I'm Home - Really - March 14, 2010

Really, I am! I know this will surprise most of you, but I came back to the US on March 11 - it was a surprise to the family (except Corky)...I wanted to be at their "mid winter get away" at St. Cloud and decided to COS (Close of Service) on March 10th a long time ago - just lied a lot since then!!! The kids were really surprised - not suspicious at all!!! We decided that the last time we were all together was August '07 at Bert and Naomi's wedding reception! That's too long!

Great fun at the hotel tho' I got a bad cold (airplane) and was a bit off - the little grandkids took a long time warming up (not sure if they ever did), but the older boys, Riley, Dylan, Henry and Ben got back into it! Greg said "it doesn't seem like you were away", but it does to me! Really overwhelmed by the crowds at the hotel, all the food, and how many people are grossly overweight! Older women in Uganda get big and you see some overweight men in Kampala but otherwise all I've seen for two years is really skinny people!! Funny that that should strike me even more than the obvious skin color difference.

Jean and Kody (well, Jean) are making wedding plans - she and Gail got 3 Bride magazines while we were there! I'm not surprised that Jean is so organized (she's even more OCD than I am if that's possible) but it amazes me that she is really into the wedding planning! The (very) tentative plans are for 2/11/1011 (Friday nite) at Lutzen Ski Resort on the North Shore in Minnesota!

Weather is not bad - 40s and 50s and snow is melting, but I'm freezing!!! Going later this afternoon to watch Greg and Bert play hockey and I don't know if I'll make it!

Miss the folks in Uganda, but I'm really happy to be home. Want to rest for a few weeks and then maybe look for some work part time! I am really tired. Living that long in a foreign culture is exhausting!

Back to the "regular" blog - old news now! I'll try to write a few more times as I get more into American society and my reactions to being back.

While I was working at the PC office the last days in Uganda I drafted my blog for the week. Am now at home Friday morning and adding. I just saw the Waste Management Truck go by - I love those guys!!! Them, the USPO and the Library - sorely missed in Uganda!

I last posted from Uganda on Friday the 6th. Friday nite Shari, Holly and Michelle had Becky and I over for dinner - the last Bean Burrito feast! A great meal. Holly's gas tank just finished (she has 3 weeks to goin Uganda) and the power is out so she's w/o any cooking facilities! Bummer. She came over for hot water Saturday a.m. (since she brought me hot water when my gas and power were out before).

Saturday, the 7th was the dreaded farewell party - I didn't know how I'd do! Ugandans LOVE parties and there was no way around it! Fortunately, they combined the going away for Shari, Holly, Sr. Goretti, Sr. Veronica and me which made it a lot less intimidating! And it was wonderful - LOTS and LOTS of work by the staff and kids!



It poured rain in the a.m. but didn't stop anyone! The priest from the parish, who I really like, came and said Mass at 10:30. Reading and sermon were on The Good Samaritan. Holly and Shari had invited the other "local" PCVs - Adam from Mukono and Heidi from Katose which was nice; plus, Lieke and Louwke ("the Holland girls") and Becky were there, along with the other departing guests! After Mass there was a program - Fred MCd and it moved! We each gave a short (really) speech and in between there were dances, songs, poems, etc. It all lasted just over an hour which is VERY un-Ugandan but great! Lieke video taped it and will send me a CD after they get home which will be nice. I got lots of great gifts which worried me (again) about packing. PH gave me a great "certificate" folder w. pictures and nice messages, and a really elaborate wood plaque, got lots of baskets, beads and purses from others, and from Sula, a "half gomez". The gomez is a traditional dress worn for special occasions and can get pretty elaborate. A half gomez is the same style but less elaborate. It's not African but an adaptation of the dresses the missionaries made the women wear - the only "African wear" we see is on the dancers occasionally. Will wear it when (if?) I get a power point together and go on the road.

During the program Didas and other staff were putting out the kids' food in the shoe room, so as soon as the tables were rearranged dinner was served! Great food - matoke, rice, beef, fish, ground nut sauce, chipati, pineapple, bananas and sodas. (I treated for dinner - the kids so love a break in their diet). Several other Sisters from the convent came for the meal.

After all the festivities I said goodbye to Sr. Goretti (very sad) and Sr. Veronica....and went home to try to pack. It wasn't working and I re-did it many times in my head that nite. Finally got the idea to leave my old brown suitcase and use one left by China (still under my bed) that's bigger - tried it Sunday a.m. and it all worked! YEA!

Sunday after Mass I divided my clothes into boy (T-shirts, polo shirts) and girl piles and took them down to PH to be distributed by the head girl and head boy. Head boy (Alex) didn't get my instructions (?) and was keeping it all, till I was alerted Monday a.m. - think we worked it out. Eva, head girl, started giving it away and by Sunday afternoon I could see myself all over PH! She really appreciated the old suitcase to use as a locker for her things,too!

Becky had us all to lunch which was really nice - on our veranda! Holly and I had our "last walk" (everything was last), and then I went to a nice little supper at Fred's. All in all, a great weekend. I'm feeling strangely unemotional - not sure if I'm heartless or just can't comprehend that, after two years, I'm actually leaving!

Monday we took off about 9:30 on a whirlwind trip to Kampala (is there any other kind of trip for PH?). Sr. Juliet came as well as Andrew (boy w. CP who I love), Josephine, and a fairly new resident, Maria (more later), plus various people from town who wanted a ride (it was a holiday, Women's Day). The Sisters, kids and Fred sang The Franciscan Prayer in parting - it's so neat. It's much better sung, but goes:
The Lord bless you and keep you,
The Lord make his face to shine upon you,
And be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His Countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

We stopped first in Kisoga, so Josephine could get a letter from her former Head Mistress to take to apply for college scholarships (nothing in Uganda is done easily - always has to be a personal stop and hope the necessary people/articles are there as promised). Stopped at the Italian's Sisters clinic to see some potential residents, but (fortunately) the Sisters were out w. visitors. On to Seeta to say goodbye to the Chairman of the PH Board, and then to Kireka (just outside Kampala) to try to find a another place Josephine needed to visit for information on scholarship applications (didn't find it - there are no addresses - you just hunt).

Then we went to Butabika Psychiatric hospital. The young woman, Maria, came to PH several weeks ago. She was sent by another Sister who went to nursing school w. her. She's had some bad times and basically has had a "breakdown". She talked to the nurses from Butabika when they were at PH for the Epilepsy Clinic last week and they Told Sr. J she should be admitted - she didn't know that - she thought we were going to pick up some medicine for her! Pulled up to the women's building and our "welcoming committee" was a pick-up parked outside w. some men and two police women in the back and a lady dancing away, wearing only her bra and panties - and lots of feathers in her hair - she stayed, too!

Sister went in first, and then we went in w. Maria. She figured it out (she's very bright) and went ballistic! They finally held her down and sedated her. The hospital is really clean and seems OK and I was impressed that the staff was so nice - defintely not One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest. While Sr. J and I waited for her to settle so we could take her clothes back (they get a green uniform), the other residents visited w. us - I suppose it's unusual to have a muzungu and a Sister stop by! They sang hymns, prayed for us and one even read part of Revelations (IN ENGLISH - she had to be well educated). I've never particularly liked Revelations, but having it read to you by a mad woman in a Ugandan security hospital is another experience! Do they know something we don't know?

Anyway, finally got out (YEA) and on to the PC office. Fortunately, the office had alerted the security staff so we could drive in and unload - tho' Sula and Sister had to be checked and turn in their phones (?); Meghan Bender, a friend and PCV from our group, was in the volunteer computer lounge (offices were closed for the holiday) so they didn't have to feel they were leaving me alone. So, that was the final goodbye - Sr. J was really sad, but I was still awfully casual about the whole thing (wierd).

Megan and I went down to the hotel and out to dinner together...nice! Tuesday and Wednesday I went to the PC office to finish paperwork (and there was still plenty!). Tuesday afternoon I went to the Mall to do some errands and saw Invictus -it's a bit hokey and drags in parts, but I loved it and glad I saw it in Africa!
Pretty sleepless nite - last one in Uganda, but it still hadn't registered!

Wednesday we had a big group lunch - 10 of us around from our group (3 others leaving this week) - good times. I will miss those guys. I decided to bite the bullet and will subscribe to Facebook just to keep up w. them. You know you probably won't see most again, but it was a fun bunch! Had my final interview w. my supervisor and medical and Shari and Holly went with me and the PC driver to the airport. Two years over - it's hard to believe!

Flights all were on time and w/o a hitch. Watched Up in the Air and Harry Potter to Amsterdam and then Blind Side, My Favorite Fox (?) and tried to watch Where the Wild Things Are (dumb) to Minneapolis. I can never sleep on planes and by the time I arrived I was exhausted (plus, haven't slept well the last week). At the Amsterdam Airport they have a small exhibit from the Rijks Musuem (very nice). Picture wasn't there but got a print from Josef Israels - Children of the Sea - I just loved it!! Spent my last Euros!

Corky met me after customs (I had to declare the drum but they were satisfied when I said the head was cow leather - ?) and we headed home - first on the list at home were a hot shower, microwave popcorn and laundry (love watching the machine work). I slept 11 1/2 hours Thursday nite. Now I'm pumped to go to the hotel in St. Cloud and surprise (hopefully) the family!

If I'm undone by anything - it will be technology (which has always been a problem for me). Corky got me a new phone and I'm stumped; TV remote is too complex and tried to see some videos from Uganda and can't make them work either!!!


Well, that's enough for now.....I'll be slowly re-integrating into society from here on in! Again, thanks to everyone for your support and patience. God Bless you All!

It's March - Actually March 5, 2010

I'm back in the PC office - I'm getting my physical/dental out of the way this week. Got most done on Wednesday but we have to come back within 72 hours to have our Mantoux read - PC will even pay for you to stay in Kampala the two days, but I opted to go back (not that big a trip and personally, I don't care for Kampala - too noisy, polluted, crowded, etc.) Everything came out great - nice to know! Was extremely lucky w. the rain too - it poured yesterday (THursday) and the road to Mukono was nearly impassible (Fred went to Kamapala for chicken vaccine and was stopped for 3 hours near Kisoga for a line of matatus being pushed up the hill!); today appears to be sunny, too! Don't know if the mudslide in Eastern Uganda made the news - about 100 people killed they think. People were squatting on public park land (and the government doesn't look), and had cut down most of the trees on the side of a big hill - and it gave way in the heavy rains! It's really been raining!!!

On the way in today (we left right at 6:00) another driver stopped our matatu on the and said there was flooding in Kampala so our driver was going to go a different way, but he made a few phone calls and guess that was not true! There was a big accident in Mukono and traffic was stopped both ways, but we managed to take a road around the country and miss that (phew)! Travel here is always an adventure!!!

On to the week past - We had our COS (Close of Service) party last Saturday - lots of fun. Only 7 missing out of about 40 of us left. We had a great Ethiopian buffet - nice spicey food - then a slide show and dancing. I made it till 11:30! Was up at 7:30 and out of town by 8:15. I was pretty sure there was not going to be any action at the hotel till noon! A little rain on the way back but the road was still O.K. I'll miss the PC "kids" - a great group all in all. It's amazing how they have gotten close after being dropped in a foreign country by chance - but it does take a certain "breed" to go into PC I guess - crazy? maybe, but also able to tolerate ambiguity and being uncomfortable a lot of the time!

Monday it rained all nite - I slept for 10 hours! YEA! I got started at PH but I couldn't get the bakery office key to type and Sr. J was in Kampala so I went to my apt. to sort papers for burning. I washed my sheets etc., hung them out - and then it started to POUR - it rained for hours. The sun came back out at 3:00 and stuff sort of dried. Went back down to PH after tea w. Holly. At that point, one of the hospital Sisters came to PH to tell one of the PH Sisiters (only Sr. Benna around) that Anastasia (the girl w. diabetes and sickle cell) who's been in the hospital since Friday nite was unattended and doing badly (you are supposed to provide a caretakers for every patient). Becky and I went up with the matron, Auntie Justine, who had been checking on her during the day. Apparently Anastasia had tried to get out of bed to poop and fell - when we saw her at 4:00 she was totally unresponsive and her breathing was intermittent..she looked bad. Josephine came by and said she'd been there at 3 and Anastasia was talking tho' refused to eat. Sr. Juliet was on her way back from Kampala but her taxi was stuck between Mukono and Kisoga (got there at 10:00); She called the priest to come and give Last Rites and he did. The Doctor stopped and put in a nasal feeding tube. She was till alive hen we left around 10:30 but was having convulsions and still not conscious. Two girls were staying the nite (and they were scared). Poor girl - she's so thin and lives w. constant pain - but she's a fighter! When I got to PH two years ago I thought she'd be dead in a week! For the medical types, the nurse started her on an IV of Glucose (she's diabetic); the Doctor said to give Saline and not Glucose; the nurse said they were very low on saline and he said "FIND SOME" - she rolled her eyes!

Tuesday a.m. Sr. J stopped by and said Anastasia died at 2 a.m. Hope and Proscovia were at the hospial as caretakers and it was peaceful after she got some painkillers.
Sr. J and I went to town to buy a coffin and some barkcloth (for wrapping the body). The coffins are wood and ready made - they didn't have any little ones (she was only about 50 lbs.) so had to take a long, but thin one! Sr. J was really angry at the family for not coming to see her at the hospital. They live nearby and we know they had heard from others that Anastasia was very sick, but they refused to come (it's not uncommon for parents of disabled children to just divorce themselves from the child; also they are afraid they might get stuck having to pay something if they come to the hospital). The grandmother was at the hospital in the early morning visiting someone else and told Sr. J the family was all in Nkokonjeru but had no money to contribute! Sr. J arranged for a Mass at noon at PH and the family attended!!! w. lots of weeping and wailing! I told the father "Sorry you didn't see her when she was still alive" and walked away - not nice but I was pissed! The family then jumped in the truck to go w. the coffin to their home for burial! (looked good for the home crowd - sorry, I am bitter).

I spent the rest of the day typing (found the key). Then, Holly, Shari, Becky and I had a "paper burning party" - piles of PC paper! Holly even brought marshmallows to roast!

Wednesday Becky and I went early to Kampala - she wanted to do some shopping and I left her at Logogo Mall and hiked up to the PC office. I'm doing my physical early to get that checked off at least. I met with the PC nurse for urine, stool and blood and then down to The Surgery (muzungu clinic) to see the Doctor for the rest. Very thorough and I came off well. Had lunch at the little cafe there - cream of mushroom soup and 2 big slices of warm brown bread - delicious. (I'm getting excited about food again in anticipation of coming home). Back to PC and then to the dentist for Xrays and cleaning - also O.K.

I joined Shari's friend Michelle at the office and we came back to Nkokonjeru together - road was slippery but passable. "Checked in" w. Sr. J - they'd all been to Anastasia's buial but by 6 were cleaning out the central building as a temporary chicken coop for 250 chicks that are coming (we hope) from the National Agricultural Advisory Service (they are notoriously unreliable).

Talked to Gail - a blistering 33 degrees F in Minnesota (0 C) - might go up to 40 next wek - WOW - lots of snow left!

Thursday a.m. Sr. J, Sr. Seraphine and I sat down and finally got the Application done for a new PCV (but probably won't come till Oct.)! It only took an hour...Sister worried about making the appliation perfect - I said PC knows PH well enough and let's just get it done!

The day started sunny (more laundry up) and Becky and I were having a cup of tea about 10 while waiting for the Butabika nurses to come for the Epilepsy Clinic when the skies opened up - poured for almost 2 hours and we were literally trapped in the Sister's house! Fortunately, the nurses came sometime in there (Moses,the CBR volunter, had turned his phone off because of the lightening) and they were all working away! Moses has really come a long way - he was handling that alone and very well; also, Tuesday, he took a letter and the CBR 2010 Workplan to the Town's Community Development Officer (CDO) in the hopes of getting them to become more involved w. our work and thereby more (or at least somewhat) involved w. the disabled in the community like they are supposed to be. Anyway, the CDO wanted a budget and I told Moses I didn't have time right now and he said "I'll do it"! Great news - that's how it's supposed to work!!! We hand off!

We'd invited the CDO to come and see the Epilepsy Clinic which he did, despite the rain (I was impressed) and Sr. Juliet talked his ear off about how they could be involved! He also brought along some other people from the city office and one lady who's challenging the incumbent for the mayor job! Got him to sign off on the new PCV application - PC wants someone to say it's not a "fly by nite" organization and has been in the community for more than 2 years (try 82!). So, that was a bonus!

Butabika sent out four nurses and their supervisor - she was here to try to get Sr. J to take some elderly from the Psychiatric Hospital - Sr. J. said PH was full (it is). We've had quite a time (esp. Becky) w. the old man who's a Congolege refugee - incontinent, demanding, nasty - and Sister is not taking any more "unknowns". The nurses and Moses worked till 4:00 (63 patients) and then we had lunch! That will be my last Epilepsy Clinic - sort of sad. It's starting to be a lot of "lasts" - but I'm SO ready to go!

Then Sr. J and I met w. the Holland girls to review their proposed program. Their project is going to involve following 6 PH residents w. varying disabilities including going to their homes to see what could be done there (inexpensively) to improve the home environment (accessible latrine, easier feeding, hygiene routine etc.). It sounds exciting and Moses and Nelson will be going w. them. When we were done we used their laptop to see a CD Evelien and Tessa had sent of their life in Holland. Got to see their homes and watch them make chipati (flat bread) - Sr. was amazed at the road, stoves, etc....and esp. the snow!!! (about 1").

So, that's the week - it went fast. 'Course w. two days in Kampala it would - I should be back fairly early today and check the PO.

It's coming to a close - sort of mixed feelings - don't worry, I won't extend!! But I will miss the people I see every day; it is a nice country...here I am using the internet and having great lunches - what's to complain about?

Thanks to all for your patience w. my ramblings - and for your constant support and prayers. Almost there!!!!