Sorry...

Hello.
Sorry about the extended absence...fell in a hole. That would make a great story if it was literal. Anyway, I'm out now and ready to start my second year in Uganda.

So what to say. Well, I want to thank Z for the great idea of getting out in the village. My organization has 13 women's groups. One assignment they gave me was to check their records books. Of course, I was like sure. Easier said than done however.

From the experience of the women's group I live near, I know they do not start on time, nor do all the members attend. How in the world would I go to women's groups of which I am not sure of the location nor their regular time they choose to begin their meetings (theoretically all the groups meet on the same day at the same time in their respective locations: Every other Tuesday at 2pm)

To me this was a dilemma. I didn't know exactly when the meetings were nor did I just want to show up for a short time and then leave. So I incorporated Z idea of weekend visits to the village. Now each meeting week I go to a different group and spend a couple days with them. What a great idea.

So far I have visited two groups and have enjoyed both. When I first arrived in Uganda, my then counterpart took me to visit some groups, these two just happened to be among them.

Bugoye Women's group is off the main road a bit and way more quieter than my place. It was a refuge and reminder of why I'm here all rolled into one. They fed me way to much food, asked me questions late into the evening, and were perfect hosts. My favorite moment was sitting in the front lawn on a mat just looking around at the green everywhere and hearing nothing. It was bliss.

Muwumuza group was next and this time I had been able to charge my camera and bring it. This group had received funds to begin a catering business, so the night before the people from the district were coming to inspect, we stayed up to mark all the items.

So pots and pans, basins, trays, buckets, and 550 plates later, we went to bed...but of course there were still utensils to do the next day.

While waiting for the district people to come inspect, the women baked a cake. I must say, they did the best job so far...even I can't bake one without burning it a little, but these lady (and gentleman) have it down.

Both groups also did the same thing, after I taught them initial, they went and bake a second almost immediately. Cool huh?

Next up will be today's experience at the welders.

Until Next Time.

Did you miss me?

So my May and June were not the best times here in Uganda. Now, let me tell you that surviving without power, that is doable, but when forced to listen to VERY loud music coming from about 10 feet away for a good chunk of every day being from around noon until 2AM, that isn't as survivable.
I figured I would try to tolerate it because all my neighbors seemed to be able to. But I would hear Maama Gertrude tell me every so often that she had a sleepless night the night before. What was I to do. I wasn't sure I could be of any help if the people in the community couldn't do something themselves.
But after a trip to Kampala for the weekend, I noticed my ear felt not quite right. I thought, oh great, an ear infection. But upon a check-up, there was nothing wrong with my ear inside. The doctor figured it was the auditory nerve. Because even if there was nothing in my ear, it definitely felt like I have a wad of cotton in there.
So after a few talks with the town clerk and a letter to local officials (which may have been a bad idea to some people) the noise has been reduced and rarely goes past midnight. And the power is back so I can have some moment of sanity getting to listen to music that varies slightly from the soundtrack of 12 songs my neighbor plays.

Enough of my blabbing, here's some pictures I have managed to upload today.


This is the All Saints Church of Uganda I attend regularly. I have even started doing children's church during the service. This past Friday, the Bishop from Mukono came for the confirmation ceremony. My group performed 6 songs in English that we had worked on for a few months. The girl you see in the foreground there is one of the children who attend regularly too and help me out with some translations too.
This is the inside of the church. One this particular Sunday we were having baptisms and the Archbishop was visiting for that occasion.

So, hope to communicate again very soon.

Until Next Time...

Picture time...at the PC Office

So...since I like to bake sweets, that is one things I'm "teaching" my woman's group. And now I'd like to share some pictures from the last two Tuesdays of treats.

Before the started their bi-monthly meeting, I had them prepare cake mixes to bake while they discussed their important issues and what not. Their patience paid off with a nice slice of cake...yummmm.

So after our sweet treat, they were happy were feeling a photo moment was needed. Here I am with Bridget, Mada, and two of the other lovely ladies...(still learning all their names)
A monkey. I've been back to see the monkeys twice last week, first with the new interns and then when Sarah came for another great visit. I am always glad when she comes to see me and talk.
Okay. So this past Tuesday, we made a Uganda donut called amandazi. The women experimented with the recipe a bit putting milk in one and water in the other.
Rolling the dough is the chairwoman of this women's group.

Everybody take a big bit. Hehe

Karen and Regina enjoying amandazi on Maama Gertrude's verandah.

Have to run now, but will have more for you later.

Until Next Time...

Still here

Howdy people.
I will be getting you some more pictures in about 5 days, so hang on just a little bit longer. Things are going okay here in Uganda. We have been without power for the last 3 plus weeks and it has not rained good for about that same time, so our tanks are empty. Getting pretty good at fetching water from the borehole. My goal is to make it all the way home without stopping, but I've only made it almost once. It's gone down hill from there. My arms get tired and my fingers go numb...
Ummm, what else. My organization has four interns from the NCSU for the next couple months. I'm realizing I'm a very silly person and have some work to do.
I'm getting some projects started at a couple schools, so we'll see how they go. Vermiculture and keyhole gardens.

Finally thought for the day...yep you are getting a thought from me, weird I know. But I'll give you something to mull over...
You will find the same types of people everywhere you go.

Until Next Time...

New Random Pictures

I washed my shoes and needed a place to dry them. Found the perfect spot on top of my roof above my door. Almost forgot to bring them in...hence the night photo.

I have been trying to get a picture where you could possibly compare something to these Maribu stork that are everywhere in Uganda (at least in the locations I have visited). So this particular bird is about 4 feet in front of a sea flash. I'll keep trying, but this photo should give you a better idea of how huge these storks are in the bird kingdom.

In one of Maama Gertrude's gardens, I found a ring of banana plants. Thought it was pretty cool, so of course I had to take a picture of it, right?
During IST (in service training) Sarah and I went exploring Seeta. We found a water source and on the way back I wanted to get a picture of someone carrying a 20Liter Jerry can on the head...like this girl who can carry one without hands. Talk about great balance and a strong neck.

Random Pictures from Uganda

I went to visit people in Nkokonjeru and we were heading to a football match that was in progress, but as we arrived it turned out they finished early. One of the teams refused to continue play because they disputed a goal made by the other team.

This is my friend Sarah's view out her window. She gets to see a version of this Every morning. Lucky her!

If I walk a ways, I get to see this colorful seen of the setting sun back dropping a sand mine.

The children that run over for pictures every time they see me near the maize mill.

The very persistent three (from the above pic).

Working hard in the maize mill.

Sunset on Lake Victoria with the fishermen at work catching their pay.

These are children up the road from the sand mine. They all collect water from an unprotected spring and then carry the 20L of water back home...up to pretty good inclines, smiles and all.

Just wanted to share a picture of crops grown together. At the moment the term is escaping me...sorry Drs. Petrillo and Demchik.

An Ankole bovine. Their horns are definitely massive.

Welcome to my "house"

Before we get to the whole tour, I wanted to share with you my oven. It is there on the gas stove. This method is used to cook many dishes in Uganda, but there are some important differences to making this a functional oven. Ugandans would put sand in the bottom sauce pan and some would put rocks, however, I would not recommend either if you don't plan on purchasing another sauce pan soon.

The items I use are three ceramic coated metal cups. They raise my cakes and cookies off the bottom, allowing plenty of air to circulate and allowing the heat on the bottom of the pan to dissipate. I know people who have burned through the bottom of the "oven" because they used rocks. Sorry for them, but I'm still baking with mine. I do miss real ovens though, so enjoy them, those who have them, and bake something nice for me...hehe

So if you remember from the time before where my door is, this is the entrance looking out. Yep, there is the refrigerator, with all its rusty, puddle making, electricity taking convenience. There on the wall is a picture of my Grandma's house, and there in the corner is that wonder long handled blue broom.

Here is the sitting area. I do have two chair, but they take up quite a bit of room, so I am using the other elsewhere. In the corner there is my shelf that my friend help me get made. It is getting extensive use. Also you see my table for everything from pre-eating to eating, and also puzzle setting, catch-all, foot rest...

My friend also help get me a stand for my kerosene lamp because it does have an awful smell and I can get better light coverage from its new location.

Better view of the couch with what looks like stuff to iron and unpack as well as another package from home...thank you thank you thank you by the way.

Good view of the lamp stand and my new Peace Corps calendar...thank you very much Susan! There hanging next it is my new bag from Banana Boat for carrying my things to school and elsewhere. It comes in quite handy.

Now, let go to the kitchen. You will see where I store my food and dishware, a there on top is my water filter. I have found that the rainwater I get from the compound tanks makes my filter dirty very quickly, but the water from the borehole in town keeps it clean for much longer. There is my gas tank there in the corner as well.

Here is my stove with all my frying pans and cooking utensils above as well as a really nice out of the way place for my dish-rack. When the tanks dried up, I went and purchased 3 more jerry cans for hauling water...only ended up using them for just under two weeks and except for washing, don't use an exceptional large amount of water. Pretty good for me, right?

Okay, so that brings us to the entrance to the second room...my bedroom.

As you enter, my bed (or what I refer to as my sanctuary) is on the other side of the wall from my kitchen. It may be called a mosquito net, but it is definitely for ALL types of bugs.

Turning around, you will see the other chair and whatever you call the wooden compartmentalized structure where I put my clothes and other necessities (cause there is not any room for superfluous stuff).

As we continue the turn to the right we find my bathroom complete with walls and a floor drain. I have my basin and 3L jerry can for washing. I also store my bucket and soap for clothes washing in here too.

Since we are on the subject of bathroom...and since that translates to something different in America, I want to now show you my latrine. So we need to go back out of the house. Out the door to the right, and straight ahead, you can see the tippy tap I use to wash my hands.

Once you get to the wall, you take yet another right. The sign tells people not to pee in the area of that first door...it is the outdoor bathing place.

Hey, our first left...There's my latrine door complete with lock, tucked away here in the corner.

Okay, so what is behind this door....

Well, I have TP, a broom and a wooden cover...

And you guessed it...a hole in the floor or ground or what have you...

So that's it for the tour, hope you enjoyed seeing my place as much as I enjoyed showing it to you.

More to come...again

Not sure why I always seem to have problems uploading pictures in Mukono, but I do.
Just a quick update...sorry no pictures this time.
Term 1 of school has started. I am volunteering at a primary school created to serve orphans in the area. I teach P3 and P4...mainly P3 because they behave the best. The subject I prefer is math. I do English every once in a while, but really it is not my strength, never really was...seems to be language period, but that's besides the point.
So my job with my organization is to work with schools organizing and teaching their Sanitation clubs/committees. One school has grown over the last two years to be 60 members. I just went to another school and we had elections for the first time and I counted about 75 members-probably more, because they have to sit so close together and some get lost. How many ands did I just write...anyway.
Any I guess since I don't have enough to do, I told the main women's group I work with that I would begin teaching then English. I am kind of excited about it because the way I am going to teach them is through the lessons of other activities...such as cake baking.
I attended a conference about integrating WASH into Home based care and I think the counseling cards they provided with be a great addition to what I can teach while teaching English. We'll see how it goes.
I was having meeting every day somewhere, including 2 days of teaching...
After four days I found out I was not going to be able to keep it up, so I reduced my school teaching (P3 &P4) to Wednesday mornings and took back my Mondays to concentrate on other things I need to do... i.e. some type of research. Wow, so much to do, so little actual time to do it.
Enough blabbing from me for now. Have a good weekend.

Until Next Time...

The second wedding I attended

We took a wrong turn and ended up on a ledge between some water and soggy ground.

The reception area...pretty heh.

More reception, the center where the cake is located on a raised platform. Fancy eh?

The entertainment was really great. And you could tell they were having fun doing their job. Good stuff.

Some of my other family members and friends

I always refer to her as the Brown cow because I can never remember her actually name. She recently returned from her trip to a friend's farm. The going was slow, much stopping, starting, mooing, swerving, stumbling, jerking, at dusk fun. She is safely back home now and is eating up a storm every time Anna calls for food.

This is Anna. Maama Gertrude says she's stubborn. Mind you stubborn actually encompasses a whole list of other adjectives to describe someone's behavior. If someone isn't doing quite exactly you would like them to do...they're stubborn. Anna makes two very distinct sounds, a loud long moo to let everyone know there is no food in the trough and that somebody better do something about it because she is hungry. The other sound she makes it similar to what any normal person after consuming WAY too much food would make...kind of a moaning 'I'm so full' groan. It could be one of two reasons...she did eat way to much or...

This is a crazy picture of our late friend the mama goat. She was having problems one morning that I was leaving for school...wasn't the usually goat droppings dispersement. But she was just hanging out under the dish drying rack. Half way through my day at school, Raymond shows up to tell me that the mama goat is no longer with us. I guess she was experiencing paralysis of her entire body and the lady next door kept wanting it slaughtered (hearsay from me), so now we are one goat less on our compound. Her son cried and cried...it was one of the saddest sounds. He cried so much he was getting hoarse; so pitiful that sound. Maama Gertrude couldn't take it anymore either and sent for a companion goat. I kept thinking about all the trouble Sis went to for her rabbits to like one another and that was definitely not the process here. The result of this match was a headbutting young female who liked to eat all the food and keep the little guy away. A few times they were seen frollicking across the compound, but most of the time it wasn't buddy buddy.

I do want to tell you about mama goat since I brought up the topic of rabbits. One day we went to collect the goats from the area by the police station and they were proving quite difficult for just me to run down. As I was trying to get close enough to grab the rope, they of course would run off. There was a large group of goats at the time and during the chasing process mama goat took a running leap and totally did a binky. Anyway, I figured at least Sis would enjoy that little tidbit. Let me tell you, mama goat definitely had some air time on that one too. Didn't know they could do that. I've seen the little kids do some cute little excited manuevers, but that was cool.

This is the little boy who is no longer with us. He was sold off. However, before he left he managed to get himself tied up in a corner of the compound. He was definitely stuck there. I did help him out of his predicament after I took this photo. I thought it quite humour.