Blogs from Jinja, Eastern Region, Uganda, Africa - page 9

Just walked down to town in extreme African rain, my theory that no one would be out and therefore I'd be the only one using the internet was correct, also means I can sing along to the fantastic music they play in here - unfortunatley on the walk here I managed to scare most of the population of Jinja with my bright pink pac-a-mac they really did not know what to make of that. The rain means there's more mosquitos but I've done as the Ugandans do and treated all my clothes with this horrible smelling anti-bug stuff, which is great as I haven't been bitten in weeks. Unfortunately means people don't really want to come near me either but I've learnt to deal with that! I can't remember if I mentioned but we were planning ... read more

So just a quick update!! Feeling loads better and the doctors are all happy! So been busy, went to a copper smelter (you just want to say smelter, it's the best word!) and persuaded them to build some beds for this other orphanage we're supporting - was a bit of a strange place and I was the only white girl for 200 miles so got some great looks!! This other orphange is a bit out of town but it's been run by a Canadian girl, Terra, who was essentially doine what I'm doing now but then ended up running the place and now lives here!! She's amazing! The place has nothing, not even a floor and has 60 children with no beds or clean water. Took Tony one of the orphans to Kampala to see the ... read more

Started work this Monday at the orphanage 'Welcome Home' which has about 60 under 7 years olds. Basically our job is to play with the kids and help out during showers, lunch etc. The kids are great, their English is pretty poor they can say hi. They call all the volunteers and people who work their 'mummy' which was a bit strange at first, but they're starting to learn to say 'mummy katie' which sounds like 'mummy ti', which I can just about get used to. We only work with them for 4 or so hours a day, it's very tiring and you constantly have about 4 kids hanging off you at any one time - it's really sweet they just want to be hugged! It's also strange - health and safety hasn't reached Uganda yet ... read more

Day 265 (31/12/08) Jez's Birthday (aka New Years Eve) Brimming with excitement we were up at 7am to a cloudless blue sky, to catch our transfer from the camp to the rafting spot for breaky and the days briefing. We were soon fitting up with helmets, life jackets and jumped on the back of the truck and down to the launching point of the White Nile. We allocated ourselves into rafts Carly, Jez, Nathan, Tania, Mike from our truck and an enthusiastic American lady, we were assigned an instructor, Jane “one tough looking bitch”. Jane had over twenty years experience so we were in safe hands. After a quick practice of the strokes, how to flip and get in and out of the raft we were ready to tackle our first rapid. With the other rafts ... read more

I realize I have been posting but not really actually on anything I have been doing here in Uganda. So I'm going to be lazy and do this: I go to Jinja on the spur after spending the morning marching in the Ugandan Independence Day Parade for the President at the local airstrip with Sam, who I had met about thirty minutes ago having breakfast at the hostel. Sam is 26, from Manchester, and teaches mathematics although he looks as far as you can get from a math teacher. He is also as tan as you can get for a Mzungu - he claims he has Indian blood but I think he is a big fat liar. Sam is travelling with his friend Mike, 25 and also British but has a shaved head which leads him ... read more