1. Back to my first love-I love training teachers but having spent seven years working in museums, it was great to return this week to training tourism site staff. While working in the museum field I always worked in the education department in fact I even got a Masters in Museum Ed, so I have a passion for working with youth in museum settings. Here in Uganda many tourism sites treat school groups as they would any other tourist group. Of course, children are not your average tourist so it was good this week to train two sites on working with school groups. We covered ages and stages of youth development, basics of experiential education, and alignment with the national curriculum!
2. Ants a delicacy- For months, I had refused to try eating ants. I finally gave in this week when thie kids where having them as an afternoon snack. They were umm crunchy but not too bad though I’ll admit, I didn’t go back for seconds.
3. Chopsticks anyone- About four years on a trip out of the country Tinka picked up a set of chopsticks however they had never been used because no one knew how! Like any good American, I know how to use chopsticks! So there I was in a rural African village teaching Deuce (one of Tinka’s sons) how to eat Africa food with chopsticks!
4. Rain, rain go away- While everyone in Bigodi is very thankful to have the rain so they can finish planting their crops, I however wish it could rain with the sun shining so I could still get a little solar power! This week has been challenging to get a charge on the computer as it has been raining a lot.
5. Saying goodbye- I’ll admit it, it was hard to say goodbye to Katatito this week. I had gotten quite attached to the little guy even though he chewed some of my books and clothing. After fostering him for over three weeks and helping him get rid of his fleas, worms and double in weight – it was time to give him to a good Ugandan family before he got too used to being spoiled by a Mzunga!
6. Bronchitis- So one of the challenges of living Uganda for me is dealing with allergies that trigger bronchitis. This week I’ve had my second bout of bronchitis since I’ve been here. It was bad enough that I finally gave in and took the 1 z-pack (antibiotic) that my doctor let me bring with me. I was saving it for when I was really sick and decided this was it, plus I wanted to be able to travel next week with my friend Sharon from the states. It seems to be working very slowly but hopefully I will kick this thing soon.
7. Boxes, boxes- I have been so blessed to get so many packages while I’ve been here- in fact three padded enveloped arrived this week! However, none of the five boxes that people have sent have arrived yet, one was sent over 7 weeks ago L I have been told by my British friend Julia not to give up hope so let’s hope they come soon.
8. Off on safari-I haven’t done much traveling since I’ve been here so I am so excited to travel around the country with my friend Sharon. Here is our itinerary:
Wednesday May 27- Depart Kampala for Murchison FallsIn the morning we leave Kampala on a group tour for the long drive up to North to Murchison Falls National Park.Murchison Falls is a waterfall on the Nile. At the top of Murchison Falls, the Nile forces its way through a seven metre gap in the rocks and tumbles 43 metres down, then flows westward into Lake Albert.Once we arrive at the falls we will go on a guided walk around the cliffs and right up to the edge of the Falls themselves.
http://www.uwa.or.ug/murchison.html
Thursday May 28-Murchison FallsEarly in the morning we will cross the Nile for a 4 hour game drive around the Nile Delta area of the park. This is where the most big game gathers and where there are spectacular views across Lake Albert towards the Blue Mountains of the Congo and northern Uganda. There is a very high chance of seeing lion, buffalo, elephant, giraffe as well as many types of antelope and varied bird life. After lunch we will than depart for a 3 hour afternoon boat launch trip up-stream towards the base of Murchison Falls. Hippos, huge Nile crocodiles, more buffalo, antelope and fantastically varied bird life abound.Friday May 29- Leave Murchison Falls for KampalaWe will leave early to drive to a Rhino sanctuary where we will track Rhinos!
http://www.rhinofund.org/
Saturday May 30- Jinja- White water rafting the NileToday we head about 90 mins east of Kampla to go white water rafter on the Nile. We will spending the night in Jinja.
http://www.raftafrica.com/
http://www.nileporch.com/
Sunday May 31-Leave Jinja for Lake MburoOur driver will pick us up from our hotel in Jinja and will be with us the rest of the trip. On our way out of Jinja we will stop at the source of the Nile. Than we will drive back though Kampala west to Lake Mburo. When we arrive in the afternoon we will do a game drive where we hope to see zebra, impala, buffalo and warthogs.
http://www.uwa.or.ug/mburo.html
Monday June 1- Drive to Queen ElizabethWe pass the equator on our way to Queen and will stop for pictures. When we arrive at Queen Elizabeth National Park, we will do a boat ride on Kazinga Channel. It is about two hours long with elephant, buffalo, waterbuck, and hippos seen on a daily basis. We are going to splurge tonight and stay at the Mweya Safari Lodge. According to my guidebook and everyone I know this is one of the most beautifully situated lodges in Uganda. Some have described it as a Sheraton in the bush. The dinning areas and bar offer a view over the bank of the Kazinga channel.
http://www.uwa.or.ug/queen.html
http://www.mweyalodge.com/html/facilities.html
Tuesday June 2-Queen Elizabeth day 2 and drive to BigodiWe will do a game drive in the morning around the park before we drive to Bigodi. Tonight we will stay in the tree house in Kibale National Park. The tree house is deep in the forest and has a great view of a swamp that is often frequented y elephants.Wednesday June 3- Chimp Trekking and school visitIn the morning we will do a 2-4 hour trek though Kibale National Park to see the famed chimpanzees. In the afternoon we can visit Bigodi primary to hand out books and explore the village. Tonight we will stay at my “home”. We will have lunch and dinner with the family. After dinner we will enjoy traditional story telling and dancing.
www.uwa.or.ug/kibale.html
Thursday June 4-Bigodi Wetland and Fort PortalIn the morning, we will go on a guided walk of the Bigodi wetland. After having our last meal with the Tinka family we will head into Fort Portal. Along the way we can stop at the tea plantation or Crater lakes if we would like. Tonight, we will be staying at my favorite guest house in Fort Portal. It is a very relaxing place, each room has a veranda. Dinners are amazing and I always meet the most amazing people here.16th week in Uganda
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Sending children’s books to Uganda
Turns out sending kids books here is “much” cheaper than I expected!!!! My friend Sarah just sent me 5 kids’ books and two magazines for me and the entire package was $19. If you take out the magazines I bet it would be less than half that!
The trick is to send small paperback picture books, they are very light.
As I’ve written about in past blogs, the students I work with are mostly barefoot and walk long distances to attend school, the classrooms are packed with as many as 100 students to a room, and, for all of their efforts to learn, the students' classrooms are without books. Can you imagine growing up with out a book to read? Not having books has large effects here- when students are in P7 they have to take an exam to leave primary school. Since that exam is in English and students learn English as a second language but often not very well, many fail that exam and can not go on to secondary school! Having English books to read throughout primary will help them prepare for the test in addition to discovering the joy of reading!
If you are in the Raleigh area than please contact my friend Jessica jessruhle@yahoo.com,who is putting together a shipment of children’s books or feel free to ship a few here. Thank you!
The trick is to send small paperback picture books, they are very light.
As I’ve written about in past blogs, the students I work with are mostly barefoot and walk long distances to attend school, the classrooms are packed with as many as 100 students to a room, and, for all of their efforts to learn, the students' classrooms are without books. Can you imagine growing up with out a book to read? Not having books has large effects here- when students are in P7 they have to take an exam to leave primary school. Since that exam is in English and students learn English as a second language but often not very well, many fail that exam and can not go on to secondary school! Having English books to read throughout primary will help them prepare for the test in addition to discovering the joy of reading!
If you are in the Raleigh area than please contact my friend Jessica jessruhle@yahoo.com,who is putting together a shipment of children’s books or feel free to ship a few here. Thank you!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
15th week in Uganda
Wow, it's difficult to believe that I have been here 15 weeks. So many amazing adventures!
1. Mama of Katatito - If I ever decide to become a lounge singer and need a stage name, I think I'll use Mama Katatito. The family has taken to calling this since I am a mamma to my pup Katatito. Leon has stopped calling me Jamilyn and just says of Katatito when he wants my attention!
2. Its not easy being green- As my boss has reminded me Kibale National Park and rain forest like it around the world act as the earth's lungs. Kibale is also the habitat for the endangered chimpanzees. The actions of people living around the park have implications that affect us all around the world. While conservation effects have been underway here for years due to survival and lack of information there are still harmful practices that take place. For example many people still venture into the park to get their firewood which of course leads to deforestation. That's why UNITE and many other projects are working in this area.
However, there are also lots of ways in which I think Ugandan's are greener than your average American. Where I live in western rural Uganda there are very few cars. People walk or ride there bikes everywhere! If they need to go some distance they will car pool, take a taxi, or ride in a bus. It is not uncommon to see seven people crammed in a midsize car. While it is economics that prevents people from having automobiles there is an environmental benefit. Imagine if we had good public transportation even in rural areas.
Plastic bags are heavily discouraged and shop keepers even charge you for them! If grocery stores did that in America than maybe we would start brining our own bags to the store and stop filling the landfills with trash. Ugandan's are also experts at reusing everything! Tinka even has a pair of shoes made from used car tires.
3. Looking forward to school starting again- School starts May 25th and I can't wait! I have missed working directly with the teachers and the students. Most of this month has been spent working on upcoming trainings, reports, and budgets. I will miss all of the kids who have been home this month. We have had ten of Tinka's children here over break! Next week will be down to five kids, Betty and Tinka, and I - in America that would be consider a house full.
4. Upcoming trainings- I do have three trainings next week that I am looking forward too. We will be sending almost 1000 students on field trips to three area sites in the upcoming months. Next week I will be training their staff on working with school groups effectively. This is where my 8 years of museum experience, my MA in museum ed, and my years at 4-H youth development will all come in handy!
The three sites are: the Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development, Toro Botanical Gardens in Fort Portal, and Kibale National Park.
5. Random acts of Kindness- I stayed at my favorite guest house in Fort Portal last week for two days to take advantage of the electricity. While I was there I met a Dutch family who were on Safari. They fell in love with Katatito, as most people do when they meet him. The daughter had evidently rescued a puppy in Greece a few years ago and transported him back to Holland so they were convinced that I should bring Katatito to America. They even gave me 50 Euros (about $65) to start the bring Katatito to America fund. I tried to them that my goal is to fine him a good family here as we already have 3 dogs, 2 cats, 1 hamster, and 2 humans in my small house - we don’t need another dog. However, it was a very sweet gesture!
6. New friends- One of the best parts of this adventure has been meeting people from all over the world. At the guest house I met a lovely American family with two children who had been living in Uganda for over two years! They are running a secondary school on the other side of Renwzori Mountains. They will be here for at least three more years. The children seem to love Uganda and had a great time telling me about all of the animals they have seen here. Ironically while living in America they were members of the NC Zoo!
While sitting on the patio of a restaurant in Fort Portal, I met a Dutch man named Rob. He is traveling around the world for an entire year! He left Holland in March and has been to Kenya, Tanzania, and of course Uganda so far on his trip! He is headed to Rwanda next and latter in the year will make his way to South America. I admit I'm a bit jealous but I have learned with this trip anything is possible. Life is all about choices.
7. This week’s animal count- I have been so busy that I haven't taken my favorite tour of the Bigodi wetland in over a month! Rob coming to Bigodi gave me an excuse to go on the tour for the sixth time - it's different each time. We made the mistake of going in the afternoon when it was very, very hot so the walk seemed much longer than three miles. Thankfully even in the heat we had great luck seeing the animals, we saw three different monkeys, the great Blue Toraco which is my favorite bird here, and many beautiful butterflies.
1. Mama of Katatito - If I ever decide to become a lounge singer and need a stage name, I think I'll use Mama Katatito. The family has taken to calling this since I am a mamma to my pup Katatito. Leon has stopped calling me Jamilyn and just says of Katatito when he wants my attention!
2. Its not easy being green- As my boss has reminded me Kibale National Park and rain forest like it around the world act as the earth's lungs. Kibale is also the habitat for the endangered chimpanzees. The actions of people living around the park have implications that affect us all around the world. While conservation effects have been underway here for years due to survival and lack of information there are still harmful practices that take place. For example many people still venture into the park to get their firewood which of course leads to deforestation. That's why UNITE and many other projects are working in this area.
However, there are also lots of ways in which I think Ugandan's are greener than your average American. Where I live in western rural Uganda there are very few cars. People walk or ride there bikes everywhere! If they need to go some distance they will car pool, take a taxi, or ride in a bus. It is not uncommon to see seven people crammed in a midsize car. While it is economics that prevents people from having automobiles there is an environmental benefit. Imagine if we had good public transportation even in rural areas.
Plastic bags are heavily discouraged and shop keepers even charge you for them! If grocery stores did that in America than maybe we would start brining our own bags to the store and stop filling the landfills with trash. Ugandan's are also experts at reusing everything! Tinka even has a pair of shoes made from used car tires.
3. Looking forward to school starting again- School starts May 25th and I can't wait! I have missed working directly with the teachers and the students. Most of this month has been spent working on upcoming trainings, reports, and budgets. I will miss all of the kids who have been home this month. We have had ten of Tinka's children here over break! Next week will be down to five kids, Betty and Tinka, and I - in America that would be consider a house full.
4. Upcoming trainings- I do have three trainings next week that I am looking forward too. We will be sending almost 1000 students on field trips to three area sites in the upcoming months. Next week I will be training their staff on working with school groups effectively. This is where my 8 years of museum experience, my MA in museum ed, and my years at 4-H youth development will all come in handy!
The three sites are: the Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development, Toro Botanical Gardens in Fort Portal, and Kibale National Park.
5. Random acts of Kindness- I stayed at my favorite guest house in Fort Portal last week for two days to take advantage of the electricity. While I was there I met a Dutch family who were on Safari. They fell in love with Katatito, as most people do when they meet him. The daughter had evidently rescued a puppy in Greece a few years ago and transported him back to Holland so they were convinced that I should bring Katatito to America. They even gave me 50 Euros (about $65) to start the bring Katatito to America fund. I tried to them that my goal is to fine him a good family here as we already have 3 dogs, 2 cats, 1 hamster, and 2 humans in my small house - we don’t need another dog. However, it was a very sweet gesture!
6. New friends- One of the best parts of this adventure has been meeting people from all over the world. At the guest house I met a lovely American family with two children who had been living in Uganda for over two years! They are running a secondary school on the other side of Renwzori Mountains. They will be here for at least three more years. The children seem to love Uganda and had a great time telling me about all of the animals they have seen here. Ironically while living in America they were members of the NC Zoo!
While sitting on the patio of a restaurant in Fort Portal, I met a Dutch man named Rob. He is traveling around the world for an entire year! He left Holland in March and has been to Kenya, Tanzania, and of course Uganda so far on his trip! He is headed to Rwanda next and latter in the year will make his way to South America. I admit I'm a bit jealous but I have learned with this trip anything is possible. Life is all about choices.
7. This week’s animal count- I have been so busy that I haven't taken my favorite tour of the Bigodi wetland in over a month! Rob coming to Bigodi gave me an excuse to go on the tour for the sixth time - it's different each time. We made the mistake of going in the afternoon when it was very, very hot so the walk seemed much longer than three miles. Thankfully even in the heat we had great luck seeing the animals, we saw three different monkeys, the great Blue Toraco which is my favorite bird here, and many beautiful butterflies.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Great opportunity to live and work in Uganda
If you have been inspired by my stories of Uganda and are ready for a life changing adventure than I encourage to think about this opportunity. I'd be glad to talk to anyone who is interested. Please feel free to forward
Conservation Education Trainer
Bigodi, Uganda
1 year position available (with possibility of renewal) with the North Carolina Zoo’s Uganda and North Carolina International Teaching for the Environment (UNITE) program providing training and materials to aid Ugandan teachers in developing environmental and conservation curricula and activities.
Successful candidate will be based in Bigodi, Uganda.
Duties: Design, coordinate and facilitate teacher training; mentor teaching strategies; develop and implement environmental/conservation units for schools; keep Ugandan education officials informed of project; collaborate with NGO’s and other groups working around Kibale Forest; establish an electronic newsletter; design and implement project evaluation tools.
Qualifications: undergraduate degree in education or conservation required. Experience working in the developing world and/or advance degree desired.
Salary: $10,000 + travel, room and board
Deadline: 5/31/2009
Contact: Please send resume and cover letter to Carolyn.L.Brown@nczoo.org.
Conservation Education Trainer
Bigodi, Uganda
1 year position available (with possibility of renewal) with the North Carolina Zoo’s Uganda and North Carolina International Teaching for the Environment (UNITE) program providing training and materials to aid Ugandan teachers in developing environmental and conservation curricula and activities.
Successful candidate will be based in Bigodi, Uganda.
Duties: Design, coordinate and facilitate teacher training; mentor teaching strategies; develop and implement environmental/conservation units for schools; keep Ugandan education officials informed of project; collaborate with NGO’s and other groups working around Kibale Forest; establish an electronic newsletter; design and implement project evaluation tools.
Qualifications: undergraduate degree in education or conservation required. Experience working in the developing world and/or advance degree desired.
Salary: $10,000 + travel, room and board
Deadline: 5/31/2009
Contact: Please send resume and cover letter to Carolyn.L.Brown@nczoo.org.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
14th week in Uganda
It’s been raining so I haven’t had solar power in Bigodi so I’m a little late posting this blog. Even in Fort Portal the power is out today (happens frequently) but luckily my favorite internet café has a generator!
1. Growing pains-I live in an 11 X 11 room/Banda that also serves as my office. It has been plenty big for the last three months. However, with the addition of Katatito it’s becoming a little crowded! He is now in the I want to explore and chew on everything phase, very challenging in such a small space. I am however proud to report that he has gained almost 2 pounds in the last 1.5 weeks so he no longer looks so scrawny. There is a picture of him from his very first day with me in the Uganda pictures album.
2. Turning 32 in Uganda- Last Wednesday I turned 32! A year ago I had no idea that I would be spending this birthday or for that matter half of 2009 in Uganda. You never know what can happen in a year. Birthdays traditionally are not celebrated in Uganda however with more and more western influences it’s becoming custom in some areas. Tinka and his family don’t make a big deal out of birthdays (his went unnoticed just a week before mine) so it was a quiet day. They did make me my favorite dinner and even got me a soda which is a rare treat! Happy Birthday was sung in both English and Rutoroo.
While my birthday was quiet on this side of the world, it certainly was not quiet over email and the phone. Thank you for all your emails (and my sis for sending out a reminder), facebook posts, phone calls, and texts! It’s nice to know that while I’m on the other side of the world I am certainly not forgotten.
3. A shared birthday- As fate would have it; Leon and I were born exactly 30 and half years a part. So when I turned 32 last Wednesday he officially turned 1 and a half! Leon also got a soda to celebrate; Grape Fanta is his drink of choice whereas I am partial to Orange.
4. You’ve got mail- I’ll be the first to admit that I so don’t understand the mail system here! The average appears to be 3-4 weeks to get a letter or package here. However, sometimes they get here in 2 weeks and currently I’m still waiting on a package and letter that was mailed over 4 weeks ago! Even with the frustrations with the mail, I did get two fantastic packages this week so thank you very much. Every book, granola bar, and drink mix go a long way to making my stay here that much more comfortable. It has been amazing to have so many people supporting me on this journey- thank you!
5. Decisions, Decisions- I think the hardest decisions to make are when you are choosing between two good options. I was “lucky” enough to be in that position last week. The NC Zoo had wanted to extend my contract here past the initial six months and I learned that Wake County 4-H was going to have a position for me in August (thus honoring my six month leave of absence) even in light of the recession.
After being homesick the first almost two months, recently I have settled into life here that I was in no hurry to leave. On the other hand, I know jobs are not easy to come by at home right now and I am lucky enough to have a job that I enjoy. Ultimately, after a lot of soul searching I decided to come at the end of July at the end of my six month contract. Uganda and it's people have touched me deeply that I know I will find a way to continue to help the people who live in this region. I'm already tossing around different fundraising ideas! I know I will come back to this beautiful place at some point.
6. Toro Botanical Gardens- In addition to my main job of training teachers in the 10 UNITE schools, I am also suppose to be working with Toro Botanical Gardens in Fort Portal. The Gardens are very large with walking trails, demonstration gardens, a nursery, and a new drying and processing facility. Their focus is on plants that are indigenous to Uganda. Last week Tinka and I attended the grand opening of the new drying and processing plant. It was a big affair with the French ambassador to Uganda as the main speaker. Ugandan’s are big on formalities and speeches so there were lots of speeches! Here is an article on the event http://allafrica.com/stories/200905070540.html.
7. An international following- My blog is being read my people in 13 countries: US, Uganda, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Spain, Qatar, Guyana, Kenya, Turkey, Trinidad and Tobago, Israel, and Kenya!! How cool is that!
8. Mornings in Uganda- I love to wake up a little before 6:30am, open my window in my little Banda and just listen as Uganda wakes up all around me. First a few birds will wake up and start chattering to each other than more and more until it sounds like there is a bird symphony outside my window. Shortly, after I can hear the women sweeping their compounds. There are lots of morning chores to be done.
9. The new normal- After being here over three months here are a few things that I now think of as normal:
- Seeing women carrying things to market in big baskets that they balance on their heads
- Using a latrine during the day and a juice bucket at night
- Having to dial a country code to talk to my best friend
- Passing pigs and goats grazing on the side of the road on my daily walks
- Not understanding a word that is being said in church!
- Eating dinner after 8pm every night
- Seeing people walk miles on rough dirt roads barefoot
1. Growing pains-I live in an 11 X 11 room/Banda that also serves as my office. It has been plenty big for the last three months. However, with the addition of Katatito it’s becoming a little crowded! He is now in the I want to explore and chew on everything phase, very challenging in such a small space. I am however proud to report that he has gained almost 2 pounds in the last 1.5 weeks so he no longer looks so scrawny. There is a picture of him from his very first day with me in the Uganda pictures album.
2. Turning 32 in Uganda- Last Wednesday I turned 32! A year ago I had no idea that I would be spending this birthday or for that matter half of 2009 in Uganda. You never know what can happen in a year. Birthdays traditionally are not celebrated in Uganda however with more and more western influences it’s becoming custom in some areas. Tinka and his family don’t make a big deal out of birthdays (his went unnoticed just a week before mine) so it was a quiet day. They did make me my favorite dinner and even got me a soda which is a rare treat! Happy Birthday was sung in both English and Rutoroo.
While my birthday was quiet on this side of the world, it certainly was not quiet over email and the phone. Thank you for all your emails (and my sis for sending out a reminder), facebook posts, phone calls, and texts! It’s nice to know that while I’m on the other side of the world I am certainly not forgotten.
3. A shared birthday- As fate would have it; Leon and I were born exactly 30 and half years a part. So when I turned 32 last Wednesday he officially turned 1 and a half! Leon also got a soda to celebrate; Grape Fanta is his drink of choice whereas I am partial to Orange.
4. You’ve got mail- I’ll be the first to admit that I so don’t understand the mail system here! The average appears to be 3-4 weeks to get a letter or package here. However, sometimes they get here in 2 weeks and currently I’m still waiting on a package and letter that was mailed over 4 weeks ago! Even with the frustrations with the mail, I did get two fantastic packages this week so thank you very much. Every book, granola bar, and drink mix go a long way to making my stay here that much more comfortable. It has been amazing to have so many people supporting me on this journey- thank you!
5. Decisions, Decisions- I think the hardest decisions to make are when you are choosing between two good options. I was “lucky” enough to be in that position last week. The NC Zoo had wanted to extend my contract here past the initial six months and I learned that Wake County 4-H was going to have a position for me in August (thus honoring my six month leave of absence) even in light of the recession.
After being homesick the first almost two months, recently I have settled into life here that I was in no hurry to leave. On the other hand, I know jobs are not easy to come by at home right now and I am lucky enough to have a job that I enjoy. Ultimately, after a lot of soul searching I decided to come at the end of July at the end of my six month contract. Uganda and it's people have touched me deeply that I know I will find a way to continue to help the people who live in this region. I'm already tossing around different fundraising ideas! I know I will come back to this beautiful place at some point.
6. Toro Botanical Gardens- In addition to my main job of training teachers in the 10 UNITE schools, I am also suppose to be working with Toro Botanical Gardens in Fort Portal. The Gardens are very large with walking trails, demonstration gardens, a nursery, and a new drying and processing facility. Their focus is on plants that are indigenous to Uganda. Last week Tinka and I attended the grand opening of the new drying and processing plant. It was a big affair with the French ambassador to Uganda as the main speaker. Ugandan’s are big on formalities and speeches so there were lots of speeches! Here is an article on the event http://allafrica.com/stories/200905070540.html.
7. An international following- My blog is being read my people in 13 countries: US, Uganda, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Spain, Qatar, Guyana, Kenya, Turkey, Trinidad and Tobago, Israel, and Kenya!! How cool is that!
8. Mornings in Uganda- I love to wake up a little before 6:30am, open my window in my little Banda and just listen as Uganda wakes up all around me. First a few birds will wake up and start chattering to each other than more and more until it sounds like there is a bird symphony outside my window. Shortly, after I can hear the women sweeping their compounds. There are lots of morning chores to be done.
9. The new normal- After being here over three months here are a few things that I now think of as normal:
- Seeing women carrying things to market in big baskets that they balance on their heads
- Using a latrine during the day and a juice bucket at night
- Having to dial a country code to talk to my best friend
- Passing pigs and goats grazing on the side of the road on my daily walks
- Not understanding a word that is being said in church!
- Eating dinner after 8pm every night
- Seeing people walk miles on rough dirt roads barefoot
Monday, May 4, 2009
New puppy, 500 footballers, and 20 pounds lost- my 13th week in Uganda
I don’t know if I’ve ever believed in lucky numbers but this 13th week in Uganda has certainly been lucky!
Katatito- In Rutoroo which is one of the two local languages spoken in this region, Katatito means very small which seemed like a proper name for the little neglected puppy that I’ve rescued. Katatito weights just over four pounds and is about two months old. When my friend Julia and I found him in Bigodi he was just skin and bones, filthy, covered in fleas, and had worms. Since he was “owned” by a friend of ours he agreed to let me take care of him. There are no vets out here so we had arrange for flea and deworming medicine to be shipped on the next bus from Kampala. We called in the morning and it was here by 4pm that same day. There is no commercially available dog food so I have to prepare all his food. So far he likes digestive biscuits (whole wheat cookies), avocados, rice, and sweet potatoes!
500 footballers- As I’ve mentioned before Ugandan’s are nuts about their football (soccer). Even knowing this I was still surprised when I found my self stuck in the middle of a parade of 500 footballers! Fort Portal is the host for the two week long high school football tournament sponsored by Coca-Cola. There are teams playing from all over Uganda!
Cell phones and juice don’t mix- I like most people living here who use an outdoor latrine keep a juice bucket (chamber pot) by their bed at night. One morning in a display of unusual coordination, I managed to drop my cell phone in my bucket which was full of “juice”. I immediately cleaned it but it still was not working properly. On my next trip into town, I went to the cell phone store that had to replace the mother board. Lesson learned- juice and cell phones don’t mix!
Goats and cars- Our baby goats are now about two months old. They are still adorable and often take naps under my house to get out of the heat. However, just like dogs and cats back home they like to climb on top of the car. Instead of having cat paw prints on the hood there are goat hoof prints!
Laughter- Ever since I got to Uganda I have been touched by how friendly and welcoming Ugandan’s are. Even though they have been though so much in their country’s history and even now have few of the luxuries that we have at home, I have found them to be genuinely happy people. There is so much laughter, people delight in the everyday moments. We are always laughing at something the children, animals, or babies did. It is a blessing to be around people who find happiness amidst struggle.
Schools out- Schools here are basically on a year round schedule. There are three terms in every school year and about a month off between terms. The first term ended at the end of April and won’t start again till the end of May. While school is out, I will be focusing on creating the curriculum for my three teacher trainings that I’m facilitating in June and training the staff of some of the local tourist sites.
Waking up to the sound of Chimpanzees- My friend Julia has a lovely place that boarders Kibale National Park. When I stay there, I wake up to the sound of chimpanzees in the morning! It was so cool to hear them.
20 pounds gone- In the last 13 weeks I have lost 20 pounds! At the moment I am borrowing a friends scale (so I can weigh the puppy and make sure he’s gaining weight) but it’s been nice to be able to weight myself without having to hang from a produce scale. I was nervous when I came to Uganda that I would gain weight since the diet so full of starches but this all natural/organic diet seems to be working for me!
Katatito- In Rutoroo which is one of the two local languages spoken in this region, Katatito means very small which seemed like a proper name for the little neglected puppy that I’ve rescued. Katatito weights just over four pounds and is about two months old. When my friend Julia and I found him in Bigodi he was just skin and bones, filthy, covered in fleas, and had worms. Since he was “owned” by a friend of ours he agreed to let me take care of him. There are no vets out here so we had arrange for flea and deworming medicine to be shipped on the next bus from Kampala. We called in the morning and it was here by 4pm that same day. There is no commercially available dog food so I have to prepare all his food. So far he likes digestive biscuits (whole wheat cookies), avocados, rice, and sweet potatoes!
500 footballers- As I’ve mentioned before Ugandan’s are nuts about their football (soccer). Even knowing this I was still surprised when I found my self stuck in the middle of a parade of 500 footballers! Fort Portal is the host for the two week long high school football tournament sponsored by Coca-Cola. There are teams playing from all over Uganda!
Cell phones and juice don’t mix- I like most people living here who use an outdoor latrine keep a juice bucket (chamber pot) by their bed at night. One morning in a display of unusual coordination, I managed to drop my cell phone in my bucket which was full of “juice”. I immediately cleaned it but it still was not working properly. On my next trip into town, I went to the cell phone store that had to replace the mother board. Lesson learned- juice and cell phones don’t mix!
Goats and cars- Our baby goats are now about two months old. They are still adorable and often take naps under my house to get out of the heat. However, just like dogs and cats back home they like to climb on top of the car. Instead of having cat paw prints on the hood there are goat hoof prints!
Laughter- Ever since I got to Uganda I have been touched by how friendly and welcoming Ugandan’s are. Even though they have been though so much in their country’s history and even now have few of the luxuries that we have at home, I have found them to be genuinely happy people. There is so much laughter, people delight in the everyday moments. We are always laughing at something the children, animals, or babies did. It is a blessing to be around people who find happiness amidst struggle.
Schools out- Schools here are basically on a year round schedule. There are three terms in every school year and about a month off between terms. The first term ended at the end of April and won’t start again till the end of May. While school is out, I will be focusing on creating the curriculum for my three teacher trainings that I’m facilitating in June and training the staff of some of the local tourist sites.
Waking up to the sound of Chimpanzees- My friend Julia has a lovely place that boarders Kibale National Park. When I stay there, I wake up to the sound of chimpanzees in the morning! It was so cool to hear them.
20 pounds gone- In the last 13 weeks I have lost 20 pounds! At the moment I am borrowing a friends scale (so I can weigh the puppy and make sure he’s gaining weight) but it’s been nice to be able to weight myself without having to hang from a produce scale. I was nervous when I came to Uganda that I would gain weight since the diet so full of starches but this all natural/organic diet seems to be working for me!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Three months since I left the states
Prior to leaving for Uganda, I set some personal and professional goals for my time here. Since Thursday was exactly three months since I left the states for this journey so it seemed like a good time to reflect on my goals.
Personal
To use my singleness to make a positive impact in the world, to do something that I probably couldn’t do when I have a family. In progress- I am so glad that I took the chance to live outside the box and move to Uganda. The next challenge will be take the lessons I’ve learned here and apply them to my life in NC. It has been a great joy to be able to use my skills as a trainer and experiential educator to train teachers here.
To eat healthy and have an active lifestyle. In progress- This will be a life long goal for me but so far in the first ten weeks here I have lost 16 pounds, two clothing sizes, eat almost all natural/organic foods, and have even taken up jogging!
To get away from materialism and back to basics. In progress- It has been a nice break to live with just a few things (less to clean and worry about) and refocus on what is really important.
Take time to be alone. In progress- I have often been guilty of trying to do too much all the time so it has been an amazing gift to have time to myself.
To grow in my faith. In progress- I knew that there would be times here where all I would have to get me though would be my faith. I pray more than I ever have before, I pray for the people I met here and my friends at home who are going though challenging times.
Professional
To contribute positively to the Bigodi community- In progress. Bigodi is a very special community and I hope I have had a positive impact.
To work in every UNITE teacher’s classroom. In progress- when I wrote this we only had 30 UNITE teachers now we have over 100. However, I have already worked in over 30 classrooms so I believe this will get accomplished.
To offer 4 two day trainings and monthly ½ day trainings. In progress- so far I have trained over 90 teachers in two weekend long trainings and have facilitated one ½ day training.
To develop a p1-p4 and secondary environmental education curriculum that is aligned with the Ugandan curriculum. In progress- I have created 12 activities for P1-P4 and now have to do the secondary curriculm.
To train the Toro Botanical Gardens, Bigodi Wetland, and Kibal National Park staff. To be started soon- this is what I will be doing in May when the schools are closed.
Personal
To use my singleness to make a positive impact in the world, to do something that I probably couldn’t do when I have a family. In progress- I am so glad that I took the chance to live outside the box and move to Uganda. The next challenge will be take the lessons I’ve learned here and apply them to my life in NC. It has been a great joy to be able to use my skills as a trainer and experiential educator to train teachers here.
To eat healthy and have an active lifestyle. In progress- This will be a life long goal for me but so far in the first ten weeks here I have lost 16 pounds, two clothing sizes, eat almost all natural/organic foods, and have even taken up jogging!
To get away from materialism and back to basics. In progress- It has been a nice break to live with just a few things (less to clean and worry about) and refocus on what is really important.
Take time to be alone. In progress- I have often been guilty of trying to do too much all the time so it has been an amazing gift to have time to myself.
To grow in my faith. In progress- I knew that there would be times here where all I would have to get me though would be my faith. I pray more than I ever have before, I pray for the people I met here and my friends at home who are going though challenging times.
Professional
To contribute positively to the Bigodi community- In progress. Bigodi is a very special community and I hope I have had a positive impact.
To work in every UNITE teacher’s classroom. In progress- when I wrote this we only had 30 UNITE teachers now we have over 100. However, I have already worked in over 30 classrooms so I believe this will get accomplished.
To offer 4 two day trainings and monthly ½ day trainings. In progress- so far I have trained over 90 teachers in two weekend long trainings and have facilitated one ½ day training.
To develop a p1-p4 and secondary environmental education curriculum that is aligned with the Ugandan curriculum. In progress- I have created 12 activities for P1-P4 and now have to do the secondary curriculm.
To train the Toro Botanical Gardens, Bigodi Wetland, and Kibal National Park staff. To be started soon- this is what I will be doing in May when the schools are closed.
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