More Pictures...Less Words

Well, here is one picture I managed to upload for your enjoyment. Computer issues are not what I find enjoying, but it happens, so please be patient, I do have lots of photos to share with you.My first weekend at site the women's group made soap to sell to generate some income. From an industrial hygiene perspective, I don't think can earn enough in respect to the time, energy, and health risks they endured to make it. The process was everything not to be done. Nothing to reduce respiratory problems--the fumes were definitely noxious. I am pretty pleased that they did use rubber gloves to add chemicals. Took about 6 hours I think...I forget what time we started (somewhere around 10) and finished (somewhere around 4), but I was pretty much there all day. Anybody want some soap?

Colin and I with The Herbster, our amazing language teacher after the swearing-in ceremony.

Believe it or not I was a ballet instructor in Uganda and I had some very hard working, dedicated Ugandan trainers for my students. Can you believe even with extensive amounts of paperwork and training preparations, they still wanted to learn a little ballet from a very out of practice American. They atleast have the basics now and I enjoyed getting to know them. Good thing we still have in-service training so I will get to see them.

Here is my buddy Sarah Z. She is currently living with six nuns and working with lots and lots of teen girls AND having a blast doing so. I hope to visit her often as well as many of the other volunteers.

Richard wanted to make sure I had some pictures of me on my camera, so he took one for me. Think I looked pretty good that day, but....

I definitely can't compete these guys. Mica, Richard, and Herbert.

Now I'll take you back to while we were still trainees....

A view from the road leading to RACO.

The road to RACO...this road may look pleasant and serene, but if you were here and it was raining, I would show you the long cut because it is quite messy this way and on many occassions the vehicles could not pass it....And of course it is all uphill....hehehe

These are some of my little friends at home. Grace and Robert lived directly next door and Immaculate lived behind our house. They made my homestay entertaining to say the least.

Okay, this is Betty (my homestay niece) with our pig Reinbaw...still don't know the spelling or if I pronounce it correctly, but there you go.

I guess I will tell you about my morbid naming of the pig...before I knew they named the pig. Let me explain a little, my naming came from two simple concepts: one is because they do not keep pets here like we do in America and second I assumed incorrectly that due to the previous fact that maybe they do not name their animals. So I decided to give Reinbaw a name I could pronounce and lacking extensive amounts of creativity and recognizing the emminent fate of this poor little fellow, I am sorry to say I named the pig Someday. Don't hate me, I have since learned to not name animals, nor do I plan to have any while I am here--in case you were wondering.

Okay, on to more enjoyable topics....oh yeah.

This is actually a misnomer...matatus are something I would not consider an enjoyable topic. Though the passenger limit is clear marked on the side of the vehicle at 14...this particular trek during Immersion week found us on our way home with 23 people, at least 3 chickens, a couple babies, and an overheating engine.

Playmates: a tied up goat and dog

Maama and baby...they were done with pictures for the day...

and the rest followed.

Herbert and I have agreed that these little critters are the hardest working in Uganda if not in Africa or the world.

Just a pic of a cool plant...and sorry Grandma, I don't think you can have one of these, but when you come visit you can see plenty of them.

My friend Catherine on here way to work in the fields. She is so nice and always full of smiles.

Homestay Thank You Lunch preparations...how many trainees and trainers does it take to construct two tents...well I lost count, but alot sounds about right.

A view from the "long" way to RACO. This is overlooking a football pitch. Pretty nice, eh?

Me in a borrowed gomez (still not sure how to spell that either) it is the traditional clothing of the Baganda women. Maama Betty asked me to wear it to church and let me tell you that was quite the walking experience. All I heard was Bannange, Webale, that I looked smart, and a muzungu in a gomez...Maama Betty talked about it for days afterwards...how everyone knows Nanyonjo and how great it was that I wore a gomez. Suppose I'll have to get one of my own someday soon.

Three trainers sitting on the job....just kidding. This Saturday we were building fuel efficient stoves and Francis, Richard, and Moses were taking a break from mud slinging.

One of my favorite breakfast meals at homestay.

A group visited a fish farm and some braved the waters to go fishing for catfish...they only had to try twice and managed to get a whole two catfish. Good job guys.

One of my favorite parts of traveling to RACO everyday for training was passing by this pasture with all these beautiful horses. Wonder if they are for sale...not that I can have one, don't think one would pass for the permitted pets of dog or cat...hmm

Change of Plans

That may sound like a bad title, but really it works out for all involved. Instead of me having to divide my luggage and expect someone else to take care of it for me, I will be staying in Kampala at the office of my organization. Then on Tuesday, when they will be traveling to my soon to be home, I will be able to go with them and sorry to say this since so many volunteers are swerving their ways through the taxi and bus parks trying to keep an eye on ALL their luggage...you know--the 2 large suitcases, two carry-ons, and all the fun extras provided by Peace Corps...a large bucket, a comfy though bulky blanket, and about 20 extra thick books all for our reading enjoyment, not to mention all the notebooks and loose papers. They really do know how to prepare us for the field, cause if we can get there with everything still with us and our person completely intact, we can do anything. Go team.

I did have something written before, but for some reason lost it all. I still want to send my shout out to Sarah, Kiera, and Tina. Thank you, sorry, and you will be truly missed by me!!! All you others volunteers, I will miss you too, the beach will be open...but actually I cannot promise that yet since I will not know until Tuesday what the current conditions are, and who knows plans may change yet again.

I am quite surprised to learn of how spoiled I will be in my new organization...but I guess when your expectations are a jerry can full of water and a kerosene lamp anything will seem luxurious. I am gonna miss our trainers, no names necessary, you know who you are...

Let's get this service started.

Until Next Time...(which will be in a few minutes, cause it is picture time).

Time for Our Work to Begin

It is Friday. Newly minted volunteers are being whisked away to their new homes. I plan on seeing many visitors since I'm the one with a beach in my backyard. I am currently at my organization's Kampala office. It seems I have more perks than I could have imagined.

I feel bad for those who have more difficulty with their travel arrangements, but I imagine they will be able to handle anything after today. Good luck to you all.

Can I just say, the Lord has provided blessings and miracles in many ways. I thank Him for watching over me and though others may not believe so, over them too.

I am looking forward to beginning my new work building water tanks for rainwater harvesting, latrines, helping make soap, and getting to know my community.
Apparently I will be getting another Ugandan name, but I can have three, no problem.

In Wakiso, I will always be Nanyonjo--mainly because they had difficulty saying Heidi--vowels are weird here....but I guess so is d and p because my bank card is definitely mispelled.

I think they are waiting to get on the road so I will close for now, I do have some funny stuff to tell you, but right now I am not one hundred percent with it cause of the many changes occuring at the present.

Hope all is well with you, and I'll be in touch soon.

Until Next time...

Let the 2 years begin

On Thursday, Uganda will welcome 42 new Peace Corps Volunteers as we will be official after the swearing in ceremony. It will be sad to leave our "new families," but most feel it is time to get to work. I will be traveling to the Mukono District and working with a fishing community in the areas of water quality and sanitation projects. It's all I could have asked for...I knew there was a reason I had not seen Lake Victoria yet.
Today we were given time to shop for supplies we may need at site. I never really liked shopping in the first place, but so far I've gotten some useful items. A bigger backpack to aid in carrying all the extras Peace Corps so kindly gave us to take to site--sorry you can't hear the sarcasm there....
a visor since the sun is quite bright, some rope--always useful, and some expensive forks...
Working on getting pictures downloaded so I can share more with you soon.

Until Next time