Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Safari :D the pics
Hipppoooooooss! they ran around our tens all night long....
to did Pumba the worthog. ew
CHOP CHOP CHOP we could have died Kerwin!
WATER BUFfaLO
My favorate animal! good thing they arnt a pain in the neck <-- pun
THESE birds are amazing! those are rocks with colorful birds
pretty pretty
CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP
WATER BUFfaLO
My favorate animal! good thing they arnt a pain in the neck <-- pun
THESE birds are amazing! those are rocks with colorful birds
pretty pretty
CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP
on the boat part ^
AFRICAN WEDDING
Africa wedding dances
more of them
our African Gomaz dresses for the wedding. HAWT
The dowry to bribe the bride :D
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
joy to the world its december!!
I can't believe it's december! In 15 days exactly I'll be back in vacationland! Time has gone by so fast, but I'm definitely ready to come home....... Mainly for food purposes, but I mean I miss you guys a ton too =]
Last weekend we went on the safari and it was sooooooo cool! We camped at the safari like 'headquarters, site place' and had these super sketchy tents our coordinators gave us.....wellllllllllllllllllll the one I was in was a 3 man tent that MIGHT have fit 3 small children in it.....possibly. there were three of us crammed in there, my head and feet touched both ends, the zipper on the bottom didn't zip so we had to safety pin it shut........wart hogs and large hippos were running around us all night. Needless to say it was an interesting experience. Only 9 of us girls went so it was great to be away from the pesty boys. The first day was the day after thanksgiving and I was still ridiculously sick so it wasn't that great, but still awesome. We drove for 8 hours to get there and then had to drive through the jungles and monkeys, baboons, and other crazy small animals for a few hours. We went to Murchinson falls, a HUGE water fall on the Nile. It was probably the most gorgeous thing I've seen in my life. I'll get the pics on facebook later. word. that day was just driving around and seeing sweet sights, then when we got back to the campsite we just ate and milled around. Day two we woke up at the crack of dawn and took a ferry across the Nile and started the real SAFARI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It looked just like a movie, crazy rolling plains full of prancing antelopes and giraffes ( My new FAVORITE animal!), and water buffalos. And like a million other things! sooooooo it went like that for a good hour. We were in a safari van thing with a net bucket on top to sit on and the roof raised up so we could poke our heads out like a jeep or sit on the back. It was pretty much wild. At first it took a while to see hippos and monkeys and giraffes and other stuff but then they just were EVERYWHERE!it was a solid three hours before we saw our first elephant. we couldn't find one ANYWHere and were getting pretty cranky, but then we met another jeep of people and they directed us to some so naturally our driver got super psyched, and 3 of us were in this tiny little basket on the top and he just took off driving at least 50 mph on crazy safari dirt roads! our bodies are covered with bruises from being slammed around, I was pretty sure we were going to die, but we didn't! that was our first elephant, then there were a few more. the afternoon was a boat tour...... I assumed this would be dumb...... BUT It was craaaaaaaaaaazy. Within two minutes we saw thirty elephants, a million and ten hippos, and every other creature under the sun. CROCODILES ARE SO HUGE ON THE NILE. OH. My. WORd.
So yea. go on a safari.
This week has been dapper. I'm starting to heal and on a super strict diet , but feeling wayyyyyyy bettter so thanks for the prayers team!
Yesterday was the last day of november.......... We went to a cultural dance in the city and then got to stay on campus. anddddd becuase it was the last day of NOVEMBEr- at midnight I FINALLy got to shave my legs. hallllllllllllllleluijah. all of us made a pact not to, and last night at midnight it was the biggest celebration ever. We got ice cream and soda's , watched a little lion king and wellllll shaved our little legs. I've never been so proud of myself. 31 days without shaving. I have no idea where I got the strength to last that long!
Today we are finishing up our final papers. I'm praying I find my flash drive, it has a few papers I wrote and on my way to print them it dissapeared. Rrrrr. someday I'll be responsible.
This afternoon a couple friends and I are sneaking off to our coordinators house to make brownies, banana pancakes, and watch walk the line. Perfect day? yes. especially now that our legs are hairy. . .. . I think that fact just makes our lives a million times better.
This weekend is our last weekend home, I rarely stay home on the weekend cause it's usually pretty awkward and I like to run away from those situations sooooooooooo I believe on saturday we are going to the garden. This will be ummmm awful? The last time this happened I had blisters the size of craters in my hands for weeks. Then sunday we are going to my grandmothers? I'm praying its not super awkward. I'm pretty sure they are only taking me so that she can see a white person..............it might be great tho. I just have to keep the expectations low so when its great i'm super happpy=] who knows. we probably won't even make it there. plans here change faster than anything i've seen in my life. Including plans at the pelkey house!
Next week we are planning a christmas white elephant party after the market day........plan- go to market, and find the worst thing you have ever seen. This will be extremely interesting. Thursday we have our farewell banquet where we get to wear great clothes ( IF you look at pics on facebook right now there are a few of me and kelsey in our traditional apparel at a wedding introduction party) They are sooooooooooo ugly. so ugly. But I love them! THennnnnnnnnnnnnnn saturday we leave for a few days of 'debrief'.' then we ball our little eyes out because we don't remember what life is like when we aren't with each other for literally every second of everyday. That part might be miserable, but I sure can't wait to come home. Expect a large fluff-a-nutter, rice krispie square, no bake, brownie party over break! =] ( Mom you're invited=] )
tilllllllllllll then . peace. out. cub.scout.
Last weekend we went on the safari and it was sooooooo cool! We camped at the safari like 'headquarters, site place' and had these super sketchy tents our coordinators gave us.....wellllllllllllllllllll the one I was in was a 3 man tent that MIGHT have fit 3 small children in it.....possibly. there were three of us crammed in there, my head and feet touched both ends, the zipper on the bottom didn't zip so we had to safety pin it shut........wart hogs and large hippos were running around us all night. Needless to say it was an interesting experience. Only 9 of us girls went so it was great to be away from the pesty boys. The first day was the day after thanksgiving and I was still ridiculously sick so it wasn't that great, but still awesome. We drove for 8 hours to get there and then had to drive through the jungles and monkeys, baboons, and other crazy small animals for a few hours. We went to Murchinson falls, a HUGE water fall on the Nile. It was probably the most gorgeous thing I've seen in my life. I'll get the pics on facebook later. word. that day was just driving around and seeing sweet sights, then when we got back to the campsite we just ate and milled around. Day two we woke up at the crack of dawn and took a ferry across the Nile and started the real SAFARI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It looked just like a movie, crazy rolling plains full of prancing antelopes and giraffes ( My new FAVORITE animal!), and water buffalos. And like a million other things! sooooooo it went like that for a good hour. We were in a safari van thing with a net bucket on top to sit on and the roof raised up so we could poke our heads out like a jeep or sit on the back. It was pretty much wild. At first it took a while to see hippos and monkeys and giraffes and other stuff but then they just were EVERYWHERE!it was a solid three hours before we saw our first elephant. we couldn't find one ANYWHere and were getting pretty cranky, but then we met another jeep of people and they directed us to some so naturally our driver got super psyched, and 3 of us were in this tiny little basket on the top and he just took off driving at least 50 mph on crazy safari dirt roads! our bodies are covered with bruises from being slammed around, I was pretty sure we were going to die, but we didn't! that was our first elephant, then there were a few more. the afternoon was a boat tour...... I assumed this would be dumb...... BUT It was craaaaaaaaaaazy. Within two minutes we saw thirty elephants, a million and ten hippos, and every other creature under the sun. CROCODILES ARE SO HUGE ON THE NILE. OH. My. WORd.
So yea. go on a safari.
This week has been dapper. I'm starting to heal and on a super strict diet , but feeling wayyyyyyy bettter so thanks for the prayers team!
Yesterday was the last day of november.......... We went to a cultural dance in the city and then got to stay on campus. anddddd becuase it was the last day of NOVEMBEr- at midnight I FINALLy got to shave my legs. hallllllllllllllleluijah. all of us made a pact not to, and last night at midnight it was the biggest celebration ever. We got ice cream and soda's , watched a little lion king and wellllll shaved our little legs. I've never been so proud of myself. 31 days without shaving. I have no idea where I got the strength to last that long!
Today we are finishing up our final papers. I'm praying I find my flash drive, it has a few papers I wrote and on my way to print them it dissapeared. Rrrrr. someday I'll be responsible.
This afternoon a couple friends and I are sneaking off to our coordinators house to make brownies, banana pancakes, and watch walk the line. Perfect day? yes. especially now that our legs are hairy. . .. . I think that fact just makes our lives a million times better.
This weekend is our last weekend home, I rarely stay home on the weekend cause it's usually pretty awkward and I like to run away from those situations sooooooooooo I believe on saturday we are going to the garden. This will be ummmm awful? The last time this happened I had blisters the size of craters in my hands for weeks. Then sunday we are going to my grandmothers? I'm praying its not super awkward. I'm pretty sure they are only taking me so that she can see a white person..............it might be great tho. I just have to keep the expectations low so when its great i'm super happpy=] who knows. we probably won't even make it there. plans here change faster than anything i've seen in my life. Including plans at the pelkey house!
Next week we are planning a christmas white elephant party after the market day........plan- go to market, and find the worst thing you have ever seen. This will be extremely interesting. Thursday we have our farewell banquet where we get to wear great clothes ( IF you look at pics on facebook right now there are a few of me and kelsey in our traditional apparel at a wedding introduction party) They are sooooooooooo ugly. so ugly. But I love them! THennnnnnnnnnnnnnn saturday we leave for a few days of 'debrief'.' then we ball our little eyes out because we don't remember what life is like when we aren't with each other for literally every second of everyday. That part might be miserable, but I sure can't wait to come home. Expect a large fluff-a-nutter, rice krispie square, no bake, brownie party over break! =] ( Mom you're invited=] )
tilllllllllllll then . peace. out. cub.scout.
Monday, November 21, 2011
WEll. I'm in a good mood. =] walked to school today, had the vibe my one and only class would be cancelled and guess whaaaaaaaaat. Vwaaaaallah! Cancelled! Bam. Instant happy day.
This past weekend we went on a 6 hour road trip to Lira which is in the North. We usually get about ----zero information about what we are doing before we go so we just jump on a horribly crammed bus and wait. Driving here is rather bizarre as far as I'm concerned. You can literally drive for hours seeing nothing but run down building in desperate need of repainting, people swarmed everywhere some on bikes, bodas (motorcycles), carrying live chickens around by their feet, sleeping under trees, sitting in shops, a half a cow covered with thousands of hungry germy bugs hanging from the ceiling of a small shack, aka the 'butcher shop'. This literally goes on for hours, shop after shop after shop selling the same 20 items. Then all of a sudden BAM. It switches to junglish tree's and forests with vines and crazy bushes everywhere....then it goes back to shops...then to 'fields' of weird grasses and plants that must have been taken straight out of a book by Dr. Suess. It's so weird. Then I looked and swore I was on Crack because I saw this huge Monkey sitting in a tree right over the road, but it was one with like no butt?? sooo . naturally I flipped out, my friend told me I was crazy. Nope. within two minutes everyone started screaming BABOONS Baboons! YEp a whole bunch of them alllll over the main road! That's when I confirmed that this weekend a Safari WIll happen =]
I had barely eaten a thing since monday because I was so sick, but when we got there we stopped at an American cafe I couldn't deny myself the biggest coffee milkshakes and pizza. It was like a solid hour of heaven! We stayed at a guest house, which is what africa uses instead of hotels. watched movies all night and talked. It was a grand old time until Naturally my body was still rejecting anything I fed it sooooooo I spent the next day and a half ridiculously sick. So i missed all of the orphanages and stuff and slept for a solid day and a half and then got back on the 6 hr bus ride home. Yes. Overall an interesting weekend.
Yesterday I finally started feeling better and ate for the first time so thanks for the prayers =] I'm healing.
Time is really flying by, we only have 23 days left until we land in JFK and I run straight to mcdonalds and buy them out of apple pies! It's pretty bitter sweet because I'm super ready to be away from this crazy foreign land, but at the same time I'm really going to miss the people. Other than after 7 at night when I go home we are right in each others face all day, I can't really imagine not being together anymore, but that's okay, i'll just have to plan more road trips.
This week is pretty crazy busy. We have all of our final papers and projects and presentations. Today I go to Noah's ark and play with the kids, tomorrow I'm supposed to go to the city to do interviews with an organization for a presentation, thursday morning back to Noah's ark, thursday afternoon is spent baking pumpkin pie and having thanksgiving! FRIDAY+Saturday+ SUNDAY = SAFARI.
For thanksgiving all of the American families here on campus have a big feast, the students are in charge of desert. We play a game of football and wellll EAT.
sweeeeet.
Safari fridayyyy. freaking sweet. Can't wait. just girls. We're leaving the boys behind. yesssa.
then one more week of being here. then one week of debrief. then we're. home. home. home. say whaaaaat
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
hi this is my five minute update=]
My bad, I tried to update this yesterday, right before I could push post I got super sick and I don't know what happened but it all just disappeared apparently.
whats new in Africa?
The past two days my body has hated me, I think this may or may not have had something to do with the super sketchy beef mom fed me Sunday night. I'm officially a declared vegetarian until December 15h! Never ever thought that would happen, but for some reason eating beef that is still connected to like spines and sketchy bones creeps me out wayyyyyy to much.
consequently I became quite death like and had to stay on campus all last night yayyyy. not. however I did get to skip a bunch of classes ! YAY.
Today I went to Sseko a shoe store in Kampala? They started making these super cool sandals 3 years ago....four woman hanging out sewing shoes under a mango tree, some American spotted them, loved them, its a sweet company now. Still super small operation, but such a cool business. Each person who works there is employed for 9months as soon as they are out of an area highschool. They are chosen if they are super responsible, driven, and want to go to university. The business hires them to teach them skills and give them money for school....check them out online...http://shop.ssekodesigns.com/home.php?cat=249 . super boss. mom I bought my self some ..you can give them to me for christmas =]
this past weekend was spent at a 'introduction' this is an event that occurs before a couple is married. A 10 hour long event in the boiling sun listening to people speak a different language .... It is when the bride introduces the husband to her family...sooo many details and so weird..I went with my friend Kelsey and we had to wear these crazy dresses with HUGE puff sleeves called Gomez...... I'm sure she'll put up our pictures soonnnnnn. check Facebook. they were so ugly. ummmmm... so the weddings here include dowry- the price for the bride...so yes there was half a cow leg there.... great. =]
k i have papers to write
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
(From Holly)Hillary's Address-for those of you who missed it in the past:
Hillary Pelkey
Uganda Christian University
Uganda Studies Program
P.O. Box 4
Mukon, Uganda
Envelopes for cards or letters is less likely to get lost if it's not the standard white envelope size. Packages are pretty expensive to mail. It seems to take between 2-3 weeks for stuff to get there. I've used flat rate priority envelopes ( for small stuff like candy). They run about $13. GROSS! If you have found a less expensive way-let us know : )
Hillary Pelkey
Uganda Christian University
Uganda Studies Program
P.O. Box 4
Mukon, Uganda
Envelopes for cards or letters is less likely to get lost if it's not the standard white envelope size. Packages are pretty expensive to mail. It seems to take between 2-3 weeks for stuff to get there. I've used flat rate priority envelopes ( for small stuff like candy). They run about $13. GROSS! If you have found a less expensive way-let us know : )
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
November 3-11: Three week update due. I know. I'm sorry you all thought I was dead. I'm not! :)
Flip flops, long skirts, chapati, banana trees, carrying water on my head, strep throat.....'I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord.....
Yesterday Justin Bieber's Christmas cd came out. It's amazing! You should buy it. Just saying. We listened to it while my friends carved pumpkins and I researched the similarities between Saddam Hussein and King David.......( I know. I can't even say it without wondering who the heck came up with such a project!?? Oh Africa.)
We just got back from our rural homestays Sunday. I was so bummed about coming back to this home and school, but bright and early Monday I got two great cards from eliz and my favorite 4 year old in the whole world! My cousin noah sent me the greatest letter he wrote and drew for me! I guess you could say I'm starting to miss home!
This took me two nights to write (due to lack of motivation). Night #1:
I'm in bed trying to sleep, but unfortunetly there is electricity tonight, so I can't. My mom is sitting 15 inches from the TV set which is exploding with violent shouts of the Ugandan news. No idea why it is so loud.
I know some of you don't want to spend an hour reading this and I have to sleep at some point sooooo- here is the quick version:
3 weeks ago somehow I got talked into going to the neighbor's son's super prestigous boarding school. I had only met our super nice neighbor once...for 10 minutes. Apparently my mom didn't want me to go to the garden that week-end so she sent me with the neighbors. 2 hr drive with their family there, eat, tour campus, drive home. Best weekend ever! super nice chill family! Found out they are loaded. Have four leather couches and a flat screen. Know where I'm going for a nap! Following day did some intense Christmas shopping in the city with friends. I'm keeping my eyes open for fun things to bring home, so if anyone wants something in particular let me know!
The past week and a half were 'rural homestays' for the students from the USA. We went 5 hours from here...Up in Kapturwa, a place in the mountains. I stayed with a different family for 1 week. 4 yr old girl, 6 & 8 yr old boys with the biggest brown eyes. So cute! And SO full of energy! Parents were banana, onions and greens and coffee farmers. Did lots of digging (farming) and laundry... After day 2 my hands were bleeding on the knuckles from washing laundry, and I had 6 huge ripped open blisters from digging. Literally no skin was left on my hands. That's about when I realized it wasn't a sour patch kid lodged in my throat. I was sick. We were at a meeting at my aunts. After drinking my 6th cup of milk tea I realized my throat was so stiff and burning I couldn't finish the tea. it's super offensive when you don't finish the tea so they realized I was sick. Went home to Mokuno. African momma looked in my litle Mzungu throat and said 'EH! There are big white things all over!' Ahhhh! Hello strep throat. So awesome. After that I was limited to doing dishes and playing with the neighbor kids and carrying water ON my HEAD! YES. I CAN do it!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Night #2 of writing )Literally averaged 6 cups of tea a day. Dehydration was not a problem what so ever. If I wasn't drinking the tea, I sure was peeing it. My toilet this week was up in the banana forest-covered with banana leaves and the hole was about 3 by 5 inches. Needless to say I peed everywhere but the hole EVERY time. (I know mom your shocked that I would give such personal details but I'm half African now; it's just life!) My shower was a 4.5 ft tall building with no roof.the walls were old rusty sheet metal. The water source? A basin just like home. Filled up from the water I had carried to my house from the spring ON MY HEAD! I don't even remember what standing up straight under hot water feels like. Hot water. What a bizarre thought!!
Uh everyone there was so kind. I literally lived right on the main road in a small house. Everyone has lived there all their life so my parents know them and they know a mzungu is in town; so I averaged around 20 visitors a day. Uh huh. By day 6 I was so tired of people. Some would come and talk to me in the local language(which I'm pretty fluent in.... I know like 15 phrases and 20 words:) ... Some kids would just come and hide behind all corners of my yard or house trying to sneak a peek of me while I was doing dishes. Some would stay for hours and chat about American politics. Some children didn't dare to enter the yard and stayed out behind the banana trees and fence and would shout 'mzungu how ah yooooo??' and then duck to hide! And I'd shout back 'fine how are you?' and they'd shout back again, 'muzunguuuu how ah yooo!' and hide again. Priceless.
Ok, too tired of chicken pecking on this Tiny keyboard (ipod).
Back to Justin bieber... :)
Flip flops, long skirts, chapati, banana trees, carrying water on my head, strep throat.....'I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord.....
Yesterday Justin Bieber's Christmas cd came out. It's amazing! You should buy it. Just saying. We listened to it while my friends carved pumpkins and I researched the similarities between Saddam Hussein and King David.......( I know. I can't even say it without wondering who the heck came up with such a project!?? Oh Africa.)
We just got back from our rural homestays Sunday. I was so bummed about coming back to this home and school, but bright and early Monday I got two great cards from eliz and my favorite 4 year old in the whole world! My cousin noah sent me the greatest letter he wrote and drew for me! I guess you could say I'm starting to miss home!
This took me two nights to write (due to lack of motivation). Night #1:
I'm in bed trying to sleep, but unfortunetly there is electricity tonight, so I can't. My mom is sitting 15 inches from the TV set which is exploding with violent shouts of the Ugandan news. No idea why it is so loud.
I know some of you don't want to spend an hour reading this and I have to sleep at some point sooooo- here is the quick version:
3 weeks ago somehow I got talked into going to the neighbor's son's super prestigous boarding school. I had only met our super nice neighbor once...for 10 minutes. Apparently my mom didn't want me to go to the garden that week-end so she sent me with the neighbors. 2 hr drive with their family there, eat, tour campus, drive home. Best weekend ever! super nice chill family! Found out they are loaded. Have four leather couches and a flat screen. Know where I'm going for a nap! Following day did some intense Christmas shopping in the city with friends. I'm keeping my eyes open for fun things to bring home, so if anyone wants something in particular let me know!
The past week and a half were 'rural homestays' for the students from the USA. We went 5 hours from here...Up in Kapturwa, a place in the mountains. I stayed with a different family for 1 week. 4 yr old girl, 6 & 8 yr old boys with the biggest brown eyes. So cute! And SO full of energy! Parents were banana, onions and greens and coffee farmers. Did lots of digging (farming) and laundry... After day 2 my hands were bleeding on the knuckles from washing laundry, and I had 6 huge ripped open blisters from digging. Literally no skin was left on my hands. That's about when I realized it wasn't a sour patch kid lodged in my throat. I was sick. We were at a meeting at my aunts. After drinking my 6th cup of milk tea I realized my throat was so stiff and burning I couldn't finish the tea. it's super offensive when you don't finish the tea so they realized I was sick. Went home to Mokuno. African momma looked in my litle Mzungu throat and said 'EH! There are big white things all over!' Ahhhh! Hello strep throat. So awesome. After that I was limited to doing dishes and playing with the neighbor kids and carrying water ON my HEAD! YES. I CAN do it!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Night #2 of writing )Literally averaged 6 cups of tea a day. Dehydration was not a problem what so ever. If I wasn't drinking the tea, I sure was peeing it. My toilet this week was up in the banana forest-covered with banana leaves and the hole was about 3 by 5 inches. Needless to say I peed everywhere but the hole EVERY time. (I know mom your shocked that I would give such personal details but I'm half African now; it's just life!) My shower was a 4.5 ft tall building with no roof.the walls were old rusty sheet metal. The water source? A basin just like home. Filled up from the water I had carried to my house from the spring ON MY HEAD! I don't even remember what standing up straight under hot water feels like. Hot water. What a bizarre thought!!
Uh everyone there was so kind. I literally lived right on the main road in a small house. Everyone has lived there all their life so my parents know them and they know a mzungu is in town; so I averaged around 20 visitors a day. Uh huh. By day 6 I was so tired of people. Some would come and talk to me in the local language(which I'm pretty fluent in.... I know like 15 phrases and 20 words:) ... Some kids would just come and hide behind all corners of my yard or house trying to sneak a peek of me while I was doing dishes. Some would stay for hours and chat about American politics. Some children didn't dare to enter the yard and stayed out behind the banana trees and fence and would shout 'mzungu how ah yooooo??' and then duck to hide! And I'd shout back 'fine how are you?' and they'd shout back again, 'muzunguuuu how ah yooo!' and hide again. Priceless.
Ok, too tired of chicken pecking on this Tiny keyboard (ipod).
Back to Justin bieber... :)
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
SAFE!AND SOUND.
Alright for all of you who are concerned about my life and the danger that I appear to be in- I'm safe! Obama is sending the troops up north ( 3 hours away), to help with the invisible children typed deal. Look it up, I don't know facts. All I know is I appear safe right now, because they are just stationed up there, but will be working mostly in the Congo. However, Messiah did email me and warn me about the stuff going on and my friend Hannah and Sarah ( who I visited in Kampala ) Are both in a study abroad in Rwanda, but hannah was at her practicum in Uganda this month and just got moved back to Rwanda for a precaution. Messiah made them go back to rwanda, so I'm sure if things here get out of hand at all I'll just retreat with them!!!!!
ALsooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Mail. You guys are freaking amazing. It makes me soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy.
Hamburgers also make me happy. and Ice cream. and brownies. I consumed all of this yesterday in Kampala after shopping with some friends................... Yes I got incredibly sick after. Thanks American food! Can't wait for mom to pick me up from the airport. Plan- Uno's, Dunkin Donuts, anddddddd mcdonalds apple pies........ It's going to be glorious!
ALsooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Mail. You guys are freaking amazing. It makes me soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy.
Hamburgers also make me happy. and Ice cream. and brownies. I consumed all of this yesterday in Kampala after shopping with some friends................... Yes I got incredibly sick after. Thanks American food! Can't wait for mom to pick me up from the airport. Plan- Uno's, Dunkin Donuts, anddddddd mcdonalds apple pies........ It's going to be glorious!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Update October 13, 2011
I'm not on a 'Missions trip'. Im studying abroad. But I'm not living your typical study abroad/college life at all. I don't live on campus, I live with a family in the community. I mean, I definitely eat way too much nutella and procrastinate like there's no tomorrow and I think facebook is man's best creation next to the Oreo, but there's nothing normal about this life I'm living. In response to Maddy's question about how my life in Africa is and wanting the details I'll try to fill you in better. :)
Ok. I wake up cranky every morning just like in America. I sit through hours of classes ( each class is 2 hours with no break) that either bore the living daylights out of me or depress me so much! Two classes are taught by the people who run this program( Americans) so it is just like classes at home. One class Is specifically for our practicum (my orphanage site internship). Hor that class we have been given a book called 'when helping hurts you and others'. I know you are thinking, 'uh Hil helping can't hurt.' Uh yep. Yep it can actually! Just like in America sometimes when you give hand outs, people take advantage of it, start to rely on it , don't fend for themselves and pretty soon BAM! It hurts them because they no longer depend on themselves for things but they depend on you, then you are hurt because you realize they only want you for your money.
Take me for example. My family asked for my clothes, camera, naphtha, money, shoes, and hair elastics. Why? Because for some reason the girl who lived with them last semester took them up to the school office at the end of the semester and let them take anything they wanted from the pile of things kids were not bringing home! This pile of things was left there (not at the peoples houses) to prevent people from expecting other students to leave their nice stuff. isn't that awesome! They got tons of nice gap jeans, skirts, blouses and water bottles. So NATURALLY, ya, that was really nice, girl, for you to let them have all this stuff they weren't supposed to have, but what are they going to expect from me? Her 'giving' hurt my relationship with my family because after they asked me for my things I just felt depressed like they didn't want me, they only wanted my things!
The reason we went to Luwero this weekend was to meet with Bishops and go to a Compassion site and witness the differen ways people are trying to 'help' Africa. Half of our families in the U.S. probably sponsor a child over seas somewhere. Why? Cause they are cute or cause it makes us feel good about ourselves and we are tryin to do our part in the world. Are either of those reasons bad? No, definitely not. But they are easy. This continent isn't easy. Feeding millions of starving Children isn't easy. Finding someone to help feed them isn't easy. Finding someone to come everyday and play and teach and love on these kids in the RIGHT way everyday isnt easy. Can you imagine...day in day out..teachig school to 100 kids in a classroom then every Saturday making porridge over a hot fire and then running around playing soccer with 270 kids for 12 hours? Of course your thinking, 'that would be amazing!!!' Of course it would! For $10 a week? Amazing?! How about when they get in fights and you have to discipline them are you still loving it? For $10.00 a week? Uh huh. That's what happened at the Compassion site and man it was amazing! The teachers were so happy and so blessed just to be able to play with those kids all day! You would have no idea they were stuck in class with them for the whole week before as well.
My idea of a Compassion site was a little different than what we saw. Each kid there was NOT sponsored. Most were, but if unsponsored kids wanted to go hang out on Saturday and talk about Jesus and eat porridge and play soccer they could join in with the other sponsored kids! There are over 270 kids at this particular site and the management there has been budgeting so every kid in the program could get a new mattress! 270 mattresses were FILLED from floor to ceiling in someones office! Filled! Because of the money sponsors have been able to send here! Even though we aren't directly able to see the difference we make in these kids lives, it's wicked cool to see what 30 bucks a month can do for a community of struggling children. A lot of the children there are orphans, but they still live in their relatives house; because if Compassion was to build an orphanage, they would just be taking the kids away from the community. Community is lethal for survival here. No one is independent. If someone does not do their part everyone suffers. Orphanage or not?
One of the Bishops we talked to was the coolest fellow ever. He talked more on the beauty of community and the importance if keeping people involved so they have a place to belong. As much as I love my intern site (Noah's Ark Orphanage), I'm not sure how it is for the children in the long run. The whole facility is incredibly fancy, clean, trampolines, toys, bikes, books, they even have the Disney channel!!! I mean I've seen a few kids in the community, with paint rollers and bike tires to play with but definitely never a toy. And the Disney channel? The kids in the community have jugs of water on their heads, occasionally shoes and a shirt.... With a few holes in it. How are my little buddies at Noah's Ark going to survive in the real Africa when they are too old to live at the orphanage? I mean, dang! Culture shock! We don even have a tv at my house here. We use a computer monitor! What now Noah's Ark? Do I think they are doing anything wrong by taking kids in who would other wise be dumped in latrines and left for dead? Heck, no! So what do you do? Call Noahs Ark and ask if they have an extra bed? Or call a relative who can't afford to feed their own family? I have no idea.
Ok I'm done ranting. Hopefully, you get a litle better understanding of my life in Africa now. :)
Oh, and I'm good. :) Laundry was done this morning. I'm gaining weight consistently due to mass intake of bananas, coconutees, nutella, anddddddd um..beans and rice! :)
Ok. I wake up cranky every morning just like in America. I sit through hours of classes ( each class is 2 hours with no break) that either bore the living daylights out of me or depress me so much! Two classes are taught by the people who run this program( Americans) so it is just like classes at home. One class Is specifically for our practicum (my orphanage site internship). Hor that class we have been given a book called 'when helping hurts you and others'. I know you are thinking, 'uh Hil helping can't hurt.' Uh yep. Yep it can actually! Just like in America sometimes when you give hand outs, people take advantage of it, start to rely on it , don't fend for themselves and pretty soon BAM! It hurts them because they no longer depend on themselves for things but they depend on you, then you are hurt because you realize they only want you for your money.
Take me for example. My family asked for my clothes, camera, naphtha, money, shoes, and hair elastics. Why? Because for some reason the girl who lived with them last semester took them up to the school office at the end of the semester and let them take anything they wanted from the pile of things kids were not bringing home! This pile of things was left there (not at the peoples houses) to prevent people from expecting other students to leave their nice stuff. isn't that awesome! They got tons of nice gap jeans, skirts, blouses and water bottles. So NATURALLY, ya, that was really nice, girl, for you to let them have all this stuff they weren't supposed to have, but what are they going to expect from me? Her 'giving' hurt my relationship with my family because after they asked me for my things I just felt depressed like they didn't want me, they only wanted my things!
The reason we went to Luwero this weekend was to meet with Bishops and go to a Compassion site and witness the differen ways people are trying to 'help' Africa. Half of our families in the U.S. probably sponsor a child over seas somewhere. Why? Cause they are cute or cause it makes us feel good about ourselves and we are tryin to do our part in the world. Are either of those reasons bad? No, definitely not. But they are easy. This continent isn't easy. Feeding millions of starving Children isn't easy. Finding someone to help feed them isn't easy. Finding someone to come everyday and play and teach and love on these kids in the RIGHT way everyday isnt easy. Can you imagine...day in day out..teachig school to 100 kids in a classroom then every Saturday making porridge over a hot fire and then running around playing soccer with 270 kids for 12 hours? Of course your thinking, 'that would be amazing!!!' Of course it would! For $10 a week? Amazing?! How about when they get in fights and you have to discipline them are you still loving it? For $10.00 a week? Uh huh. That's what happened at the Compassion site and man it was amazing! The teachers were so happy and so blessed just to be able to play with those kids all day! You would have no idea they were stuck in class with them for the whole week before as well.
My idea of a Compassion site was a little different than what we saw. Each kid there was NOT sponsored. Most were, but if unsponsored kids wanted to go hang out on Saturday and talk about Jesus and eat porridge and play soccer they could join in with the other sponsored kids! There are over 270 kids at this particular site and the management there has been budgeting so every kid in the program could get a new mattress! 270 mattresses were FILLED from floor to ceiling in someones office! Filled! Because of the money sponsors have been able to send here! Even though we aren't directly able to see the difference we make in these kids lives, it's wicked cool to see what 30 bucks a month can do for a community of struggling children. A lot of the children there are orphans, but they still live in their relatives house; because if Compassion was to build an orphanage, they would just be taking the kids away from the community. Community is lethal for survival here. No one is independent. If someone does not do their part everyone suffers. Orphanage or not?
One of the Bishops we talked to was the coolest fellow ever. He talked more on the beauty of community and the importance if keeping people involved so they have a place to belong. As much as I love my intern site (Noah's Ark Orphanage), I'm not sure how it is for the children in the long run. The whole facility is incredibly fancy, clean, trampolines, toys, bikes, books, they even have the Disney channel!!! I mean I've seen a few kids in the community, with paint rollers and bike tires to play with but definitely never a toy. And the Disney channel? The kids in the community have jugs of water on their heads, occasionally shoes and a shirt.... With a few holes in it. How are my little buddies at Noah's Ark going to survive in the real Africa when they are too old to live at the orphanage? I mean, dang! Culture shock! We don even have a tv at my house here. We use a computer monitor! What now Noah's Ark? Do I think they are doing anything wrong by taking kids in who would other wise be dumped in latrines and left for dead? Heck, no! So what do you do? Call Noahs Ark and ask if they have an extra bed? Or call a relative who can't afford to feed their own family? I have no idea.
Ok I'm done ranting. Hopefully, you get a litle better understanding of my life in Africa now. :)
Oh, and I'm good. :) Laundry was done this morning. I'm gaining weight consistently due to mass intake of bananas, coconutees, nutella, anddddddd um..beans and rice! :)
Friday, October 7, 2011
MORE PICTURES october 7......
Bungie Jumping the Nile!
WOW!
school desks Uganda style........
Bungie Jumping the Nile...I didn't go because I've had enough head injuries....
the NILE RIVER
DORM ROOM! (not mine)
Eddie (Kelsey's little brother) making supper!
monkey migration through town :D
Mukono Marketplace
The Nile
The Nile
The resort we stayed at
Update October 7. 2011....
This weekend we are headed to luweru a very desolate HIV AIDs ridden area that was exploited by the government a few years ago. I'm not sure exactly what happened but the president apparently is super corrupt and started a peoples war up there ( to show his power over the people ) for 5 years in the 70's I believe? During that time people just killed each other and ruined the entire area by the time it was stopped. That president is still in power and is up for re election soon. He uses luweru as an excuse for people to vote for him and says ' remember luwero. If you do not vote for me it will happen again.' oh africa. Over 500,000 were killed. We are going to speak with different bishops who are considered political leaders here and learning about the way this country is run and to witness the incredible poverty and confusion that still remains. I guess? They didn't really tell us what's going on! Surprise! But I do know that we are going to a compassion international site to see how that foundation works! And we get to play with kiddos! I'm psyched about that ! Sunday we come home and get to stop at the mall in the city! sCORE. Hamburgerrrrrrsssss:):):) icce cream. Crazy cheap gift shops! If anyone wants anything inparticular from here let me know cause it's all sooo sooo cheap!
My older Brother is getting married this weekend and I can't go which is quite a bummer, but weddings here are all over 500 people and at least two day events! Which would be so cool for the cultural aspects, but to be the only muzungu at a wedding would mean everyone literally analyzing me for hours! It would be awful ! My younger brothers both attend boarding school and Apparently although a wedding is so important to invite 500 people, it is not that important because one of my brothers cannot even be released from school! ? Weird. Everyday i meet someone new in my family... I use to think i had 4 brothers and 2 sisters. But now i realize i have 4 sisters 5 brothers and 3 nieces and nephews. . . The family tree I learned is bigger than I thought!
The first thing your mother ever taught you was never sit on a public toilet and ALwAYs check for toilet paper. Well lucky for those whose moms didn't teach them anything! Here in Uganda it is a RARE occasion that you even find a toilet seat, and an even rarer thing to find toilet paper! I just learned a couple weeks ago that the bag in Our home latrine is full of newspaper... Aka toilet paper. We start our fires for cooking with plastic bags... I think we should start using leaves to wipe and use the freaking paper to start fires so it doesn't take hours!
The first thing your mother ever taught you was never sit on a public toilet and ALwAYs check for toilet paper. Well lucky for those whose moms didn't teach them anything! Here in Uganda it is a RARE occasion that you even find a toilet seat, and an even rarer thing to find toilet paper! I just learned a couple weeks ago that the bag in Our home latrine is full of newspaper... Aka toilet paper. We start our fires for cooking with plastic bags... I think we should start using leaves to wipe and use the freaking paper to start fires so it doesn't take hours!
So this weekend I collected 15 new mosquito bites! Not just bug bites these suckers are lethal!!!! They are so red and inflamed that I can no longer shave my legs. So I had to resort to my arms. Which are now bald .
Wednesdays my 'why not' African moment- I stayed home from my intern Tuesday to finish writing a couple papers due to not having a laptop to do them on in the evenings. Yay. The next day when I wen to print it off the whole town was out of power- so naturAlly I told my teacher hey sorry my paper isn't printed can I bring it to your office when powers back on? Him" you just bring next week.". Uh okay. You would say that cause we're in freaking Africa where there are like no demands as far as timelines go. " oh ya, we're in Africa moment!" I almost hip chucked one of my friends into the door frame of a building yesterday... Then I realized if I did it was very likely that the entire building ( hut-ish typed thing would just cave in.
I stole some of my friends pics to put on the blog.....
Thursday, October 6, 2011
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