Posts
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
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
"home" for the weekend
As Friday rolled around, I grew more and more excited because I knew we were going back to the house in Gulu. I have fallen in love with Pabo, but I was ready to see the family that I started to miss. It was a great day of going into town with Amanda and Lindsey, and catching up with Nathan. We ate dinner-it was just like Chic-Fil-A, I swear it! Then we played the game Bananas (like scrabble) as the heavy rains poured around us. The night ended with a great conversation with Mandy, Andy, Nathan, and Kristen.
THEN
Andrew (Fuggs!) called me about 4:30 in the morning my time. We converse and joke until 5:OO and end our conversation. So, I decide to make a quick trip to the restroom before I must climb into the "womb that is my mosquito net" Andy!...Well, I looked in the toilet because something MOVED...yes, moved! It was a RAT in the toilet trying to get out and not drown. O....M...G! So I go and wake up Mandy (not sure what she was going to do, but hey, I tried) and told her that there was a mouse in the toilet and I didn't want it to die. So we both go and look, and as I peek, the rat had it's head down and I thought it was dying. Mandy looks in there and says,"That's not a mouse...it's an EFFING rat...what were you thinking?!" At this point, Catherine, our leader comes out to see what the noise was about...and we told her. She looked. Said that was her biggest fear and went back in the room. Then Danielle came out dazed and asked if there was a line..."no...there's a RAT in the toilet!" Then we wake Nathan from his slumber because the boy has a tendency to touch any creepy crawly...and he gets a cup to get the rat out. But there was still pee in the toilet. So he finally scoops it out, and it jumps out of the cup. At the "thud" Mandy promptly jumps into a chair and I literally climb on top of Danielle (I didn't want it to die, but it wasn't going to touch me either!). We were laughing so hard there were tears. Nathan finally got the rat out alive and cleaned the pee water. Savior!!!
So. Welcome back to civilization Jenni.
Cheers,
Jenni
THEN
Andrew (Fuggs!) called me about 4:30 in the morning my time. We converse and joke until 5:OO and end our conversation. So, I decide to make a quick trip to the restroom before I must climb into the "womb that is my mosquito net" Andy!...Well, I looked in the toilet because something MOVED...yes, moved! It was a RAT in the toilet trying to get out and not drown. O....M...G! So I go and wake up Mandy (not sure what she was going to do, but hey, I tried) and told her that there was a mouse in the toilet and I didn't want it to die. So we both go and look, and as I peek, the rat had it's head down and I thought it was dying. Mandy looks in there and says,"That's not a mouse...it's an EFFING rat...what were you thinking?!" At this point, Catherine, our leader comes out to see what the noise was about...and we told her. She looked. Said that was her biggest fear and went back in the room. Then Danielle came out dazed and asked if there was a line..."no...there's a RAT in the toilet!" Then we wake Nathan from his slumber because the boy has a tendency to touch any creepy crawly...and he gets a cup to get the rat out. But there was still pee in the toilet. So he finally scoops it out, and it jumps out of the cup. At the "thud" Mandy promptly jumps into a chair and I literally climb on top of Danielle (I didn't want it to die, but it wasn't going to touch me either!). We were laughing so hard there were tears. Nathan finally got the rat out alive and cleaned the pee water. Savior!!!
So. Welcome back to civilization Jenni.
Cheers,
Jenni
More Cowbell-Pabo Day 4
More Cowbell
As our Thursday came to a close, there were dark clouds looming over the horizon. The breeze picked up and it started to get COLD. I mean, I had goosebumps. The thing about Africa, they don’t have seasons like we do. They have wet season and dry season…other than that the temperature stays pretty consistent. Until a storm comes. Anyways, when it rains here, it pours. This was going to be no exception. We already heard the thunder and saw the lightening. Pablo asked if I thought we could beat the rain. I said I was willing to try, but after we felt the wet breeze, we sat on the school porch and decided to wait it out. Twenty minutes later, the teachers, Pablo, and I were still trying to decide if we could beat this rain…after all, it had not rained yet…but those clouds were certainly closer. We were going to do it, but if we were going to beat this storm we needed to move FAST. We ran to our bikes and hopped on. Sidenote: trying to keep your knees covered while riding in a skirt during a monsoon=not fun. So we are riding and we got pretty far, when pellets started coming down. These rain drops were huge. Then I hear, “MOOO!…MOOO!….MOOO!….MOOO!” It was a flipping COW running after us! So a student teacher from Pabo, Pablo, and I ride faster to lose the cow and the rain…we decided to take refuge in the primary school that was there, so we turned in and stood under the roof with many children also taking refuge from the rain. Since these were small children who had never really seen a white person before, they kept pointing. “Munu! Munu!” Then they would laugh when we waved. Finally, the group came up to us to get handshakes. Then…That cow came charging right into the school yard. “MOOOOO!…MOOOO!” It was freaking out and running in circles. Finally it ran out of the school yard the opposite direction of the ranch which it came from. As the rain subsided, we were preparing to leave when… “MOOO!…MOOO!” The cow ran back down the road towards the ranch.
Later on, Charles (the head of the English department at Pabo) came over to give us a tour. There was not much to tour as Pabo is quite small. However, what we saw, pictures or words cannot quite describe. First of all, Pabo was the biggest IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp in Northern Uganda at the height of the war. It housed 70,000 displaced persons at one point. Now, Pabo is trying to turn itself from a displacement camp to a village. You can still see the consequences of war stamped on the streets and the faces of some of the people. Many huts from the camp were torn down, but many remained because people never left. Some people had their whole family die during the war and had nowhere else to go, and others, in the 23 years, simply grew up in the camp and did not know any other way of living. Charles told us that the camps did not offer much safety. That the middle of the camp was safest because the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army…or Rebel Army) would attack the outskirts for people and food. People would often not sleep in their own huts because they would flock to the middle for safety.
As we were walking, there were children that were obviously the head of the household. There was a girl who looked to be about five years old carrying a one year old on her hip. Another girl looked to be about eight who was also taking care of a toddler.
Beyond the horizon of this painful history was the most beautiful landscape…and more importantly, in the midst of all of this were children playing and smiling. Older people greeting us with a handshake and a grin. Inviting us to sit with them and talk. It really made me think about conversations that I had with people and even feelings that I personally have had in the past. That feeling where people won’t return a hello, or will do something that makes you lose faith in humanity. However, these people have seen more evil than I will ever encounter. They have all the reason in the world to not trust others…yet, they find refuge in their community. They greet a stranger with a smile and an invitation into their lives. The resilience is incredible. I will never find a reason to lose faith after this experience.
I have seen so many beautiful things during this trip, but I think that is the most beautiful of all.
Cheers,
Jenni
As our Thursday came to a close, there were dark clouds looming over the horizon. The breeze picked up and it started to get COLD. I mean, I had goosebumps. The thing about Africa, they don’t have seasons like we do. They have wet season and dry season…other than that the temperature stays pretty consistent. Until a storm comes. Anyways, when it rains here, it pours. This was going to be no exception. We already heard the thunder and saw the lightening. Pablo asked if I thought we could beat the rain. I said I was willing to try, but after we felt the wet breeze, we sat on the school porch and decided to wait it out. Twenty minutes later, the teachers, Pablo, and I were still trying to decide if we could beat this rain…after all, it had not rained yet…but those clouds were certainly closer. We were going to do it, but if we were going to beat this storm we needed to move FAST. We ran to our bikes and hopped on. Sidenote: trying to keep your knees covered while riding in a skirt during a monsoon=not fun. So we are riding and we got pretty far, when pellets started coming down. These rain drops were huge. Then I hear, “MOOO!…MOOO!….MOOO!….MOOO!” It was a flipping COW running after us! So a student teacher from Pabo, Pablo, and I ride faster to lose the cow and the rain…we decided to take refuge in the primary school that was there, so we turned in and stood under the roof with many children also taking refuge from the rain. Since these were small children who had never really seen a white person before, they kept pointing. “Munu! Munu!” Then they would laugh when we waved. Finally, the group came up to us to get handshakes. Then…That cow came charging right into the school yard. “MOOOOO!…MOOOO!” It was freaking out and running in circles. Finally it ran out of the school yard the opposite direction of the ranch which it came from. As the rain subsided, we were preparing to leave when… “MOOO!…MOOO!” The cow ran back down the road towards the ranch.
Later on, Charles (the head of the English department at Pabo) came over to give us a tour. There was not much to tour as Pabo is quite small. However, what we saw, pictures or words cannot quite describe. First of all, Pabo was the biggest IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp in Northern Uganda at the height of the war. It housed 70,000 displaced persons at one point. Now, Pabo is trying to turn itself from a displacement camp to a village. You can still see the consequences of war stamped on the streets and the faces of some of the people. Many huts from the camp were torn down, but many remained because people never left. Some people had their whole family die during the war and had nowhere else to go, and others, in the 23 years, simply grew up in the camp and did not know any other way of living. Charles told us that the camps did not offer much safety. That the middle of the camp was safest because the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army…or Rebel Army) would attack the outskirts for people and food. People would often not sleep in their own huts because they would flock to the middle for safety.
As we were walking, there were children that were obviously the head of the household. There was a girl who looked to be about five years old carrying a one year old on her hip. Another girl looked to be about eight who was also taking care of a toddler.
Beyond the horizon of this painful history was the most beautiful landscape…and more importantly, in the midst of all of this were children playing and smiling. Older people greeting us with a handshake and a grin. Inviting us to sit with them and talk. It really made me think about conversations that I had with people and even feelings that I personally have had in the past. That feeling where people won’t return a hello, or will do something that makes you lose faith in humanity. However, these people have seen more evil than I will ever encounter. They have all the reason in the world to not trust others…yet, they find refuge in their community. They greet a stranger with a smile and an invitation into their lives. The resilience is incredible. I will never find a reason to lose faith after this experience.
I have seen so many beautiful things during this trip, but I think that is the most beautiful of all.
Cheers,
Jenni
Pabo Day 3
Pabo 3
After an eventful first couple of days, Pabo is starting to feel routine. We bike to the school to get here a little before 8:00, leave when classes are through, and eat dinner and talk back at the hotel. I have been able to team teach for a couple of days now, get a few games of Scrabble in, and meet a bunch of wonderful people. Last night our generator didn’t work, so Pablo and I hung out by kerosene lamp-light. Hopefully it works today. I want to charge my phone and freshen up so that we can return to the house and show those people what we’re made of! ;O)
The people here seem very excited to have us and are eager to share their language. I figured I could update you on some key phrases:
(most used-especially with children) is Ko pa di? Or How are you?
Kope-No Problems
Apwoyo- Thank you/Good-bye/ Hello
Icoo Maber-Are you having a good morning?
Acoo Maber- I am having a good morning
And some of my favorite phrases:
Pe lewero munu- Don’t fear the white person
Bin can mot munu- come to the white person
We often hear little children who may have not seen a white person shout ‘munu’ and then they laugh…so we will often respond with ‘acholi.’ So funny. I am still loving this place. Hope all is well in civilization.
Cheers,
Jenni
After an eventful first couple of days, Pabo is starting to feel routine. We bike to the school to get here a little before 8:00, leave when classes are through, and eat dinner and talk back at the hotel. I have been able to team teach for a couple of days now, get a few games of Scrabble in, and meet a bunch of wonderful people. Last night our generator didn’t work, so Pablo and I hung out by kerosene lamp-light. Hopefully it works today. I want to charge my phone and freshen up so that we can return to the house and show those people what we’re made of! ;O)
The people here seem very excited to have us and are eager to share their language. I figured I could update you on some key phrases:
(most used-especially with children) is Ko pa di? Or How are you?
Kope-No Problems
Apwoyo- Thank you/Good-bye/ Hello
Icoo Maber-Are you having a good morning?
Acoo Maber- I am having a good morning
And some of my favorite phrases:
Pe lewero munu- Don’t fear the white person
Bin can mot munu- come to the white person
We often hear little children who may have not seen a white person shout ‘munu’ and then they laugh…so we will often respond with ‘acholi.’ So funny. I am still loving this place. Hope all is well in civilization.
Cheers,
Jenni
Pabo Day 2
Pabo Day 1
Yesterday Catherine, Allison, Pablo, and I boarded a mutatu to head to Pabo. After stopping at multiple destinations our journey was finally underway. The ride itself was insane. The mutatu (kind of like a small bus) did not ride down the road in a straight line at all. The zig zag pattern was an unsuccessful attempt to avoid the potholes. We would avoid one set of bumps just to be met with another. The windows rattled so loudly that I could not hear what anyone was saying. At some point I just gave up and put on my ipod and stared out the window. That was the benefit of the drive. The landscape became increasingly beautiful. It was an eternal stretch of rolling hills with trees placed in just the right spot to make the scenery breathtaking. I was so excited over this view that I pulled out my camera and showed Allison the photo-op. She stopped me though, because of the police vehicle passing us. I quickly hid my camera and hoped that they did not see it. I did not want my footage to be taken. They passed and then we happily clicked away.
Finally, we arrived at Pabo. Our accommodations was going to be a hotel that was brand new. I was stoked…we walked by and looked at the beds (I was hoping the pillows would be better!) and the beds looked nice. Then he told us the bathrooms and washrooms were around the corner. I was the first one over there as I was most anxious about this information. I opened the door to the washroom…there was a drain on the floor, but where was the showerhead? A spicket at least? Nope…no running water. Our rooms had a basin that we were to fill from a spicket that contained collected rain water and that is what we were to use. Now I was nervous.
We went back outside to get our bicycles fixed (our mode of transportation-which was actually kind of exciting). The community looked a lot poorer than where we had been staying. Dirt roads and shacks. Then we headed to the school to have a tour. The buildings looked so worn as we pulled up, but there were students and teachers walking around willing to make education work. We entered the head teacher’s office to have our first round-table. Catherine (Teacher Exchange coordinator) would meet us on Fridays at 11:30 to discuss the week. Pablo and I would then leave with her and return to civilization until Sunday evenings. This will be my life for the next five weeks.
Catherine and Allison left, and Pablo and I were truly alone. We received a humbling tour of the school. There were many things to learn. The floors did not really exist, and on dry days students will try to pour their water on the floor in order to keep the dust down. The chalkboards had chunks taken out of them. No erasers. The teacher salary is equivilant to a US $25 a month…a little less than $1 a day. Our teachers, Charles and Sarah, live in sad conditions. Charles has a hut for his whole family, and Sarah rents out a single room. The teachers do not have a classroom. The students remain in one room and the teacher will travel. The rooms are about the size of my planning room, and there are over 70 students per class (and that is on the smallish side). Pablo and I looked around this heartbreaking place and Pablo mentioned that it was humbling.
We took a boda boda back to our accommodation. We had to figure out how to use a kerosene lantern so that we could see as it got darker. (One thing about Africa-the sun is brighter and hotter…the dark is definitely darker). I carried one into the washroom with me and attempted to bathe. My hair did not get washed. After a delicious dinner, a few “you’ll survive” texts from the group, and a call from my mom, I feel asleep in preparation for the following day.
Cheers,
Jenni
Yesterday Catherine, Allison, Pablo, and I boarded a mutatu to head to Pabo. After stopping at multiple destinations our journey was finally underway. The ride itself was insane. The mutatu (kind of like a small bus) did not ride down the road in a straight line at all. The zig zag pattern was an unsuccessful attempt to avoid the potholes. We would avoid one set of bumps just to be met with another. The windows rattled so loudly that I could not hear what anyone was saying. At some point I just gave up and put on my ipod and stared out the window. That was the benefit of the drive. The landscape became increasingly beautiful. It was an eternal stretch of rolling hills with trees placed in just the right spot to make the scenery breathtaking. I was so excited over this view that I pulled out my camera and showed Allison the photo-op. She stopped me though, because of the police vehicle passing us. I quickly hid my camera and hoped that they did not see it. I did not want my footage to be taken. They passed and then we happily clicked away.
Finally, we arrived at Pabo. Our accommodations was going to be a hotel that was brand new. I was stoked…we walked by and looked at the beds (I was hoping the pillows would be better!) and the beds looked nice. Then he told us the bathrooms and washrooms were around the corner. I was the first one over there as I was most anxious about this information. I opened the door to the washroom…there was a drain on the floor, but where was the showerhead? A spicket at least? Nope…no running water. Our rooms had a basin that we were to fill from a spicket that contained collected rain water and that is what we were to use. Now I was nervous.
We went back outside to get our bicycles fixed (our mode of transportation-which was actually kind of exciting). The community looked a lot poorer than where we had been staying. Dirt roads and shacks. Then we headed to the school to have a tour. The buildings looked so worn as we pulled up, but there were students and teachers walking around willing to make education work. We entered the head teacher’s office to have our first round-table. Catherine (Teacher Exchange coordinator) would meet us on Fridays at 11:30 to discuss the week. Pablo and I would then leave with her and return to civilization until Sunday evenings. This will be my life for the next five weeks.
Catherine and Allison left, and Pablo and I were truly alone. We received a humbling tour of the school. There were many things to learn. The floors did not really exist, and on dry days students will try to pour their water on the floor in order to keep the dust down. The chalkboards had chunks taken out of them. No erasers. The teacher salary is equivilant to a US $25 a month…a little less than $1 a day. Our teachers, Charles and Sarah, live in sad conditions. Charles has a hut for his whole family, and Sarah rents out a single room. The teachers do not have a classroom. The students remain in one room and the teacher will travel. The rooms are about the size of my planning room, and there are over 70 students per class (and that is on the smallish side). Pablo and I looked around this heartbreaking place and Pablo mentioned that it was humbling.
We took a boda boda back to our accommodation. We had to figure out how to use a kerosene lantern so that we could see as it got darker. (One thing about Africa-the sun is brighter and hotter…the dark is definitely darker). I carried one into the washroom with me and attempted to bathe. My hair did not get washed. After a delicious dinner, a few “you’ll survive” texts from the group, and a call from my mom, I feel asleep in preparation for the following day.
Cheers,
Jenni
Pabo Day 1
Pabo Day 1
Yesterday Catherine, Allison, Pablo, and I boarded a mutatu to head to Pabo. After stopping at multiple destinations our journey was finally underway. The ride itself was insane. The mutatu (kind of like a small bus) did not ride down the road in a straight line at all. The zig zag pattern was an unsuccessful attempt to avoid the potholes. We would avoid one set of bumps just to be met with another. The windows rattled so loudly that I could not hear what anyone was saying. At some point I just gave up and put on my ipod and stared out the window. That was the benefit of the drive. The landscape became increasingly beautiful. It was an eternal stretch of rolling hills with trees placed in just the right spot to make the scenery breathtaking. I was so excited over this view that I pulled out my camera and showed Allison the photo-op. She stopped me though, because of the police vehicle passing us. I quickly hid my camera and hoped that they did not see it. I did not want my footage to be taken. They passed and then we happily clicked away.
Finally, we arrived at Pabo. Our accommodations was going to be a hotel that was brand new. I was stoked…we walked by and looked at the beds (I was hoping the pillows would be better!) and the beds looked nice. Then he told us the bathrooms and washrooms were around the corner. I was the first one over there as I was most anxious about this information. I opened the door to the washroom…there was a drain on the floor, but where was the showerhead? A spicket at least? Nope…no running water. Our rooms had a basin that we were to fill from a spicket that contained collected rain water and that is what we were to use. Now I was nervous.
We went back outside to get our bicycles fixed (our mode of transportation-which was actually kind of exciting). The community looked a lot poorer than where we had been staying. Dirt roads and shacks. Then we headed to the school to have a tour. The buildings looked so worn as we pulled up, but there were students and teachers walking around willing to make education work. We entered the head teacher’s office to have our first round-table. Catherine (Teacher Exchange coordinator) would meet us on Fridays at 11:30 to discuss the week. Pablo and I would then leave with her and return to civilization until Sunday evenings. This will be my life for the next five weeks.
Catherine and Allison left, and Pablo and I were truly alone. We received a humbling tour of the school. There were many things to learn. The floors did not really exist, and on dry days students will try to pour their water on the floor in order to keep the dust down. The chalkboards had chunks taken out of them. No erasers. The teacher salary is equivilant to a US $25 a month…a little less than $1 a day. Our teachers, Charles and Sarah, live in sad conditions. Charles has a hut for his whole family, and Sarah rents out a single room. The teachers do not have a classroom. The students remain in one room and the teacher will travel. The rooms are about the size of my planning room, and there are over 70 students per class (and that is on the smallish side). Pablo and I looked around this heartbreaking place and Pablo mentioned that it was humbling.
We took a boda boda back to our accommodation. We had to figure out how to use a kerosene lantern so that we could see as it got darker. (One thing about Africa-the sun is brighter and hotter…the dark is definitely darker). I carried one into the washroom with me and attempted to bathe. My hair did not get washed. After a delicious dinner, a few “you’ll survive” texts from the group, and a call from my mom, I feel asleep in preparation for the following day.
Cheers,
Jenni
Yesterday Catherine, Allison, Pablo, and I boarded a mutatu to head to Pabo. After stopping at multiple destinations our journey was finally underway. The ride itself was insane. The mutatu (kind of like a small bus) did not ride down the road in a straight line at all. The zig zag pattern was an unsuccessful attempt to avoid the potholes. We would avoid one set of bumps just to be met with another. The windows rattled so loudly that I could not hear what anyone was saying. At some point I just gave up and put on my ipod and stared out the window. That was the benefit of the drive. The landscape became increasingly beautiful. It was an eternal stretch of rolling hills with trees placed in just the right spot to make the scenery breathtaking. I was so excited over this view that I pulled out my camera and showed Allison the photo-op. She stopped me though, because of the police vehicle passing us. I quickly hid my camera and hoped that they did not see it. I did not want my footage to be taken. They passed and then we happily clicked away.
Finally, we arrived at Pabo. Our accommodations was going to be a hotel that was brand new. I was stoked…we walked by and looked at the beds (I was hoping the pillows would be better!) and the beds looked nice. Then he told us the bathrooms and washrooms were around the corner. I was the first one over there as I was most anxious about this information. I opened the door to the washroom…there was a drain on the floor, but where was the showerhead? A spicket at least? Nope…no running water. Our rooms had a basin that we were to fill from a spicket that contained collected rain water and that is what we were to use. Now I was nervous.
We went back outside to get our bicycles fixed (our mode of transportation-which was actually kind of exciting). The community looked a lot poorer than where we had been staying. Dirt roads and shacks. Then we headed to the school to have a tour. The buildings looked so worn as we pulled up, but there were students and teachers walking around willing to make education work. We entered the head teacher’s office to have our first round-table. Catherine (Teacher Exchange coordinator) would meet us on Fridays at 11:30 to discuss the week. Pablo and I would then leave with her and return to civilization until Sunday evenings. This will be my life for the next five weeks.
Catherine and Allison left, and Pablo and I were truly alone. We received a humbling tour of the school. There were many things to learn. The floors did not really exist, and on dry days students will try to pour their water on the floor in order to keep the dust down. The chalkboards had chunks taken out of them. No erasers. The teacher salary is equivilant to a US $25 a month…a little less than $1 a day. Our teachers, Charles and Sarah, live in sad conditions. Charles has a hut for his whole family, and Sarah rents out a single room. The teachers do not have a classroom. The students remain in one room and the teacher will travel. The rooms are about the size of my planning room, and there are over 70 students per class (and that is on the smallish side). Pablo and I looked around this heartbreaking place and Pablo mentioned that it was humbling.
We took a boda boda back to our accommodation. We had to figure out how to use a kerosene lantern so that we could see as it got darker. (One thing about Africa-the sun is brighter and hotter…the dark is definitely darker). I carried one into the washroom with me and attempted to bathe. My hair did not get washed. After a delicious dinner, a few “you’ll survive” texts from the group, and a call from my mom, I feel asleep in preparation for the following day.
Cheers,
Jenni
Africa Day 3
So much has happened so far on this trip that instead of even trying to catch up on days, I am just going to offer a brief overview of what has happened and what I have learned. A couple of days ago, I rode a boda for the very first time. For those of you who don’t know what boda bodas are…they are basically a scooter that has room for passengers. There are some things to know with the boda bodas…for example, you want to have exact change. And always negotiate a price before you arrive at your destination. If you want to catch a boda, you simply yell, “boda! Boda! Boda!“ If you are in a group, the nearest person (or two) catches a boda and then you tell them to send friends to get your friends. Before long boda bodas will flock to the area. It is a wonderful way to see the land and see people.
Over the past several days we have had several meetings. One meeting was at the “Invisible Children” office in Uganda, where they shared their four main programs with us. We have also met with people who have grown up and taught during the war and conflict. Their stories were riveting. One of the speakers, Jennifer, discussed coming home to make food for her children and an officer burst through their door telling them the rebels were there and they must hide in the next town…needless to say they did not get to eat that day. The stories were wild.
I love going in town to Gulu. There are many things that are so good here. The streets are crowded and there are no traffic rules, but boda bodas are everywhere (yes!). There are places with internet. The Kope Café is probably my favorite. Jacob works there. It was so exciting to meet him and see him doing so well.
I’m so excited that I brought a Frisbee. A couple of days ago, Amanda and I went out in the front yard throwing it back and forth. A couple of children were walking on the road staring at what the heck we were doing. We asked if they would like to throw it as well. They smiled and shyly nodded yes. We went out into the road where they were and began to throw the Frisbee back and forth with these kids. We showed them how to throw it, and before long we had a crowd of children surrounding us. We also taught them the gator chomp! To catch the Frisbee.
The next day the kids saw our group and then Amanda busted out her kites and showed the kids how to fly them. So cute.
We also met our teachers that we will be working with for the next five weeks. My teacher is in her second year teaching. Her name is Sarah. She seems wonderful…and the head teacher wanted to know if I was interested in Frisbee. ;O)
The more time I spend with the people here the more I fall in love with them. I have spent a lot of late nights with Mandy, Andy, and Nathan. There are an amazing group of people. Mandy is a wonderful woman. She is so easy to talk to, and has such a sweet spirit. Definitely a comfort to have on this trip. Andy is great! He is one of the only people that I can turn to and quote ANYTHING that I find funny…and he is there to finish it. He is so filled with knowledge, and can make a story that would be otherwise bland, a riot. Nathan is great. He has such a humble spirit. Talking to him, you can really start to see his humor and experience…but it is not something he has to advertise right away. He is also the one I go to every time I get freaked (if there’s a frog around…if a bug jumps on me). I also appreciate that he equally loves “Dumb and Dumber” and “Ace Ventura.” Quality person.
Amanda is one of the very first people that I met on the trip. She has one of the prettiest smiles ever, thank God because she is always smiling. Amanda is someone that can get anyone to open up about anything. She takes a genuine interest in everyone and is a great ring leader for girls nights.
Julie is a super-trooper! She is always on the run (literally, I just went with her today) and is probably one of the most honest people I have ever met.
Joe is the most hilarious person I may have ever met. After this trip, when I remember Joe, I am pretty sure that I will not remember his actual voice because he has so many of them. He is always crossing the line, and always making people smile. When it comes down to it though, you can really see his sweet heart and how he makes new people feel welcome.
Pablo will be going to Pabo with me. Thank God. Pablo is so resourceful…he will be a great help. I am also stoked about this information because he is so funny! His dances and imitations are great! We will definitely have a great time!
There are more great people that I will be mentioning along the way as more adventures unfold.
Other than that, I have been enjoying the people, our nightly meetings, and the experience in general. It is amazing how little I miss the phone and the internet. This place is beautiful.
We leave for Pabo on Monday…So next update will be from my school! :O)
Cheers,
Jenni
Over the past several days we have had several meetings. One meeting was at the “Invisible Children” office in Uganda, where they shared their four main programs with us. We have also met with people who have grown up and taught during the war and conflict. Their stories were riveting. One of the speakers, Jennifer, discussed coming home to make food for her children and an officer burst through their door telling them the rebels were there and they must hide in the next town…needless to say they did not get to eat that day. The stories were wild.
I love going in town to Gulu. There are many things that are so good here. The streets are crowded and there are no traffic rules, but boda bodas are everywhere (yes!). There are places with internet. The Kope Café is probably my favorite. Jacob works there. It was so exciting to meet him and see him doing so well.
I’m so excited that I brought a Frisbee. A couple of days ago, Amanda and I went out in the front yard throwing it back and forth. A couple of children were walking on the road staring at what the heck we were doing. We asked if they would like to throw it as well. They smiled and shyly nodded yes. We went out into the road where they were and began to throw the Frisbee back and forth with these kids. We showed them how to throw it, and before long we had a crowd of children surrounding us. We also taught them the gator chomp! To catch the Frisbee.
The next day the kids saw our group and then Amanda busted out her kites and showed the kids how to fly them. So cute.
We also met our teachers that we will be working with for the next five weeks. My teacher is in her second year teaching. Her name is Sarah. She seems wonderful…and the head teacher wanted to know if I was interested in Frisbee. ;O)
The more time I spend with the people here the more I fall in love with them. I have spent a lot of late nights with Mandy, Andy, and Nathan. There are an amazing group of people. Mandy is a wonderful woman. She is so easy to talk to, and has such a sweet spirit. Definitely a comfort to have on this trip. Andy is great! He is one of the only people that I can turn to and quote ANYTHING that I find funny…and he is there to finish it. He is so filled with knowledge, and can make a story that would be otherwise bland, a riot. Nathan is great. He has such a humble spirit. Talking to him, you can really start to see his humor and experience…but it is not something he has to advertise right away. He is also the one I go to every time I get freaked (if there’s a frog around…if a bug jumps on me). I also appreciate that he equally loves “Dumb and Dumber” and “Ace Ventura.” Quality person.
Amanda is one of the very first people that I met on the trip. She has one of the prettiest smiles ever, thank God because she is always smiling. Amanda is someone that can get anyone to open up about anything. She takes a genuine interest in everyone and is a great ring leader for girls nights.
Julie is a super-trooper! She is always on the run (literally, I just went with her today) and is probably one of the most honest people I have ever met.
Joe is the most hilarious person I may have ever met. After this trip, when I remember Joe, I am pretty sure that I will not remember his actual voice because he has so many of them. He is always crossing the line, and always making people smile. When it comes down to it though, you can really see his sweet heart and how he makes new people feel welcome.
Pablo will be going to Pabo with me. Thank God. Pablo is so resourceful…he will be a great help. I am also stoked about this information because he is so funny! His dances and imitations are great! We will definitely have a great time!
There are more great people that I will be mentioning along the way as more adventures unfold.
Other than that, I have been enjoying the people, our nightly meetings, and the experience in general. It is amazing how little I miss the phone and the internet. This place is beautiful.
We leave for Pabo on Monday…So next update will be from my school! :O)
Cheers,
Jenni
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