High Alert! The training is over the tests taken, after 101/2 weeks we are ready to become volunteers moving up from trainee status. So far, no one has bailed. Us older volunteers aren't going to because we need the health care benefits which, when you look at all the things you can catch here we probably would have lived longer in the states without health care. The young ones still have the major vices to help them cope with each other. 10 weeks with the same interesting people quickly makes them less interesting and rather tiresome. So, at the end of service the trainees give a party for there home stay families at the training site. We separate into our language groups and have 30 minutes to teach of Americas culture, share about the culture we will be entering (each tribe is unique), and talk in the native language. Guess who wrote the speech? Tom Mr knows all the words MacAulay.
So, today it rained and I had to return my bike as it was the last chance. It was a light rain and I was taking the supplies for our 30 min segment of the program to ROCO in the rain and Ugandan mud and Tom was walking. The last mile I had to walk the bike as it is up hill and the mud is worse there. ( Like the garden just after it rains when your shoes weigh 10# each) When I get to the gate another trainee is there saying that the event is canceled because we are on high security alert. Meaning whites should not be gathered together in a area as they are a target for terrorists. Today is the Kenya VS Ugandan soccer game and tomorrow is Uganda's Independence day but no one really celebrates because they have been fighting each other since Britain set them free and Monday the Americans in country celebrate Columbus Day. Then a French woman tourist was just abducted in Kenya so we were on alert due to that but not hi alert like today. The advisory said we were all to remain at our home stay and not be out as we would be targets. So, you have 46 people who have loaded there luggage into storage and were to have 2 days of activities Home stay day and Shopping in Kampala for your house and now both are canceled and no one has anything to do. So I turned in my bike, turned in the 5# of flour and 2# of oil and went to the kitchen of ROCO and asked for a pound of cheese and decided to do the pizza demo at Juliets or the 7 of us. So we started at 10 when I got back and ate at 1. It is like making pizza when you are in the Boundary Waters. The fuel source is the little charcoal stove you have no control over for heat production. We made 4 of them and they tasted good for Uganda but we will never put dominos out of business. The boys who don't like tomatoes ate like true Ugandeans meaning everything in front of them and we also had spaghetti. I used the rest of the pizza sauce on mine (spaghetti,which is only noodles, so don't think they have anything that looks Italian here cause they don't). So today I am full from American food and it feels good. Juliet was amazed that I ate as much as I did and it was all tomatoes. She said tomatoes make Ugandans loose. I am hoping for the same results. Drinking senna tea is tiresome.
My language test I felt really good about until my phone started ringing after 10 minutes and then I panicked and don't have a clue what I was saying so I anticipate a tutor. We find out Monday unless we are still at our home-stays. So, 2 days off with no deadlines or agenda and the power is on. Music is blasting and babies are crying. Did I mention there have been 5 born since we came and only 1 is the first. The sky cleared and it is a hot day and the clothes are on the line drying along with most other families. Tom is napping since he doesn't have to study words. The world is good here as I hope it is there. Tuesday we are to meet our supervisors for our new jobs. They come to Kampala for a training with us and then come to our swearing in and take us off to the housing they are providing for us as part of the agreement to have a volunteer. Not sure if we will be on a bus again with 200# of junk stuck below with the chickens and fish or if we have a ride. More to come from the 3rd world. We will be sad to leave our lovely family here. They have been wonderful to us and except for potatoes, spaghetti, rice beans, cabbage, and sometimes squash every night and an egg for breakfast I have no complaints. Tom loves the food and for all he eats I can't figure out why he isn't plumping up. Maybe it is the 8 miles we do everyday! Soon to be over... I will write again when it is. Love from Wakiso
The view from our back door where 7 families live with 2 kids each
