Last coupla times in Gayaza, town north of kampala where amanda lives. First time was teaching the P7 girls how to make reusable menstrual pads. This time was to get our hair braided so we look smart!
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Mom! you asked if the bus rides were smooth. Even on a "smooth" day the bus and taxi trips are like going on a safari ride, except without the giraffes and the ugandan antelopes. I live off a fairly smooth road called the Queen's Way, since its the road taken when she would visit. Gotta keep the road nice and smooth for the queen. Even so, i'm glad when i'm squished in my seat cause then i just relax and enjoy the ride. I don't have to brace myself for anything. And the taxi makes more money cramming more people into the 14-seater van. Win-Win.
Every once in a while i get a ride in a Peace Corps vehicle and its glorious. I forget that cars have shock absorbers! And air conditioning! I forget that my back isn't always drenched in sweat when i get out of a car.
Yesterday i sat for 7 and a half hours getting my hair braided. At hour 6 i started asking myself if all this was worth looking smart. The girls said that in America, we don't spend so much time fixing our hair. Don't Worry, i set the record straight...told them we most Definitely spend lots and lots of time making sure our hair looks smart! At first they were excited to braid foreign hair, so there were many people working at once. Then a t.v. was brought in and "The Promise", a Filipino soap opera, overshadowed the novelty.
Last week i played guitar with the P7 girls. We sang songs from Oh Brother Where Art Thou and we had a blast. They listened the first time through and the second time they sang along like they were their favorite songs. We usually sit on the steps going down to the soccer pitch and i definitely sing at the top of my lungs, enjoying a wonderful Lake Victoria sunset. The P7 are very polite and don't tell me, like Pauline and Vale do, "you don't know how to sing, do you?"
check out arodabroad.blogspot.com for more snaps of braiding day
funny. interesting. cool.
ReplyDeletemaking up for lost time.
busy at work.
busy at home.
in between, migraines.
it was funny to read you actually
'like' being squished.
makes sense.
like wearing a seatbelt, or body armor!
a nice thought that when you
get back you will think the jeep is a lexus.
okay, 7 1/2 hours.
to look smart.
it is an investment,
you get to wear it for how long???
and thanks for setting it straight
on our beautifying time...
oh, yes, i remember my days at NM,
and how our backs ached after hours
of putting in thousands (seemed like it)
of cornrows--after the movie 10 hit it big.
oh yes, those women wanted to look 'smart'.
Oh Brother Where Art Thou!!!
i want to see a video of the girls singing!
what fun, fun songs~
you have a beautiful voice!!
you will have a lot of catching up
when you get back, SINGING!
te amo, te extrano, y espero un nuevo blog.
con carino, be good.