October 11, 2007
Training is starting to wind down really quickly. This week has flown by. At first, I felt as if training would never end. Now, I feel as if there's not enough time to do all the things I need to do to prepare for my LPI and the "Homestay Thank You". We have one more day of official training and that's it. Monday's our language test and we head off for K'la for a couple of days before being shunted out into the real world of a PCV. It's quite scary. It's also hard to think that our group will be split up after next Thursday. We really are a dysfunctional family, and I'll be very sad to say goodbye to everyone. It's especially hard knowing that a lot of my good friends will be on the opposite side of the country.
More Tragedy
We found out today that our APCD is leaving us at the end of the month, pretty much right after we swear in. It's hard to describe what a big impact this has on me, individually, and us, as a group. Jeffrey has been our advocate from the beginning, and he's American, so he understands "where we're coming from", more than an HCN can. That's not to say that the HCNs haven't been awesome, because they have. But, as far as admins go, Jeffrey's the bomb. And now he's leaving us, right at the beginning of our service. It's a hard blow.
October 16, 2007
Training. Is. Over. I moved all of my crap out of the Homestay house, took my LPI, and am now chilling in a pretty decent hotel in K'la. It has running water and a porcelain choo. Plus, I just gorged myself on a ton of awesome food. What more could a girl ask for?
You know you're on US soil when you're freezing your ass off in an obscenely air conditioned room.
We visited the US Embassy today. We met the ambassador's deputy chief, a political officer of the embassy, the program coordinator for USAID, and the cultural attaché. Unfortunately, the deputy director of the CDC-Ug wasn't able to come talk to us. Got to shoot off some e-mails very quickly in their resource room. Pretty sure all those e-mails were somehow secretly read by the government. Good thing they were completely innocuous.
Got to do some shopping in K'la today, too. We're all busy picking up things we think we'll need for our site. It was completely overwhelming and stressful. It's so strange to walk into a big supermarket/super-center after being in a small town like L'wero for so long. I don't really know how to explain the shock of it. It was difficult deciding whether or not to buy the little tablets that clean your toilet bowl! I hate just thinking about it right now. And it pissed me off that a travel-size bottle of Listerine cost the equivalent of US $10. That's messed up. Oral hygiene should not cost that much.
I just can't seem to escape…
Celine Dion's song from Titanic
teaching
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
September 25, 2007
It's so much easier to remember all the bad things that have happened, rather than the good. (I'm trying to remember if it was the same in the States or not. I'm thinking yes.) Maybe it's the nature of the event, bad vs. good. And we tend to focus on the bad. Or maybe it's just me. But it's not something I want to get into the habit of. I want to walk away from this experience and be able to recall all the good things. That's not to say that shitty days aren't going to happen. Life doesn't work that way. I know. But there is a lot of good in it, too. Hopefully more good than bad. And a lot of days that just are.
Things I Don't Understand
people who lie/cheat/steal
people who don't believe in modern day medicine
Runyankore/Rukiga
Illnesses
There are many lovely illnesses that a person can experience while here in Uganda. Many of which you wouldn't get to experience in the States unless you tried really hard to. Our training group has suffered more than any of the other recent groups have, according to Anni and Liz. Either way, we're not fairing very well. Between the 21 of us, there have been at least 5 cases of Giardia, 3 cases of food poisoning, 1 case of amoebic dysentery, several jiggers, odd unidentifiable rashes, bites, and bumps, and "upset stomachs". That being said…
Being sick sucks. Being sick in a place where there is no running water sucks big time. You're already feeling miserable. The added stress of not being able to eat the food you want when you want it, or simply sit/kneel by a toilet when you need to does NOT help. I came down with something recently. No clue what it was, though. All I know is that I LOVE modern-day medicine. Cipro, you rock. You are my hero. I don't know who makes you, but they're a great drug company! I don't even care what I had, as long as it's gone.
Unfortunately, some symptoms have remained. And I might have Giardia. I got to send in a stool sample today. Peeing in a cup is easy. I could do it with my eyes closed, using a pit latrine. Poo-ing in a cup, however, is a pain. It takes a long time, for several reasons. I'm sure you can figure them out on your own. Just know that it's not a pleasant experience.
Jinja
Thanks to the miracle that is Cipro, I was able to make it to Jinja last Saturday (22/09) and enjoy myself. And eat pizza! But I'm getting ahead of myself. I woke up before the roosters on Saturday. I was not happy about it, but I did it. And we headed to Jinja and the source of the Nile at the butt crack of dawn (awesome phrase, btw). On our way to the Nile, we stopped to see Sazibwa Falls and Mabira Rainforest. I also managed to witness the slaughtering of a goat from the bus on the ride to the Falls. Apparently Mabira Rainforest is the only rainforest within Uganda. The Falls were pretty. Very waterfall like. But the most important thing is that we got pizza after the hike!!! (Don't judge until you've been in my shoes.) My stomach was very angry with me afterwards, but it was totally worth it. I ate two slices of spicy, chicken pizza and loved every bite of it. The best part of the day trip was definitely the source of the Nile. GORGEOUS. Absolutely breathtaking. And not as crowded as I thought it would be. There were definitely a lot of other mzungus there. And a really cute senior citizen group tour was there at the same time as us.
September 28, 2007
I leave for my "Future Site Visit" next Tuesday!!! I'm super-excited and super-nervous at the same time. We get back Saturday night, have one more week of full-on training, take our final LPI Monday, the 15th, and then head off for K'la for our swearing in on the 18th. Everything is happening really fast right now, but at the same time, couldn't happen fast enough. I'm SO ready to be out in the field working and living life like a "normal" person.
I woke up this morning not feeling like a real human being. I think it's a combination of constantly being stared at like a freak of nature (which I am, but that's not the point), told when to eat, sleep, and go to class, and called mzungu/mchina/Japan/India/etc on a daily basis. Yes, I am referred to as entire countries on occasion. It's actually kind of amusing. Sometimes.
I Could've Been a Ballerina
I am so graceful, it pains me. Every morning I rinse out my bucket with water, either from a jerry-can (sp?) or the large tin drum out front. On this particular morning, I used a jerry-can. It always amazes me how little children and women, people in general, can carry more than one jerry-can at a time. They are HEAVY. To clean out my bucket, I simply had to carry the jerry-can a whole 3 ft. outside. I, being the graceful person that I am, managed to trip on my own feet, and then over a piece of wood, while trying to carry the water. I managed to spill water all over the floor (luckily the floor's concrete). I think there were a couple of people outside who witnessed this wonderful display of grace and poise. I rock.
September 30, 2007
Ode to the Pup
My puppy died last night. Well, technically, she died this past Tuesday. But I only found out last night. And she also wasn't really a puppy anymore. My pup, Camile, died at the ripe old age of 15. She would have been 16 November 22nd. Or maybe she was 14 turning 15. Either way, she lived a really good, long, happy life. At least, as far as I know she did. She didn't seem to have too many complaints while I was around. And if she did, she didn't say anything to me. I'm sure she would have appreciated more walks and human food. Man could she beg! Cutest face EVER when she begged. Well, she was the bestest dog ever, and I'll really miss her. Just not her stinky, stealthy farts (which she herself walked away from without warning any of us) and sleeping next to her after having been attacked by a skunk.
Things That I Miss
bathing without having to smell the pit latrine
sitting on a toilet while reading a book, or is it reading a book while sitting on a toilet?
a nice, big bowl of cereal with ice cold fat free milk
shorts and a tee/tank top; pants
not being noticed whenever I walk down the street
not being sick
lying around in a park, doing nothing/reading/listening to music
my dog
It's so much easier to remember all the bad things that have happened, rather than the good. (I'm trying to remember if it was the same in the States or not. I'm thinking yes.) Maybe it's the nature of the event, bad vs. good. And we tend to focus on the bad. Or maybe it's just me. But it's not something I want to get into the habit of. I want to walk away from this experience and be able to recall all the good things. That's not to say that shitty days aren't going to happen. Life doesn't work that way. I know. But there is a lot of good in it, too. Hopefully more good than bad. And a lot of days that just are.
Things I Don't Understand
people who lie/cheat/steal
people who don't believe in modern day medicine
Runyankore/Rukiga
Illnesses
There are many lovely illnesses that a person can experience while here in Uganda. Many of which you wouldn't get to experience in the States unless you tried really hard to. Our training group has suffered more than any of the other recent groups have, according to Anni and Liz. Either way, we're not fairing very well. Between the 21 of us, there have been at least 5 cases of Giardia, 3 cases of food poisoning, 1 case of amoebic dysentery, several jiggers, odd unidentifiable rashes, bites, and bumps, and "upset stomachs". That being said…
Being sick sucks. Being sick in a place where there is no running water sucks big time. You're already feeling miserable. The added stress of not being able to eat the food you want when you want it, or simply sit/kneel by a toilet when you need to does NOT help. I came down with something recently. No clue what it was, though. All I know is that I LOVE modern-day medicine. Cipro, you rock. You are my hero. I don't know who makes you, but they're a great drug company! I don't even care what I had, as long as it's gone.
Unfortunately, some symptoms have remained. And I might have Giardia. I got to send in a stool sample today. Peeing in a cup is easy. I could do it with my eyes closed, using a pit latrine. Poo-ing in a cup, however, is a pain. It takes a long time, for several reasons. I'm sure you can figure them out on your own. Just know that it's not a pleasant experience.
Jinja
Thanks to the miracle that is Cipro, I was able to make it to Jinja last Saturday (22/09) and enjoy myself. And eat pizza! But I'm getting ahead of myself. I woke up before the roosters on Saturday. I was not happy about it, but I did it. And we headed to Jinja and the source of the Nile at the butt crack of dawn (awesome phrase, btw). On our way to the Nile, we stopped to see Sazibwa Falls and Mabira Rainforest. I also managed to witness the slaughtering of a goat from the bus on the ride to the Falls. Apparently Mabira Rainforest is the only rainforest within Uganda. The Falls were pretty. Very waterfall like. But the most important thing is that we got pizza after the hike!!! (Don't judge until you've been in my shoes.) My stomach was very angry with me afterwards, but it was totally worth it. I ate two slices of spicy, chicken pizza and loved every bite of it. The best part of the day trip was definitely the source of the Nile. GORGEOUS. Absolutely breathtaking. And not as crowded as I thought it would be. There were definitely a lot of other mzungus there. And a really cute senior citizen group tour was there at the same time as us.
September 28, 2007
I leave for my "Future Site Visit" next Tuesday!!! I'm super-excited and super-nervous at the same time. We get back Saturday night, have one more week of full-on training, take our final LPI Monday, the 15th, and then head off for K'la for our swearing in on the 18th. Everything is happening really fast right now, but at the same time, couldn't happen fast enough. I'm SO ready to be out in the field working and living life like a "normal" person.
I woke up this morning not feeling like a real human being. I think it's a combination of constantly being stared at like a freak of nature (which I am, but that's not the point), told when to eat, sleep, and go to class, and called mzungu/mchina/Japan/India/etc on a daily basis. Yes, I am referred to as entire countries on occasion. It's actually kind of amusing. Sometimes.
I Could've Been a Ballerina
I am so graceful, it pains me. Every morning I rinse out my bucket with water, either from a jerry-can (sp?) or the large tin drum out front. On this particular morning, I used a jerry-can. It always amazes me how little children and women, people in general, can carry more than one jerry-can at a time. They are HEAVY. To clean out my bucket, I simply had to carry the jerry-can a whole 3 ft. outside. I, being the graceful person that I am, managed to trip on my own feet, and then over a piece of wood, while trying to carry the water. I managed to spill water all over the floor (luckily the floor's concrete). I think there were a couple of people outside who witnessed this wonderful display of grace and poise. I rock.
September 30, 2007
Ode to the Pup
My puppy died last night. Well, technically, she died this past Tuesday. But I only found out last night. And she also wasn't really a puppy anymore. My pup, Camile, died at the ripe old age of 15. She would have been 16 November 22nd. Or maybe she was 14 turning 15. Either way, she lived a really good, long, happy life. At least, as far as I know she did. She didn't seem to have too many complaints while I was around. And if she did, she didn't say anything to me. I'm sure she would have appreciated more walks and human food. Man could she beg! Cutest face EVER when she begged. Well, she was the bestest dog ever, and I'll really miss her. Just not her stinky, stealthy farts (which she herself walked away from without warning any of us) and sleeping next to her after having been attacked by a skunk.
Things That I Miss
bathing without having to smell the pit latrine
sitting on a toilet while reading a book, or is it reading a book while sitting on a toilet?
a nice, big bowl of cereal with ice cold fat free milk
shorts and a tee/tank top; pants
not being noticed whenever I walk down the street
not being sick
lying around in a park, doing nothing/reading/listening to music
my dog
October 8, 2007
This morning, as I was walking to training, I saw a man herding a cow…by pushing it.
Wild Animals
The only wild animals I've seen around so far are chickens, goats, pigs, and cows. That's not to say that some of these don't scare me. A chicken actually attempting to kill me yesterday. Flew straight at my head. Screamed like a girl and ran away. And I almost got run over by a cow at one point somewhere around week 5. I just hope I never encounter a snake.
Future Site
Last week was pretty crazy. Got up super early on Tuesday to head out to K'la and on to Mbarara. As usual, the matatu drivers are crazy. But the buses out to Mbarara are even crazier, especially since the roads are actually paved and decent. I have to say, Mbarara is BEAUTIFUL. There are hills, mountains, and trees galore. And a bit less dust than L'wero. I can definitely see myself living in Mbarara. It doesn't hurt that Mbarara is also a bigger town than L'wero. Makes me feel a bit more at home. And there are plenty of hills around for me to pitch my tent on.
Goat Stock
…is the equivalent of Halloween in Uganda. I'm not quite sure if it's a PC thing or not. I want to say yes. Apparently it's a big thing in PC, but we don't get to attend this year since we're newbies and still in training. L Luckily, I still have two years to experience this wonder of a holiday. There are costumes involved, but I'm not sure about the candy. I can live without the candy, but a Twix would be damn good right about now.
Tomorrow is the Ugandan Independence Day. And I still have to go to class. Life blows. My Homestay family is surprised, as are the families of some of my friends. Who works on Independence Day? NO ONE, that's who! I tried to make the argument that by having the day off I would be assimilating into the Ugandan culture and that if I went to "work" on the national holiday, I would be offending the people of Uganda. The trainers didn't buy it.
On that note, I should go to bed so that I'm bright and cheery for my first class of the day. yay.
This morning, as I was walking to training, I saw a man herding a cow…by pushing it.
Wild Animals
The only wild animals I've seen around so far are chickens, goats, pigs, and cows. That's not to say that some of these don't scare me. A chicken actually attempting to kill me yesterday. Flew straight at my head. Screamed like a girl and ran away. And I almost got run over by a cow at one point somewhere around week 5. I just hope I never encounter a snake.
Future Site
Last week was pretty crazy. Got up super early on Tuesday to head out to K'la and on to Mbarara. As usual, the matatu drivers are crazy. But the buses out to Mbarara are even crazier, especially since the roads are actually paved and decent. I have to say, Mbarara is BEAUTIFUL. There are hills, mountains, and trees galore. And a bit less dust than L'wero. I can definitely see myself living in Mbarara. It doesn't hurt that Mbarara is also a bigger town than L'wero. Makes me feel a bit more at home. And there are plenty of hills around for me to pitch my tent on.
Goat Stock
…is the equivalent of Halloween in Uganda. I'm not quite sure if it's a PC thing or not. I want to say yes. Apparently it's a big thing in PC, but we don't get to attend this year since we're newbies and still in training. L Luckily, I still have two years to experience this wonder of a holiday. There are costumes involved, but I'm not sure about the candy. I can live without the candy, but a Twix would be damn good right about now.
Tomorrow is the Ugandan Independence Day. And I still have to go to class. Life blows. My Homestay family is surprised, as are the families of some of my friends. Who works on Independence Day? NO ONE, that's who! I tried to make the argument that by having the day off I would be assimilating into the Ugandan culture and that if I went to "work" on the national holiday, I would be offending the people of Uganda. The trainers didn't buy it.
On that note, I should go to bed so that I'm bright and cheery for my first class of the day. yay.
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