a retired father of 9 boys, and was a very good conversationalist. We also found out that he is a huge fan of 1970's pop band Abba!! He turned to us and asked "Do you like Bob Marley?" to which we replied "But of course!!" He gave a DVD to the waitress who put it into the DVD player in this bar of two tables (yes, this was a VERY fancy place because not only did it have a tv on the wall, but it also had christmas lights surrounding the beer shelves!) But what made us laugh to ourselves was what appeared on the TV: not notorious Bob Marley but 1970's music videos of "Mamma Mia"...hehe hehe...Steve is funny. It was extremely generous and sweet of him to buy us all a beer and chat with us. We left after one beer to walk back the 30 minutes to our host family's for dinner. Steve and his generousity is just one small example of African hospitality. Although they are very hard workers, Africans are truly interested in the relationships that enrich their lives and how they can help your life. Some good mindsets that I hope are rubbing off on me!
We made it back to dinner later than we hoped, and helped make Lidiya's famous Chipati...the best in all of Africa. And my friends, let me tell you: it IS!! Lidiya is a school administrator at the school Nick worked for, and she puts onion, carrot, and green peppers in her Chipati...making it the most delicious anyone's ever had. I will DEFINETELY miss Chipati back home...I think I could eat it everyday. Especially Lidiya's. They made a huge feast for us: chicken, g nut sauce, rice, chipati, eggplant, and sweet potatoes. It was all pretty good. And we felt so honored to be fed so well!
We really got to know the girls and boys of Nick's house: Lidiya mother of two (Teddy- smartest 6 yr old I know, and Martha - super cute with braided hair), Molly and Joyce (orphaned sisters), Maureen (student), Fred, Hassan, Idi, Isaac, and "JaJa" or Festus - the "father" of them all! He is the director of the placement and a very educated, responsible man. I had a really cool conversation with him last night about what Ugandan orphans and children really need, US politics, and education. I would love to come back to Uganda and spend more time with this family. It's been time well spent building relationships with these people. They love to teach us Lugandan and ask us how many fiances we had!!
Today was Nick's last full day of work in Ntenjeru. For volunteers in the GVN program, you can do whatever you want for your last day in your placement. Many volunteers have a special meal prepared or take their host families out to eat. Some leave a present. For Nick's last work day in his village, he took his whole host family and the construction workers swimming at a nice hotel in Mukono, and treated them all to lunch! Elise and I got to join in as well. They were SO excited...they could barely work this morning as we were shoveling dirt! Then we showed up to the pool...and we were the only ones who could swim!! None of the Ugandans could swim! In fact, 3 of them refused to even get into the water because they feared it so much!! So, we spent some time giving swimming lessons and bouncing the little ones in the water. They LOVED it. It was so awesome to hear their squeals and laughs and watch them flounder around making splashes. Maybe not a day full of building schools or feeding children, but a great day giving a special memory to 15 people and building friendships with some who've seen too much hardships in life.
Maureen wanted to show us her secondary school and her dormitory. So we went with her after swimming and she proudly showed us her school and dorm. It was fascinating to see how much she loved her school and greeted everyone there with pride...showing off all her "muzungu brothers and sisters" (us white people with her). We felt lucky to know where she would be going to school and living once Easter break ended and we felt so proud of her and her studies to become a teacher (even though her dream is to be a doctor...she has not enough funds to accomplish this now in life).
We had wet eyes when we said goodbye. I'm amazed at how much these people have meant to me in only two days...but then again, should I be surprised? This is Uganda after all. And I love it.
We are staying in the Guesthouse in Mukono tonight, leaving in the morning for Jinja and White Water Rafting. Elise and I are super sore, but stoked to get into the Nile and have some more fun! Should be a fantastic experience!
Still no photos...sorry. The computers take about 4 hours to download (if at all possible), and sometimes the hard drives are full. I will try in Jinja this weekend.
Until then, much love and smiles to you all...I wish I could carry you all in my pocket through this magical country! I think you'd all find things to love.
Jillian
4.27.2011
Week Two
Greetings from Mukono, Uganda!
Elise and I made it back to House of Hope Sunday, after a tiring journey from Kampala. We ended up taking two different taxis (14 person buses that cram up to 27 people in them!) and a private car taxi (toyota corolla) which drove 11 people 60km!! Elise and I squished into the front seat next to a man who shared the driver's seat with the driver! A woman told me that in Ugandan transportation, no one is left behind...so they just keep cramming them into the cars/taxis/buses...you name it! Hhahaha...needless to say, it's unbelievable how rewarded you feel after getting out of a backseat laying down sideways with your nose in a strange man's chest, grasping your wallet after not feeling below your knees for the past hour. I am grateful the US does not do transportation the same way. But you sure do make friends easy here! And EVERYONE wants to be friends with a muzungu.
Ugandans have two breaks from school every year: two months for Christmas, and one month for Easter. They spend Easter with their extended families and have a large special meal. When we asked the kids how their Easter was, they replied "Not good...we had to eat posho." These 25 kids had no family, no home, no special meal to celebrate the holiday with. Until we brought out two kilos of cookies for them all! They started jumping up and down and clapping and smiling bigger than the moon. We were so grateful for the small opportunity to make their Easter a little more enjoyable.
We made origami elephants and paper airplanes the next day, after weeding in the garden. The kids had to keep a close eye on Elise and I in the garden as we pulled out weeds: "No auntie. That is irish potatoe. This is maize. Only these are weeds." they say with a knowing gentle smile. Yesterday, we went to Masaka upon Jennifer's request for money for more food for the kids at House of Hope. We got to go to a local lounge and watch the Manchester United Football (soccer) game against Germany. Manchester United won, and it was fun to cheer with the locals. Soccer is a huge part of the culture here. And the soap operas are either philipino or mexican...and outrageously dramatic.
Today we are heading to another project north of Mukono for a few days to see what the other volunteers are doing in Uganda. On the first taxi ride over, we were grateful for the spare 1/2 inch of leg room, but had to cover our noses from the reak of blood in the taxi. Source of blood: unknown. Could've been the live chicken flopping around in the trunk. On the second taxi ride, I noticed a large billboard of Libya's Gaddafhi dedicating a mosque. That is the fourth or fifth mention of Gaddafhi's contributions to Uganda; mosques, roads, arms. And Libya, Syria, and other Arab country news are updated on news stations several times daily. I'm impressed with the questions the kids are asking about US foreign policy and why Obama hasn't taken out Gaddafhi. They LOVE that the US has a black president, and one who's father is African! I believe we are going to be hanging out with more kids and weeding in the garden.
It rained for about an hour on the taxi ride over, but was pretty sunny yesterday. Ate a ripe mango, freshly cut and sliced by the order, and chipati for lunch. Navigating through the taxi parks is a bit difficult however, due to the large baggage we were carrying. Elise mentioned to me that she felt a man try to put his hands in her pocket while she walked by. Good think we had all our valuables in our hands and our zippers secured shut. We kept up our muzungu pace anyway until we sat down in another taxi. (Ugandans rarely if ever walk fast...they meander aimlessly it seems until they come to their destination).
We met Jennifer's two brothers and sister who were visiting for Easter break. Very sweet family. It is so common in Uganda to recieve help so willingly. People on the taxi, on the street, in restaurants, all just want to make sure you are finding your way and haven't lost anything. Extremely generous people.
Saturday, we will head to Jinja for some white water rafting in the Nile River. Whahoo!!
I will try to update again Friday before we head out. Hope all is well and the weather is warming up back home! Happy belated Easter and until next time...
Weraba mukwanos, (Goodbye friends)
Jillian
Elise and I made it back to House of Hope Sunday, after a tiring journey from Kampala. We ended up taking two different taxis (14 person buses that cram up to 27 people in them!) and a private car taxi (toyota corolla) which drove 11 people 60km!! Elise and I squished into the front seat next to a man who shared the driver's seat with the driver! A woman told me that in Ugandan transportation, no one is left behind...so they just keep cramming them into the cars/taxis/buses...you name it! Hhahaha...needless to say, it's unbelievable how rewarded you feel after getting out of a backseat laying down sideways with your nose in a strange man's chest, grasping your wallet after not feeling below your knees for the past hour. I am grateful the US does not do transportation the same way. But you sure do make friends easy here! And EVERYONE wants to be friends with a muzungu.
Ugandans have two breaks from school every year: two months for Christmas, and one month for Easter. They spend Easter with their extended families and have a large special meal. When we asked the kids how their Easter was, they replied "Not good...we had to eat posho." These 25 kids had no family, no home, no special meal to celebrate the holiday with. Until we brought out two kilos of cookies for them all! They started jumping up and down and clapping and smiling bigger than the moon. We were so grateful for the small opportunity to make their Easter a little more enjoyable.
We made origami elephants and paper airplanes the next day, after weeding in the garden. The kids had to keep a close eye on Elise and I in the garden as we pulled out weeds: "No auntie. That is irish potatoe. This is maize. Only these are weeds." they say with a knowing gentle smile. Yesterday, we went to Masaka upon Jennifer's request for money for more food for the kids at House of Hope. We got to go to a local lounge and watch the Manchester United Football (soccer) game against Germany. Manchester United won, and it was fun to cheer with the locals. Soccer is a huge part of the culture here. And the soap operas are either philipino or mexican...and outrageously dramatic.
Today we are heading to another project north of Mukono for a few days to see what the other volunteers are doing in Uganda. On the first taxi ride over, we were grateful for the spare 1/2 inch of leg room, but had to cover our noses from the reak of blood in the taxi. Source of blood: unknown. Could've been the live chicken flopping around in the trunk. On the second taxi ride, I noticed a large billboard of Libya's Gaddafhi dedicating a mosque. That is the fourth or fifth mention of Gaddafhi's contributions to Uganda; mosques, roads, arms. And Libya, Syria, and other Arab country news are updated on news stations several times daily. I'm impressed with the questions the kids are asking about US foreign policy and why Obama hasn't taken out Gaddafhi. They LOVE that the US has a black president, and one who's father is African! I believe we are going to be hanging out with more kids and weeding in the garden.
It rained for about an hour on the taxi ride over, but was pretty sunny yesterday. Ate a ripe mango, freshly cut and sliced by the order, and chipati for lunch. Navigating through the taxi parks is a bit difficult however, due to the large baggage we were carrying. Elise mentioned to me that she felt a man try to put his hands in her pocket while she walked by. Good think we had all our valuables in our hands and our zippers secured shut. We kept up our muzungu pace anyway until we sat down in another taxi. (Ugandans rarely if ever walk fast...they meander aimlessly it seems until they come to their destination).
We met Jennifer's two brothers and sister who were visiting for Easter break. Very sweet family. It is so common in Uganda to recieve help so willingly. People on the taxi, on the street, in restaurants, all just want to make sure you are finding your way and haven't lost anything. Extremely generous people.
Saturday, we will head to Jinja for some white water rafting in the Nile River. Whahoo!!
I will try to update again Friday before we head out. Hope all is well and the weather is warming up back home! Happy belated Easter and until next time...
Weraba mukwanos, (Goodbye friends)
Jillian
4.22.2011
Week One
Oli Otya! Wasuze otya nnyo?
Hello all! How was your night? (A morning greeting in Lugandan).
I'm writing from a hostel in Kampala, Uganda's large capital city. This has been the first chance I've had to update you all because internet is not available to me in my volunteer placement. The closest internet cafe is 2 hours away by Mutatto (taxi), which does not leave for our destination until the van fills up its 17 spots. Interestingly enough, these Mutattos can fill up to as much as 27 people...literally hanging out the window and sitting 5 or 6 to a row meant for 3!! T.I.A...(a common phrase to explain such things. It means "this is Africa"...translation: "roll with it!"). We are here with 7 other volunteers at different placements around Uganda through GVN. We usually all meet up on the weekends to get a break from our projects and fuel up on things like internet, water, and food other than the same meals we recieve daily.
I am placed at House of Hope with an 18 year old girl named Elise. She is wonderful and a great confidant to have while we adapt to Africa. She came to Uganda from 3 months volunteering in Kenya...she's my hero! House of Hope is located in a VERY rural, mountainous area of southern Uganda. The sunsets are beautiful, and very quiet (after evening "prayer time" where the kids sing and dance and clap and pray after dinner). On a clear night, you can see a million stars. During the day, I can look across the hills and feel as if it would perfectly normal for a pack of elephants or gorillas to wander through!!
It is a wonderful sanctuary for around 200 children (50 of which live there full time), 1 dog "Canada", and 1 kitten "cat". They ran after our car when we arrived and swarmed around our barely opened doors! We couldn't even close the doors before greetings from 200 little ones giving hugs and saying "Wellll-Comm Auntie!". The House of Hope choir then sang 4 welcome songs for us while we sat in places of honor in chairs in the front row. Then the older girls (aged 15) danced a traditional Ugandan dance for us. The choir was accompanied by 3 or 4 drummers...these kids have Rhythm at like 8 years old! Our guesthouse is spacious for the two of us, with a private room each, and a small "shower room" for bucket showers. The toilets are squatties. Every morning, we eat sweet white bread with red plum jam and black tea. Lunch is posho (think tasteless mashed potatoes) with beans (close to refried beans). Dinner is white rice with tomatoes, avocados, a tasty cabbage, beans, and posho again. We buy our own bottled water to drink throughout the day and with meals. The food is good. The guesthouse staff ("Sarah") is very sweet. Although we noticed that the adults know less english than the older students. And the very young ones know little to no english at all.
The kids are adorable and curious about us "muzungus" (white people). They like to poke our skin and watch it turn white to regular pigment. They brush our arm hairs, and stroke our straight hair. They will take and run away with anything you have on you that's not secured (sunglasses, head bands, watch, rings, jewelry, etc) so I learned real quick to not wear much more than my clothing when I'm with the children! They love to play "cow cow goat" (equivalent to our "duck duck goose"), london bridge, jump rope, a hand clap game, soccer, "net ball" (basketball for girls), volleyball, or just sitting with muzungus and teaching us Lungandan. They are awesome. I will update videos and pictures this afternoon.
Jennifer, the founder of House of Hope, is extremely impressive. Her english is impeccible. She explains things to westerners that we might not otherwise understand about Ugandan culture. And she is running House of Hope with a non-caning ("caning" is when the teachers beat the children on the back of the legs with a cane for misbehaving) policy. She is runing a very unique project in a very rural village in desperate need of education for the children in Kyazanga and surrounding villages. She is basically the Mother Theresa of this whole area of Uganda. I am confident and happy to report that she operates on a completely honest budget and I admire her vision for future developments at House of Hope. Vision is not common for Africans. She is doing something amazing in Southern Uganda, and is doing it "right" - void of corruption.
We did some home visits last Sunday. We went to a village in another hillside above House of Hope to some elderly women who have taken in orphans. These saintly women have little to nothing and have from 5 to 8 children living with them, completely reliant on them, and not-related. The live in tiny one or two bedroom mud huts and work on the banana plantation they live on for rent. We gave t-shirts, kerosene for lamps, soap for laundry, and flour and salt to make posho (Uganda's staple food). They were ecstatic. It is unbelievably humbling to even remember how grateful they were to recieve such small items. They have next to nothing in this world. And yet they still gave Jennifer a live chicken as a thanks and showed us great hospitality as we sat and met each of their "adopted" children. It was funny hearing the chicken squaking in the back of the Land Rover as we drove away!! Ahhh...Africa. Next time you invite me over...maybe I'll bring you a live chicken! I hope these women feel the depths of gratitude I felt for their selflessness. I am so grateful to live the life that I have.
Monday we taught Enlgish for 1.5 hours to the oldest classes (P6 and P7). The director's father came to our breakfast and announced that "The children in P6 and P7 are ready for your lesson. They are waiting in their class for you." We stared wide-eyed before running to fetch some english lessons I had made before coming. Elise too P6 with their teacher Daniel, while I took P7 alone! It was a fun hour of learning the english words "creative" and "inspired" before I just showed them pictures of home and my family, which they LOVED! They said my brother Graham looked like a professional soccer player in England, and they were scared of my black dog Ella, until I told them she loves children, just like Canada.
The mosquitos are nasty here, and I am adamant about my deet spray after recieving about 10 bites on my arms and neck! It has rained here for the past 4 days, but only in the morning, and usually ends around 9am. However, the roads are VERY muddy and slippery. Yesterday, our mutatto drove through a flooded street...up to a grown man's knees!!!
The Ugandans are all impressed with my Lugandan, and it inspires me to keep practicing and learning more! They appreciate when a muzungu knows their language! And it keeps the taxi prices down!
Today is Saturday morning, before Easter - a big holiday in Uganda where people go to church and then spend the day with their families eating and drinking. I think we will go to a cafe today for some coffee and hang out while we try to avoid the rain! I must go as there is a line of travelers waiting to use the internet, but I will attempt to upload videos and photos later today.
Weraba Mukwanos! (Farewell Friends!)
Jillian
Hello all! How was your night? (A morning greeting in Lugandan).
I'm writing from a hostel in Kampala, Uganda's large capital city. This has been the first chance I've had to update you all because internet is not available to me in my volunteer placement. The closest internet cafe is 2 hours away by Mutatto (taxi), which does not leave for our destination until the van fills up its 17 spots. Interestingly enough, these Mutattos can fill up to as much as 27 people...literally hanging out the window and sitting 5 or 6 to a row meant for 3!! T.I.A...(a common phrase to explain such things. It means "this is Africa"...translation: "roll with it!"). We are here with 7 other volunteers at different placements around Uganda through GVN. We usually all meet up on the weekends to get a break from our projects and fuel up on things like internet, water, and food other than the same meals we recieve daily.
I am placed at House of Hope with an 18 year old girl named Elise. She is wonderful and a great confidant to have while we adapt to Africa. She came to Uganda from 3 months volunteering in Kenya...she's my hero! House of Hope is located in a VERY rural, mountainous area of southern Uganda. The sunsets are beautiful, and very quiet (after evening "prayer time" where the kids sing and dance and clap and pray after dinner). On a clear night, you can see a million stars. During the day, I can look across the hills and feel as if it would perfectly normal for a pack of elephants or gorillas to wander through!!
It is a wonderful sanctuary for around 200 children (50 of which live there full time), 1 dog "Canada", and 1 kitten "cat". They ran after our car when we arrived and swarmed around our barely opened doors! We couldn't even close the doors before greetings from 200 little ones giving hugs and saying "Wellll-Comm Auntie!". The House of Hope choir then sang 4 welcome songs for us while we sat in places of honor in chairs in the front row. Then the older girls (aged 15) danced a traditional Ugandan dance for us. The choir was accompanied by 3 or 4 drummers...these kids have Rhythm at like 8 years old! Our guesthouse is spacious for the two of us, with a private room each, and a small "shower room" for bucket showers. The toilets are squatties. Every morning, we eat sweet white bread with red plum jam and black tea. Lunch is posho (think tasteless mashed potatoes) with beans (close to refried beans). Dinner is white rice with tomatoes, avocados, a tasty cabbage, beans, and posho again. We buy our own bottled water to drink throughout the day and with meals. The food is good. The guesthouse staff ("Sarah") is very sweet. Although we noticed that the adults know less english than the older students. And the very young ones know little to no english at all.
The kids are adorable and curious about us "muzungus" (white people). They like to poke our skin and watch it turn white to regular pigment. They brush our arm hairs, and stroke our straight hair. They will take and run away with anything you have on you that's not secured (sunglasses, head bands, watch, rings, jewelry, etc) so I learned real quick to not wear much more than my clothing when I'm with the children! They love to play "cow cow goat" (equivalent to our "duck duck goose"), london bridge, jump rope, a hand clap game, soccer, "net ball" (basketball for girls), volleyball, or just sitting with muzungus and teaching us Lungandan. They are awesome. I will update videos and pictures this afternoon.
Jennifer, the founder of House of Hope, is extremely impressive. Her english is impeccible. She explains things to westerners that we might not otherwise understand about Ugandan culture. And she is running House of Hope with a non-caning ("caning" is when the teachers beat the children on the back of the legs with a cane for misbehaving) policy. She is runing a very unique project in a very rural village in desperate need of education for the children in Kyazanga and surrounding villages. She is basically the Mother Theresa of this whole area of Uganda. I am confident and happy to report that she operates on a completely honest budget and I admire her vision for future developments at House of Hope. Vision is not common for Africans. She is doing something amazing in Southern Uganda, and is doing it "right" - void of corruption.
We did some home visits last Sunday. We went to a village in another hillside above House of Hope to some elderly women who have taken in orphans. These saintly women have little to nothing and have from 5 to 8 children living with them, completely reliant on them, and not-related. The live in tiny one or two bedroom mud huts and work on the banana plantation they live on for rent. We gave t-shirts, kerosene for lamps, soap for laundry, and flour and salt to make posho (Uganda's staple food). They were ecstatic. It is unbelievably humbling to even remember how grateful they were to recieve such small items. They have next to nothing in this world. And yet they still gave Jennifer a live chicken as a thanks and showed us great hospitality as we sat and met each of their "adopted" children. It was funny hearing the chicken squaking in the back of the Land Rover as we drove away!! Ahhh...Africa. Next time you invite me over...maybe I'll bring you a live chicken! I hope these women feel the depths of gratitude I felt for their selflessness. I am so grateful to live the life that I have.
Monday we taught Enlgish for 1.5 hours to the oldest classes (P6 and P7). The director's father came to our breakfast and announced that "The children in P6 and P7 are ready for your lesson. They are waiting in their class for you." We stared wide-eyed before running to fetch some english lessons I had made before coming. Elise too P6 with their teacher Daniel, while I took P7 alone! It was a fun hour of learning the english words "creative" and "inspired" before I just showed them pictures of home and my family, which they LOVED! They said my brother Graham looked like a professional soccer player in England, and they were scared of my black dog Ella, until I told them she loves children, just like Canada.
The mosquitos are nasty here, and I am adamant about my deet spray after recieving about 10 bites on my arms and neck! It has rained here for the past 4 days, but only in the morning, and usually ends around 9am. However, the roads are VERY muddy and slippery. Yesterday, our mutatto drove through a flooded street...up to a grown man's knees!!!
The Ugandans are all impressed with my Lugandan, and it inspires me to keep practicing and learning more! They appreciate when a muzungu knows their language! And it keeps the taxi prices down!
Today is Saturday morning, before Easter - a big holiday in Uganda where people go to church and then spend the day with their families eating and drinking. I think we will go to a cafe today for some coffee and hang out while we try to avoid the rain! I must go as there is a line of travelers waiting to use the internet, but I will attempt to upload videos and photos later today.
Weraba Mukwanos! (Farewell Friends!)
Jillian
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