My Long Weekend

This weekend I am enjoying 4 days off in a row. This doesn't happen often with work and the way Uganda celebrates holidays. Uganda has not embraced the "3 day weekend" the way Western cultures have because most people here are still subsistence farmers. So when an Ugandan holiday (like Independence Day, Martyr's Day, etc.) falls on a weekend or middle of the week it is just celebrated that day. No President's Day (Observed) like Americans have so it can always fall on a Monday, thus not many official long weekends. This weekend however, a holiday (NRM Day or Liberation day depending on your political affiliation) was on a Thursday and I was able to take Friday off. Long weekend!

Sometimes people ask me, what do you do for fun in Uganda? I thought telling you a little bit about my weekend would help answer that question and sharing a few pictures. On Thursday I got to visit with a few friends on campus, participate in a breakfast with students (hosted by someone else so not work for me!) then head to the pool with Rachel. You can see us lounging poolside in the pictures below:

We were at a place called Vision for Africa, a NGO in Mukono that does a wide variety of work including running a guest house as part of a hospitality training school. We read, swam and enjoyed the sun, although I kept moving my chair to try to stay in the shade and ended up being enveloped by a friendly tree. The first picture in the post is looking up at the papaya tree that was shading us.

I also enjoyed a cold poolside Coke . Soda is almost always served in glass bottles here so they can be reused, and it is such a nice treat on a hot day. I probably drink more soda in Uganda than I ever did in the States.

The day ended with a delicious dinner made by Rachel, a visit from my friend Adeline (who is back in Uganda!) and a fun movie.

Friday I headed back to Jinja with Abby for a night at The Haven. This was something Abby and I had planned as a "last semester" time together. The place was situated right on the Nile, and we saw some of the rafting boats starting out soon after arriving. Here was the view from our little cottage:

We had a great time of relaxing, eating, reminiscing and talking about the future...makes me excited to see what the next year will hold. We also ran in to this new little friend:

If anyone has ever read or seen the movie Flame Trees of Thika (highly recommended), it was just like Elspeth's pet Twinkle! We also enjoyed good Western-style meals, a special treat in Uganda:

So far the weekend has been full of good times with friends and visiting different places. Tomorrow I am hoping to go to a baptism for a friend's child then an art gallery in Kampala.

Hopefully that gives you some idea of free time in Uganda. Living in Mukono there are less entertainment options close by than a typical American town but between people and a little bit of driving, there is plenty that is interesting and fun .

Malaria Free for Four Years

What is the most dangerous animal in Africa? Lions, hippos, elephants, wild dogs... all good guesses but the answer is:

Yes, the mosquito. Malaria, which is passed by mosquitos, is a very real and possibly deadly disease in Uganda. I just looked up some statistics and about 45,000 people die every year in Uganda because of malaria (most children under age 4). Living in Uganda and caring for students here, malaria becomes a big concern and there are various ways to deal with it. I live close enough to health care and can easily access treatment for malaria, but it would still be better never to contract it. So how to not get malaria?

The obvious answer is various anti-malarial medications, right now there are about three that doctors regularly prescribe. Our students are all on medications, and I think traveling for less than 6 months it is better to take the meds. When I moved to Uganda, however, I knew I would be here longer and didn't want to be taking a medication- all with various side effects- for years.

So, the best way to prevent malaria is: don't get bit by mosquitos. My first line of prevention is always sleeping under a mosquito net, as seen here in my bedroom:

I try to do this even when I am traveling, tucking nets under my mattress to prevent mosquitos from getting in. Secondly, I try to use repellent and wear long sleeves at night, when most mosquitos are out.

Lastly, I drink papaya tea. This may sound odd, but some former missionaries in Zimbabwe recommended it as an anti-malarial and I figured, why not? There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that papaya leaves prevent malaria and drinking the tea is a way to use them. So, while I have been living in Uganda I drink papaya tea twice a week and so far, no malaria! The best evidence I have of the tea's effectiveness is: I was in rural Uganda with two coworkers for a week and both of them got malaria (one very badly) and I didn't. That is enough proof for me! Now I have convinced other people to try it, so maybe it will catch on. Here is the papaya tea I will use for my remaining time here:

When I am in the States, I realize how anxious I get about mosquito bites, then I remember- wait, no malaria here! So while mosquitos are annoying, I am always grateful that I don't have to be as careful when outside Uganda. I have been so blessed to be relatively healthy while living in Uganda and am hoping I can make it through these last 5 months without any major issues.

Jinja Time

This weekend I was with our students and other staff in Jinja. 43 students arrived about a week ago and this past week has been full of orientation, starting classes, getting students started at their practicum sites and general settling in. Yesterday we left for a calmer 2 days of retreating in Jinja.

Jinja is about 1 hour east of Mukono and a place I have gone many times. Jinja is most well known for being "the source of the Nile", and for various adventure actives like rafting, and bungee jumping. Jinja was one of the first places I ever visited in Uganda in 2000 when I was studying in Kenya and a group of us came to Uganda for rafting the Nile. Now it is something most of our students do during the semester, although the river has changed (I'll talk more about that later).

One place I have been to many times (probably 10+) is Kingfisher Safari Lodge- located outside of Jinja town on Lake Victoria. We were there this weekend with the students, and have regularly taken groups there for retreats. The first picture and below picture were taken around Kingfisher.

It is a lush and relaxing place with moderate accommodations and food. A good place to descend on with large groups of college students for learning and getting to know each other. This weekend we had several sessions of discussions and some processing of the first week. Here is one session going on from this weekend:

Other trips we have brought Ugandan students along to get to know our students which has involved silly games and fun times. Here is a picture from a previous semester:

I realized today that this might be my last time at Kingfisher (maybe), so I took some more pictures and thought back on all the people I have been there with. It is nice to have familiar places around Uganda that I will look back on fondly.

This might be of more interest to people who have spent some time in Uganda: On a side trip today, a few of us visited the former Bujagali Falls. For many years there has been work on and talk of the dam on the Nile near Jinja. Now that the dam is done one of the changes is that a former attraction, rafting spot, and amazing force of nature looks like a calm lake. On the left is a picture from a few years ago (although it was like that up until last year), and below is a picture taken today in the same spot. For anyone who has rafted the Nile or visited Jinja you know what a big change this is! Also goes to show the changes that can happen even in the landscape around us.

This week should be less busy and get everyone settled in to more of a routine. So far I am feeling positive about this semester, and being in Jinja was a good way to start it off!

A New Year

It has already been the new year in Uganda for about 9 hours but just turned 2012 on the East Coast of the US. I woke up earlier than I expected this morning (jet lag) so have had some time to think about what 2012 might hold.

I arrived back in Uganda late the night of the 30th after a great two weeks in the States. It was funny to think of this as my last vacation to the States, the next time I go I will be moving there. Arriving back in Entebbe on Friday night I was struck by the feel of Uganda- leaving a cold, dry Pennsylvania winter and arriving to a warm, humid night that felt so moist you could almost touch it. While I was going through immigration, getting my baggage and sitting through the dark drive back to Mukono I kept thinking- this is my last time to return. I think throughout this next 5 months my feelings will be mixed- enjoying and knowing I will miss Uganda, and anticipating an exciting change.

This morning I have been thinking about how to balance those mixed emotions. How do I appreciate these "lasts" in Uganda and be present here, while also looking forward? I don't want to wish away this time but also want to be prepared for a move to the States. I am not sure there are any right answers for these thoughts, I know that I'll be thinking about them often.

Tomorrow I start work again and our students (44 of them!) arrive on Friday. Today I'll finish unpacking and see friends. I'll also reflect on and be grateful for my Christmas trip, the time I was able to have with family and friends, and all the Stateside fun. I'll leave you with a few final pictures from my trip. Happy new year to all!

It's Christmas Time

I am in the States for a 2 week visit at Christmas and it is already flying. I arrived 9 days ago and leave in 5 days. It is always a balance of seeing friends and family, enjoying a vacation and resting and stocking up on things to take back to Uganda. So far I think I have managed to do all these things and thought I would post some picture highlights:

Here my mom and I are in the city to see the King and I at the Walnut St Theater, so good! We had a whole city day with the lights at Macy's, Reading Terminal Market and shopping in the city.

Food! I always need to pace myself when it comes to Stateside treats and there is so much good stuff at Christmas. The pretzel, M&M and chocolate trio is one of my favorite Christmas treats that I have already made at two friend's homes.

Of course, seeing my cute nephews and the rest of my family. I am looking forward to more time together with everyone as we celebrate Christmas and our extended family visits next week.

With that I will say MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, may this season be blessed for everyone with time for rest, reflection and time with loved ones.

Layovers

I am back at the Amsterdam airport for another layover. This time I will be visiting the States for two weeks of Christmas vacation, which I am very excited about! This layover is about 7 hours, long in terms of staying at the airport, but not long enough to go in to the city. Flying back and forth from Uganda to the States so many times has given me the chance to have more extended layovers several times, taking advantage of stopovers to see Europe and North Africa. I thought I would post a few pictures from my more extended layovers (to pass the time on this relatively short one) and share some memories.

In July 2008 I had about a 12 hour layover in London. My friend Rachel, who had lived there for a year, recommended the small town of Richmond, an easy tube ride from Heathrow. It was quaint, sunny and a perfect stopover.

Some of the scenery around town. I do remember feeling awfully tired and falling asleep on the way back for my flight, but still enjoyed getting out of the airport.

In June 2009, I extended my layover to 3 days in Amsterdam and toured around the canals, museums and various sites. Highlights were the Van Gogh Museum, the walkable and bikable city and the Anne Frank museum pictured below:

This was especially memorable to me because I had just reread her diaries, so seeing the actual house where they were hidden made it seem so real. Highly recommended.

In May-June 2010 my parents came and met me in Paris! Here we are in front of the Louvre:

This was an amazing trip- being in Paris and getting to be there with two of my favorite people. I loved so much about this trip- the food, the language, the beautiful city. A few highlights were the Rodin Museum and a trip to Normandy. We stayed in a place fairly close to the Eiffel Tower:

In May 2011, my most recent long layover, I went to Morocco to visit friends, Keely and Kevin. This was my first time to North Africa and found it so different than East or Southern Africa. Here is a picture from one of my favorite experiences there:

I got henna on my hands, while enjoying traditional mint tea and snacks. While the henna stung a bit while getting it, it was beautiful and lasted about 3 weeks. Keely and Kevin were great hosts, showing me all around Casablanca. Here are Keely and I are front of a mosque (the third largest in the world) after a tour:

I feel very blessed to have all these opportunities to travel and see all these interesting places. So, you may wonder where will my final layover be? I am planning to visit friends in England and maybe squeeze in one other place, to be planned. I am not sure there will be another time in my life I will get to travel so freely so I hope to take advantage of these last trips.

For now I am looking forward to the travel to the States for the next two weeks. Sometimes going directly there is best when there is Christmas, family celebrations, friends to see and only two weeks to of time!

Debriefing

It is officially the last week of the semester here, students have been taking exams, I have been grading away and certain events, like the big USP farewell dinner, have taken place. Tomorrow we leave for "debrief" with the students- 4 days of discussing their semester and preparing them for returning to the States. There are sessions on what they have seen, learned, and how they will process and communicate all this to family and friends. Usually it is a positive time that allows for good reflection and preparation, along with some fun and the inevitable goodbyes.

I looked through my pictures and realized I have almost no pictures of debrief even though I have been there at the end of every semester. I think it is because it is a lot of sitting around and talking, not usually the most picture-worthy times. (Although there is usually one final group shot.) We are always in Entebbe- near the airport- at a guest house run by some very tolerant nuns. The one picture I found was this:

This photo was taken right before departure last year and we had to clear out the student's rooms (their flight was at midnight or some ridiculous hour). This photo represents the chaos of getting 30ish people to the airport at the same time with a semester's worth of stuff. A few things to notice- a luggage scale laying out, an open brownie container, a wrapped up mosquito net and me in the mirror. My luggage is mixed right in there, with one of my bags open, maybe I was still packing??

One thing I have been thinking about lately is what kind of debrief I will need from life in Uganda. If we give our students four concentrated days for 4 months...should I plan on 9 times that? Or maybe processing with them each semester will help. Recently a speaker was telling our students about his adjustment after living abroad and said it takes double the amount of time you were away to readjust to your own culture. That scared me a little bit- that would mean 9 years for me!

I have been able to be back in the States often while living in Uganda and would like to think that will help with adjustments. However, as we say to our students, visiting is not "reentry". Right now I associate the States with vacation, special treats and seeing people I miss. That is definitely how I am viewing my upcoming Christmas trip next week. I don't think this is a very accurate picture of daily life, so that will be a mental shift for me.

I'll end with a fun photo from last semester's farewell dinner. We all had semi-matching outfits made from curtain fabric (very Sound of Music-esque). This gives a good idea of how I feel at the end of a semester and the fun our staff can have together:

My year in books

Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier. -Kathleen Norris

Anyone who knows me knows I am an avid reader. Thanks to my librarian mother, books have always been a daily part of my life. In Uganda, this is especially true- there is not as much opportunity for various forms of entertainment so I read a lot. A LOT. I average about a book a week and keep track of them on a website called Good Reads (that other people are signed up for but never use, ahem!). One thing about Good Reads is it gives you recommendations based on what you have read, so according to the website I like Historical Fiction, Memoirs, and Classics which I would say is pretty accurate. So, if you are interested in similar genres feel free to pass along any book ideas!

My brother, who blogs here: jonesabode.blogspot.com , usually does an annual music review which I always enjoy and introduces me to new music. So I thought I would do similarly for books since people often ask for recommendations. These are books I have read in the past year, not necessarily published in 2011 (although a few have). I will list my top 5 books I have read in 2011 and then some honorable mentions of books I have really enjoyed.

My top 5 (in alphabetical order by author) with my reviews:

1. Island Beneath the Sea

by Isabel Allende

I read this on vacation in Maine and was totally engrossed by the story of the life of Zarite, initially a slave in Haiti and then a free woman in New Orleans. This is historical fiction at it's best- learning about a unique time in history along with characters that make you care.

2. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption

by Laura Hillenbrand

The incredible true story of Louis Zamperini, who was an Olympic athlete and POW for much of WWII. Reading this book makes you realize what humans can endure and overcome, and the writing is excellent.

3. Never Let Me Go

by Kazuo Ishiguro

This book is a novel about people living ordinary lives- their schools, relationships, jobs. Except their lives are far from ordinary because of their life circumstances- I won't give it away but the gradual understanding of the reader and the characters at the same time is well done. The writing is strong and moving and there are specific scenes I can remember well, despite having read this early in the year.

4. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

by Eric Metxas

This new biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is dense with lots of facts about his life, excerpts from his work and letters, along with insight from family and friends. An incredibly thorough, convicting and amazing read it helped me to see Bonhoeffer in a more personal way, making his death all the more poignant.

5. The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern

The most recently published, this book tells the story of a magical circus and the people involved with it over many years. A total "escape" book but one that brings in elements of different time periods, along with fascinating characters. I read this on our rural home stays, and it was just the right book to pass the time with.

Finally, a few more books that I really enjoyed this year and would recommend to anyone: Bel Canto and State of Wonder by Anne Patchett, Field Work by Mischa Berlinski, Justice in the Grass by Diane Temple-Raston, The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt, The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

I am finishing out the year reading And The Ladies of the Club by Helen Hoover Santmyer, a 1200 page epic following a group of women through their lives. I am about half way through and will see if I can finish before leaving for the States in 10 days! And I have already picked my Kindle book for Christmas travel- Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks (another author I really like). Again, let me know if you have any book recommendations or are looking for any!

Ugandan Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Hopefully you have enjoyed a long weekend of cool weather, good food and family. Thanksgiving is a time I miss America because the holiday is so uniquely American. Canadians have Thanksgiving but in October, and for us it is the start of the holiday season, a 4 day weekend and a time to be with family (and maybe shopping if that is your thing). My last American Thanksgiving was 4 years ago, here is a picture from that day:

At this point I did not know I'd be moving to Uganda 6 weeks later but was in the interview process. Things for my family have changed since this celebration- now there are two more family members, my parents no longer live in this house, various events and experiences have passed.

In Uganda the 4th Thursday in November is just a regular work day. This should be obvious since this is an American holiday, but it is always kind of surprising to me that most people's lives go on as normal, knowing that in the US life changes rhythms for a weekend.

Our program, which has American staff and students, always celebrate with a big meal to honor the day, this year about 45 of us gathered together. It has become part of the annual routine to have students be in charge of desserts and they come and cook in the staff's kitchens. Here is some baking action in progress:

These cinnamon rolls were amazing!

Lots of activity in my kitchen.

Students were baking at my house from about 9am-2pm that day and then the meal happened after 4pm. It went well with mostly the traditional foods, adapted for Uganda and a large crowd. Unlike the US, we ate outside (in between rain showers) and ended the celebration at dark. A picture of the serving line:

One thing that made this Thanksgiving more special for me was a visit from my friend Christi, who lives in Rwanda! She was able to come for 3 days and be a part of Thanksgiving in Uganda, which made it more special. Christi and I:

Thanksgiving is one of my more "homesick" times for the US and my family. I remember my first year I was especially sad, thinking about everyone celebrating together. Now I look forward to Thanksgiving in the US next year, but I am sure will look back on my Ugandan Thanksgivings and be thankful for the experience and the uniqueness.

Trip to Lira

On Sunday we returned from our weekend trip to Lira. This was with 21 of the students in a practicum class to see different ministries in a different location in Uganda. Going to share some pictures to tell you more about the trip!

The long, but well-paved, road to Lira. It took us about 6 hours each way, a lot of driving for one weekend and we were tightly packed in a 25 person vehicle. Wildlife sitings were baboons, monkeys and rain clouds.

On Saturday we first went to Otina Waa village, a children's home, school and many other things run by an American couple. Here Bob gives the students a tour of the property, he was a very energetic 68 year old man who obviously loves his work!

The great staff from the trip- Jones, Rachel, me and Jordan. Nice leading a trip with these people!

Second stop on Saturday was to Hellen's Shelter. Hellen is an amazing woman who runs a shelter for women and children. Here is the whole group at the end of our visit.

We also got to visit a cafe in town run by friends, and church on Sunday before the drive back. Lira is a beautiful, interesting town in the north, with so much to see and learn from. Hope to visit again before I leave!