Euphoria...where are you?

Well my flight arrived in Entebbe, Uganda on April 3, on time as scheduled.

Flying over Uganda I was quite surprised by thte green. I was expecting the same rust red earth like that of Sierra Leone. However, Uganda is very green and from above, the salmon color roads are clearly visible running all over, in and through the lush green trees and shrubs.

The past 8 days here in Africa have been extremely taxing...and poor Adam calls multiple times a day only to hear his wife hysterically crying saying she wants to come home.

Part of me wonders if I can get used to this, this diet, weather, living accomidations, Africa.. any of it. I thought it'd be fine. I mean I was nervous but this has been a lonely excruiating pain that has been totally unexpected and I don't know how to deal with it. I don't know how to embrace the situation, to look at the positives, to rest and find peace. I'm lost.

The team of interns consist of 4 females (Meghan, Cathleen, Shilpa, Michelle) and a young guy - Uriah. The dynamic is quite interesting so we'll see where that goes. Most of us are faily close together in terms of our host families, thus we've decided to get together once a week for "Human Resource Happy Hour" - not quite sure where the name came from but we'll see.

We've stumbled across a restaurant in town - Ten Tables (that has also been highly recommended by former interns) and I'm in love. NO traditional African food there... yeah!

Much has happened in the 11 days since my departure from Boston. In an effort to make this posting not another "venting" session - I'll simply list them :~)
*I squished a frog with my backpack
*I purchased a pineapple which then called all the ants in Africa to my room to
swarm it
*I had a few cold showers with a nozel and have been demoted to bucket showers now
that I'm at my host home
*I have a few interesting bites...not all mosiquito... some stay - some go - guess *I'll just keep taking my malaria pills on time and cross my fingers hoping for the
best...
*I'm continue to have people ask me why I'm married, 28 and have no kids. I guess
when the average life expectancy in a country is 47.5, it's a legitimate
question. Upon arrival the 2 yr. old granddaughter took her baby doll, pulled
out my shirt and stuck it up. I was laughing so hard I couldn't shoo her away to
make her stop. Nothing like a warm hello.
*Megan took a picture of a dog the other day who was laying on the side of the road
nursing... a local walked by and said "it's just a dog"
*I am having a hard time keeping track of the days... espeically talking to Adam
daily and half the time I'm a day ahead of him. I made a calendar in the back of
my journal so I can cross off days and count down until I see him.
*My internship has changed - I'll now be working at Marie Stopes instead of
Buddukiro Children's Agency (http://www.mariestopes.org/Home.aspx)
*Out of the three hotels we stayed in during the first week here, not one room I was
in had a toilet that flushed without vigerously shaking the handle... guess I
don't have to worry about that anymore since the toilet doesn't flush at all in
my host home
*I have a lizard who likes to hang out in my room on the screen - I think I'll name
him
*I have goats, chickens and a cow
*It took me 2 hours to wash my clothes by hand, hang them on the line... and then it
rained for 4 hours... guess that's why washing machines are so darn expensive...
so no one has to deal with it
*I almost started a fire in my room. Apparently the surge protector I purchased
didn't conver the voltage (like I thought it would) so when I turned the outlet
on there was an amazing display of sparks and smoke... talk about panic... I
already have a leaking ceiling - all I needed to do was loose a wall
*The drive from Kampala to Masaka was quite long... and apparently rest areas are a
foreign concept. The program director pulled over on the side of the road and
told me to go behind somoene's house... I asked if she knew the person - her
reply - "Nope, just go squirt" Hmmm... guess it's socially acceptable considering *I was walking to the FSD office yesterday and watched a woman go right along side
of the road.
*After 6 hours of Luganda language lessons I'm armed with just enough words to be
dangerous. I'm in the process of making note cards which I intend to carry with
me... now I just need to work on my pronounciation. Apparently the word for Water
and Shi* are spelled the same, and only pronounced slightly different... the
other day I asked for a bottle of ... well not water...
*Adam and Kalyn packed up a care package and have sent it my way - we'll see if it
arrives. I was told mail service was not an option... but the staff here in
Uganda say it's fine so we'll see.
*I locked myself in the bathroom at our last hotel - the Zebra hotel and an employee
had to come lift the door to get me out... I also flicked a lizard in our room
while there. I had the bathroom window open and when I shut it, unknown to me,
there was a lizard and the force of the window catapolted him into our bathroom
*I saw a local on a Harley Davidson the other day. Totally surprised me, jeans, cut
off shirt and skull cap...
*If there is any question about it, let it be known that water at the equator does
change directions. When we stopped at the visitor center they have a
demonstration where they pour water in a container on both the North and South
sides of the equator as well as right on the line. The water spins in opposite
directions and on the equator it just drains straight out.
*We went to Lake Buwama where there is a Crocodile farm (for meat and skin
purposes). The Lake was absolutely beautiful and the dragonflys - out of this
world. When you walk they swarm all around your feet, then go away when you
stop, then come straight back when you start walking again (pictures to come)
*I've been unable to get my computer on-line but am hoping to be able to in the near
furture so I can skype... it's be really nice to see a familiar face
*I have a cell phone so people have been calling which is really nice. Reception
isn't too stellar all the time - but it's so nice to hear from loved ones! The
phone was a whopping 30 bucks, but to call the states, it's just over a doller a
minute - yuck... but it's free for me when people call so the calling card is
working out well
*I fell in a hole last night walking... I had my flashlight and everything - I stepped to the left to avoid another hole and wham - right into a different hole...

More to come... hopefully fun and exciting things from a happy heart...


Driving from Entebbe into Kapala (the Capital of Uganda) for the night.


Mosk in Kampala


I am amazed at the scaffolding here. Large structures are being built and the workers are walking around on mere branches tied together


A church driving through town