I'll Be Home for Christmas, You Can Count on Me

So, I'm really excited... I'll be coming home for Christmas! :) My flight comes in the evening of Monday, December 17th, and I fly back to Uganda January 8th. So a little over 3 weeks stateside! I hope I get to see you all while I'm back. I miss all your smiling faces.

The Internship Program Officer, Jamie (aka one of my bosses) was an intern over the summer, and he said his 3 months as an intern were the 3 fastest-slowest months of his life. I can't believe it's been 3 months since the plane touched down in Entebbe Airport, but leaving home feels like forever ago. Sigh. Time is such a funny thing.

I love you all. Hope you are learning to see God more everyday.

Avoid the Christmas Rush

So... there's a possibility I may come home for Christmas... The IC office is closed for 3 weeks in December/beginning of January, and all the international staff is leaving Gulu during that time. If I end up not coming home, I'd be here alone, which would mean I'd learn a lot of independence, but I'm a little freaked out at the idea of spending 3 weeks of nights alone (the days aren't a problem, it's the nights that get a little hard).

So, while my father scans the internet for cheap tickets (ha, ha), I'm going to offer everyone a solution to avoiding the Christmas shopping rush... Beaded Necklaces from Uganda!!! :) Many different Acholi women make beaded necklaces and sell them to earn their living (quiet a few of mine are from women in Awer IDP camp)... and I'm thinking of selling mine to earn a plane ticket home. I'm thinking of selling them for around $15-20, and each will be accompanied by a kicken' card explaining where they're from and telling a bit about the women who make them... what do ya'll think?

The Season is changing... and so are my plans!

so, there are really only two seasons here in Gulu: the rainy season, which consists of hot days randomly interrupted by rather heavy rainfall, and the dry season, which consists of hot days and no rain, so the roads quickly turn to dust and everyone walks around with a slight film of dirt covering them completely... we're nearing the end of dry season, and therefore the end of my white skirt wearing days. :)

sorry I haven't updated in so long... I have no excuse. :/ A lot has been happening here in Gulu Town. Last week I went on a Schools for Schools retreat to Jinja... saw the source of the Nile, ate some very yellow french fries and swam at the nicest resort I've ever seen (and then promptly walked back to my dorm that cost 1/15th of the price). Kope Cafe has opened in town (I don't know if I've posted anything about it yet... it's a cafe that is being run my the Intern Program Coordinator, Jamie. It's an income generating project for HEALS, a NGO in Gulu that gives vulnerable children guidance and moral support through music and play therapy). It's our new hangout... like the Central Perk or Max of Gulu (who can name those two shows?), and I've been having a lot of fun hanging out there in the evenings and weekends. I've also started hanging out a HEALS on Sunday, learning traditional Acholi dances and songs, as well as just getting to know the kiddos there. It's amazing, and probably my favorite place to be in all of Uganda.

Another big change that happened is my travel plans home have changed... I'm going to be staying in Gulu until February 20th, which I'm really excited about. I love and miss all of you, but I feel as though I haven't learned everything I'm supposed to here... God has been teaching and molding me a lot, but he's definetely not finished yet! :)

I'll try to be better about updating my blog... For whatever reason, I never know what to write about! I hope you all are having amazing weeks, and that you have a happy Thanksgiving!

love,
Betsy