Sunday, November 15, 2009

It's Sunday a.m. and I'm back in Mukono to blog. Mass today was at 7:00 because the priests are going to some celebration and I got here about 10 and it was going great,but then the place filled up and it got SLOW!!! Oh, well, at least it's on - thanks to a generator (no power in Mukono).

It was a busy week - next week is final exams for our little vocational program and always is a rush - I was typing exams, but didn't realize the printer ink was finished so everyone (including me) had to hand write their exams! Learning to adapt (?). Next Sunday is the Kampala Marathon - Holly is doing the 10K so I'll go and watch...other volunteers are doing 1/2s and wholes....it will be a fun gathering.

Last Saturday after I blogged Shari and her friend Michelle had a dinner for a group of local PCVs...tempura, terriyaki beef, rice,sushi, fresh veggies and greens - VERY good!!! Most of our group's conversation now centers on what we'll do when we leave Uganda - nearly everyone's primary focus is home or post service travel!!!

Sunday, Sr. Goretti made my favorite meal of liver and chips (fries) and pineapple...really sweet of her. I worked on laundry, English prep (review for exam) and then sat in on practice for the Christmas Program (Sunday Nov. 29)...it's pretty rough,but it will pull off (I hope). We have the keyboard guy and the sound guy booked and will get some new costumes - really sparks up the performance.

I got two packets of newspaper articles from Corky and as I was reading realized that Obama had won the Nobel Peace Prize - talk about feeling out of touch!!! Now that she's home Maria says we're not missing much w/o TV, but I do miss the news.

Monday, Sister J. wanted to plant banana suckers so all the "walkers" (5) had to work - even the other went to watch for awhile, so English class was canceled. Banana trees (which aren't really trees) don't produce seeds - they grow "suckers" from the main stalk which you can cut and plant. The trees take about a year to produce bananas and then you cut down the main tree and go w. the sucker (keeps up for about 5 years). Actually, our suckers were bought from a demonstration farm and were grown in a lab from leaf tissue,but that's more than you need to know. We'd budgeted for 130 suckers in the grant and Sister had the prisioners dig holes, but someone forgot to tell them to stop! She ended up w. 400 holes!!! We got 250 suckers from the farm and the rest are taken from local trees. The kids worked so hard, helped a lot by a local man who's sort of crazy but works like a demon!!! I tried to help, too - the holes are 3' x 3' x 3'. You put manure in each one (we also spent time getting extra manure from the novitiates pig barn - we'd used all ours up)....then, push the sucker into the manure and put a little black dirt around the plant....it's quite a project being down in the hole, pushing the suckers into the manure - I didn't start till afternoon and I was bushed!!! (and smelly).

I had spent the morning w. Sr. Goretti measuring students for a possible gift of some wheelchairs and tricycles (three wheeled chairs you propel w. a hand crank - very usefull on the road). We had visitors from the Mormon church who have an office in Uganda and said they may be able to get us some - would be great for the tailors and shoemakers who will start w. a mobile workshop....cross your fingers!!! Also, went to check on a sponsored child for someone in the U.S. who is sending money to an uncle after a visit here. It was legit (payments were being made) but it pays to check it out!! So, I was a late worker in the banana fields (thank goodness)....am thinking tho' that banana sucker planting is not a skill that's highly marketable in Minnesota!

On the way to the school, I saw the Nkokonjeru Public Works Dept....one guy w. a shovel and hoe, digging dirt out of the ditch and throwing it on the huge gullies in the road!!!

Tuesday I got the English exam review done - great walk in the p.m. w. Holly - she really books!!!

Wednesday am I went to Mukono early for my bi-weekly internet fix. In the afternoon I was back and we had a BIG rain and hailstorm. I was really worried for the banana suckers, but we went out and they were a bit beaten, but fine. Guess that's an advantage of being at the bottom of a 3 foot hole!!!

Having a lot of frustration lately w. people asking for money - maybe because I'm getting close to the end, but it's been pretty constant. I never given anyone money directly (per China's hint when I first arrived), but it keeps up - some are big - business start up, house - some smaller - bicycle, school fees - and some really small - candy,chipati - but it really gets annoying!!! I can usually brush it off, but some days I have a harder time!!!

Thursday Sr. Goretti and I went to Kampala w. Sula in the truck for costume material - trip went really well and we got 27 blue T-shirts and material for 20+ skirts (blue and white).....Sr. Goretti loves blue!! Good prices on both....less than anticipated.

Sr. Juliet didn't go but spent the a.m. looking for a bull in the area that could service Maria (the cow - she was in heat and you only have 24 hours). Hilarious story about her search for the perfect suitor - some were too young, some too short, some not a good breed. She finally "rented" one and he got the job done...she was worried about our cow shed so they had to tether the cow outside!!!

The production sewers are making baby dresses for sale and they were totally unaware of how to price them (I hadn't let them know the fabric costs) so we went over that - they'd grossly underestimated the amount of material they were using (they guessed 1/2 yd./dress - it was actually 2 yards!!). We have to charge enough to at least cover cost.....I'm worried about sustainablity. Also, having trouble w. the guy who's selling the milk (our regular animal manager is home w. his wife and new baby for a bit)....he's not turning in all the money and Sr. Goretti is concerned, but no one wants to confront him (and he speaks no English). In the midst of this 3 boys left shoemaking class because they didn't want to mop the floor after Didas told them to do it. I just lost it - I'm embarrassed about it now! Yelled at everyone - sewing kids, the 3 boys - even got angry w. Sr. Goretti! Finally calmed down and apologized to all - when did I forget it's not my stuff? It was all given to PH and they have to manage it the best they can! Humbling afternoon!

Saturday we had the first ever PH Staff Party - everyone contributed and the women cooked tons of food and we all went in the truck to a place about an hour away called Sezebbwa Falls - very nice time despite some rain showers. We had 21 staff - 8 in the front of the double cabin truck, 13 in back w. the sound system, generator and the food - quite the ride.....seemed very Peace Corps (Holly came too). A very good afternoon!!! Holly and I came back before the serious dancing started - can't compete w. Africans!!! Also, there were 13 people from Bake for Life in Holland coming to PH and the kids were doing a welcome (my excuse).

So, that's the week....lots of my usual ups and downs (and one BIG down). I'm looking forward to the end of the school term, the end of the program and the exit of many of the kids for two months......and some down time. End of year reports to do, but there's no rush!!! I'm planning to go to Rwanda in mid-December to see my sponsor children and our COS (Close Of Service) conference is in mid-January where we learn everything we need to know about paperwork (a specialty in federal agencies).

Hope you are all well and enjoying the fall (or is it winter?). We are still getting lots of rain (thank goodness-can't imagine carrying water to 400 banana plants). I really appreciate your thoughts and prayers - keeps me going!!! Good luck to all in the busy (and sometimes difficult) holiday season!!!