I spoke to my mom for a few minutes this morning and she was able to get her PO Box while she was on her site visit last week. I have updated it on the side, but here it is:
Kathy Westerman
P.O. 788
Mukono, Uganda
She said she got 8 letters today and is going to attempt to send me some pictures so I can post them for her. She will send thank yous for all of her mail when she gets to her site next week. They have their language test next Monday, and I believe they leave for their sites on Wednesday or Thursday of next week following a get together at the Embassy.
We are able to talk on the phone now without crying so things must be getting better for all of us!!
- Gail
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Friday, March 28
We're here! Actually, Christine, the PCV who's at Providence House now, and I are in Mukono - the nearest town. I was going to get a PO box here, but need 3 passport photos to open one....was going to get them but the power is out, so I can't. So, no PO box number today. Just the way things work here!
Impressions: It's so hard to describe...I'm glad Corky is coming because I'm really not sure what's "normal" anymore...normal American anyway. Ride out was about 2 hours from Kampala...last hour was BUMPY, but the scenery is gorgeous...hilly, green and lots of trees. Nkokojeru is small but has a wide main street and is really clean....not all the trash that we see in Luweero. We are staying w. Theresa, the other volunteer who has a two bedroom house - very nice but no longer available for PC. I'll get some prints made in Kampala tomorrow and send them to Gail......I'm not sure how to do it here and these computers are slower than Luweero - on generator tho'.
Providence House serves 120-150 people - children, adults, elderly. Most are disabled in some way....epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, hydrocephalic, missing or deformed limbs, mental illness, retardation....you name it (they say "retarded" and "deformed" here - was trying to get translations for nicer sounding words, but there're aren't any). It's a bit overwhelming at first...have I said that before? The Franciscan nuns who run it don't have a good funding source (any?)...so the services are slim, but at least the people have a place to stay. It's a walled compound and is nicely kept. The buildings are pretty plain...they boys dormitory burned down two years ago, but a group from Holland gave $ to build a new one.....doesn't have enough beds yet, but what else? The old shell is still there and the adult males sit on the steps all day watching whatever is going on in the compound.
There is a bakery on the compound that makes bread, cakes, donuts, etc. and sells them in Kampala and brings in some income but it's not nearly enough. We were going to meet w. Sister Juliette Thursday a.m. but she texted Christine and said they were out of food and she was going to try to "find" some. She did and we met later...not sure where she "found" it. They were getting food from the World Food Program, but that group pulled all their committments in central Uganda to focus on Sudan and northern Uganda where there is fighting....so the sisters scrounge. Generally meals are porridge in the a.m., posho (a maize "bread"...more like a dumpling).and beans for lunch and supper. The residents get some medical services when they can go to Kampala, but there is nothing that can be done for many - Cindy, I keep thinking of Erin at Courage Center! The little kids w/o legs just scoot around on the ground...some of the older residents have really old wheelchairs. They requested some wheelchairs from the Rotary, but haven't come yet (6 mos??). Things get done so slowly here if at all. Christine does a wonderful job of greeting everyone and you can see how important it is to them....if that's all I do for the next two years it will be time well spent.
But it probably won't be.....they have no written plans for the residents - some just sit there for years. The old administrator has just retired after 12 years and the new gal, Sister Juliette, wants to change things. We talked about writing up plans for each resident with goals and objectives (sounds like school). Also, Christine managed the Community Based Rehabilitation program - people come in, or they go to homes, for rehab...there is one OT and one PT who come some days. The sisters try really hard to serve everyone who comes to the gate, but it creates an overload. They have little organization - even for Uganda. They need a better structure, mid-level management, accounting.....I think then they might be able to attract a donor. Not sure what I can accomplish, but I'm going to try. I don't have a job description yet, but she said she'd work on it. Christine has worked really hard and is just tried of fighting.
I'm going to be staying in the Guest House on the convent grounds for a month and then take over Christine's apt. It's only one room - bed, table, 2 chairs, a few bookcases and a table w. a two burner gas stove and a self contained bathroom w. running water!! Has electricity, too. Heaven! It's across the road from Providence House and at the end of the convent and the grounds are beautiful. They had a bigger place I could have had, but it is now occupied by two volunteers from Holland who are leaving in may also. But, it's on the grounds as part of the boy's new dormitory and doesn't have running water! I really wanted to be able to get away at night. The sisters have to rent my apt. from the convent for 30,000 ugandan shillings ($18)/mo. but they were willing and will leave the other as a guest apt. I'm really happy....I will pay them the rent since $ are so short. We don't have to pay utilities as do most volunteers. Christine is going to give or sell me the stove and the furniture(it's nothing special) and her pots and pans and left over staples....so it's a good start!! I'd like to paint it, but the ceilings are about 12 feet high...really. It's a dark aqua now....not sure if I could paint it, what kind of ladder they might have either. If the sisters were O.K. w. it I could hire someone, but you never know when it would get done!
Holly is going to be living across the road in the hospital compound in a larger apartment with a real bedroom so we're close.....she has water and electricity, too. Sheri wasn't quite so lucky, but she's a trooper. She's in town in an apt. w/o running water but they promise electricity!
The PCV's at our spot are really fried. They are excited to be going home May 8 - neither of them has been home for two years and this place can definitely wear you down. They were going to travel at the end but decided to just head home for Mother's Day!
So, my apt. is in a VERY safe spot.....surrounded by nuns, noviatiates (nuns in training), a wall, trees and next to the nun's chapel. Providence House will be a challenge, but anything I do will be helpful. Sister Juliette seems very good to work with if you can catch her! Such dedication and hard work!
I'll work out a list of things to send if anyone wants to - it's totally optional. They have a resource room for PT that has a few things, but could use more. It's expensive to ship, but there may be a way to get books, like childrens illustrated books from the library sale, art supplies....I'll know more in a week or so. I would be thrilled w. anything - esp. instant rice packs, soups, choc. chips, taco mix, books, whatever you think would be fun to eat in a down moment. You can get a lot of stuff in Kampala, but treats are fun!!
Hope all are well and it's finally warming. Happy Birthday Curt!!
Impressions: It's so hard to describe...I'm glad Corky is coming because I'm really not sure what's "normal" anymore...normal American anyway. Ride out was about 2 hours from Kampala...last hour was BUMPY, but the scenery is gorgeous...hilly, green and lots of trees. Nkokojeru is small but has a wide main street and is really clean....not all the trash that we see in Luweero. We are staying w. Theresa, the other volunteer who has a two bedroom house - very nice but no longer available for PC. I'll get some prints made in Kampala tomorrow and send them to Gail......I'm not sure how to do it here and these computers are slower than Luweero - on generator tho'.
Providence House serves 120-150 people - children, adults, elderly. Most are disabled in some way....epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, hydrocephalic, missing or deformed limbs, mental illness, retardation....you name it (they say "retarded" and "deformed" here - was trying to get translations for nicer sounding words, but there're aren't any). It's a bit overwhelming at first...have I said that before? The Franciscan nuns who run it don't have a good funding source (any?)...so the services are slim, but at least the people have a place to stay. It's a walled compound and is nicely kept. The buildings are pretty plain...they boys dormitory burned down two years ago, but a group from Holland gave $ to build a new one.....doesn't have enough beds yet, but what else? The old shell is still there and the adult males sit on the steps all day watching whatever is going on in the compound.
There is a bakery on the compound that makes bread, cakes, donuts, etc. and sells them in Kampala and brings in some income but it's not nearly enough. We were going to meet w. Sister Juliette Thursday a.m. but she texted Christine and said they were out of food and she was going to try to "find" some. She did and we met later...not sure where she "found" it. They were getting food from the World Food Program, but that group pulled all their committments in central Uganda to focus on Sudan and northern Uganda where there is fighting....so the sisters scrounge. Generally meals are porridge in the a.m., posho (a maize "bread"...more like a dumpling).and beans for lunch and supper. The residents get some medical services when they can go to Kampala, but there is nothing that can be done for many - Cindy, I keep thinking of Erin at Courage Center! The little kids w/o legs just scoot around on the ground...some of the older residents have really old wheelchairs. They requested some wheelchairs from the Rotary, but haven't come yet (6 mos??). Things get done so slowly here if at all. Christine does a wonderful job of greeting everyone and you can see how important it is to them....if that's all I do for the next two years it will be time well spent.
But it probably won't be.....they have no written plans for the residents - some just sit there for years. The old administrator has just retired after 12 years and the new gal, Sister Juliette, wants to change things. We talked about writing up plans for each resident with goals and objectives (sounds like school). Also, Christine managed the Community Based Rehabilitation program - people come in, or they go to homes, for rehab...there is one OT and one PT who come some days. The sisters try really hard to serve everyone who comes to the gate, but it creates an overload. They have little organization - even for Uganda. They need a better structure, mid-level management, accounting.....I think then they might be able to attract a donor. Not sure what I can accomplish, but I'm going to try. I don't have a job description yet, but she said she'd work on it. Christine has worked really hard and is just tried of fighting.
I'm going to be staying in the Guest House on the convent grounds for a month and then take over Christine's apt. It's only one room - bed, table, 2 chairs, a few bookcases and a table w. a two burner gas stove and a self contained bathroom w. running water!! Has electricity, too. Heaven! It's across the road from Providence House and at the end of the convent and the grounds are beautiful. They had a bigger place I could have had, but it is now occupied by two volunteers from Holland who are leaving in may also. But, it's on the grounds as part of the boy's new dormitory and doesn't have running water! I really wanted to be able to get away at night. The sisters have to rent my apt. from the convent for 30,000 ugandan shillings ($18)/mo. but they were willing and will leave the other as a guest apt. I'm really happy....I will pay them the rent since $ are so short. We don't have to pay utilities as do most volunteers. Christine is going to give or sell me the stove and the furniture(it's nothing special) and her pots and pans and left over staples....so it's a good start!! I'd like to paint it, but the ceilings are about 12 feet high...really. It's a dark aqua now....not sure if I could paint it, what kind of ladder they might have either. If the sisters were O.K. w. it I could hire someone, but you never know when it would get done!
Holly is going to be living across the road in the hospital compound in a larger apartment with a real bedroom so we're close.....she has water and electricity, too. Sheri wasn't quite so lucky, but she's a trooper. She's in town in an apt. w/o running water but they promise electricity!
The PCV's at our spot are really fried. They are excited to be going home May 8 - neither of them has been home for two years and this place can definitely wear you down. They were going to travel at the end but decided to just head home for Mother's Day!
So, my apt. is in a VERY safe spot.....surrounded by nuns, noviatiates (nuns in training), a wall, trees and next to the nun's chapel. Providence House will be a challenge, but anything I do will be helpful. Sister Juliette seems very good to work with if you can catch her! Such dedication and hard work!
I'll work out a list of things to send if anyone wants to - it's totally optional. They have a resource room for PT that has a few things, but could use more. It's expensive to ship, but there may be a way to get books, like childrens illustrated books from the library sale, art supplies....I'll know more in a week or so. I would be thrilled w. anything - esp. instant rice packs, soups, choc. chips, taco mix, books, whatever you think would be fun to eat in a down moment. You can get a lot of stuff in Kampala, but treats are fun!!
Hope all are well and it's finally warming. Happy Birthday Curt!!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Easter Sunday
It's actually Easter Monday - we were supposed to start at 2:00 today because it's a holiday, but we're starting at 10:00....I already got some laundry done and wiped up my floor, so I'm here....it's drippy and about 62 degrees - cool by Ugandan stadards. Had to hang the laundry inside, but I need the shirts for the site visit.
Pastor Shem had been invited to preach at a mission church on Easter Sunday and we all went along (Margaret, the kids and me)....we left about 8:50...spent 20 minutes driving on the highway and then about an hour driving down a narrow dirt road....it had rained the nite before so it was pretty slick and a mass of potholes. Every now and then you'd see a road/trail take off into the green.....there were quite a few houses on the road-small homes but very neat compounds.
We got to the village about 10 and had tea with a church lay leader in his home; Church started at 11:00. The church was small but fairly new it seemed. It's brick and plaster construction and it looks like they just punch the windows out w. a chisel....they are just holes. It's all green outside and there was a hibiscus tree in one window. They usually do services w. lay leaders so having a pastor was quite an event! The rafters are small tree trunks supporting a tin roof but it had a cement floor.
The service was in Lugandan but I could pick up a few words. Most adults there (and in most villages) don't speak English (or only a little) - an incentive to work harder on my language. Pastor added a few English sentences to the sermon for my benefit and I could almost follow the scripture readings in my Bible (w. lots of gaps and a few key words). The sermon was about an hour and the entire service took over 3 hours, but it was really enjoyable...the people were SO happy. There were about 35 children aged 1-10 sitting on mats in the front, and while some fell asleep, most were very well behaved. At the end the Pastor got a large branch of green banannas (for matoke), a bag of greens (nakatali - like spinach) and a live chicken!!
It was so inspiring...I was just awed by the effort the people put into keeping their church going w/o support or a minister. Everyone, esp. the children, was all dressed up. The view was unbelievably green and lush. During the sermon it started to pour and you couldn't hear Pastor because of the tin roof so one of the lay leaders started singing - everyone joined in and there was clapping and African drums!
At the end the "altar guild" rolled up the woven mats that had been on the raised platform that formed the sanctuary, folded up the tablecloth and stacked up the white plastic chairs...today it's a school!
We had lunch (about 3) at the home of one of the lay leaders - it was a huge meal. She had 6 children and there were 7 of us in a small room (about 8'x8')....the Rwanda bunch would recognize the house. Very small two room mud and brick structure....one room is the "living room" where we ate around a low table (they usually eat outside on the ground but it was till raining), and the other room is the family bedroom w. a curtain on the door. The kitchen is a 3 sided structure outside. We had mounds of matoke, rice, nakatali, casava, stewed beef and orange juice. It was amazing considering their simple life....very humbled to be part of it all. Such generosity and gratitude! They laughed at my simple (and gramatically awful) Lugandan, but I have to keep trying!
Trip back was a challenge...Pastor has a church car - an older Toyota jeep type thing - and he had it in four wheel drive. It continued to rain and the road was like grease w. lots of potholes/puddles/small ponds! On the way back a man stopped us and we took his 3 adult daughters back to the highway for him. They were very nicely dressed, live and work in Kampala and had been home for Easter - it would have been a muddy ride on a motorbike boda boda which was the other option for them. At the highway they caught a matato to Kampala.
Quite a day - I was so impressed with the church and the people. Lots of Allelulias! The only downer was that it was actually cold (60s) and wet and windy and I was shivering some of the time - I haden't taken a jacket - figured it would get hot and it didn't. I know it's snowing in Minnesota and your sympathy level is probably nil, but I had to whine about something.
Got back about 5:30 p.m. and it was still raining but we had electricity after two days off....with no electricity the water pump can't pump to the tank on the roof so there's no running water in the house. Practiced my bucket baths - actually a "pitcher shower" bath. The goal is to use less than 3 liters of water and I can do it and wash my hair!!! At least we can bathe inside....many people have a seperate stall on their latrine outside for bathing.
I've read some good African books (borrowed) I'd like to share...."Scribbling the Cat" by Alexandra Fuller. It's about Zambia and Mozanbique and the effect of the war in what was Rhodesia. She
also wrote "Don't Lets Go To the Dogs Tonite" (my African childhood) which I'd love to read (hint)...she has wonderfully descriptive language.
"King Leopold's Ghost" by Adam Hochschild.....brutal story of forced labor in the Congo from 1890-1910 and beyond when it was a Belgian colony. Casey (the Minnesota guy) read it in college and when we were in Brussels he commented on "all these beautiful buildings built on the back of the place we're going"......
"Unbowed" by Wangau Maathiai - not a well written but very interesting. Story of the Kenyan lady who woked on the Greenbelt Movement in Kenya and was imprisoned and eventually won a Nobel Prize in 2004.
So, it's not all work by any stretch. Hope all are well....will hopefully add more when I get back Sunday from the site visit.
Pastor Shem had been invited to preach at a mission church on Easter Sunday and we all went along (Margaret, the kids and me)....we left about 8:50...spent 20 minutes driving on the highway and then about an hour driving down a narrow dirt road....it had rained the nite before so it was pretty slick and a mass of potholes. Every now and then you'd see a road/trail take off into the green.....there were quite a few houses on the road-small homes but very neat compounds.
We got to the village about 10 and had tea with a church lay leader in his home; Church started at 11:00. The church was small but fairly new it seemed. It's brick and plaster construction and it looks like they just punch the windows out w. a chisel....they are just holes. It's all green outside and there was a hibiscus tree in one window. They usually do services w. lay leaders so having a pastor was quite an event! The rafters are small tree trunks supporting a tin roof but it had a cement floor.
The service was in Lugandan but I could pick up a few words. Most adults there (and in most villages) don't speak English (or only a little) - an incentive to work harder on my language. Pastor added a few English sentences to the sermon for my benefit and I could almost follow the scripture readings in my Bible (w. lots of gaps and a few key words). The sermon was about an hour and the entire service took over 3 hours, but it was really enjoyable...the people were SO happy. There were about 35 children aged 1-10 sitting on mats in the front, and while some fell asleep, most were very well behaved. At the end the Pastor got a large branch of green banannas (for matoke), a bag of greens (nakatali - like spinach) and a live chicken!!
It was so inspiring...I was just awed by the effort the people put into keeping their church going w/o support or a minister. Everyone, esp. the children, was all dressed up. The view was unbelievably green and lush. During the sermon it started to pour and you couldn't hear Pastor because of the tin roof so one of the lay leaders started singing - everyone joined in and there was clapping and African drums!
At the end the "altar guild" rolled up the woven mats that had been on the raised platform that formed the sanctuary, folded up the tablecloth and stacked up the white plastic chairs...today it's a school!
We had lunch (about 3) at the home of one of the lay leaders - it was a huge meal. She had 6 children and there were 7 of us in a small room (about 8'x8')....the Rwanda bunch would recognize the house. Very small two room mud and brick structure....one room is the "living room" where we ate around a low table (they usually eat outside on the ground but it was till raining), and the other room is the family bedroom w. a curtain on the door. The kitchen is a 3 sided structure outside. We had mounds of matoke, rice, nakatali, casava, stewed beef and orange juice. It was amazing considering their simple life....very humbled to be part of it all. Such generosity and gratitude! They laughed at my simple (and gramatically awful) Lugandan, but I have to keep trying!
Trip back was a challenge...Pastor has a church car - an older Toyota jeep type thing - and he had it in four wheel drive. It continued to rain and the road was like grease w. lots of potholes/puddles/small ponds! On the way back a man stopped us and we took his 3 adult daughters back to the highway for him. They were very nicely dressed, live and work in Kampala and had been home for Easter - it would have been a muddy ride on a motorbike boda boda which was the other option for them. At the highway they caught a matato to Kampala.
Quite a day - I was so impressed with the church and the people. Lots of Allelulias! The only downer was that it was actually cold (60s) and wet and windy and I was shivering some of the time - I haden't taken a jacket - figured it would get hot and it didn't. I know it's snowing in Minnesota and your sympathy level is probably nil, but I had to whine about something.
Got back about 5:30 p.m. and it was still raining but we had electricity after two days off....with no electricity the water pump can't pump to the tank on the roof so there's no running water in the house. Practiced my bucket baths - actually a "pitcher shower" bath. The goal is to use less than 3 liters of water and I can do it and wash my hair!!! At least we can bathe inside....many people have a seperate stall on their latrine outside for bathing.
I've read some good African books (borrowed) I'd like to share...."Scribbling the Cat" by Alexandra Fuller. It's about Zambia and Mozanbique and the effect of the war in what was Rhodesia. She
also wrote "Don't Lets Go To the Dogs Tonite" (my African childhood) which I'd love to read (hint)...she has wonderfully descriptive language.
"King Leopold's Ghost" by Adam Hochschild.....brutal story of forced labor in the Congo from 1890-1910 and beyond when it was a Belgian colony. Casey (the Minnesota guy) read it in college and when we were in Brussels he commented on "all these beautiful buildings built on the back of the place we're going"......
"Unbowed" by Wangau Maathiai - not a well written but very interesting. Story of the Kenyan lady who woked on the Greenbelt Movement in Kenya and was imprisoned and eventually won a Nobel Prize in 2004.
So, it's not all work by any stretch. Hope all are well....will hopefully add more when I get back Sunday from the site visit.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Life is good in Uganda
Thursday, March 20 - tomorrow is Riley's BD! Also, the BD of the little girl in our home...she'll be five. We had a practice Language Proficiency Interview this a.m. and I took the 8 a.m. spot - kids don't want it so I'm free till 12:30! They can last from 5 to 30 minutes and I "lasted" 20 which was better than I thought (they stop when you can't go on in Ugandan)...had several scripts memorized, but they ask questions - it's just a Mock test - the real one is April 6....just before we go to Kampala for swearing in. My tester was really nice and VERY patient.
Interesting fact: Uganda has a terrible shortage of medical personnel - they all leave for better paying jobs. The nurse to Patient ratio is 1 to 1,000 and it should be 1 to 5 they say!! Tuesday afternoon we went to meet a traditional healer - sells medicines made from barks and leaves and has a hut where he meets with people who are having evil spirits.....he says it's angry ancestors. Very interesting and I could see where the medicine probably is good for people and his work with the evil spirits probably isn't much different from counseling!
Our PC nurses were here on Tuesday - they come every week - and gave a lecture on parasites, worms, insects, fungal and bacterial infections, TB and other uplifting topic! Good news: I got SEVEN letters on Tuesday - from Feb. 19 to March 3 - two from Corky, two from Gail, one from Jean and letters from Julie and Anne - MUCH THANKS!!
In the health booklet in the section on Mental Health they talk about Accultuation - getting used to being suddenly immersed in a new culture:
1st Stage - the euphoria of "I'M IN AFRICA (UGANDA)"; you see all people as the same and things are interesting and wonderful.
2nd Stage - (and I'm sinking fast into this one along w. almost everyone else).....there is NOTHING similar between Americans and Ugandans and many things here are so irritating you could scream....long lines, things not working, electrical "load shedding" - blackouts to save electricity (but at least my house has electricity sometimes), the dirt, dust/mud, their traditional beliefs and practices and lack of desire to change to "our way" which seems better, washing by hand, and the food - nearly every meal is matoke, potatoes and rice....it's not very interesting, not very nutritious and very bad for the GI track!
Stage 3 - There are bad things and good things but it's O.K. in the long run - I'm trusting that since the lst two stages came as predicted, Stage 3 will come too. Everyone is excited about the site visits next week and getting on site and cleaning your own home (standards generally are not high here, but it's hard w. the dust and mud and no refrigeration, etc.), and cooking our own food. Yes, I will have to cook, tho' the other volunteers at the site both love to cook, so I may get out of it.
Today is a very nice day, tho' it may get hot. Another advantage of my early PSI time was that I got to the bank shortly after opening and got my American $ deposited, finally....we have accounts PC set up. There is only one bank is all of Luweero and Kasana (two towns run together) with two tellers. A lot of locals don't use banks. Maria stood 2 hours to deposit her $$ and my host dad said it can take 4-5!! I got it done early in 20 minutes - doing things early is still the best bet....might even go home and wash clothes - "njoze engoye".....it's sheet time - UGH!
Hope all are well. I'll let you know how the site visit goes and what it looks like. I got a text from the current volunteer there - yes, I have learned to text - it's far cheaper than calling - and she said there are LOTS of opportunities....a new nun is taking over who actually was an orphan there and grew up to go to the University and come back....guess she wants to make some changes.
Would like to send some pictures after the visit....had a problem w. my camera and lost my pictures to this point...not many anyway...don't like to take the camera out for fear of theft.....it's the one crime that is prevalent here. Will see if I can find my cable and have an opportunity on a quicker internet.
I'm sending - no waiting in case something happens.....take care. Miss you all. Can't believe it's almost spring and baseball will be starting soon!
Interesting fact: Uganda has a terrible shortage of medical personnel - they all leave for better paying jobs. The nurse to Patient ratio is 1 to 1,000 and it should be 1 to 5 they say!! Tuesday afternoon we went to meet a traditional healer - sells medicines made from barks and leaves and has a hut where he meets with people who are having evil spirits.....he says it's angry ancestors. Very interesting and I could see where the medicine probably is good for people and his work with the evil spirits probably isn't much different from counseling!
Our PC nurses were here on Tuesday - they come every week - and gave a lecture on parasites, worms, insects, fungal and bacterial infections, TB and other uplifting topic! Good news: I got SEVEN letters on Tuesday - from Feb. 19 to March 3 - two from Corky, two from Gail, one from Jean and letters from Julie and Anne - MUCH THANKS!!
In the health booklet in the section on Mental Health they talk about Accultuation - getting used to being suddenly immersed in a new culture:
1st Stage - the euphoria of "I'M IN AFRICA (UGANDA)"; you see all people as the same and things are interesting and wonderful.
2nd Stage - (and I'm sinking fast into this one along w. almost everyone else).....there is NOTHING similar between Americans and Ugandans and many things here are so irritating you could scream....long lines, things not working, electrical "load shedding" - blackouts to save electricity (but at least my house has electricity sometimes), the dirt, dust/mud, their traditional beliefs and practices and lack of desire to change to "our way" which seems better, washing by hand, and the food - nearly every meal is matoke, potatoes and rice....it's not very interesting, not very nutritious and very bad for the GI track!
Stage 3 - There are bad things and good things but it's O.K. in the long run - I'm trusting that since the lst two stages came as predicted, Stage 3 will come too. Everyone is excited about the site visits next week and getting on site and cleaning your own home (standards generally are not high here, but it's hard w. the dust and mud and no refrigeration, etc.), and cooking our own food. Yes, I will have to cook, tho' the other volunteers at the site both love to cook, so I may get out of it.
Today is a very nice day, tho' it may get hot. Another advantage of my early PSI time was that I got to the bank shortly after opening and got my American $ deposited, finally....we have accounts PC set up. There is only one bank is all of Luweero and Kasana (two towns run together) with two tellers. A lot of locals don't use banks. Maria stood 2 hours to deposit her $$ and my host dad said it can take 4-5!! I got it done early in 20 minutes - doing things early is still the best bet....might even go home and wash clothes - "njoze engoye".....it's sheet time - UGH!
Hope all are well. I'll let you know how the site visit goes and what it looks like. I got a text from the current volunteer there - yes, I have learned to text - it's far cheaper than calling - and she said there are LOTS of opportunities....a new nun is taking over who actually was an orphan there and grew up to go to the University and come back....guess she wants to make some changes.
Would like to send some pictures after the visit....had a problem w. my camera and lost my pictures to this point...not many anyway...don't like to take the camera out for fear of theft.....it's the one crime that is prevalent here. Will see if I can find my cable and have an opportunity on a quicker internet.
I'm sending - no waiting in case something happens.....take care. Miss you all. Can't believe it's almost spring and baseball will be starting soon!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Actually, its Thursday, the 20th....I had this all written and then the power went out while I was editing - silly me.....but, thanks to another volunteer, I learned that it saves drafts - YEA! The internet has been out quite a bit, but I'm on now...might send short segments just so they get there.
Last Saturday we went to Kampala to see the tombs of the last four Baganda kings. There is a current King - Baganda is a tribe - there are about 40-50, but the Baganda were the ones the Europeans favored so they are the most prominent right now (according to them). Saw a small museum and went to the Mall....it really was a mall. Small, but four stories and fun to "cruise"...got some great American food which was much appreciated.
Updating on monday....had a very interesting day. We went to Kampala and walked around the big hospital, Malago...a huge campus...reminded my of the Mayo Clinic, just not so neat. We spent some time with TASO which is the biggest NGO dealing with AIDS patients...it's a huge set up and they have 10 satellite clinics around the country. Got to talk to some clients...some of whom were diagnosed in the early 1990s! And they looked good....amazing what the medications can do. One lady was telling me here story tho' and she lost a son at 6 to pneumonia (he had AIDS)....she knows it was her "fault"......I made it through the story but cried afterwards.....will have to get tougher or I'll be crying all the time I'm afraid.
Then we went out to Mukono and an orphanage for blind children....it was very nice and funded by Germans mainly. Quite a project. The area is near where we will be stationed and it's really very nice - very green and hilly. Mukono will be our nearest "big" town so it was good to see.....the usual shops alongs the dusty road, but more variety than Luweero. Looking good!
Corky said the economy is bad....sorry to hear. Affecting the lumber yard quite a bit.....at least I'm not spending any money!!
Went to conferences yesterday (yes, Sunday) at my host family's school....they go to a private school about a 1/2 hour walk away. Beautiful location and the grounds were so nice....not all the litter you see everywhere in town. The two older girls (9 & 10) are both in P-5 and there are 54 children in their classroom (1 teacher)...three to a desk. They have little assignment books and they write all day in them whatever the teacher writes on the board. Then they are tested on it. They post the term scores and class rank for everyone to see at Conferences. My girls hadn't done so well. The little girl (4) goes to pre-school all day and there are 50 in her room (about 30'x30') - five to a desk and two teachers. The teachers write the assignments in their little books and they fill in the blanks!! What a project! But the private school are much better than the public ones where classes are usually 80 or more!! They get rice and beans for lunch every day.
Hope everyone is well. When I get a P.O. box I might publish a "wish list".....you don't have to send anything, but you'd be amazed how much we appreciate stuff from home. Bottom line is send prayers....good health, stamina, good work and PATIENCE!!
Will send this and update for Thursday.
Last Saturday we went to Kampala to see the tombs of the last four Baganda kings. There is a current King - Baganda is a tribe - there are about 40-50, but the Baganda were the ones the Europeans favored so they are the most prominent right now (according to them). Saw a small museum and went to the Mall....it really was a mall. Small, but four stories and fun to "cruise"...got some great American food which was much appreciated.
Updating on monday....had a very interesting day. We went to Kampala and walked around the big hospital, Malago...a huge campus...reminded my of the Mayo Clinic, just not so neat. We spent some time with TASO which is the biggest NGO dealing with AIDS patients...it's a huge set up and they have 10 satellite clinics around the country. Got to talk to some clients...some of whom were diagnosed in the early 1990s! And they looked good....amazing what the medications can do. One lady was telling me here story tho' and she lost a son at 6 to pneumonia (he had AIDS)....she knows it was her "fault"......I made it through the story but cried afterwards.....will have to get tougher or I'll be crying all the time I'm afraid.
Then we went out to Mukono and an orphanage for blind children....it was very nice and funded by Germans mainly. Quite a project. The area is near where we will be stationed and it's really very nice - very green and hilly. Mukono will be our nearest "big" town so it was good to see.....the usual shops alongs the dusty road, but more variety than Luweero. Looking good!
Corky said the economy is bad....sorry to hear. Affecting the lumber yard quite a bit.....at least I'm not spending any money!!
Went to conferences yesterday (yes, Sunday) at my host family's school....they go to a private school about a 1/2 hour walk away. Beautiful location and the grounds were so nice....not all the litter you see everywhere in town. The two older girls (9 & 10) are both in P-5 and there are 54 children in their classroom (1 teacher)...three to a desk. They have little assignment books and they write all day in them whatever the teacher writes on the board. Then they are tested on it. They post the term scores and class rank for everyone to see at Conferences. My girls hadn't done so well. The little girl (4) goes to pre-school all day and there are 50 in her room (about 30'x30') - five to a desk and two teachers. The teachers write the assignments in their little books and they fill in the blanks!! What a project! But the private school are much better than the public ones where classes are usually 80 or more!! They get rice and beans for lunch every day.
Hope everyone is well. When I get a P.O. box I might publish a "wish list".....you don't have to send anything, but you'd be amazed how much we appreciate stuff from home. Bottom line is send prayers....good health, stamina, good work and PATIENCE!!
Will send this and update for Thursday.
Friday, March 14, 2008
March 14 - Site Assignment
Wednesday we got our site assignments and Thursday we met someone from our organization - most of us did, anyway. I will be going to Nkokojeru (means "white chicken??) which is a small town south east of Kampala. It's near lake Victoria and many ofthe people there are fishermen. There is a small 60 bed hospital there run by Franciscan nuns (Ugandan) and also, on the grounds is Providence house where I will be working. Thursday we got tomeet Sister Ambrosefrom the organization. There are two volunteers there now who will leave in April/May. A PCT, Holly, will be assigned to the hospital and I will be at Providence House. She will be doing AIDS outreach and home care. Holly is one of the late 20 volunteers and was a hospital dietician working w. AIDS patients and I really like here so that was great. We'll both live somewhere on the hospital grounds.
Providence House is a home for children and adults with mental and physical disabilities. Sister said they have children than have been abandoned because they are hydorcephalic or deformed (club feet, missing limbs, etc.) . The adults are elderly or have some sort of disability - crippled, epileptic, etc. They have a large garden and a bakery where the adults work and the children go to school. I'm not sure what I will be doing but it sounds like there is a lot to do. The two volunteers there also do youth groups and school talks. They have internet (when it works) and also electricity (when it works) so it's looking good for amenities.
There will be another volunteer working with an organization in town (we're a way out), Sheri, who is also great - couldn't have asked for better people to have around. It's about 2 hours from kampala by van taxi (matato).
I think it sounds like a good fit but overwhelming, but I've said that about everything here and i'm still here. Language is coming - I'm working more on it. Need to practice more at home but it's hard.
Wanted to add that in hospitals here you have to bring your own sheets and a family member to bathe you, shop and cook for you and wash your sheets and clothes....
Only downer is that my good friend, Maria, who is almost 66 and just great - she's very outspoken, energetic and loads of fun - will be in Kbale which is almost on the Rwandan border...about seven hours from kampala by bus. I'll get there and we're still planning to meet for my birthday at a nice hotel, but I'll miss her.
We visit our sites from the 26 to 29th of March so I'll know more then.
Hope you are all well and things are going O.K. It actually rained last nite so it's coolerand the dust is gone - things are looking pretty good.
Providence House is a home for children and adults with mental and physical disabilities. Sister said they have children than have been abandoned because they are hydorcephalic or deformed (club feet, missing limbs, etc.) . The adults are elderly or have some sort of disability - crippled, epileptic, etc. They have a large garden and a bakery where the adults work and the children go to school. I'm not sure what I will be doing but it sounds like there is a lot to do. The two volunteers there also do youth groups and school talks. They have internet (when it works) and also electricity (when it works) so it's looking good for amenities.
There will be another volunteer working with an organization in town (we're a way out), Sheri, who is also great - couldn't have asked for better people to have around. It's about 2 hours from kampala by van taxi (matato).
I think it sounds like a good fit but overwhelming, but I've said that about everything here and i'm still here. Language is coming - I'm working more on it. Need to practice more at home but it's hard.
Wanted to add that in hospitals here you have to bring your own sheets and a family member to bathe you, shop and cook for you and wash your sheets and clothes....
Only downer is that my good friend, Maria, who is almost 66 and just great - she's very outspoken, energetic and loads of fun - will be in Kbale which is almost on the Rwandan border...about seven hours from kampala by bus. I'll get there and we're still planning to meet for my birthday at a nice hotel, but I'll miss her.
We visit our sites from the 26 to 29th of March so I'll know more then.
Hope you are all well and things are going O.K. It actually rained last nite so it's coolerand the dust is gone - things are looking pretty good.
Monday, March 10, 2008
A Sobering Monday
We really got a dose of reality today - went to see a hospital about 1/2 hour away - it was actually very nice - a private facility funded by the Church of Uganda and the Church of Ireland....they even had a neonatal ICU....didn't see it, but by African standards the rest looked good.
Then we went out with a home care worker and saw AIDS patients in their homes way out in the country - we took a matato and I'm sure the driver thought we were crazy... All the people were on the Antiretrovirals. Two were doing pretty well, but two were not. One was a man whose wife died several years ago and he had three young daughters and can't work his crops. The other was a mom with about 8 children who was very sick from the ARVs - said she can't eat. I thought about how sad it must be to think that you may not see your children grow up....and who would care for them? One man was 60 and his wife died in 2000 so he's been infected a long time. He was very sick, but is doing well on the ARVs and was now managing his little farm - 2 pigs, a few bananna trees, a few coffee trees and some vanilla vines. He gave each of us some ground nuts when we left!
They have to get to the hospital every month for meds if they can in any way, but it must be very hard. They get so many other illnesses too....they say TB is very common among HIV positive people.
Just wanted you to know that there are some pretty serious moments and that the problems here are very real and personal.
Then we went out with a home care worker and saw AIDS patients in their homes way out in the country - we took a matato and I'm sure the driver thought we were crazy... All the people were on the Antiretrovirals. Two were doing pretty well, but two were not. One was a man whose wife died several years ago and he had three young daughters and can't work his crops. The other was a mom with about 8 children who was very sick from the ARVs - said she can't eat. I thought about how sad it must be to think that you may not see your children grow up....and who would care for them? One man was 60 and his wife died in 2000 so he's been infected a long time. He was very sick, but is doing well on the ARVs and was now managing his little farm - 2 pigs, a few bananna trees, a few coffee trees and some vanilla vines. He gave each of us some ground nuts when we left!
They have to get to the hospital every month for meds if they can in any way, but it must be very hard. They get so many other illnesses too....they say TB is very common among HIV positive people.
Just wanted you to know that there are some pretty serious moments and that the problems here are very real and personal.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Starting Week Four - Continued
If my ending seemed abrupt - it was....my computer froze up and couldn't add anything.....they shut it down and finally put on a new keyboard....I still had a few minutes left so I decided to try again and say Good-bye. We are learning that that's the way things work (or don't work, or work sometimes, or need to be gerry rigged, or whatever) in Uganda. It's hard when you're fresh from America, but I think it will get to be more "normal". It's amazing what "normal" is now...sitting lunch in a little restaurant while goats roam on the dirt outside - and that's the dirt between the shops and the highway!! Amazing that more goats don't get squashed!!
Good luck to all - miss you all a lot. Wish me luck in my site.
Good luck to all - miss you all a lot. Wish me luck in my site.
Starting Week Four
The computers are particularly slow and capricous today - wish me luck. But at least it's up...she was closed last week because someone stole her outside cable!! It's always an adventure here.
Went to church and cried again - I may have to stop going. They sang "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" and I teared up. It's really a moving thing to be so far away and have the same songs, etc. One difference...the lady next to me asked to put her cell phone in my backback to hide it while we went to Communion!!
As of Monday we will have been goine one month and one month to go to swearing in as PCVs! After our trip last week we all had trouble adjusting to being back in class all day - our health group did get one trip to a family planning center and saw school kids do African dances at a Red Cross Center - very neat! On Weds. we get our site assignments and get to meet our counterpart - the person we'll work with for two years! Everyone is VERY anxious. We all want to be out on our own, but think we'll miss the fellowship here.
We will get to visit our sites on March 26 for a few days and I'll set up a P.O. Box there. I really hope I have at least electricity. Since we are on the equator we have 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of dark every day - and it's DARK at 7:00 p.m. Can use the kerosene lamp or a headlight but it's not the same....I'm spoiled now. It's not always on but I love it. Appricate your electric switches!
My biggest challenge is learning the language....one of the "old folks" found an article about how much harder it is for us to learn - takes monumental memorization. I really need to study more but it's so overwhelming! My plan now is to learn 30 verbs (pick your favorites) and learn the conjugations of those and hope it works when we take our proficiency test. We asked if they'd be easy on us since training is two weeks shorter than before but don't think they will.
Other challenge is laundry - did my sheets and towel today (finally)...what a project!! It's just neverending. Women here are amazing!!
It's been raining some afternoons - cools it off for awhile. People say the rains aren't coming like they used to - they say the Sahara is on the way south!
Food: The endless subject. I'm finding that only people in prosperous places have the luxury of variety. We have the same foods every day - and Ugandans have then several times a day. Matoke (steamed, mashed bananas), rice, sweet potatoes, fried cabbage, beans, and occasionally stewed meat and fruit. Take lots of preparation time, too. We're on our own for lunch now and we go get fruit - pineapple (about $1), passion fruit, bannanas, papaya, mangos....very good and everywhere. Favorite lunch is chipati (fried bread) or Rolex - Chipati wrapped around a scrambled egg/onion/tomato - and wrapped in newspaper - takes off some of the grease! But they are GOOD. Children and men are incredible skinny for the volume they eat. Adult women sort of pack it on. Another new find is Stoney - a Coka Cola product that is like a ginger cola. The Indian "supermarket" stocks it for us.
I hope someday to have better internet access and be able to write to people individually, but for now I'm grateful for this. Most of the computers are being used now (noon on Sunday) by the PCTs!! We all miss the instant communication. I've learned to text since that's cheaper but don't think it goes international.
For those who don't know Jessica (June), Gail (Sept.) and Jamie and Naomi (Oct?) are due this year....What a year to miss!! Will be nine at Christmas instead of five...think of the shopping I could have done!! Kids here have almost no toys and their clothes definitely mostly come from church boxes from England or America. They all have school uniforms though.
Went to church and cried again - I may have to stop going. They sang "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" and I teared up. It's really a moving thing to be so far away and have the same songs, etc. One difference...the lady next to me asked to put her cell phone in my backback to hide it while we went to Communion!!
As of Monday we will have been goine one month and one month to go to swearing in as PCVs! After our trip last week we all had trouble adjusting to being back in class all day - our health group did get one trip to a family planning center and saw school kids do African dances at a Red Cross Center - very neat! On Weds. we get our site assignments and get to meet our counterpart - the person we'll work with for two years! Everyone is VERY anxious. We all want to be out on our own, but think we'll miss the fellowship here.
We will get to visit our sites on March 26 for a few days and I'll set up a P.O. Box there. I really hope I have at least electricity. Since we are on the equator we have 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of dark every day - and it's DARK at 7:00 p.m. Can use the kerosene lamp or a headlight but it's not the same....I'm spoiled now. It's not always on but I love it. Appricate your electric switches!
My biggest challenge is learning the language....one of the "old folks" found an article about how much harder it is for us to learn - takes monumental memorization. I really need to study more but it's so overwhelming! My plan now is to learn 30 verbs (pick your favorites) and learn the conjugations of those and hope it works when we take our proficiency test. We asked if they'd be easy on us since training is two weeks shorter than before but don't think they will.
Other challenge is laundry - did my sheets and towel today (finally)...what a project!! It's just neverending. Women here are amazing!!
It's been raining some afternoons - cools it off for awhile. People say the rains aren't coming like they used to - they say the Sahara is on the way south!
Food: The endless subject. I'm finding that only people in prosperous places have the luxury of variety. We have the same foods every day - and Ugandans have then several times a day. Matoke (steamed, mashed bananas), rice, sweet potatoes, fried cabbage, beans, and occasionally stewed meat and fruit. Take lots of preparation time, too. We're on our own for lunch now and we go get fruit - pineapple (about $1), passion fruit, bannanas, papaya, mangos....very good and everywhere. Favorite lunch is chipati (fried bread) or Rolex - Chipati wrapped around a scrambled egg/onion/tomato - and wrapped in newspaper - takes off some of the grease! But they are GOOD. Children and men are incredible skinny for the volume they eat. Adult women sort of pack it on. Another new find is Stoney - a Coka Cola product that is like a ginger cola. The Indian "supermarket" stocks it for us.
I hope someday to have better internet access and be able to write to people individually, but for now I'm grateful for this. Most of the computers are being used now (noon on Sunday) by the PCTs!! We all miss the instant communication. I've learned to text since that's cheaper but don't think it goes international.
For those who don't know Jessica (June), Gail (Sept.) and Jamie and Naomi (Oct?) are due this year....What a year to miss!! Will be nine at Christmas instead of five...think of the shopping I could have done!! Kids here have almost no toys and their clothes definitely mostly come from church boxes from England or America. They all have school uniforms though.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Visit to a PC Site
The internet at the Luweero cafe is very slow today and I'm on a "sticky" computer but I'll try. It's4:30 on Sunday and just got back from four days away visiting a PC site. We went in groups....thank goodness....we've only been here three weeks. We had to use public transportation which means riding the van taxis, which drive like crazy and are packed to the gills....yes there was a chicken on one! We left here early Thursday a.m. on a two hour ride to Kampala - van broke down and we had to wait for another one. In Kampala there are two BIG taxi parks where you pick up vans - they are jammed in there - and we had to get to the 2nd one...made it and got on the correct van east - by that time there were five of us together. It's really crowded and hot and the roads were full of potholes and dusty -4 1/2 hour ride w/o stopping.....I really limited my fluids!!!
The eastern part of Uganda is drier and not as prosperous as this area....fewer trees, too. Everyone burns charcoal in their cooking stoves and it's done a lot of damage to the cover.
Hada great visit with my PCV.....we were in a town right on the Kenya border. She's working with a community organization that has goodfunding. She's been there a year and said it took her 6 months to even begin to think of a project.....now she's been working since November on starting a youth center.....very slow process since you have to follow a set process and include lots of people's ideas. It will be a long time in coming, but it's a doable project.
The town has many problems because it's on the border and there is lots of all kinds of traffic through there, but there are also a lot of organizations working there. It was very hot(92)and dusty....just exhausting to get around.
She has a very nice home with electricity( some of the time)and running water (but not now because it's so dry). Learned a lot about the process of getting your home furnished and "yours"....takes a long time.....delivery of furniture is usually by bicycle or boda boda!!! It's pretty amazing how well the PCVs adapt at the market and all over....it just takes time.
Our group in the East met on Saturday at another town further north and actually went to a resort with a pool (rent a towel for 5000 ugandan shillings -about $2.65). My feet were finally clean for awhile! There were about 17 of us PCTs and about a dozen PCV (real volunteers). I was the only "old" one, but the kids are pretty nice to me. They were going out"clubbing" after dinner, but I walked back to the hotel w. one of the gals from our group who got a bad bout of stomach problems....so avoided that!
Trip home today was long but the roads were better and not so dusty.....good to be back. Have homework to do and see how my host family is doing. Should do laundry but it's getting late.
Miss you all. Will go now before this crashes or the electricity goes out.
The eastern part of Uganda is drier and not as prosperous as this area....fewer trees, too. Everyone burns charcoal in their cooking stoves and it's done a lot of damage to the cover.
Hada great visit with my PCV.....we were in a town right on the Kenya border. She's working with a community organization that has goodfunding. She's been there a year and said it took her 6 months to even begin to think of a project.....now she's been working since November on starting a youth center.....very slow process since you have to follow a set process and include lots of people's ideas. It will be a long time in coming, but it's a doable project.
The town has many problems because it's on the border and there is lots of all kinds of traffic through there, but there are also a lot of organizations working there. It was very hot(92)and dusty....just exhausting to get around.
She has a very nice home with electricity( some of the time)and running water (but not now because it's so dry). Learned a lot about the process of getting your home furnished and "yours"....takes a long time.....delivery of furniture is usually by bicycle or boda boda!!! It's pretty amazing how well the PCVs adapt at the market and all over....it just takes time.
Our group in the East met on Saturday at another town further north and actually went to a resort with a pool (rent a towel for 5000 ugandan shillings -about $2.65). My feet were finally clean for awhile! There were about 17 of us PCTs and about a dozen PCV (real volunteers). I was the only "old" one, but the kids are pretty nice to me. They were going out"clubbing" after dinner, but I walked back to the hotel w. one of the gals from our group who got a bad bout of stomach problems....so avoided that!
Trip home today was long but the roads were better and not so dusty.....good to be back. Have homework to do and see how my host family is doing. Should do laundry but it's getting late.
Miss you all. Will go now before this crashes or the electricity goes out.
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