Projects

I have been meeting with a guy who started a school and trying to help him with some literacy things (more details on that later when I have time)  He has a really cool story.

I have been going to a few meeting for an eye/dental outreach camp we are going to do.  We went to a rotart club meeting yesterday.

Later this week I think I'm going to try to go to an island on Lake Victoria for five days and teach some health classes.

I am starting to figure out the money and not feeling so confused about things.  I still miss home of course but I'm feeling more comfortable in the situation that I am in and hope that I can leave something good behind.  I am really liking the food although a lot of our conversations seem to revolve around the American food that we miss.  I don't know what I will eat first when I get home.  Maybe Cafe Rio?  

I am also looking forward to being home and having all the room that I could possibly want :)

Love you all!!!

Remember The Time We Rafted The Nile?

Wow!  I have been here for almost a week and a half. Crazy how the time goes by quickly and the days blend together.

Last week we went river rafting down THE Nile river!  It was amazing!  A bus picked us up from Lugazi and took us to where we would be rafting.  We had to go through some safety things and get helmets and life jackets and also get breakfast which was a chapati omelet and some fruit.  (chapati is some kind of bread/pita thing)  We finally got to where we would be getting into the river.  They all talked me into riding in the safety boat so I wouldn't get banged around too much and hurt my neck.  We took easier paths down the river and didn't tip over or anything.  We got to eat glucose biscuits (cookies) and pineapple on the way down the river.  The pineapple here is amazing!  So juicy.  

Ready to get started.

I switched with someone in a different boat and went down the last rapid.  The guides tried to talk me out of it and said that I wasn't allowed to cry.  I didn't.

We pulled the boat out of the water and got some dinner.  Baked potatoes and green beans and REAL butter!!  Such a good day.  I would do it again.

The scenery all reminded me of The Lion King but without all the animals.  So beautiful.

It was raining on the way home and the roads were all flooded and basically rivers.

"Bless the rains down in Africa"

Yesterday we got to go to church in Mukono. I think it was the most spiritual experience I have ever had.  Everyone came up and met us and were so nice!  All the kids are adorable, I am going to want to take one home with me by the time I leave.  Heck, I wanted one way before I ever came to Africa :)

The people in Uganda are so humble and generous.  I met a lady named Beatrice at the market and she gave us a couple free mangoes even though she is trying to put eight children through school by herself and has nothing, she is so willing and happy to share what little she does have.  I love everyone.

We had a team meeting last night to hear about all the projects that they are working on.  Everything sounds so interesting and I want to help everyone.  I think I will just try a few out and see what I am interested in the most.  I'm excited to get started!

The internet connection here is not so good so I'm not sure if I will be able to post any pictures or not..  I'll try but everyone might just have to be patient and wait until I get home.  I hope I have tons.  I bought alot of memory and my goal is to fill it all up.

I can't believe I have been here for less than a week.  It seems like I haven't been in the United States for like a month.   Everyone says that the first couple weeks will be long but then it will go by so fast and it will be super hard to come home.

I seriously can't believe that this is my life!  I'm still waiting for someone to pinch me and wake me up.

Traveling

I arrived in Uganda yesterday after what felt like a week on an airplane.  

We spent twelve hours in London and were able to see Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar square and a couple other places that I can't think of at the moment.  We ended up getting back to the airport way before our flight left because we were so exhausted.  By the time we got to London, it was the middle of the night in Utah and I felt like I hadn't slept in days.  Sleeping on an airplane is just not the same as sleeping in my own bed.

Big Ben

The streets of London

When in London, you HAVE to get a picture inside of a telephone booth :)

Buckingham Palace- we were there for the changing of the guards but I really couldn't see and was too tired and confused to really know what was going on... or to care

Lion statue in Trafalgar Square

Following London, we had another overnight flight to Kenya.  The Nairobi airport was pretty small and we were there for just an hour, giving us enough time to check in for our flight and wait.  I read a bit and wrote in my journal.  The flight from Nairobi to Entebbe, Uganda was short - about 50 minutes.  We went out onto the tarmac and got into a bus which took us to out airplane.  Never done that before but I love being able to go onto the tarmac and getting into the plane that way from a ramp.

When we arrived in Uganda, we had to fill out an immigration form/landing papers.  It was intimidating to stand in line and wait for a visa.  What if they say no you can't come?  I didn't have any problems though and successfully got a visa.  I got my luggage which had all arrived safely with locks intact and everything.  Ari and Jesse (the county directors) were just outside waiting for us, along with two Ugandans who they hired to drive the other van.  There were nine of us that had just flown in and we loaded all our bags into two vans and took off.  The traffic was crazy!  There don't seem to be any rules and everyone drives really close and fast.  we stopped at a hotel in Kampala to change some money and then at a restaurant to get some food.

My Visa

It still was about an hour drive to Lugazi and we all fell asleep.  We made it to Lugazi to our house.  It is a very small town and I'm pretty sure we are the only white people around.  We walked around and kinda took a tour yesterday and all the little kids yell hi mzungu (white person in Lugandan).  They are really happy and excited to see us.  We are quite the novelty :)  They would just come up and hug us or hold our hands and walk along with us.

Our house is very small; two bedrooms for twenty one people and all of our luggage.  Needless to say it is pretty crowded.  We do have a courtyard in the front so it seems that we will hang out there.  The beds are stacked three high and I ended up with the bottom one.  Everyone said that it would be way hot but I never got hot and even slept with a little blanket.

Our House- the right half...

My bunk (the bottom one) was in the main room where everyone hung out

Three people are leaving on Wednesday so on Tuesday we are going river rafting down the Nile.  I think it might be kind of expensive but who cares.  Once in a lifetime opportunity.  I haven't really figured out the money yet so I'm not sure how much it is -- something like 80 dollars.

Tomorrow we will have a meeting and learn about the projects and start working on things on Monday.  Hopefully that will alleviate some of my homesickness and I will be able to figure things out.  I really miss my home and my family and wish that I had a good friend here to talk to about it.  Oh well I will get over that and get into the swing of things soon enough!

Its Time For Africa

Tomorrow I will be getting on a plane and flying almost 9000 miles to Uganda where I will be living for the next six weeks.  I can't believe that I'm really going to Africa!!  I'm a little bit nervous and intimidated by it, I have never been so far away from home before.  I hope that it is amazing as what I am picturing.

I am planning on keeping my blog updated -  at least once a week.  I don't know if I will be able to upload pictures or not but I promise that pictures will come once I return home.  

Bon Voyage Party

My family threw me a goodbye party yesterday complete with gifts and decorations.  My sister and brother in law even found a street map of Uganda, I'm totally taking that with me.  It was fun spend the night with my family and one of my best friends.  I definitely felt the love and support from everyone.

My dad, Uncle Brent and me.

One Month

One month from today I will be on my way to Uganda.  I'm not so sure that it has totally hit me yet.  Maybe it won't become totally real until I actually set foot onto the plane and finally take off.  I have been trying to read my handbook from HELP INTERNATIONAL and put together a list of things that I need to take with me and things that I need to do before I leave.  My sister, my mom and me are going to go shopping for clothes next week.  

I bought some Chacos at REI last week (I was NOT happy about that purchase :)  Everyone keeps telling me about the cool tan lines that you get from them, but who cares about the tan lines?  I just spent ninety five dollars on ugly sandals.  They are apparently recommended by podiatrists so hopefully they don't end up hurting my back or my knees.  I have never heard a bad thing about them, everyone seems to love them but they are just not attractive.

This is the color i bought.  Maybe they aren't that bad...

I also bought an electrical adapter while I was at REI which should prove to come in handy now as well as in the future.

I have to call my bank and tell them I will be in Uganda and get some cash to take with me.  I found out that I need bills that are less then ten years old so that should be fun.  I have to call the company that has my student loan and set up payments for June and July or maybe they will let me skip a payment.  Gotta stop at the health food store and get vitamins, and probiotics.  Get sunscreen and bug spray.  Yikes!  There is so much stuff to do.