Blogs from Central Region, Uganda, Africa - page 53

Muraire Muta! Hi! Thanks for all your birthday greetings, texts and the cards and presents that I opened this morning. I'm back in Masindi Town, with the electiricity on! Hurray! Other luxuries to look forward to this weekend are sit down toilets and running water. The sun is shining too, so hopefully it will be warm. (Personally I'd prefer a bucket of hot water than a running cold shower!). Thanks to everyone who has logged on and sent messages- it's great to hear your news! I went into school this morning ( first time I've done that on my birthday!). After assembly I was invited across to the P7 classroom where the children sang 'Happy Birthday' and presented me with a posy of flowers and 2 lollies. The generosity of everyone continues to amaze me. I ... read more

I have been meaning to update this every day for the past week, but something has come up. Nothing urgent mind you because nothing urgent or pressing really happens to me here in Uganda, but nonetheless I have been occupied with work and various other activities, i.e. cooking, reading, watching the first season of LOST, applying for jobs, going to the gym, etc…. I have tons of things on my mind, commentaries and opinions on daily life here in Uganda. But before I take the time to compose those I am going to write more about just what I have been up to. Since the exciting weekend rafting on the Nile things have been pretty calm around here. The following Wednesday I packed a bag and headed over to Alli’s after work. She is house-sitting for ... read more

I am staying in Kalyango village in the home of one the local councillors. I think it was felt that the teachers lived to far away from the school ( average about 5km). The councillor has two houses, so I'm living in relative luxury. One of the teachers (Nastwa) is staying with me and so is the councillor's sister, to help look after the 'visitor'. The house is a concrete construction with a tin roof. There is glass in the front windows but not at the back. The house is organised around a central, enclosed courtyard where the cooking, washing etc takes place. The toilets are pit latrines out at the back and there is an external screened area for bathing. This is literally a bucket, but it's hot (boiled on the fire) water and if ... read more

Still, here! It takes a looonnng time to get on to the net, load webpages etc. The typing may be a bit erratic too as the keys tend to jam! However, when you receive a welcome like the one we had last night, problems pale into insignificance. Children from the local Army Boarding school ( many of whom were orphans) came to sing, drum and dance for us. They started with a specially composed song to welcome the Global Teachers to Masindi. It was just amazing. Two girls were leaders and just started singing and then the rest joined in, singing in beautiful harmonies with the drummers driving the pulse. The dancers that performed next were equally awe inspiring. Such energy and incredible foot work that perfectly matched the percussion accompaniment. They will be entering the ... read more

Hi everyone! thanks for your messages, it's really great to get them when I log on. We're now in Masindi, though tonight is our last night before we go out to our families in the villages - then the challenge will really begin! We got a further taste of African life on the journey up from Kampala. The first experience was literal as we stopped at a roadside and ate watermelon and pineapple which tasted as you just wouldn't believe possible. In the heat of the day they were more refreshing than any ice lolly. The second experience was a bit different, but equally typical, the fan belt broke on the bus! We all piled out of the bus and sat on the roadside for a while, whilst our driver spoke of it being ready in ... read more