August 29, 2010

Yesterday we had language an then we went to the Uganda Museum and to the Peace Corp office in Kampala. It was pretty good! Best part of the day was when I was able to go into Garden City and buy a modem and airtime. Yea, so now I am able to get internet! Still need to get on and off, not like home where you can stay on forever. Every minute counts, I purchased 1 month and that gives me about 1 hour everyday if I don’t send pictures. So Yea!

Today, after Mass, I washed cloths outside! Wow, it took me 1 1/2 hours!

Love & Light,

Mari

August 25, 2010

My homestay family is very poor, but my host sister (who is my age and the mother) wants to have her children educated at the university here. Her daughter will be going to the university next September and then she has another that will follow her. So she is thinking about going to the US to earn money for their school. She works amazingly hard. Boiling water, cooking outside, cleaning, washing dishes outside, taking care of the hen farm and the children, washing cloths outside and ironing everything. You have to iron everything here that is put on the line to dry. Because there is a fly that when they land on your wet cloths they lay eggs. You put the cloths on and the eggs go into your skin and then cause a boil. Then worms come out of your skin. Not fun!

My host sister, Margaret has been so nice to me and I really have been welcomed into this home. The father is a Rev and he started a school, he made a DVD to send out as a fund raiser and I saw it the other night and it is really good. He wanted to help the young people and educate them so that they would not be out doing nothing.

I would like to send you all a copy of the DVD if he gets me a copy.

Amaro wun,

Means I Love You All in Lango!

Get this: Amari is I Love You! Can you believe, A Mari....my name!

I think that is neat!

Love & Light,

Mari

August 24, 2010

We got some more vaccines today Rabies #2 and Meningitis. Last week one of the young guys had to have stitches in his head because he fell and they have asked me to take them out tomorrow for them. There are only 3 nurses in our group of 45. We learned today about many of the skin diseases in Africa. We are going into the community this afternoon to teach some of the community people....our first encounter! One good thing is that we have a translator!

All the internets were down again. Many times, like last night there were was no electricity or running water. Many times that happens.

Still looking forward to going to my site.

Love & Light,

Mari

August 21, 2010

Today is Saturday and we still had to go to the classes. We had Language today and then the bank came and introduced us to the VISA cards that the Peace Corp will issue us. We are to use those during our stay here, it is with Stanbic Bank. PC will deposit money once a month into that account for us to live on while we are here. We just filled out paper work and should get them next Wednesday. Then I came home and my host sister brought a modem from work home for the weekend, I brought 4000 UGS for airtime and We Got On the Internet from Home! It was great and we were happy until it went out in less than two minutes. The air time goes fast. Just like the air time on the phone calling the states.

This afternoon, my host sister helped me wash my laundry. Also, another first here in Uganda was washing my hair in the bucket when I washed up. I feel like I am back in school full time, 8 to 5pm we are in classes, and we have so much homework!

When I was at the market, I met a Peace Corps Volunteer that is stationed up North and speaks the Lango language. He said that I will not be far North, I may be in Kitgum, but in South Kitgum if I am there at all. He said it will probably be in close to Guru or Lira. Either way, he said that it is flat, hot and green...that it is beautiful. So I am looking forward to going.

Take care of yourselves and I will be in touch.

Love & Light,

Mari

August 19, 2010

It is beautiful today! Classes were good, we had 2 volunteers talk with us today on some of there experiences and a network they started, Peer Support & Diversity Development. It is a great network to ask questions and get real time knowledge and help. I rode my bike home and stopped at 3 internet cafes and many air-card places for a modem access....no luck. One place losted electricity. My language instructor was sick today, so we only got instruction in the morning. But we had homework last night and we had to introduce ourselves, where we were from, where we are now and what out profession was without looking at our notes. Wow! I did it and did it well. So maybe all will be well.

I rode my bike home today and boy was that rough. Many holes in the rode...some of the volunteers turn their bikes back in today because it was too hard for them to ride up and down the hills and to dodge cars, taxis and motorcycles. I like riding the bike, verse walking.

Take care of yourselves and I will be in touch!

Love & Light,
Mari

August 18, 2010

The Internet Cafes are challenging. I went yesterday, but they said that they did not have an antivirus yet on the computer, so I did not use it. I am still learning the phone system, they use airtime instead of monthly charges, and boy does it go fast!

We had class all day today and I got my bike, but I was not able to ride it to my homestay because my skirt was too long and was getting stuck in the bike. So I will get it tomorrow.

Anyway, things are going well and challenging.

Love & Light,

Mari

August 17, 2010

We had training all day today. I walked to RACO this morning and saw some on the young children that were out.....Wow what poverty everywhere here. Americans are so blessed. Not sure how much the government money trickles down. About 2 pm it started to rain and really rained hard until the end of the day. It was bad that I had to walk home in the pouring rain....good thing for my rain poncho from AAA!

We started learning our new Leb Lango language and it is going slow, but I think it may be easier than Luganda. I cannot wait to get my bike! Everyone is so nice here. So far I still have not been able to get Internet.