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

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

pictures :D

(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 : )

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... :)

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!