Its my last week here in Uganda and the reality that i have only 7 days left here is really starting to hit home!
Been trying to cram as much work as possible into this last week as I'm no longer at my office so able to run and take part in community events. Helping with an event at a secondary school today where we'll be educating about STI's and running some games, tug-o-war, cat n mouse, volley ball and dodge ball. Should be fun.
Have another event tomorrow that will encompass HIV testing, family planning, SRH, condom distribution and livelihoods. Again looking forward to that.
Went to Kampala again at the weekend as my Ugandan work colleague, Janet was having her graduation party. It was really good to see how Graduation is celebrated out here and to watch all the tradition - i've got pic and Janet also said she is going to get us a copy of the video.....
Im rushing as Ive only 3 minutes left on the Internet but i'll soon be home to tell you all about everything in person and also to make more updates on here.......
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
So i tried to upload some pictures but it was taking way to long so i uploaded them on facebook instead so for those of you who are reading who are friends with me on facebook you can check them out - (i will upload more onto here when i get home but its just to difficult and time consuming to do from out here).
So i'm currently in Jinja just got back from staying with a friend who's living out in Kamuli in a village 1 hr into the middle of nowhere. I stayed with him in a traditional village home which is basically mud and bricks with a straw roof. No electricity, no running water, no nothing really but i loved it! Last night we went down to The Nile and sat and watched the sun set, not as good as it could of been as it was cloudy, bit it was still an experience watching the fishermen return from a day out on the river and watching the kids collecting water in their jerry cans. Again ive got pics and videos but will have to wait to upload them. We bought fish and chapati from the local trading centre (which is basically a group of huts and shacks that sell essentials) and the Ugandan girls cooked the fish for us on the camp fire and it was delicious. For 7 large fresh fish it only cost around 1pound 50p!! The hut we stayed in was so cool (temperature wise) compared to my bedroom at the apartments in Iganga, kinda wish i'd been placed there the whole time now, even ifi am absolutely filthy so much so that i look like i've been stuck up a chimney, it would be worth being filthy all week to stay in a place like that.
So we're now winding down from work leading up to us leaving in 1 1/2 weeks, i cannot believe how fast the 3 months have gone, at the same time i feel like i've been here forever!
Theres not that much more for me to say really, i'm sure i'll have alot more to tell when i get home and start going through all the pictures i have taken.
So i'm currently in Jinja just got back from staying with a friend who's living out in Kamuli in a village 1 hr into the middle of nowhere. I stayed with him in a traditional village home which is basically mud and bricks with a straw roof. No electricity, no running water, no nothing really but i loved it! Last night we went down to The Nile and sat and watched the sun set, not as good as it could of been as it was cloudy, bit it was still an experience watching the fishermen return from a day out on the river and watching the kids collecting water in their jerry cans. Again ive got pics and videos but will have to wait to upload them. We bought fish and chapati from the local trading centre (which is basically a group of huts and shacks that sell essentials) and the Ugandan girls cooked the fish for us on the camp fire and it was delicious. For 7 large fresh fish it only cost around 1pound 50p!! The hut we stayed in was so cool (temperature wise) compared to my bedroom at the apartments in Iganga, kinda wish i'd been placed there the whole time now, even ifi am absolutely filthy so much so that i look like i've been stuck up a chimney, it would be worth being filthy all week to stay in a place like that.
So we're now winding down from work leading up to us leaving in 1 1/2 weeks, i cannot believe how fast the 3 months have gone, at the same time i feel like i've been here forever!
Theres not that much more for me to say really, i'm sure i'll have alot more to tell when i get home and start going through all the pictures i have taken.
Friday, 16 March 2012
Monday, 27 February 2012
Round up...............
Okay so lets see - what's been happening.
Things are still all well at the apartments and aside someone being mugged right outside our gate (it was a local person not one of the volunteers) the safety aspects of things is much improved though i do still feel that Iganga is a rather unsafe place particularly for Muzungu's ..
We ran our 2 community events for February, the first which was an SRH event went really well, over 600 high school kids attended and we had a drama group who were educating on SRH issues, the kids absolutely loved it although the content did seem a little inappropriate (even though it was all in local language i could get the jist of what was going on and don't really think it would have gone down well back home, but they loved it). Unfortunately the rain came and everyone left early but the event still ran for well over an hour so all was well. I've some pics and videos i will try to upload but as you can probably tell from the lack of posts on here it is extremely difficult to maintain this blog as i would like to.
For our second event we took a DVD player and TV to one of the remote villages and showed dvds educating about HIV and AIDS at a HIV testing day. Again the weather played its part and after more than an hour of the village people digging holes to put poles for our tent the wind came and blew the whole thing down - epic fail. We salvaged the situation though and instead set the TV under the shade of a big tree and used the tent covers as a blanket for people to sit on. Again got loads of pics so watch this space.
Went to Kampala on Saturday Kampala with one of the local volunteers who was attending a meeting there - the place is completely insane though and i couldn't really handle how chaotic and packed it was and ended up crying about how i miss there being rules to the road and randomly i cried over how i miss cheese! So i decided for the first time to source some home comforts and had Jalepeno Pringles, Cadburys Fruit and Nut and some Haribo! Cher how happy i will be when I'm back and we share our first Magners together!
For the first time since arriving here i have been thinking about home and the people and things i miss. I miss Sally cat so much and just can't imagine how weird yet fantastic it will be to get back and have her waking me up at daft 'o' clock in the morning so i will feed her (cheesy but true).
We're staying in Jinja for 3 days now having some training and i have my own room!!!! All be it a small single room with a single bed but still it will be the first time since leaving the UK that i will get to sleep in a room alone - winner.
The weather is really starting to change and its actually been quite cold a few nights in the past week and ive packed absolutely nothing for cold weather so can feel a justifiable shopping trip approaching - yeay! The rain has come and my god do these people mean rain when they say rain - living in Manchester you'd think i couldn't be surprised by the elements, especially rain, but when it comes down here you honestly feel like you need to get building an Ark! On Saturday on the way to Kampala it was blistering sunshine, easily in the late 20's and then next thing the heavens opened and it started hail stoning! How is that possible - any brain boxes out there who can explain the science behind how it can hail when its hot and sunny....?
Will try my hardest to get some photos uploaded ASAP.
Bye for now...................
Things are still all well at the apartments and aside someone being mugged right outside our gate (it was a local person not one of the volunteers) the safety aspects of things is much improved though i do still feel that Iganga is a rather unsafe place particularly for Muzungu's ..
We ran our 2 community events for February, the first which was an SRH event went really well, over 600 high school kids attended and we had a drama group who were educating on SRH issues, the kids absolutely loved it although the content did seem a little inappropriate (even though it was all in local language i could get the jist of what was going on and don't really think it would have gone down well back home, but they loved it). Unfortunately the rain came and everyone left early but the event still ran for well over an hour so all was well. I've some pics and videos i will try to upload but as you can probably tell from the lack of posts on here it is extremely difficult to maintain this blog as i would like to.
For our second event we took a DVD player and TV to one of the remote villages and showed dvds educating about HIV and AIDS at a HIV testing day. Again the weather played its part and after more than an hour of the village people digging holes to put poles for our tent the wind came and blew the whole thing down - epic fail. We salvaged the situation though and instead set the TV under the shade of a big tree and used the tent covers as a blanket for people to sit on. Again got loads of pics so watch this space.
Went to Kampala on Saturday Kampala with one of the local volunteers who was attending a meeting there - the place is completely insane though and i couldn't really handle how chaotic and packed it was and ended up crying about how i miss there being rules to the road and randomly i cried over how i miss cheese! So i decided for the first time to source some home comforts and had Jalepeno Pringles, Cadburys Fruit and Nut and some Haribo! Cher how happy i will be when I'm back and we share our first Magners together!
For the first time since arriving here i have been thinking about home and the people and things i miss. I miss Sally cat so much and just can't imagine how weird yet fantastic it will be to get back and have her waking me up at daft 'o' clock in the morning so i will feed her (cheesy but true).
We're staying in Jinja for 3 days now having some training and i have my own room!!!! All be it a small single room with a single bed but still it will be the first time since leaving the UK that i will get to sleep in a room alone - winner.
The weather is really starting to change and its actually been quite cold a few nights in the past week and ive packed absolutely nothing for cold weather so can feel a justifiable shopping trip approaching - yeay! The rain has come and my god do these people mean rain when they say rain - living in Manchester you'd think i couldn't be surprised by the elements, especially rain, but when it comes down here you honestly feel like you need to get building an Ark! On Saturday on the way to Kampala it was blistering sunshine, easily in the late 20's and then next thing the heavens opened and it started hail stoning! How is that possible - any brain boxes out there who can explain the science behind how it can hail when its hot and sunny....?
Will try my hardest to get some photos uploaded ASAP.
Bye for now...................
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Living Basic.........
Things are going really great out here - after fears of being unsafe at the house and moving to the other side of the town to the compound things have just gotten better and better. Love the people I'm sharing my house with (one inparticular!) and starting to feel really settled and happy here. Really starting to wish i was out here longer as time has already passed so quickly i just don't feel that there's enough left.
Things got very 'basic' as of today though and we've no electricity or running water - just got back from collecting water in buckets and Jerry cans from a short walk away from our compound - was well worth it though as I'm now all lovely and clean after my bucket wash.
Work is going well and we've some events planned for the coming weeks and our proposals have been passed so we've been issued the money for these events. Our first is on Friday where we will be going to a school in one of the outer villages to conduct a sexual reproductive health session, we've paid for a drama group and a nurse to come and do a talk, our next event will be at the end of the month where we will be running a video screening at our projects HIV testing day - we're currently in the process of trying to find a generator to hire though as there's zero electricity in the villages. We're having a good laugh at work though and my boss is really laid back so we get the afternoon off when its gets too hot (which is pretty much everyday).
So today is Valentines day and I'm one of the lucky few who has a date! Yes that's right it took 3 years and i had to travel all the way to Uganda but I'm finally going on a date on Valentines day! I'm going with a guy called Joseph who's a National and is lovely, Its only to go play pool but still its progress! Everyone at the compound is also doing a secret valentine (like secret Santa), i picked Alex one of the national volunteers and have bought him a hat. Just saw my pressie under the tree on my way outta of the compound - will have to update on what i get!
As far as settling in goes i'm really hooked on Matoke at the minute (thats the mashed banana stuff) and I've found a nice traditional cafe to go get local food which does killer Matoke so i'm happy -
Stayed the weekend before last at a place called Bugagali Falls, Rachel i'm sure its the place where you stayed when you went rafting here. It was completely breath taking. There was a veranda at the back of the bar which looked out on top the most amazing view of the Nile - didnt get any pics as didnt have my camera but i'll definitely be going back so i'll hopefully get to upload some photos.
Well i'm going to have to leave it there for now as only have 10 mins left before my Internet credit goes and seriously need to run a spell check on this.
(Donna if you are reading this congratulations and email me a photo of Tom as soon as you can - love you x)
......................
Things got very 'basic' as of today though and we've no electricity or running water - just got back from collecting water in buckets and Jerry cans from a short walk away from our compound - was well worth it though as I'm now all lovely and clean after my bucket wash.
Work is going well and we've some events planned for the coming weeks and our proposals have been passed so we've been issued the money for these events. Our first is on Friday where we will be going to a school in one of the outer villages to conduct a sexual reproductive health session, we've paid for a drama group and a nurse to come and do a talk, our next event will be at the end of the month where we will be running a video screening at our projects HIV testing day - we're currently in the process of trying to find a generator to hire though as there's zero electricity in the villages. We're having a good laugh at work though and my boss is really laid back so we get the afternoon off when its gets too hot (which is pretty much everyday).
So today is Valentines day and I'm one of the lucky few who has a date! Yes that's right it took 3 years and i had to travel all the way to Uganda but I'm finally going on a date on Valentines day! I'm going with a guy called Joseph who's a National and is lovely, Its only to go play pool but still its progress! Everyone at the compound is also doing a secret valentine (like secret Santa), i picked Alex one of the national volunteers and have bought him a hat. Just saw my pressie under the tree on my way outta of the compound - will have to update on what i get!
As far as settling in goes i'm really hooked on Matoke at the minute (thats the mashed banana stuff) and I've found a nice traditional cafe to go get local food which does killer Matoke so i'm happy -
Stayed the weekend before last at a place called Bugagali Falls, Rachel i'm sure its the place where you stayed when you went rafting here. It was completely breath taking. There was a veranda at the back of the bar which looked out on top the most amazing view of the Nile - didnt get any pics as didnt have my camera but i'll definitely be going back so i'll hopefully get to upload some photos.
Well i'm going to have to leave it there for now as only have 10 mins left before my Internet credit goes and seriously need to run a spell check on this.
(Donna if you are reading this congratulations and email me a photo of Tom as soon as you can - love you x)
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