I have to say my first goodbye this morning... well, not really the first, other people have come and gone from IC Uganda already, but the first one to someone I consider a friend.
Okidi Richard resigned today, and while I understand he needs to go and take care of his family, I selfishly wish it wasn't so... sigh. It just makes me dread December 15th even more.
I dislike goodbyes greatly, even when I know they will be followed by some amazing hellos.
love and miss you all
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
a decidedly non apolegtic entry
we all know I haven't posted in awhile. I really don't have any new or better excuses, so I'm not going to give any. Sorry for not being more communicative. I love you all. :)
I feel like I'm changing here. Which is probably the biggest "no duh" statement of the year. I think if I wasn't changed by this experience, I wouldn't be human. I'm becoming braver, more sure of myself. More questioning of my own motivations, more enthusiastic about the future. I laugh just as regularly, but oddly enough, I cry less. I feel the undercurrent of God's delight in creation more often. I talk less, listen more intently, and think so much that sleep eludes me from 2-3am everynight.
I have less answers and more questions, but I'm more willing to accept uncertainties. I'm depending more on God, more on others... but learning that I can stand strong alone.
This will probably make little sense to anyone but myself... so I'll stop waxing poetic and tell you more about what I've been up to...
We went to Jinja last weekend, where I went White Water Rafting for the first time. It was a lot of fun, but I'm not "hooked for life." I just think it's exceedingly cool to be able to say I've white rafted on the Nile. My favorite part wasn't the rapids, though. At one point, we were able to get out of the raft and swim in the Nile. It was amazing. The current just swept us along, we all agreed it was the closet to flying as we'll ever come. And as the sun started to set, casting the long shadows of the trees across the water, a feeling of peace and calm settled within my entire being, and I felt closer to God than I have in such a long time. It's so nice that we get to delight in Him so fully.
This past week I've really been studying Luo. It's coming along frustratingly slow, but I want to learn so bad. Patricia has been tutoring me... I feel like I'm back in Spanish class. I write paragraphs at night, and she grades them for me the next morning. It's difficult, but I have so much motivation to learn. I want to be able to sing and play with the children on the way home from work, and they all speak Luo. Besides, I'm tired of people having to translate all the wedding proposals I've been getting... I'd rather handle them myself :)
This week I'm taking Patricia to dinner, celebrating Halloween (we're all really excited to try and explain the concept of a jack o'lantern to the Ugandans), and attending a ton of meetings (which I'm not really looking forward to)
I love you all. Hope life is treating you kindly.
I feel like I'm changing here. Which is probably the biggest "no duh" statement of the year. I think if I wasn't changed by this experience, I wouldn't be human. I'm becoming braver, more sure of myself. More questioning of my own motivations, more enthusiastic about the future. I laugh just as regularly, but oddly enough, I cry less. I feel the undercurrent of God's delight in creation more often. I talk less, listen more intently, and think so much that sleep eludes me from 2-3am everynight.
I have less answers and more questions, but I'm more willing to accept uncertainties. I'm depending more on God, more on others... but learning that I can stand strong alone.
This will probably make little sense to anyone but myself... so I'll stop waxing poetic and tell you more about what I've been up to...
We went to Jinja last weekend, where I went White Water Rafting for the first time. It was a lot of fun, but I'm not "hooked for life." I just think it's exceedingly cool to be able to say I've white rafted on the Nile. My favorite part wasn't the rapids, though. At one point, we were able to get out of the raft and swim in the Nile. It was amazing. The current just swept us along, we all agreed it was the closet to flying as we'll ever come. And as the sun started to set, casting the long shadows of the trees across the water, a feeling of peace and calm settled within my entire being, and I felt closer to God than I have in such a long time. It's so nice that we get to delight in Him so fully.
This past week I've really been studying Luo. It's coming along frustratingly slow, but I want to learn so bad. Patricia has been tutoring me... I feel like I'm back in Spanish class. I write paragraphs at night, and she grades them for me the next morning. It's difficult, but I have so much motivation to learn. I want to be able to sing and play with the children on the way home from work, and they all speak Luo. Besides, I'm tired of people having to translate all the wedding proposals I've been getting... I'd rather handle them myself :)
This week I'm taking Patricia to dinner, celebrating Halloween (we're all really excited to try and explain the concept of a jack o'lantern to the Ugandans), and attending a ton of meetings (which I'm not really looking forward to)
I love you all. Hope life is treating you kindly.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
The days start to blur together
One of the strange things about being here for one month, is that now so many things that I’m sure would have thrown me for a loop before I came here, or would seem interesting to all of you back in the States just seems to be part of the daily routine. So, I’m going to work hard on continuing to update, but you’ll have to let me know if it starts to sound tedious or monotonous! (I don’t want to bore you all!)
I’m being a little lazy today… so instead of writing something new, I’m posting something I wrote last weekend, about my trip to Sir Samuel Baker with Okidi Richard.
Turning up the tree lined road to Sir Samuel Baker, I am immediately struck by the many differences from my own high school. The rush of cars driving by, the harsh light of the sun bouncing off the pavement is absent, in its place is a sense of tranquility, as though this land knows it is meant for study and quiet meditation. All around is green, green, green, surrounded by a sky so blue, I feel as though I have found myself in a piece of art. Someone once told me that Uganda is the most beautiful country in Africa, and I am inclined to believe them.
Arriving at the front gate, you can almost feel the history of the school; the leaders that have passed through, the futures of great men that have been shaped here. The buildings themselves shout of their former glory, and it only takes the squinting of my eye and an imagined coat of paint to restore them to what they must have been. Young men in crisp white shirts litter the ground, reading, talking, dreaming.
Speaking to the headmaster, my original characterizations of the school are confirmed. They have suffered much, but overcome. Political coups and changing policies, LRA occupation and military sentries, burning buildings and insufficient funds, the administration and the students preserved. The headmaster recounts the current obstacles facing the school; inadequate teaching staff, dilapidated dorm rooms, classrooms that are crumbling around students. However, the present struggles don’t dissuade the inhabitants of the school. I can sense it in the air; their will, their desire to restore Sir Samuel Baker to all it once was, is palpable. And I, for one, have faith they will…
I’m being a little lazy today… so instead of writing something new, I’m posting something I wrote last weekend, about my trip to Sir Samuel Baker with Okidi Richard.
Turning up the tree lined road to Sir Samuel Baker, I am immediately struck by the many differences from my own high school. The rush of cars driving by, the harsh light of the sun bouncing off the pavement is absent, in its place is a sense of tranquility, as though this land knows it is meant for study and quiet meditation. All around is green, green, green, surrounded by a sky so blue, I feel as though I have found myself in a piece of art. Someone once told me that Uganda is the most beautiful country in Africa, and I am inclined to believe them.
Arriving at the front gate, you can almost feel the history of the school; the leaders that have passed through, the futures of great men that have been shaped here. The buildings themselves shout of their former glory, and it only takes the squinting of my eye and an imagined coat of paint to restore them to what they must have been. Young men in crisp white shirts litter the ground, reading, talking, dreaming.
Speaking to the headmaster, my original characterizations of the school are confirmed. They have suffered much, but overcome. Political coups and changing policies, LRA occupation and military sentries, burning buildings and insufficient funds, the administration and the students preserved. The headmaster recounts the current obstacles facing the school; inadequate teaching staff, dilapidated dorm rooms, classrooms that are crumbling around students. However, the present struggles don’t dissuade the inhabitants of the school. I can sense it in the air; their will, their desire to restore Sir Samuel Baker to all it once was, is palpable. And I, for one, have faith they will…
Friday, October 12, 2007
a quick hello
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to travel to Kitgum, a town/city about 3 hours drive from Gulu. Kristen and I went with Patricia (the mentor I spent the day with a couple weeks ago) and Peter (one of the IC drivers). Because Patricia had to do 4 home visits with students near Kitgum, we ended up spending the night in a hotel and drove back to Gulu this morning... The hotel we stayed in was called "Los Angeles" and I kept laughing at the irony of flying 23 hours around the globe just to end up back home. :)
I'm really working on learning Acholi (Amito ngeyo lebo Acholi- I want to learn much Acholi but Pe angeyo lebo... I don't understand much). I've got flashcards and quiet a few willing teachers. It's a little frustrating at times, wanting to be able to communicate with people in their native tongue, and not being able to. But, I'm going to keep working on it. Hopefully by the time December rolls around I'll be doing better.
I can't believe it's been a month since I left home. Time has been flying by so quickly, I can hardly stand it. I hope you are all having an AMAZING day! I'll try to type up a longer update soon!
love you all!
betsy
I'm really working on learning Acholi (Amito ngeyo lebo Acholi- I want to learn much Acholi but Pe angeyo lebo... I don't understand much). I've got flashcards and quiet a few willing teachers. It's a little frustrating at times, wanting to be able to communicate with people in their native tongue, and not being able to. But, I'm going to keep working on it. Hopefully by the time December rolls around I'll be doing better.
I can't believe it's been a month since I left home. Time has been flying by so quickly, I can hardly stand it. I hope you are all having an AMAZING day! I'll try to type up a longer update soon!
love you all!
betsy
Friday, October 5, 2007
Here I go again...
Thanks so much, all of you who’ve emailed me! It’s been so amazing this week, being able to learn what’s going on in Alta Loma. Kristen and I were talking this week about how even the daily “to-dos” of the people back home are fun to hear about, so thanks.
This week seemed to fly by. I’m not exactly sure how I feel about that… On one side, it’s really good, because it means I’ve adjusted, and the days are going by just a quick as they did back home. On the other hand, I don’t want them to go by too quickly, because I’m really loving all the people here… but it also means I’ll see all of you quicker… sigh. Either way, I can’t really stop the passage of time, so I guess I’ll just live with the pace it sets.
This week Kristen took staff photographs, and I got to be her assistant, which really just consisted of me hanging around while she took pictures. It was a lot of fun, though. I got to learn a few more names of the staff here, and hang out some more with the ones I already knew. Later today the mentors are having a football/soccer game, and I am SO there, I’m uber excited about it!
Something I guess I haven’t talked as much about in this blog are the day to day things in here Gulu, and now is as good as any time to share about it! IC has 3 different houses here in Gulu to house the international staff and all the volunteers that come to work here. Kristen, Jamie and I are currently living at the Intern House, which is the house that everyone else comes to for meals. It’s really neat, being able to start and end the day with all the international staff. We sit around and watch season 3 of The Office (I’m SO happy it came out the week before I left), talk about our days, and generally debrief about life here in Uganda. Its really nice, having this sense of normalcy, talking as quickly as we want, and using all sorts of slang (which can, at times, throw Sarah, who is from England).
I’ve been taking a boda boda to work everyday, which costs 1,000 shillings (around 60 cents), but I am trying to work up the courage to take a bicycle home… I’m a little intimidated, because the boda boda drivers will go so close to them… we’ll see if I can ever work up the gumption! (I’ll keep y’all updated!). We get to the office around 8:30 and I usually leave at 5:30, with an hour for lunch. There are 2 restaurants we frequent most often: Lindon House, where you can get beans, rice, bo (green veggies), chicken, kasava, sweet potatoes… basically all the traditional Ugandan foods. It’s really good and really cheap. Kristen, Jamie and I all had lunch there the other day (we girls had beans, rice and bo, Jamie had beans, chicken and malakwan, and we all had soda), and it came to 9,000 shillings… around 4 US dollars. The other place we go is MAQ (Man About Quality) foods. There you can get veggie pizza (it’s a bit different from pizza back home) or veggie samosas (yum!), and they serve some pretty amazing pastries (the owner spent a year in France!). It’s a little more pricy for Ugandan standards (pizza is 4,000 shillings, around 2 US dollars), but we can usually swing it. :)
At work my days vary. Some days, like yesterday, I’ll spend the whole day traveling and visiting different school sites. Others I attend meetings, do inventory, make copies… normal office work. Today I get to attend a new school, Sir Samuel Baker, with one of our mentors, Okidi, who was a teacher there during the height of rebel activity here in Gulu, it should be really informative.
This weekend, I’m planning on spending some time in the office, getting some work done. Kristen and I may visit St. Jude’s, an orphanage in the region, to hang out with some kiddos. I didn’t end up going to Awer last weekend, I wasn’t feeling to great Sunday morning, but we may end up visiting this Sunday, too… we’ll see!
You’re all in my thoughts and prayers.
Betsy
This week seemed to fly by. I’m not exactly sure how I feel about that… On one side, it’s really good, because it means I’ve adjusted, and the days are going by just a quick as they did back home. On the other hand, I don’t want them to go by too quickly, because I’m really loving all the people here… but it also means I’ll see all of you quicker… sigh. Either way, I can’t really stop the passage of time, so I guess I’ll just live with the pace it sets.
This week Kristen took staff photographs, and I got to be her assistant, which really just consisted of me hanging around while she took pictures. It was a lot of fun, though. I got to learn a few more names of the staff here, and hang out some more with the ones I already knew. Later today the mentors are having a football/soccer game, and I am SO there, I’m uber excited about it!
Something I guess I haven’t talked as much about in this blog are the day to day things in here Gulu, and now is as good as any time to share about it! IC has 3 different houses here in Gulu to house the international staff and all the volunteers that come to work here. Kristen, Jamie and I are currently living at the Intern House, which is the house that everyone else comes to for meals. It’s really neat, being able to start and end the day with all the international staff. We sit around and watch season 3 of The Office (I’m SO happy it came out the week before I left), talk about our days, and generally debrief about life here in Uganda. Its really nice, having this sense of normalcy, talking as quickly as we want, and using all sorts of slang (which can, at times, throw Sarah, who is from England).
I’ve been taking a boda boda to work everyday, which costs 1,000 shillings (around 60 cents), but I am trying to work up the courage to take a bicycle home… I’m a little intimidated, because the boda boda drivers will go so close to them… we’ll see if I can ever work up the gumption! (I’ll keep y’all updated!). We get to the office around 8:30 and I usually leave at 5:30, with an hour for lunch. There are 2 restaurants we frequent most often: Lindon House, where you can get beans, rice, bo (green veggies), chicken, kasava, sweet potatoes… basically all the traditional Ugandan foods. It’s really good and really cheap. Kristen, Jamie and I all had lunch there the other day (we girls had beans, rice and bo, Jamie had beans, chicken and malakwan, and we all had soda), and it came to 9,000 shillings… around 4 US dollars. The other place we go is MAQ (Man About Quality) foods. There you can get veggie pizza (it’s a bit different from pizza back home) or veggie samosas (yum!), and they serve some pretty amazing pastries (the owner spent a year in France!). It’s a little more pricy for Ugandan standards (pizza is 4,000 shillings, around 2 US dollars), but we can usually swing it. :)
At work my days vary. Some days, like yesterday, I’ll spend the whole day traveling and visiting different school sites. Others I attend meetings, do inventory, make copies… normal office work. Today I get to attend a new school, Sir Samuel Baker, with one of our mentors, Okidi, who was a teacher there during the height of rebel activity here in Gulu, it should be really informative.
This weekend, I’m planning on spending some time in the office, getting some work done. Kristen and I may visit St. Jude’s, an orphanage in the region, to hang out with some kiddos. I didn’t end up going to Awer last weekend, I wasn’t feeling to great Sunday morning, but we may end up visiting this Sunday, too… we’ll see!
You’re all in my thoughts and prayers.
Betsy
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