Uganda ohhh Uganda…..

For everything you made me miss,
I now leave you, only to miss more.
For every creepy creature or man you challenged me with,
I found ten more creatures of beauty and love to make me forget.
You broke me, then you nurtured me,
Like a disease you became a part of me,
My love for you spread from my fingertips to my heart.
And now I must leave you,
As the African sun sets the sky on fire, my final good-bye
Is graced with a perfect sun set,
Followed by a perfect moon.
Ending with a perfect kiss, from a potential love,
That must go unknown.
One more ending,
One more new beginning, forever changed by what you gave me.
I thank you,
Mama Africa

(photo from visiting Vironica's village about an hour from Mbale)

I most certainly like to talk about all of the fun things I do while I’m not working….But I’d hate to mislead you into thinking I never have to work. Fortunately, I find myself being constructive with my time here as well. So let me share a little bit more about the work we have been doing lately. My time is winding down here, that’s undeniable; but before I go, we MAPLE ladies are putting together a little extra curricular outreach to other young ladies in the community.

We would like to make our impact in Uganda as positive and productive as possible. There are many things to benefit from, personally and professionally, by creating positive relationships with the community that we live and work in. A majority of Ugandans never have the opportunity to leave the country, so as foreign visitors we don’t intend to assimilate young girls to our beliefs and culture, but we hope to offer a new perspective and friendship from a different part of the world. Traditionally in Uganda, women play a submissive role and are often victims to discrimination and violence. We hope to create an open forum where we can encourage family planning, female empowerment and higher self-esteem.
(I might have just copied and pasted that last part from the proposal I just wrote up...haha )

We are working with a high school that is located only a block away from our MAPLE house, and so far we have gotten nothing but positive feedback. This keeps us motivated and hopeful. The business education trainings with Mbale United Women’s Association have also continued and are going well. It has been really fun to see how much more active the women have become saving and improving their businesses. Only three more trainings with this group of women, but that won’t mean good-bye.



Ok, enough business talk….. Just a little tid bit about the fun I have been having: this last weekend I got to go on tour with six of Uganda’s top musicians. We made our long journey to Western Uganda, stopping in two towns called Mbarara and Fort Portal. Along the way we drove through Queen Elizabeth National Park where we got to see two herds of Elephants, lots of water buffalo, and even wart hogs running along side the road. But the most impressive part was definitely the views of towering mountains, tropical vegetation, and numerous lakes that made me feel like I was back in Oregon. They say that there are certain plants and animals that you can only find on the equator, and I can’t tell you what they are, but after being there I believe it.

Some Lingo for y’all:

Uganda was a British colony, so luckily for us, they speak English here. However, a large communication barrier still exists. As you can imagine our accents are slightly different, to say the least. We find ourselves constantly trying to interpret what the other is saying; and if it isn’t our accent, then the problem lays in the lingo:

AMERICAN UGANDAN

Do you want a soda? Do you want to take a soda?
Do you have any Sprite? Is Sprite there?
We are out of Sprite. Sprite is finished.
Let’s go. Let’s push/move.
You are going out in the rain? You are going to move in the rain?
Let me walk you home. Let me push you home.
I just devoured my chicken. I just punished that chicken.
I’m scared of spiders. I fear spiders.
Welcome. You are welcome.
(They say this WHEREVER you go)
Where were you? Where are you from?
(This one always trips me up)

*You also notice that sentences often come in a different order here: “you are going, where?” “You are doing, what?”

On another note…. We made another trip out to Sipi Falls aka the most beautiful place on earth, and we had a great time. The rain came with us, but I wouldn’t say we were too disappointed to have her presence. Last time I was at Sipi Falls, we hiked around wet with sweat from the pressure of the hot sun; this time we were wet from the pouring rain and it made for a COMPLETELY different experience. We slipped and slid from one waterfall to the next, and I felt like I was a five year old with a sugar high. When you are soaked to the bone and forced to trudge down a path that is more like a waterfall itself, there is really no point in keeping your composure, you might as well as start jumping from puddle to puddle or follow Dennis and Joel's lead and slide down on your "kabumbum."


So on forward.... This weekend, while all you in the good ol' USA are getting your inner ghoul on, we will be heading to Kampala, to get our groove on. (We will be the dorky white kids, trying to shake it) We are just hoping that the whole MAPLE crew will be able to make it. It seems while I was gone in Kampala last weekend the boys ate something bad, so the health of the house hasn't been the best. But it seems that they are on the rebound!

Miss and Mr. Uganda

Yesterday I was looking at my belly button and thought to myself, “what the heck Jaime, how did you bruise your belly button…..oh wait that’s just dirt.” Now don’t get me wrong, I shower very regularly…I just swear this African dirt finds a way to follow you, from my feet to the creases of my elbows, Uganda has very much become apart of me.


So what’s a better occasion to get all polished and cleaned up for, than Miss and Mr. Uganda 2009? Rachel and I became absolutely giddy from the moment we bought our “VIP” tickets to the show. Now we wouldn't normally go for the gold, but VIP for $50 isn't usually an option. Walking into the event we had to stop and pose for the flashing cameras as we made our way to our table. We shared our table with a guy who tagged along from our hostel and two local guys our age who are friends with some of the contestants. So, as we were sitting there minding our own business one of the local guys asked, “Hey, wanna go backstage and get pictures with the Mr. Uganda contestants?” ummmm….. “yes, please.” Not only did we get some snaps with the contestants in their swimwear, but we went back later to get them in their suits. It was great, and right when I was thinking we picked the right table to sit at, the same local guy says, “hey this is my friend from the news, come meet him and he’ll put you on TV.” So, I got my interview and my 15 minutes. Over the past week, most of my Ugandan friends have told me that they saw the interview at some time during the week, although I never saw it. Then on Sunday, I was in the mall in Kampala and I had a group of Asians take turns taking pictures with me because they thought I was a celebrity (which it is still unclear if they saw me on TV or if they just assumed the young American was an actress).


However, the icing on my cake for the evening would definitely be the moment I got asked to be a Miss. India-Uganda contestant.

Me: “But I’m not Indian or Ugandan…”
Miss. India coordinator: “oh, its ok…will you be around?”

Well unfortunately for me and Uganda’s huge Indian population, Miss. India-Uganda isn’t until January and I go home in December. Well, I still got invited to do an Indian dance performance and run way show in Kampala this week…however, it was conveniently rescheduled for November after I had already arrived in Kampala. Looks like I’m just not meant to be an Indian …..damn, who would have thought?

Well, my visit to Kampala wasn’t a complete waste. I got to roll with the “Good Lyfe” crew to their concert in Masaka, a village about two hours outside of Kampala. However, this time I wasn’t in the crowd, I got to be onstage. Which was about as awkward as it was fun.


Life here has been pretty crazy for the past month, and I don't see it slowing down any time soon. (well I hope not at least) So, if I continue to slack on my posts please forgive me and check out my roomie's stuff. (they are much better writers anyways) Not to mention it's interesting to see how this experience is from different perspectives.

Joel's blog: thewhitenile.blogspot.com
Caitlyn's: realworlduganda.blogspot.com
Luke's: picturemewalkin.blogspot.com
Brad's: Bradhoffa.blogspot.com

The New Crew:

As you may or may not have noticed my blogging has become a little less common. Firstly, I apologize. Secondly, I must say it is a good thing for me; because it means that I have too many better things to do. As, we continue in our transition from our summer crew to our fall crew, a lot more responsibility falls into my hands. And maybe for the first time, I think I know what I’m doing. I am really thankful I’ve had the opportunity to be here for five months rather than the intended two. It seems that after two months I am just beginning to cross barriers I didn’t realize existed. Additionally, I know I wouldn’t have been comfortable with my impact here or lack thereof, if I had to go home after two months.

Now to the new crew: first came, Miss Rachel


Rachel and I already tend to embarrassingly say things in unison in our sweet but painfully obvious American accents. Americans generally like to say, “please, thank you and your welcome” for everything and that’s not bad, but just not so normal…here. Rachel has got an eye for running Maple, almost as much as she’s got an eye for the latest fashion. As you can imagine after two months in the same clothes, this diva is excited to have a few new dresses to steal out of Rachel’s closet. But for more than just Rachel’s good taste in clothes, as a founding member of Maple, Rachel is a very valuable new member to Maple Uganda and I for one am super excited to have her here.

Next came B-Rad….



He is true to his name. Friday night the boys and I hit up Mbale town and Brad proved how rad he can be. I knew the Ugandan liquor, “Waragi” could make me dance pretty awesome, but I had no idea of its potential until Brad came along and knocked me out of the water and off of the dance floor. Brad is going to take lead on our Maple work in Lira and in his free time he tosses the American football around with the excited local munchkins and lights up everyone’s day with his big contagious smile.

And then there was Jo-el:



Joel: “smile…go file,”
Me: “what?”
Who doesn’t love random comments here n there….well, with Joel they are everywhere. And so far, it’s great. I almost forgot I snort sometimes when I laugh, but these guys have me laughing enough that it’s impossible to forget. Joel is going to be in charge of finding Maple a village to work with, so when he isn’t organizing that, Joel enjoys rambling non sense (sometimes even in Spanish or Arabic), crosswords (sometimes both at the same time) and beating me at Yahtzee.

Well that’s the crew and it seems that we have about as many corks as we do charms, so we are in for anything but a boring few months!

Chaos in Kampala....

I don't know if our news here has hit home...but if it hasn't, Uganda isn't in the best shape right now. As tensions raised between Uganda's Bagandan King and President Yoweri Museveni a rumor spread, via text message, that the King was incarcerated and rioters very quickly formed to defend the honor of their king. This rumor not only caused havoc and destruction all across Kampala, Uganda's capital city. But the death toll has reached 14 (mostly from stray bullets fired by police) and at one point, 20 women were stripped and beaten by an angry mob. No matter what news source you read, it seems like they all have a different version of what is going on, but that seems to generally be the norm with the news here. But one thing is consistent,the uproar came so quickly, everyone seemed to be about as confused as they were distressed.

So where was I planning to travel tomorrow? Kampala. Don't worry though, things have calmed down drastically and the American embassy as well as friends in Kampala tell us that we should be fine if we just wait until Monday. It just so happens that our new MAPLE members, Brad and Joel arrive Monday and Wednesday in Entebbe. Welcome to Uganda.

First Training

Eleven women attended our first business training. We fit comfortably in Chairwoman Vironica’s outside patio area, where we arranged chairs in a half circle around our teacher Christine. The training began with a skit performed by the three women who arrived to the training on time and was presented when we began 45 minutes after schedule (gotta run on African time). The skit was a perfect ice breaker and made the training feel fun. The group felt very comfortable, and weren’t shy to express their opinions and ask questions. Even though the training lasted until 5pm instead of 4 pm, none of the women left early. We didn't have as many women attend as we hoped, but it sounds like more might be coming this Saturday...sometimes you just have to bug them enough. This week, following up, I am meeting two of the women who couldn't attend and I will be going over the curriculum with them individually. I'm looking forward to working with the women but I'm nervous they will think I know all the answers to their business problems.

Last week, as the house goes through the transition of losing Emily and kind of Pat, Luke and I had the house to ourselves. It is really weird to go from seven people mulling around to two. But don't get me wrong it was great. Until the transformer blew in the middle of the night and we though we were being sabotaged. The light bulb in between Luke's room and my room exploded outside our windows and I was sure thieves were unloading fire on us. Then in my sleepy stupor the paranoia of people plotting to rob the two Muzungos (white people) crept into my mind...and apparently I wasn't alone on that thought. The next morning Luke admitted he didn't get much sleep after the power went out, because he was also certain, there was a plot to get us. Now, before we sound too crazy, you must understand our neighbors have been robbed twice. (Not to scare you ma) But lucky for us, it was just the power.

This week, still in transition as Luke and Pat travel off to Kenya and Rachel (a newbie to the house) and I wait for our new comers who will arrive by Wednesday. The house is again down to two. Rachel and I are definitely taking advantage of the peace of an empty house before it fills up again. I love Mbale, but I am looking forward to getting back to Kampala to pick up the guys. There is a certain stress and pressure from our work that doesn't leave me when I'm in Mbale, so getting away here n there is always a treat.

Cornrows......

Yup...I had to do it. How could I come to Africa and at least not try taking a walk down the corn rows? Luke still thinks I should get them all the way down my head but I think this will be as adventurous as I get. Not much else to report about, but just thought I'd share :)

Oh...actually one request..... So I entered a Victoria's Secret contest and I asked my friends to vote for my entry on Facebook, and now with only 25 votes I'm coming 2nd! So I really have a chance at winning. You can vote once a day...so if you get bored and find yourself online, you should help me out with a vote ;) Thanks!

http://www.bodybyvictoria.com/#/Gallery/4261

Good-Bye Shawna and Hello 23

(Musa ready to go to Canada!)

This past weekend was bitter sweet. Shawna, who has been such a great friend to me in the past few months had to head back to Canada. But she wanted to do her last few nights right. So, who am I to complain if she gets us a beautiful hotel room and full body massages? We were so mentally prepared for a good pampering, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. The only thing I could manage to complain about was the smell of the soap. We had a woman bring us up a bottle opener for our wine and I had to ask, "do only men stay here? Because all the soap is for men. I don't have a boyfriend but I smell like I do." She laughed and told me I'm crazy.... oh well, its not like I haven't heard that before. After skipping around our room and getting all dolled up, Radio came to pick us up to take us to hang out with his crew at a bar. It was a Sunday night, so the night life was very relaxed. Which was great because there weren't a lot of people to bug us, I mean we were rolling with celebrities. (haha) The rest of our time in Kampala was basically spent shopping around buying various wood carvings and jewelry. Then it was good-bye, and I was on a bus back to Mbale while Shawna headed to catch her plane to Canada.


"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you...." what a way to start the day! I rolled out of bed, walked into the living room and my phone started to ring. It was my two best friends, and when you are far from home on your birthday, the voices of loved ones become such a treat! I had a very nice birthday. My roomies made me banana pancakes complete with candles for breakfast, then I went and had a dress made in town, then I spent two hours trying to mail a damn package that apparently didn't want to be mailed (not a highlight of my day), but then I headed to Doreen's to get my hair done. We hopped on the motorcycle and she took me to her favorite place.... well, lets just say it would have been a nice hairdo if they didn't grease it up so much. I looked like I just stepped out of the shower by time they were done. oh well, it gave us something to laugh about and I'm always about a good giggle. Then it was off to dinner at our favorite Indian food restaurant, followed by a surprise desert after at the sports club, where Doreen had a cake waiting for me. The cake looked pretty good..until Doreen started spraying confetti foam all over it and us and our drinks. But then again....it was just one more funny thing to laugh about and it definitely didn't stop us from eating the cake.

Meet Our Boys

The Boys: Joseph (13), Godfrey(6), Musa (4), Emmanuel (2)

Thank you for all who volunteered to help children with their school fees! After much deliberation, I couldn't think of a better family to sponsor than one that has become a part of my own. Paul and his family live behind our house in the "boys quarters" but lately we have noticed that Joseph (the oldest) hasn't been at school. So, I asked Paul if Joseph is done with his school year and Paul very sweetly said, "well no, but for financial reasons we have to wait until next term for him to continue with his education." So what we are thinking is that if we set up a "you pay 50% I'll pay 50%" of Joseph and Godfrey's school fees because they go to a better school that has higher fees then we will be able to keep them in school for an entire year and Paul has time to save up money to get them through next year and maybe even get Musa enrolled as well. We think this structure will also be more beneficial because it isn't the white people just giving a hand out, it is: we care for your family and we want to work with you to keep them in school. I can't tell you how greatful I am to those who helped out, this is going to a wonderful family! Love you all!

You are me bread and me butta......

s

Best birthday ever. Not mine, but Shawna's. It started off with a day by the pool at Mt. Elgon Hotel, not a bad way to unwind from the long week. Then it was off to DAAWAT, our favorite indian restaurant for some good food and not bad wine. Then we were off to the main event, "Bread and Butter" concert by the Goodlyfe, headlining performers: Radio and Weasel. We were all pretty excited because we have been hearing about Radio and Weasel since we got off the plane. Although, you may have never heard of them back home, but apparently they are kind of a big deal. This year they are even nominated for the MTV European music awards and African awards for best performing African group. So, after seeing about three hours of opening acts, which I'm pretty sure most of them were lip sinking (even a backstreet boys song, haha), the GoodLyfe hit the stage. Shawna and I were determined to get a good spot so we made our way around the side of the stage and were in the perfect place to rush to the stage when Radio and Weasel come on. Now, I realized Shawna and I were the closest Mzungos (white people) to the stage out of the eight of us who were in the sea of Africans, but I found myself thinking, "I swear Radio keeps singing to me....no its just my imagination....oh nope, he is definitely serenading me." I think the song started with something like, "beautiful womannnn...." and he grabbed my hands from the stage and stared at me while he sang the song. I didn't know the words so, being the dork I am, I just moved my lips mumbling jiberish.

Then as the show was about to come to an end he grabbed my hand one last time and said, "you come." So me and Shawna snap our heads to each other, "was he just talking to me?" Then, just to be clear Radio comes back to say, "meet me backstage." Ok, yup he is talking to me. So, what do we do? Well we went back stage! But first we rallied the troops. So, after an invite to the after party Luke, Shawna, me and our two local friends JB and Eddie headed to Club Oasis to join the fun. But honestly, I was a little nervous...

Lucky for us all went well, Shawna and I got to be the center of attention of the main men while groupies and other fans tried to nab their attention. However, Radio and Weasel ended up pleasantly surprising us, they were both very well educated and spoke perfect English, so it wasn't empty conversation, they were very interesting.

However, as the night turned into morning it was time to leave the club. And the headlining band also became our ride home. We were afraid some fans might follow us as they swarmed the van when we got in, but we didn't have a problem. So, now we are just keeping an eye on the papers to see if we make it in the "Red Pepper," Uganda's most popular tabloid/ newspaper.

Letters from home!!!

It is amazing what joy a singing birthday card, some tea bags, makeup and candy can bring you when you are so far from home and everything that makes your daily routine, routine. THANK YOU!!! Auntie and Grandma, thank you for the birthday cards, they arrived in just a week! I figured they were birthday cards, but how could I wait? And much to my surprise, the package my mom sent me only took 10 days to arrive; this is a big surprise because we have been told that even a letter from Mbale to Kampala takes 3-5 days, and Luke has been waiting for a package from Eugene for nearly two months. Guess I'm lucky, but anyways just thought I'd say thank you and I love you!

Lions, Hippos and Hogs Ohhh my!

So much to catch up on...and so little time. Well, since the new group has been here, work has been a little stressful...but put eight people in any house and see what happens. So time for a get-away? Yes.
The choice: Murchison Falls in Northern Uganda. So, Ron, Allan, Lizzy, Shawna, Emily and I loaded up and headed off to Kampala to meet our driver. As we sat on the bus beginning our three hour coach ride all I could think about was all of the emotions this journey has pulled me through...happiness, anger, joy, sadness, frustration, hope, love, peace, inspiration and despair. But in that moment I simply felt content. I put on my earphones, a small smile and closed my eyes.
Next thing I knew it we were in a Safari van headed to the top of a waterfall. And when I say waterfall I mean more like a giant, violent rapid that is oddly calming and peaceful. Then we headed to our beautiful cottage at Sambiya Lodge for lunch, unpacking and preparing for a boat ride to the base of Merchison Falls, so we could hike to the top and enjoy the view of the Nile. After a good sweat and lots of beautiful views we were ready for a glass of wine and bed.
The following day we were up at 5 am and ready for our game drive. (This was my highlight) At this point we had already seen crocodiles, hippos, baboons and elephants but as we headed out to the west shore of the Nile we got to add numerous gazelles and deer, giraffes, hogs and even lions to the list.
It was great, because we had a ranger with us we were able to go off trail to see some lions and right as we approached, we scared some unsuspecting deer into the direction of a ready lion, so just meters away we witnessed the kill...it was incredible. The game ride lasted about 5-6 hours, but we never got bored. If we weren’t spotting creatures out the windows we were sitting on the roof just enjoying the African sun and the morning breeze. To end our day in the park we tried to go chimp tracking but they only had three permits left, so Ron, Lizzy and I sat out and went for the nature walk while the rest of the crew went searching for the chimps. (I figured I still have a few months to cross that one off my list) Unfortunately, for the chimp trackers, no chimps were to be found....but we had a great nature tour. We got to see some shy black and white monkeys, a slug with a shell bigger than my hand, vibrating ants, tree bark used for “juju” (witch craft), parasitic trees and a 500 year old mahogany tree. We also had a wonderful guide, Justin, who told us stories about his relationships with the chimps, and his favorite chimp he calls “Joe” who once saved him from a 15 ft python. Justin said for $100 I can get a permit to sit all day with him and the chimps....hard to resist, but we will have to see what my budget and time allows.
Well, now that I have very thoroughly rambled about my latest adventure I will briefly say that I also got to stay the night in the Jewish capital of Uganda which was only five minutes up a hill from Mbale. I’m not Jewish, but I look like I could be, and it was kind of fun having people think I was. It was absolutely peaceful, no 5 am call of prayer, 6 am rooster call, or 7 am alarm of screaming kids out my window. We just got in for dinner, a good night of sleep, and some quality reading time with a beautiful view. There are three Jewish villages in Uganda and it was very interesting to go to the largest. (Which was still very small) Most Ugandans follow some form of Christianity or Islam, so to see a different religious influence so ingrained in the culture was very interesting.
Any who, I’d like for y’all to keep reading my blog so I’m going to stop before I bore you to death. And just a shout out to Auntie and Ma, thanks for calling it is always fun to chat with you and I love hearing about all the exciting news from home ;) Aunt Sierra and Jeremiah, you are in my thoughts :) :) :) hugs n luv to all!

First Meeting with MUWA

Mbale United Women's Association is the SACCO we are working with, and Saturday we got to work! About thirty-five women attended and it was a success. We had six topics and my topic was "planning a better business." We rotated smaller groups of women and each talked about our given topic and got feedback from the women to see if the topics were important to the women; and if they would be interested in learning more about them in one of our workshops. Now, lets keep in mind I have never ran a business, and my knowledge about strengthening a banana stand is a slightly limited, however, I just kept the concepts basic and in turn got a lot of great feedback.
It is really interesting how resources seem to fall in our laps here. Just yesterday we had a lengthy discussion on how it would be great if, along with getting Ugandan business student interns to help us, we could get medical student interns to incorporate a health education element to our workshops. Then, today Allan (the doctor who is working with us) got an email from a colleague in Kampala who has Makerere Med students who need intern positions and would love to work with us. So hopefully, soon we may have Ugandan business and medical students working along side us here in Mbale, giving business and health training to SACCOs here in the city and in surrounding villages.
But on a more personal note.... I can't say I'm not missing my Oregon summer, and all my friends. We are having fun, but we really are working a lot. Sometimes, I just want to hop in the car with the radio blaring, windows down and cram in one more girl between the camping gear and head out to Blue River for some quality time around the campfire and skinny dipping. It's funny I don't remember being homesick in Spain. But don't worry friends and family! I'm far from crying myself to sleep. It's just a different adventure from anything else I've ever experienced, and it is definitely growing on me in a different way everyday.
So, just to keep you filled in on current events, I will also be either going to Lira and Murchison falls (in the North) or Jinga (half way to Kampala) this weekend for a get-a-way adventure and maybe a little work while I'm at it. So, I'm really looking forward to that :) But anyways, friends and fam thanks for keeping up with me! Love you lots!

I couldn’t believe I was at a hospital yesterday, no I wasn’t hurt, I just couldn’t literally believe the buildings I was looking at were wards. I don’t know what I was expecting, but the experience was definitely humbling. We have made friends with three medical students who have been interning here in Mbale for the past month, but Saturday they will be returning to Kampala. So, we got the VIP tour of the referral hospital here in Mbale. Can’t say I felt very comfortable walking through the general medicine area. One side of the ward was for men and the other for women, and that was about the most privacy anyone had. Men were sitting in the open with catheters, people with IVs going into their heads, half naked women, beds were just piled into a room, and from what our friends told us, it was a slow day because the beds only had one person in them. Treatment is free at these government run hospitals but what they don’t cover besides some medications are gloves! Patients either have to bring a box of gloves with them, or hope that whoever treats them finds that they are in extreme need of them. (So I think Emily and I are going to try to get a few boxes donated) Then, it was off to the maternity ward, seeing dehydrated babies and women who just gave birth wasn’t very fun, but holding a newborn baby....that was amazing! I acted like a real Quicker woman, and definitely cried a little, haha. I felt pretty silly, but I am very maternal, and I have never even seen such a new baby, it was amazing. So, while shocking at times, overall the visit was very nice.
But on a lighter note, the rest of our crew rolled in last night. Our professor Ron Severson, his daughter and a doctor from the university got in around seven and we had a chicken roast in their honor. But all else is going well, I got invited to a Muslim wedding here for Saturday, but unfortunately we have to work this Saturday : ( But my local friend Dorin and her British boyfriend assure me they will get me to another weeding or introduction (when the man offers a woman’s family a dowry for her betrothal) while I’m here. So, hopefully that will work out!
Oh, and the visit out to the village with Auntie Vironica went very well. We basically played with the village children for a few hours, so that’s where the photos are from....needless to say they really liked my sunglasses :)

Alicia Keys look alike?

Hmmm...I'm thinking not so much. I wish I was a Alicia Keys look a like, but I'm wondering what my Ugandan friends were drinking. One thing I don't think I will ever get used to here, are some of the hidden motives some people may have. I have a really hard time understanding why someone would ever want to be my friend besides for enjoying my company.
But I am continually reminded that people here see white people as a resource first and friend second....sometimes. But I think I will remain naive to an extent, I really hate making generalizations, because I have also already made some very genuine relationships as well. But the reason I say this is because of some of the interesting relationships and interactions I have already had with a few individuals. There is this woman named Topi who I always have a lot of fun dancing with whenever I go out, but when I just met her for a beer I found myself buying a round for five and getting questions such as, "does your organization pay you to be here, or how did you buy or ticket? We should some visit you in America, do you have a boyfriend? You should meet my brother." And that's all good and fine, I understand their curiosity, but I also realize that my color also may give them a false perception of what they could gain from my friendship.
Take for example Topi's brother, who I did meet. He just spent the last hour confessing his love for me. "No, you are just infatuated, you could not possibly love me. You do not know me, you just met me an hour ago." And his indestructible response," You have no consideration for my feelings when I tell you how much I love you. I do not assume you have any more money than I do, I love you because of how beautiful you are and I can tell you are a good woman. I am absolutely not just infatuated with you. But you do look just like Alicia Keys." Hmmmmm......all I could think of saying was "thank you, but I'm really only interested in making friends while I'm here." But when the table of five Ugandans were telling me I look like Alicia Keys, can't say I wasn't a little flattered as much as I was flabbergasted.
I have been making quite a few friends already and I think the people in the house may get a little worried I may be too trusting. However, naive I may be, careful I remain. The reason I am even writing about this is because I kind of need to vent about this dilemma I face. It really bothers me that I can't trust the people I befriend, because often there are hidden agendas. So how do you know who to trust? I guess you just listen to your gut and learn from trial and error. Another example, which I love, came today in the form of a mysterious letter. The mother of the family that lives behind us got a note today to deliver to Luke which said, "Dear my best friends how are you and how is life please. I want to inform you that I want to your best friend and we are brothers and sister God says love one another may God bless you. Please answer for me the phone please (number) my name is Sumay and please answer my message. From Sumay to my best friends." My instant reaction was "how sweet!!! Lets invite her to dinner." Then I realized, at about the same time my roomies snapped me back to reality, "Jaime, we can't just let anyone into our house that is nice to us, that is how our neighbors were robbed." ohhh wow. Duh. But definitely some food for thought; I see every relationship that I touch as something to learn from, whether it be good or bad it is always something interesting and something to learn from. You just hope the relationship never ends up being too bad.

Workin hard with Auntie Vironica

Today like most days here was....interesting. It was also the first time in a long time I worked for a solid eight hours on anything besides homework. Apparently, if we want the SACCO members to actually come to the meeting we have been planning for them we need to personally bring an invitation to them, and basically guilt them into it. Vironica is the chief of the SACCO and has been the woman who has made our relationship with the SACCO possible. So because I have been the leader for planning this meeting I volunteered to pass out the invites with Vironica. Little did I realize this meant eight hours of walking near and far, knocking on members doors, traveling out to three villages and in the end funding two children’s schooling. And we still only got to half the names on the list. Now, don’t get me wrong I may sound like I am complaining but I’m far from it. Today, at times, was hard and exhausting but always absolutely amazing.
Wait a minute...funding two kids to go to school? Ok, well I know I can’t pay for every child that deserves an education to go to school, but two? Definitely. It all started with the eight year old boy who sold two bananas to me and Vironica while we were taking a rest under a tree. Vironica asked the boy why he wasn’t at school and he said, “school fees,” so Vironica asked, “how much do you need?” the answer: “8,000 shillings” (which is roughly $4). My God I had to restrain myself from just opening up my wallet. The problem with just giving the child the money is that without personally paying the school, you never know where the money will actually go. So, I asked Vironica if there were any SACCO members who’s children weren’t able to go to school because of an amount so small. And of course the answer was yes. Our next stop on our agenda just so happened to also be the school where the 12 year old girl was attending. So in five minutes and roughly $4.50 out of my pocket, a 12 year old girl was able to finish her school year. That gives you a certain kind of high to do something so small that makes such a huge difference. So I asked Vironica if that girl, Ester, has any siblings that would need the same support (gotta be fair) and she said they don’t need the help now as much as Judith. Ok, who is Judith? Judith is anywhere from 5 ½ to 7 years old, she is from a rural village and they aren’t sure. But Judith and her seven siblings just lost their father to a snake bite. When one of the woman from the SACCO went to the funeral what she found was appalling. There was no money for a proper burial and all of the children were already visibly in very poor health. The mother couldn’t afford to feed the kids more than one small meal a day. So five of the children were adopted by individuals who attended their father’s funeral. The older children stayed in the village with their mother to work digging holes. Now Judith for the first time in her life is eating three times a day, but her adopted mother still cannot afford to pay Judith’s school fees, which are basically $40 for a eleven month school year. I had the opportunity to meet Judith and my heart melted. She had never seen a white person before and her timid smile and wide eyes were locked on me with amazement, as my eyes were locked on her in equal bewilderment. How could a child so young have already gone through so much pain? Its one thing to hear about it, and another to shake hands with it. So, in my mind I adopted Judith...I then vowed to myself to do whatever I can to make this beautiful young girl’s life just a little better. Let me know if anyone wants to sponsor a child and I will walk to their school and pay the bill myself...there are countless “Judiths” here.
Tomorrow should be an adventure as well, I will be heading up the mountains to another village with Vironica to buy some millet for her business. This should be super cool because anytime you go very rural, the culture is always rich with new surprises. Can’t wait :)

Just another day in Mbale...

Life here is an interesting thing. When we aren't working we are either at the market getting supplies for the next meal, cooking or eating. The pictures here were just taken a few hours ago at our favorite veggie lady's spot in the market. Without microwaves or full size refrigerators meals can be quite a chore. Which is kind of fun because I love cooking....but I have a feeling this might get a little old. The general rule of thumb for us is if you can't cook it or peel it you can't eat it. So we have had to get a little creative in order to have a little variety in our diet. So if anyone has any recipes that only need tomatoes, beans, peas, garlic, potatoes, rice, pasta, eggs, carrots, eggplant, pineapple, mango, bell peppers or onions PLEASE share...because we seem to be running out of new ideas. Two nights ago we made homemade tortillas and had some delicious vegetarian burritos, then last night was minestrone soup, tonight I'm in charge and I will be attempting Pad Thai.
The house is actually empty right now, and I think this is my first moment alone. So nice, I'm cracking open a guinness and not worrying about someone wanting the computer. I have really enjoyed everyone's company, but who doesn't like a little alone time? And I do prefer to have it during the day. The one evening I stayed up later than everyone else, as things got quite all the critters started coming out. Within that hour alone in the living room I saw two mice, numerous lizards and two giant cockroaches.....needless to say I haven't been so brave since.
Today has been a little bit of a slower work day for me, mostly because things work a little slower here. And if you know me, I'm not always the most patient person; so this is good for me. But after buying our groceries Shawna and I went by our favorite fabric stand to buy some materials to get skirts made. Fabric and personal tailoring total cost was 15,000 shillings which is roughly $9. Souvenir anyone?
Then, for a last stop I thought I might buy a pair of flip flops from one of the many vendors on the sidewalk. Not so easy. As soon as I tried a pair on i had men grabbing my feet, shoving various flip flops on them. Not only shoving their flip flops on me, but throwing other vendors flip flops down the street to get the other guy away. haha, A tid bit overwhelming... so no flip flops today, but definitely an interesting experience.

some pics of the palace...

Getting to work!

So many of you may or may not know what the heck I’m doing here. Well we are more than less still figuring that out. But the good news is, the picture of my purpose here is becoming more and more clear. So quick overview: I am here doing work for a non profit organization called M.A.P.L.E. We were formed just over a year ago by three University of Oregon students, therefore our mission statement is still ever changing; however, we would ultimately like to give microloans and provide our clients with business training and possibly mentorship opportunities. By partnering new entrepreneurs with business students (ideally Ugandan...eventually) we hope to help them develop a more successful business and allow them to escape poverty. So in our first steps to develop a training program, we are working with a SACCO called Mbale United Womens Assocation, in very short, it is a savings group, where members put a little money into the pot every month and when they need a big sum of money they borrow it from the group.
Today, myself and the two new arrivals Emily and Shawna got to visit and interview five of the SACCO members businesses along with the leader and creator of the group, Vironica (who told us we are about to get a lot of new Aunties!) And we kind of figured out of next move. We asked the women what kind of skills they would be interested in learning more about, which generally was some form of book keeping, saving strategies, investing and expanding their businesses. So we set a date and on the 25th of this month we will have a big meeting with all the members to further discuss what they want to learn about and for an official meet and greet. Then we are going to develop a curriculum for weekend workshops where members will come once a week and learn more about creating a successful business. The whole task can be pretty daunting, but after meeting these women, I am absolutely going to do the best I can to help them. They seem to have faith in me, so now I just to find a little bit more in myself and see what we can do :)

Finally ballin' in Mbale

What did you do for 4th of July? Well, I'll tell you what I did.... not to brag or anything. So we had a night to rest in our new home in the Indian Quarters of Mbale, Mbale Uganda, then it was a short bus ride up to the top of Mt.Elgon where we stayed at the cutest little resort, and by resort I mean that from rustic African standards; aka pit toliets, occasional electricity and no running water. But it was incredible. From basically any viewpoint we could see Sipi Falls and the vast vally below where we sat on a cliff. And who was there to greet us right when we got in? An adorable monkey! Which I expected to see a lot more of, but we didn't so I'm glad I got lots of snapshots while I had the chance. Our first night the boys went to a locale's home to pick out a chicken to kill for dinner. Lovely, right?
Then for our first full day our guide, Juma, took us on a four hour hike up the mountain to three different waterfalls, it was fascinating to walk on these small winding steep paths where workers would pass you with unimaginable loads of goods in their hands and on their heads. We got to see beans being harvested and walk through maize fields, and coffee trees, there was so much beauty to see everywhere. I have also been trying to pick up on some of the language, and our African friends Eddie and JB have been more than happy to take me on as a student. I love the look of surprise on Ugandan's faces when the musungo (white person) responds to "hello" with "Ogambachi Nebow/Sebow" (hello madam/sir). I didn't really consider learning any of the language before I got here, but if I am going to be here for five months I might as well try! Besides, there is already a dialect barrier with the English spoken here. I'm trying to catch on, but sometimes I can't tell if someone is speaking English or Luganda.
So moving on to the rest of our fourth of July celebration, the evening after our hike we celebrated the 4th along with Luke's birthday with a chocolate cake, all the way from Kampala (which they put in the freezer instead of the fridge....) and "Tin Can Tony," a goat. I hate to admit it but I made it a point not to look at Tony and I made a trip to get some oil while he met his last few minutes...I may have gotten a little misty eyed and vowed to be a vegetarian. But, I obviously wasn't too serious about that, considering I may have tasted a little bit of meat just a few hours later. But the roasting was a success, we ate, drank beer and local brew (kinda nasty), and we sat around the fire chit chatting away. Then the next morning it was a hike out to one more waterfall and home we went.
I thought it would be nice to be home, and it would have been, had I not brought back some form of a souvenir from our weekend. At first I thought maybe my stomach was upset, then it set in. Lets just say I thought I was possibly going to die, I was so sick! But now that I'm on antibiotics (thank god for the travel clinic, stocking me up!) I feel a lot better, and today I just might have my energy back.

IAMsterdam

So it seems I am always a little short on time when ever I get chance to post, so I apologize if my posts lack a certain quality. But in short, Emily and I had a wonderful time in Amsterdam. We stayed at a Irish Pub/Hostel, which were it lacked in space it made up for in charm. However, I think we spent more than we anticipated throughout our visit...oops. Our first day we rolled in around 7 am and unloaded at our hostel and got right to work. Our first day we rode a train out to a little town called Weesp where we rented bikes and rode them through the countryside to a little town that had a beautiful castle. Then we were totally pooped, so we took a nap. Afterward, we got invited to go on a pub crawl by a certain handsome Australian... so how could I resist?? Emily was more logical and stayed in, but surprise surprise, I decide to rally. I'm glad I did though, I met a lot of really great people who made our visit very memorable. The rest of our trip went as you could hope: VanGogh Museum, boat ride through the canals, merangue lessons from Colombians, Heiniken tour, lots of beer and Yatzee! Oh and I may have tried a certain pastery, but don't worry padres it didn't really work, I was so worried I'd eat too much, I never ate enough. So when it came time to leave, for various reasons I was sad to go, but how could you ever be too sad when you know your next stop is Africa?