Sometimes You Just End Up ETing

Well here it is folks... I ended my service as a PCV on December 8, 2015. I never thought I would write those words but I have been home for about thirteen days now and I am really happy with the decision I made to end my service early. I had just hit my 19 month in Uganda and the thought of trying to make it another eight months well lets face it, it would not have been healthy for me mentally and physically to stay there. I was really unhappy, all I wanted to do was stay in my house and read instead of doing my job and dealing with the outside world and people in my community. I am stubborn and I was like "I am going to get that RPCV status no matter what - I am not going to leave!" I didn't want to let myself down for leaving early...well I started to experience panic attacks and was dealing with PTSD symptoms following some events that took place. There are also a bunch of other things involving my org, people in my community, and events that happened which also played into my decision to leave but they are boring and I really don't want to bore you with the details.

When my mother came and visited, I broke down and finally admitted to myself that I really wanted to go home (Mother's are good like that). I finally realized I was tired of being unhappy, stressed out all the time, frustrated, and I was starting to hate Uganda (which is something I never wanted to do). After much tears and talking to a wonderful friend back in the US, I realized it was time for me to head home. Sometimes a simple sentence can change the path in ones life. Once I made that decision to end or Early Terminate as PC calls it - I felt like the world had lifted off my shoulders, I could breath again, the panic attacks went away, I started eating again, and the fog was lifted from my very frazzled brain. When it comes to ETing - it is never easy and by far it was one of the hardest decisions I have had to make thus far in my life but Life Happens and we all have to do what is right for each of us. I am so happy that I had the chance to serve with the Peace Corps and work in Uganda. I really loved my time in Uganda and the experiences will be with me the rest of my life. Below is the post from my FB account that I feel sums up how I feel about my time in Uganda.

With a heart filled with so much love, gratitude, and many wonderful memories and experiences, I leave this beautiful country of Uganda. I have met so many amazing people, stepped way outside my comfort zone, learned a lot about myself and this country, witnessed some things most will never see, and loved another country with my whole heart. These past 18 months have changed my life in so many different ways and for the better and I am so very grateful for the opportunity to serve with The United states Peace Corps and with the people of Uganda. I look forward to what the future brings and also the moment when I can again step on this beautiful red earth. Thank you so very much Uganda, Thank you!

So far the transition back to life in America has gone really well - I did ask the cashier at Noodles and Company if they had soda the other day and I find myself wanting to thank everyone in the local language or ask them a question in Rutorro, I find how big the cell phones have gotten a little ridiculous. I do wake up sometimes in the middle of the night going "holy shit! I am not going back to Uganda and I am not longer a PCV!" but I am okay with that and looking forward to what the future brings. I will say it is too cold for me in Minnesota - I do miss the 70 degree weather and sunshine. Since I have been back we have had one day of sunshine ugh. 

Since this may be my last blog post - I wanted to say thank you to all you wonderful readers for taking the time to read/comment on my blog over the past 19 months. I really do appreciate it. For all you "possible soon to be PCVs" - Peace Corps in the ride of a lifetime and it is so worth it!

Katelyn - Abooki :) 

A Fellow PCVs Blog Post

I have to give a shout out to my friend Carmen, a PCV in the Southwest and her wonderful writing and blog. I want everyone to check it out and read these great thoughts when it comes to beauty! Carmen's Post

Thanks Carmen!  

Here Comes The Music Man!

The who? The MUSIC MAN! Well the Traveling Music Man actually. Education PCV Paul from the Southwest came up and visited five of the KFSP schools to do his Traveling Music Man Show.  His show is all based around positive living and loving one another. He did 8 shows in four days in the Fort Portal area and performed for over 2,000 students. Super Star if I ever saw one! Paul has been performing all over Uganda and it would be hard to not find a child who has not heard him or heard of him. Kids from all the schools and communities are still singing songs from the show and they will come up to me on the road and start doing the hokie pokie.

Kigarama -Doing Head Should Knees and Toes

Rweteera - Learning The Hokie Pokie

Kasiisi - Singing Along

Kigarama - P4 class with PCV Margurite and Paul

Lots of Laughing From Kyanyawara

A Rweteera Student Got To Strum Paul's Guitar

Paul and Patrick - Patrick Translated All But One Of The Shows

Another Student Strumming the Guitar

Cheer For Uganda

Kiko - Clapping and Dancing Along

Half Down And Another Half To Go

At the end of August, my Health and Agriculture June 2014 group gathered together for our Mid-Service Conference. This conference happens roughly halfway through ones service and is different in every country but it still has the same meaning and message: “You are mid-way through your service – congratulations!”. We had a couple days of discussions, activities, learning about different topics that we had requested to have more information about, what to except for our final year, starting the job search, and just hanging out and chilling with great friends. It was a great way to look back over my first year of service and evaluate where I am and where I want to go for the final months of my service. This past year has gone by quickly and the final now nine-monthsish are going to be crazy busy and I am sure will fly by. I am a little worried, I wont be able to get everything done by the time I am finished as a Peace Corps Volunteer but that is okay. After going back and forth, I have decided to not extend my service to a third year with my organization because I feel it is time to move on to a job with a salary and start paying off my student loans.

The first photo below is from our group at Staging about 14 months prior to our MSC right before we headed off to get on a plane and fly into Uganda. The second one is of our group at MSC (Minus a couple people who were on vacation). We started out with 40 people at Staging and now we are down to 27 volunteers.

Staging June 2014

 

MST August 2015

We have lost a total of 13 people for a variety of reasons from health, security, family, or personal issues. Finishing ones service is not always in the cards for people and there is nothing wrong with leaving early. At times, Uganda is a very challenging and rough place to be and live. I have thought about early terminating or 'ETing' a couple times over the year but it had nothing to do with Uganda or her people it actually has mainly to do with issues at my organization which most of the times have ended up clearing themselves up.

It is amazing to see how people have changed and grown over the past year. All of my fellow volunteers have grown into their own and I am sure there will be more growth to come in the final months. I have enjoyed my service thus far with of course the few bumps in the dirt road but that happens with any path. 

The final months are looking bright as they tick down to our Close-Of Service Conference which will be around April and the start of the job search in the coming months – I really enjoy job searching so I am looking forward to this part. Nine months left! That is CRAZY!

Some Music, A Little Dancing, and A Few Drama's

Back in July, KFSP held it Music Dance and Drama Competition between seven of the 14 schools. Each school put together a dance, a song, and a play all around the topics of Malaria, Early Marriage (which turned slightly into Early Pregnancy), and HIV/AIDS. They performed each of those categories for the other schools and where judged based on their content and information provided to educate others on the topics.

Iruhuura Primary School Singing

Kiko Primary School's Dance

Kasiisi Primary School's Dance

Kigarama Primary School's Song

Ugandans love Music Dance and Drama competitions as a way of getting information and also for entertainment purposes.

BEST SECRET GARDEN: Iruhuura Primary School

BEST POEM: Kasiisi and Iruhuura Primary School

BEST SONG: Kasiisi Primary School

BEST CREATIVE DANCE: Kigarama Primary School

BEST SKIT: Kasiisi and Kyanyawara Primary School

OVERALL WINNER: Kasiisi Primary School

The Good and The Bad

The Rift Valley in Western Uganda

Thankfully after two horrible weeks of I would say depression and not great thoughts, life has taken a turn for the better. I really had a hard time coming back to Uganda after my time in the USA, I do not know why but it was hard. I didn’t want to be in the USA but I also didn’t want to be in Uganda either – a hard place to be when the two places you call home do not feel like home at all. Coming back everything seemed to be falling a part from ex-pats heading home, to fellow PCVs having to leave, myself having a few accidents and other people getting hurt, people you trusted stealing things, it was starting to really freak me out. However, this past weekend that changed YAY! I am the Satellite Liaison for the West, which means I get to hang out with the new group of soon to be PCVs in the West and do some language and cultural information sessions. The group is wonderful and I am very excited to hopefully see them swear in as PCV Health and Ag Volunteers in August and move to their sites and I cannot wait to see them grow over the next 24 months (there is a lot of growth during the 27 months in country – sometimes it is hard and hurts but mostly it is good growth). The PCT’s Peace Corps Trainees have been staying in Kyenjojo, which is about a 45-minute drive East of Fort and this past weekend they got to come to Fort Portal for the day. Oh the bright and alive faces ready for an adventure – takes me back down memory lane the time before I received my permanent coating of red dirt on my feet. We started the day off at the Tooro Palace.

The Tooro Palace

The view from the Palace looking down towards Fort Portal

The history of the Tooro Palace and the Kingdom is really fascinating, dating back many centuries. The current king has been king since he was three years old and is the youngest ever monarch in the world – down side of that is he lives in Kampala, speaks very little Rutooro as he was educated in the United Kingdom and hardly every comes to the West. I read an article about how he wants the West to be the best and prosper and his people be the best – wellllll I’ll believe it when I see it. He cares more for his money and not smiling then his people – oh I said it. The Palace is run down and if I were Queen, man that place would be looking smart and in fab fashion but it is currently lacking the Katelyn flare where palaces go but anyways the tour was nice but we did not even get to go inside the palace and see the thrones which was disappointing. Our next stop on Tour De Fort was Sweet Aromas for brownies and cookies (for course come on you cannot go through Fort without getting sweets from Sweet Aromas those who miss it are really missing something in their lives), this brightened everyone’s mood and fight off the hangrys (hungry and angry people). About 15-20 minutes West of Fort Portal are the Rwenzori Mountains, also called the Rain Makers, they stretch high into the sky so we put 15 people in a nine passenger van in true Uganda fashion, they were complaining and I was like ‘another day in Uganda’ and we heading West to the Great Rift Valley where two different lines of mountains are parallel to each other and create a valley.

The Rift Valley!

It was amazingly beautiful and reminded me so much of Kisoro and parts of Colorado. We goofed off there for a while as kids from high up in the mountains yelled ‘Muzungu’ at us and we had a fun time spotting and waving to them. Then we climbed back in the van and headed back to Fort for Pizza and Croc Burgers at Duchess and they got to explore Fort, buy some fabric, and ended the day with ice cream at Gardens. It was such a wonderful day and I had such a good time getting to know the soon to be volunteers. So I am inspired to finish these last 12 or so months with fire and energy. It is always good to check in on if you are making an impact or even should be in the place that you are and I have spent a good amount of time checking if I should be here or if I should move on but I am going to stay I want to and I want to keep doing what I am doing.

On Sunday night, I pulled my first jigger out of my right big toe – yes I did it all by myself. As a PCV, things that used to make you squeamish now you just shrug and go okay lets just get it over with. The only thing that makes me squeamish is coming across a large snake on my way to the pit latrine at 4AM or finding large spiders in my bed net – okay and also needles being stuck in between my toes. I have made it 13 months without a jigger and I was proud going that far as another PCV has had like four or five but I think I got it while I was in Kyenjojo where it is very dusty, and there is trash lying around. Fort Portal can be dirty but there are sidewalks and the trash is kept to a minimum. Jiggers are little bugs that borrow into your skin and lays eggs – gross right? If you are feeling brave feel free to google them. They are just one of the many things you can get while living I here in Uganda. I just stuck a pair of tweezers in and grab the black dot and pulled the sack out – yes a sack of white small eggs they looked like tiny dip and dots. Okay I’ll stop grossing you out. Oh wait here is a photo...

The little white and tiny black dot is a Jigger

This week is a busy week for the org as we are running around going to dress rehearsals at seven of our 14 schools for the Music Dance and Drama Competition or MDD on Saturday. Each school will present a Dance, Song, Poem, and Skit during Saturday’s competition and these schools get crazy competitive so it should be fun! 

 

Girls and Boys dancing during a dress rehearsal for the MDD

I will leave you with this quote by Kevin Kruse which I think sums up life as a PCV rather well… 
“Life is about making an impact, not making an income.” 

 Have a wonderful rest of the week dear readers!  

Returning to the land of Peanut M&Ms

Well as you can see, my blog looks slightly different and I have not posted anything when I said I would (big surprise there). Things have been a little wild the last couple weeks and I just have not had the energy to write something.

A week ago, I arrived back at site in Fort Portal after a three week vacation in America. People have asked me if I had culture shock coming to Uganda a year ago and of course I did but I feel like I had more culture shock going back to America after a year of being in country. I remember walking through Target for the first time and thinking to myself ‘why do people need this much shit?’ That basically happened every other place I went and also just driving through neighborhoods in the land of suburbia. At times during my trip, I really felt out of place in America.

I landed in America after about 18 hours of flying in Minnesota and it was rainy and freezing out (okay it was only like 55 but to me that is cold). I had a couple days of sleep and trying to get on a time schedule (Uganda is 8 hours ahead of Minnesota time). I then jumped in the car and drove 950 miles to Denver, Colorado to visit with some friends and also see my older brother who is working at the Denver Art Museum for the summer. I also went out to Buena Vista and Colorado Springs to see friends and attend Association before heading back to Minnesota. I forgot what it was like to have long days with lots of sunlight – Uganda has 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness every day, every year so it was amazing to have the sun rising at 5AM and finally getting dark around 10PM. With all the traveling and driving around people would say 'that is so far to travel' but I would compare distances with traveling in Uganda. It takes 16 hours to drive from Colorado Springs to my house and I would look at it as that one time it took 16 hours to travel from Kigali, Rwanda back to my site (if Kigali and Uganda had been in America it would have taken tops seven hours).

Traveling takes a lot out of you and I did have a few hours of sleep on the different flights but I got to sit next to a woman who refused to close her window shade the whole flight from Brussels to New Jersey and my TV screen was not working (an eight hour flight with a broken TV screen sucks). I became a pro at falling asleep at random times and places when I was in America because my body never got accustomed to American so I was just tired and cranky all the time.
I think what got me the most was how out of touch everyone was with the world.

Media plays a large role in giving misconceptions of what is going on in the world and also its now entertainment and it is not so much news anymore. Also smartphones – my smartphone broke about seven months into my service and I never replaced it so I went most of the last year without one and I forgot in America people spend their lives on their smartphones and forget to live. I had dinner with a friend who spent most of the time texting another person throughout dinner and I sat across debating if I should just leave or throw the smartphone and that was not the only time - if a situation got awkward they would get on their smartphones where here in Uganda you end up laughing and living with the awkward situation. Be present people come on. I brought a smartphone back with me and I have mix feelings about it already. I don’t want to pay for internet on it and two I do not want to be glued to it again like everyone else in the world. Ugandans find it extremely rude when you pull out your smartphone when they are talking to you (Americans have forgotten that I guess). Currently I am switching out sim cards and checking my smartphone once a day – otherwise still sticking to my Ugandan burner phone.
It was great to have American food again that was not boiled to death or bland with no flavor – Yes I ate a whole box of cheez-its and a couple bags of potato chips and I am not ashamed. I had a great time eating different foods again but it was also an eye opener to how unhealthy Americans are when it comes to eating. 

It was nice to be in America when the Supreme Court ruled on gay marriage and I got to share some joy with fellow friends during that weekend and it is a step forward for the world. It was a good trip and good to see people but at the same time I could have gone elsewhere in the world and dealt with less stress and saw some cool sites and after doing two roughly 20 hour flights it is not really worth it and I do not plan on taking that flight again for at least another year or two too much flying.