I'm in Kampala for the weekend - tomorrow is the Kampala Marathon and several PCVs are running all or the shorter races. I was just at the internet cafe at the Garden City Mall and it was SO slow, I asked for my money back (took 20 minutes to do one e-mail).....went to get a bagel and met up with a bunch of "the kids" and am now at another internet cafe and it's FAST!!! Like in U.S. fast!
It was a good week - all our exams are now given in the vocational school and I'm waiting for the other teachers to complete their grade reports! Looking forward to a less hectic schedule for two months. Will work on year end reports for Sister (shoes, CBR, school) and do my final grant report. Our PH printer is out of ink so I may have to do it all at the PC office, but that's O.K. I'm planning to go to Rwanda the 14th to see my Compassion "kids" there - Compassion will take me out to Faustin's home (12) and I'll see Plusca (22) and her daughter Elsa in Kigali where they live (Plusca just finished her final Secondary exams). A little less grand trip than we took as a group in 2006 when we stayed at the Mille Coline Hotel - but I'm up for it!!!
Tried to divide my exams by ability group - English had 3 versions - the most advanced group had to write a short story from an article I gave them. We hadn't really worked on that and it was hard - most just copied the required 7-10 sentences from the article, but that's O.K. For Math I had 4 different exams based on ability (and one large print one for Edward, who can hardly see).
Sister was paying some teachers and actually got out the attendance log book and only paid the tailoring teacher for the days he taught! He was upset - said he shouldn't be held to "muzungu standards" - I told him at the start of the term it would happen!!! The students have lost a lot of teaching time (he was there for 14 classes; absent for 12 - and late for most of the ones he did attend). Not at all uncommon in many schools, but it makes me furious!
We have been having a lot of rain - both at night and during the day - huge rainstorms. Puddles last all day which is unusual....the ground must be saturated! More rain than last year - the good news is that the power outages are shorter - never more than one day!!!
Tuesday was one of "those" days - agriculture teacher came late for exam because of rain (he walks in 4 km...and has a limp); found out the pigs have no more food - it's gone faster than expected because our "temporary replacement" animal manager is not giving greens in the afternoon - "too much work" he said (Vincent's - the regular manager - wife is still not doing well after the baby); ag teacher complained that one boy was copying from his notebook during the exam - he expected it all to be from memory and it was a LOT (more than most of our kids can do - or me!)......he refused to accept the kids' paper but then said it was up to me! Sister bought some of Sula's broiler chickens to fatten up for Christmas sale, and I'm nervous about then being close to our layers since his chickens have been so sick!. Sister said she wants to buy a bull after her problems finding a suitor for Maria (cow)....not a good idea in my opinion esp. since she wants to use the proceeds from the pigs to do it and we need that money for pig food! Nelson and I are trying to plan a trip to CoRSU and Katelemwa for Thursday - it's a stuggle to get people to plan two days ahead! Went to my apartment at 4:00 for a cup of tea, congratulating myself for staying calm (I still have some peanut butter cups and allow myself one on days when I'm a good girl - probably why they have lasted so long!).
Wednesday I was on my way to get the matatu to Mukono at 6 a.m. to use the internet and Sula came by w. the truck - he was going w. the headmistress of St. Peters Secondary School to the Mukono police station to pick up the National Exams for their S-6 (final year) students.....we also picked up two Nkokonjeru policeofficers - w. guns!!! to guard the exams. Exams here are a BIG deal - like in Europe....they mean everything! Kids take 12-16 exams over 2 weeks - and they are long and full of things to remember! I don't know how they do it...many sleep only 2-3 hours a nite.
Re-reading Empire Falls - still good. Want to see the movie when I get home - esp. since I learned Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward are in it!!!
Thursday, we got the group organized to go to Kampala - Nelson was heading the trip and I stayed back (knew it would be a long day).....Justine went and also the little boy w. the sores (Marvin) who were due for review at CoRSU (orthopedic hospital)....both were actually ready on time. Two students went from PH who needed new applicances from Katelemwa Rehabilitation Center.....and also a Sister and another resident who wanted to go that day!!! Still having a problem w. people contributing for fuel, but let it pass this time (probably not a good idea but we really wanted those two to go and both are really poor). I have some money in our "CBR fund" thanks to your generous donations, but I'm trying to make it last - plus, we really believe that a contribution is important...gives them a vested interest in the program - although those two moms are really working hard to keep their kids treated. I was so happy to see Marvin - his mom and he were at PH at 6 a.m.!!! We said we'd leave at 7:00 - actually didn't leave till 8:30 due to additions to the riders, but I think it spoke volumes about her commitment to seeing her son treated - even the dad is now on board she said (previously he told Moses he'd given up on the boy - said "no more money" for Marvin's treatment).
Holly and I went on a long walk Thursday nite - part of the way we accompanied a blind lady to her home (she's a former teacher of the blind)...amazes me how she remembers all our names by our voice - and how she finds the path to her home w. her white stick!!!
Friday was the math exam; I was also trying to get laundry done and with the rains I kept putting it out, taking it in......there's no "throw it in the drier" here!!!
Nelson's report on the Kampala trip was great - they returned at 9 p.m. but got everything done! Dr. Antonio was very please with Marvin's progress after taking the TB drugs - sores are healing and he's put on some weight! Justine was treated like a queen - she was one of the first patients at the hospital when it opened and was there for 210 days; Nelson said they all got lunch thanks to her mom who went to the kitchen and asked! Not as successful at Katelemwa. We had left some leg braces there to be re-sized and the man who does the work was canned and all the things he was working on (and the measurements) are "lost"! They have to start all over - Nelson argued, successfully, that we shouldn't have to pay for a new pair since it was just a re-adjustment and it was their fault they were gone.....I'll have to check the bill carefully to make sure they don't try to sneak it in!
So, that was the week - next week looks pretty good. Lots of practice for the Christmas Program (on the 29th).....the skirts for the choir are all made (thanks to the 2 advanced sewing kids).....
We need to get the rooms ready for an "open house" and display of things made (or grown).
Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving - so much to be thankful for - good health always comes up on top for me. I see so much sickness here it's a constant reminder!!! Sr. Goretti may be having her appendix out Monday at the Nkokonjeru Hospital - she's been having a lot of pain and is ready for the operation - please pray for her! I may got to CoRSU on Monday w. Nusula (the girl who had the tumor removed from behind her eye)...she is taking "public" (matatu) and doesn't want to go alone. If I think people stare at me as a muzungu, it must be a lot worse for her!!
Thanks to all for your continued support - the time is going fast but I can't wait to be home (although not in winter yet). Again, Happy Thanksgiving!!!
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