Celeste From Texas

Last Spelling Competition

2011-04-12T01:44:00.000-07:00

Another term and another spelling contest. It had been 2 terms since our last contest and in the meantime i had forgotten how competition makes me feel. At the very least, i sweat a lot under the tin roofs... at the most, i start choking up when i have to tell students, "I'm sorry... that's incorrect." Their crestfallen faces are terrible to see. Some just hang their heads and silently shuffle back to their seats! I try and give motivational speeches before and after, emphasizing the importance of their "trying." I keep telling myself that competition is good for these young ones, they learn all types of life skills and it motivates them to try really really hard.

The thing that revives my spirit is morning parade. Morning parade never fails me! When all the school's students are lined up, looking very smart in their class lines, I stand up and deliver the class winners' certificates and everyone is full of smiles. Lotsa times there are impromptu congratulatory singing concerts. How can that not make me feel better?

"The rain was raining" as they say and it delayed most of the schools. I even got stuck on the road in the downpour. After a late start and many life skills-esque activities, we started the contest. It took about 2 hours to go through all the students. The last words were "gnaw" and "recycle." (I felt like a trickster...)

Thankfully my friend Willysha had stayed up late the night before to help me make badges for everyone and we gave them out after the contest. The students were very thankful (as usual) for the gifts and for the opportunity to participate and have a good lunch. Even after two years, i'm amazed at the polite and respectful manner of the students in Uganda.

Nkumba's Spelling Contest:

St. Theresa Kisubi Girls P/S, Nkumba Primary P/S, African Children's Choir P/S, Bethel P/S, St. Charles Lwanga P/S and Sure Prospects P/S

GLOW day in Kisubi

2011-04-04T04:47:00.000-07:00

I loved the way all of the university students kept peeking in to see what we were doing. As i was walking around trying to keep the day organized, students kept stopping me asking what was going on. "Why are there primary students at the university?" "What kind of game are you guys playing?" The rest of the students would just look on for a while as we played our games, i think with a little bit of envy as they entered their classroom for a 2-hour lecture.

We had 5 schools participate with 20 students from P4 to P7. I think one school must have misunderstood the qualifications; when i saw the youngest arrive, i thought she had just come along to escort her big sister to Camp. She was 9 years old and did great keeping up with the 12 and 13 year olds during our activities.

We started out with "Big Booty", a game the girls love playing if only for the name! After a few other "Get-to-Know-You" activities, we started with our sessions. The day was full! The usual fare of Self-Esteem, Goals and Women's Health information. The counselors (a mix of university students and primary teachers) gave them plenty to do, so the day flew by and suddenly it was 5:30.

Journey to the East: Part 2

2011-03-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

Walking through the mountains in Eastern Uganda.

I had the opportunity to teach some of the secondary girls how to make origami frogs and tulips. Though they were most interested in asking questions about my love life. I really enjoy those experiences because i like challenging the Ugandan convention of a "typical" woman. I like proudly saying that "i'm not married", "i don't have kids yet" and " i don't like cooking." (Ask me how i'm going to feel about saying those things once i leave Uganda.)

My friend John lives next to the Sironko River, a beautifully clear and rushing river from the mountains of Elgon. The young people who live around John's house came swimming with us in the river. We excitedly ran through the Matooke trees to the clearing where you could jump into a nice pool of freezing water. The young ones can hop, skip and jump around those rocks like little leap frogs while i was slipping, sliding and painfully making my way across the river. One evening we swam as some boys burned leaves on the river

rocks to roast their yams. They shared with us and it was delightfully unreal to sit in a river eating roots with a band of curious but suspicious boys and girls.

Friday night we had a fire (i'll proudly share that i was an integral part in maintaining the fire and using up all the firewood.) Since the closest marshmallows were a 5 hour drive west, we roasted bananas and they were delicious! John's neighbor didn't want to try them (she didn't want to try my tortillas either) but the kids loved them and had so much fun trying to roast them. They were so mushy and at least half our dessert fell into the fire.

We climbed up a mountain and went to the "almost" source of the river. The water was very

cold so i hardly dipped my toes in it. John and I sat down on some nice rocks and listened to very loud water sounds for about 10 minutes. I think the water was too loud to really "Relax" next to the river. Besides, everyone around us was working, carrying enormous sacks of onions down the mountain to sell. Carrying water back to their homes for washing and cleaning. It was a strange feeling to be a foreigner enjoying their community while they worked and worked to maintain their existence in it. Barefoot and smiling, they worked around us. I imagine they were wondering where we came from and why would we want to sit on a rock all day. In the nearby village, we tried looking for a place to take milk tea, unfortunately all they had was alcohol. We decided to pass on taking local brew at 10:30 in the morning.

Going back down the mountain, we followed the river til we got to a Pork Joint. (We might have passed on alcohol, but can't let go of an opportunity for some good fried pork.) It was across a rickety wood bridge and next to a banana plantation. Somewhere music was blaring on a radio, next to us a traditional band was just wrapping up their practice and kids were splashing around the river. I kinda felt like i was coming across the hidden community in Sherwood Forest. The sad part was watching all of the patrons stumbling around drunk. Alcoholism is such a big problem in the village communities, with most people either participating in all day drinking or at least not seeing a problem with it. I don't see it very often in my community, which doesn't mean it's not there, but it was very apparent that this village was suffering from a terrible addiction.

At the pitch with John's neighbors Faith and Gift, who went swimming with us.

When we got back to the secondary school, football games were still going on. They had lasted til early evening the day before and it looked like there wasn't going to be a vuvuzela break anytime soon. I was glad to have been away for at least half the day. Though coming back, it was fun to get wrapped up in the excitement of Ugandan sports, where the different houses compete for the distinction of being "The Best House" in their school. There's chanting, singing, drumming, dancing, shouting, hugging, jumping.

I'm not sure what it was, the bright river, eucalyptus forests, clear mountain mornings or endless football matches but it felt like i was at the end of the world. This is it and there's nothing else but mischievous naked kids running around the water, farmers moving in and out of gardens and the stars turning off and on. It made me want to stay in Uganda!

Does this mountain have a peak?

2011-03-18T06:41:00.000-07:00

This job is an uphill journey.

I've been doing life skills for two years. That doesn't mean I'm an expert. It means it's been a Long journey in "peace corps" time.

My class yesterday evening was on HIV Transmission. We go over the 4 main fluids and the "Doors" by which those fluids enter our bodies. After the general HIV/AIDS information, we have an activity called "Take A Stand." I read common myths and participants stand under "True" and "False signs.

It was a struggle to dissuade the participants from believing that you can get HIV from bewitching, to encourage them to question the hearsay that a preacher said he had HIV and then was cured after he prayed.

I was relaxed in my explanation of why mosquitoes don't transmit HIV and I think I was rational and calm in discussing why a person who has TB or chronic diarrhea does not mean they have HIV/AIDS.

However, towards the end of the two-hour session I felt all the energy drain out of me. The energy to politely share information. Thankfully I have a great co-facilitator who, instead of endlessly debating what we believe, he was able to focus our conversation on the ways we can help people protect themselves from HIV.

The experience put my COSing feet right back on the ground.

A Journey to Eastern Uganda: Part 1

2011-03-13T23:19:00.000-07:00

The bus ride to Mbale took me though dry farmlands, swamps that had caused sinkholes in the road, and dusty, poor homes made of grass and mud. Mbale is a fairly organized, clean city (when compared to the disheveled, greasy, cramped Kampala.) I felt happy to be in a new place, exploring and seeing everything as new and exotic.

A taxi took me for a 45 minute tour of Mbale, we drove around, honking and yelling at people to get on our taxi. They must send retired taxis to Mbale cause there were enormous holes in my taxi and as far as i could tell, my chair was no longer connected to the vehicle. I can't complain too much since during that long run around the city, they also took me to the market to pick up carrots before heading into the village.

After the taxi ride, there was a 20 minute walk in blazing sunshine to my friend's secondary school contentedly seated in a valley of the mountains around Mt. Elgon...

2 Months to COS

2011-03-07T05:34:00.000-08:00

My family took me out to a great pork and chips dinner by the lake for my birthday. Radio & Weasel's "Heart Attack" started playing in the middle of our meal and I had to take a dance break because it's my favorite song. (You should listen to it! Dial this number: 256-783-199-074 and you can listen for free! And then you can talk to me! Not for free…)

My last birthday in Uganda was full of emotion. It's a strange feeling to know I will be back in America. My Close of Service (COS) is two months away! I've already told most people that I'm feeling very anxious/nervous to move back to what I imagine is a scary place full of people who won't invite me into their houses for tea. I'm nervous about feeling guilty for having so many choices. I'm scared that I'll point to places with my lips instead of my fingers. I'm worried that I'll try and order tacos de lengua in Luganda. "Olina tacos, ssente meka?" I'm sure that when I get on a bus I'll sit right next to the only other person and then when the driver won't stop exactly where I need to be, I'll refuse to pay. Wait. You pay when you first get on? See! Isn't that backwards?

I'll be scandalized when I see ladies with skirts above the knees! For shame! I'll curtsy when I first meet someone. I'll say "sorry" to everyone for everything. I won't be able to drive on the right side of the road! (Alright, may not be a problem since I have no car.) I won't be able to eat my lunch in under an hour. When I meet someone I'll want to hold their hand for a good minute or until I feel like we've greeted each other in a satisfactory way. "How are you?" "Fine" "Okay" "How's your family?" "Good" "Good" "How's the day?" "Good" "Good" "How's home?" "Fine" "Good"

I'll only be able to do one task a day because it's not feasible to get more than that accomplished. Right? I don't think I'll know how to use a cell phone. I'll cry when I see how many cereals I can choose from. When I see people in a queue, I'll wonder what they're doing and just walk right to the front. I'll wonder what happened when Mass ends in 45 minutes instead of at least an hour and a half. Did we even have time for speeches? I'll marvel at people playing with dogs. Dogs are allowed inside the house?

Though I'll be happy to be back during watermelon season. I may just stay inside my house eating watermelon, watching the phenomenon that is America pass me by outside. ..

18th Feb has come and gone...

2011-02-23T07:01:00.001-08:00

and Museveni has won his fourth term in office as Uganda's president!

Most people believe it was a fair election(for everyone whose name and correct photo were on the voter registration) and thankfully it was a safe process (apart from some violence in the east.)

Sunday night, I watched the election results on t.v with my neigh

bors. I was surprised when Pauline started naming the presidential candidates as they appeared on the screen. I don’t remember a 4 year old in America who knew the names of all the presidential candidates.

Many people in my community voted for peace. Understandable since Uganda's recent history includes so many atrocious acts of violence. Museveni was part of both rebel movements that brought Uganda out of the violent regimes of Idi Amin Dada and Milton Obote.

Uganda Statehouse Info on Museveni

BBC News Profile on Museveni

Seeing the turmoil that's reached so many Arab states and being so close to people who have lived through civil wars in their countries makes it easier for me

to see how years of clear-as-day corruption looks better than taking a chance on a new leader.

Go peace.

_________________________________________

Yesterday evening, I walked home from the university with my friend Piggy, the university's lovable dog that terrorizes the neighborhood (occasionally.) I was happily singing an improvised tune to welcome what I thought were incoming rain clouds.

The sky darkened and the wind picked up, adding a sense of urgency to everyone's movements. Electricity was out and I gaily lit my house full of candles, ready to wait out the blackout in a rain-filled peace. I even got extra towels to prep my front door for the deluge that usually floods my house with each rainstorm.

A few drops began sprinkling the roof of my house, and then, sadly and quite suddenly, the rainstorm was over.

____________________________

Valentino lost a tooth! The rat fairy came and gave him a kikumi.:)

Family Visit: Photos!!

2011-02-09T23:55:00.000-08:00

We gave mom and martin approximately 11 hours to rest and recoup before whisking them off to the hot-spot tourist destination of Jinja. (Home of the Source of the Nile and Bujjagali Falls)

Sr. Valentine graciously acted as our

tour guide for the day, explaining the history and pointing out all the insider details of our journey.

It was a large, but interesting, caravan of people including: Father Henry, Amber, Michael, Sr. Valentine, Mama Tony, Dan, Sr. Emma, Mom, myself and Martin. The motley crew of friends and family gave a unique perspective of Uganda, from the attitudes of citizens, visitors, volunteers, Americans, Canadians, British, young and old-er.

Before mom and martin came, i had big dreams of all the things we would do together. One of those dreams was to get up early every day to take a walk to the lake as the sun was rising.

Some people, i won't name names, thought they were on some kind of vacation.... So getting up before the sunrise wasn't exactly on their itinerary.

Here's a picture of the one time we walked to Lake Victoria.

Since blizzards and shut-down airports delayed the family visit by 2 weeks, we had a Christmas celebration in January. They may look like they're shy and quiet kids...but a few minutes later Pauline was dancing "Stamina" and Vale was working with Martin to build his Lego house.

Lugandan, Laundry, Leisure, and Love

2011-02-09T03:44:00.000-08:00

Osiibye otyano?

Had to look that one up because I would have spelled it Osibiatiano? (Good afternoon, which they really understand as How was your day?) For me, Bulungi! (Good!) This, by far, was the longest phrase I memorized…making it the ‘greeting of choice’, morning, noon, or night! No one seemed to mind, all seemed pleased to hear me trying…or maybe I misread the laughter~ I think Celeste thought I should have at least gotten the sir, or madam down(after 3 weeks) to add to my phrase. The absolutely wonderful fact is, the Ugandan people are so pleased, and let you know it, if you even speak one word of their language. The smiles, laughter, and praise leave you wanting to learn more.

So, I did not take too many clothes, but when you have to do your laundry by hand 2 blouses is 1 too many! In the past I have done my share of hand washing those stubborn stains in my children’s clothes, but, I was not bent over for an hour with clothes which seem to weigh 40lbs when wet…My first ‘battle’ with doing laundry went great!! No one was watching, it was mainly socks, tshirts… and they were hung outside, dried, folded and put up by nightfall…I was a little smug when I started my ‘second load’ a few days later when I heard the familiar tapping on the front iron door. “Who is it”?, I said. “Me, Pauline”! “Come in Pauline”. Pauline and Vale were always ready to help with ANYTHING you were doing. After our greetings/hugs I told her I was washing clothes(I thought I saw a dubious look on her face, quickly thinking I had misread it, she’s only 4).

Okay, so at least I can show my skills(show off) to Pauline…it took maybe all of two minutes before Pauline was giggling at me~ “No, mama cele, like this”! at which point she took the little bar of soap and quickly showed me the correct way to launder the clothes. I looked on, truly impressed! Did I mention she’s 4 years old? Ugh. She stuck it out with me, the slow learner…a muzungu…I can’t be sure, but, I think she spent the rest of the afternoon with me to make sure there was not something else I had no idea how to do…So as I hung out the clothes and heard the choruses of “Webale!” (Thank you!) I made sure to tell Pauline “Gyebale Pauline!” (Well done Pauline!) and she was beaming~

Leisure is another wonderful skill you will pick up in Uganda, a trait many of us North Americans fear will be misinterpreted for laziness. Even in my relaxed gait, people wondered where I was going in such a hurry, and why. Walking ANYwhere you could stop every two feet, to greet strangers, friends, friends of friends…because there is no reason to hurry, or worry about being late, no one else is… and walking with food is not acceptable…,I thought a cup of coffee should be exempt, but Celeste kindly let me know, NOT. Again, everyone accepts your stopping your day, to relax, no questions asked. It’s your time for Leisure/Tranquility on that day, that hour, that moment, so, be happy!

It seemed as if I had been a part of Uganda longer than the 3 weeks I was there. Maybe partly because of all the stories Celeste has shared with me these past two years she has been living there~ Maybe reading the PCV’s blogs…Maybe it is more because of the Love they so freely give by opening their homes, sharing their food, providing support, devoting their time, ~all of it welcoming you into their lives… As Pauline told me the morning before I left to America, “Mama Cele, I love you SOOO much!” me too Pauline, I love you all SOOO much! WEBALE!

Finally Uganda!

2011-01-19T01:33:00.000-08:00

UGANDA! Finally made it, after all the weather delays…arriving around midnight the airport was quiet so we got our luggage quickly, making our way to the exit, looking for Celeste. We were greeted by Celeste with a BIG HUG, and lots of catch-up kisses! At the airport I met Sister Valentine , Father Henry, and Dan. Pure adrenaline kept us up a few hours more after arriving to Celeste's site! Waking to sounds which would soon become familiar... Some type of bird which makes sounds not to soothe you to sleep, but demanding you wake up, the whisk of sweeping the unending dust off the sidewalks, the greetings of a new morning between neighbors, their voices reflecting renewed energy…UGANDA!!! "Webale"! Is the greeting you soon learn because everyone is sure to acknowledge whatever you are doing with "Webale"! "Thank you"!

"Webale", for sweeping, for cooking, for cleaning, for playing with the children, for resting, for gardening…it's wonderful! Another words, Thank you for living! Ugandans are warm, happy people, ready to accept you into their 'family'/tribe. I am happy to report I am now in the Engabi clan, meaning sheep clan becoming part of an extended family in Uganda! It is easy to feel an attachment to this wonderful country and it's people. The landscape here is a gardener's dream~ gardenia bushes which are almost trees, bougainvilleas running along fence lines, many of the same plants as you would find in the states but bigger, and blooming year round! We were lucky to come during mango season, the trees become more majestic with age. There are banana plants, plantains, matooke, avocado(YUM), sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and all the beans you would like to eat. Everything delicious! I can easily get use to the midmorning tea break and the afternoon tea breaks, they feed not only the body, but the soul ! A good habit to acquire, to enjoy someone's story of their day or the chatter of the children, or just feasting your eyes on your loved ones…to be re-energized! We have been to Queen Elizabeth's National Park, Rwenzori Mountains, Jinja to see the source of the Nile, Entebbe Botanical Gardens, the markets of Kampala, a beautiful shrine of the Virgin Mary, Padre Pio's Shrine ..have I mentioned hills??? Probably not because I have not yet mentioned walking~ lots of walking! ANYwhere of merit, I guarantee, will be on TOP of a hill. Forget the gyms! Come to UGANDA!!! I am not avoiding writing of the poverty here, which there is more than there should be(anywhere), but I wanted to first highlight the JOY shared from the Ugandan smiles. More later..., Tea Break !

-Guest Blogger, Isabel Arista (known in Kisubi as Mama Cele)

It Has Been...

2011-01-05T00:43:00.000-08:00

1 year, 10 months and 26 days since I last saw my family.

Exactly one brother and one mother are en route to Uganda, East Africa.

I'm nervous.

Look at that short-haired, 25-year old lady with her mom at DFW airport. I don't know if you can see how tightly i'm hugging her and my pillow, but it looks like after taking the picture, Stefan had to peel her outta the hug.

Christmas Cooking

2010-12-22T04:58:00.000-08:00

It's calm and quiet in Kisubi. All the schools let out a month ago, the teachers have dispersed around Uganda, all going back to their villages for the holidays, the men have locked up their bicycles, the boda-bodas quietly cruise by searching for passengers and even the grasshopper season has come and gone. It's just me walking down the dirt road and it's a peaceful way to enter Christmas; The bright songbirds and I under the hot sun.

Since I have the time and Sister Emma has the skills, we've been making Christmas deserts. Yesterday, Sr. Emma made date squares and two cream cheese pies in the time it took me to try and make pan de huevo that ended up as yeasty dinner rolls. She patiently walks me through Cooking Skills 101; For instance she taught me how to measure butter. Instead of mashing the butter down into a measuring cup, use a set amount of water and add butter until the water line gets to the amount you need. That might not sound so impressive in writing, but I assure you, as a never-ending novice cook, I was amazed.

We worked all day in the University's kitchen, listening to the 10 Christmas songs I have on repeat, mixing, sifting, greasing, washing and tasting. It was nice to be with my friend, enjoying our foreign traditions and each others company.

Glowing with Love

2010-12-13T00:41:00.000-08:00

After a few late starts, all the Camp Glow-ers were sent off safe and sound yesterday morning. It was sad to say goodbye to the girls; girls who were just beginning to adjust to our American-style camp, who were still beginning to open their hearts and minds to their fellow campers and counselors.

In the hustle and bustle there were campers coming up to me to ask for my phone number which I happily gave them. I felt like I made so many new friends who are looking for guidance in their lives. While I don't think all of them will stay in close contact, it made me more confident in their abilities to move forward with their goals. Thinking that they will seek out help, that they will make good friends and with them good choices, helped me tie the whole camp together. It helped me feel like while campers may not have understood or listened to ALL of the information, they did feel our love and care for them. They knew they were supported and encouraged, and they can use that to further themselves in education and social awareness.

It also made me remember how far love can go, how being compassionate for someone goes a long way for yourself and the other person. As a peace corps volunteer, the "way forward" can get clouded by development buzz words and concrete, measurable results. Yes, I would like to eradicate Malaria, HIV/AIDS and violence against women. But I'd like to get there without aid money, without imposing my Western ideals and without forgetting the compassion that had me sign up for this in the first place.

Three Birds on a Wire

2010-12-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

I'm so proud of all the girls at our camp; These young ladies have come from schools or homes that disapprove of honest and creative expression, keep them feeling inferior to men and discourage negative behaviour by harsh beatings.

We, as staff and counselors, have been so lucky to watch these (normally very quiet and submissive) young ladies freely use their talents to learn, to share, to paint, to draw, to sing, to dance and to express themselves.

The guest speakers have all mentioned the way women respond to questions here: Heads down, whispering voices, no eye contact. Any other form of address from a young woman is seen as disrespectful. Rehmah Kasule, who wrote "From Gomba to the White House", came today to speak to us about her challenges and successes as a female Ugandan entrepreneur. After her speech, she gave this riddle: "There are three birds sitting on a wire. Two decide to fly away. How many remain?" The answer is: There are still three. The two birds only "decided" to fly away, they didn't actually take action. She ended with saying that as women, we can decide to do many wonderful, enlightened and empowered things. But the most important thing is to follow our words and good intentions with action.

GLOWing with good speakers

2010-12-08T19:17:00.000-08:00

Jane Alowoyo, a 17-year veteran lecturer from the Department of Language and Communication at Makerere University, came yesterday to speak to the young ladies about effective communication. She gave a wonderful speech after lunch about our different styles of talking. She highlighted Ugandan and American patterns of interacting with each other and really sparked lively discussions with her role plays of giving directions.

Ugandan directions: Oh yes, let me tell you, you walk down the road and turn at the mango tree, then when you see the ant hill, go up that way. You'll see another road on your right, it'll have many trees nearby. Don't go that way. When you get to the next trading center....

American directions: Doyouhaveamap?AtTheNextLightMakeARightAndWalkDownThatStreetFor5MinutesThenMakeALeftAt....

The campers and counselors LOVED having her.

Visit our website to see more! Camp GLOW Uganda 2010 :)

HIV/AIDS Part II: Women and HIV

2010-12-01T00:44:00.000-08:00

December 1 2010 marks the 22nd annual WORLD AIDS DAY.This year's theme is "Universal Access and Human Rights."

Visit WORLD AIDS DAY and see what's going on in the world.

________________

Biologically and culturally women are more at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS. In the case of Uganda, a country where women are still seen as inferior to men, women are still fighting the status quo to keep themselves and their children safe from HIV.

[ I think America does a pretty good job of "saying" otherwise but not really completely settling in to gender equality. I'd like to take ask all of the women who read this blog. Do you feel equally capable of doing the same things as a man? Do you feel treated the same as your male counterpart? ]

In the Life Skills class that Sister Emma and I taught at the local vocational school we found that many young ladies are still being given false information about their bodies and about HIV/AIDS. Many of them didn't know that it is, in fact, incurable. Others didn't understand how the virus functioned in their bodies and some were just speechless when we talked about the myths that they have been told since childhood.

"At the end of 2009 it was estimated that out of the 33.3 million adults worldwide living with HIV and AIDS, more than half are women. It is suggested that 98 percent of these women live in developing countries. The AIDS epidemic has had a unique impact on women, which has been exacerbated by their role within society and their biological vulnerability to HIV infection. "

Taken from AVERT

Here are some of the reasons that woman are more at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS:

1. Unequal gender rights

2. Rape

3. Not being able to negotiate condom use:

Men and women in Uganda enjoy large families. If a man wants to continue having children, he will not listen to a wife who wants to use a condom.

4. Forced sex in marriage:

It is a woman's duty in Uganda to please their husband, he has already paid the bride price for marriage, and it's considered part of the bargain.

5. Widow inheritance:

This practice is still common in Uganda. After the husband dies, the wife and all of the deceased's property are handed over to his brother.

6. Female circumcision:

Not very common in the Central region of Uganda, though there are male circumcision ceremonies in the East.

7. Early marriage:

There are many young girls who are forced to marry young. Being young, they are more likely to tear their vaginas during sex.

8. Biological factors that cause women to be 2x more likely to become infected than men during unprotected sex.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-27T23:21:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving celebration began with a mass organized by Sister Valentine. My friends and i went into the mass a little leery about how long it would be (Pumpkin Pies were in the oven, waiting to be eaten! Mass in Uganda can be 3 hours!--don't judge me too harshly people.) To begin with, we were the only 6 participants, until, in true Ugandan fashion, people began trickling in after it started. Before we arrived at mass, we were asked to write the intentions so to begin mass, Father Edward pulled out the handwritten list, stumbled over my poor handwriting and proceeded to pray for our community in Uganda and America. My friend John, from the east, read the first reading from the Book of the Apocalypse. We listened to tales of the end times and tried to look forward to things to be thankful for. The rest of the Thanksgiving Mass was taken from a 1984 American Prayerbook that Father found somewhere since Ugandan Prayerbooks don't include Thanksgiving. He apologized after mass for the old edition and promised that a newer version was on its way!

The homily was about how Americans say thank you and Ugandans don't. After mass we found ourselves exclaiming our disagreement! Ugandans do say thank you. They always express their gratitude and appreciation. They just also include a request for more of whatever they received, especially from foreigners. Walking down the village roads, i see moms telling their children to run up to us to ask for money or sweeties. It's something they're taught from childhood, that foreigners have money and they want to share it. It's mostly true. I appreciated Sister Valentine's desire to show her love and support for our American holiday, traditions and our friendships, in ways she knows how to express her committment to friendship, in this instance through a Thanksgiving mass.

For more exciting stories from Thanksgiving 2010, visit: Amanda's Blog

HIV/AIDS Part 1

2010-11-07T00:48:00.000-07:00

World AIDS Day is coming up, 1 December. And in our Life Skills classes we've just finished the learning activities on HIV/AIDS. The class at the university goes in-depth about transmission, immune system response, origin, stigma, myths, and healthy living. The Life Skills class at the vocational school is a little more basic, focusing on transmission and debunking the popular myths that float around about why or how people get HIV/AIDS in Uganda. I thought I'd share some of the general information:

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

TRANSMISSION:
There are four main fluids that transmit HIV: blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. These fluids can pass through mucous membranes (on genitals, nose, eyes, mouth, anus) and through cuts or openings in your skin. (Sweat and tears do not carry HIV; saliva has such trace amounts that you would have to swallow liters of it to be at a small risk; cerebrospinal fluid carry trace amounts as well.)

HIV can be passed on by:
1. Having sex without a condom
2. Contact with infected blood
3. Injecting drugs/re-using needles
4. Mother to child (during pregnancy, during delivery or during breast feeding)

IMMUNE SYSTEM RESPONSE:
HIV targets the CD4 helper cell (the part of the immune system that coordinates defense.) After some crazy cellular moves, HIV gets the CD4 cell to replicate its viral DNA INSTEAD of its normal function (defending the body and producing other CD4 cells.) CD4 counts determine how compromised your immune system is.

Without Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART or ARVs), eventually the amount of HIV will almost fully suppress the immune system, (the person now has AIDS), leaving the body susceptible to death from many different types of infections or AIDS-related cancers.

ORIGIN:
The most accepted theory is that humans first got HIV from chimpanzees in Cameroon in the mid 1900's. These chimps had Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) and the virus was transferred to humans probably through hunting or eating chimp meat.

(There are many different theories and time lines of HIV origin, please take a minute to check online for more information.)

MYTHS:(these are not true)
There is a cure for HIV/AIDS and its only available to people in the Western nations
If you have sex with a virgin, you can be cured of HIV/AIDS
You can get HIV/AIDS from hugging or kissing someone with HIV/AIDS

IN UGANDA:
Two thirds of all HIV infections occur in sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, the first AIDS cases were reported in the early 1980s, it was known as the "slimming" disease because of the wasting away of the body of most people who had it. Today, about 1.1 million people in Uganda have HIV/AIDS.

I could keep unloading lots of terrible numbers about the situation here, but suffice it to say it affects everyone. Unfortunately, the numbers are on the rise, mostly in married couples. The feeling is that Ugandans are accustomed to hearing about HIV and have become desensitized about its effects.

IN USA:
At the end of 2006 about 1.1 million people were living with HIV. In 2008 Texas had 2, 924 people living with AIDS, making Texas the fourth highest state with people living with AIDS (after California, Florida and New York.) It’s estimated that about 53,000 Americans become infected with HIV each year.

Please take a moment to visit the following websites for more information:

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/
www.who.int/hiv/
www.avert.org
www.aidsuganda.org

"Mosi-oa-Tunya"

2010-09-25T05:45:00.000-07:00

"The Smoke That Thunders" : the falls that are on the border of southern Zambia and Zimbabwe

When we were driving in the taxi from the Lusaka (capitol) airport, the first thing to be noticed was the dry dry everything. Of course they are in the dry season, so it makes sense. Lusaka is also a beautiful city that looks like an American suburb. There were strip malls! Boulevards! Street lights that work! It felt strange to be in such an organized city. Strange but good...

Amanda and I went to Livingstone, the tourist town near Victoria Falls and stayed at Faulty Towers, a nice hostel that we discovered, after an awkward misunderstanding of the joke behind our hostel and a Google search later, is named after a British comedy.

We drove the short trip to Vic Falls National Park in a truck with outside seats (the kind for safaris.) I thought it was appropriate for all the white people to be on display driving through Livingstone. I hope someone took our picture for a really prestigious magazine about cultural/financial diversity.

We signed up for the breakfast tour of the falls. Sometime in late morning we were anxiously swimming across a very cold Zambezi river. We reached the edge of the falls, marveled at the sights. When they showed us the "devil's pool" we were meant to JUMP into, Amanda and I began regretting our decision to pay so much money to fall off the edge of the world. Somehow, we decided to jump in and there we were at the top of Victoria Falls. After our swim, feeling brave, we had a surreal experience at breakfast. There was incredibly delicious food (a little bit of food on a really big plate, that always makes me feel like I'm in a fancy place, in my little head, extra plate space equals extravagance), white napkins, silver silverware, bacon, waiters and waitresses tuned to our every move. Money, blah. We snuck food for later.

The next morning was a scheduled elephant ride. Geez. The elephants were cute and scary. It made me wish I had been an explorer with my very own elephant (an explorer without the desire to colonize.) But I probably wouldn't really like it. When we were walking around Vic Falls admiring the greatness of water, there were at least 50 baboons strolling around like they owned the place and I would have appreciated some people-appropriate primate control… especially when I thought one was going to jump on me and almost started crying.

Northern Zambia was just as dry. We went to Chishimba Falls, more stunning vistas and the sound of loud water. We went fabric shopping. We had nshima and beans with our friends family. We call nshima posho in Uganda. Any way you look at it, it's an inexpensive, tasteless mush made outta corn that people use to spoon up a sauce or relish (like beans, meat, greens.) Its not half bad, just can't think of any other word besides "mush" to describe it.

It was exciting to be on an adventure in another African country. If you ever get the chance, take it. You're gonna love it.

http://www.zambiatourism.com/travel/places/victoria.htm

Happy Day Matre

2010-09-21T22:37:00.000-07:00

Victoria Falls, Zambia

Feliz Cumpleanos Mama! I love you and can't wait til you're hanging out with me in Uganda... muah!

Queen Elizabeth Natl Park

2010-08-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

The P7 girls will be sitting for their Primary Leaving Exams in Novermber, so when third term begins next month they'll be busy with around-the-clock instruction and revising. Last week they went on their last Hurrah in primary school: a 3-day tour of the awe-inspiring beauty of western Uganda . Guess who was lucky enough to accompany them. We toured...

-Queen Elizabeth National Park: we took a game drive early Thursday morning through the dry savannas and saw Buffalo, Water Bucks, Ugandan Kob, Elephants, Warthogs and Mongoose. Its an interesting experience to see wildlife from an enormous and very loud school bus. The best part is hearing their excitement and seeing them concentrate on what's outside their windows so they can be the first one to spot a wild animal. We didn’t see too many animals, but its was refreshing to take a drive, calming to see the sunrise over African plains and exciting to be in a wild place. In the afternoon we took a boat ride in Kazinga Channel, connecting Lake George and Lake Edward, and saw Hippos, more Elephants and Crocodiles. Some of the girls and I stood on the second story of this tour boat and enjoyed the wind and a great view of the water. Then to top off the day, we visited the museum. (After the museum my friend and I went next door and walked around the VERY nice and expensive Mweya Lodge accomodations, the hotel that was half a mile from where we were staying. When i told the staff i just wanted to look around, that i wasn't staying the night, they asked me "why not?, the place was made for people like you." It was unbelievably fancy and i was stunned because just a short walk down the road 60 girls were sleeping on a dorm floor and bathing in the moonlight.)

-Lake Katwe Salt Operations: the humidity there reminded me of Houston. We followed the tour guide around narrow walkways skirting the square pools of water where the workers "harvest" table salt. We saw the men in the middle of the shallow lake bringing in piles of rock salt that they sell for cows. The workers are at least knee deep in their salt gardens or Lake Katwe for hours at a time. Women

have high incidence of uterine infections and the men penile infections.

-Kilembe Copper Mines: about half an hour west of Kasese in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountain Range. Was closed down during Idi Amins time when he expelled Asians and most foreigners from Uganda, they are trying to reopen the mines. We were able to venture inside the old mine and it felt exhilarating to be inside the earth, to feel like an explorer searching for an elusive place or answer. Though this adventurer found comfort in holding one of the P7s hand as she slowly and anxiously walked through the pitch black mine entrance. After the tour of the mine, the teachers and i went down to get rocks from the river. It's been a long long time since i've enjoyed being in real water (i don't count water in dingy pools or in a bathing bucket.) I can't even stand close to lakes here for fear of Bilharzia. Feeling the cold water running around my feet and legs was rejuvinating and it reminded me of wading around 5 Mile Creek.

-Hima Cement Works: the last stop before heading back to Kisubi, most of the students were tired and grouchy, but we got to wear hard hats and goggles and that seemed to cheer them up a little bit.

________________________________

Thank you tia for the coffee and coffeemate! Its like a blast from the past smelling and drinking it, I enjoy the coffee here, they grow it mainly in western Uganda. When I first came to Uganda, I visited some volunteers in a village out west where they grew lots of coffee. We went walking to visit the Sisters of Our Lady of Good Counsel and for the hour walk we smelled nothing but coffee plant flowers and I remember being so happy that this was my new home.

Thanks pop for sending the book with Georgia O'Keefe's work. I show it to Vale and Pauline and try and tell them about the southwest and art and women. Who knows what makes it through my terrible translations, but they like looking at the pictures anyway. They love the one of Japan's gardens. They turn each page saying in Luganda, "this is VERY far away" "the trees are beautiful" "Look there's orange and red." I'm just now trying to show them maps; they know Africa is very big and America is VERY far away.

Thank you Mrs .Clack for sending the colorful erasers and stickers. The students really like them, there's not any type of "Office Supplies" culture here. That sounds funny to say, but I know I certainly LOVED going back-to-school shopping and deciding which notebook to get and what color pencils and pens to get. Even as an adult! I love going to office supply stores, looking at organizing racks and new highlighting gadgets. I'm digressing. I just mean to say, that’s not here, and the students love the novelty.

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And lastly, what would this blog be without stories of Vale and Pauline?! I went and saw them for their Sports Day at the nursery school.

Pauline showing off her classroom with the two other littles who came to cheer on their older amigos. Concepta with that sly grin and Pauline Mbabazi in the pink skirt.

Vale in the egg-on-a-spoon race.

Pauline in the bottle filling contest.

Stature was the last word

2010-08-02T23:31:00.000-07:00

Playing warm-up Spelling games with Amanda

Central Academy

Fake check for the winner!

Nkumba's First Spelling Contest went surprisingly well. The students were very nervous so to begin things (and wait for the other schools to show up) we played spelling games. Thank you Amanda for getting them to relax enough to play Hangman!

It took about an hour to go 8 rounds of words. I've been going to these schools for a couple of months now, helping with spellling lessons, watching or organizing the schools spelling contests and it was hard to watch these finalists misspell words. I kept trying to tell them the correct spellings via ESP. It didnt work and one-by-one the contests dwindled until the best spellers (or really the students who work well under pressure) were left.

First place: Gloria from St. Charles Lwanga P/S
Second place:Penny from Nkumba P/S
Third place: Paul from African Children's Choir P/S

The first place winner received 200,000 USh (about 100$) towards her third term school tuition. Her teacher told me her family would be so proud and thankful for the help with school fees. Thank you Bishop Dunne staff for contributing to this contest! It helped motivate the students to learn English, gave them a chance to practice speaking skills and helped them gain confidence in their abilities. Thank you so much! The teachers and students who participated in the contest all send their greeting and heartfelt thanks to you.

Towards the end of our celebration lunch one of the teachers asked if i could help organize another spelling contest for the third term. Yes!

Science Fair Weekend

2010-07-25T03:59:00.000-07:00

Science Fair at St. Theresa, P7 girls giving a chemistry lesson

Spelling Bee at Nkumba Quran P/S

Vale, Pauline and Mbabazi washing on my porch

It was called a science fare and St.Theresa's has been buzzing with activity for a month trying to prepare for it. The girls aren't allowed to recite or give presentations reading from their papers, so all the exhibitors, from the P1s to the P7s memorized sometimes over 10 minutes worth of information. We had 3 practice runs throughout the week and believe me, they recited the same thing every time. I'd usually be irritated with the forced and droning memorization but because they experimented and had to find information on their own, i think they actually had a fun time learning! Wunderbar!

I read a book by Michael Chabon called "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" and found myself refusing to go to sleep or pretending i wasn't home so i could finish a chapter! Its about comics, New York City in the 40's and 50's, and 2 characters that are so so very interesting.

Thank you Tia, Vicente and Lucas for the package with TUNA FISH! Thank you Monica for photos that i hadn't seen and stickers! Thank you Ms. Clack for gifts for the students! Thank you Mrs. Villanueva for colors for the kids! Thank you Matre for everything! Thank you Tia Janda for the soap! Webale nnyo...

Its July...

2010-07-06T22:45:00.001-07:00

St.Charles Lwanga School Spelling Contest

The last spelling contest at St.Charles Lwanga (named after one of the Ugandan Martyrs, go to http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=35 for more information) was really exciting. It was to determine who would represent their school at the catchment area contest at the end of the month so they invited the entire school (minus the fidgety P1s and P2s) to watch. I was nervous, but the students did really well under pressure.This was also another instance of supportive teachers giving their students positive encouragement and kind words when they were incorrect. I enjoyed seeing the students who were watching the contest mumble under the breath the spellings or write them down on scraps of paper.

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Nkumba Coordinating Center Madrasa Workshop

Making a book, "on Friday I saw 5 green bicycles..."

Last weekend I went to a workshop on making instructional materials. (Faithful followers..haha.. of this page may remember I attended one last year when I was first at site…)We were about 12 teachers working together over a 3-day period, talking about the challenges of large classes with few resources, about why students shouldn't be caned or beaten for their misbehavior or class work mistakes, and laughing about the day-to-day rituals of work. It was invigorating to be in a group of teachers that love their students and want to run the system in a different way.

The organization that led the workshop is called Madrasa. They began in Mombasa, Kenya in the 90's and then a group of teachers from Uganda saw their work and brought the ideas this way. Madrasa is based in a suburb of Kampala called Mengo and they work with schools in Wakiso, Kampala and Mpigi Districts, helping them learn how to use locally available resources to make materials for their lower primary classrooms. Along with "How-To" instruction, Madrasa facilitators also talk about the importance of alternative teaching and discipline methods. So as we made our books and painted pictures, we heard great ideas on how to convince other teachers why it's insufficient to only lecture to young students. They also discussed why beating students does nothing but reinforce misbehavior and misunderstandings and if teachers want to change the trends in Uganda's school system they need to talk with their students, explain, discuss and leave behind the hierarchy that allows teachers to feel more important than their students. That’s revolutionary.

__________________________________________

For Lydia's 25th birthday, we went walking to the restraunt down the road called "Cabana." It's named after one of the first Italian priests who settled in the area and it's run by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Reperatrix. (The same sisters i stay with at St.Theresa) Pauline and Valentino started the walk excited to get chips and chicken... then the walk got a little too long for their liking..By the time the camera was pulled out, the smiles were gone. :) Dont worry though, their spirits were revived with food!

Spelling Contest

2010-06-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

I've been organizing a spelling contest for 6 schools in my catchment area. I tried my best to prepare for any and every possible hitch… of course… we all know… that doesn’t work.

It wasn’t until a couple of days before the first spelling contest, at a small school about 20 minutes walk off the main road… that I realized the words are too difficult and too unrecognizable. When I was compiling the word list I was only thinking about giving the students a good challenge. But meeting a challenge requires more than just setting the bar out there and expecting people to jump right over it. And I'm not able to go to each of these schools everyday to coach them in spelling/phonics rules. Besides, I want the teachers to be doing that work.

The first spelling contest went surprisingly well . The P5s were excited and got the first two words correct: Fight and Cough. Then came a long string of incorrect spelling of words I don't think they had ever heard. Mix that with misunderstood pronunciation and it was a little bit of a messy contest. Though we all clapped loudly for the pupils that spelled correctly and I tried my best to steer the teachers to encourage the pupils who were incorrect. (There is a deeply rooted habit of humiliating and debasing people with incorrect behaviors/answers. )

P5 students competing at Central Academy P/S, Abayita Ababiri

Some of the common issues were: 1. Leaving out vowels because of mispronunciation, 2. Students not knowing the word and being very scard so just standing in silence until the teacher told them to sit down and 3. Mixing "L" and "R" sounds. Ugandan English mixes those two sounds, making it difficult to hear the correct letter. E.g. Malaria sounds like "Mahraria" when spoken, so many students spelled it that way.

It felt nice to encourage the students in any way, and I think they enjoyed the challenge. That was a good feeling; to see the students smiling and laughing in class. The P6s struggled, but tried. The P7s did very well , one student was able to spell "unanswerable", which I thought was an incredible accomplishment.

P6 Winners at Central Academy P/S

At the end of July there will be the Nkumba Catchment Area Final Spelling Contest. Good Luck Spellers!

In other news:

I had a skin infection from scratching a mosquito bite on my leg. It turned into cellulitis and i'm on antibiotics to fix it.

My neighbors thought it was a ________(too gross to fill that in) that had burrowed into my skin. They tried to lure it out with a sugar paste. So one night last week, I was sitting in the parlor room at the convent, intently staring at a spot on my leg with the sisters, waiting for some tiny monster to peek outta my leg to eat the sugar paste smeared on my skin. I laughed. (I was imagining the Dune sandworm to come barreling out like it was in search of melange.. Ha!)
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The P7 girls here at St.Theresa are learning the World Cup songs with me on the guitar. If you haven't heard K'Naan and David Brisbal sing the lively and extremely catchy "Wave Your Flag", you're missing out on the excitement that has taken over this continent (and most other non-American Football oriented places.)

We're also learning, Shakira's "Waka Waka", The McCoy's "Hang on Sloopy", Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill", and some gospel and country songs. Their favorite is a song in French by Carla Bruni; They really like trying to speak French! (who doesn't) It's been a loud and entertaining way to practice cultural exchange. If you have any ideas for other songs to included on our playlist, feel free to let me know~

Pauline, Concepta, Valentino

Walking to Primary Schools

2010-06-18T05:36:00.000-07:00

Got to walk in the village, doesn't happen too often these days, usually stick to the schools closer to Entebbe Road... I forget that i love walking down the red, dusty roads. Hearing the sounds of a hot, Southern summer day.

______________________

I visited a primary school were students were reading young adult fiction. They were reading books that were probably at or above their reading level. I felt like i was in America and i was speechless, i didn't know what to say to the students or teachers.

Later, I was sad to reflect on why students reading surprised me so much; I have become comfortable or expectant of young people either not wanting to read or not being able to read. In the best cases I've seen, the older classes, P6 and P7, read large-print, essentially "picture book" books in their leisure time.

I felt like there was something special about these students and teachers. It's true, they are unique in this Ugandan school system (where students don’t read or question information, where they only have the chance to copy notes from a blackboard and respond to teachers' 10 over-designed questions in choral response.)

But they aren't inherently different. They just are allowed the opportunity to develop an interest in reading, they are allowed the opportunity of access to books, they are allowed the opportunity of a positive, encouraging environment.

Sometimes working here drives me nuts! Because what am I doing besides keeping the status quo?

Day of the African Child

2010-06-16T03:14:00.000-07:00

This morning i went to Entebbe Works Grounds to see the celebrations marking the 19th annual Day of the African Child. Many area primary schools went, including Nkumba Primary in their bright pink uniforms. It always makes me smile to see big groups of different primary schools. They look like a moving rainbow in their colorful uniforms.

2010 Day of the African Child theme:

Planning and Budgeting for the well being of the child: A Collective Responsibility for all."

Heres some information directly from the Ugandan brochure:

"60% of Ugandan children (5.7 million) live below the poverty line, making them very vulnerable to other violations of their rights. This highlights the challenge in planning though they are the majority of Uganda's population; they are largely not involved in decision-making processes. Their plight has to be prioritised by those who are responsible for planning and budgeting for their wellbeing."

"...primary school enrollment is at 90% although there are challenges around retention, with only 47% able to complete primary seven(although this is an improvement from 22% in 2003.) The drop out rate has remained high, affecting girls more. There is concern about the 16% (about 1.3 million children aged 6-12 years) of the children out of school. Most children out of school are likely to be orphans."

Feel free to look up more general information about today:
http://www.hrea.org/index.php?base_id=527&language_id=1
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/459/722793

Kibuye, Rwanda

2010-05-31T22:48:00.000-07:00

At College Sainte Marie

College Sainte Marie

Lake Kivu, the wonderful view from the road next to C Sainte Marie

Sr. Pasqa, Sr. Scholastica, Myself, Sr. Antonia, Sr. Andree, Sr. Marie Emmanuelle, Sr. Agnes, and Sr. Teo

Lake Kivu, view from C Sainte Marie

Good to be Back

2010-05-24T04:39:00.000-07:00

Loud filthy streets of a city that constantly moves around my walking feet
Happily fills days, memories and journeys
Waking under familiar nets in a familiar town
in a familiar heat Happily fills mornings, memories and histories
_______________________

There are so many differences between the East African Communities (cleanliness, music, dancing, language, size, vistas, food etc.) but i'm glad to say that some of the joyful similarities are the freedom in which they know one another and the gentleness but strength of spirit.

Sisters of St.Mary of Namur, Kibuye

2010-05-21T22:48:00.000-07:00

Congregational Cross of the Sisters of St.Mary of Namur
_________________________________

I only spent about two and a half days with new friends in Kibuye, next to Lake Kivu in Rwanda, but it felt like a wonderful holiday with family! The sisters were excited to have a visitor and i was excited to visit; A perfect combination. I stayed in their guesthouse on the top of a hill and walked down to eat delicious Rwandan meals with them and to visit the teachers and classes at College Sainte Marie.

I wish i could explain all the feelings that were rumbling around my stomach, head and heart. Nervousness-Excitement-Wanting to Share-Openness-Freedom. Those feelings added to the the way the land rolled around with the sounds of Work-Birds-Students Laughing-Mass-Water-Trees-Sunlight.

My favorite part was sharing dinner, there was so much laughter trying to communicate! I'm kinda proud of how well we did. Breakdown:

I spoke about 15 words of french, 10 words of kinyarwanda, 100 words in spanish, lots of english
Sisters Andree, Marie Emmanuel, Passqa, Teo, Antonia, Agnes and Scholastica spoke 100 words of english and lots of portugese/french/kinyarwanda

I've underlined the languages that we were able to competently grasp and exchange ideas in... .

Sharing across cultures and languages is some of the most fun i've had here in Uganda and now in Rwanda. There are so many hiccups and strange misinterpretations BUT, when there is mutual understanding.... SOUND OF LIGHTBULB SWITCHED ON!

its a good feeling.

for Cinco de Mayo

2010-05-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

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Happy 22nd Quag!! I'm glad to know you're still doing awesome things back in texas; running marathons, finishing university, writing poetry, hanging out with that bean. I love you and can't wait to see you at the end of the year....

Today i thought of you when i started my run... the sensation of being free and light-footed lasts for about 200 meters for me... but i thought, "this must be how stefan feels when he's running.." and i smiled to myself!
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An Art Day

Today i learned how to make paper at an organization called Paper Crafts. It's located in a town called Bwebajja about 5k from my home. They offer well made and creatively designed products. It was refreshing to see a well run organization led by and fully staffed by Ugandans. They are efficient, happy and making a good profit. They sell their products to Banana Boat, a high-end craft store that markets to mostly foreigners. Their website:

In the afternoon i went to a local artists' association to teach how to make friendship bracelets. Their workshop is down the road from my house and I stopped by their small market one day and found out they just started their association and are just beginning to teach crafts to the local women for an income generating activity. I told them i could contribute my friendship bracelet "skills" and they said "you was welcome." So today i went and taught about 6 ladies and 4 gentlemen. I had a very nice time sitting under the trees, making bracelets, trying to keep up in Luganda.
___
Happy Cinco de Mayo

Eating Well in Uganda

2010-05-01T06:42:00.000-07:00

a great salad

M&Ms, Reeses, Three Musketeers, girl scout's Thin Mints, Skittles, Hershey's Bar, Twix... Did i get everything?
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Some friends came over and we happily cooked ourselves a good 'ole american meal: Salad. It feels nice to gather and speak english in our casual cadence and usual vocabulary; an added bonus is choosing food without the "heaviness" of a Ugandan meal. Though I've come to enjoy the typical fare:
-matooke (steamed green banana that tastes somehow like potatoes)
-ebinyebwa (ground nut sauce)
-kowunga (aka posho, mix of maize flour, water and salt)
-ebijanjaalo (beans)
-irish potatoes
-enva (greens that are a little less tasty than spinach)
-mwogo (cassava, a dense root)
-lumonde (sweet potato)
-ensujju (pumpkin)
-emboga (cabbage usually fried in tons of oil)

So it's a happy meal when we cook for ourselves. We (mostly others) try hard to eat healthy, delicious foods. But at times, we (mostly me) just go for the delicious.

After our healthy delicious salad we all pulled out the chocolate treats that were in recent packages. Thanks america! :)

Very Small View into Country-Wide Problems

2010-04-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

Mom, you asked why Uganda has such a problem with malaria and i think a lot has to do with corruption. There is a lot of money put into this country from many times many aid organizations. Malaria should be wiped-out by now and its not. I'd like to get more information before writing on this public space, but i wanted to share a small instance of corruption that's just a pinhole into the bigger picture.
__________________________

Police woman pulled us (Amanda fellow PCV and our Ugandan driver friend) over on Makerere Hill* and asked the driver for his permit. The driver had two permits, in case the police ever ends up keeping one, and he politely handed one of them over.

The policewoman inspected the truck we were in and said that one of the tires looked damaged. Because this damaged tire could cause traffic accidents, she was going to charge him a 50,000 USh** fine.

He asked her for forgiveness while Amanda and I watched and tried to appear appropriately contrite and harmless. She said there was nothing to forgive and there were two options: he could sign the receipt for the 50,000 USh fine or he could wait for the actual police to come and take him to jail for refusing to cooperate. (I love the concept of freedom and choice. Its our choice to sign for a fine we don't believe we deserve or choose to be hauled off to jail for an offense we also refuse to believe is an acceptable consequence. Same in the U.S.) Except HERE, after Amanda and I said that 50,000 USh was a veeery high fine and after Amanda also asked for her to show some forgiveness, the traffic woman said alright. Since the nice young (white was not explicitly stated) woman asked, she was going to let the driver go.. But could she have a little something for lunch.
"A bottle of water?" asked the driver.
"No, I'm not asking for a bottle of water" the traffic woman said, "just something.."
Where upon the driver slipped her "something." And we were free to continue on our way!

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*near the famed Makerere University, at one time the best higher education system in Africa until the Amin Regime in the 70's.

** 50,000 USh is about 25 dollars but its a lot of money and you should really see some of the other ancient jalopys on the roads here. In comparison, our old truck looked like it just rolled off the factory lines.

World Malaria Day

2010-04-24T12:24:00.000-07:00

April 25th is World Malaria Day and to spread some awareness i thought i would put some info/resources on this blog. Check out the websites for more in-depth information.

-Malaria is preventable and treatable
-One prevention tool is sleeping under an insecticidal net (my mosquito net is a wonderful sleeping companion... not only does it keep out possible malaria-bearing mosquitoes, but also any other critters wanting to disturb my sleep.)
-Malaria is spread by a mosquito that is infected with a parasite
-Only the females of a certain mosquito species can transmit malaria
-Malaria symptoms initially include: fever, nausea, chills and vomiting
-Every year malaria kills 1 million people, with most deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa
-People most at risk are pregnant women and children under 5
-Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, DRC and Nigeria account for over 50% of malaria deaths in the world
-Uganda has the third highest deaths from malaria in Africa

www.malariaconsortium.org
www.worldmalariaday.org
www.rollbackmalaria.org
http://www.who.int/topics/malaria/en/

Luganglish

2010-04-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

in commemoration of one year as a pcv, here is:
Luganglish Dictionary Part One
(feel free to change/dispute/add on)

Nothing to do: Kind of like, "That's life" , "What can I do about it?"

You've been lost: Where've you been!

Well be back: Welcome back

Safe journey: Said whenever anyone leaves home and goes farther than the nearest trading center

Things aren't easy: Kind of like, "life's tough these days." Except "these days" translates to everyday. Said a lot by women in reference to anything

Now now: Right now. "I'm leaving now now"

Feel free: Said to welcome a guest/students to make them feel more comfortable

It's disturbing me: Anything that irritates. "The dust is disturbing me" , "these shoes are disturbing me", "those kids are disturbing me"

Ever: Always. "She is ever late"

They're not serious: When people are misbehaving or not really doing their job/school work

Get serious: expressing disbelief or surprise

Well done: Good job. Said to anyone doing anything

You are most welcome: Welcome. Said by everyone to everyone all the time.

Thank you for the work: Said whenever you see anyone doing anything. Its polite to say thank you for whatever they are doing.

Extend: Move over. Like on a taxi, when the men don't scoot over when I get in the front row of the taxi and we squish four to three seats. I say, "you extend."

Reduce: To lose weight, to lower a window

You first wait: Wait.

Parasite

2010-04-14T04:07:00.001-07:00

it was small and grody.
I'm not sure if i should share this information with the world. (ha, i think about 20 people read this.)

---STOP reading now if you have a sensitive stomach---

Recently, i've thought i stubbed my toe at some point (not uncommon for this one) and the tip of my toe had accordingly turned semi black. This morning I was washing laundry with my friend Lydia. My toe had been hurting worse than usual so i asked lydia what i could do to help reduce the pain. She took one look at my soap covered foot and said, "Eh! Baba Cele, what is this? You have a jigger!"

She called everyone over to look at my jigger-ed toe and they all said it was "so big!" At first they thought i should go to the nurse but it turned out one of the ladies has an expertise in parasite removal. They procured a safety pin(that was sterilised) and told me they were ready for surgery. I was fascinated and told them, "first wait", i had to get my camera to take some snaps of this tiny insect that had burrowed into my toe.

I'll spare you the play-by-play of how they extracted it, but it was great. If you're curious, look up the Chigoe flea online. I'm kinda worried i'm grossing people out. I wanted to upload one of the pictures i took, but i'll restrain myself.

This was definitely a "different" post... Promise my future posts will follow the tamer thread i've followed so far...

Easter Carols

2010-04-12T22:32:00.000-07:00

Carols were held Sunday at Kisubi Parish, the church that's right next door to St.Theresa.

The first choir to perform was the primary school that's also right next door to St.Theresa. They were nervous and would only sing a verse after the choir conductor sang it first. They were great though. I'm trying to upload the video onto this page.

I wish we had drums and clapping and people singing in church in the U.S. Its so joyful here and i've really loved being a part of their celebrations. The clapping surprised me when i first started going to church in Wakiso. Most congregations clap after the consecration of the host and the wine. I didn't know what was going on! And most songs come with a nice clapping pattern.

Bus Rides

2010-04-11T01:08:00.000-07:00

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!
____________________________________

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

Catching Up

2010-04-07T03:02:00.000-07:00

The life skills workshop in Gulu was 2 fridays ago friday, i left Kisubi early on a
thursday morning to catch a bus bound for northern Uganda. It was a 5
hour bus ride so i got off the bus in Gulu with enough time to tour
the technical school (Gulu Youth Development Association) where i was
going to teach, talk with some of the students, plan the life skills
session with a staff member there and attend the breakdancing class
taught by one of the Peace Corps Volunteers. I learned how to rest my
body on my elbows and pose my feet up in the air. (Its in the job
description.) I really admire her work there because Ugandan's
love to dance and she had created such a strong cross-cultural
connection that i could see the admiration, pride and confidence they
had in her.

Friday i had the morning free so i sat in on the braiding class. At
first the students were very shy and wouldnt talk with me.
Unfortunately i dont speak more than one greeting in Acholi/Lango (the
northern languages.) I told them i wanted to learn and thankfully one
student understood my english/miming efforts and pointed to a chair.
After 30 minutes of talking and glancing over in my direction they
invited me to try braiding. So one student taught me different ways of
plaiting the weave into the other students hair. They laughed at my
attempts but i was determined to show them SOME skill, i mean years of
braiding my grandma's and cousins hair couldnt be discredited in one
afternoon swoop. So i kept trying and finally some of the laughing
sounds changed to what i considered okay-thats-not-half-bad murmurs.
By the end of the morning i was sweating from the trying to braid
hair, trying to seem like i knew what i was doing, trying to
understand what they were telling me and working under a tin roof. It
was a good morning.

The life skills session went well and i hope they're able to use some of the games and excercises in their lessons. Sometimes i worry that everything i teach goes in one ear and out the other. Though I'm getting better at follow-up and evaluation.

______________________________

The Easter holidays were great, i got lots of chances to sit and talk to my neighbors and friends. I helped peel Matooke and the sisters got a kick out of that. They kept bringing people to come and watch me peel these bananas. They would laugh incredulously. Halfway through peeling the enormous pile of bananas, the oldest sister in our community, Sr.Hippolyta, said i was doing a terrible job. She said it in Luganda so i didnt know why everyone had burst out laughing until after they had caught their breaths. I turned bright red and of course, that set off the second round of laughter. =)

I'm playing guitar for the Easter Carols next sunday and i've been really excited to play. We're going to perform "Where You There When They Crucified My Lord?" Today they told me that all the sub-parishes are going to be there and i'm not so excited anymore. ..

I made maranitos for Easter and they came out surprisingly delicious, for the first 15 minutes outside the oven. Then after that they turned, more believable, unedible as they became hard as rock.

Before i press my luck

2010-03-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

Im gonna send this short short entry now cause the computer might rebel against me and un-load everything. again.

I'll write about Life Skills in Gulu and a 5K in Lira soon as i find internet. It was a great trip north though I've missed banana trees and the ability to communicate in local language.

-asdf

2010-03-12T20:36:00.000-08:00

Snaps

2010-03-09T08:47:00.000-08:00

I'm gonna try uploading one at a time. This is Try #3 of "Upload Pictures to My Blog." To get a feel for the internet speed try this 10 Step Test of Patience:

1. Open the internet
2. Wait 20 minutes
3. Open your email
4. Wait 20 minutes
5. Write the email
6. Wait 20 minutes then delete the email that just took you 30 minutes to write
7. Rewrite the email
8. Wait 20 minutes
9. This time send the email
10. But first turn off your computer

=)

I feel better.

This is a long one

2010-03-07T06:18:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for the birthday wishes. It was a good day. I taught, had lunch with the brothers and my friend Emma took me out for ice cream. (ugandan style, none of this blue bell business.)In the evening the sisters had cake and pizza for me. They know i love anything American.
___________________________________

This week's lifeskills sessions were on Gender Roles and HIV Transmission. In the Gender Roles class i was surprised to hear many of the traditional roles being supported.

In Uganda, men "appreciate" the women they are going to marry by giving her family many gifts; Like sugar, salt, cooking oil, cases of drinks, material to make clothes, cows and chickens. The gifts are given at the Introduction Ceremony, which is when the man is formally introduced to the woman's parents and the parents give their permission for him to take their daughter. People were surprised when i told them we don't have these ceremonies in the U.S. I told them the man sometimes asks the women's father/parents for permission and thats about it. They raised their eyebrows and said "banange." (Banange = the everything word. Means all kinds of emotions: surprise, sadness, condolence, irritation, happiness)

It costs lots of money for the men to gather all these items to give to the bride's family and many times they request help from their friends and family. When talking about Gender Roles, it was suggested that this ceremony entitles men to many services later on during the marriage. And since the woman wanted to leave her family to become a part of his, she should be respectful, obedient and in fact subservient to the husband.

I've discussed the role of the Ugandan women with many here and whether male or female we always end up with the idea that the sexes are equal and should be treated with respect in a marriage. But when preferences and real life are discussed, i find out that no one practices that "theory." The women are the ones that cook, clean and raise children. They aren't consulted on family matters. They aren't allowed access to family money. Some aren't allowed to wear trousers. And many aren't given permission to work outside the home. Men are the ones to sit on a chair and at the table for meals. Men work. Men make and spend money. Men discipline their wives by beating them; Beating is also a way to show your wife you care enough to discipline her. Men ride bicycles. Men don't wash their clothes or dishes. Men don't cook. Both men and women go to church. Both work in the gardens. Both like dancing. Both drink tea at tea time. Both eat lots and lots of matooke.

Not all of Uganda falls into this pattern. The cultural climate is changing and their idea of Gender Roles is becoming more relaxed. More Ugandans are embracing the "theory" of equality and sharing marital responsibilities. Thats something.

In our HIV Transmission class we went over the basics. Students around here are over loaded with HIV information. So much information is floating around and i think now many are desensitized to the issue. I enjoy the life skills approach because its focused on dispelling myths and playing games. We talked about ways to keep HIV information clear and concise for kids. We talked about the most common myths around here:

-> traditional healers have cured HIV/AIDS
-> Africa is the only place with an increase in new HIV/AIDS infections
-> Mosquitoes can trasmit HIV
-> HIV can be transmitted by bewitching
-> HIV/AIDS can be cured by eating certain leaves from the forest

At the end of our session we played a game to show kids how HIV is spread and how it can be treated. One person plays the body. One person plays HIV. About 9 people play white blood cells and they surround the body. Then we have people playing the opportunistic infections: Diarrhea, Malaria, TB and the Flu. These o.infections try to pelt the body with paper balls. The white blood cells defend. Then repeat after HIV infects the body. Later in the game, Positive Living comes in. This is a group consisting of Seeking Treatment, Septrin, Good Nutrition, Social Support, and ARVs.

______________________________

Watched the beginning of Finding Nemo with Valentino. I tried to translate as best I could.
"Those are fish."
"Those are baby fish."
"That's Nemo and his dad."

Since my translation wasn’t accurate or comprehensible, Vale just kept asking questions with a confused look on his face. So I stopped translating and tried dramatic faces and sounds. Gasp! Shriek! Oh No! Ha Ha Ha!

That worked. He started watching and talking to himself.
"Shats, Bagenda kubalya." (Sharks, they're gonna eat them)
"Nemo ali wa? (Where's Nemo?)
"Ono ye tata we ne oyo ye mama we" (That one's his dad and the other one's his mom.)

Then he started laughing at the funny parts! He thought it was so funny when the sharks were being sarcastic and said that Marlin was "in denial" of having any problems.

Later I heard him telling the ladies about watching the fish in the water.

Winter

2010-03-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

Its winter here when i wear socks to bed (or want to wear them during the day with my sandals but don't cause they will get dirty too fast and anyways i wont be smart.)

I took Pauline and Vale with me to guitar class today. We brought along books for them to read while i played. That lasted for about one minute. Then, "Baba Cele, Whats this?" "Baba Cele, look at me." "Baba Cele, he's not sharing." "Baba Cele, what are you doing?" "Baba Cele, who is that?" etc. Except in real life etc. can go on forever. And it did!

I forgot in the last entry to say some overdue thankyous. Thank you Maria, Alex, Gabs n Chesca for sending me candy. yum! Thanks Nate for the harmonicas, its been fun practicing, maybe not for my neighbors though =) Thank you Karina Canales for the musica en espanol. I love the mix of old with new. Thanks Juanita, Matt, Daniel and john john for delicious candies and great books! Just in time too, i was needing something to read. =) Thanks Byron for the great music and mac n cheese! I can't believe it's lasted this long, but i'm saving it for my birthday. Thank you tia, tio vicente and lucas for sending me pictures, i love the one of lucas and i when we were both little. That was quite the purple shirt i was rockin. And tuna! yes!

Thank you for thinking of me and sending me things. I hope to send something your way soon! Lots of love!

Sunday Night

2010-02-28T10:35:00.001-08:00

St. Theresa from a neighboring hill
__________________________________________

This past week was kinda busy. In between life skills classes and the rain were meetings, p.e. class, english class, guitar, going to the market for food, washing clothes, lesson planning and cleaning house.

How the day can be so long sometimes shocks me awake. When our lives are so short. Its like a mini-miracle. Hehe, is there such a thing as a mini-miracle matre? prolly not. The joy of more time. As a time conscious american i'm happy when there's more time. Then bored when its too much time. But these days, here in uganda, there's just time.

-time to sit and drink tea
-time for NGO's to develop
-time for backpedaling development
-time for workshops
-time for cultural exchange
-time for personal reflection
-time to wait in traffic
-time to wash clothes by hand
-time to greet every person you pass on the way to work

I like the feeling of this open time, I don't think i had it before. Especially since i was in school. My entire days were blocked.
Mornings: School
Afternoons: Work
Evenings: Homework
That's definitely still true for Ugandan students, but i wouldn't say the same about most adults in the semi-village area i live in. An example: if it rains in the morning, it means it's time for them to plant and not go to work. I know the same is true for me as a volunteer. My work centers around everyone else and no one i know has a definite schedule. I'm starting to like that.

How do you think you would feel coming from american time to ugandan time? I struggled. I'm struggling. But i'm feeling so much better these days. I think cause it feels like home now.

Rainy Season

2010-02-22T01:25:00.000-08:00

Rain on the tin roof woke me up around 5 this morning. Figured it was a nice time to read and make rice atole. Besides, the bug noises were bothering me and i kinda wanted to see which irritating and possibly gross insect was flying around my room. Never found it.

Walking down the road to the bus stop i met a teacher from a nearby primary school. As we maneuvered our way around the mud and puddles he told me that the rain was disturbing them because the day scholars don't go to school when it rains.("Disturbing" here refers to anything/anyone that causes problems or is a source of irritation)And since most of them are day scholars at this primary school, there were hardly any students at all. Teachers don't have time to repeat the lesson, so when the rains do stop and the students come back to school, they are potentially missing a whole rainy season's worth of information!

A Good Year in Country

2010-02-15T00:15:00.000-08:00

Pauline Muto, Valentino and Pauline in our compound. Thanks amber for a great snap!

I was the timekeeper at this Teacher Trainers workshop in January.
An ineffective one....It really is difficult to stay on schedule here. Maybe close to impossible. I'll admit i was one of the stragglers during our morning/afternoon tea breaks. It was hot in that room.

_________________________________________________

I was happy to give a tour of kampala to the newest group of volunteers in country. It was a re-freshing day and fun to see uganda from new,excited eyes. It made me smile and get a nice happy feeling to answer their volley of questions and watch their eager interactions with Ugandans.

The lifeskills program at the university is going well. I'm teaching secondary teachers and counsellors. They are young and old, male and female, nuns and priests, non-religious and from all over east africa. Its a great classroom dynamic and they really challenge me to be a better teacher and communicator. The class takes 11 weeks to complete and there are 4 classes total.

Im starting to teach P.E. to the P1s and P2s at St.Theresa. There are so many of them! How do P.E. teachers do it?! My hat goes off to you. I'm going to try and teach the older girls (P5,6 &7) how to play frisbee. I've been playing a lot here and the Ugandans i've taught really seem to enjoy it. I've heard there's a program that donates frisbees so i'm going to check into that and see how many i can get for the schools.

My guitar class is going well. Its every tuesday with a brother and father at my church. We're learning some easter music and i'm kinda nervous to play in public! yikes. When i get nervous my hands start shaking and i can't hardly play at all. uh-oh. We'll see how the service goes~

I've been teaching Valentino and Pauline to say "Codi" when they come in my house. Cause they started walking in at all times, quietly sneaking into my bedroom scaring me half to death. Its a swahili greeting. And the response is "Karibu." Which means "welcome." I've also been telling him to cover his mouth when he sneezes, coughs or yawns. And the other day i didnt cover my mouth while yawning and he called me out on it. In Luganda. He's 5.

Finally Rained!

2010-02-04T00:31:00.000-08:00

Its been hot hot and hotter than hot. And it finally rained this morning! As i was on my morning walk. Of course.

It was really nice, i haven't walked in the rain(without an umbrella)in a long time.

:)

Hola Pennys

2010-01-19T04:04:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to say happy birthday tio vincent and lucas!
How does it feel to be a year older? Lucas! can't hardly believe youre 16. What in the world! I think it means that i'm.... well, let's just say in my twenties.. ;)

Happy Day to you both!

____________

I started the life skills workshops at the university and have really enjoyed getting a Ugandan perspective on things. Though some perspectives are a little hard to accept/process/digest.
Cant write too much right now, but Uganda is doing well, trying to win the battle of who can hold out longest in the January heat, but i think i'm gonna win.

2010-01-07T01:15:00.000-08:00

Camel ride to tour the pyramids at Giza

At the pyramids/sphinx at Giza

At The Blue Hole in Dahab, on the Gulf of Aqaba

Lookin for pretty rocks in Dahab

5 am sunrise on the top of Mt.Sinai

Celeste on top of a mountain

Near St.Katherine's Monastery at the bottom of Mt.Sinai

Biblioteca Alexandrina

A great welcome back

_______________________________________________

Nightwalking in Sinai

2009-12-28T11:03:00.000-08:00

Amber and i left Dahab at 11 pm and arrived at St. Katherine's Monastery (bottom of Mt.Sinai) around 1:30 am. We started walking and soon realized we were under dressed. It was Cold! The walk took about two and a half hours and there was a long procession of lights before and after me as groups of 10-15 made their pilgrim's way up the mountain. What a sight. Amber said it was like fairies floatin around the mountain. It was so dark and there were millions of stars, lots of twinkling and even those showy shooting stars.

I wish i could describe the walk up the canyon better. There were stars bursting everywhere. They made the outline of the mountains, some of which were trying to blend in with the sky while the others had moon shadows defining their peaks and edges. The dancing in the sky was mixing with the gravel sounds of all our feet. It was a full night.

When we had almost reached the top, the gravel pathway ended and the "Steps of Penitence" began. Hundreds of steps put in by a monk of St. Katherine's. The sleepless night was worth the effort to see the sun rise pink and orange and red over the morning mountains.

When we climbed back down we walked around the very old monastery. There were beautiful paintings and ornaments decorating the chapel. And an enormous inlaid tortoiseshell altar. Lots of people in lots of languages saying "Ooh" and "Aah."
_____________________________

Welcome Little Laylah! Happy five days old~

Happy Christmas XO

2009-12-24T08:25:00.000-08:00

I'm with my dear amiga amber in cairo, getting ready for the bus to Sinai where we will be spending christmas 2009. I'm so happy to be with her, adventuring and laughing and seeing sights. But my little heart aches for family, dallas, midnight mass hopping and christmas lights. Thankfully she loves talking "family" so thats what we've been doing for the whole trip. "What in the world, thats a mummy." "Oh yeah, speaking of egyptian mummies, my mom is the best." Etc.

So this blog post is to say Merry Merry Christmas family. I love you and am missing you. I'm carrying you in my heart through egypt and back to uganda. You guys go everywhere with me! I hear those voices throughout the day and have a happy chuckle to know we can stay so close even while being far away.

con amor
XOX

I've Been Lost

2009-12-19T03:40:00.000-08:00

Snaps of a Murchison Park Adventure
___________________________________________

Been a while since posting. When i don't see one of my Ugandan friends in a while they say "You've been lost." or "Obuuze."

Merry Christmas guys. Its nice and warm here. Doesn't feel like the holidays, which is good and bad. Its not texas cold so there's no bundling up and drinking warm chocolate milk. But theres also not commercial pressure to shop til you drop and thats a wonderful feeling of freedom!

I went to Murchison Park, in the northwestern part of Uganda. And it was such an adventure. An adventure i would be more than happy to re-do if anyone out there would like to come and visit me in this green green country. You're most welcome!(as they say here.)

I've made a new friend named Valentino. He's five and talks to me non-stop in Luganda. I try to follow the conversation as best as possible, but most times i have to resort to making the agreement/disagreement/shock/amusement sound i think he's looking for. He's such a happy little boy and Pauline's new best friend (yes, i'm a little jealous.)And whereas Pauline was very shy when she first met me, never ventured too far into my house and would fidget anytime i got too close to her, Valentino is an explorer/adventurer and talks to me like we've known each other forever (in Luganda unfortunately.)I've really enjoyed playing with those two recently.

happy 20th beanie

2009-12-16T00:36:00.000-08:00

I love you martin, i hope you have a great celebration in 10 days!
all my neighbors wish you the best too~

LOVE,
celeste

Knitting Class

2009-11-23T23:16:00.000-08:00

I went to a primary school next to my house yesterday to take a knitting class. The Primary 4 girls were excited to teach me and i was really excited to learn. (Mom, our knitting class at JoAnne's didn't stick~) They showed me how to make "windows" and i had a happy time listening to the conversation as they knitted. Lots of the students at this school are from Sudan, so the chatter was in Arabic, Luganda, English and their Sudanese local language.

There weren't enough knitting needles for all the girls to knit, so they were using bicycle spokes, the inside of their bic pens, toothpicks, small sticks and hard pieces of grass. And they were knitting such beautiful things.
When they first showed me their knitting tools i wanted to laugh an unbelievable-but-of-course laugh. Instead i said that they were doing amazing work and i couldn't wait til next term so they could keep teaching me.

These P4 girls just learned how to knit this term; it was taught by one of the teachers and a boy from Northern Sudan. They are advancing very quickly and are now teaching most of the other students there. So even the 5 year-old in P1 was happily knitting away using her two small twigs.

:)

Expectations

2009-11-16T23:34:00.000-08:00

Girls decorating their poetry on my front porch
_______________________________________________

I thought that i didn't have any expectations, but i was wrong. They were lying there quietly in the back of my mind only to surface during the most frustrating moments of service.
I wanted to share some of them with you.

1. I expected to live in modest housing without running water or electricity. My house is incredibly nice and very "western" with plumbing, lights and yes i have tiled floors.
2. I expected to have trouble communicating with home but there are internet cafes all over kampala, not to mention right next to where i work.
3. I expected to be on my own, without any american support system but I'm close to the city where many foreigners live and work AND i have some great PCV friends who live nearby. One amiga even works with me at the same Primary Teachers College.
4. I expected to miss people like crazy. So far, that one's right on the mark.
5. I expected to have plenty, if not overflowing amounts, of work to do. The work is "there" i just have to go out and get it.
6. I expected to be more motivated. I think the problem i'm facing with motivation is that i feel overwhelmed with the responsibility. There are up and down feelings of inadequacy, determination, melancholy and confidence. I'm working on self encouragement; "Si se puede" and stuff like that.

Besides what i did expect, i didn't expect so many other wonderful things that surround me now. So i'm thankful for that!

November Weekend

2009-11-09T01:07:00.000-08:00

I went up north to a village called Mwareere to work with my friends Lizzie (who lives there), Christine, Amanda and Mandy for Girls Empowerment Day at Mwareere Secondary School. It went really well. I talked to the girls about goal setting and had them write a letter to themselves that Lizzie would return to them after a year. The other sessions were bead making as an income generating activity, information and prevention of HIV, self defense and self esteem. I think the girls were really excited to see so many foreigners gathered in one place~ they really enjoyed all the activities and we hope to come back next year for a re-fresher course.

I also went to visit my homestay family in wakiso. I was able to play with my little sisters and brothers for a few hours. It was loads of fun and it felt like home. We played cards, i helped pick up leaves in the yard, we watched a circus show on tv, we had tea and of course, before i left, they fed me lunch. Then i traveled back south to Kisubi and played music and colored and talked with the P5 and P6 girls at St. Theresa. It was such a happy day of laughing and talking with little ones. It felt good.

Thank You Castillos

2009-11-04T22:06:00.000-08:00

___________________

Thank you Casiana for this beautiful drawing. It makes me happy!

Love, Celeste

Walk to Lake Victoria

2009-11-01T22:36:00.000-08:00

______________________________________

My friends and i walked to the lake yesterday. It was me, Paulinee, Teddy, Sylvia and Scovia. They had never been to the lake! So we had a good time~ We hadn't walked 5 minutes before Pauline said we were walking So Far! We hitched a ride halfway down the road, which was kinda nice cause we were walking s-l-o-w. It was a fun sunday afternoon.
______________________________________

So maybe you've noticed, i've been finding more internet time. I feel happier when i feel "connected" to family & friends in the good ole US of A. And i just wanted to say (again and again) thank you for the emails and letters you've been sending my way. Even the occassional facebook hello is a warm feeling...

What are you gonna be for Halloween?

2009-10-30T23:34:00.000-07:00

Sunrise in Kisubi
_____________________________

Just got back from Lifeskills training in Kampala. It was a week with the other volunteers in my group and our counterparts. We played tons of games and learned how to incorporate these sessions into basically any part of our peace corps service. I think this is one of the peace corps programs i am most excited about. It seems like such a positive way to work for all sorts of development~

Some of the big discussions we had were about the spread of HIV, stigma & discrimination, peer pressure, positive discipline, self esteem and goal setting. It was very helpful to hear the ugandan perspective. It made me realize why some of my ideas fall flat on their faces. And i think they appreciated hearing our perspectives. It was a safe place to exchange ideas and thoughts and i feel like we all tried our best to be honest and respectful. It was tough at times. Specifically when some of the men asked why americans couldn't accept that women were property. I think they were semi joking.

We had a halloween shindig one evening and we just danced the night away in silly costumes. I was part of an 80's punk band. I think all the costumes took a back burner to the dancing! Most of our group (the volunteers who came feb 14, 2009 a.k.a. "the valentiners)are girls and all of us really like to cut a rug. It was a blast.

I was thinking of family dances at home! Stefan at first not wanting to dance, then finally caving in and wanting to dance ALL the time..... Good Luck Quag with the meet. It sounds like you're traveling all over the place! And i bet you're taking pictures for me...
Maybe you'll end up visiting that beanie bean way up north! Keep up the good run quag, enjoy the race... i'll be thinking of you and sending you happy happy thoughts!

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Webale nnyo for the packages! I just got tuna fish and coffesmate flavoring from the Castillos! I can't wait to go home and drink some coffee... And there was a gorgeous drawing from Casiana that i'm going to hang on my wall.
Tia! Lucas! Vicente! Thanks for the photos of home!!! I love them and i cant stop giving you guys kisses on the pictures. And the book, webale jaja wange!! Thanks welita bagita, i read it a long time ago and look forward to starting it again. "The Power of One." Thanks tia for the cute notecards and thank you Tia Vita for the nice note! Awesome stickers matre~ Muah muah muah! I love you all and really appreciate your thinking of me. It really feels nice to open these gifts from home and i hope you know they bring me lots of joy. Just reading your handwriting is a gift~

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To my cute little brothers and cousins.... i miss you all and smile to myself thinking of ya'll and what shenanigans you must be up to these days.

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What are you guys gonna be for halloween?

Tour of Jinja

2009-10-23T00:45:00.000-07:00

At Bujagali Falls and a view of Kampala
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I left with the St. Theresa P5 class around 7:30. After tons of traffic we finally began our tour at the sugar factory. It was an amazing jumble of metal, heat, sweet smelling steam and shouting men. At the beginning of the tour they asked if anyone was afraid of loud machines or if they had asthma they would have to stay behind. "I'm not afraid" thought Celeste. Then we started climbing rickety (to me) metal stairs and walking over high,holey metal walkways. I was scared but trying not to "look" scared. It didn't work though, cause the teachers kept asking "are you scared celeste?" and "nothing to fear, nothing to fear!"
We each (5 teachers, 90 students and myself) got a heaping handful of sugar at the end of the tour.

Then we went to a factory where they make clothes and we got to see the process go from raw cotton to nice cotton sheets. There was cotton floating everywhere so we were sneezing and the ladies all covered their hair. They told me i didn't have to cover mine since i washed my hair every day.

Then it was off to the mattress factory. They showed us the chemical process they use to make the foam mattresses everyone uses here. Then we each got a piece of foam to take home. They gave me one shaped like a heart :)

After the factory tours we went to the source of the Nile and then to Bujagali Falls. They were beautiful and loud and rushing. There were men who jumped into the falls with just a jerrycan. Hmm..

A long day, but full of excitement. The girls were great. They were trying to explain all sorts of things to me, as though they'd been there a million times, and it brought big smiles to my face.

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Just received some things from my momma, carrie, langela, martin and nate. Thank you so much for thinking of me.. I haven't opened the packages/letters yet cause i'm trying to learn patience! (Okay, so i opened one...)
Love

Wash Your Hands

2009-10-20T01:43:00.001-07:00

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Handwashing Day was last thursday and we had a small, slightly disorganized event. There was singing, a dance, a poem and a short skit. The lower primary really liked the skit, and i think everyone else just wanted to go to lunch.

But the upside to Global Handwashing Day events is that i have been helping schools build tippy-taps. I have a sneaking suspicion that the kids are going to break them within the year, or someone is going to steal the wood. But hopefully just making them will show the kids they have control over their health.

Thanks mom for the recipes!

Oh Susanna, Don't You Cry For Me

2009-10-16T00:40:00.000-07:00

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After our reading and writing club meeting yesterday, the P5 and P6 girls walked me to my house, and they love to carry my things for me. I usually have a pen, some books and a piece of cloth to sit on the grass with. They divvy out my goods, then "escort" me home.
At the door they asked me if i would play JUST ONE song, PLEASE ARISTA?
I said, "just one?"
YES, JUST ONE!
So i brought out the guitar and played many songs, including "Oh Susanna", "Bread and Butter" and some Church songs. (Bread and Butter is a popular and great song by the Ugandan duo sensation Radio and Weasel.)

After playing "Oh Susanna" a coupla times, they had memorized the refrain. So there was this group of primary girls singing at the top of their lungs, Oh Susanna, dont you cry for me, for i come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee...
"

Joy and Jump Rope

2009-10-14T00:24:00.000-07:00

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9… oooooh
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16…ooohhhhh
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26….oooohhh

I made it to 26 in jumping rope. I’m kinda proud. I think I need to stop and play jump rope more often. Forget about words like sustainable development, community-based organizations, NGOs… I wanna talk about giggling, happy primary school students, playing in the sunshine and just general feel-goodery.

I do want to “do” something while I’m here and selfishly, I would like that something to be big picture/newsworthy/important/noticed. BUT on the goldeny, sunshiny days like today, after I’ve finished all my laundry and re-read one of the Dune books, I’m content and happy and glad and all those kinda words to just play, laugh and be silly with the St. Theresa girls. And I can forget about the “Peace Corps” label. Forget what people may or may not be thinking about what I’m doing on this side of the world. Forget the pressures of being here. And remember joy.

Matre, I think you’ve been trying to get us to remember joy all our lives. Here I am being joyful.

what reminds you to be joyful?

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Call for Recipes:
I have or can easily find:
Flour (maize and wheat), most spices, baking powder and soda, different kinds of oils, bananas, apples, guava, papaya, mango, passion fruit, jackfruit, pineapple, peanuts, cassava (type of root), potato, avocado, beans, rice, tomatoes, eggplant, peas, cabbage, ginger, onion, carrots, and garlic.

Any ideas for delicious meals?

Cold October Day

2009-10-04T23:09:00.000-07:00

Some recent snaps of the reading and writing club members reading to the P2 students(it reminded me of the buddy system at Santa Clara!), standing with the PIASCY group last friday after they had performed some amazing song and dance routines and taking a soda break with the teachers at St. Theresa.
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Its cold today. Brrr. Walking to work (just up the hill from the bus stop) i got so dirty. Only the main roads are paved, everything else is the red dirt that i love. That i love on dry, non-windy days.

This past weekend my amigas came over and we celebrated a birthday. There was pineapple stir-fry, apple crisp and champagne (awful, awful champagne.)

This coming friday is Uganda's Independence Day. I think i'm going to get a watermelon and stand over a foot bridge pretending i'm watching fireworks. Maybe it'll come close to celebrating the 4th on the Jefferson Bridge before it was closed off. My laptop has a game that when you win, fireworks shoot off, so maybe i'll bring my computer along. ;)

All my love

Ps. Thanks Bob for the amazing teas and candles! They are wonderful! The vit C came at a perfect time, just as i was gettting a cold. Thanks Karina for the book, i finished it in one night! Thanks Tommy for the quality package you sent that only a fellow ugandan volunteer would be able to do. Pens! Thanks Matre for the sandals~ Oh my mama, you are the best.

Thanks Lucas

2009-09-29T00:22:00.000-07:00

For the delicious coke gummy candy. Yum!

on saturday i went to a graduation celebration with my friend Amanda. we arrived when the speeches had already begun. the master of ceremonies interrupted his speech and introduced us saying "they have been sent by the queen." We got to sit up front with the guests of honor. Typical day in the life...

on monday i walked to five schools in five hours. i was pretty proud. i may not have accomplished much in the way of teaching, but i did get some good excercise and got to walk deeper into the villages. It made me wish i lived in a more rural, quiet place. The red dirt roads, quiet walks with the sounds of banana leaves, barefeet, etc.

Good Morning September Sunday

2009-09-26T22:30:00.000-07:00

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Yesterday I had a busy and wonderful day. It was full of friends, talking and celebrations. At the end of the day I made potato soup. And it was delicious. But it was more than the potato-y, starch-y flavor, it was spiced full of memories. Of sitting at la Madeleine, watching people walk by at Northpark, or getting into the jeep on a cold day in December and going for a drive near SMU looking at Christmas lights. That place was only in north dallas then, but maybe by now one’s been built between the trinity and cedar hill. An oak cliff gal can hope.

I wish I had more to write about work, but as you probably know, it just isn’t there yet. I’m hoping and working and hoping some more that I’ll make some steady/good work soon. I’m going to start giving tippy-tap demonstrations after this next week. They’re hand washing stations made outta wood, jerry cans, and string. Mainly.

Have I told you guys that I miss you?

I’m doing well and enjoying the good Ugandan life. Of course there are days when I am quite frustrated/annoyed/anxious/exhausted and just plain grouchy. (I try to stay away from writing on this online journal those days, since I feel like even a positive attitude is slightly jaded at this point.)

The only things I am in “need” of are letters, emails and photos from ya’ll. I have most everything readily available since Kampala is only a hop, skip, n’ a jump away. And thank you for all of the letters and care packages you’ve sent. They are pieces of pure joy and I sing a happy tune all the way home from the post office.

All my love~

my friend!

2009-09-22T05:39:00.000-07:00

Look at this cutie pie!

Feliz Cumpleanos (Manana)

2009-09-21T04:47:00.000-07:00

Estas son las mañanitas, que cantaba el Rey David,
Hoy por ser día de tu santo, te las cantamos a ti,
Despierta, mi bien, despierta, mira que ya amaneció,
Ya los pajarillos cantan, la luna ya se metió.

Que linda está la mañana en que vengo a saludarte,
Venimos todos con gusto y placer a felicitarte,
Ya viene amaneciendo, ya la luz del día nos dio,
Levántate de mañana, mira que ya amaneció.

Photos for the matre

2009-09-19T05:18:00.000-07:00

href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wyNWsc-ob0k/SrTNXP2KoPI/AAAAAAAAAQw/Yp_o00i5x_4/s1600-h/IMG_3055.JPG">

view from the middle of the hill. The small church i go to and the university near my home.

Warm September

2009-09-17T02:45:00.000-07:00

PIASCY Workshop, Teachers playing "Pat On the Back" game
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Shout out to my Ugandan amigos. I hope your job and your day are going fairly if not very well. You are doing Great things! And I’m glad we’re friends.
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Last week I helped give a teacher’s workshop on The Presidential Initiative for Aids Strategy and Communication to the Youth (PIASCY.) It’s a program that began a few years ago to educate primary and secondary students on HIV/AIDS. There are PIASCY clubs that perform dramas about peer pressure, how to say no and reducing stigmatization against anyone who is positive. The program encourages schools to have signs and murals around the campus that warn of the dangers of HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Infections. PIASCY also promotes Life Skills education alongside the usual curriculum. Life Skills is an education program that Peace Corps volunteers also work with in most every country they work in. Life Skills education is based on the idea that we all have the knowledge to make good decisions. But how do we use the knowledge that we already have to get to a positive and healthy lifestyle?

That’s where Life Skills come in handy; we all need to learn how to be assertive, confident, critical thinkers, goal setters, responsible, and possess self esteem, self respect etc. Peace Corps has a comprehensive and detailed program outline that can be tailored to meet the age group or specific need of a Life Skills group. These clubs play games, role play, debate and discuss to learn more about themselves and the options they have in life.

I’m in the very beginning stages of Life Skills clubs at different primary schools. We’re trying to figure out how and when to run them, how teachers and I will share responsibility and what the students are most at risk for. The more I learn about Life Skills, the more I think we should have them in America or in my neighborhood in Dallas anyway. I think the teachers i‘ve had are great motivators and advocates for our individual personalities and talents. But the amount of “poor decisions(like the high STI rate)” seems to say that’s something’s missing and maybe that’s more of a focus on life skills.
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I am doing well and am safe and sound here in my small, quiet community. Have I ever told you guys that I live in a community of schools? I live next to a great University that specializes in education (meaning access to resources on pedagogy in Africa!) 3 technical schools (art, catering, electrical and building), two secondary schools, 4 primary schools and a seminary.
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Early Happy Birthday wishes go to my dear mom and my dear friend sandrita. I wish I could be there to sing las mananitas and shower you with hugs and kisses. You are in my thoughts and prayers and I love you a lot, even though I’m 14 inches away.
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Thank you for writing about guilt. It’s changed the way I think about myself and my “job” in Uganda and anywhere else. I’m going to try to do my best (hard enough without adding complicated emotions to it) and be loving to people I know and to people I meet. Easier said than done right? I’ll keep looking up and out!

Guilt

2009-09-01T06:56:00.000-07:00

Lots of time i struggle with feeling guilty. Some struggles are more lighthearted than others, like feeling guilty for being 120-something lbs when i'm getting a ride on someone's bike. But other days, usually as i'm walking around dusty Kampala, i see sleeping babies sitting on the streets with their little hands held out for anything. Or less heartbreaking but still an issue: when i'm at a ceremony or huge celebration and i'm one of the first (out of hundreds) to get served lunch cause i'm foreign. Then even as a volunteer here, i get a living allowance that exceeds most of my friends yearly pay.

Any suggestions my friends out there?

To end on a happier note, for the past few days (for more language training) we're in a gorgeous part of Uganda. Northwest of Kampala, its just green for days and days!

Thanks Welita for your letter! I was so happy to get it. Thanks Nate for the gummy bears~ they were just what the doctor ordered.

2009-08-18T00:17:00.000-07:00

Schools Out!

2009-08-17T23:40:00.000-07:00

It’s been a long time. I have been wrapping up saying hello to teachers and head teachers at the schools. I think there are still schools that I haven’t visited yet, but that will give me some good solid goals for third term.

There are a lot of proposed-hopefully-they-work-out projects up in the air right now: Leadership education day camps in collaboration with other PCVs; fundraising events for the local hospital; HIV/AIDS awareness clubs with the schools; and reading and writing clubs with the schools.

So far, these projects are in the talking stage. I’m going to work at getting at least ONE of these projects started. Peace Corps is an advocate of sustainable development work and they strongly encourage us to work with/develop Ugandan leaders in the activities we participate/initiate. So when we leave Uganda, we hope to leave stable programs that will continue under positive leadership. A bit harder than I had imagined. I’ve met many people who are very interested/excited about getting information, being in a club, or educating the youth; however, I have yet to meet someone who wants to lead any one of those activities with me. I think many people are still unsure of how serious or qualified I am, so I’m trying my level best to share ALL the information I have about ANYthing as OFTEN as possible with ANYone who wants to listen (and sometimes even with those who don’t.)

Recently I went to an all day celebration for a friend who was just ordained. It was a very happy and busy and long day. Most celebrations occur outside under large white tents. A usual format for these celebrations is: 1.Morning Mass, 2.Speeches, 3.Dancing, 4.Lunch at Three. I usually start the day enjoying the company and festiveness. I’m not gonna lie, by the time three rolls around I can be a bit grouchy. It’s magic though, once I’ve eaten lunch everything is sunshine and roses again. (Late lunches/Early dinners reminds me of my mama. That trickster.)

Thanks Castillo Family, via Maria, for the wonderful treats you sent! How did you know Werther’s are my fav? Yum! Thanks Sandrita for the cool gadget – took me a while to figure out how to use it! Its great. Thanks Monica for the adorable replacement goods you sent! Thanks Mike for the musica… Its been fun listening! Thanks Welita for the books! Did you send me the Magnificat? Thank you! Thank you Tia for the soup and the books. They hit the spot! Thank you Tia/Tia Janda for wonderful gifts - they were perfectly timed!

Other Things I’m grateful for:
1. Talking to the matre, quagmire and the bean
2. My friend Lydia re-teaching me Luganda words all the time
3. Little Paulie talking contentedly for long stretches about who knows what
4. Great sunrises and sunsets
5. Playing soccer with St. Theresa girls – I use the word “playing” lightly
6. Finally getting a handle on my co-workers names
7. Getting mail from the familia and friends

This is the first month we are able to use vacation days and travel around. The Three Months At Site marker has been met! But it’s also In-Service Training time. So most likely no travel, but I’m really anxious to get more language and job training. It’s nicely timed to be just when you are starting to try creating development activities. AND when you are realizing the language skills need more work. I think I’m great at greetings and at saying “I know a little Luganda, but I am still learning.” I think the conjugations and vocabulary in that sentence are a little misleading to the people I say it to ‘cause they generally begin speaking to me at a rapid pace using words I’ve never heard before.

4 am Wake Up Call

2009-07-25T04:25:00.000-07:00

Not mine, for the 7th graders. Also known as P7 students. Since the national exams are coming up in december - deciding where they will be attending secondary school, schools are buckling down. Even more than before, when they awoke at 5:00. Usually, the sound of the students running across the lawn at 5:15 is like a pre-pre-pre alarm call for me to get up about an hour (or so) later.
I talked to my friend lydia who is the matron of the P7 dorm. Matrons take care of the dorms and the students making sure they stay clean and the students behave - basically. She told me when she was in primary she was a day scholar, so she went home after lessons. This was her day:
5:30 am wake up for chores at home
6:00 am eat breakfast and walk to school
7:00 am classes begin
5:00 pm classes end
5:00 - 7:00 walk home and chores at home
THEN walk back to school for more lessons/revising work
THEN walk back home at night.
From what i've seen and/or heard this is a fairly mild day.
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Making a cake with a great helper~

Nursery Class Student Teacher Ratio 60:1

2009-07-08T04:46:00.000-07:00

I saw many classes today and it felt nice to interact with the students. I went into a nursery class where the kids were 2-4 years old. There were a little over 60 little ones with one determined teacher. She was good. But there were 60 little ones. It was a little hectic.

This morning i had a nice walk to work. It was about an hour and the morning weather made it a cool and pleasant hour. The best part were the chickens. It was a cute family with the newborns happily following their mama. The fun part was that while the mom was a mottled black and white, the little chicks were magenta! (Whoa Genetics! Some crazy recessive genes!) I think i've heard that they're dyed so they are recognizable by their owners. I'll check my sources on that one.

2009-07-04T02:40:00.000-07:00

Happy July 4th !

Today I spent the morning painting learning materials for the lower primary students. I was in charge of “green.” I started out painting papayas green and yellow but since i didn’t know how to paint them correctly I was directed to paint bananas and sticks Just green. Still fun. Now my hands and fingers are green.
There were some girls watching us paint, they didn’t speak English but after I shared some Almond M&Ms (Thanks Sally!) with them we were best friends. I asked if they knew what color I was using. Of course they knew. Green. “What other colors do you know?” (After translation by my teacher friend…) “Orange, blue, banana, cow, red…” I think they were trying their very best to show me they knew English. It was endearing. Though some of the teachers didn’t think so and the girls were berated for not knowing their colors in English. One teacher asked if they went to school and they replied that they went to classes until they were chased away for not paying school fees. So they would collect maize and sell it until they had enough to pay off some of the fees. This morning they were selling their maize.
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About 3 weeks ago and then today I received many goodies in the mail. Just wanted to say thank you forever for thinking of me and sending me something nice. Though Please don’t feel like you have to send something that comes in a package cause I would equally love a letter or a postcard that comes in a small but just-the-same-cause-for-joy envelope.
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Recently I’ve seen more Uganda traditional dancing and singing and I continue to be amazed. At the voices, at the energy, and at the incredible rhythm! It took me years and years of dance classes to be able to move my shoulders to a slow beat – and these little ones can shake it like nobody’s business. I’ll admit it... I’m a little bit jealous…But it’s so fun to watch because not only do you get to see this great dance, but you get to see their joy. They smile with their whole body!
I think it feels so good to see the kids that happy and confident because it seems they have very little control over the happiness in their lives. It feels like there is less concern over children’s emotional health. Parents try and meet their “most” important needs like food and education. And most try really hard. They work before the sun is up and long after it’s gone down. Their exhaustion may be why I see little outward concern over how their child is feeling.
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Time is funny. When I feel listless an hour can last for days. When I’m trying to communicate via internet, an hour disappears in an instant! Yikes. I’m sorry I have been a poor communicator lately! I’ve read your emails and gotten your packages and thank you so much! Karina I have your graduation pic up! Susie Q I melted when I got the soft tp from home. Kindergarteners’ presents left me full of smiles! Thanks Michelle for the amazing homemade cards! Tia, the delicious gum keeps me sane during abnormally long meetings. Welita thank you for the Padre Pio book, after I read it I’m gonna share it with the nuns! Sally thanks for the M&Ms and book – I just finished one yesterday, so the timing was prrrrfect! Mom thanks for the macaroni n cheese, YUM! And thank you for all the emails. It feels really good to read about what you guys are doing back in Texas/Massachusetts/California. And I promise to write more! I’m doing good and great with occasional days of missing home. Attending lots of workshops for teachers and head teachers. Visiting more primary schools in my neighborhood. Getting a feel for how we can work together to improve their school. It’s going well.
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And since my ethnic amiga Amber decided- purely on her own- to write about me here is a little amber bio… A grand girl from Kansas City. And even though she is so young, she still has a lot to contribute. Her hobbies are running, being lively, volunteering other people for jobs, running, being a good listener, running, being an awesome hairdresser, and just being great.
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P.S. Could you guys keep sending me photos? They are great and make me smile! Thanks!

Texas Tee Shirts

2009-06-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

Workshop for Primary 1 Teachers at the Coordinating Center
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I saw someone wearing a shirt with the Texas flag on it.
The other day I saw someone in a UT Longhorns shirt. You know me, I have post-UT school spirit (went to the Co-op before I graduated and got myself a tee shirt) But I had a surge of pride and did the hook ‘em horns out the window. (I was in a taxi.)
And finally yesterday i saw a young girl with a Fort Worth Zoo Tee Shirt. (!)
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Last week we had some workshops at various schools and i would like to describe some aspects of their structures for you. Their buildings aren't all the same, but at least mostly similar. Looking at them i think of parents/teachers/students from back home and make silent faces to myself cause i know someone who's in facilities maintenance :)

Here are some things:

#1 No Electricity but overhead light bulbs
#2 Cement floor crumbling near the blackboard (nice pot holes for the teacher to maneuver around) and under the student’s desks
#3 A tin roof and no ceiling. (I’ll mention it just in case you weren’t imagining it: there’s no air conditioning here on the equator. Sometimes I step into a swanky bank or grocery store-in Kampala of course- and feel the fresh burst of cold air coming my way. Mmmm)
#4 No glass panes for the windows, when it rains everyone just moves towards the center of the room and since rain on a tin roof is Loud, class instruction usually stops.
#5 Pupils’ desks have rusty nails sticking out of them
#6 Thick, established spiders’ webs and bats’ nests in the corners and crevices of the room
#7 Crumbling cement walls
#8 Old wooden door that doesn’t occupy the entire door frame
#9 Lines of ants running up and down the walls.

Some schools have more or less building "issues" they would love to fix if they had the funds, but in the meantime, the students learn and the teachers teach.

LOVE. Me

Martyr's Day at Namogongo

2009-06-07T09:57:00.000-07:00

Martyr's Day is June 3rd and there is a large "get together" at their shrine in Namogongo - not too far east of Kampala.

What a day! People like i've never seen. I left the celebrations early to see a friend off at the airport (she finished her Peace Corps service!) So i didn't even stay for the busiest part. There was dancing and singing and the Bishop from Southwest Uganda said the mass. People from all over East Africa come every year and many of them come walking.
Can you imagine?

I couldn't, so i went and quickly remembered i'm an Arista and don't like crowds unless it's at the fair and i'm in close proximity to lemonade and belgian waffles.

There were so many people! Unfortunately i arrived late (7:15 am) so i didn't get a good seat to watch all the happenings. I tried to move around to meet up with a friend of mine who was sitting probably 100 yards away from me. Futile effort. The crowds were impenetrable! She got the good seats and saw more than manicured lawns and flower beds being destroyed/crushed.

But i hope to go back on ANY non-Uganda Martyrs Day day. It's a very neat and normally peaceful place - so i've been told.

Bishop Dunne follows me to Uganda

2009-06-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

The head sister here at St. Theresa Girls had been telling me about her relative who was returning to Uganda for the final burial rites for her mother. Sister told me that this relative also lived in Texas and in fact had been there for almost 40 years. Sister told me that she would introduce us so we could talk about my American home.

This Texan relative came by for a visit today and we talked warmly about Dallas; she lives in Mesquite. I didn't mention too much about Oak Cliff, cause Mesquite's kinda far. She wouldn't know Hampton n' Illinois, or Kiest Park, let alone Glenfield.

I told her i was from Oak Cliff and she said she knew it well since her job took her there quite often. "Wow" i thought. What a small world. Then i told her i lived on Glenfield and "Wow" again cause she often worked on that very home-town street of mine!

We chatted for a bit longer about her stay in Uganda, about her son who is at University in New York, about my adjustment here... "Oh yes i love Uganda." "Its also nice to meet you." "We will meet again." Then the words that made my heart beat almost out of my chest. "My son went to Bishop Dunne."

WHAT!!!!?

I almost shouted, cried, laughed and sat down all at the same time. Thankfully i just clapped my hands and shouted out. I grabbed her hand (probably to steady myself) and said very calmly "That is my school. I went to school there and i also worked there. What year did your son graduate? What! I know him AND that's when my little brother graduated! What! You thought you had recognized me? WHAT! You know my mom?!!!!!" (And that's when i almost did the shout/cry/laugh/sit thing again.)

And Sister and the others who were with us felt the joy. I mean, i was flyin'. So "hey" from here Bishop Dunne, Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas. I always knew there was something special about our school.

All my excited love and joy!
Celeste

Just Some Photos

2009-05-27T07:17:00.000-07:00

Hola amigos y familia. Como han estado? Les extrano!
Promise i'll write more later. Life is good and i hope you all had a great holiday weekend!
All my love love love

So, i thought it would be a good idea

2009-05-18T12:44:00.000-07:00

-photos of home before a rainstorm and a tucked away garden-

I wanted to eat pancakes for dinner. It sounded like a good idea. One of my friends can't eat gluten, so we were substituting flour with oats. Then i realized we didn't have one ingredient that i didn't think was too important. Well, it turns out that maybe baking powder is kinda important and maybe substituting flour with oats might not make for good pancakes. Cause it was a mess. I'm talking "smoke-in-the-kitchen, dinner-talk-stopped, nuns-looking-on-worried/horrified" mess. The "pancakes" were a runny disaster. It smelled delicious at first and then was gradually overpowered by the smell of smoke. I'm not sure of the exact combination of "wrong turns" that led us to being laughed out of the kitchen, but somehow, we made it there. Who knows how i'm gonna redeem myself now. (Mom/Tia, you gotta send me some recipes.) We ended our cooking adventure by abandoning all hope of being able to flip the gooey glop and instead switched to scrambling it. oh yes, a scrambled pancake mess. But, we held our heads high as we marched with our pancake goop back to my house to eat it with a spoon.

Other than that, i've been good and busy doing small jobs at schools and with my neighbors. I can’t put my finger on what makes the days pass so quickly though. Maybe a toothache and some friends leaving have made it feel quicker than usual. Tooth is better by the way. It was taken out. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Lately it has been cold. Yes my friends, cold. I had chills and goose bumps the other day. I was very surprised and kinda happy to be cold. For most of last week here, even in Kampala (which is usually hot as heck compared to the coolness of Kisubi...) it has been windy, cool, and rainy. I used it as an excuse to purchase a very pretty blue scarf at the craft market in the city. It’s a really neat place with lots of odds and ends for foreigners to pick up on their way in or out of Uganda. The prices begin outrageously and then, depending on the time of day or how much effort you’re willing to put into bargaining, come down to a reasonable price. This is a bargaining culture so I’ve been having lotsa chances to haggle in the markets. I’m still learning my numbers in Luganda (not to mention still learning how to put together coherent sentences…) so I generally stumble quite a bit when I’m trying to tell shopkeepers how much I want to spend. Usually they’re just glad to see me trying and attempt to coach me along the way. Sometimes on-the-spot language learning is fun and easy and sometimes it’s just embarrassing and kinda like getting a pop quiz in public.

I miss you guys and send you all my Love!
XO

Thank You Posta Uganda

2009-05-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

I finally received packages that were sent in February/March. And thank you so much for the assortment of love you sent! They will be taken care of (savored to the last drop if food, tacked up to my wall if pictures/cards, and gratefully taken to heart if gentle words of wisdom...)

Other than a wicked toothache i have been doing great in Kisubi. I've played games with the girls who stayed on campus over the holidays, learned how to crochet a scarf, tested out my ugandan cooking skills (by making spaghetti!), taken walks around the neighborhood, gotten my bike fixed(turns out someone must have accidentally switched the real bike chain with a fake bike chain, which is why it broke the moment i began pedaling), organized my room to feel like home (stuff on the walls, pictures of home on the mirror) and tried to speak Luganda with shopkeepers.

Thanks again for the letters and packages. They brighten my day!

Birthday Wishes

2009-05-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

*Happy Birthday Q...Stefan!*

I was thinking about you all day yesterday giving you long distance hugs.
XOXO - lest

Chekhov and the resurrection story

2009-04-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

I have a great site. My two year old sister (who calls me mamma lestee or mamma celee) is helping me learn Luganda. Just like any two-year-old, she’s got lots to say, I just wish I knew what it was. My other sister is in secondary school and has showed me how to cook the most delicious meals. My third sister has taken me on walks and shown me the ins and outs of boarding a taxi to get to work. Then of course there are the other sisters (nuns) who are like my third, fourth, fifth, sixth and so on… mom.

Last Sunday I went to Mount St. Theresa Church for a mass in English. The homily was given by a brother from America and he gave a warm talk about knowing Jesus. The gospel was about the apostles not recognizing Jesus after he had risen from the dead and Brother said he thought Luke wanted to emphasize how difficult it can be for anyone, let alone the closest friends, to see Jesus. He talked more about our struggle to find Jesus in people or in actions that don’t seem to have any love or truth in them.

Then I read a short story called “The Duel.” A story about two men (so different they came close to being the same) ending up in a… you guessed it… duel. The story finished with what I thought Sunday’s homily meant for me. There are many times I think I recognize love-Jesus-truth and I’m full of joy. Then there are times I feel exasperated by what seems to be illogical or inhumane behavior/what people sometimes call the “Ways of the World.” From some of the things I’ve seen here, I think I will have to keep in mind that I want to find the truth-love-Jesus and it won’t always be as easy as waking up with the sunrise. Here’s the ending of the story:

“…the agitated, black sea. It hurls the boat back…she takes two steps forward and one backward, but the oarsmen are stubborn, they ply the oars indefatigably and aren’t afraid of the high waves… It’s the same in life… In searching for the truth, men take two steps forward and one backward. Suffering, mistakes, and the tedium of life thrust them back, but the thirst for the truth and a stubborn will drive them on and on. And who knows? Maybe they’ll reach the real truth…”

(I tried to remind myself of this semi-hopeful, stirring passage yesterday when my bike broke for the third time in a 30 minute time frame. “How does the search for Jesus-love-truth fit into this incredibly irritating scenario celeste?” Is what I asked. Then i laughed at myself for imagining throwing the bike in a ditch or a bush or rubbish pile. “You could use some patience and peace celeste” I said. Then I smiled thinking that maybe I had found a good part of life.)

Sports Day 2009

2009-04-25T08:52:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from a busy and exciting sports day. There were many events, including:
-matooke peeling and preparation
-hoola hoop races
-traditional dress race (who put on a gomez the fastest)
-100, 400, and 800 meter races
-soccer match
-sack race
-musical chairs
-bottle filling (who can squeeze a sponge the fastest into a soda bottle)
-marching

My house didn't win sports day... sad..
There are four houses: blue/Luke, orange/Kizito, red/Lwanga, green/Mulumba. They are named after the Ugandan martyrs. I have been put in blue house--> Go team blue! They compete against each other during events like Sports Day and are grouped together for chores and living arrangements.

I even got to march today!

Love you all
Celeste

Made it to a nice site

2009-04-23T06:25:00.000-07:00

Just a short note to say i made it safely and soundly to my new home in Kisubi. My neighbors are a wonderful primary school for girls, some very friendly and welcoming nuns and a glittery lake victoria.

This is what went on in my head as i was walking around the grounds:
"What!? How is life so windy and rollercoaster-y? So happy and so bittersweet, surrounded by such good things but so far from family and friends, a new life learning completely new things but with knowledge and experience from my life so far...
Yikes..... Im loving life."

Post Trainee... Pre Volunteer

2009-04-20T06:11:00.000-07:00

The prospect of almost being at site makes me feel excited and nervous all at once. I think there is a big ball of emotion inside me rolling around soaking everything up! Plus i haven't talked to my momma or brothers in a long time and i just read an email from them and almost cried! (Out of joy and of course missing them...)

Saturday we had our homestay celebration and Sunday was busy with packing and saying our goodbyes to the friends we had made in our town. I was able to say goodbye to the family i met the first weekend when i went to mass. They were like a second family to the second family i have in Uganda, very welcoming and full of joy. We played a game of tag except if you cross your fingers or squat down on the ground the person who's It cannot tag you. So i was It for a long time. And the little one had a great time giving me commands in English (that her older sister was passing onto her.) Sit down! Dance! Comb your hair! Sing!

And this morning we said goodbye to our wonderful families and made our way into Kampala. We will be busy with training tomorrow and then we swear in as volunteers and leave to our sites on Wednesday. So far i know that i will be living right outside of Kisubi.

Thank you for all of the emails you have sent keeping me up-to-date on all the goings on. I think there has been a snag in the snail mail system, but im sure i'll get the letters/packages that have been sent soon. Thank you for thinking of me and be sure that i think of you all the time!
A big big hug

Working near Entebbe

2009-04-15T06:22:00.000-07:00

I will be working at a teachers' coordinating center near Entebbe. It all sounds great and good and i am having a nice day! It started out pretty muddily --> As in, lots and lots of mud. And it was pretty darn chilly. In true Uganda fashion,i was cold in the morning and then sweaty and hot by lunchtime. Reminds me of texas.
I miss you friends and family over there and am sending you some long distance love!

A big big hug.

Today i ate at the Capital of Happiness

2009-04-11T03:03:00.000-07:00

Amber and i at Mabira Forest

(had a great american like lunch at a cafe in Kampala today.)

Last week we had a presentation on the work of a Ugandan organization called Raising Voices. They work to educate Ugandans on the problems of violence against women and children. They gave us a lot if information about whats going on in Uganda. It was a motivating presentation and hopefully i will get the opportunity to work with them when i get to my site.

Our talent show was Thursday afternoon and i think we all enjoyed seeing everyone share their talent! Lots of singing, dancing, and cheering. It was a very positive afternoon and we got the chance to see and participate in traditional Ugandan music and dance. Our Luganda group did a cheerleading skit and i sang some songs and attempted some Ballet Folklorico.

I was so caught up in the fun and lightheartedness i completely forgot about the upcoming week's activities. Its kinda like finals week. Our secondary project ideas and presentations are due and our language proficiency test is on Friday. PLUS we find out where are sites are on Wednesday! Then, next weekend I am also going to give a speech in Luganda during our homestay thank you celebration. I am very glad to do it but slightly nervous i will say something completely ridiculous and/or inappropriate (Like when i was trying to ask someone if their food was good and instead said "I am not delicious" or when i tell people "Good Night" at 7 in the morning.)

We took a day trip to Jinja on Friday and were able to go to Sezibwa Falls and Mabira Forest. They are both found about halfway between Kampala and Jinja. The falls were so nice to see and hear. One of my favorite parts was sitting near the water eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Mm! After the falls we went to the forest for a walk through the woods. While it looked nothing like the Dallas Nature Center, it reminded me so much of hiking there and hanging out in the fort. Amber and i went on an hour long hike and saw enormous trees - looking like they were trying to reach the clouds- lots of tiny, colorful butterflies and red-tailed monkeys.(!) We heard and smelled many wonderful things too. After the walk, we drove to Jinja. It's a planned city so unlike Kampala there is a sense of order. Both are neat cities, but Jinja was so sweet and quiet. Maybe it was so quiet because it was Good Friday but it really seemed so peaceful. I got to sit in a nice garden and drink ginger beer (think very strong ginger ale.) The afternoon was topped off with a tasty bowl of ice cream. (And i wonder why i'm gaining weight.)

Sometimes i feel like i am overstimulated by certain foods i eat here but it feels so nice to eat or drink something that is familiar. I think that's why listening to the country music station on the radio makes me smile to myself. It's so comforting. I have really enjoyed the short time i have spent in Uganda and i want to be as present and participatory in the culture and lifestyle here as possible... but man.. sometimes it's just nice to eat a pizza or listen to some Brooks & Dunn on the radio.

One part of my adjustment that makes me laugh are the sudden false senses i get. Like during heavy rains (the kinda that sound like the sky is falling) i get the sudden worry that i've left the windows of the Jeep down. Or when i'm getting ready for bed and suddenly worry that i've left some appliance on (1.there are no appliances and 2.many nights there is no electricity.) I've been so grateful for this change to have less "things" though. There is more to do outside, more people to talk with and more relationships to build. (Okay-- i should add that i don't feel grateful all of the time. Some Sundays i wish for a washing machine and sometimes when i'm riding home under the equatorial sun i wish for the Jeep.) But i am learning lots of patience and getting good workouts at the same time.

Then there are bursts of happiness like last weekend when Amber and i went walking, we were accompanied by a jolly group of little ones. Thanks to our Luganda classes we were able to sing the Uganda national anthem and the Buganda anthem with them. (Okay--just the choruses.) And i had the most fun evening walk i can remember.

All my Love--Muah!

P.S. it's been tough to write letters but i will start being more productive with them after our swearing in on April 22nd. (22nds are special!)

Building Rocket Stoves!

2009-04-04T03:40:00.000-07:00

This morning we had a PCV come to show us how to construct a Rocket Stove and i was a bit skeptical at first, but it was a success! (So far anyway, it takes about two months to dry for use.)

I always have a million things to say when i am not in front of a computer, but the minute i sit down and try to compose a blog, i space out. Hmm... lets see...

I'll start with the wonderful weather we have been having. I think the rainy season started late this year but it finally began. It has been really cool this past week. I have really enjoyed the sun and the warmth so far, but the breezes and sound of rain have been really comforting. It makes it hard to focus and stay alert in class when all i want to do is curl up somewhere with some african milk tea and read a book... But it has been a nice break from the sun. After the long, uphill bike ride home i am not as drenched in sweat as i usually am! ;)

Last weekend we were invited to visit the Ambassador's home in Kampala and he and his wife were very nice. We even got to go swimming! It was a trainee's birthday so other very talented trainees made some delilicious no bake cookies and we really had a great,sweet-filled day.

Last week we also visited a Primary Teachers College and got to tour their campus and teach some classes. The PCV who works there is really involved in all the goings on and is currently in charge of their computer lab and giving computer classes. He teaches math and Social Studies and seems to have developed a great rapport with the students and teachers there. It was very encouraging.

Another source of encouragement was a presentation we heard about Straight Talk. They are an organization that works with the youth in Uganda to encourage healthy life skills and decisions. They create radio programs and publish newsletters (different ones geared towards different age or interest groups) and have workshops and youth geared festivals. Most of their publications seem to be written and created by young people. So they are trying to encourage youth participation, peer education, and youth empowerment as well. I think it would be a great program to have at home too. After i heard the presentation i wanted to get out in the community and start working!

So we will be through with training pretty soon and it will be sad to part with the other volunteers that i have met, but i think we are all pretty excited and geared up to start our jobs.

I do have one teeny tiny request though.... Could you maybe pretty please write a letter to me.... Maybe you have and it is still on the way so thank you in advance, i'm sure i will be ecstatic when i receive it--Just a small connection from home feels really great and i really miss everyone! The other volunteers are really great though and it helps to have a support group of people who are so wonderful.

I miss you and hope you are enjoying the spring! I'm kinda bummed that i'm going to miss the bluebonnets off spur 408. Hopefully i'll get a nice picture of the pretty texas spring i'm missing... ;)

All my love :)

March days

2009-03-21T05:02:00.000-07:00

Today we were given the opportunity to visit the Kasubi Tombs, a place just outside of Kampala where three Buganda kings are buried. It is a historical site that is still being used. The descendants of certain tribes are in charge of different aspects of the upkeep of the grounds and in the center of the grounds is the largest grass-thatched roof building in the world (maybe.) The building was so interesting even from the outside where the roof was very tall and reached fairly close to the ground. The inside is dark and clay-red. They covered the walls and poles with the “skin of a fig tree” and this bark made it seem like a living home.

This week we had a mock language exam and it was a little tough to try and “prepare” for but we all made it through and glad to be on the other side. Its given me a good perspective of how far we’ve come and how far we will be going before the end of training.

I think studying here is so tough because I am trying to constantly adjust. I know that won’t always be the case, but I think it is unconsciously tiring to always be aware of differences or to always have very tiny irritations that some days just seem to build up. There is nothing that is overwhelming though and with the help of the other trainees and the trainers support, the adapting is much easier.

Not to mention the beautiful weather and country. It really is a pleasure to ride my bike up some crazy hills when I get to see the views from up top. Absolutely worth it.

I'm pretty sure the extremely positive attitude is coming from the pizza and milkshake i had for lunch.. Yum!

Return to training trip

2009-03-12T03:20:00.001-07:00

Today we are stopping off in Kampala on our way back to training. As i wrote before, our PCV visit was gorgeous as well as very encouraging. It is a little hard to imagine, while i am in training, what life will be like when i am no longer surrounded by 29 other americans and the handful of very patient and understanding Ugandan trainers. It was great to see two volunteers working hard in their village, both at their peace corps "job" and at community communication and cultural exchange. Both PCVs were very open about their challenges and successes while at site and i found their experiences to be very interesting. I know each volunteer's experience is different, but i hope to keep theirs in mind when i begin my own job in april. I think what has really enriched their PC experience is speaking the local language so well and so confidently. I hope to make it there one day.

While at their site another trainee and i were able to help them paint a bakery. One of the volunteers helped organize the local women to start a bakery. I think it all started when the women found out the volunteer baked such delicious cakes. After some grant writing and mobilizing the community, a bakery was started. The volunteer is just overseeing the process and part of that was painting... just so happened two trainees were on their way to a PCV visit and we were more than happy to help. It felt good to do some work. We painted a small room lavender and hopefully, after we are volunteers, we will be able to go back and visit.

We all (the 2 PCVs and the 2 PCTs) went and had evening tea at their friend's home last night and we had such a fun time talking. The family was interested to hear that i was also from America. We also had a heart-warming conversation about hair. If you wonder how hair can be heart-warming i think it came from their genuine curiosity and interest in our different hair types. They were a very welcoming family, like most that i have met here in Uganda, and invited us back to their home any time we were in the area.

I think one of my favorite parts of the visit was hearing the PCVs speak the local language as well as English. The accent in English changes and it is fun to hear. It is a slower pattern of speech that follows the Ugandan waves of inflection. The English vocabulary is also packed with words or sentence structures i would never have thought to use.
Ex. Roll down the window/ Reduce on the glass.

Fun.
___________________

As far as our visits to Kampala go, they are pretty eye opening. Lots of people trying to get my/our attention, very young children begging on the street, a seeming lack of traffic rules, rows of small shops that sell the very same things, lots of foreigners, neat tall buildings, packed taxi parks (taxis are small buses) and other busy and fun things to see. I wish you could see it with me. I'm pretty sure it is a bit unsafe to pull out my camera in the middle of it all, so hopefully you will either 1. visit or 2. get the picture from the very short and not even close description i gave.

I hope you all are having a happy pre-springtime.
Lots of hugs and kisses

Southwest Uganda Visit

2009-03-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

I am on my PCV visit in the green rolling hills of southwest Uganda, where the weather is much cooler and i can't understand the language! The volunteer i am visiting works in health education and she speaks the language very well and has been showing us her town and work areas. Most people know her and she seems to be getting along very well here. It is very encouraging to see a volunteer in action. Plus, we had a delicious Mexican dinner last night and my mind as well as my stomach are incredibly satisfied!

Today another volunteer took me to visit a primary teacher's college, which is also a place i may work, and we had just a quick tour of their campus since some dark and thundery weather was blowing in. We ran to our lunch spot, which was a convent and i had a very nice matooke and sweet potato lunch with the Sisters of Our Lady of Good Counsel. (!)

Since training keeps us very busy, it has been very nice to take it easy for a bit. We read under a mimosa tree yesterday and i had to smile to myself because it felt so good.

I will be traveling back to our training site tomorrow so goodbye peaceful SW Uganda!

Starting Week Four

2009-03-07T03:43:00.000-08:00

Today we got another tour of Kampala and it is a Busy place. Lots of people, noise, traffic, etc. Its so different to be in an urban area, like my ears and eyes are being overstimulated. (i'm not complaining as i've been looking forward to internet for about two weeks now.)
I have stayed very busy, along with the other thirty-something trainees, learning language, getting job training, and having lots of hands-on teaching experiences. So far so good.

For my 25th birthday i was sung to by 1,060 primary school girl students. Alright, they were just singing their national anthems and they didn't know it was my birthday, but it was still a stunning present. A small group of the primary school teacher trainers (my job) were visiting an amazing primary school where they only take boarders and they have won numerous awards because of their great education standards and work in PICASY. All of the girls were so excited to see us and put on a number of plays/songs during their morning assembly specifically to welcome us!

I have enjoyed my homestay family and my Uganda sisters and brothers have taught me a lot about their country and language. I think i am learning 24 hrs a day, yes.. even in my sleep. We recently got electricity and now we watch television in the evening. The shows we watch range from novelas dubbed in english, english/luganda music videos, old nature specials (saw one about the reintroduction of CA condors!), and news. Its been fun and interesting. The best part about electricity is bathing with a light on.

I am still in love with Uganda food. My mom and sisters are great cooks and hopefully i will learn soon how to make matooke and posho and g nut sauce because they are scrumptious foods. I think most of my diet is starch based, but there are also tons of fruits so i have been eating bananas (!) , papaya, jackfruit, and pineapples. Mmmm.

Learning luganda is getting progressively harder, but it will be so beneficial to be able to communicate in the native language at our sites, so i'm trying my best! The teaching has been challenging but good. We have taught in primary classes and taught at coordinating centers (where current teachers receive in-service training.) The primary school classes are quite full with kids squeezing into their benches, but they are all excited and want to answer questions. I taught a P5 class and they all spoke english (they start english lessons in P4.) They loved going to the board and answering questions! The teachers were also interested and willing to participate in our workshop. So i think we have had some encouraging opportunities to teach.

New news:
-started riding a bike to school. Ouch, but fun.
-i think i see a new bird everyday. and in the brightest colors.
-bucket baths with electricity are a little more fun. ;)
-The weather has been nice and warm and a little more rainy recently.
-next week we head out to visit volunteers in the field and i get to go to the west!

Thank you for your wishes and prayers and letters! Sending mail is a little harder than i thought, but i will try to send letters out sooner than later.
I miss you all and give you big hugs throughout the day when i see something that reminds me of you. Like banana pancakes, CA condors, bluebonnet pillowcases, bright yellow birds, and blue skies.

All my love.

Just before Training

2009-02-18T03:42:00.000-08:00

I am safe and sound in Uganda, enjoying the warm weather and beautiful green colors that are all around. We have had lots of mini-training classes on different topics that have all been very helpful for our transition. We have all had survival Luganda lessons and we are all trying our best to practice as much as possible. Wasuze ottyonne? Bulungi, atte gwa?

We start our homestay tomorrow in a new town and thats also when our true training begins. I think so far the lessons have stayed very general and just introductory. It has been very fun/interesting to learn language, medical and cultural information. Lots of stuff to absorb but they give it to us in small doses.

Today we are out and about in the big city, trying to pick up some extra things before arriving at our homestay family's home. What a busy big city! Lots of shops, motorcycles (boda bodas), taxis and people walking around. I'm pretty sure i was wide eyed coming into the city and seeing all the hustle and bustle.

One thing that is striking to me is the color of the hills, trees and plants. I wish i could paint the right picture of their color green. Of course in the city there is quite a lot of development, so the hills are spotted with homes and clay colored dirt roads; full of rich and beautiful colors. The sky is large and blue and full of cotton ball clouds.

Once training starts communication is hard to come by, but i will be just fine and dandy and busy so don't worry if i don't write something for the next two months. Hopefully i can though!
My current goals:
1. Speak Lugandan as much as possible!! Nze Celeste, nva Texas mu America.
2. Learn how to make as much delicious Ugandan food as possible. MMMmmm, there is some serious eating going on here, and all of the meals are oh so tasty.
3. Absorb as much training material as possible...

I miss you all and wish you were here to experience this amazing country and culture with me. Maybe you could visit... boy would that be great! ;)
All my love
to you and you and you
XOXO

Just to say H&G

2009-02-13T13:03:00.000-08:00

Just sayin hello from the airport. Thank you for all your prayers and goodbyes. I'm pretty sure i miss you already. yes you!

Just Before the Two Day Travel Adventure

2009-02-12T18:48:00.000-08:00

Today began with an adventure at DFW. Since i arrived 5 hours before my re-scheduled departure, i had plenty of time to explore the airport. I went for a ride on the train, meandered down moving walkways, and tried to get some sleep. Since my mind was racing and i couldn't seem to find a comfortable way to sleep in a hard plastic airport chair, i ate some breakfast instead.
Then, just before my flight starts boarding and i'm thinking of "the future" and the scary things those words can conjure up, who taps my shoulder but an old family friend. (Mr. Butler) "Celeste! How are you, where are you off to today?" And that just made my day, my week, my trip. We were able to talk for a while and share updates on our families. Before he left i asked about the price of meals on the plane ( i am an unexperienced DFW traveler) and couldn't even believe it when i was handed a granola bar and tuna sandwich. He had made an extra sandwich for the day. If that's not sharing happiness i don't know what is.
After a nice flight i made my way to staging where i met the other Uganda volunteers. It was fun getting to know the other people i will be spending lots of quality time with.
And tomorrow our traveling really begins. So wish us luck! I'll be thinking of everyone back home with a full heart.

Almost thursday

2009-02-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

I don't remember the last time i was so nervous about a thursday. Such a regular sounding day right? I'm guessing i will be feeling anything but "Regular" when mom drops me off at the airport at the crack of dawn with my bags packed (but not too packed) with odds and ends and clothes and pictures.
As i'm putting all of my things into bags, i'm realizing i may have to leave some things here. With a 80 lb weight limit, i've already said goodbye to things i thought i couldn't live without; Goodbye guitar, see ya coloring books, hasta la vista laptop.
And this weekend has been full of much harder goodbyes to family and friends. Its hard to leave the people i love, but i know they will all be with me there, in spirit, and that helps me feel better about "goodbye."
I'm going to have to cheer myself on to get that first foot through the airport door, then i'm going to take a deep breath, smile, maybe hum an uplifting tune to myself and get on that airplane!

Nine more days til departure...

2009-02-02T15:14:00.000-08:00

As i'm scrambling to get the last of my "to do before i leave" list checked off, i'm finding that the upcoming journey/adventure/challenge across the world is getting me more and more anxious. I am very excited about this opportunity to travel, meet new cultures, interact with communities, and try and help in whatever way i can...BUT... still feel butterflies when i think about the time i will be spending away from family and friends in such a foreign environment.

While i've been reading up on Uganda, their community, other Peace Corps volunteer stories, etc., I know it will be an experience that i just can't imagine right now. So in the precious few days i have left in beautiful Texas, i'm just trying to take it easy and not dwell on all the unknowns of the future. "One day at a time" as my mom says.

All anxiousness and excitement aside, i have been pretty busy with compiling my things i will be taking with me. I've yet to start packing anything in bags; i'm still in the accumulating stage. It's hard to imagine what i will or won't need for two years. I'm counting on family and friends to help supplement my packing with the occasional care package of goodies/things i forgot! (Pretty please...)

I hope to be able to update this little site as often as possible, but in the event that Internet is hard to find, i will be sending as many letters as my hands can write. And please feel free to send me letters (to the mailing address on the right side of this site) as i'm sure anything from home will set my heart soaring!