Visit to a PC Site

The internet at the Luweero cafe is very slow today and I'm on a "sticky" computer but I'll try. It's4:30 on Sunday and just got back from four days away visiting a PC site. We went in groups....thank goodness....we've only been here three weeks. We had to use public transportation which means riding the van taxis, which drive like crazy and are packed to the gills....yes there was a chicken on one! We left here early Thursday a.m. on a two hour ride to Kampala - van broke down and we had to wait for another one. In Kampala there are two BIG taxi parks where you pick up vans - they are jammed in there - and we had to get to the 2nd one...made it and got on the correct van east - by that time there were five of us together. It's really crowded and hot and the roads were full of potholes and dusty -4 1/2 hour ride w/o stopping.....I really limited my fluids!!!

The eastern part of Uganda is drier and not as prosperous as this area....fewer trees, too. Everyone burns charcoal in their cooking stoves and it's done a lot of damage to the cover.

Hada great visit with my PCV.....we were in a town right on the Kenya border. She's working with a community organization that has goodfunding. She's been there a year and said it took her 6 months to even begin to think of a project.....now she's been working since November on starting a youth center.....very slow process since you have to follow a set process and include lots of people's ideas. It will be a long time in coming, but it's a doable project.

The town has many problems because it's on the border and there is lots of all kinds of traffic through there, but there are also a lot of organizations working there. It was very hot(92)and dusty....just exhausting to get around.

She has a very nice home with electricity( some of the time)and running water (but not now because it's so dry). Learned a lot about the process of getting your home furnished and "yours"....takes a long time.....delivery of furniture is usually by bicycle or boda boda!!! It's pretty amazing how well the PCVs adapt at the market and all over....it just takes time.

Our group in the East met on Saturday at another town further north and actually went to a resort with a pool (rent a towel for 5000 ugandan shillings -about $2.65). My feet were finally clean for awhile! There were about 17 of us PCTs and about a dozen PCV (real volunteers). I was the only "old" one, but the kids are pretty nice to me. They were going out"clubbing" after dinner, but I walked back to the hotel w. one of the gals from our group who got a bad bout of stomach problems....so avoided that!

Trip home today was long but the roads were better and not so dusty.....good to be back. Have homework to do and see how my host family is doing. Should do laundry but it's getting late.

Miss you all. Will go now before this crashes or the electricity goes out.