December 26, 2009 Boxing Day

Attempted to leave Nkokonjeru early but not much activity at 6 a.m. We did leave at 7:45 and little traffic - it's Boxing Day, which is also a National Holiday. Went to my favorite internet cafe and it wasn't open; came to Garden City Mall to find an ATM that will give me U.S. Dollars and amazingly, the internet cafe here is open. I'm going to blog and then head out to the airport for our flight to Cairo! Yes, I'm going to Egypt - with Judith, another senior volunteer. We'll be back in Uganda on the 1st - will spend New Year's Eve in the air!!! So, if you ever felt sorry for me you can stop now!

Haven't blogged since I came back from Rwanda - lots of info, but I'll try not to be too long winded.
Survived the 10 hour bus ride (one stop for potty break - goal is total dehydration!). Walked down to the Kampala taxi park marveling at the difference in Kamapal and Kigali...Kampala is much bigger but is full of garbage, unregulated traffic, sellers all over the sidewalks making it impossible to walk on them -you have to take your chances w. the traffic on the street! Kigali is so neat and orderly - there may be less personal freedom, but asthetically, it's a lot nicer (and smells better).

Got back to Nkokonjeru at 7:45 and unpacked and went to bed. Went back to Kampala Friday a.m. to meet w. Judith to plan the trip to Egypt.

LOTS went on at PH while I was in Rwanda; Evelyn and Tessa (Holland volunteers) went shopping w. Sr. Juliet for 150 basins, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, vaseline, etc. plus cleaning brooms and soap. They also booked 100 baby layers (which came Thursday - 17th). Becky came back on Thursday too (U.K. Volunteer) and is now living in an apartment at the convent. Kids had spent days picking corn by hand - even cooked and ate meals in the field. Friday, there was a competition at PH, sponsored by Cheshire Foundation, to choose a young person to go to a conference in So. Africa in FEb. and become a spokesperson for "Young Voices" - an advocacy group for the disabled. Josephine won for the Mukono district but has to compete w. the winner from the Budaka district. AND, Sr. Goretti had her surgery - guess they took the appendix which was really enlarged and pressing on her intestines and her uterus (fibroids)....had it done at Nkokonjeru Hospital and seems to be O.K. Nelson gave a review of the big trip to CoRSU Hospital and Katelemwa Rehab Center Tuesday - they left at 7:30 a.m. and got back at 9!!

Saturday I washed clothes and Becky and I helped Nelson plant cassava (root crop) - just put sticks from the old plants in holes and cover! Another new skill (along w. planting bananas) that is not too marketable in Minnesota!!

Sunday, Evelyn and Tessa handed out plastic shoes for everyone they had bought - then they took four kids to the pool at the Colline hotel in Mukono - guess it was quite a task...kids here don't swim and fear water (they took four boys the previous Sunday)....had to buy suits and water wings! But what an adventure for those kids!

Monday, the whole place (about 46 people) went on a rented bus to Kampala sponsored by Eveliyn and Tessa - Josephine and I stopped off early to go to the competition, but the rest went to the airport, where they actually got out and went into a viewing area and rode an elevator!!! (Sr. Juliet's first elevator trip). Not much aircraft activity but a thrill!!! We met them at the zoo. Josephine did not win (darn); she was more poised than the other girl, but the other girl was older and working at the bakery in Budaka to make money for nursing school, and also, has "just" one lame foot and Josephine is in a wheel chair - might have looked easier to transport (tho' no one would even say that).

Ate lunch at the zoo - brought chicken, rice, chipati and sodas on the bus (cooked by the kids the nite before)....sandwiches are not "food" here - it has to be cooked!!! It was a real project folding wheelchairs, stowing them in the back seat of the bus (about 12), carrying kids on and off, and taking wheelchairs on and off at PH, the airport and the zoo - but it got done and all had a great time!! Got back to Nkokonjeru at 10 p.m.

It doesn't seem like Christmas - no decorations up and just a few presents to give....I miss the carols blaring everywhere!

Tuesday we marked all the basins etc. w. marker and the big give away began- actually, it went very smoothly - they called the kids up one by one and they were very quiet! Moses and I went down to meet with the Community Development Officer from Nkokonjeru Town Council (like a township or small county). He was actually there at the appointed time (YEA) and seemed interested in going out w. Moses to assess need. The Town Clerk (boss) was not so easy - he tried to impress us w. what they've done (tho' we know none of it was their initiative - all things given by other organizations). I asked if they had done a survey of disabled people in Nkokonjeru Town Council Area (about 15,000 people) and he said they had, and identified 151 disabled people (exclusive of PH residents); There are practically 151 in Moses' back yard!!! They are really not looking!!!

Said goodbye to Eveliyn and Tessa - sorry to see them go - they are full of energy and fun!!! Visited Sr. Goretti - she seems to be doing O.K. for someone w. long scar and major surgery.
Meeting w. Fred to plan our animal feed situation; Sr. Juliet was handling the milk money for Sr. Goretti and spent it on other necessities so we have to re-group. Our regular animal guy isn't back and one of the older boys is caring for the cow and one of the girls is doing the pigs, but not with Vincent's diligence (Edward, the interim is gone) and it shows. Now we have the layers (who haven't laid yet) and the new chickens! I helped Jamil w. our layers - I really hate chickens!!! Fred and I reviewed all the pens, got greens for the pigs (they love them), and cleaned the cows stall and gave her fresh water and grass. Hoping to sell a big pig over Christmastime to get them some more food (oh, yes, and got poison for all the rats in the pig's storeroom - Merry Christmas!).

Wednesday a.m. I took Becky on the matatu to Mukono to introduce her to Ugandan travel and shopping - it actually went well and we had a great breakfast at the Colline Hotel!!! It's been hot, dry and dusty, but rained on my sheets on Thursday and has been raining off and on since!

Christmas Eve, Holly, and her friend Adam, a PCV in Mukono, made a great meal - vegetarian meatloaf, mac and cheese, beans and salad and pineapple crumble and apple tart for dessert - fabulous. Becky came as did the Australian Doctor volunteering at the hospital - she's 32 and a real go-getter - and the Ugandan anesthesiologist. We all went to 10 p.m. Mass - at the old sisters small chapel since the big chapel is still not re-roofed (started in June). Got up at 4:30 and called home - Curt and Jamie and Gail and Jesse and kids were there for Christmas Eve - heard that the 10 p.m. service was canceled because of snow. Bert called Christmas day and said they were effectively "snowed in" and enjoying it!!!

Christmas at PH - not as awesome as last year when we had all the PCVs here - also there are lots fewer residents left this year....Sister really worked at getting most home. Sr. Goretti is still in the hospital and she is the community organizer - sort of like the mom at the PH convent. The sisters cooked and served for the kids - lunch was supposed to be at 1 but it was more like 4! But they'd had eggs and porridge (w. milk and sugar) in the a.m.; great dinner of chicken, mataoke, rice, cabbage, bananas and cake - and sodas!!! Gave away small bags of candy; I gave them the 40 what I thought were plastic straws (Valentine motiff) from my church military box, but they turned out to be whistles, which the kids loved, but were LOUD. Sr. Salome (visiting) and I decorated the tree (really a shrub, but neat)....Corky had sent me all your last year's Christmas cards and I saved them and they use them for tree decorations along w. balloons - it works!

At the end of the day, Becky said (in her priceless British accent) - "it's rather like being in One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest" - great assessment!!!

Whew, done - now to send and head to the taxi park to get a matatu to Entebbe - then have to take a taxi to the airport - can't go direct by matatu. Judith has the ticket info but we want to be there about noon. Flight leaves at 3 - stopover in Nairobi - and we arrive at10:25. We have booked at the Australian Hostel - $13/nite/person - private double w. a bath!! and they pick us up a the airport!!! They also offer tours taking the train to Luxor and we may access that service - nice to have some guidance!!!

Take care and hope you all had a good Christmas - Best wishes for 2010 - finally have made it to my return year - YEA! We have our Close of Service Conference in mid-January and think that's when we know our actual departure date (and are introduced to the mountains of federal govt. paperwork). Lots to look forward to!!