So, I am finally able to get online, at least for a little while. It has been about a week and a half, so the post right before this one was written quite some time ago, I just never had a chance to post it. The power went out several times last week, and when the power is down, the internet is down.
Various updates:
As I am writing this, it is actually chilly, and I can even see my breath! It is so refreshing to be on the chilly side for a change. Quite a bit has happened since my last post. In summary, Olvie and I worked at the health clinic to gather the information for the UNICEF reports, which need to be sent in soon in order to get more baby formula for the malnourished children in Nyahuka. The process was tedious and frustrating, as the record keeping at the health clinic has been poor and spotty. There are apparently many new staff who have not been trained properly in the record-keeping process for the clinic. The system itself may need some slight reforming as well. We hope to be able to train the staff individually or in pairs sometime very soon. We also rounded a couple of times with Travis and Jess in the pediatric ward. One baby, Moreen has really stood out in my mind: 13 months old, 4.3 kg! She was so skeleton-like and frail, so much so that she could not even hold her mouth closed to drink the water her mom was giving her. They were both HIV+, and the baby had oral thrush, which had been preventing her from eating the past few days, causing her weight to drop drastically from her already tiny body. It was so pitiful. Thankfully, when we went back later that week she had started eating again and was slowing gaining weight. Still so pitiful though.
One day we went to Christ School (Ugandan Christian boarding school in Nyahuka) for their chapel time and helped lead the small groups afterward.
We had another language lesson with Vincent. I now know how to count to 10-- that’s some big stuff right there. However, during this lesson, I got eaten alive by the obukokuni (“no-see-’em” bugs). Since my legs and arms were well covered (I thought I was prepared), they decided to attack my chest, neck and face instead. I looked like I had some disease or something when there were finished with me. Wow, itchiness.
Wednesday was taco night with Anna & Jess. We made flour tortillas, mango cilantro guacamole, mint mango salsa-- so yummy.
Off to Fort Portal:
We left on Thursday for Fort Portal. Our team was due some vacation time, so we headed back east of the Rwenzori Mountains for some relaxing time in Fort Portal (also a time to be able to restock on things that can’t be found out in Bundibugyo and do some craft/ souvenir shopping) and then we are off to Queen Elizabeth (nat’l park south of here) for some safari-ing.
The trip out to Fort Portal was quite eventful. Jess was our driver and this was her debut driving any significant distance with a stick, not to mention they drive on the left-hand side of the road here and thus she had to shift with her left hand. Furthermore, and probably most significantly, the road from Nyahuka to Fort Portal are terrible-- dirt roads with huge potholes, rocks, ruts from the rain, crazy hills, and ridiculous drivers (cars, trucks, bikes, bodas (motorbikes), & pedestrians). We stalled on a hill that was also kind of in a bend in the road, so we had to carefully reverse back down around the curve and try again. There is a mango stop on the side of the road-- small buckets of ripe mangos stacked up, only 50 cents for the whole bucket!
We took advantage of that, especially as it is nearing the end of mango season here, and they have been quite delicious. The trip afforded us many spectacular views of the valley down below as we climbed higher and higher, zigzag fashion, into the mountains. At one point, though, it looked as though the road ahead, across the way from where we were, had fallen off the side of the mountain. It really looked as though it just disappeared and that we would drive off road into the chasm below. As we progressed a bit further, it reappeared, to a certain degree (very much an Indiana Jones: Last Crusade moment). However, we were stopped by the road crew for at least half an hour as they re-bulldozed the road. So my thoughts about the road falling away were not entirely mistaken. During our stop, I really had to pee, so I tried going between the Johnsons and our vehicles as there was no where else to go, being on the side of a steep mountain. No sooner had I gotten in pee position than the line of traffic started up again since the road workers gave the go ahead. Of course. For the rest of the ride I was just anxiously awaiting our arrival in Fort Portal to use the bathroom. It turns out that some drunk driver hit the Johnsons’ car as they were driving into town (thankfully no one was hurt, and their car wasn’t damaged). While we were stopped to make sure they were okay, I decided to attempt bathroom stop #2 between the open doors of our vehicle. It was not super successful. Amidst my efforts to stay covered, my long skirt definitely got wet… oops. I did my best to wash the edge of it off out the window as we drove the rest of the way to the restaurant… (Note: 53 mi took us 3 hours and 45 min.)
The trip out to Fort Portal was quite eventful. Jess was our driver and this was her debut driving any significant distance with a stick, not to mention they drive on the left-hand side of the road here and thus she had to shift with her left hand. Furthermore, and probably most significantly, the road from Nyahuka to Fort Portal are terrible-- dirt roads with huge potholes, rocks, ruts from the rain, crazy hills, and ridiculous drivers (cars, trucks, bikes, bodas (motorbikes), & pedestrians). We stalled on a hill that was also kind of in a bend in the road, so we had to carefully reverse back down around the curve and try again. There is a mango stop on the side of the road-- small buckets of ripe mangos stacked up, only 50 cents for the whole bucket!
We took advantage of that, especially as it is nearing the end of mango season here, and they have been quite delicious. The trip afforded us many spectacular views of the valley down below as we climbed higher and higher, zigzag fashion, into the mountains. At one point, though, it looked as though the road ahead, across the way from where we were, had fallen off the side of the mountain. It really looked as though it just disappeared and that we would drive off road into the chasm below. As we progressed a bit further, it reappeared, to a certain degree (very much an Indiana Jones: Last Crusade moment). However, we were stopped by the road crew for at least half an hour as they re-bulldozed the road. So my thoughts about the road falling away were not entirely mistaken. During our stop, I really had to pee, so I tried going between the Johnsons and our vehicles as there was no where else to go, being on the side of a steep mountain. No sooner had I gotten in pee position than the line of traffic started up again since the road workers gave the go ahead. Of course. For the rest of the ride I was just anxiously awaiting our arrival in Fort Portal to use the bathroom. It turns out that some drunk driver hit the Johnsons’ car as they were driving into town (thankfully no one was hurt, and their car wasn’t damaged). While we were stopped to make sure they were okay, I decided to attempt bathroom stop #2 between the open doors of our vehicle. It was not super successful. Amidst my efforts to stay covered, my long skirt definitely got wet… oops. I did my best to wash the edge of it off out the window as we drove the rest of the way to the restaurant… (Note: 53 mi took us 3 hours and 45 min.)
There are about 3 restaurants around town. We had pizza 3 nights in a row, which was nice, but then we decided to switch it up a bit with the other 2 restaurants. Craft store shopping has also been quite exciting.
We have been staying at Y.E.S. (youth encouragement services) hostel for our time in Fort Portal. It is run by a sweet Canadian woman who takes the money made at the hostel and uses it to sponsor 200 and some children here.
Olvie and I babysat for the 3 Johnson kids for a day/ night so their parents could get away for their anniversary. We went on a nice adventure walk through the tea fields and into the woods on the other side (“Narnia,” according to the kids). Canada was celebrated with some iced maple cookies and their catchy “O, Canada” anthem. (Aidan just tested + for malaria last night; doing a bit better today, but please pray for his health!)
When we got back to the hostel (the Johnsons are staying at a house nearby), there was a huge group of Peace Corps volunteers who had all gathered to celebrate the 4th of July. It was kind of crazy around here for those few days, but fun having them around -- got to meet some pretty interesting people and heard some crazy stories.
One afternoon, we four girls went hiking up to “the top of the world” (there was a hedge there spelling it out to prove it) and saw some beautiful crater lakes (the area underwent some serious volcanic activity back in the day). At the end of our hike, we were surrounded by dozens of vervet and colobus monkeys! (The latter look like skunks, with a huge white puff at the end of their long tails.) It was really exciting to see so many so close up.
Today, Olvie and I went on our second run in Uganda. Yep, we’re making great strides. But it was nice-- fewer people around to stare, and it was actually pretty cool out. (The different climate here means no obukokuni-- I have finally recovered from my previous bites.) Later in the day we went over to an American family’s house here in Fort Portal and a decent-sized group of us celebrated the 4th of July. We tie-dyed and trampolined with the kids, and even got a good game of ultimate going.
One last night at the hostel, and tomorrow (well, it will be ‘today’ by the time I post this) we’re off to Queen Elizabeth.
In closing, I would like to share some amusing signs:
in one of the stalls in the hostel we are staying in:
“WAIT!!! This is a Western Toilet. It is like a chair! Do not stand on it! You must sit on it! (drawing of a stick figure sitting on chair-looking toilet w/ a check beside; drawing of a stick figure squatting on top of the chair-looking toilet w/ an X next to it) Thank You”
and another sign right beside it:
“Please! DON’T WET THE TOILET SEAT, AIM THE HOLE: Thank you,” (the punctuation was almost as funny as the notice)
sign along our hiking trailing:
supposed to be pointing to “the top of the world” but was actually pointing at a downward angle
shops around town:
pharmacy: “God’s Plan Human Drug Shop”
bedside doctor: “ Bedroom Doctors”
guesthouse: “A to Y Guesthouse” (if you wanted Z, you’re out of luck)
sign for fresh food: “Flesh Chipati” (there’s that r/l confusion again…)
other: “God’s Grace Stationry Shop”
“Stop here for fresh beans; Hassan is a professional”
“Majungu Hair Salon” (majungu/ mazungu = white person)
“Love Hair Saloon”
“I.M. Kombekera & Sons Fish Show Project”
“3G PRAISE GOD MUL T MEDIA CENTRE”
And one final comment:
Nose picking is very common and totally acceptable-- any time, any place. It doesn’t matter if you are a working professional or in the middle of talking to someone. So pick away!
Hahaha eww, nose picking?! I am enjoying your posts, Sarah, and thinking of you! Is your blog picture from Giant's Castle? It has to be! Love you! : )
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