Wednesday, March 24, 2010

My Ugandan happenings

Okay so I'm a bit frustrated at the moment because I just deleted the blog I had been writing so I'll try one more time...Sorry it's been so long since the last update. Internet can be hard to come by in a house with 14 people. My best chance is earlier morning but i can't seem to get out of bed which is no surprise to anyone lol! or late at night but I'm too tired after our long days. I decided to stay home tonight and enjoy some alone time and a chance to update. Right now i'm sitting in the dark because power went out again (it's happened probably 5 times and the longest it's been out was a day) with bugs flying at the only light source, my computer. Kind of gross but I'm dealing. Alright so i'll try to be brief on what's happened in the last week because there are a lot of things I could write about but people will be back soon so i should hurry.
Here we go:
1. Last Friday I spent 45 minutes in the moring catching our pet monkey at the neighbors because she escaped and they were going to poison here. She is so cute but when I caught her, she pooped on me! I still like her though, not everyone in the house does.
2. Also Friday, there was a primary school district track meet. 18 local school gathered to compete and the kids at Musana had been practincing for probably 6 weeks. We had a couple kids win their events: boys hight jump, girls shot put (i wish i could say it was me who taught her), and a couple races. These kids were troopers because it was so hot. In between events kids were given glucose packets water and pieces of sugar cane (i tried some for the first time) to keep energized. However our school is small and kids get tired quick after a couple events. We had some kid's drop out and one really good boy not show up (we thought perhaps he was paid by another school to compete). School sometimes hire older boys to race for their schools and judges are bribed. Kind of disappointing. The day was still cool though, we muzungus (white people) were more on display than the athletes. I've never felt like such a celebrity. I hear the word muzungu probably 100 times a day. I love the kids thought they are so cute just to see a white person and they love it if you hit fists with them. I don't think i'll get tired of their smiles. So even if I bring them joy simply for being white that's ok with me.
3. Saturday I headed to Kampala, the ugandan capital with 3 other volunteers. We ate an amazing Thai restaurant, took fun moto boda rides (riding the back of motorcycles with crazy drivers is a bit scary...we almost wrecked a couple times and my guy got lost from my crowd and i didnt' know where i was going), we stayed in a hostil, and then sunday headed back by matati (a 12 person van) to Junja where we went swimming and I bought some sweet artwork.
4. Monday: i went with Pete to town to have a second soccer goal made for the kids. We finished painting and putting the net on tonight. The kids were so excited. The next project that some of your money is going towards is a swing set and monkey bars. these kids need play equipment lol they hang on everything and everyone.
5. We got 3 more volunteers yesterday from Missouri and they will be working the new farmland that Musana purchased last week.
6. I am remebering/learning names slowly but surely. I hate not knowing their names.
7. Today the most percious thing happened, this boy named Alex ( I think he is 9) gave me a letter. It said he wanted to be my best friend and then he told me about himself and asked about me and said he wanted me to teach him basketball :) That made my day.

Ok I know there are tons of food/culture/people stories I could share but it's getting late so until next time...bye for now.

1 comment:

  1. First of all, I am completely jealous of you. You are so inspirational, and I love living my life through your stories. I just wanted to say you will be a great coach to Alex BUT if I were you, I would not teach him the move of falling down at half-court while dribbling the ball up the court alone! :) Hope you are enjoying yourself.
    -Adam

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