Came in this a.m. with our two new Holland OT students - showing them "my" Kampala - the malls! They bought an electric kettle (a necessity, I think) and had a good time at the craft stores and the National Theater Craft market! We had a great "muzungu" lunch at a nice restaurant! Party fare tonite will be an Ethiopian buffet.
Becky had a nasty week - she got an intestinal infection and tried to fight it but was down most of the week. Thursday we (Sr. J and I) took her to a "muzungu" doctor in Kampala and she got some antibiotics and they seem to be turning the tide. I have been SO lucky to avoid that so far! They can really wipe you out!
Last Sunday Sr. J, Verity, Becky, Sula and I went back to Kavule - the convent by Lake Victoria. I was just there w. Holly and her dad and sister, but I love it - just a magical place. We also went to the fishing village of Ssenyi nearby - very poor place...houses and stores are all put together with odd pieces of wood - dirty kids running around everywhere!
Monday we had rain from midnite to 5 p.m.! Holly was trying to get back to Nkokonjeu and it was a bad journey after Mukono - they had to get out of their matatu and push!!!
Fred and I met early to go over the chicken grant figures before everyone headed off to Kampala - Verity to leave and the Sisters and Fred to meet w. the Mukisi people and then to pick up the new Holland OTs - Lieke and Louwke. Sr. Goretti also left (very sad)...she's off to recuperate at the Regional House in Kampala and then on to school to get certified as a tailoring and catering teacher - good opportunity for her, but we'll miss her!!!
I went back to my apartment in the afternoon to draft more reports (it's endless) and sift through more papers (also endless). Will be glad when it's all over!!!
Tuesday was not a good day - Robert, the ag teacher was late and then the kids refused to dig (it's practical ag day)...the students said it was too wet and he has no control...but we couldn't find the key to the storeroom where the hoes were anyway! Moses was very down about CBR continuing. My fear is that no one will do the organizing and paperwork; he's worried about the money for transport. Real worries. It's irritating - I thought things would be running better by now.
Fred said the chicken grant was not well received. We did a cost/income analysis for 100 layers for 18 months and the profit was not substantial - barely pd. labor costs. But it's a learning project and the kids get eggs - and with small numbers you don't make much of a profit (some costs like transport and meds - you have to buy vaccines in batches of 500 - are constant). At least we were honest. Depressing - esp. for Fred since he was hopeful of managing the project...it won't work w/o a strong, hands-on manager! The cook started using the new beans Sister J bought and the sacks are full of sand (for weight)...she called the broker and he promised to come and look (and hopefully reimburse her some) but was a no show by week's end! No wonder he gave her a "good deal"...we are hoping that in the future she will buy them from a reputable store - a little more expensive, but at least you can find them when things so wrong! Ugandans love to get a "bargain".
Gave Lieke and Louwke a tour of PH and town - they seem like they are excited to get started. They will be helping Nelson and also going out to the homes of some residents to see what it would take to modify the home environment to make it suitable for the return those residents (although the parents and the kids don't want to go back - it is the overall goal). There is also a large group of Americans in town from Educate Uganda - they are working w. the church to build schools - good work, but they give the impression that Americans can hand out money in large clumps!
Went for a nice walk w. Holly to get back in perspective...Holly has three standard comments to all my whining...1) "and is that YOUR problem"; 2) "and what did you expect would happen?" and 3) "what would they do if you weren't here"? - great comebacks!!
As I was heating my bath water the gas tank on my stove went dry! Bummer - so close to the end! Will probably re-fill - it's $35...but the worst is finding someone to lug it to Kampala to get it re-filled. Whey not this a.m. before Sr. Seraphine and Sula went to Mukono to pick up some flour and beans? I was mad, but, then, around 8 p.m. Sr. J stopped by and said she'd gotten a call from Dr. Antonio and he's raised enough money to pay our bill at CoRSU - YEA!!! The accounting dept. keeps asking when we will pay! So, it was and UP and DOWN day..nice to end up!
Wednesday, we couldn't go to the eye clinic in Jinja. The Doctor w. the key to the equipment to test Edward still isn't back - she said "maybe next week"! So, Holly and I went to the PC office. Very quiet there and we tried hard not to talk to each other and got a lot of work done - did a draft of my DOS (Description of Service) - the record of your work that goes to future employers (think the grandkids will be impressed?). Also, did my letter to Sr. J and one to the new volunteer (who won't come till Oct. even IF Sr. Juliet ever gets the application done). Did a little shopping and back by 6 - wonderful dinner of veggie pizza and salad at Shari's! Gone 12 hours for 4 1/2 hrs. at the computer, about one hour of shopping - the rest is waiting and traveling! And we are close!
Thursday Becky was still sick and very weak so Sr. J and I decided she should go to The Surgery in Kampala (where PC sends us when the nurses can't help). She balked but Sr. J insisted and it was a good thing - she got an antibiotic for an intestinal infection (not sure what). It's hard for our systems to fight those African bacteria. We had a nice tea at the little restaurant on the grounds and stopped at a 2nd hand bookstore - the enclave is set up for Muzungus (whites). And Sula got my gas tank filled - YEA! It started to rain as we went back and the road was awful. Sula had to take a detour and that road was blocked by a big dump truck that was stuck so we went back and tried another route - just like ice but wet, red, clay. We got sucked into the ditch at one point trying to go around another stuck truck and I thought we were done but Sula put it in 4 wheel drive and we escaped! He's super!!!
Reading a fun book Becky gave me - Blood, Sweat and Tea - by an EMT in the UK - lots of drunks!!!
Friday I sat in on a meeting Sr. J. had w. Lieke and Louwke re: their program at PH; then we had a 2 hour staff meeting - all in Lugandan! (I made a rough draft of my end of service report for Sister). Got to thinking of some of the good things from the past 12 months re: these meetings - #1 - we're having regular staff meetings, #2 the disciplinary committee is organized and ready to work and #3 we had elections for student leaders last Saturday - all new things that help run the home better! I have no hand in either (other than sitting in), but they are a real improvement.
After that Holly and I walked out to Moses' for "lunch" (4 p.m.)...about a 40 min walk in the drizzle. Nice to visit w. he and Mama Rose. Gave him the Solar Lantern he'd admired when a guy was selling them during the last Epilepsy Clinic (Dick "bought" two - and one was for me to give Moses so he didn't suspect). They all seemed excited - they have no power and it's hard for the girls to study at nite...it also charges phones!! We walked back and got home before 7 - nice end to the day. We marveled at how "normal" all this seems after two years - will the U.S. seem "normal". Returnees say it does - they move right back in - so much for reverse culture shock theory.
Found out that Josephine got a 19 on her S-6 exams (I'm not sure how they figure that number but it's good). That means she will get a government scholarship (minimum for a scholarship is 17). She was so happy - and SO deserving!!)
Rained again some Friday nite - my laundry is inside and still dripping! Trip to Kampala today was dicey, but the driver held it on the road. Hope it doesn't rain any more before I go back tomorrow.
Time to move on to the party - I'll be lucky to last till 10! We're staying at the same location as the dinner/dance so I can retreat whenever I want!
Best wishes to you all - so eager to see all of you and catch up on what I've been missing. See you in a month!!!
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