Yum!

This part is not for vegetarians: last night, I ate a part of a chicken that I had never eaten before! (Nor did I know that people ate this part.) So, it’s dinner time, and I am handed the serving dish with chicken. I’m full, so I pick out the smallest piece, which kind of looks like a small drumstick. After I have it on my plate, my mom goes, “Oh, you like THAT part?” Now, this was not a concerning question- my family comments pretty much every time I take food. They say things like, “THAT is all you like?” or “Only THAT?” or “You need more, take more!” So, at first I thought this comment was just one of those comments, and I assured them that yes, that part was the only part that I wanted. Well, it wasn’t a small drumstick. As soon as I tried to eat it, I realized it was… curved, and didn’t really have distinguishable bones, and it was kind of bendy. And, it didn’t really have much meat on it at all. So at this point I realize that my mom did really mean to ask if that was a part that I wanted, and I am super super curious. However, I’m kind of afraid to ask, because I seriously have no idea what it is that I’m eating. I’m thinking… is this a foot? Nope, I’ve eaten a chicken foot before (but, not in Uganda). Umm, is this a deformed foot? Nope, none of the chickens in our backyard have (or… had) deformed feet. Hmm. I really have no idea. Remembering a conversation that my Aunt Cindy and I had about adopting a don’t-ask-just-eat policy, I decide not to spoil my appetite, and I keep eating the tiny amount of meat that is on this mysterious part. Then, as I am finishing, my mysterious part breaks in two (it was sort of rigid, yet strangely flexible), and one of the parts has this spaghetti-looking strand hanging out of the center of it. And then, I know. Oh wow, I know, I know, I know. The spaghetti-looking thing? It’s a SPINAL CORD. It has to be. So, I finish my meal, and then I ask, I can’t help it, I have to know: “What part is this?” My mom’s answer: “The neck!” Who knew that you can eat a chicken neck? Well, friends, you definitely can. Just don’t break it in two until you are finished, because the spinal cord realization is a little off-putting.

A great day!

Saturday was SO much fun! We got to go to several really cool places in Uganda- it was the first day that was just for our enjoyment, the first day that wasn't a time where we were supposed to be learning about Ugandan culture or whatever. First, we went to the Ssezibwa Waterfalls. Ssezibwa means "that which cannot be stopped"- isn't that a great name? The Ssezibwa Falls are a place that people come to make sacrifices. If you are having a problem, you can come make a live sacrifice- you throw your animal off of the top of the falls. If the animal dies before it hits the very bottom, that means the spirits have not accepted your offering. However, if the animal lives until it hits the bottom, the spirits have accepted your sacrifice, and your problem will be resolved. The water at the bottom of the falls is so deep that if someone commits suicide and jumps off, the body is not said to surface for four or five days. However, sacrifices don't take that long to come up (for some unexplained reason). We were lead up around the waterfall, to the top of it- it was really pretty!

Next, we were off to the Kasaku Tea Factory! Tea is a really important thing in Uganda, and we got to see how it's made, from start to finish. There are huge tea plantations in this area- it's absolutely beautiful! The tea factory was really cool- it's basically a ton of conveyor belts, drying and chopping up and refining the leaves until in the end you're left with brown fragments… tea!

After the tea tour, we headed to Mabira Forest. The forest is beautiful- lush green everywhere- and we took a really great trail through it. Like Erin and I were discussing as we walked along the shady path, sometimes we just feel like, "Is this really my life? Really? Am I really walking through a forest in the middle of Africa?" And the answer is, amazingly, yes! It's always yes. If only everyone were so lucky.

After our nice forest walk, we headed to Jinja, the source of the Nile River! We ate lunch there- our trainers bought us PIZZA!!! They're so awesome. So, we had a nice little picnic and then we went down until we were right by the water- it was so beautiful! One of my fellow trainees really wanted to drink a Nile Beer beside the Nile River, but it was kind of bad timing considering we were on a field trip, with our trainers. But, her site is in that area, so I promised her I would come back there with her and we would definitely drink a Nile on the Nile. :) After taking lots of pictures of the Nile, we headed into Jinja town- there were so many tourists, it was really shocking! We got to use the super slow internet (but hey, internet is internet!), and then we had to head back home- what a great day! We all really enjoyed ourselves.

WOOOOOHOOOOO

Right now I'm in Jinja and the internet here is so freaking slow, but that's ok, because I get to tell you about yesterday! Yesterday I met my supervisor and counterpart, the people I will be working with for the next two years! And.... (duhn duhn duhn...) they're nuns! That's right, I'm living at a convent! I am SO excited. My counterpart is a nurse (it's common here for health centers to be connected to churches), and she goes around and does health outreach regarding immunizations! So, this is pretty much the BEST NEWS EVER! I get to work with a clinic, I get to work with a nurse.... oh man. I still have training until the end of November, but I get to go on a "site visit" to scope things out- that will be from Nov. 8th-11th. I can't wait. Apparently my house is awesome too. I am SO excited to be working with the sisters- I'll describe everything in more detail when I have a little more time to write!

Really quick, before I go- I was just at the source of the Nile! It's beautiful! I really want to post pictures, but I'm never at a computer that is fast enough. Maybe when I come back through Kampala on the way home from my site visit, maybe I will have enough time to sit in an internet cafe for a few hours!

Blitz blitz blitz!

It’s a blogging blitz! Since the most recent date is at the top, if you want to read in chronological order, you should stop right now and scroll down to 15 October, and read up from there. (Today I am posting stuff from the 15th on.) Thanks for all of your comments- I love reading them! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!

Shrine

Oh, Luganda! We had a practice test today, and it went pretty well! At the end of training, we’re all going to have to take a language proficiency test, to make sure that we’re going to be able to function on our own in Uganda (aka The Big U). If you don’t reach a certain level of proficiency (specifically, “intermediate low”), you’re only provisionally sworn-in as a volunteer, and then you have to try again after a little while. So, this morning, we had a mock test to gauge our progress… Nora and I both got intermediate low! That means we’re both already good to go! (Kind of a scary thought, considering I definitely don’t know enough yet!) Everyone else did great too- I think we’re all well on our way to successfully communicating. It’s crazy how much we’ve learned in such a short amount of time- I feel like I’ve learned more language in Luganda in the past three weeks than I learned in four years of high school German. Also, today I tried to remember how to say hello in Thai, and all I could think of was Luganda! (I eventually remembered, but it took me at least a whole minute.) Now I’m just waiting to start dreaming in Luganda, but I feel like it will be a while before that happens. And, first I’d have to be sleeping well enough to remember my dreams, which isn’t really happening just yet! The first time any of us can sleep for more than three or four hours straight, there will be some major celebrating going on! :)

What else… oh! Yesterday we visited a traditional shrine. It was seriously out in the middle of nowhere, reached only by really terrible dirt roads. As if the roads weren’t already bad enough, it was raining and incredibly muddy- we had to stop on the way there because a minibus was stuck in the mud in the road. Anyway, we finally made it! The spiritual leader there first led a chant and then told us their creation story and a lot of various interesting things. According to their beliefs, we were in the exact place where life originated- they even showed us the rock where the first person was born- it had a fetus-like outline on it. We were welcomed to the shrine because, just like people in Uganda, we originated there. Their creation story is an unusual combination of many things; I really hesitate to write it because I don’t want to misrepresent anything, and I’m not sure I remember it all correctly... but I know everyone wants to know. Basically, the world started out with God creating three people (or spirits? I’m unclear)- a white person (who we now call Jesus Christ), a black person, and a rainbow. The fact that there are both black and white parts of the human eye shows that in the beginning, there were both black and white people. In the shrine (a big thatch-roofed hut) there were many spears, each representing different clans, and there were also spears representing the black person, the white person, and the rainbow. There were also gourds representing those three- the rainbow’s gourd had two openings, one for each end of the rainbow. There were also different totems for the various clans. There was the fur of a colobus monkey- the fact that it has both black and white fur on its body shows that in the beginning there were both black and white people. There was a rock where people can come a bring sacrifices (chickens, goats, etc) so that they are relieved of their burdens. There was also a python skin, and sometimes, people are born from pythons. Although they have the human form, they have the python spirit inside of them and must crawl on the ground- they cannot walk. We saw a woman born from the python, who lived in a nearby hut. The woman can’t walk, and the people pray that, although she will never be able to walk, the python spirit will be released from her. We also saw (I think?) the birthplace of Christ- there was a plate and a few tools there, and a boulder nearby that used to drip blood (now it has stopped, but it’s still red). The area was beautiful- there were so many huge boulders, and even though it was wet and muddy, it was great.

Visiting the shrine was a really unique experience- I guess it was what people think of when they think “Africa.” I feel like I need to say that this shrine is not Africa, to me, nor to most of the people in my community- my family, my neighbors, my trainers, etc. When you visit a new place, you tend to notice and write about the unusual things, and you neglect to say how normal everything else is. So, yes, I visited a shrine in the African bush and I saw spears and skins and gourds and whatnot. Then I went to my homestay and sat at a table with my family in their dining room and ate dinner with a fork and knife, just like I would in America. After I took a bath, I studied and went to bed, just like I would in America. I write about the shrine so you can know what I have seen and heard. That shrine and those stories were “Africa.” And yes, “Africa” exists in small places, but it’s not the Africa I know, the everyday Africa, the Africa without quotation marks.
Africa is so much more.

Missing

"Cigarettes and chocolate milk, these are just a couple of my cravings..."
-Rufus Wainwright

I am often asked what I miss the most about America. Here's what I miss so far:

1. Access to information. First and foremost this means news about current events, but it also means that I have definitely taken Google for granted. I usually look up everything, and I do mean everything. My head is constantly full of random questions (i.e. I realized the other day that I know black pepper is from peppercorns, BUT: Where do peppercorns come from? What is a peppercorn, exactly? How do they grow? haha ok that one was REALLY random, but that's exactly the kind of stuff that pops into my head for no good reason. You know those digital marquees with red letters, the kind that scroll continuously? I have one in my head, constantly scrolling random questions.) So, not only do I not have my best friends Google and Wikipedia, I don't have a set of encyclopedias, I don’t have any informational books, I don’t have anything. I have absolutely no way to get answers to all of my burning questions. (Including ones about more important matters.)

I think that lack of access to information is a really big (dare I say the biggest?) problem in all lesser-developed countries. Obviously, if I never know about peppercorns, I can still live a fabulous life; however, there are so many things that I think of as essential information, particularly health-wise, that I maybe couldn’t live a fabulous life without knowing. It's just weird to think that you could wonder about something and not be able to get the answer, ever, because there is no forum in which people can get answers, no structure, no way to research even stupid things like peppercorns. If you don't know someone who knows the answer, then you just don't know. And it's also weird to think that if that happened enough- if you wondered, but never knew- that maybe you would stop wondering about things so much, and you would just accept them. I know that there are scores of people dedicated to research, and clearly Google hasn't been around forever, but I feel like my personal curiosity is very much fuelled by the fact that finding answers is actually possible. I like to know how things work, but, if all of my life I had never had a way to find out, would I even think about "how things work"? I don't know.


2. I miss not worrying about bugs when I go to the bathroom. I don't mind using a pit latrine at all, physically- they’re way more sanitary than toilet seats, because you never touch anything! However, I am terrified by the idea that a bug could come crawling out at any second and run across my foot (or worse, up my leg) while I'm making either a "short call" or a "long call," as #1 and #2 are known here. This hasn't happened to me or anything, but the possibility just freaks me out and makes going to the bathroom in the evening a less than enjoyable experience.

On a related note, my mom is AWESOME and has managed to kill all of the ridiculously huge cockroaches that were around our latrine, because she knows I'm freaked out by them. There's this really great thing called "Twin Luck Insecticide Chalk" and it works amazingly well! Of course there are still about a million roaches living down inside the latrine, but now there are none crawling on the walls or the floor or anywhere near it, so that's really really good. It's so funny what people are afraid of... cockroaches are about the only thing that really freak me out. (Well, I guess I don’t like rats so much either. Luckily, I have no rat stories so far.) I know that my fear of cockroaches is an irrational fear since cockroaches aren't harmful, but I really can't stand them. When I go to the bathroom at night, my mom always insists on accompanying me (it's outside, away from the house) and she always says, "I will KILL kyengi!" (I will kill cockroach!) "I will KILL!" She's so cute. My mom is totally cool with cockroaches, but is terrified of both lizards and frogs. Problem is, there are about three frogs that live around the latrine, and also a pretty good-sized lizard that likes to hang out on the wall. So, now that the cockroaches are gone thanks to this miracle chalk, me going to the latrine is way scarier for her than it is for me! So, I chase away the frogs, and then she comes in and looks for cockroaches, while keeping her distance from the lizard. It's a nice little routine. She thinks I'm hilarious for being afraid of cockroaches, and I think she's hilarious for being afraid of frogs and lizards.

That's really about it as far as what I truly miss. Information, and bug-free bathroom experiences. And maybe salad. But, lack of information and creepy bugs, in exchange for UGANDA? I'll trade, any day.

Name

"You just call out my name, and you know, wherever I am, I'll come runnin', to see you again."
-from "You've Got a Friend" (my favorite version is by Carole King)


Two really great things that happened to me early this morning: first, my boyfriend called me from the States and the first thing he said was, "How was your night?" But, he said it in Luganda!!!! (and he even pronounced it correctly!) It was a really great way to wake up. ;)

Second, on my way to school one of the neighborhood kids called me by my African name! Now, this may not sound like a big deal, but let me tell you, it is, and it made me SO happy. Here's why: the commotion that my very existence causes is incredible. I cannot walk anywhere without kids staring, running towards me, waving, and shouting MUZUNGU! MUZUNGU! (which means, white person! white person!) BYE MUZUNGU! HOW-ARE-YOU-MU-ZUN-GU? (It rhymes.) BYE MUZUNGU! BYE MUZUNGU! MUZUNGU! BYE MUZUNGU! Now, in America, that would be kind of (ok, really really) strange and offensive, but here, it's just what happens. Muzungu isn't a derogatory term or anything, but it's weird to be called out by your race when you're used to living in a culture where that's not supposed to be acceptable. It's weird to be called muzungu, like it's your name, like it's your whole identity, and like you're indistinguishable from other muzungus (or actually, the plural would be bazungu). It's not the first time it's happened- in Thailand, I was "farang," the Thai word for foreigner. And, I'm not going to pretend that it doesn't happen in the States, either. Maybe not to me, but it still happens way too much to other people. (Yes, even today.)

Being muzungu is a little annoying, but overall it doesn't bother me like it bothers some people- I smile and wave at the kids- they're just kids, and, as one mom told me today, we're the first white people her kid has ever seen. A guy at the post office told me that it's like the kids think they're seeing an angel- and it's true, it feels like they kind of think you're fake or something. They laugh if you hold out your hand for them to shyly touch. Funny thing is, now whenever I see a white person that I don’t know, I’m just like the kids, because I think WHOA, MUZUNGU! only I just don’t say it out loud and point and wave. There are not many white people here at all, so it is in fact really shocking to see one.

Anyway, the other day, I decided that kids saying “white person” when they could be saying my name instead was just weird, and that I would teach my neighborhood kids that my name was not MUZUNGU!, that it was Nakivumbi,. (Nakivumbi is the African name my host family gave me.) So, when the kids all crowded around me on my way home from training, I told them in broken Luganda that my name was Nakivumbi, and made them repeat it, which they were happy to do (several times). So, today!!! Today, on my way to the training center, what do I hear? "BYE NAKIVUBI!!! NAKIVUMBI!! BYE NAKIVUMBI!" Not muzungu. And, oh, I was SO happy!

Another Visit!

“To turn, turn, will be our delight, ‘til by turning, turning we come ‘round right.”
–from “‘Tis the Gift”

Yesterday we (me and all of the other trainees) got up really early and took a day trip to visit Michelle, a PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer) working in a nearby district. It took a while to get there, but Amanda, Sarah, and I sang songs for a lot of the trip, which was super fun! Sarah was a music teacher before she joined the Peace Corps, and Amanda has a really great, unique voice- she brought a song book, so we were singing everything we all knew. Nora and Brett joined in too, and we even sang "'Tis the Gift" in rounds- so much fun! So, finally, we made it to Michelle's site! Michelle is another rockstar volunteer- it's so encouraging to see what great things everyone is doing! Michelle works with MUDINET, the MUkono DIstrict NETwork for People Living With HIV/AIDS. They do a lot of educational outreach to encourage people to get tested. They also go on home visits to people with AIDS, to make sure that they are getting proper care so that they can be as comfortable as possible. Michelle lives in a primary boarding school compound, so she also teaches health and life skills classes to 5th through 7th grades. This particular school was started by a man with HIV, who we got to meet and talk to. The school does a lot with AIDS orphans, which is awesome! When kids are orphaned due to AIDS and have no other relatives to go to, they can live permanently at the school. The school does a lot to make sure that the kids feel like they have a family- during breaks, visiting days, etc. there are always activities for them, and they try to give them lots of individual attention.

When we first got there, we learned about the organization, and then the students greeted us with a dancing and singing performance. Welcoming visitors and greeting people is a really big deal in Ugandan culture, and wow, were we ever greeted. The kids are SO great here. Once again, I was wiping my eyes because the harmony in their music is so beautiful. I still have one of the songs stuck in my head: "You are welcome, to Jim Education Center...."

After that, we had a panel of HIV-positive people involved

A short note!

I swear I don't have internet access, this is just the second freakish bout of good luck! Right now I'm in Kampala on the way home from visiting another volunteer- this time we went on a day trip as a large group! Our trainers are super nice and have given us exactly 30 minutes at an internet cafe!

I'm kind of frustrated because I have a lot of good things to post, and they're all saved on my flash drive. But, the computer isn't recognizing my flash drive, so no go. What I'm doing is this: since I have my laptop and sometimes have electricity, I'm writing stuff on my laptop and then saving it under the date I write it. Later, when I get to an internet cafe, I can just post everything I've written all at once! Once I get through with training I will most likely have more regular internet access and can update periodically instead of in a big blogging blitz!

For now, as they say in Luganda, obulamu bulungi- life is good! I am still loving it here so much, and I think everyone is too! To those who were concerned about my luggage- I did get it, and everything was still inside! Carrie also got her suitcase, so everything worked out really well.

A family friend back home is in the hospital, and at least two of the other trainees have already had very unexpected news from home. (Your thoughts/prayers are appreciated!) It's weird, when you travel abroad for extended periods of time, you tend to think that time back home freezes... it sure doesn't.

I can't tell if time moves slowly or quickly here, but we're accomplishing so much! The language classes are my favorite- I am having so much fun with language these days! It's a little weird because I really enjoy language class, but I think other people dread it, or they just feel like it's really overwhelming. And, it's hard to be enthusiastic about something when other people really don't like it. It's like having someone go on and on about how great brussel sprouts are. I don't want to be that girl. (But... I am. I LOVE LUGANDA!) And, I miss the UofC.

Yikes, my time is up soon.. hope this loads!

Food and Water

Today we cooked American food! And was it ever yummy. As part of our training we had to all plan and cook a meal together. (PC wants to make sure we won't die from not being able to feed ourselves.) So, we made spaghetti with tomato sauce, a veggie stir-fry, and elephant ears- SO yummy! I ate waaay too much.

Me, Nora, & Amanda making stir-fry!

Yesterday, I had the really great experience of getting water! My family is lucky and has a spigot on their property, so that's where we usually get our water. (It still has to be boiled if you want to drink it, though.) When the power is off for a few days, it still works because there is a reserve from what the pump has already done (or something like that, I don't understand exactly how it works). However, when the power is off for more than a few days, there is no water, and you have to get it elsewhere. Meaning, you have to go to the local borehole, physically pump your water into jerrycans (bug yellow jugs), and carry it back to your house. Our power has been off for a while now, so no more water from the spigot, for the time being. I offered to help get water, and my family let me! It was great! I'm kind of starved for exercise here, so pumping water was so much fun- my arms were worn out really quickly, and it was so nice to feel physically tired. Then, after we pumped, we carried the water back to the house. We probably live the equivalent of three city blocks from the borehole, but a full 10 liter jerrycan in each hand can really make you tired! I was pretty proud of myself for making it the whole way.

One frustrating thing is that the kids do so much work here. You would think that the men would be the ones hauling water, but who was waiting in line at the borehole? About twenty scrawny kids. I went with my mom and my sister, but during the time we were there, I only saw two other women- the rest of the people getting water were all under 12. The men stand around town and talk while their kids are lifting the jerrycans.

More about the visit!

Yesterday I got back from visiting Julia, a volunteer in her second year here in Uganda. I had SO much fun! Our whole group left early Thursday for Kampala. We got there, made a quick stop at a supermarket, and then headed in separate directions to visit various volunteers. Mostly, two trainees went together to visit a current volunteer. In my case, Brett and I were assigned to go visit Julia, who lives in the (beautiful!) eastern part of the country. Tiffany and Christina were also headed east to visit different volunteers, so we all rode together on the first taxi and went our separate ways a little later. So, eventually Brett and I made it to Julia's site, where she gave us a tour of the health center that she works with! The reason that Brett and I were assigned to go see Julia was that we have both expressed interest in being assigned to a clinic. (We both plan to go to medical school after the Peace Corps!) And, I think this visit definitely increased our desire to work with a clinic, because Julia's site is AWESOME. Julia's job is doing health outreach from the clinic- she goes around and meets with different groups, teaching them life skills and information about HIV/AIDS. She meets with several secondary school groups, a dropout group, several women's groups, etc. On Friday, she had Brett and I plan and teach a lesson to one of her women's groups- it was so much fun! We did a really great exercise to demonstrate the fact that you can't tell if someone has AIDS just by looking at them, and I think the people really enjoyed it! It was a good experience all around- we walked for about 20 minutes to get to this particular village, and it was so refreshing to get a bit of exercise! The east is really lush and mountainous- it's very pretty.

Besides the fact that her site awesome, Julia herself is a really great volunteer! Not only does she do all of this outreach stuff, she also does a lot of really fun stuff for staff morale at the health center, and on top of all that, she applied for a grant, got the money, and has completely overseen the construction of a new health building in the health center compound. This new building is a much-needed space, where the health center is going to carry out a lot of PMTCT outreach activities, as well as counseling services. (PMTCT = Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission) They're having the opening ceremony for the building this Saturday- I'm so happy for Julia and all of the people that are going to benefit from her work! I think it was just really encouraging to see all that she's been able to accomplish- I feel like a lot of Peace Corps volunteers can spend two years in a place and not really do anything, but this girl is definitely doing something, and that's so good to know! (We also briefly met Edwin, a nearby volunteer, who's working on some sort of technology center for his community- he's also doing really great things!)

And, the house. How can I not mention the house? Julia's house is pretty much like an American apartment. I mean, not exactly, but it's about as close as you're going to get in Uganda. She's really worked hard into making it a home, and it shows. Not only does she have hot pink cushions on her couch, she has good smelling soap in the bathroom, shelves of dvds and books, makeshift sinks in her kitchen, really great cookies, and baby wipes (you should see how much dirt you can wipe off your face after taking public transportation!). Brett and I were in awe. We were totally the 12 year old younger sister who gets invited into the 16 year old sister's room and just gapes at how cool it is. I think really we were just both shocked that anyone can live that well in Uganda. Friday night we sat outside her house and watched the sunset over the mountains- gorgeous. And the sky at night (don't shoot me)- it's even better than the Texas night sky. No electricity means no light pollution- I think you can see every single star. Brett and I both agree that if our sites are even half as cool as Julia's, we will be in heaven.

We only got to stay Friday- we had to leave early on Saturday in order to make it back to Luweero before dark. First we had to go from Julia's site to a bigger city in the east, and then from there we went to Kampala, and from Kampala back to Luweero, town of flatness. Our first leg of the trip, from her site to the city, was definitely an adventure. The best way that I can explain it is to tell you to think of the worst wooden roller coaster you've ever been on, and imagine that you're on that for two hours. You're totally squished in your seat (it's 4 people to a bench seat made for 3), it's really hot, and you're driving on a really bumpy dirt road. Instead of the up-and-down of a roller coaster though, it's more of a side-to-side, avoiding particularly bad bumpy dirt, and avoiding the other vehicles who are avoiding particularly bad bumpy dirt too. It's good that it's only two hours, and I can't begin to imagine how you would survive if you had even the slightest feeling of needing to go to the bathroom. But, we made it to the city, and then the rest of the way to Kampala was much smoother! (It was paved!)

Huts along the road:

Overall, a really inspiring trip! I can't wait to get my assignment!!!

Visit!

I just got back from visiting another volunteer... it was awesome, this girl is a rockstar and makes me want training to be over asap so I can get to my site and get to work!!!

More on the trip later... I'm doing GREAT!!!

When it rains...

This morning around 4 am it POURED rain. The house I live in has a tin roof, and no ceiling, as is the case with most houses around here. The walls go up to the rafters, but after that it's all open, so you can hear what goes on in the entire house, and you can see the underside of the roof. Rain on a tin roof sounds nice and romantic, which I guess would be the case for a light shower. This morning, however, was probably the biggest downpour I have ever experienced. It was SO LOUD. So loud that I was actually kind of scared. It sounded like the el in Chicago when it roars by underground, making you momentarily deaf. Except this deafness lasted for about an hour. It sounded like what I think a tornado probably sounds like- I was terrified. I know it sounds weird to be scared of noise, or of rain for that matter, but I was seriously expecting the roof to crash down on us at any moment. I tried to drown my fears by listening to music, but even with it at maximum volume, I could only barely hear it. By the time the storm was over, it was about time for me to get up, so I felt a little grouchy today.

I have a new strategy for limiting my food intake. It goes like this: the first thing I take is a really big slice of pineapple, because it takes up a lot of space on my plate. Then, I take a half a sweet potato, and I cut it all up right away, which also takes up a lot of space. This sweet potato and pineapple combination fills up about 3/4 of my plate, leaving me with not much room for other things. Tonight I successfully politely refused both rice and matoke (mashed bananas), so I only (!) ate beef (today is Ugandan Independence Day!), some kind of potato-ish thing, cabbage, and butternut squash (plus the sweet potato and pineapple). The sweet potatoes here are my favorite- they're white, and really really good!

Training is going well... at times the things we will face as health educators seem overwhelming, but I have to remind myself that this is only Monday of the second week. The thing is, I have so many cultural lessons to learn before I can do my job appropriately and sensitively, and it feels like there is no way that these next 8 weeks could possibly be enough to even scratch the surface. Some of our sessions (the ones about AIDS and culture, mostly) are really intense. We go from shock to outrage to sadness to disbelief to how-the-hell-are-we-supposed-to-deal-with-this???

Can you imagine suggesting to people that their cultural beliefs are harmful? that they're "wrong"?

Continued...

Ok, the electricity is flickering, but I'll try to catch you up to speed so far! Here's what's happened the past week:

Monday- I didn't get to finish last time! In Luweero, we stayed at a guesthouse, which is also where our training classes are being held. We had a few training sessions, but nothing too strenuous. This day was our first experience with pit latrines! The hole for a pit latrine is about half as big as you would think. It was a challenge at first, but now that it's a week later, I have to say that I have really great aim.

Tuesday- We had more training, but again, I felt like training hadn't started yet. We got bikes, which were way too tall for most of us, even for my super long legs. I am amazed at the fact that someone any shorter than me would even attempt these bikes, but these are my fellow volunteers I'm talking about- they don't give up easily. I think we're all still scared half to death to actually get out on the road, but we can all ride around the yard, at least. I haven't ridden my bike yet- traffic is seriously frightening. I'm going to try sometime this coming week. So anyway, Tuesday. Other than getting bikes, we had a health session on diarrhea and water preparation, two very important topics! Then, we had to do a community mapping exercise.

Wednesday- It poured rain Wednesday morning, so we kind of got a late start on the day. But, we had our first real language lessons! I'm learning Luganda, along with Sarah, Amanda, Alexis, Erin, and Nora. The other volunteers are learning various other languages, which I won't attempt to spell right now. We also had an overview of HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Then, our host families came to meet us for the first time, and to take us home with them! Both my mom and dad came to pick me up! I love my host family SO MUCH. They're great. I have a dad, a mom, a 16 year old sister, and a 12 year old sister. My family speaks both English and Luganda, which is great- they're really helping me learn! My family has also renamed me, with a name from their clan! My new name is Nakivumbi, after my dad's dad. It's pronounced nah-chee-voom-bee, and I think it's really cute!

Host sister Lovincer:

Host sister Carol:

Host Mom:

Sisters:
Thursday-We (the volunteers) all met back at the training center the next morning. We had a "homestay processing" hour, where we all talked about our experiences the previous night. Again, I love my family, and I think I was really fortunate as far as my family placement goes. Other volunteers don't have it so easy. Not that they don't like their families, but adjusting is always a little difficult, and incorporating into a family is easier in some cases than others.

Friday- This was one loooong day- I was SO exhausted by the end of it! First, we had a two hour language class. Then, we were divided into small groups and had to go visit various schools in the community to find out about their structure, teaching styles, etc. We were to ask a ton of questions and observe lessons being taught. I visited Luweero Girls' School, which I was super impressed by. The teacher that I observed was really great! There were about 60 students in the classroom, and I was so amazed that she taught such a great lesson with that many students! The lesson I observed was social studies, but that particular teacher was also in charge of the health/couseling stuff for that school. I learned a lot, and it was a really great visit! Then, we had a few more hours of language, then a bicycle maintenance session, and then we went and visited a health center. What classifies as a health center is pretty amazing. This was a level three health center, which means they don't actually give out ARVs (antiretrovirals, the drugs you take when you have AIDS) at this one- they have to refer their patients elsewhere. They do give basic care, though. So, after that, we went back to the school, and then home to our homestay families. I guess maybe all of those things don't sound like a lot, but I was so tired by the time I got home!

Saturday- I washed clothes! and I studied, a lot. Flashcards are amazing- I had forgotten. My sister Carol helped me a lot with those. She's really quiet, but really great. So, Saturday was spent around the house, although Lovincer and I did go to the market to get stuff for lunch. I helped with a few things- just peeling potatoes, making juice, washing dishes, etc.

Sunday- I'm glossing over so much, but finally, I'm caught up! Today is Sunday. This morning Lovincer and I went to church. Sarah's family also goes to this church, and Brett came too, so I got to see them for a little bit! Church is a really important thing here- the majority of the country is Christian, although there are significant numbers of Muslims as well. So, to church we went! The singing was great, as to be expected. It's the harmony that's so beautiful- gives me goose bumps, every time. We even sang some familiar songs- Onward Christian Solders, and Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken! After that, we came home and had a huge lunch. Today we had chicken, since it's Sunday. I should mention the eating situation here. Think about how much you eat for Thanksgiving. That's how much people here eat, every single day. It's quite different from what you would think. Here, being fat is good, so my host family always wants me to eat so much! Today, for lunch, we had: chicken, rice, squash, bananas, sweet potatoes, greens, pineapple, and papaya. And you're expected to eat everything, and lots of it, so you can be fat. It's so heavy too- can you imagine eating rice AND potatoes AND spagetti (oh, I forgot- we alsp had spagetti) AND mashed bananas, all in the same meal? Apparently most female volunteers in Uganda gain a significant amount of weight during their first few months here; now I know why! I try to control my portions, but even if I take really small amounts, there are so many different things that I'm taking small amounts of that my plate is huge by the time I have everything! Once I am on my own and cooking for myself this won't be an ordeal, but for now, I'm stuffed! It's better than being hungry, though.

Bye for now!

Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.
-from Mary Poppins (I think)

Where oh where to start! I have been here exactly a week, although it seems as though it's been a year! How can a week last for so long? Right now I am in my room at my homestay family's house. I have just finished my evening bucket bath, and fortunately for me, the power just came on!! Electricity here is extremely sporadic, and there's no real way to predict when you will be lucky. My mom just called out, "Jessica, sula bulungi!" So I responded with, "Sula bulungi, Maama!" We just said goodnight, even though it's only 9:30 pm. I am dead tired, but I really want to get this all down before the power goes out and I am electricity-less for who knows how long. So, a quick recap of my week:

Sunday (the 1st)- the picnic! (That was the last time I posted). After the picnic we went back to our guesthouse in Kampala and went to bed. I think that's about it.

Monday- We got up, packed up, and headed off to a cell phone shop in Kampala. That's right- I now have a cell phone, in the middle of Africa. Go figure. It's super expensive for me to call the States, but any incoming calls I get are free!

After buying phones we all got in the minibus and headed from Kampala to Luweero, the town where we are training. Traffic here is interesting... it takes a while to get the hang of it. Luckily, I have experienced Thai traffic, which I used to think was as crazy as it could get. Now, I realize that Thai traffic was really just an intermediate step that only semi-prepared me for that insanity that is Ugandan traffic. It is very difficult to explain... it just flows. You really just have to go; you can't wait, or you would spend a whole day waiting. So, you just go, and you realize that everyone else is just going, and somehow, someway that does not make any sense, there are not too many accidents. The roads are narrow, covered in potholes that must be manuevered around. There is a left and a right (you drive on the left here), but the side of the road you drive on in any given moment is much more dependent on where the potholes are located than it is on laws, or on the location of other vehicles, people, or bicycles. Like I said, you just go, and hope for the best. So, despite some scary traffic, we made it to Luweero!

Uh oh, power just went off. And darn it, I was only on Monday! More later.

Here!

Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.
-Miriam Beard

We made it!

Us on the plane:

After a bus ride from Philly to JFK, a flight from JFK to Brussels, and a flight from Brussels to Entebbe, we are all finally here! The first flight went well- we had really great flight attendants, even one from Texas (Hi Jana)! The second flight seemed to take forever- we were all really anxious to get there! There were huge smiles all around when we were finally on Ugandan ground. We picked up our bags (one of mine was lost somewhere in Brussels, so hopefully I'll get it on Wednesday) and were met at the airport by a couple of PC staff members. We then got in a van and rode from Entebbe to Kampala- the drive was about 45 minutes. It was really dark, but it was so great to see Uganda! It's crazy, I felt just like I was in Thailand again. The roads, the trees, the smells... everything. We drove to Forrest Cottages, the guest house where we're staying- it's really nice. I'm rooming with Erin, Tiffany, and Courtney. There's a western toilet in our room that only works sometimes, but there's a squat toilet in the general bathroom, and I actually feel a lot more comfortable with that! Anyway, after we got in on Friday, we ate and then went straight to bed- it was really late!

Saturday we had a lot of meetings where we were introduced to the PC staff who will be doing our training. We got a few vaccinations and also had "survival Luganda" language lessons, which were a lot of fun! They've been feeding us a ton ever since we arrived- everything is buffet style, and of course I have to try everything. I've had the main staple, matoke, which is mashed plantains. By itself it's not the greatest, but with groundnut sauce on it, it's surprisingly good! Last night we all went to bed early! Unfortunately I think most of the other women didn't sleep too well- there are really really loud frogs here! They kind of sound like ducks, actually. They didn't bother me- I'm a really heavy sleeper- but it sounds like most people had a rough night.

Today we did a walking tour of Kampala in small groups, with one of our trainers. Sarah, Tiffany, and I went with Irene, one of the language teachers. First, we hoped in a taxi (a minibus) and rode to the market/bus area. We walked around through the market and actually ran into some current PCVs (Peace Corps volunteers)- Theresa, Erin, and Steve. It was nice meeting them and talking for a few minutes! The market is interesting- overwhelming really. Again, it reminds me so much of Thailand- especially the crowding and the traffic. The traffic just flows... there don't really seem to be rules. It's fun, but scary if you're not used to it. Our groups all met up at the post office, and then we took a minibus to the Peace Corps office, where I am right now. We just had a great picnic with all of the staff, and we'll be returning to Forrest Cottages again soon.

At the PC Office for the picnic:

Tomorrow morning we head to Luweero, where I'll be staying for the next three months. The first night I think we're staying at the training center, and then after that we'll be moving in with our host families- I am SO excited! This is most likely the last time I'll write on here for quite a while- I don't think that there is internet access in Luweero. Take care!