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There have been some major occurrences in the last few weeks. A couple of weeks ago, we went to Murchison Falls on safari. For the safari, we woke up at 5:30 in the morning. An hour later, our mutatu was crossing the Nile River on a ferry. Watching the sun rise over the river was incredible. When we crossed the river, it was time to go on the driving safari. The cool part? We were able to sit on TOP of the mutatu. We weren’t even inside the vehicle. When we were driving, we saw kobs, elephants, giraffes, water buffalo, and warthogs. Madness. It was a wonderful experience.
For the second part of the day, we boarded a boat. We drifted down the Nile looking for hippos, crocodiles, and land animals that would be by the water. A few hours later, we reached our destination. The falls is an area of the river where three parts of the Nile waterfall down. Awesome.
The safari was unreal. When we got back, everyone looked so tan. We weren’t. We were just so caked in the orange clay dirt from the roads that we looked like we had a tan. After people got cleaned up, we all met at the pizza place. That’s when I got my phone call from my mom. It was about a student that I had last year.
She sat in the row all the way to the left, three seats from the front. She was quiet at times, but you could see that she still was infected by the contagious excitement for her senior year. She just graduated. She was just killed by a truck driving erratically. When I received this news, I kept saying that it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair. A few days before I received this news, I was at a conference in Gulu with Ugandan and American teachers. We were discussing K.O.B.S. (Knowledge of Behavior and Self). The curriculum focuses on the healing process of students who had been traumatized. There were many strategies on active learning and how to check in on the students. Some information was new, some was not so new. One thing did remain the same-relationships with the students helps. The whole conference was about how the relationships benefited the students…But I realized on Sunday that the student-teacher relationships benefited me as much, if not more than the students. I feel so lucky to have known a student who worked so hard to graduate. Who did it. Who was excited over dressing up during spirit week. Who loved bulldogs. She sat in the row all the way to the left, three seats from the front. I’m honored to have known her.
The next morning, July 12, I woke up to news that there were bombings in Kampala that killed over seventy people. The American that died was here with “Invisible Children.” He seemed like such a wonderful person. Still feeling the heaviness of the news from the night before, I again though about how it wasn’t fair. He was 25 years old. It changed how the next couple of weeks in the program was going to go. Pablo and I were going to move from Pabbo to Gulu. We were going to stay the night there, and then be picked up the following afternoon. We would have to commute the last two weeks. There were so many phone calls, and there are still some questions left unanswered.
So the next afternoon, we were waiting to be picked up. Before we were supposed to be picked up, we had to take care of finances with our cook and housing staff. We also had to do an inventory to make sure that we had everything and we had to make sure that all of our stuff was packed. So we are standing there with all of our stuff in the courtyard. Pablo took out an envelope of money that belonged to “Invisible Children.” The money was for food and other necessities. There was a guy waiting in the lobby. We had met him when he came into the hotel a few weeks ago. He told us that he saw that he would meet us in a dream. Then he kept calling us “his people” for the next few weeks. He gave us both a bad vibe, and we knew that he wasn’t mentally stable. Anyways, he was at the hotel while all of our packing and arranging was going down. While Pablo was handling the inventory list, he had the money in his room. The guy went into the room and took the envelope of money. Then he hugged Pablo and said, “I am a sinner but I hope you will remember me.” Then he started begging Pablo not to go. Then he came to me and told me not to go. We explained that we had students in the states and that we had to go. Then he went and sat down at the table in the lobby. Pablo noticed the money was missing so we started to look all over the place for it. Finally, Paska (most amazing Ugandan cook ever) and Patricia confronted the guy. That was when he got up and started grabbing mine and Pablo’s stuff and throwing them back in our rooms telling us that we couldn’t go. Someone went and got the police. When the police came, he started to get physical and holding on to a pole. That was when the police started hitting him and grabbed our rolling pin. I became too stressed to watch. We did get our money back, but I feel bad for how the situation went down.
The next week was pretty normal. Well, except for the fact that we had to commute via “Invisible Children” vehicles everyday, and that we couldn’t go to big hangouts, or leave at night. However, there was one bright spot in my life. Katherine’s teacher (Sister Helen) owns an orphanage. Mother Theresa’s…or Momma T’s as I like to call it. ¼ of the population is deaf there…and they understand most American Sign Language…so the group wanted to bring me. I went there and we taught the kids how to sign a few songs such as “Jesus Loves Me” and “Amazing Grace.” It was so cool to see them involved and excited. Sister Helen explained that these kids often get left out when people visit because they cannot communicate. They were so excited just to be able to tell us their name. I kept going back to this place and will continue to go back. It’s one of my favorite places in Gulu for sure.
On Sunday, exactly one week from my phone call, people from group 2 went to St. Jude’s orphanage. That is the other orphanage that we have spent our time visiting here. When they arrived, they found out that a kid had just fallen into a well. When the group went back there, there was a man trying to put a ladder down a hole, but it wouldn’t fit. Then John (who we have deemed the dad of the group) pushed the ladder out of the way. The hole was filled with water that had crap in it. John reached down and started to feel around. Then he felt what he thought was a wet loaf of bread. Then he felt the leg, so he pulled the kid out of the well. They started to try to get all of the stuff out of his mouth. Min and Colleen tried to give CPR, and the “Invisible Children” truck tried to drive to the hospital. It took them ten more minutes to find someone to help them. They put this kid in a bed with another kid that was already hooked up to something. They unhooked the other kid and hooked up our kid (Samuel is his name). Despite our best efforts, at 3:06 on July 18 the boy died. He was about 2 ½ years old. Definitely one of our more somber nights. John kept trying to blame himself (if only I had moved that ladder sooner). As Andy told him though, he remembered a quote from “Cider House Rules”…the kid is adopted now. John hugged me later that night because we had both lost a student during this trip and now this kid was gone. He said that the kid had good people with him.
Parts of Africa have been so unreal (like the safari) and some of the connections that I have made. However, there have been moments where reality hits pretty hard. It is such a hard thing to swallow. The lessons here are deep and something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Peace,
Aber Jenni
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
A couple more student interviews
Student interviews at Pabo
Today, one of my students, Ben, came in to be interviewed for KOBS. He came with his cousin Isaac. As we started the interview, the boys told me their background. Ben lives with his grandmother because his father has been killed by the LRA. He said that his dad was simply in the garden when he was arrested and killed by the LRA.
Isaac’s story was different. Isaac is Ben’s cousin. They both live with their grandmother together. Isaac is an orphan because both of his parents have died from AIDS. He has markings all over his face and a rash on his arm that makes me believe that he has it too. His favorite classes are English and Biology. He wants to be a doctor so that he can help people with AIDS.
The rest of this week will be spent distributing and grading exams. I am definitely hopeful to talk to more students this week. We will be here until Thursday when we leave for the KOBS conference and a safari at Murchison Falls. Until then everyone.
Cheers,
Jenni
Today, one of my students, Ben, came in to be interviewed for KOBS. He came with his cousin Isaac. As we started the interview, the boys told me their background. Ben lives with his grandmother because his father has been killed by the LRA. He said that his dad was simply in the garden when he was arrested and killed by the LRA.
Isaac’s story was different. Isaac is Ben’s cousin. They both live with their grandmother together. Isaac is an orphan because both of his parents have died from AIDS. He has markings all over his face and a rash on his arm that makes me believe that he has it too. His favorite classes are English and Biology. He wants to be a doctor so that he can help people with AIDS.
The rest of this week will be spent distributing and grading exams. I am definitely hopeful to talk to more students this week. We will be here until Thursday when we leave for the KOBS conference and a safari at Murchison Falls. Until then everyone.
Cheers,
Jenni
Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
This week students are taking examinations. This means that class-wise, Pablo and I do not have much to do. So I started and finished the novel “Push” by 11:30. I thought that it was going to be a boring and uneventful day (still with a wonderful view). I was so wrong though. Today was very eye-opening for me. After I finished the novel, Shanti came in to do an interview with me about a curriculum that Invisible Children is doing with the school called KOBS (Knowledge of Behavior and Self). We are having a conference this Friday and Saturday discussing the effectiveness of this program in the last few years, so we were to collect data from a few different students. After the questions, she and her friends stuck around to chat. They were disappointed that I was leaving soon and asked if I would be back next year. They said they would stay at Pabo S. S. so that I could find them.
After that conversation, I went and sat outside to enjoy the view. That is when the head boy (Patrick) and three other boys (Patrick, Bosco, and Simon) sat with me to ask me questions about the United States. They asked what sports we follow, what the school systems were like, and if Chuck Norris was still alive (they also said they feared him because he is strong). They also asked me about different slangs that we use in the States, so I taught them swagga, keep it real, and ice. We spent over an hour talking about our different cultures, and during that time they started to share about themselves. One of the first things to come up was their stresses for the next couple of school years. They were all in S-3 (compare that to a high school junior in the States). The head boy said that this was his first year back because last year he did not have enough money and spent it raising crops to pay for school fees this year. They said that crops and money was still hard to come by because Pabo had been so effected as a camp. People had spent many years away from their crops. They also mentioned that after S-3, if you do not have the money and you have to take the year off, you cannot start back up at S-4...you must repeat S-3 until you can pay for 2 years in a row. Otherwise you are stuck.
One of the boys also shared that his father, who was an innocent bystander, was killed by the rebels. During this conversation he did not maintain eye contact but preferred to stare at the ground. Another boy asked me if both of my parents were alive. I told him that they were. He told me his mother died. Is words became more jumbled and the eye contact was no longer there. I thought at one point, he would cry…but he didn’t. He said that he and his six other siblings lived with his grandmother now. They started to explain what happens when the rebels find you. They said that they start by taking your shoes, and cutting your clothes from the knee down. The reason for this is the bush is very rough and will scratch your feet and below the knees. The boys also said that you would be given something heavy to carry. They said if you became tired and wanted to rest, you were dead. The rebels didn’t know mercy. They started to express their fear because they were the proper age to be abducted.
Then Pablo interviewed our friend Charles. Charles is an S-4 student. Pablo found out that Charles and his sister Evelyn who we also met walk 5 kilometers (about 2 hours) to get to school. They value their education that much. He also found out that his family is so poor that Charles only eats once a day. He walks two hours to get to school…two hours to get home…and then gets a single meal at night.
Later on, Kenneth (a twenty-one year old student teacher who we have befriended) invited us over to his house to meet his wife (Evelyn) and his child (Benana). We told him to meet us at our residence at 6:30 because we had to get dinner from Paska. They met us at 6:30 and we still hadn’t eaten, so they decided to come back at 7. We ate our dinner and then Kenneth and Charles met us once again. Kenneth has had the same residence for nine years. It was still in the area where the IDP camp huts were. We entered a one room shack with a tin roof and a cloth for a door. Kenneth explained that he made this sitting room himself because it would not burn and the fires were so terrible. The side was cracked. Then his wife brought in a bowl of water that she had heated so we could wash our hands. They also brought in a covered dish of peas and rice to feed us. In addition to that, they had bought us each a packet of biscuits, juice, and bottled water. I still seem to be learning about those who have nothing but give everything.
The spirit these people have continues to humble me and blow me away. They are definitely some of the wisest teachers I have ever met…and they don’t even know it.
Humbly yours,
Jenni
This week students are taking examinations. This means that class-wise, Pablo and I do not have much to do. So I started and finished the novel “Push” by 11:30. I thought that it was going to be a boring and uneventful day (still with a wonderful view). I was so wrong though. Today was very eye-opening for me. After I finished the novel, Shanti came in to do an interview with me about a curriculum that Invisible Children is doing with the school called KOBS (Knowledge of Behavior and Self). We are having a conference this Friday and Saturday discussing the effectiveness of this program in the last few years, so we were to collect data from a few different students. After the questions, she and her friends stuck around to chat. They were disappointed that I was leaving soon and asked if I would be back next year. They said they would stay at Pabo S. S. so that I could find them.
After that conversation, I went and sat outside to enjoy the view. That is when the head boy (Patrick) and three other boys (Patrick, Bosco, and Simon) sat with me to ask me questions about the United States. They asked what sports we follow, what the school systems were like, and if Chuck Norris was still alive (they also said they feared him because he is strong). They also asked me about different slangs that we use in the States, so I taught them swagga, keep it real, and ice. We spent over an hour talking about our different cultures, and during that time they started to share about themselves. One of the first things to come up was their stresses for the next couple of school years. They were all in S-3 (compare that to a high school junior in the States). The head boy said that this was his first year back because last year he did not have enough money and spent it raising crops to pay for school fees this year. They said that crops and money was still hard to come by because Pabo had been so effected as a camp. People had spent many years away from their crops. They also mentioned that after S-3, if you do not have the money and you have to take the year off, you cannot start back up at S-4...you must repeat S-3 until you can pay for 2 years in a row. Otherwise you are stuck.
One of the boys also shared that his father, who was an innocent bystander, was killed by the rebels. During this conversation he did not maintain eye contact but preferred to stare at the ground. Another boy asked me if both of my parents were alive. I told him that they were. He told me his mother died. Is words became more jumbled and the eye contact was no longer there. I thought at one point, he would cry…but he didn’t. He said that he and his six other siblings lived with his grandmother now. They started to explain what happens when the rebels find you. They said that they start by taking your shoes, and cutting your clothes from the knee down. The reason for this is the bush is very rough and will scratch your feet and below the knees. The boys also said that you would be given something heavy to carry. They said if you became tired and wanted to rest, you were dead. The rebels didn’t know mercy. They started to express their fear because they were the proper age to be abducted.
Then Pablo interviewed our friend Charles. Charles is an S-4 student. Pablo found out that Charles and his sister Evelyn who we also met walk 5 kilometers (about 2 hours) to get to school. They value their education that much. He also found out that his family is so poor that Charles only eats once a day. He walks two hours to get to school…two hours to get home…and then gets a single meal at night.
Later on, Kenneth (a twenty-one year old student teacher who we have befriended) invited us over to his house to meet his wife (Evelyn) and his child (Benana). We told him to meet us at our residence at 6:30 because we had to get dinner from Paska. They met us at 6:30 and we still hadn’t eaten, so they decided to come back at 7. We ate our dinner and then Kenneth and Charles met us once again. Kenneth has had the same residence for nine years. It was still in the area where the IDP camp huts were. We entered a one room shack with a tin roof and a cloth for a door. Kenneth explained that he made this sitting room himself because it would not burn and the fires were so terrible. The side was cracked. Then his wife brought in a bowl of water that she had heated so we could wash our hands. They also brought in a covered dish of peas and rice to feed us. In addition to that, they had bought us each a packet of biscuits, juice, and bottled water. I still seem to be learning about those who have nothing but give everything.
The spirit these people have continues to humble me and blow me away. They are definitely some of the wisest teachers I have ever met…and they don’t even know it.
Humbly yours,
Jenni
Student letter
A letter from Charles, a student at Pabo.
To our International teachers from America,
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am here in first place I would like to thank our almighty God for helping me to be with you in this letter and I thanks your present in our school of which I could not believe it would happened, so I thank you very much for your school for school programs which has led to creations of good relationship between this school and United States and worldwide.
I would likes to inquire you to know more about me and our family background and I am interested to be with you as my guidance as well as my teachers.
Dear sir and madam about our family background, my mother married thirty years ago. She had six children, four boys and two girls. Unfortunately my two older brothers died before I was born. I am the last born of my mother. She is a peasant farmer. Even or all others older brother because they have not gone to school because of later interferences of war in Northern Uganda as peoples are in the camp.
My own father died during the course of war 15 years ago after their marriage, when I am only 3 years old. I was too young to know him well, but people say he was a hard working man. Since my father died she did no marry again with any man. And after to now we are at her father’s home. Her names are Akuku Pyerina and my father’s name are called Odong Kosiya. We live in the village called Oguru in the western part of Pabo sub-country and three kilometer from the centers.
I am 18 year old a youngest of my older brother and sister. I started my Primary one in 1999 and I sat my Primary learning exams in 2006 and I managed to passed with 16 grade division II and I was admitted in one of the best school within Gulu distric, but because of financial problems I was advised to applied for a vacant post in senior one in Pabo secondary school in 2007 to now I am in senior four and I will sit for UNEB (Uganda National Examination Board).
Dear sir and madam concerning living in this school since I joined the school I see there is much big changes in building and improvement of school structures, constructed by well wishes through school for school programs. Some are below:
*library is well organize with books
*Teachers are coming from United States of America, especially in California
*They brought for us equipment and chemicals to use in the laboratory.
Besides that sir and madam what I have thing school for schools bring in places are: The school should get advanced level, schools for school provides students playing items in the school likes football, netball and etc.
*Next thing that school should put in place is peace clubs which is very essentials to refresh mind.
Dear sir and madam concerning me my favorite food is beans, vegetables, and sorghum floors as a bread. My favorite games is football and volleyball and some athletics normally long races.
My character sir and madam: I am humble, polite, disciplined student and committed in whatever I want to do. I normally do following as below:
*I respect and love my mothers and all family members
*I love being in peaceful and harmony environment
*I love forgiving one another if he/she did something wrong to me.
*I love praying God to guide and bless me in whatever I do in this world. And many others please, sir and madam.
*I also love studying while working very hard to be successed in life.
Dear sir and madam though I mention a lot what I do and likes most, there are some problems that do affects of parts of which I should overcome it. Those problems are:
*Problems of paying my school fees, since our family is very poor to afford to payed it.
*There is also difficulties in getting school uniforms, school shoes, etc.
*There is also serious problems a hunger when in the school since my mother cannot afford to pay for lunch in this school.
*another problems is long distances. For example, I walked 3 kilometer from home to school of which I used to come late in the morning which also affected my performances in class.
In spite of those problems, sir and madam, I did not sitted back or given up. So I am aiming at these keys plans. A who should I be in future. They are:
1.) I would like to be a doctor
2.) I would like to be a policeman
3.) I would like to be a electricians.
And also I would likes to be a teacher like Pablo and Jenni. Please sir request if you can considered what I have noted down I would be very happy. Please sir and madam I have a lot to tell you about me, our school, as well as our family. I shall tell you as time goes. I would love to say that I want to inspired to study up to university if all those goes well. With this I say;
With grateful thanks,
Your sincerely,
Okello Charles
To our International teachers from America,
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am here in first place I would like to thank our almighty God for helping me to be with you in this letter and I thanks your present in our school of which I could not believe it would happened, so I thank you very much for your school for school programs which has led to creations of good relationship between this school and United States and worldwide.
I would likes to inquire you to know more about me and our family background and I am interested to be with you as my guidance as well as my teachers.
Dear sir and madam about our family background, my mother married thirty years ago. She had six children, four boys and two girls. Unfortunately my two older brothers died before I was born. I am the last born of my mother. She is a peasant farmer. Even or all others older brother because they have not gone to school because of later interferences of war in Northern Uganda as peoples are in the camp.
My own father died during the course of war 15 years ago after their marriage, when I am only 3 years old. I was too young to know him well, but people say he was a hard working man. Since my father died she did no marry again with any man. And after to now we are at her father’s home. Her names are Akuku Pyerina and my father’s name are called Odong Kosiya. We live in the village called Oguru in the western part of Pabo sub-country and three kilometer from the centers.
I am 18 year old a youngest of my older brother and sister. I started my Primary one in 1999 and I sat my Primary learning exams in 2006 and I managed to passed with 16 grade division II and I was admitted in one of the best school within Gulu distric, but because of financial problems I was advised to applied for a vacant post in senior one in Pabo secondary school in 2007 to now I am in senior four and I will sit for UNEB (Uganda National Examination Board).
Dear sir and madam concerning living in this school since I joined the school I see there is much big changes in building and improvement of school structures, constructed by well wishes through school for school programs. Some are below:
*library is well organize with books
*Teachers are coming from United States of America, especially in California
*They brought for us equipment and chemicals to use in the laboratory.
Besides that sir and madam what I have thing school for schools bring in places are: The school should get advanced level, schools for school provides students playing items in the school likes football, netball and etc.
*Next thing that school should put in place is peace clubs which is very essentials to refresh mind.
Dear sir and madam concerning me my favorite food is beans, vegetables, and sorghum floors as a bread. My favorite games is football and volleyball and some athletics normally long races.
My character sir and madam: I am humble, polite, disciplined student and committed in whatever I want to do. I normally do following as below:
*I respect and love my mothers and all family members
*I love being in peaceful and harmony environment
*I love forgiving one another if he/she did something wrong to me.
*I love praying God to guide and bless me in whatever I do in this world. And many others please, sir and madam.
*I also love studying while working very hard to be successed in life.
Dear sir and madam though I mention a lot what I do and likes most, there are some problems that do affects of parts of which I should overcome it. Those problems are:
*Problems of paying my school fees, since our family is very poor to afford to payed it.
*There is also difficulties in getting school uniforms, school shoes, etc.
*There is also serious problems a hunger when in the school since my mother cannot afford to pay for lunch in this school.
*another problems is long distances. For example, I walked 3 kilometer from home to school of which I used to come late in the morning which also affected my performances in class.
In spite of those problems, sir and madam, I did not sitted back or given up. So I am aiming at these keys plans. A who should I be in future. They are:
1.) I would like to be a doctor
2.) I would like to be a policeman
3.) I would like to be a electricians.
And also I would likes to be a teacher like Pablo and Jenni. Please sir request if you can considered what I have noted down I would be very happy. Please sir and madam I have a lot to tell you about me, our school, as well as our family. I shall tell you as time goes. I would love to say that I want to inspired to study up to university if all those goes well. With this I say;
With grateful thanks,
Your sincerely,
Okello Charles
Fourth of July in Uganda!
We didn’t see fireworks…
But we got to celebrate the Fourth of July in the rains in Africa. Saturday was devoted to going into town. We picked out fabrics for the guys to get African-style shirts made. Then I picked out another fabric to get a skirt made. Then we all came back to the house and I had to rush to get ready for Awere SS to come and show us traditional African dances. Amanda and I joined the circle so that we could learn. So awesome. I put on my African made dress, and we watched these kids dance. They were wonderful. Then, everyone started to get ready for the party. As night fell, the deejay started to play some music. We danced for HOURS. The deejay played quite an array of music, from Ugandan pop to an awesome “Rains in Africa” remix (it was sprinkling at this point, enhancing the experience) to “Buffalo Soldier” (at a mixed party of Americans and Africans…awkward much?). It was an incredible time…possibly my best Fourth of July yet.
Sunday we got an early start because Nathan, Kristin, Allison, and I attended a church in Gulu. It was very difficult to understand everything the pastor was saying, but he did start off by mentioning the war. While things are settled in this area right now…remnants of the war are everywhere. And while it was difficult to understand, the children were adorable and the atmosphere was interesting.
After church, we decided that we were hungry and that we would go to Kope so that I could order the pancake and complete my challenge with witnesses. You see, Joe didn’t believe that I can eat food. A lot of food. So there is a pancake platter that everyone has difficulty finishing at Kope. Child’s play. To our surprise, Joe and a group were already there. So I ordered the African coffee and the pancake platter. I ate the whole thing and then had a bite of Amanda’s steak sandwich to wash it down. Challenge accepted.
Back at the house we had an “active classroom strategies” workshop. It was a great way to learn how to boost student involvement with little or no materials. Effective. Then a woman came with beads. She employs women who were raped and are now mothers. She treats them well and gives them a good income. I bought plenty. The background story is great. Now I am sitting in my room at Pabbo, looking forward to another week.
Until then everyone.
Jenni
But we got to celebrate the Fourth of July in the rains in Africa. Saturday was devoted to going into town. We picked out fabrics for the guys to get African-style shirts made. Then I picked out another fabric to get a skirt made. Then we all came back to the house and I had to rush to get ready for Awere SS to come and show us traditional African dances. Amanda and I joined the circle so that we could learn. So awesome. I put on my African made dress, and we watched these kids dance. They were wonderful. Then, everyone started to get ready for the party. As night fell, the deejay started to play some music. We danced for HOURS. The deejay played quite an array of music, from Ugandan pop to an awesome “Rains in Africa” remix (it was sprinkling at this point, enhancing the experience) to “Buffalo Soldier” (at a mixed party of Americans and Africans…awkward much?). It was an incredible time…possibly my best Fourth of July yet.
Sunday we got an early start because Nathan, Kristin, Allison, and I attended a church in Gulu. It was very difficult to understand everything the pastor was saying, but he did start off by mentioning the war. While things are settled in this area right now…remnants of the war are everywhere. And while it was difficult to understand, the children were adorable and the atmosphere was interesting.
After church, we decided that we were hungry and that we would go to Kope so that I could order the pancake and complete my challenge with witnesses. You see, Joe didn’t believe that I can eat food. A lot of food. So there is a pancake platter that everyone has difficulty finishing at Kope. Child’s play. To our surprise, Joe and a group were already there. So I ordered the African coffee and the pancake platter. I ate the whole thing and then had a bite of Amanda’s steak sandwich to wash it down. Challenge accepted.
Back at the house we had an “active classroom strategies” workshop. It was a great way to learn how to boost student involvement with little or no materials. Effective. Then a woman came with beads. She employs women who were raped and are now mothers. She treats them well and gives them a good income. I bought plenty. The background story is great. Now I am sitting in my room at Pabbo, looking forward to another week.
Until then everyone.
Jenni
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Week 2 in Pabo
Week 2 in Pabo
So this week, we had a kick-off party. Monday was a day of celebration for the newly elected student leaders. The morning was spent in preparation for the party. As a woman, I had to help with the food. And. As we all know…I do not know my way around a kitchen…let alone an outdoor kitchen intended to serve hundreds. So, I am waiting with the ladies, and they drag this bag over. It is red at the bottom. They open it up and I see pieces of cow. With fur. And an ear. Here is something you should know…In Africa, meat is valued…because the norm is posho (like maize) and beans. I do not want to help cut up this poor animal…and now I feel a little sick, so I quickly claim vegetarian status and hide around the corner. They drag out the rice and I quickly volunteer for that job. We had to pick out the imperfections. It was a lot of rice. Since Pablo is a man, he got to go around and take pictures…Not. Cool. Then the celebration started, and there were many speeches. Ugandan time is very different than our time, as they do not focus on schedules. So this went on for hours. We ate at 4, and then the students started dragging out the desks from one of the bigger classrooms. They had speakers, and started a school dance. They asked if I would dance. Would I dance?! Out of my way!!! So we all danced, and the students started pulling out very old school cameras. They all wanted pictures with me (let’s be real…it is because I am a munu). Then, one of the teachers helped me get out because the pictures would not stop. Good times.
The rest of the week was spent preparing lessons. I got to hang out with Shanti and Ben for a bit. They are two of my students and I know there is something special about them. They have agreed to meet with me so I can learn their story next week. I cannot wait.
One of the younger teachers, who looks to be about my age, shared his story of living in Pabo during the time of the conflict. Huts packed so tightly together that you could not fit a bicycle through. He had encountered the LRA three times as a teenager, and thanks God all the time because he was not abducted. The first time, they broke into their home and his mother begged him to run away. He did not, and luckily, they only took goods from the household. He said his brother was not so lucky, and was abducted. Nearly 10 years later, his brother returned. He said his brother had problems with sleeping upon his return. He also said that government soldiers get paid very little…because they do not own a house or land, therefore they don’t need much money. I asked him what incentives people had to join the government army. He responded that they did it because they saw the suffering of the people and wanted to help their people. Such a humbling outlook. I also learned that teachers are not allowed at the same school for more than 5 years because the government does not want them to have a hidden agenda. Very interesting to talk to the people for so many hours…their stories give great insight to the culture.
Friday is a more relaxed day because I have one class only. With Shanti and Ben. We did the lesson, and then I taught them hangman. They enjoyed the game so much and their laughter is so good for the heart. I ended by having them complete the phrase “English is the best!” and when they read it outloud I said, “It is!!!” When I returned on Friday, I picked up the dress that I had made (awesome), and went to Kope to hang. That night we watched Ghana v. Uruguay and participated in the Ugandan’s disappointment at the loss. It is so great to watch the world cup in Africa…it made me root for Africa more. After the loss, Jacob cheerfully announced, “It’s okay.” Which made everyone smile. What a positive kid. I love having him around. I also saw Norman who will be coming to the party tonight…and tonight…we dance! More updates to come.
Cheers,
Jenni
So this week, we had a kick-off party. Monday was a day of celebration for the newly elected student leaders. The morning was spent in preparation for the party. As a woman, I had to help with the food. And. As we all know…I do not know my way around a kitchen…let alone an outdoor kitchen intended to serve hundreds. So, I am waiting with the ladies, and they drag this bag over. It is red at the bottom. They open it up and I see pieces of cow. With fur. And an ear. Here is something you should know…In Africa, meat is valued…because the norm is posho (like maize) and beans. I do not want to help cut up this poor animal…and now I feel a little sick, so I quickly claim vegetarian status and hide around the corner. They drag out the rice and I quickly volunteer for that job. We had to pick out the imperfections. It was a lot of rice. Since Pablo is a man, he got to go around and take pictures…Not. Cool. Then the celebration started, and there were many speeches. Ugandan time is very different than our time, as they do not focus on schedules. So this went on for hours. We ate at 4, and then the students started dragging out the desks from one of the bigger classrooms. They had speakers, and started a school dance. They asked if I would dance. Would I dance?! Out of my way!!! So we all danced, and the students started pulling out very old school cameras. They all wanted pictures with me (let’s be real…it is because I am a munu). Then, one of the teachers helped me get out because the pictures would not stop. Good times.
The rest of the week was spent preparing lessons. I got to hang out with Shanti and Ben for a bit. They are two of my students and I know there is something special about them. They have agreed to meet with me so I can learn their story next week. I cannot wait.
One of the younger teachers, who looks to be about my age, shared his story of living in Pabo during the time of the conflict. Huts packed so tightly together that you could not fit a bicycle through. He had encountered the LRA three times as a teenager, and thanks God all the time because he was not abducted. The first time, they broke into their home and his mother begged him to run away. He did not, and luckily, they only took goods from the household. He said his brother was not so lucky, and was abducted. Nearly 10 years later, his brother returned. He said his brother had problems with sleeping upon his return. He also said that government soldiers get paid very little…because they do not own a house or land, therefore they don’t need much money. I asked him what incentives people had to join the government army. He responded that they did it because they saw the suffering of the people and wanted to help their people. Such a humbling outlook. I also learned that teachers are not allowed at the same school for more than 5 years because the government does not want them to have a hidden agenda. Very interesting to talk to the people for so many hours…their stories give great insight to the culture.
Friday is a more relaxed day because I have one class only. With Shanti and Ben. We did the lesson, and then I taught them hangman. They enjoyed the game so much and their laughter is so good for the heart. I ended by having them complete the phrase “English is the best!” and when they read it outloud I said, “It is!!!” When I returned on Friday, I picked up the dress that I had made (awesome), and went to Kope to hang. That night we watched Ghana v. Uruguay and participated in the Ugandan’s disappointment at the loss. It is so great to watch the world cup in Africa…it made me root for Africa more. After the loss, Jacob cheerfully announced, “It’s okay.” Which made everyone smile. What a positive kid. I love having him around. I also saw Norman who will be coming to the party tonight…and tonight…we dance! More updates to come.
Cheers,
Jenni
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