"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Trying to sum up my last three months in Uganda (since I haven't blogged since beginning of October) is too overwhelming to even think about, so I will just say that it went by incredibly quickly and it was heartbreaking to leave. Thankfully, my family's visit came at the perfect time and distracted me from what would have been even more difficult goodbyes. It's safe to say that I wasn't ready to leave. I had good friends, discovered a church I loved, and was comfortable getting around on my own. To think of  starting all over- building new relationships, adjusting to a new culture, hearing a different language- wasn't easy.

Now that I have been in Tanzania for over two months (wow, time has flown!), I have to say that it still isn't easy. I am living a very comfortable life- I have my own room, hot water, wifi, easy access to almost anything I could need- but it doesn't feel like home yet.  I am struggling with building close relationships and missing my friends at home and in Uganda and of course missing my family as well. I know I haven't really been here very long yet, and am hoping this will change with time. For any of you that wouldn't mind, I would really appreciate prayers though. 

Despite some personal challenges, there are many things that are wonderful about being here: I'm getting good work experience, taking an African dance class, drumming class and Swahili lessons and have met many interesting people. Tanzania is a beautiful country and I can look outside each day and see Mt. Meru and if I'm lucky I can sometimes catch a glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Next weekend I'm planning to go to Lake Babati, which is known for being home to hippos. I appreciate the warmth of the sun and often think about how cold I would be if I had been home over the last few months.

St. Jude's is located in Moshono, not far out of Arusha town. It's a pretty quick taxi ride if we need to go anywhere. There are many good places to eat around town and I have even been to a couple of movies at one of the shopping complexes (MUCH cheaper than going to a movie theater at home- just a little over $5 and it shows current movies). There are about 40-50 international volunteers working at St. Jude's and the rest of the staff is Tanzanian. The majority of international staff are from Australia, since that is where the founder is from. I think I have learned more about Australian culture since I have been here than Tanzanian. I work in the Sponsor Relations department, and since the majority of sponsors are from Australia, have had to adjust to different spelling of words when writing emails: changing many 'o' words to 'ou' and z's to 's'. For some reason the hardest for me has been, when talking about school subjects, saying 'maths' instead of 'math'. Apparently Americans do a lot of things "wrong" (or different, to be less offensive). 

There is volunteer housing on campus, which is where I live. The campus is good-sized and is walled-in. St. Jude's has over 1500 students, divided between the Moshono campus (where I am) and the Smith campus (for secondary students, about 40 minutes away). The office is about a two-minute walk from my room, which is quite convenient for popping over to get coffee or tea during the day.  Right now I am sitting outside, within view of my room, on a couch under a nice covered area. It just started to rain so I guess I'm stuck here for a while. 

At church last Sunday, the pastor read us Mary Oliver's poem The Summer Day, in which she ends with "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" This was a good reminder for me not to just let days pass me by, but to truly live them, regardless of where I am. At the moment I happen to be in the beautiful Tanzania, and shouldn't take that for granted because before I know it my time here will be gone. It's so easy to get in the rhythm of life and day to day tasks and not take the time to explore new possibilities. I know this is something I struggle with and need to change. 

Anyway, that is all for now. I know I've neglected my blog for far too long, and I would like to say I'll be better about it from now on, but I've said that before and look what happened :)  So I'll just say that hopefully it won't be another 5 months before I post again. 

Life in September: The Hairy Lemon, International Festivals and Green Pumpkins.

Since it has been over a month since my last blog, I’ll just give some highlights from over the past few weeks. Sorry if it’s a bit disorganized.

Dani (another volunteer who has come and gone since my last blog post) and I went to this little resort called the Hairy Lemon for a couple of days. It took a couple of hours to get to by taxi, and then when we got off the taxi we had to take a long dirt road through a couple of villages to the edge of the Nile. Once we reached the water, there was a gong hanging from a tree. We rang it, and a couple of guys paddled a canoe over to the riverbank. We got on, and they took us to the Hairy Lemon, located on an island in the middle of the Nile. It was such a great place and relaxing weekend. It was quiet, peaceful, and at night we fell asleep to the sound of rushing water from a little waterfall not far from our cabin. During the day we laid on the beach, read and went swimming.

As for work, the month of September was focused on getting a spot on Globalgiving.org, a fundraising website. A huge thanks to all of you who donated to the project. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me. The goal was to raise $5,000 in 30 days, and we did it! The $5,000 will go towards building two new classrooms and an office at one of YOFAFO’s schools. The importance of this is huge, as one of the classrooms will be for the kids in primary 7, the last class before secondary school. If YOFAFO wasn’t able to build the classroom for them they would have had farther to go to school, and a higher likelihood that some would have dropped out. As a fundraiser for Global Giving, Valence and I did a 10k run/walk “to the Nile”. We went one morning to Jinja and the beginning and end of the run were literally within site of the Nile. It was beautiful.

Aside from Global Giving, we have also been working on Child Sponsorship updates. I have been the “photographer” for this project, which has been fun. It only took a couple of days to get pictures of all of the currently sponsored children, and then we took another day to get pictures and write profiles for about 20 new children who need sponsors. I must admit I have had my doubts about Child Sponsorship in the past, but I cannot deny the difference it has made in many lives, including in the lives of some young men and women I have personally met. YOFAFO is doing some great work and I am blessed to be here to see it taking place.

The other day I saw a woman carrying a small table, a stool, umbrella, and medium sized bag on her head. All at once. It was very impressive. A couple of days later I saw a woman carrying a pumpkin on her head (side note: the pumpkins here are green).

A couple of times on my way home from town I have been accidentally caught up in a group of people (many of them young adults or children) dancing, drumming, yelling, and making their down the street near our house. I asked the family I live with what it was about and apparently that happens when a boy is soon to be circumcised. One day when I was caught up in this several little kids started laughing at me and hitting me on the head and arms. I have no idea why, but I admit it did not make me very happy.

I’ve been working on getting my visa extended. When I first got to Uganda, I received a 3 month visa, which runs out tomorrow. The last couple of weeks I have been back and forth to Internal Affairs (in Kampala) trying to sort out how to get a Special Pass to stay in the country. After quite a few trips and a bit of waiting, it was approved and I’m supposed to go back to pick up my passport tomorrow.

We were out of power for about 5 days a week or so ago. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be, other than making it difficult to get any work done. I spent lots of time in Kampala, Jinja and Mukono that week charging my laptop and phone and trying to get some work done. With no power at night though, the stars were more brilliant than I have probably ever seen in my life. I just wanted to stand outside and look at them for hours. It reminded me of sleeping on the dock at Priest Lake, looking up at the glorious sky.

Some friends and I went to the Bayimba International Festival in Kampala a couple of weeks ago. It was fun to see some local Ugandan music. The ride back was somewhat eventful, as we got on a taxi that someone told us was going to Mukono and ended up stopping in Bweyogerere, which is a town just outside of Kampala. We started getting suspicious when everyone got off the taxi but us, and then our suspicions were confirmed when the driver told us to get out. Fortunately, we caught another taxi right away that actually was going to Mukono. It was probably good the first one stopped anyways, as we had realized we could see the pavement moving beneath us through several large holes in the floor of the taxi.

Well, this is getting long so I’ll stop for now. Sorry for the time between posts. I’ll try to be better in the future, but no promises : )

Home Life

Something I’m learned about myself since I left: I’m not very good at keeping a blog… sorry about that.

My Canadian friends left a couple of weeks ago, which was terribly sad. We had become good friends and it was hard to see them go. Thankfully, another volunteer came a week later, so I wasn’t by myself for too long.

                                 Left to right: Doreen, Melissa, Kristina (holding Beth), me, Jo, and Valence

I’m not sure I’ve written very much about my home life yet. I live in an area of Lugazi called Kikawula. It takes about 10 minutes or so to walk into Lugazi town. We live inside a compound with the family who runs the organization. The family lives in the main house, and then the kitchen and volunteer rooms are across from the main house. It feels like a very safe area, but we do have a guard who comes every night just in case.

We have power at the compound (most of the time) and running water. The shower is really cold, but we're thankful to have running water! Lately I've been going for a run in the evening, then the cold shower feels amazing. The kitchen has an oven, but no refrigerator, and no other appliances. The oven means lots of cakes though : )

Valence and Doreen, the couple who run Youth Focus Africa Foundation (YOFAFO), are great people. They have a huge vision for their organization, and are very passionate and invested in the work they do. Doreen heads the Microfinance project, while Valence takes care of the other projects (Health and Education).

Jo and Beth are their two children, and they are both extremely bright. Jo is only 3 1/2, but the way he speaks you would think he was 5 or 6. Beth (1 ½) is a cutie and follows her big brother around everywhere, wanting to do whatever he is doing. They manage to create quite a bit of mischief together, but their cuteness usually makes up for it.

As the Social Media intern, I update facebook and twitter, work with Amy (media/communications coordinator) on fundraising campaigns, and do whatever else is asked of me. The last couple of weeks I have been helping Doreen enter information for their microfinance program into the computer (she is more than a little busy with the kids). It has mostly been a lot of data entry, but it is still interesting to learn how their Microfinance program works.

That’s all for now, but I’ll try to write more soon about YOFAFO programs, and the organization itself. 

Ebola, Baseball and Life in Lugazi.

Sorry it has been a while since my last post. My life here has settled into somewhat of a rhythm, and things that once felt new and uncertain now feel normal and routine. It’s a nice feeling to feel settled.

Work:

YOFAFO is trying to get on a site called Globalgiving.org, which would allow easy online fundraising for specific projects. YOFAFO is doing amazingly well with very little resources, but it would be really great if they could have a new platform for fundraising. The first few weeks I was here was focused on helping Valence and Amy get the proper documents in order to submit for the Global Giving deadline at the end of the month. A couple of weeks were also focused on helping with a grant YOFAFO is applying for through the US Embassy Small Grants program. Now that both of these are finished, my work has gone back to focusing on the Social Media side: Facebook, Twitter, making flyers, newsletters, etc.

Life in Lugazi/Uganda:

Lugazi is a nice little town to live in, but it has also been nice to get out to Jinja or Kampala at least once a week or so, just for a change. Kampala has some great coffee, and we have found that Jinja, along with having the source of the Nile, has a couple of really great places to eat, as well as some stores that sell tons of movies. It has been fun to do some exploring in both of these cities.

The power goes out pretty frequently, which makes things interesting. As my work here revolves around Social Media, a computer is very necessary to get anything done. There has been many a day so far when I can’t really do much because the power goes out and my computer dies. I am definitely learning to be flexible.

There was a week or so when we were getting a ton of rain- and when it rains it usually pours. Unlike in Seattle, where people go about their business despite the weather, things here usually stop when it rains- for good reason. The roads become slick with mud, the raindrops are so big they cause the mud to splash up onto your legs, and enough rain often indicates a coming power outage.

You may have heard about the recent Ebola scare in Uganda, but it seems to have been contained before it spread very far. Honestly, people in this area didn’t seem very worried at all, as we are quite a ways from Western Uganda, where the outbreak started. My Canadian friends and I were a little nervous at first, and were careful about where we were travelling, but the scare seems to have died down.

In other news:

A couple of weeks ago we met two American guys here filming a documentary about the local Little League team. Apparently the team has made it to the Little League World Series in the US, and will be the first African team to actually play in the history of the Little League World Series. I guess a different team from Uganda made it a couple of years ago, but then their Visas were denied and they weren’t able to go. A documentary was made about their team as well, and Kristina and Melissa (the Canadian girls living here) watched it before they came, and used it to fundraise.

We ran into them again several days ago, and they told us this crazy story. Apparently they ran into this boy who saw their cameras and asked them to film him. They got a couple of shots of him doing different things, and went on their way. Later, he kept showing up at the baseball field when they were filming or watching. Eventually, they started talking to him (through a Ugandan friend of theirs, as he didn’t speak English). He told them that his mother had sold him as a child laborer to a woman here in Lugazi. He makes the equivalent of about $10 a day, but sees less than $0.50 for himself, and the woman who he works for takes the rest. He had to quit school, and is living in very poor conditions with two other boys in the same position. The two American guys and their Ugandan friend interviewed the boy and filmed his living conditions, as evidence to turn into the police. They are hopeful that something will be done about it, and already talked to the boy’s aunt, who agreed that he can live with her and go back to school. We met the little boy one evening, and he had such a sweet face. It’s so heartbreaking to think of how often these types of situations occur without anyone caring or having the resources to change their circumstances. It’s also amazing to think how much this boy’s life and circumstances will change if and when he gets out of this situation and is able to be back in school instead of working all day. It will definitely give him a better shot at a positive future.

Well, that’s all for now. As I write it is POURING rain, and I’m anticipating a power outage in the very near future. It’s also really windy, which is unusual but reminds me of home. Thanks for keeping up with me and I’ll try to write more frequently in the future. 

Don't ask a mzungu for directions.

I didn’t know what to write about this week, so here are some descriptions for you of things/places I am experiencing:

Matatus/Taxis: Those vehicles made for 15 at most, but which somehow manage to seat at least 18-20 grown adults. Add 5+ to that number if some of those present are children.

Good signs when you're in a taxi:

• You get a seat by a functioning window.
• You don't get ripped off.
• The taxi is almost full when you get in (although not too full because then you will end up getting squished in someplace that wasn’t meant to fit anyone bigger than a twig.

Bad signs:

• You are one of the first ones in. You'll probably end up waiting a long time  until every single seat is full.
• The driver gets out on one of the stops. This is often an indication you'll be there for a while.
• You are charged 3 times the regular rate and don't realize it until it is too late.
• The taxi is so full the guy who takes the money can't sit down, so instead stands hunched over those in the first seat.
• The driver makes a U-turn.
• The taxi needs to be push-started.

Taxi poaching:

This happened to me yesterday.  I waved to stop a taxi, but it didn't see me in time so when it stopped it was a ways away from me. As I was walking to get in it, another taxi swooped in behind it, stopped, and basically pulled me in. All the while the people in the taxi were laughing hysterically. I'm guessing this was probably bad taxi etiquette. 

I do actually really appreciate the matatus. They take you where you need to go and aren't too expensive. The price to go to a town about 2 hours away only costs the equivalent of about $1.50. Compare that to taxis (or even a bus) at home and it's easy to be appreciative, despite the cramped conditions!

Lugazi: The town I'm living in. Situated between Jinja and Kampala, two of Uganda's major cities.

Those of you who know me well know I'm awful at estimating numbers, so I won't even try to guess at the population size.

Some things I can tell you:

• It is VERY dusty here. My contacts and Lugazi are not getting along very well so far. Along the sides of the roads even the banana/palm leaves are covered in a layer of dust. The only time I feel clean is right after I get out of the shower.
• You can't go anywhere without children shouting "mzungu, mzungu!" at you. Sometimes they even make up little songs using the word mzungu. Even at night children somehow manage to see you and try to get your attention. Apparently white people basically glow in the dark. (note: Mzungu means white person/foreigner or something of the sort)
• Sometimes random people speak to us in a really high-pitched voice. example: "Hi mzungu, how are you?" said in a pitch about 2 octaves higher than anyone I know speaks. Haven't really figured this one out yet.
• Women here dress so nicely! Their clothes are always ironed and their shoes are mud-free. I honestly don't know how they keep so clean, but I would like to know their secret. Also they seem about a million times more graceful than most American women (myself included).
• Chapati (this delicious like-a-tortilla-but-way-better food) is sold all over the place, always tempting us to buy way too many, way too often. 

Kampala: The capital city of Uganda.

• The driving seems so chaotic. Not only is there always a massive amount of traffic, but people, bicycles, and boda bodas (motorcycle taxis) are always weaving in between the cars. People walk through the traffic selling newspapers, posters, food/drinks, and other random objects.
• Sometimes you stop at green lights and go on red lights. I haven't figured this out either. I think your best bet is to just follow whatever the car in front of you is doing.
• They have mochas in Kampala! Also other home-like foods. The other day I went into a supermarket in Kampala and bought what look like Teddy-Grahams, just because they reminded me of something I might buy at home.

In other news:

•  If you have a Facebook or Twitter account, follow YOFAFO. My job for the next 6 months is mostly dealing with Social Media. I apologize in advance for some lame tweets, but I’m new at Twitter, so hopefully those will improve.
•  I visited my host family from the last time I was here today, and it was unbelievably good to see them and be back at the house.
• Drink some ice water for me. It is something I didn’t appreciate enough when I had the chance.
• A lady from the US Embassy visited one of YOFAFO’s project sites the other day (related to a grant we are applying for), and I got to ride in their snazzy car. It even had air conditioning! It was kind of a funny though, we had to sign a waiver to go in the car with them. 

Hello from Lugazi!

 A week and a half. That’s how long I have been in Uganda. Somehow it feels like much longer already. I feel I have settled in and can easily see spending the next six months here.

It was strange coming back. So many things are the same, yet so much has changed. I am in a new town, meeting new people, learning new words but have also seen old friends, eaten familiar food, and have walked the same streets that I walked every day for almost 4 months. I admit I was nervous coming. Nervous about the differences. I had such an amazing time when I was here a couple of years ago but knew this trip would be so different. I was worried it wouldn’t live up to my memories. After being here even a short time I realize I didn’t need to worry. Yes, the circumstances are different, but I can already tell what an amazing time I will have. It is also comforting to know that I live close enough to Mukono (the town I lived in when I studied abroad), that I can go back to the familiar whenever I feel the need.

The organization I am interning with is called Youth Focus Africa Foundation (YOFAFO), and so far I am very impressed. They focus on education, healthcare and microfinance in three villages near Lugazi. I live in volunteer housing in Lugazi within the same compound as the director/founder of the organization, Valence, his wife, Doreen, and their two children, Jo (Joshua, 3 ½) and Beth (1 ½).  They are a lovely family, and I can already tell how passionate Valence and Doreen are about the organization. Their dreams for the future are inspiring and I already feel confident that they truly are making a difference in these communities.

While I am sad to miss very important happenings at home- the birth of my nephew, seeing my friend’s new babies grow, my cousin’s wedding, birthdays, holidays, etc.- I also feel as if I am where I am supposed to be at this time in my life. I can’t imagine feeling peace about being here otherwise.

Speaking of peace, I have discovered (or was shown, rather) one of the most peaceful places I have ever been. It is called the Rainforest Lodge, and as the name suggests, is in the rainforest. After driving to another town about ten minutes from Lugazi, you turn off the main road onto a path/dirt road and after a couple of kilometers, see this massive lodge-like building hiding in the midst of the forest. It feels very remote, which definitely adds to the appeal.  Every time I have visited there hasn’t been more than a couple of others there. Today I went and used the upstairs sitting area of the restaurant (nice comfy chairs and out in the open air) as my “office” for the day. I drank tea, spent some time working on my laptop, and just enjoyed the peacefulness. You can see monkeys in the trees surrounding the lodge, and the other day a friend and I spotted what looked like a chameleon on one of the columns. I’m sure I will be spending a lot of time there in the months to come.

There are two other young women staying at YOFAFO right now, teachers from Canada. They are tons of fun and have made the adjustment much easier. We arrived within days of each other, and it has been nice to explore Lugazi with others who are also new. Amy, the woman who was doing my job before I got here, just left yesterday. I was so glad that our time overlapped. Not only was it very helpful to talk to her about what she has been doing, what she will continue to do from Australia, and what I will take over, but it was also just good to know her as a person. She is so kind and thoughtful and I know we would have had a great time together had she been able to stay longer.

Over the past six months or so, I have had some strange encounters where I have been asked if I am: South African, Canadian, British, and Brazilian. I can now add Australian to the list. I was with Amy, who is actually Australian, when I was asked so I guess it makes a little more sense than the other times but I still find it funny, strange, and maybe just a little concerning. Especially because the question came from someone from New Zealand, who it seems would know better. I always thought I spoke with an American accent, but now I’m beginning to wonder…   :  )

Now that Amy has returned home I am just starting to get to work. The last week and a half has been spent visiting YOFAFO programs, doing some exploring, and getting over jet lag. It was nice to have some time to adjust, but now I am ready and excited to get to work. Talking with Amy and Valence has inspired ideas and I can’t wait to start. However, my schedule is very flexible and I look forward to having time to do some fun things around Uganda as well.  

I feel so blessed to be back in Uganda, learning from YOFAFO, meeting new people, and seeing old friends. I hope wherever you are, you are also feeling life's blessings and the excitement of what is here and what is to come.