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.

August 16, 2010

We left for Wakiso today and meet our host families for homestay. I have a wonderful loving family, Rev. Luyinda and his wife Margaret. They have 6 children, 5 live at home, the youngest is 13. The oldest is in the US and finished nursing school and lives in Washington DC. Her mother said that she will only visit Uganda now, she is applying for citizenship in the USA. I will be here for 10 weeks during my orientation period and am learning how to survive in Uganda when I am on my own. They have electricity, but it goes out alot and no running water. I take a bath outside and the pit lateran is outside. But it is good to learn what to do. I will walk about 3 miles to the class from their home and then back at the end of the day with a full backpack. We will get our bikes on the 18th.

Love & Light,

Mari

August 14, 2010

Well it was a fun day today! This morning we had the 3 PCVs speak to us and tell us alittle about the host families that they had. Then we learn how to make a tippie tap (that is a little fountain to wash our hands without touching anything made from whatever you can find. We then learned about a bike for 45 minutes...Wow, that was something.

We found out what region that we are going to because we were learning Luganda and different regions have other languages that they speak. So they are changing the curriculum to accommodate the 8 other languages. We will meet our teachers tomorrow. The AD stated that our scheduled regions 99.9% correct. Well, my region will be somewhere in North Uganda and I will start learning Leb Lango! There are a couple of places in the North that have community health, so I have an idea where I may be. It will either be in Lira, Pader, or South Kitgum, Uganda. I heard it is gorgeous up there and they only send people that can work independently. Only 5 of us are going there out of the 45 and 3 of us are over 50. Me and 2 others who are a married couple. It is however, close to the Sudan boarder.

After training some of the trainees walked into town and some went to play soccer, I meet up with the people that went to play soccer to take some pictures. Oh my Goodness! The kids Loved the camera and everyone wanted their picture taken and then they wanted to see the picture. I was mobbed by the kids. It was great, they were all laughing and so excited...it was so good to see. These are children that live in poverty and they are so happy with the simple things of life. It really put a smile on my face and the guy trainees where laughing at me getting mobbed by the kids!

Tomorrow we are going to Kampala to get a phone, exchange our money (exchange rate is 2200 shillings for every $1.00) and do some shopping to get things we need for when we move into our host families. Some of the things we have to buy are a pot bucket to pee in, toilet paper, a cup to sponge bath, a sponge to clean with, etc...fun stuff like that!

Stay healthy and continue to pray for me for learning now the Lango language!

Love,

Mari

August 13, 2010

I am sure that you know by now that I made it to Uganda!

I have already had an experience flying to Uganda. As you know I flew into Philly on the 9th of August. I got there at 1pm and went right into training that started at 12:30pm. We were in training from 12:30 to 7pm. I got to bed around 10:30 pm and got up at 2 am to get the bus for JFK. We got to JFK at 5:30 am, but we were unable to check in until 7 am. Then our flight left at 10:30 am on South Africa Airline to Johannesburg.

We had a 6 hour layover in Johannesburg, and boarded South Africa airlines for Entebbe at 2pm. That was a 5 hours flight. We arrived around 8pm, got our bags and went though customs. Now we were informed that we had to have Ugandan dress entering into the county and all my skirts were in my carryon bag, which I had just gotten. So I went to the BR to change and when I came out....No Bus, No Peace Corp trainees in sight...

Well, that was great, we were not given any phone numbers (security) in the county and we did not get an address where we were going. So here I was in Uganda, not knowing where I was going, and no phone number in country to call and I did not know the language! It was kind of funny, because I always have to have all the information before I leave anywhere. So after many problem solving techniques that did not work...I found someone who had a phone that could call the US (another $10, but worth it). I called the Uganda desk in Washington and thank God and they got in touch with the Uganda PC Director. Little did I know after 1 1/2 hours he was still in the parking lot of the airport because one of the trainees had lost their wallet on the plane, so he was filling out paper work. So I was lucky because we were staying about 45 minutes away from the airport.

Well, now everyone knew who I was...Mary, the girl that was left at the airport! One way I guess to make an impression!

Anyway, we were all exhausted after that long travel, but we were still starting class at 8 am, and breakfast was at 7 am on the 12th. We had a full day of training on the 13th. Everyone was schedule for interviews, they are dividing the Community Heath and Economics Develop which has been working as one division for some time now, but now they have enough staff to separate them. So the 13th, I had my interview with Community Health, it went well but I am not sure what region they are going to put me in. We should know maybe Monday. We are learning Luganda, but depending on what region you are in, it is very possible it is another language. Today’s training was great we did alot of cross culture intro which was fun. I played volleyball with other trainees. Everyone is so nice and adjusting and friendly. There are trainees from 20 to 60. All are under 30 except 6 of us. We have more cross culture tomorrow the 14th and 3 of the other PC volunteers that have been here will talk with us tomorrow. They drove in this evening, 1 guy is extending another year, but in another country. Another has been here 1 year and moved after 6 months to another site due to sponsorship folding and then 1 of the other girls. On Sunday the 15th, we will venture into one section of Kampala to get a tour. On, Monday the16th we meet and move to our Host families, somewhere in Wakiso. We will have our training at the training center during the day, Mon-Fri and be with our host family the rest of the time for 10 weeks. Then to our sites...

Anyway, that is all I know. But, right outside the place where we are eating at the training center that is between Entebbe and Kampala we have monkeys and unbelievable birds! We heard all this noise yesterday afternoon and the kitten had run up the tree to chase the monkey’s and the bird flew down to try to get the kitten...it as so neat to be able to see that right in front of our face!